LONG ISLAND THEATER REVIEWS

Alice Walker wrote in The Color Purple, 'I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.' In other words, you have to appreciate the beautiful, good things of life no matter how bad life may be. Readers, I'm telling you if you don't make it over to...

Don't miss out on this dazzling performance of KINKY BOOTS running now through July 3rd. This is one show you won't want to miss....

Closing out its 48th season, CMPAC does manage to put on a dazzling production of Hello Dolly, albeit a few hiccups, which I will attribute to opening night jitters. ...

Port Jefferson’s Theatre Three has cracked open their hairspray cans, turned on their radios, and opened up an absolutely fabulous production of Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias running now through May 7....

Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize winning play Driving Miss Daisy, presented by Studio Theatre through April 22nd at the BayWay Theatre in East Islip, is indeed a stirring and heart rendering tale. The heart of this story follows the relationship of Daisy Werthen and Hoke Colburn over the span of twenty-...

The John W, Engeman Theatre does it again with their current offering, A Bronx Tale. Based on Chazz Palminteri’s 1993 movie and autobiographical play, Mr. Palminteri also created this musical incarnation with Alan Menken. This spectacular Paul Stancato directed production runs through May 8th at t...

CM Performing Arts Center has a production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR you won't want to miss. This is a dazzling, foot-tapping, high-energy take on the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic....

Celebrating their 37th season, The Hampton Theatre Company (HTC) offers a hilarious showing of David Lindsay-Abaire’s Ripcord. The entertaining two-act play seems to be the female version of/answer to The Odd Couple. We follow two very different people who try to make it work when they are assigne...

The Tony Award winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone, the current offering from The Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at CM Performing Arts Center (CMPAC), is indeed a fascinating piece. I say fascinating because at its entertaining core, it is a show within a show spoofing old musicals. The plot includes mistake...

Port Jefferson’s Theatre Three indeed has a hit with their current offering The Marvelous Wonderettes. Running through March 26th, the adorable production is superbly directed by Long Island theatre vet Linda May. This show hasn’t been on Broadway, per se, but it did have two off-Broadway runs i...

The John W. Engeman Theatre certainly has another hit with their current offering of Rock Of Ages. Running through March 13th at the exquisite Northport venue, this Tony nominee celebrates all things 80’s with some of music’s greatest songs making up the score. Created by Chris D’Arienzo, ther...

Question: Why is Man of La Mancha considered one of the great works of the theater? Answer: It is one of the few plays/musicals that will always resonate with its audience. When you have a show with themes including the importance of honor and nobility, being chivalrous, and maintaining idealism, yo...

The show is wonderful to begin with; there is no doubt about that. Theatre Three's 37th annual production of the iconic Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol has certainly become a beautiful tradition on Long Island. Even with slight changes throughout the years, this ageless production is as spect...

Back in 2009, I had the honor of attending the 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts at Madison Square Garden. The two-night concert event honored the Hall of Fame by having nine Hall of Fame inductees highlight the history and greatest hits of Rock and Roll. The headliners, which als...

Whenever you see a production presented by the John W. Engeman theatre, you're in for a wonderful event, especially around the holidays. Their current offering this holiday season, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, based on the classic Paramount Pictures film, is no exception. The Matt Kunkel directe...

CBS News recently did a profile piece on the 'Renaissance of Theater on Long Island.' One of the theaters/acting companies featured in the news story was the Elmont Memorial Library Theatre - Home of Plaza Theatricals, Nassau County's only professional equity theater. ...

The Hampton Theatre Company’s doors reopened last weekend kicking off their spectacular 37th season. Running until November 7th, the charming Quogue venue has mounted a spirited incarnation of Karen Zacarias’ play Native Gardens directed wonderfully by George A, Loizides. The cast is excellen...

Between college productions and the many local theatres on Long Island, it may seem there is always a production of the Kander and Ebb classic Cabaret running. However, when you have a wonderful production like the one at the Argyle Theatre, it indeed warrants another look. Excellently directed by E...

It has been over a year and half since the world shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Finally, I'm thrilled to say, Theater has returned. 'Welcome back!' Oops, Wait I'm mixing-up my 1970's John Travolta pop culture references. 'I got chills and they're multiplying' (that's better). Thankfully, th...

If you want a high-energy show, Smokey Joe's Café is definitely for you. The musical revue, on Broadway from 1995-2000, highlights the music of songwriting team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The spectacle features their hit songs done back to back including 'Love Potion Number 9', 'Yakity Yak', 'S...

The summer is winding down in a big way on the Long Island theatre scene. The hit musical, Newsies, is being presented by The Gateway at the beautiful Patchogue Theatre and this offering is a must see. Running through September 11th and directed by Larry Raben, the Broadway caliber cast is superb an...

It may seem a production of the classic musical The Fantasticks can be found anywhere. However, when you have a cast as wonderful as those in Theatre Three’s incarnation, masterfully directed by Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel, you must check it out again. Running through August 15th at the beaut...

Theatre is back on Long Island and the spirited offering of Tony nominee Catch Me If You Can at the BayWay Arts Center does not disappoint. Presented by Studio Theatre of Long Island at the adorable East Islip venue, Rick Grossman superbly directs the wonderful cast and the superb crew elevates the ...

When Green Day's American Idiot arrived on Broadway in 2010, it received a mixed response. When I saw the original Broadway production, I thought the cast was glorious and found the Book, like everyone else, safe; an emotional roller coaster. Furthermore, you have the rocking score of Green Day's Gr...

On February 15, Port Jefferson's Theatre Three premiered their production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and it couldn't have opened at a better time. We are currently living in very trying times, and this production is the right remedy that will definitely get your spirits up....