There are many musicals that are known as classis, which are beloved or have stood the test of time for years and years. They are the old familiars, the standards, which we go back to time and time again. On the other hand, there are always new and exciting musicals coming onto the scene every year,... (more...)
Oklahoma City's Lyric Theatre has a well-deserved reputation for their all-around high production values and high quality in their plays and musicals. They bring those same standards of excellence to their family-friendly fare, such as the recent excellent James and the Giant Peach and the currently... (more...)
Nominated for multiple Tony awards when it premiered on Broadway in 2015, the heartfelt and dynamic SCHOOL OF ROCK national tour stops at Oklahoma City's Civic Center Music Hall. Based on the hit movie starring Jack Black, this production strikes the right chord of cheeky humor (for both kids and ad... (more...)
Before writer/director Aaron Sorkin became best known for tv shows like The West Wing and Newsroom and movies such as The Social Network and Steve Jobs, he penned a stage play that may be more famous as a movie. Sorkin worked on the movie version of his script for A Few Good Men, a play which has mo... (more...)
Some musicals or plays can be a little bit difficult to pin down or describe and Regina Taylor's Crowns, now playing at Lyric Theatre's Plaza stage is in that category. The program's Director's Notes say, in part, that the musical is "presented as a jukebox musical," which it is in that it uses prev... (more...)
Writing a successful play with only two actors and very minimal technical elements can be quite a challenge. How do you maintain the energy? Keep the plot driving forward? Hold the audience's interest and attention? Playwright Simon Stephens has accepted and answers those challenges with his surpri... (more...)
This 2014 Tony-winner for Best Musical is still fresh and intoxicating years later. Crisp direction, superb musicianship, and pitch-perfect performances ensure an engrossing evening of delightful English Music-Hall operetta mixed with the fierce satire of a modern theatre piece. A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE ... (more...)
Any truly great piece of theater (or film or art or music or a book) is both timely and timeless, reaching out across many generations and diverse populations to deliver a universal human message that anyone can understand and relate to. You would be hard pressed to find a better example of this tha... (more...)
The holidays are an undeniable magical time for many people. Whether it's the bright, twinkling holiday lights, the music of holiday carols, the traditional foods of the season, giving and receiving gifts, or spending time with friends and loved ones, there is something special, something magical, a... (more...)
Anywhere you live in the country, there is at least one theater doing it during the holidays at least one theater that has a production known for being the region's big, must-see holiday event. Our part of the country is no different, as there are a few different productions of A Christmas Carol run... (more...)
New works are always a breath of fresh air in the Oklahoma City theatre scene, and the Oklahoma premiere of CONSTELLATIONS - a co-production between Next Stage and KnockDownDragOut staged at the IAO Gallery downtown - is a treasure trove of script, performance, and execution. A two-hander of this ma... (more...)
Major Broadway musicals are bound to have many different incarnations over time, from early workshops to original runs to revivals and regional productions. Shows that stand the test of time, the way that Rent does, appear on the stage in touring productions, long, open-ended runs, and international... (more...)
Some shows can challenge a review when it comes to whether or not to recommend a particular production. There can sometimes be long internal debates about whether or not to advise audiences to spend their hard earned money buying those tickets. That is not the case with the Pollard Theatre Company's... (more...)
One of the most creatively imagined productions the Oklahoma City arts scene has offered in recent memory blurring the lines of genre - both musical and theatrical - by interweaving turn-of-the-century sideshow with modern-day circus and Americana folklore, GALLOW WALKERS: A PARANORMAL FOLK OPERA is... (more...)
There are few decades that elicit the kind of immediate, emotional and visceral response that you get when you mention the 1980s to anyone who was around during that era. There's just something about the 80s. The movies, the pop culture, the music, the politics, everything that went on during that d... (more...)
BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL is one of the increasingly common type of shows the jukebox musical yet, BEAUTIFUL raises the expectations of what a jukebox musical can be. The story revolves around Carole King, whom Sarah Bockel portrays to gawky, effervescent perfection. BEAUTIFUL: THE CARO... (more...)
Okay, let's just get real for a moment: if one approaches this show as an adult and compares it with the canon of theatrical literature, this a production which often falls flat. However, in comparison to average children's entertainment (which is clearly the producers' targeted demographic) it hold... (more...)
Lyric closes out their Civic Center season with HAMILTON mega-star Lin-Manuel Miranda's initial hit musical, the Tony-winning IN THE HEIGHTS. Premiering on Broadway in 2008, this depiction of the flavorful New York City neighborhood at the top of Manhattan paints a vivid and delightful portrait of t... (more...)
