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CLEVELAND THEATER REVIEWS

The latest reviews and critic recommendations from Cleveland
BWW Reviews: Deaf and Blind Israeli Performers Fascinate Audience in NOT BY BREAD ALO

BWW Reviews: Deaf and Blind Israeli Performers Fascinate Audience in NOT BY BREAD ALONE at the Ohio

by Roy Berko — March 21, 2014
'NOT BY BREAD ALONE' is everything good theatre should be....a thought- provoking, experience-broadening, emotionally inspiring experience that should open the eyes and hearts of the viewer. Mazel tov to Adina Tai and the Nalaga'at Deaf-Blind Theater Ensemble of Israel....
BWW Reviews: LOBSTER ALICE - Salvatore Dali and Walt Disney at Convergence-Continuum

BWW Reviews: LOBSTER ALICE - Salvatore Dali and Walt Disney at Convergence-Continuum

by Roy Berko — March 18, 2014
Walt Disney was an animator, cartoonist, producer, director, screenwriter, and the voice of Mickey Mouse. He won 22 Academy Awards. It is ironic that for a man noted for producing some of the most beloved and lovable visual characters, he was emotionally conservative, not often drawing attention to ...
BWW Reviews: Bloody, Gory TITUS A GRAND AND GORY ROCK MUSICAL Continues CPT's Off-the

BWW Reviews: Bloody, Gory TITUS A GRAND AND GORY ROCK MUSICAL Continues CPT's Off-the-Beaten-Path Journey

by Roy Berko — March 11, 2014
Since he became the artistic director of Cleveland Public Theatre, Raymond Bobgan has set a clear path. He has organized a theatre that centers on practicality. It lives within its means, is well organized and is artistically creative. The play productions respond to 'the political events, societal ...
BWW Reviews: MADE IN AMERICA, a World Premiere at Dobama

BWW Reviews: MADE IN AMERICA, a World Premiere at Dobama

by Roy Berko — March 10, 2014
When Dobama, Ensemble, Beck's studio theatre and convergence-continuum, venues, where each has a mission of producing innovative and forward-thinking plays search for scripts, they usually turn to recent Broadway and off-Broadway offerings. Every once in a while, they workshop new scripts in order t...
BWW Reviews: JOSEPH National Tour Starts Slow in Cleveland

BWW Reviews: JOSEPH National Tour Starts Slow in Cleveland

by Roy Berko — March 6, 2014
JOSEPH is one of my favorite escapist musical theatre scripts. I love the music, the creativity of taking a Bible story and making it into a pleasant family experience without getting preachy. The version now on stage at the Palace was not one of my favorite stagings of the show. Audiences will gene...
BWW Reviews: DEATHTRAP - Twists, Turns and Humor Excite at GLT

BWW Reviews: DEATHTRAP - Twists, Turns and Humor Excite at GLT

by Roy Berko — February 24, 2014
Overheard at intermission of 'DEATHTRAP' at Great Lakes Theater: 'I never expected that to happen!' Response: 'I've seen this before and what's coming up in the second act is even more surprising!'...
BWW Reviews: BREATH AND IMAGINATION Enlightens at Cleveland Play House

BWW Reviews: BREATH AND IMAGINATION Enlightens at Cleveland Play House

by Roy Berko — February 20, 2014
Roland Hayes, Paul Robeson, Marian Anderson. While Robeson and Anderson are probably names that many Americans can identify, Hayes probably is not....
BWW Reviews: CARRIE: THE MUSICAL Captivates and Compels Attention at Beck

BWW Reviews: CARRIE: THE MUSICAL Captivates and Compels Attention at Beck

by Roy Berko — February 9, 2014
From the heavy beating musical sound at the start, through the exciting powerful opening dance, to the exposition presented in the song, 'In,' through the compelling story filled with well designed twists and turns, to the startling conclusion, 'CARRIE: THE MUSICAL,' now on stage at Beck Center, cap...
BWW Reviews: PORGY AND BESS Enthralls at the Palace

