CLEVELAND THEATER REVIEWS

Ensemble's Stagewright's concept is an excellent means for local playwrights to try out their writing skills, get constructive feedback, and hopefully get their works staged. Congratulations to Jonathan Wilhelm for developing the often delightful MIRACLE & WONDER. Though it needs some refinements,...

War changes men. Faith changes men. Family changes men. These are a few of the themes central to THE WHIPPING MAN, the Civil War-era drama playing at Cleveland Play House's Second Stage through December 2nd. This is the type of show that sticks with you, the type of show that you'll be thinking abou...

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is a 'tale as old as time' and while the story and music are wonderful and as good as the audience may remember, the new NETworks touring production - currently playing at PlayhouseSquare - is a far cry from the magic of the original Broadway and touring productions....

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This is the 14th season of GROUNDWORKS, the Cleveland area small dance company which has proven to be a local treasure since its inception. In its short history the company has commissioned 19 premieres by nationally and internationally acclaimed choreographers, as well as 26 new works by its found...

Though the message, due to the abstract nature of the concept of Rapture and religious differences, might turn off some viewers, Dobama's A BRIGHT NEW BOISE, featuring superb acting and focused directing, is a production well worth seeing!...

CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Programs' THE MISANTHROPE is a delightful production of a historic classic....

THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED continues the recent trend of area theatres to probe into the gay phenomenon. Though it is somewhat dated due to changing attitudes towards gays in the arts, it still makes for an interesting theatrical experience....

Sunday the Cleveland Browns won. Later that day and carrying over to Monday, the city was abuzz. No, the team hadn't won the Super Bowl, the Browns had been victorious in the first game in their last eleven attempts....

THE COLOR PURPLE, which is an appropriate selection for Karamu's mission, gets a good, but somewhat flawed production, filled with some wonderful singing and acting....

Every era has its controversies. Since theatre represents the era from which it comes, here in the United States, attitudes about the women's movement were presented by feminist plays. The Black movement found African American writers sending forth their messages. Today, with the Gay rights movem...

Will Rogers was a great American humorist and philosopher. His understated humor is sage wisdom, but does not make for compelling theatre, in spite of a nice presentation by Neil Thackaberry at Actors' Summit....

It's not too many times in your life you watch an imaginary businessman do a line of cocaine off of a child's tea set. But that's just one of the unexpected moments in Ohio University School of Theater's first main stage production of the year, Mr. Marmalade, which runs thru Saturday, October 13 at ...

The first national tour of ANYTHING GOES kicked off over the weekend and is already proving itself to be a must-see show, playing to near capacity crowds. The cast and crew of the S.S. American stay in port through October 14th before sailing off to the next city. Make plans to pick up tickets if yo...

NEXT FALL continues the Blank Canvas's streak of well conceived productions of challenging scripts. Though viewers may have to set aside their own individual beliefs in order to buy into the play's ending, this is an overall positive theatrical experience and very well worth seeing....

GLT's THE WINTER'S TALE is a disappointment. This is a difficult script to produce due to the many emotional and psychological levels which require a clear staging philosophy. Due to the lack of focused directing by Jesse Berger, the production never sets a clear course and leaves so much of Shakes...

Each night during the 2011 Broadway revival of THE NORMAL HEART, Larry Kramer, the author of the script, stood outside the theatre to distribute a letter to members of the audience....

What happens when you combine a perfectly perceived script, which tells a meaningful story, and a gets masterfully staged show? You get Lakeland Theatre's PROOF. This is a production everyone interested in a good story and a great production must see!...

If you are in the mood for total silliness, want to hear some well sung classical modern songs, and desire to see some excellent dancing, XANADU is for you. The "Magic" may "Suddenly" take you to "Xanadu," allowing you to be "Suspended in Time," so, "Don't Walk Away" from seeing this show at Beck....

LOMBARDI doesn't get the full six points of scoring a touchdown, but is good enough to get three for kicking a field goal....

THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT, the play that dare not speak its name, has a lot to say. In spite of the almost immediate negative reaction of some people to the title, the production makes for a very compelling evening of theatre. Congrats to Dobama for not steering away from the script because of...

The Weathervane production of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY is a well conceived community theatre level staging and well worth the drive to Akron....

New Orleans' Preservation Hall is a small weathered music venue in the heart of the French Quarter. Its jazz band was founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe. Since its inception the group has travelled world wide spreading the New Orleans sound, which centers on creating a joyful spirit....

With the ever increasing popularity of reality television shows like SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and DANCING WITH THE STARS, the interest in dance is expanding. Local evidence was the large enthusiastic audience at Doug Elkin's 'FRÄULEIN MARIA, recently presented by DanceCleveland at the Hanna Thea...

MILK MILK LEMONADE, is a thought provoking, laugh-filled play that leans a little too much on comedy and not enough on the depth of the tale. Although not for everyone, it is tailor-made for the typical off-the-wall con-con audience member....