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.... (more...)
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.... (more...)
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.... (more...)
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.'... (more...)
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.... (more...)
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.'... (more...)
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.'... (more...)
As Douglas Turner Ward, the author of 'Day of Absence,' explains it, 'The time is now. The play opens in an unnamed Southern town of medium population on a somnolent cracker morning - meaning no matter the early temperature, it's gonna get hot. The hamlet is just beginning to rouse itself from the s... (more...)
What do 'Avenue Q,' 'Spamalot,' 'Something Rotten' and 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum?' have in common? They are all American Musical Theater comedies, meant to entertain and evoke laughter.... (more...)
When one thinks of Stephen Schwartz, the lyricist and composer of theater titles 'Godspell,' 'Pippin,' and 'Wicked,' or the films 'Pocahontas,' 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame,' and 'Enchanted' come to mind. How about 'Children of Eden'? Probably not.... (more...)
Lynn Nottage, who has been called 'as fine a playwright as America has,' started to craft 'Sweat,' which is now getting a production at Cleveland Play House, in 2011, just before the height of the national malaise, but not before Reading, Pennsylvania and similar areas were hit by layoffs, plant clo... (more...)
Annie Baker is the author of 'The Flick,' which had an award-winning production at Dobama last March (e.g., Cleveland Critics Circle and Broadwayworld.com recognitions). That script was clever, thought-provoking and generally mesmerizing.... (more...)
Edward Albee, author of 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf,' now in production at Beck Center for the Arts, is one of the best known Theatre of the Absurd American writers. This form of theatre, which was at its apex shortly following World War II, is based, in part on philosophical existentialism, whi... (more...)
Great Lakes Theater has found a perfect combination of scripts to start its 57th season. The fun, escapist juke box musical, 'Mamma Mia!,' had the audience excitedly on its feet for the extended curtain call. 'Pride and Prejudice,' the epic story of class-stratification and misunderstanding feelings... (more...)
August Wilson is considered one of the most prolific sources for documenting the twentieth century African-American experience. His ten-play cycle, basically set in Pittsburgh's Hill district, started with 'Gem of the Ocean,' representing the 1900s and ended with 'Radio Golf,' shining the spotlight ... (more...)
'Mamma Mia!,' now on stage at Great Lakes Theatre, as has been the case on Broadway and in its many local tour stops, is a thoroughly entertaining theatrical experience. The audience was on its feet for the extended curtain call, dancing, clapping, and singing.... (more...)
Cesar's Forum, which might be thought of as the little theater company 'that could and can,' is at it again. The organization, which is a financial and one-man adventurehas won both Cleveland Critics Circle and Broadway World Theatre Tribute recognitions for past performances.... (more...)
BWW Review: LIBERACE, well, facsimile, thereof, coming to Cleveland's Theatre in the Circle
BWW Review: “Special” AVENUE Q at Blank Canvas
BWW Review: Choreography the Highlight of less-than-well-conceived SHREK at Beck
BWW Review: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS at Shahrazed Theatre/Ensemble Theatre
BWW Review: Relevant RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN Intrigues at Convergence Continuum
BWW Review: “Ella” less than “Enchanted” at Dobama
BWW Review: Fosse Influences Almost Saves Touring 'CHICAGO' at the Connor Palace
BWW Review: BOOGIEBAN, Compelling, Emotionally Gripping World Premiere at None-Too-Fragile
BWW Review: Karamu's DAY OF ABSENCE Loses its Message due to Misdirection
BWW Review: “Willokommen” to a compelling “Cabaret” at BWU
BWW Review: JUST FOR LAUGHS COMEDY SONGS FROM MUSICALS at The Musical Theater Project
BWW Review: Creative staging, quality singing featured in Kent's CHILDREN OF EDEN
BWW Review: Compelling SWEAT Tells an Emotional Tale of the Fall of the American Working Middle Class and its Effect on the Nation
BWW Review: EVERYTHING IS OK Focuses the Spotlight on Millennials @ Cleveland Public Theatre
BWW Review: Shallow script hampers “This Much" at convergence continuum
BWW Review: Dobama's JOHN Too Much To Do About Nothing
BWW Review: Superb WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? @ Beck Center
BWW Review: Less than clever CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL raw @ Blank Canvas
BWW Review: Beautifully Crafted “Pride and Prejudice” at Great Lakes Theater
BWW Review: Finely Built FENCES at Karamu
BWW Review: GLT's MAMMA MIA! Leaves Audience Singing & Dancing in the Aisles
BWW Review: Captivating, topical must see “Freak Storm” at none too fragile
BWW Review: Quality performances make PLATH AND ORION interesting evening at Cesear's Forum
BWW Review: “The Woman in Black” less than it could be at the Cleveland Play House
BWW Review: God admits he's imperfect in hysterically funny “An Act of God” at Beck