This updated retelling of Romeo and Juliet is set in 1950s New York City, yet its themes of racism and hatred of anything deemed "different" ring especially true in today's political climate, sadly. WEST SIDE STORY is a compelling reminder of just how much hatred, prejudice, and ignorance can destro... (more...)
It's undeniable that just saying the word 'Disney' conjures up an instant image, thought or feeling in a person's mind and maybe heart as well. The world created by Walt Disney has become a worldwide empire spanning everything from amusement parks to movies to merchandise of all kinds. Much of that ... (more...)
The Bethany Stage, a relatively new theatre company in the Oklahoma City metro area, presented their first musical production, GUYS AND DOLLS. Let me assure you, the beloved score is in capable hands: the four leads of the show carry the show nicely. Artistic Director Audra Faust has led this fledgl... (more...)
Lyric Theatre kicks off its summer season with this rollicking concert of golden oldies - the finale medley alone is worth the price of admission, but Lyric's production serves up nearly two hours worth of your favorite songs from Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis. Tried-and-true hit... (more...)
The works of William Shakespeare can be some of the most challenging plays for any company to produce. One of the potential hurdles is whether or not to change or alter the play to make it 'more accessible' to modern audiences. Some will argue that no such changes need to ever happen because the pla... (more...)
Often, an audience member goes into a show with a certain set of expectations in mind. If you're seeing Shakespeare, you expect sonnets and iambic pentameter. If you're seeing Arthur Miller or Tennessee Williams, you expect searing drama and representations of real, recognizable people and their ver... (more...)
OKC Broadway closes out its inaugural season with Dancing With The Stars' luminaries Derek and Julianne Hough. This fast-paced spectacle features death drops, acrobatics, singing, and choreography of all styles. Derek and Julianne display their astounding versatility and never hold back: hip hop, ta... (more...)
Lyric Theatre's Exceptional FUN HOME is a Must-See
Lyric Theatre's JUNIE B. JONES Goes to the Head of the Class
BWW Review: National Tour of SCHOOL OF ROCK Bounces Into OKC Broadway
Pollard Mounts Excellent Production of A FEW GOOD MEN
BWW Review: Hats Off to Lyric Theatre's Stellar Production of CROWNS
CityRep's HEISENBERG Sparkles at Civic Center's CitySpace Stage
BWW Review: National Tour Of A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER Glistens With Sharp-Witted Hilarity At The Tulsa Performing Arts Center
BWW Review: Mesmerizing, Gorgeous THE COLOR PURPLE: THE MUSICAL Makes Stop at Civic Center
BWW Review: Lyric's A CHRISTMAS CAROL Brings Holiday Magic to Life on its Plaza Stage
BWW Review: Pollard Theatre Brings A TERRITORIAL CHRISTMAS CAROL Back for 30th Year
BWW Review: Next Stage & KnockDownDragOut Present Multi-Layered Romantic Drama CONSTELLATIONS
OKC Broadway Brings 20th Anniversary Tour of RENT to the Civic Center
Pollard's HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH is a Breathtaking Rock N Roll Experience Not to Be Missed
BWW Review: GALLOW WALKERS Is A Must-See Creative Tour-de-Force At Shakespeare In The Paseo
Lyric Theatre Rocks the Plaza With Spectacular ROCK OF AGES
BWW Review: National Tour of BEAUTIFUL Enchants Audiences at OKC Broadway
BWW Review: OKC Broadway Presents The National Tour Of THE LITTLE MERMAID At The Civic Center Music Hall
BWW Review: Lyric Theatre Spices Up The Summer with Lin-Manuel Miranda's IN THE HEIGHTS
BWW Review: WEST SIDE STORY At Lyric Theatre Brings Surprising And Profound Depth Alongside Exquisite Dancing
BWW Review: Lyric Theatre's DISNEY'S WHEN YOU WISH Brings Must-See Magic to the Civic Center
BWW Review: The Bethany Stage's GUYS AND DOLLS Features Stand-Out Performances
BWW Review: Lyric Theatre's MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET Is A Rock-n-Roll Hit You Can Bank On
Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park Begins Season with Hilarious TAMING OF THE SHREW
BWW Review: Pollard's BRING IT ON is Campy Fun at its Finest
BWW Review: OKC Broadway Presents Derek and Julianne Hough's Sizzling MOVE – BEYOND tour