ORLANDO THEATER REVIEWS

Make no mistake about it, there is a funny, intelligent, socially-conscious, slightly sardonic show inside of the new musical JOYCE JACKSON'S GUIDE TO DATING. Unfortunately, the show's writers, Scott Logsdon (book and lyrics) and Steve Marzullo (music) weren't able to find it in time for the world ...

FENCES at Mad Cow gives the audience a snapshot of the life of Troy Maxson, a garbage worker struggling to support his family. The show explores themes such as family, discrimination, death and loyalty....

If you took almost all your favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein songs and put them together into one two hour playlist you'd have SOME ENCHANTED EVENING at Winter Park Playhouse. This combination of hit songs performed by some of Orlando's best voices make for a thoroughly enjoyable night. It's like a ...

In the center of an entirely black room is a woman in white, kneeling in prayer, her head encircled with long blonde tendrils. As the audience loads in to this space, Theresa Hanson (Joan) continues to pray until 8:00, when the rest of the cast enters the space and the show begins....

Welcome to the sixties, or rather to the 15th year of Encore!  Comprised entirely by Walt Disney World cast members and their families, the mega-team of volunteers took the Walt Disney Theater by storm on their opening night.  With a monstrous orchestra of over 40 musicians and a choir boasting mo...

Heathers: The Musical, based off of the 1980's movie with the same name, has developed an even larger cult-following since it's premiere Off-Broadway at New World Stages in 2014.  Since then, the licensing of the production has resulted in the dark musical turning up in all pockets of the United St...

The tale of Aladdin is one most of us know from the Disney telling of the story in the famous animated film of 1992. Growing up, Aladdin was my favorite Disney film, so, when I was given the opportunity to review ALADDIN AND THE MAGIC LAMP at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, I jumped at the cha...

All's fair in love and politics. Maybe that's not the correct saying, but it accurately describes David Hare's SKYLIGHT. Currently playing at Mad Cow Theatre, this play focuses on the complexities of the heart. It is dramatic and thought-provoking enough to leave audiences thinking about the plot da...

Mad Cow Theatre continues its twentieth season with ANIMAL CRACKERS, a musical adapted from the Marx Brothers' film of the same name. The plot centers around a party honoring Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding, which is attended by larger-than-life guests, originally played by the Marx Brothers. Mad Cow i...

Murder is always entertaining in musical theater. The construct is usually surrounds a detective and his quest to find the suspect. MURDER FOR TWO takes that to an extreme with just two men playing all roles in this murder mystery. They also accompany themselves on the piano. It's tiring, entertaini...

If you're looking for great storytelling, look no further than SEX ED at the Orlando Fringe Festival. Kerry Ipema's one-woman show is a coming of age story, complete with parodies of Disney songs....

'Anything can happen in the woods.' And in the Garden Theater's production of INTO THE WOODS, many, many things happen there. The Sondheim favorite has been adored by theater-goers the world over since it's opening night in 1987. With its combination of fabled fairytales, witty music, and intrica...

MATILDA is a great story with great characters, so it only makes sense that a musical would be its next iteration. Though the show closed on Broadway on January 1, 2017, the national tour still goes strong and now appears at the Dr. Philips Center....

Urinetown, the witty, clever, satirical Broadway comedy musical at the regal and historic Annie Russell Theatre at Rollins College on April 21, 2017....

The touring production of DISENCHANTED! is hilarious. Check out my review below!  To catch the DISENCHANTED! tour, check out their Facebook page or visit disenchantedmusical.com for dates and cities. ...

Did you know that UCF has their own big band jazz program called The Flying Horse Band? Neither did I. The Flying Horse Band lead by professor Jeff Rupert, performs nationally and has their own record label. On Friday, The Flying Horse Band along with students from UCF's acting program presented THE...

There is no doubt that Shakespeare's influence on theater is pervasive. No one in Orlando does Shakespeare better than Orlando Shakespeare Theater. Now combine that with the talent and resources of UCF and you get THE BARD TAKES BROADWAY. As part of UCF Celebrates the Arts, this one-night show featu...

'Oooook-lahoma! Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...' Fun fact- that's the first thing that pops into my head whenever I think about the musical, OKLAHOMA. But, with it's versatile musical scale and it's bold and meaningful storyline, OKLAHOMA is so much more than the story of good o...

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA is one of those mandatory high school reading Shakespeare classics that never gets old. Though it is a tragedy, Orlando Shakes production is glamorous, entertaining and extremely palatable. Casting, costumes, and classic story come together to make ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA the crown...

Two babies switched at birth, people dying and coming back to life, and girls kissing. Yes, you read the correctly. It may sound strange, but all these things and more come together in the most amazing way in the Garden Theatre's DESTINY OF DESIRE.  ...

It's a safe bet that just about any 90's kid can remember re-watching Disney's Hunchback of ­Notre Dame over and over, rewinding the VHS until it was nearly worn out. In the Henegar Center's stage re-imagining of Disney's beloved tale and Victor Hugo's classic novel, there are no friendly goat side...

No one looks forward to their mid-life crisis. Known as the time when men buy expensive sports cars and women go through the dreaded menopause. Mid-life is certainly not glamorous. So if you can't beat it, turn it into a laugh out loud musical. Winter Park Playhouse presents MID-LIFE! THE CRISIS MUS...

Stephen Belber's dark comedy Tape takes over the small black box studio at Theater on the Edge, and not only invites the audience to become a part of the story, but demands it. By trapping viewers in the four walls of the Motel 6 room in Lansing, Michigan, spectators have no choice but to become on...

Joy. Pride. Jealousy. Sadness. Pain. These words and so much more describe the relationship between THE LAST FIVE YEARS' Jamie, an up-and-coming successful novelist, and Cathy, a struggling actress, as they navigate the story of falling in love, getting married, and then drifting apart. Jason...

In its twelve years of existence Project Spotlight, the only student developmental theater organization at the University of Central Florida has finally branched out and created a full-length musical. The Golden Girls Musical, with book by Colin Brooks, music by Benjamin Walton, and lyrics by Brooks...