Delaware Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations

Review: HAIRSPRAY at Wilmington Drama League
by Greer Firestone - June 04, 2025

Wilmington Drama League has mounted a joyous and exuberant Hairspray, a dazzling production before a sold-out audience. A joker smile was plastered on my face from first note to last. Post show, it took 2 double vodka tonics to look normal....

Review: STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY at Delaware Theatre Company
by Greer Firestone - April 26, 2025

Delaware Theatre Company’s latest production, Stompin’ at the Savoy, bursts onto the stage with heart, harmony, and a whole lot of swing. Check here for more information. ...

Review: KING LEAR at Resident Ensemble Players
by Greer Firestone - April 16, 2025

Resident Ensemble Players’ King Lear is not a safe, reverential staging—it is a bold, bracing confrontation with one of Shakespeare’s most devastating works. Tt is a production that does what great theatre should: it wounds, it awakens, and it leaves us changed....

Review: I HATE HAMLET at Wilmington Drama League
by Rosanne DellAversano - April 10, 2025

I HATE HAMLET by Paul Rudnick is cute, silly little nod to all you theater nerds. Rudnick wrote I HATE HAMLET in the early ‘90s, while living in the very same New York apartment which housed John Barrymore before he began performing his legendary Hamlet uptown. Rudnick believed the place provided a ...

Review: BRIGHT STAR at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - March 23, 2025

What did our critic think of BRIGHT STAOver recent years, Candlelight has taken a few risks on mainstage shows. Aisle Say had never heard of BIG FISH. It was a stunner with electric choreography and an inspiring, uplisting story; analogous to the current running BRIGHT STAR.R at Candlelight Music Th...

Review: THE FULL MONTY at Wilmington Drama League
by Greer Firestone - February 12, 2025

The Wilmington Drama League has done it again, delivering a production that is equal parts gut-busting comedy and deeply moving storytelling. THE FULL MONTY, with its mix of raucous humor, tender moments, and an unforgettable finale, is no small undertaking—but under the confident direction of Liz H...

Review: SOMETHING ROTTEN! at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - February 07, 2025

Aisle Say is a history junkie. In fact, he wrote an historical novel, ALEXEI and The Mad Monk RASPUTIN. Historical novelists adhere religiously to the facts. With a novel the author inserts fictional characters....

Review: MARY POPPINS - THE BROADWAY MUSICAL at Wilmington Drama League
by Greer Firestone - December 20, 2024

Even with a sentimental attachment (more on that later), Aisle Say had not visited Wilmington Drama League for years. I reviewed FREAKY FRIDAY, starring the luminous Becky Kotsifas and antenna then sprung from my ears. Next came KINKY BOOTS (starring Catherine Callahan, who is the titular star pres...

Review: SPRING AWAKENING at City Theatre Company
by Greer Firestone - December 18, 2024

City Theatre remains true to its mission with a stunning, joyous, provocative rock n roll SPRING AWAKENING. This story ain’t OKLAHOMA!, wherein the greatest tension was who was going to take Laurey to the Box Social. Or is it anywhere akin to MARY POPPINS, the fantastic and fantastical show I saw th...

Review: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS - IN THE 302 - at DE Theatre Co
by Greer Firestone - December 13, 2024

Delaware Theatre Company serves up a frothy confection of a Christmas juke box musical in HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS -IN THE 302. Juke box refers to the likes of MAMMA MIA, JERSEY BOYS Sand BEAUTIFUL: The Carol King Musical. They are popular for people enjoy hearing the tunes they’re already familiar wit...

Review: HOLIDAY INN at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - November 21, 2024

Aisle Say didn’t have enormous expectations for “Holiday Inn”, mostly because I have zero expectations for society in general right now. Happily, Candlelight abandoned their normal “Christmas by Candlelight” (a grab bag of seasonal ‘heartwarming’ songs). Two words you will never read in this column:...

Review: ROUGH CROSSING at Resident Ensemble Players
by Greer Firestone - November 14, 2024

The curriculum vitae of Tom Stoppard is staggering. 1964’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” brought him initial fame in the theatre world. Prolific does not do the man justice. In every theatrical/writing genre he has excelled. Tony Awards, Academy Awards and every other conceivable one. To g...

