CLEVELAND THEATER REVIEWS

Jay Gatsby is throwing a party at the Stranahan Theater—and it does not disappoint. The North American tour of The Great Gatsby is a full-out, glamorous toast to the Roaring Twenties....

What did our critic think of MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY - GRAHAM 100 at KeyBank State Theatre At Playhouse Square?...

STEREOPHONIC, which is now on stage at the Connor Palace, is a 4-act, 3-hour production, was written by American playwright David Adjmi, with music composed by Will Butler.   ...

When I reviewed it on Broadway, several year ago, my capsule judgment stated: SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS THE BROADWAY MUSICAL is a wonder of neon psychedelic delight starring a character-perfect lead surrounded by a fun-centered cast which should delight adults and children of all ages!”  ...

SPAMALOT, also known at MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT: A MUSICAL (LOVINGLY) RIPPED OFF FROM THE MOTION PICTURE MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, is settled in at the Connor Palace for a short run (December 1-6). ...

What did our critic think of SHREK THE MUSICAL at Chagrin Valley Little Theatre?...

Normally, in a who-done-it, the question facing the audience is to figure out who the killer is.  In DIAL M FOR MURDER, which is now on-stage at Great Lakes Theater, Jeffrey Hatcher, who rewrote the present play version of the epic, doesn’t leave us in the air. ...

Normally, juke-box musicals, which are scripts created from pre-conceived music, have songs shoe-horned into what is generally an acceptable, but less-than well-written story (think MOULIN ROUGE! and MAMMA MIA!). ...

“The universal themes of transformation, belonging, and resistance found in [Jen] Silverman's work resonates with diverse audiences.  Her use of magical realism and inventive storytelling techniques invites viewers to reconsider familiar narratives, fostering empathy and reflection.” ...

George Pierre Seurat was a French post-Impressionist artist best known for devising a painting technique entitled Pointillism, “a series of paint or crayon dots of multi-colored paint which allows the viewer's eye to blend colors optically, rather than having the colors physically blended on the c...

When one thinks of seeing experimental or area premieres of new contemporary scripts at local theaters, one normally doesn’t think of Beck Center for the Arts.  Those kinds of plays are for the likes of Cleveland Public Theatre, Dobama (the self-proclaimed Cleveland’s Off-Broadway theater) or e...

The Notebook the Musical tells the heart warming, and often heartbreaking life-long love story, of Allie and Noah. See here for more details on the show! ...

A CHORUS LINE is considered by many theatre experts to be one of the shows that set the pattern for what is labeled the American Musical Theater. ...

What happens when a musical film earns over $131-million on a $35-million-dollar investment?  If you are Andrew Lloyd Webber, you buy the rights and turn it into the stage musical, SCHOOL OF ROCK, with lyrics by Glenn Slater and book by Julian Fellowes.  ...

Offerings of the musical theater cover a vast array of topics.  There is the tale of the young prince who wants to find his “Corner of the sky” (PIPPIN), the flower girl who wants to be a lady (MY FAIR LADY), and the dairy man who has a life ruled by tradition (FIDDLER ON THE ROOF). ...

Few realize that when reading a Peanuts comic strip, watching a television show based on the writings of Charles M. Schulz, or seeing the theatrical YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN, a version of which is now on stage at Porthouse Theatre, that they are being exposed to the author’s religious sen...

The intimate Beck’s Studio Theatre is a perfect venue for meeting and greeting THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM a blue-grass, farcical musical with a book and lyrics by Alfred Uhry and music by Robert Waldman.  ...

Two aspects are important in understanding why people often react diametrically to the play.   First is that it is a British farce.  It is not intended to carry a social message.  It is not a Shakespeare drama or tragedy.  ...

Cob County loves its corn.  Or, so we are told by the storytellers in SHUCKED, the Tony nominated musical, now on stage at the Connor Palace Theatre, as part of the Key Bank Broadway series....

The excellent English/Spanish language production of José Cruz Gonzalez’s UNDER A BASEBALL SKY, adds an intercultural presence to the area’s theatre scene that is a welcome addition both for actors and audience!...

What did our critic think of TWELFTH NIGHT at Great Lakes Theater?...

A juke box musical consists of pre-existing songs which are melded into a script to tell a story.  The songs, in contrast to lyrics and music, which are specifically integrated into a traditional musical’s story, don’t always smoothly transition into the juke box tale. ...

In a recent email Cleveland Public Theatre’s Executive Artistic Director, Raymond Bobgan stated, “At Cleveland Public Theatre, we believe in the power of art to transform, heal, and build community. In these times of uncertainty, fear, anxiety, and division, we remain steadfast in our mission to...

What did our critic think of WAITRESS at Beck Center For The Arts?...

Mention author J. M. Barrie, and the immediate thought is Peter Pan.  Peter Pan, the tale of a boy who refused to grow up, which has become a cottage industry.   Dolls, movies, a musical play, coloring books, cartoons, Halloween costumes, a non-musical play, and books are all available.   There...