Arkansas Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations

Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Rialto Community Theatre
by Theresa Bertram - June 20, 2025

We went downtown to The Rialto Theatre in Morrilton, and let me tell you that we were feelin’ suppertime vibes from the moment we stepped through the doors for their wickedly fun production of Little Shop of Horrors, running now through Sunday, June 29! ...

Review: A NEW BRAIN at The Weekend Theater
by Theresa Bertram - June 18, 2025

One of my favorite things about The Weekend Theater in Little Rock is their fearless commitment to producing shows that make you think deeply, feel unexpectedly, and, at times, laugh through your tears. ...

Review: MAD HATTERS DUELING PIANOS at MAD House 101 Restaurant & Bar
by Theresa Bertram - June 17, 2025

What did our critic think of MAD HATTERS DUELING PIANOS at MAD House 101 Restaurant & Bar? The Mad Hatters Dueling Pianos gave us a night of laughs and nostalgia at MAD House 101 Restaurant Bar in El Dorado Thursday, June 5....

Review: NEIL SIMON'S BAREFOOT IN THE PARK at The Pocket Community Theatre
by Theresa Bertram - June 11, 2025

Laughter echoed through The Pocket Community Theatre in Hot Springs this weekend as Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park took center stage, bringing with it the warm, nostalgic charm of a classic American sitcom. Under the direction of Kevin Day, this production, which runs through Sunday, June 15, pla...

Review: THE SOUND OF MUSIC at The Royal Theatre
by Theresa Bertram - June 10, 2025

If you're looking for a few of your favorite things this June, make sure one of them is a ticket to The Sound of Music at The Royal Theatre in Benton. ...

Review: THE PROM at Actors Theatre Of Little Rock
by Theresa Bertram - June 10, 2025

Nothing will get a mama more emotional than watching a child being wronged, and y’all, I was deep in my feels at THE PROM at Actors Theatre of Little Rock, which is running now through June 21. Directed by Caelon Colbert, this vibrant musical, with music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, an...

Review: LAURA at Twin Lakes Playhouse in Mountain Home
by Theresa Bertram - June 05, 2025

I absolutely love the Ozark Mountains! There’s something peaceful yet invigorating about their rolling beauty, so anytime I get the chance to head that way, I take it. It didn’t take any convincing for me to make the trip to Mountain Home to check out the Twin Lakes Playhouse production of Laura, no...

Review: DRIVING MISS DAISY at Murry's Dinner Playhouse
by Theresa Bertram - June 05, 2025

Are you ready to get a little teary-eyed? Driving Miss Daisy is playing at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse in Little Rock now through June 21. Under the direction of Roger M. Eaves, this Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Alfred Uhrey gently unfolds the evolving 25-year relationship between Daisy Werthan (Leig...

Review: ME AND THE DEVIL at Arkansas Repertory Theatre
by Theresa Bertram - June 03, 2025

Mesmerizing. Electrifying. And that music, y’all! Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock knows how to kick off a season in style. If you haven’t seen ME AND THE DEVIL, written by their new Artistic Director Steve Broadnax III, now’s the time! This powerful production that Broadnax calls his “love...

Review: GREATER TUNA at The Pocket Community Theatre
by Theresa Bertram - May 30, 2025

I had my first introduction to the Tuna series at The Pocket Community Theatre in Hot Springs last weekend, and I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome into this wildly funny, fast-paced world. With performances from May 16th to the 25th, GREATER TUNA by Jaston Williams, Ed Howard, and Joe Sears ...

Review: ALICE @ WONDERLAND at Belz Theater Within The Orgel Family Performing Arts Center
by Theresa Bertram - May 28, 2025

There’s always something exciting about discovering a new place and a fresh program, so when I had the opportunity to visit the Memphis Jewish Community Center (MJCC) and catch a glimpse of their production of ALICE @ WONDERLAND by Jonathan Yukich, I couldn’t wait to attend....

Review: ALL MY SONS at The Lantern Theatre
by Theresa Bertram - May 27, 2025

ALL MY SONS by Arthur Miller is in my top five of favorite classic plays, so I was thrilled to hear that The Lantern Theatre was performing it May 9–17 in the St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Conway. Directed by Rachel McKee, the production honored Miller’s tightly-woven narrative and emotional compl...

Review: RENT at Texarkana Repertory Company
by Theresa Bertram - May 26, 2025

Though sometimes it feels like it takes 525,600 minutes to drive to Texarkana, the trip is always worth it, especially when the Texarkana Repertory Company delivers powerhouse performances like RENT, presented May 2–11. With raw emotion, electrifying vocals, and fearless storytelling, this productio...

Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Red Curtain Theatre
by Theresa Bertram - May 23, 2025

If you didn’t “Suddenly, Seymour” on stage at The Red Curtain Theatre in Conway between May 2 and 11, you missed a hilariously twisted night of toe-tapping terror. Their production of Little Shop of Horrors (Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman, Music by Alan Menken, and based on the no-budget Roger Cor...

Review: ON GOLDEN POND at Argenta Contemporary Theatre
by Theresa Bertram - May 22, 2025

There are some plays that reach into your chest, gently lift your heart, and place it into a more vulnerable position, and On Golden Pond is one of them. Currently playing at The Argenta Contemporary Theatre in North Little Rock through Saturday, May 24, this Ernest Thompson classic has found fresh ...

Review: CIRCUS AT THE SYMPHONY at Robinson Center
by Theresa Bertram - May 20, 2025

As a child, I absolutely adored going to the circus. I was mesmerized by the high-flying acrobats who danced through the air like magic, enchanted by the kaleidoscope of bright colors that twirled before my eyes, and endlessly amused by the clowns who could send the whole crowd into fits of giggles ...

Review: JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN at University Of The Ozarks - Walton Fine Arts Center Black Box
by Theresa Bertram - May 20, 2025

For my first visit to the Walton Fine Arts Center Black Box on the University of the Ozarks campus in Clarksville on May 1, I had the pleasure of attending John Proctor Is The Villain by Kimberly Belflower. The intensity of this performance left me deeply moved, not just by the play itself, but by t...

Review: CARRIE THE MUSICAL at The Weekend Theater
by Theresa Bertram - May 16, 2025

If CARRIE THE MUSICAL at The Weekend Theater in Little Rock isn’t sold out yet, I will be surprised! With a powerful cast and haunting score, this production grabs hold of your spine and doesn’t let go. Running through Sunday, May 18, this weekend is your last chance to catch this chilling and deepl...

Review: LITTLE WOMEN THE MUSICAL with Studio 42 & Co at The Melody Theater in Leachville
by Theresa Bertram - May 16, 2025

It always excites me to visit a new theater, especially when it's a historic gem nestled in the heart of the Arkansas Delta. There’s a distinct charm stepping into The Melody Theater in Leachville, which began showing movies in 1948. The walls definitely echo with stories of performances past, so it...

Review: THE ADDAMS FAMILY at Hot Springs World Class High School Theater
by Theresa Bertram - May 14, 2025

The Hot Springs Trojan Theatre has truly outdone themselves with what has become my favorite rendition of The Addams Family, performed April 24–26 in the Joyce L. Littleton Craft Auditorium. Directed by Kaitlin Potts, this cast delivered doom and gloom with a delightfully magical and macabre flair, ...

Review: UP, DOWN, STRANGE, CHARMED, BEAUTY, AND TRUTH at Cabe Theatre At Hendrix College
by Theresa Bertram - May 13, 2025

Hendrix College in Conway, one of the premier liberal arts institutions in the United States, is a true gem nestled right here in Central Arkansas. At Hendrix, students are immersed in a continual journey of discovery, and the theatre department exemplifies that spirit. ...

Review: DISNEY'S DESCENDANTS at Robinson High School Auditorium
by Theresa Bertram - May 11, 2025

And oh, how gloriously they ruled it. Disney’s Descendants: The Musical, directed with commanding vision by Caitlin Peterson and cleverly co-led by student director Samuel Jones, wasn’t just a school production, it was a theatrical uprising. A royal coronation of mischief, magic, and mayhem. ...

Review: LEADING LADIES at Murry's Dinner Playhouse
by Theresa Bertram - May 09, 2025

Date night is always a fun time at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse in Little Rock, and from now until May 24, Ken Ludwig’s Leading Ladies will have you laughing as they deliver a delightful evening of farcical comedy, blending theatrical wit with a tasty dinner that will have you going back for seconds. ...

Review: EURYDICE at University Of Central Arkansas Theatre
by Theresa Bertram - May 08, 2025

I love how inventive the University of Central Arkansas Theatre program was with their performance of Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl. ...

Review: IN THE GROVE OF FORGETTING at TheatreSquared
by Theresa Bertram - May 06, 2025

Every time I walk through the doors of TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, I carry with me a sense of eager anticipation. My expectations are always high—rightfully so. As a professional theatre with a reputation for world-class storytelling, T2 has consistently delivered productions that are bold, thou...