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CLEVELAND THEATER REVIEWS

The latest reviews and critic recommendations from Cleveland
BWW Review: SuperbLADY DAY Jazzes Up The Beck Center

BWW Review: SuperbLADY DAY Jazzes Up The Beck Center

by Roy Berko — March 19, 2019
Having seen Audra McDonald's Tony Award winning Broadway performance of Billie Holiday in 'Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill,' I went to see the Beck production of the show with trepidation....
BWW Review: Thought-Provoking THE NETHER at Dobama

BWW Review: Thought-Provoking THE NETHER at Dobama

by Roy Berko — March 17, 2019
In this era, confusion and uncertainty are the present trend in many cutting-edge plays by a new breed of playwrights that Dobama is using as its writing stable....
BWW Review: Enjoyable SCHOOL OF ROCK at the Connor Palace

BWW Review: Enjoyable SCHOOL OF ROCK at the Connor Palace

by Roy Berko — March 8, 2019
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 School of Rock The Musicalwith lyrics by Glenn Slater and book by Julian Fellowes....
BWW Review: KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN at Blank Canvas

BWW Review: KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN at Blank Canvas

by Roy Berko — March 2, 2019
Musicals come in different forms. Musical comedies, such as 'Cinderella' and 'School of Rock' intend to entertain. Musical dramas--think 'Dear Evan Hansen,' 'Come From Away,' and 'Hamilton,' relay thoughtful ideas in words, song and dance. The musical tragedy, such as 'Sweeney Todd' and 'The Kiss Of...
BWW Review: Plot twisting WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION Compels at Great Lakes Theater

BWW Review: Plot twisting WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION Compels at Great Lakes Theater

by Roy Berko — February 18, 2019
Agatha Christie, the 'Queen of Crime,' was a British writer of murder mysteries, noted for creating plays, books and short stories. They not only contained intriguing plot twists, which centered on scandalous murders, elaborate twists and turns, but revealed basic 'truths' that are not what they see...
BWW Review: PREVIEW OF THE SHAW FESTIVAL 19

BWW Review: PREVIEW OF THE SHAW FESTIVAL 19

by Roy Berko — February 16, 2019
...
BWW Review: Seeing BW/Beck's wonderful ONCE once, is not enough

BWW Review: Seeing BW/Beck's wonderful ONCE once, is not enough

by Roy Berko — February 11, 2019
'On Stage' recently announced that Baldwin Wallace University's Music Theatre program has risen to number one calling it 'a top destination for any student wanting to study musical theatre.'...
BWW Review: Reimagined MISS SAIGON Gets Standing “O” At The Connor Palace, But...

BWW Review: Reimagined MISS SAIGON Gets Standing “O” At The Connor Palace, But...

by Roy Berko — January 31, 2019
Before you ask, 'Yes, a helicopter lands on stage in the touring production of 'Miss Saigon,' now on stage at the KeyBank State Theatre, but, as with the production itself there is a 'but . . .'....
BWW Review: RAISIN IN THE SUN at Ensemble Theatre

BWW Review: RAISIN IN THE SUN at Ensemble Theatre

by Roy Berko — January 28, 2019
It is entirely appropriate that the songs of Nina Simone were heard before, during intermissions and following the Ensemble production of Lorraine Hansberry's 'A Raisin in the Sun.' Simone, an activist and singer, was strongly influenced by Hansberry, who was the first female African-American playwr...
BWW Review: THE IMPACT OF SHUFFLE ALONG at The Musical Theater Project And Karamu

BWW Review: THE IMPACT OF SHUFFLE ALONG at The Musical Theater Project And Karamu

by Roy Berko — January 23, 2019
Musical theater and Broadway have been changed by some specific shows. Included are 'Oklahoma!,' the first book musical, 'Hair,' and its strong political/anti-war presence, 'Chorus Line,' with its emphasis on dance, and 'Rent' and its millennium theme. Another show, which tends not to be as commonly...
BWW Review:  Touring CINDERELLA Charms and Delights with its Modern Political Message

BWW Review: Touring CINDERELLA Charms and Delights with its Modern Political Messages

by Roy Berko — January 16, 2019
Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II, the fathers of the modern American musical, were advocates of social responsibility. In OKLAHOMA, they stressed the building of community. In SOUTH PACIFIC they pegged prejudice. In THE KING AND I, the duo examined intercultural understandings....
BWW Review: SPAMILTON: AN AMERICAN PARODY at Hanna, A Theatre-Goers Delight, Right!