Review: KINKY BOOTS at DE Theatre Co.
by Greer Firestone - October 02, 2024

Aisle Say has watched professional wresting for decades. Theatre people love both larger than life characters and drama. Think Randy “The Macho Man” Savage, his gfriend Elizabeth, the Hulkster, Ric Flair and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, et al....

Review: THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) at UD Rep Ensemble
by Greer Firestone - September 25, 2024

Aisle Say began reviewing UD REP - Resident Ensemble Players – in a campus gym, long before the capacious and elegant Roselle Center for the Arts became a reality. I was always struck with their overarching quality of both acting and tech. In many reviews called them the pre-eminent acting company i...

Review: 9 TO 5 at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - September 19, 2024

We all love Dolly. She wrote all the songs for 9 to 5. On Broadway, the musical had a short life, as did attempts on London’s West End. UK tours and those in Australia met a quick demise. Plan B: license to regional theatres. The show’s producers added a vid with Dolly herself at opening curtain sin...

Review: CARRIE: THE MUSICAL at Wilmington Drama League
by Greer Firestone - September 16, 2024

Aisle Say was never a Stephen King fan. ‘Horror and Supernatural’. ‘Fear and Psychological Terror’. ‘Coming of Age’. I’ve experienced a ‘come to Jesus” moment. 180 degrees. I had written an historical novel, ALEXEI and The Mad Monk RASPUTIN and given the opportunity for a book signing at Huxley an...

Review: THE FANTASTICKS at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - July 21, 2024

Aisle Say cannot imagine any veteran of community theatre who does not some relationship with THE FANTASTICKS; who does not look on the show with fondness and a sense of nostalgia. The original 1960 off-Broadway production closed in 2002 with 17,000 performances and revived from 2006 to 2017. There ...

Review: MOON OVER BUFFALO at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - May 20, 2024

Candlelight’s MOON OVER BUFFALO is an uproariously funny comedy by Tony Award winning playwright Ken Ludwig. Last year they mounted his LEND ME A TENOR which was both parts as hilarious and charming. Ludwig’s plays have starred Carol Burnett, Alec Baldwin and Tony Shaloub, to name a few.nk of MOON O...

Review: FIRST STATE BALLET THEATRE AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE at The Grand Opera House
by Greer Firestone - May 10, 2024

It is not surprising to those who work in the live arts, performing arts or fine arts, that we understand a vibrant arts community attracts visitors who spend money and help keep local businesses thriving. They keep Delaware residents spending their money locally, vital income for local merchants....

Review: DANCING AT LUGHNASA at City Theatre
by Greer Firestone - April 20, 2024

Celebrating its 30th year as Delaware’s off-Broadway theatre, City Theatre delivers DANCING IN LUGHNASA, a stunning tour de force in ensemble acting, direction (Mary Catherine Kelley), linguistics/dialect (Michael Toner), scenic design (Rick Neidig) and every musical and technical aspect imaginable....

Review: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - March 25, 2024

What did our critic think of TCandlelight Music Theatre normally plays it safe when scheduling a season. That’s’ why Aisle Say was surprised that “THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD” was part of this year’s season. And more so for the musical was written by Rupert Holmes, whose most prominent claim to fame ...

Review: HELLO DOLLY! at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - January 29, 2024

Hello Dolly! Opened on Broadway in 1964 with the irrepressible, wide-eyed, charismatic Carol Channing in the title role, winning 10 Tony’s including Best Musical and Best Actress for Channing. The show was her signature and, to understate, she held it close. An understudy once remarked that she was ...

Review: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? at Walnut Street Theatre
by Greer Firestone - January 26, 2024

It’s 23 years into George and Martha’s minefield marriage, and passion has long since cooled into contempt The play is a cruel and competitive game of escalating insults between career-stalled history professor George (a riveting Greg Wood) and Martha (a boozy and absolutely compelling Susan Riley S...

Review: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - November 27, 2023

Aisle Say considers something we’ve all thought about it. During episodes of grave doubt and seemingly unrelenting anxiety – whether it be family or financial or health – we have considered maybe the world would be a better place if we had not been born....

Review: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT at Resident Ensemble Players
by Greer Firestone - November 13, 2023

Aisle Say has had the privilege of reviewing this staggering talented ensemble since 2008. Still do I remember their second show of the season, THE IMAGINARY INVALID. Forever imprinted in my mind are the enema gloves of Michael Gotch and Mic Matarrese. These two actors and many of their colleagues f...