THEATRE UCF

by Benoit Teves - March 10, 2026

Orlando Shakes’ production of FAT HAM is a sensory-rich, unapologetically Black, and proudly queer reimagining of Hamlet that trades Shakespearean tragedy for hard-won joy. Set against a stunningly detailed backyard cookout, Je’Shaun Jackson’s stylized performance as Juicy anchors a vivid ense...

by Julie Gardieff - February 25, 2026

Yo ho ho! Ahoy mateys!  X marks the spot on this musical based on the 2013 novel by Phyllis Root. Lilly and the Pirates is about a 10 year old girl (Lilly) who has a lot of worries.  When her eccentric scientist parents send her to live with a relative while they are in search of an exotic form of...

by Julie Gardieff - February 25, 2026

Tiara’s Hat Parade is based on the 2021 book written by Kelly Starling Lyons and was adapted for the stage by Paige Hernandez. It tells the story of a girl named Tiara Rose who helps her mother in her hat shop, Tracy Rose Millinery....

by Albert Gutierrez - February 21, 2026

Theater West End was wise to split Angels in America in the season as two separate performances, each with their own block in the schedule. Originally, I was concerned that the Part Two of it all might turn away prospective theatergoers. But upon watching both parts now, and bearing in mind my own f...

by Julie Gardieff - February 18, 2026

When it comes to theater, seeing an original work is always a gamble.  Yes, I know that many popular pieces of theater started as original works, but this does not mean I personally want to invest my time in it.  ...

by Julie Gardieff - February 15, 2026

What did our critic think of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at Theatre South?...

by Benoit Teves - February 01, 2026

In a production that marries 16th-century gravitas with 21st-century urgency, Director Monica Long Tamborello finds a delicate balance between Act I’s playful hope and Act II’s harrowing descent, reminding us that while the feud is ancient, the loss of innocence remains a devastatingly contempor...

by Albert Gutierrez - January 29, 2026

The reason the play works at all is because of the sheer strength of its production values and the commitment of its cast. When you look at all the design elements – sets, lighting, illusions, choreography – and combine it with performers who move through that space with the same ease as one bre...

by Benoit Teves - January 19, 2026

Part bar, part group hang, and part chaotic theatrical experience, The Renaissance Theatre Company’s production of MEAN GIRLS blurs the lines between a traditional show and an immersive club experience. While the scrappy staging and mid-show cocktail deliveries lean heavily into the troupe’s imm...

by Albert Gutierrez - January 18, 2026

While much of the dramatic weight of Angels in America undeniably stems from the specter of AIDS, it would do the play a huge disservice to reduce it to a story about disease alone. What Theater West End makes clear is that Kushner’s work is as much about identity, loss, and the human struggle to ...