Review: HALF BAKED at Hanover Little Theatre

Audiences can enjoy this comedy through November 19th.

By: Nov. 11, 2023
Review: HALF BAKED at Hanover Little Theatre

Published in 2022, Joe Simonelli’s play Half Baked takes the stage at Hanover Little Theatre under the direction of Mathew Barninger with assistant director Deborah Williams. Half Baked takes place in Central Florida where brothers Sonny and Jay Allen, with their wives Veronica and Martha Allen, attempt to figure out how to make their café successful. The lack of customers turns out to be the least of their troubles. The stellar cast and crew at Hanover Little Theatre bring the characters to life and keep the audience laughing.

The set, costumes, lighting, and sound are delightful, with colors and décor that give off just the right Florida vibe. The show opens strong, introducing the audience to Sonny and Veronica Allen, portrayed by Dave Miller and Joan Crooks. Miller and Crooks work well together, delving into Veronica and Sonny’s relationship with one another as well as with the other characters in the show. Miller delivers a hilarious monologue in the second act, commanding the stage with his energy. Crooks is utterly believable as Veronica, capturing the audience’s attention with her carefully crafted line delivery, facial expressions, and comedic timing. Suzanne Williamson and Douglas Cooper take on the roles of Martha and Jay Allen. Williamson’s Martha is a force to be reckoned with as she vents about her frustrations with her husband. Cooper’s comedy chops come in handy in the role of Jay Allen, particularly in his scenes with Kelsey Kohler’s Nadia and his fight scenes with Williamson’s Martha.

Kohler has spectacular stage presence and really brings the role of Nadia to life. She shows great versatility in the second act when her character is involved in a major plot twist. Paul Norfolk and Jeb Beard round out the cast as Marty Minkoff and Ethan Preston. Norfolk infuses Marty Minkoff—detective and Martha’s ex-boyfriend from high school—with the perfect amount of swagger and charm. Beard takes on the role of Ethan Preston, a phone-obsessed Millennial who works as a Justin Bieber tribute performer (though he sounds just like Elvis) and podcaster. Beard encapsulates the stereotypical Millennial, and his Elvis-esque voice and moves are thrilling.

Barninger and his cast and crew give a great performance of Half Baked, highlighting the comedy, and teasing out the subtleties in the relationships between the characters. Audiences can enjoy this comedy at Hanover Little Theatre through November 19th. Performances are already selling out, so get your tickets now!


BroadwayWorld Awards Voting

RELATED STORIES - Central Pennsylvania

1
Review: ELF: THE MUSICAL at The Belmont Theatre Photo
Review: ELF: THE MUSICAL at The Belmont Theatre

What did our critic think of ELF: THE MUSICAL at The Belmont Theatre?

2
BroadwayWorld Central Pennsylvania Awards December 5th Standings; THE PROM Leads Best Musi Photo
BroadwayWorld Central Pennsylvania Awards December 5th Standings; THE PROM Leads Best Musical!

It's December, and the first standings of the month have been announced as of Tuesday, December 5th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central Pennsylvania Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

3
MEL BROOKS YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN Comes to PCS Theater in December Photo
MEL BROOKS' YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN Comes to PCS Theater in December

PCS Theater has announced the upcoming production of 'Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein' (West End Version), running from December 15th to December 30th at the Players Club of Swarthmore.

4
Review: RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, JR. at Gettysburg Community Theatre Photo
Review: RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, JR. at Gettysburg Community Theatre

Every single actor on the stage at GCT puts their whole heart and soul into this production. Just like Rudolph’s nose, these actors shine brightly on stage, lifting the spirits of every single person in the audience.

From This Author - Andrea Stephenson

Andrea Stephenson’s love of music and theatre was nurtured by her parents. She started performing as a singer and actor in elementary school, and her passion for the performing arts grew through... Andrea Stephenson">(read more about this author)

Videos


Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella in Central Pennsylvania Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella
Act 1 DeSales University (11/29-12/10)Tracker VIDEOS
DeSales University Dance Ensemble Concert 2024 in Central Pennsylvania DeSales University Dance Ensemble Concert 2024
Act 1 DeSales University (3/15-3/17)
York Symphony Orchestra's' Video Games! in Central Pennsylvania York Symphony Orchestra's' Video Games!
Appell Center for the Performing Arts (3/09-3/09)
Elf the Musical in Central Pennsylvania Elf the Musical
The Belmont Theatre (12/01-12/10)
Mamma Mia! in Central Pennsylvania Mamma Mia!
Hershey Theatre (4/02-4/07)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in Central Pennsylvania The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The Belmont Theatre (8/02-8/11)
Bridge  in Central Pennsylvania Bridge
The Belmont Theatre (5/31-6/09)
The Cher Show (Non-Equity) in Central Pennsylvania The Cher Show (Non-Equity)
Scranton Cultural Center (3/01-3/03)
Cats  in Central Pennsylvania Cats
The Belmont Theatre (6/14-6/23)
 York Symphony Orchestra's Schubert’s Unfinished in Central Pennsylvania York Symphony Orchestra's Schubert’s Unfinished
Appell Center for the Performing Arts (5/18-5/18)
VIEW ALL SHOWS  ADD A SHOW  

Recommended For You