Ensemble Stage

by Perry Tannenbaum - June 03, 2026

Scottish Ballet's MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS is likely to stand as the most spectacular triumph at Spoleto Festival USA 2026, and festival founder Gian Carlo Menotti's 1939 radio opera, THE OLD MAID AND THE THIEF, will probably remain the best theatre....

by Perry Tannenbaum - May 22, 2026

THE NOTEBOOK The Musical was a charming chamber piece when I first read Bekah Brunstetter's adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' breakout bestseller. But the touring version is now playing to bigger houses than either its original Chicago premiere or its New York engagement. With Broadway-extravaganza pre...

by Vickie Evans - April 28, 2026

'A Raisin In The Sun', performed at Lee St. Theatre, consisted of a phenomenal cast who brought to life the timeless story, written by Lorraine Hansberry in 1959, of a middle-class family's struggles and dreams in 1950s Chicago and their steps to obtain a better life....

by Perry Tannenbaum - April 01, 2026

When Charlotte Symphony announced their 2025-26 schedule last March, they couldn’t have predicted the serendipity of two recent concerts a year later. Three subsequent events had to align. Houston Grand Opera’s world premiere recording of Jake Heggie’s Intelligence had to be released in August...

by Vickie Evans - March 30, 2026

August Wilson’s brilliance in exposing generational trauma, societal pressure, and the complexity of Black male identity is on full display. The shocking ending seals this as a must-see production....

by Perry Tannenbaum - March 14, 2026

We are gloriously entertained and usefully educated by SUFFS, with a score from Shaina Taub that outshines HAMILTON, but perhaps we should also be more challenged....

by Perry Tannenbaum - February 20, 2026

Kyle J. Britt's high-concept presentation of Annie Baker's Pulitzer Prize-winning play was hit-and-miss at the old Queens Road barn, crash-burning frequently on audibility and unfortunate sightlines. Prospects are better for fuller enjoyment at The Independent Picture House, where the run resumes th...

by Perry Tannenbaum - February 09, 2026

Musically and dramatically, THE OUTSIDERS plays like a top-notch chamber version of WEST SIDE STORY: less-heated animosities between the gangs, no symphonic aspirations to the music, and no hormones - none of these Greaser dudes has a girl! But when the music, the jagged choreography, and the specia...

by Perry Tannenbaum - February 03, 2026

Yes, Davidson Community Players’ executive director Steve Kaliski certainly had a point this past weekend when he declared, “My kingdom for The Autumn’s Tale!” DCP had invited Shepherd Shakespeare Company, which normally performs outdoors at The Barn on Monroe Road, to perform THE WINTER’S...

by Vickie Evans - December 12, 2025

The event was a strong representation of the transformative power of the arts and the importance of creating platforms for Black playwrights and performers....