COLUMBUS - PLAYS

by Paul Batterson - January 07, 2026

Comedian John Mulaney has famously raised a few uncomfortable questions about BACK TO THE FUTURE — why a teenager is best friends with a decades-older nuclear scientist, why no one uses a time machine for anything meaningful, and why the story hinges on Marty nearly romancing his own mother....

by Christina Mancuso - December 17, 2025

Winner of 26 awards in the 2021/2022 Broadway season, including the 2022 Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, SIX is the story of the six wives of Henry VIII who reclaim their identities in the shadow of their infamous spouse.  Wi...

by Paul Batterson - December 09, 2025

What did our critic think of AJR ACOUSTIC SET at Newport Music Hall?...

by Paul Batterson - December 04, 2025

Straight No Chaser has been a holiday tradition with many repeat attenders because their show doesn’t easily fit into a preset gift box. They are either a comedy group that harmonizes extremely well or an a cappella group that thrives because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you take away ei...

by Paul Batterson - November 24, 2025

What did our critic think of THE WIZ at Short North Stage?...

by Paul Batterson - November 20, 2025

At first glance, SOME LIKE IT HOT might seem to fall into the “If it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it” category of entertainment. The traveling musical production runs Nov. 18-23 at the Ohio Theatre (39 E. State Street in downtown Columbus)....

by Paul Batterson - November 11, 2025

Playwright Jen Silverman’s script, expertly crafted by Jeanine Thompson and Michelle Schroeder-Lowrey, takes a pedestrian premise to places no one expected it to go....

by Paul Batterson - November 10, 2025

From his perch on the stage, McCartney had a lot to take in from the sold-out audience. You might expect the crowd would come from the same template of older fans trying to surf on a wave of 1960s nostalgia. And there were some of those. However, there were also teens, college students, and members ...

by Paul Batterson - November 10, 2025

While it is a visual stroke of genius, THE WITCH OF NOVEMBER would have been lost at sea without standout performances of the six person cast....

by Paul Batterson - November 05, 2025

Hackett didn’t fall below any standards; he set new ones. He delighted the crowd with electrifying solos and spread the spotlight around equally to the rest of the band....