BWW Reviews: PORGY AND BESS Enthralls at the Palace

by Roy Berko — February 6, 2014
It might surprise many to find that the original 1935 Broadway production of 'PORGY AND BESS' ran only 124 performances. The reasons were many including the all Black cast, some of the overtones of the script were perceived by some to be 'too Negro,' the opera format was considered 'not Broadway,' w...
BWW Reviews: CEREMONIES IN DARK OLD MEN Introduces Black History Month 2014 at Karamu

BWW Reviews: CEREMONIES IN DARK OLD MEN Introduces Black History Month 2014 at Karamu

by Roy Berko — February 5, 2014
Karamu, the nation's oldest African-American theatre, opened its Black History month celebration with 'CEREMONIES IN DARK OLD MEN' by Lonne Elder III. The play and its author are both noted for their strong place in the reflections of Blacks in this country....
BWW Reviews: An interesting Tale of Truth or Fiction - KNOCK ME KISS at Ensemble

BWW Reviews: An interesting Tale of Truth or Fiction - KNOCK ME KISS at Ensemble

by Roy Berko — February 4, 2014
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement which spanned the period from about 1919 to 1929. It was the literary era when members of the Great African American Migration, Negroes who had moved into the U.S. Northeast and Midwest, asserted themselves in art, poetry, literature and theatre. Partic...
BWW Reviews: 'AIR-WAVES' Completes 'THE ELEMENTS CYCLE,' at Cleveland Public Theatre

BWW Reviews: 'AIR-WAVES' Completes 'THE ELEMENTS CYCLE,' at Cleveland Public Theatre

by Roy Berko — February 2, 2014
Of the three pieces in the 'ELEMENTS CYCLE,' 'AIR-WAVES' is the most message- clear. The CPT directors have seemingly come to terms with the need to add clarity of purpose to the devised theatre process. Though not as abstract as the two previous offerings, those wanting a traditional story line of ...
BWW Reviews: THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA Glows Brightly at Lakeland

BWW Reviews: THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA Glows Brightly at Lakeland

by Roy Berko — February 2, 2014
Lakeland Civic Theatre's THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA is a special night of musical theatre. To appreciate the show, the viewer must put aside any attitude of what a musical should look and sound like and embrace this creatively 'different' approach. I, for one, loved the story, the music and the product...
BWW Reviews: Thought-Provoking THE ALIENS at Dobama

BWW Reviews: Thought-Provoking THE ALIENS at Dobama

by Roy Berko — January 27, 2014
Annie Baker, the 33-year old multi award winning author of THE ALIENS, now in production at Dobama, is considered by many theatre and literary critics to be one of the freshest and most talented dramatists of this decade. Baker, whose style mirrors that of Anton Chekov, one of the leaders of 20th ce...
BWW Reviews: Fine Script and Acting Bring PHOTOGRAPH 51 into Focus at Actors' Summit

BWW Reviews: Fine Script and Acting Bring PHOTOGRAPH 51 into Focus at Actors' Summit

by Roy Berko — January 21, 2014
PHOTOGRAPH 51 is a bio-drama based on the life of Rosalind Franklin, a British biophysicist and crystallographer. Many think she should have been a Noble prize-recipient, but her standoffish personality, perfectionism, and some seemingly unethical actions by others, as well as the possibility of gen...
BWW Reviews: YENTL Disappoints at Cleveland Play House

BWW Reviews: YENTL Disappoints at Cleveland Play House

by Roy Berko — January 16, 2014
The opening night audience for YENTL failed to give the standard Cleveland standing ovation. This might be construed as an omen that there was a disconnect between the viewers and the production. It's too bad. YENTL is an important script, which tells a fascinating story of a writer, ahead of his ti...
BWW Reviews: MENOPAUSE, THE MUSICAL Heats Up the Hanna

BWW Reviews: MENOPAUSE, THE MUSICAL Heats Up the Hanna

by Roy Berko — January 16, 2014
'MENOPAUSE, THE MUSICAL' is a delightful portrayal of the 'Change, Change, Change' that women of a certain age go through, that consists of 'Hot Flashes,' as they realize that 'I'm No Babe,' and requires a 'New Attitude.' Do you have to be a 'mature' women to appreciate the goings on? No, but from o...
BWW Reviews: A Life in Transition at Cleveland Public Theatre