BWW Review: SPAMILTON: AN AMERICAN PARODY at Hanna, A Theatre-Goers Delight, Right!

by Roy Berko — December 28, 2018
It won Best Unique Theatrical Experience and 2017 MAC Award Show of the Year. 'Hamilton?' No, 'Spamilton: An American Parody,' which is now starting its North American tour at the Hanna Theatre in CLE's Playhouse Square....
BWW Review: BWW-CLE Professional Theater Tributes--2018

BWW Review: BWW-CLE Professional Theater Tributes--2018

by Roy Berko — December 28, 2018
Greater Cleveland is blessed with a vital theater scene. It the purpose of BROADWAY WORLD.COM-PROFESSIONAL CLEVELAND THEATER TRIBUTES (BWW-CLE Theater Tributes), to recognize theatrical experiences that, in the subjective view of this reviewer deserve special recognition....
BWW Review: LIBERACE, well, facsimile, thereof, coming to Cleveland's Theatre in the

BWW Review: LIBERACE, well, facsimile, thereof, coming to Cleveland's Theatre in the Circle

by Roy Berko — December 13, 2018
David Maiocco is noted as being a tour-de force solo-performer, who is presently making a career of portraying 'Mr. Showmanship,' the uniquely American icon, Liberace....
BWW Review: Choreography the Highlight of less-than-well-conceived SHREK at Beck

BWW Review: Choreography the Highlight of less-than-well-conceived SHREK at Beck

by Roy Berko — December 11, 2018
Jeanine Tesori (music) and David Lindsay-Abaire (books and lyrics) developed the creative musical 'Shrek' from DreamWorks Animation's film and William Steig's book of the same name....
BWW Review: “Special” AVENUE Q at Blank Canvas

BWW Review: “Special” AVENUE Q at Blank Canvas

by Roy Berko — December 11, 2018
It has been said that dying is easy, farce is hard to do! And, 'Avenue Q,' the delightful, satirical, coming of age parable by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, is farce at its highest level....
BWW Review: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS at Shahrazed Theatre/Ensemble Theatre

BWW Review: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS at Shahrazed Theatre/Ensemble Theatre

by Roy Berko — December 7, 2018
Shahrazad Theatre Company was formed late in 2016 with 'the purpose of performing shows that were important and valuable contributions to today's Cleveland theatre scene.'...
BWW Review:  Relevant RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN Intrigues at Convergence Continuum

BWW Review: Relevant RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN Intrigues at Convergence Continuum

by Roy Berko — December 3, 2018
The anti-sexual assault and women's empowerment movements #MeToo and Time's Up have brought new relevance to the public conversation about women's issues surrounding the obstacles women encounter in their personal and professional lives....
BWW Review: “Ella” less than “Enchanted” at Dobama

BWW Review: “Ella” less than “Enchanted” at Dobama

by Roy Berko — December 1, 2018
...
BWW Review: Fosse Influences Almost Saves Touring 'CHICAGO' at the Connor Palace

BWW Review: Fosse Influences Almost Saves Touring 'CHICAGO' at the Connor Palace

by Roy Berko — November 30, 2018
As the red-jacket usher guided us to our seats before the opening curtain of 'Chicago' at the Connor Palace she said, 'I love musical theater, especially if the show has a Fosse influence.'...
BWW Review: BOOGIEBAN, Compelling, Emotionally Gripping World Premiere at None-Too-Fr

BWW Review: BOOGIEBAN, Compelling, Emotionally Gripping World Premiere at None-Too-Fragile

by Roy Berko — November 26, 2018
According to the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study, 'roughly 11 percent of veterans who served in Vietnam, approximately 271,000 veterans of the war, continue to suffer from clinically PTSD symptoms.'...
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