BWW Reviews: A Life in Transition at Cleveland Public Theatre

by Roy Berko — January 13, 2014
What is it like to live much of your life perceiving that you have been born in the wrong body and then going through the process to correct this mistake of birth? That's the major issue exposed by Christine Howey in her one-woman, self-acted and self-written play, EXACT CHANGE, now on stage at Clev...
BWW Reviews: Dance-Terrific CHICAGO Jazzes up the Palace

BWW Reviews: Dance-Terrific CHICAGO Jazzes up the Palace

by Roy Berko — January 8, 2014
A touring company of the multi-award winning musical 'CHICAGO,' is now appearing at the Palace Theatre in PlayhouseSquare....
BWW Reviews: 'Alas For You,' GODSPELL at Blank Canvas

BWW Reviews: 'Alas For You,' GODSPELL at Blank Canvas

by Roy Berko — December 11, 2013
GODSPELL is one of the biggest musical theatrical successes of all-time. Based on the 'Gospel According to St. Matthew,' the musical tells the story of the last seven days of Christ's life. The parables have been contemporized, and Christ's followers are free spirits who sing the likes of 'Day By Da...
BWW Reviews: ANNIE Again Lights up Beck Center for the Holidays

BWW Reviews: ANNIE Again Lights up Beck Center for the Holidays

by Roy Berko — December 11, 2013
She's Back!...
BWW Reviews: Compelling THE BIG MEAL at Dobama

BWW Reviews: Compelling THE BIG MEAL at Dobama

by Roy Berko — December 9, 2013
Dan LeFranc's THE BIG MEAL is a ninety-minute comedy-drama about life, death, meeting, dating, marriage, child-rearing, the importance of casual comments and interactions, and the quickness of existence....
BWW Reviews: Wonderful WICKED Wows 'em Again at State Theatre

BWW Reviews: Wonderful WICKED Wows 'em Again at State Theatre

by Roy Berko — December 9, 2013
How good is the production of WICKED which is now appearing at the State Theatre? In 2009 when I took my then 14-year old grandson, known as the Kid Reviewer because I take him along to give the teen/tween view of shows, he gave it a 9.5 out of 10 on his 'rate the play scale.' Why only a 9.5? He sai...
BWW Reviews: A CHRISTMAS STORY Somewhat Disappoints at Cleveland Play House

BWW Reviews: A CHRISTMAS STORY Somewhat Disappoints at Cleveland Play House

by Roy Berko — December 7, 2013
A CHRISTMAS STORY holds a special place in the hearts of many Clevelanders. The present staging, under the direction of John McCluggage, while engaging, misses out on some of the farcical and endearing dynamics needed to make this a totally wonderful holiday present. It's not bad, just not everythin...
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Videos


La Malasangre ( Bad Blood) in Cleveland La Malasangre ( Bad Blood)
LatinUs Theater Compay (5/22-6/07) PHOTOS
Speech & Debate in Cleveland Speech & Debate
Studio Theater (5/29-6/28)
The Prom in Cleveland The Prom
Cassidy Theatre (6/04-6/21)
C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up and Further In in Cleveland C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up and Further In
Playhouse Square (6/20-6/21)
Mean Girls in Cleveland Mean Girls
Senney Theatre (6/10-8/09)
Pops in the Park in Cleveland Pops in the Park
Myers Memorial Bandshell (6/28-6/28)
'Alex Bevan And Friends' bringing his Surfing The Edge Of Legacy tour to The Kent Stage June 6th in Cleveland 'Alex Bevan And Friends' bringing his Surfing The Edge Of Legacy tour to The Kent Stage June 6th
The Kent Stage (6/06-6/06)
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum  in Cleveland A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
Near West Theatre (4/16-5/02)
The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show in Cleveland The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show
The Dinner Detective Cleveland (7/25-7/25)
Honk!  in Cleveland Honk!
Near West Theatre (2/12-2/28)