Sunday, December 9, 2012


THE SECRET SOCIAL (Conni's Avant Garde Restaurant)
Cleveland Public Theatre
December 6-23, 2012
                                                     216-631-2727 or go to www.cptonline.org
 

Roy Berko

THE SECRET SOCIAL is not traditional theatre.  No plot, no social message. All in all the goings on are intended for  fun.  That is, if you are in the mood to be uninhibited, and just have a great time.  It also helps if you and half the audience are looped and let loose with rude and creative comments.  

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Christine Howey

The production, created by the ensemble and directed by Cynthia Croot, is quite a bit less outrageous than the past two years (no one stimulating his nipples with an electric mixer, no simulated live birth). But that edgy, go-for-broke energy has been replaced with something almost as intriguing: a journey into a hidden world that begins as soon as you step away from the ticket window.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Marjorie Preston

The World Premiere Cleveland Public Theatre production of “The Secret Social,” created by the ensemble under the direction of Cynthia Croot, is by turns mysterious, raucous and delightfully tacky, but never ceases to be a vibrant spectacle of an evening. “The Secret Social” also includes a borscht dinner and dancing, a free foxtrot/swing lesson and party games in its ticket price.

To see a full review of this show, read Marjorie Preston's blog, "Brava!" here.

Andrea Simakis

"Devised theater" like "The Secret Social" is by its nature a leap of faith. Lots of cooks often make the soup, collaborating on the script and character development. The results can be mmm-mmm good or spit-it-out-it's-poison bad. Happily, this recipe is so demented and delicious, you'll bang your spoon demanding seconds.

To see a full review of this show go to:  http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2012/12/cleveland_public_theatres_soci.html


4000 MILES
DOBAMA
December 7, 2012 -January 6, 2013
                                                           216-932-3396 or dobama.org
Bob Abelman


There is little that is overtly theatrical or philosophical about “4000 Miles.”  In fact, little happens from start to finish, which is its charm.  But there is an astute attention to detail and a great sensitivity in the handling of the material in this production, which is one of its gifts.  The other is octogenarian actress Dorothy Silver.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's News-Herald review here.

Roy Berko

4000 MILES is a “nice” play, which gets a “nice” production at Dobama.  It will not shock, it will not compel, but it will hold your attention and may take you back to examine your relationship with your grandmother and/or grandchild and share a peek at both youthful and aging angst.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Fran Heller

This 2011 OBIE award winning play for Best New Play is a quietly moving slice-of-life drama about youth and old age, mortality and loss and the daily assaults and indignities of aging.
Joel Hammer's astute direction, coupled with illuminating performances by Cleveland's grand dame of theater, Dorothy Silver, as the elderly Vera, and an equally mesmerizing performance by newcomer Matt O'Shea as prodigal grandson, Leo, makes the 110 minute play, presented without intermission, whiz by.


To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News

Christine Howey
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan
To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Marjorie Preston
Dobama Theatre’s current production, “4000 Miles,” by Amy Herzog, is a quiet play with a lot of tell and not quite enough show, luckily populated by a skilled cast including standout Dorothy Silver. “4000 Miles” is saved by its openness, and finding the funny in the everyday.
To see a full review of this show, read Marjorie Preston's blog here.

Andrea Simakis

When last Dorothy Silver headlined a drama, it was Eric Coble's "The Velocity of Autumn" at the Beck Center for the Arts, and Silver so outshone her co-star that it was almost like watching a one-woman show. Not here. With O'Shea, she has found an agile partner, and the results are mesmerizing. They sell their crazy quilt of a relationship from the starting gun, never letting a stitch show.

To see a full review of this show, go to:  http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2012/12/in_4000_miles_at_dobama_theatr.html


 
ANNIE
Beck Center for the Arts
December 7, 2012-January 6, 2013

216-521-2540 or http://www.beckcenter.org


Bob Abelman

Those attending this Beck Center production of “Annie” during the holidays will not only be getting a new deal for Christmas this year, but the real deal.



To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's News-Herald article here.

Roy Berko

As corny and overdone as ANNIE is, with a good performance it delights.  With its tuneful music, strong cast, and super choreography, Beck's production makes for a fine night at the theater.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Fran Heller

This "kiddie show for adults" is awash with sentimentality but I've always been a pushover for its message, and the song, "Tomorrow" never fails to raise a lump in my throat.
Wherever there are little girls, there will always be an "Annie."
What a great show to introduce the next generation to the magic of live theater.


To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News

Christine Howey

This is a show, now at Beck Center, that can win you over with the right performances and production, and Beck hits many of the right notes even if there are a couple less than stellar elements.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan

Art Thomas
This production has many more "hits" than "misses" in the musical scoring department. Everyone is true to the bouncy Charles Strouse tunes, and the spirit of fun overcomes any possibility of sentimentality. A good choice for the season with its tangental Christmas theme.

Click here to read the complete review at WestLife

Thursday, December 6, 2012


A CAROL FOR CLEVELAND
Cleveland Play House

November 30-December 23, 2012
                                                   216-241-6000 or www.clevelandplayhouse.com


Bob Abelman

Cleveland Play House offers a no-thank-you portion of holiday fruit cake that is damn-near inconsumable.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's News-Herald article here.


Roy Berko

A CAROL FOR CLEVELAND, is a pleasant holiday diversion, written by local playwright Eric Coble, based on a short story by Cleveland mystery writer Les Roberts, which is getting its world premiere at CPH.  It is a look at how recessions cause frustrations, the importance of family, and how an accidental incident can make a difference.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Fran Heller

"Carol" is about family, community and love, and pulling together in uncertain times.
 Its upbeat message of goodwill towards men may be saccharine, but is delivered with so much integrity and heart, that for 90 minutes, one can almost believe it to be true.


To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News


Christine Howey

Written by two local luminaries (script by Eric Coble, based on a novella by Les Roberts) the play is 90-minute slide down a razor blade of treacly sentimentality and tone-deaf lunges at a tale of redemption.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan

Kory
With a little spit and polish, A Carol For Cleveland could become a holiday tradition for the Land of Cleves!
To see a full review of this show, read Kory's blog here.


Marjorie Preston

The World Premiere Cleveland Play House production of “A Carol for Cleveland” by Eric Coble, based on the novella by mystery author Les Roberts, is a touching postcard from the gritty side of 1970s Cleveland at Christmastime, with a few clever nods to Dickens. “A Carol for Cleveland” will leave a lump in your throat ...[and] has all the right elements to be a holiday success: a solid, gritty, and genuinely funny script from the minds of two of Cleveland's most talented writers and a touching, family-friendly storyline.

To see a full review of this show, read Marjorie Preston's blog here.

Andrea Simakis

"A Carol for Cleveland" is original work brimming with heart, its roots planted deeply into the city's sooty soil. The script is littered with crowd-pleasing touchstones, from navigating the pulsing red-and-green arrows through rivers of traffic on Carnegie Avenue to griping about those perennial losers we love, the Browns.

To see a full review of this show, go to
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2012/12/a_carol_for_christmas_a_clevel.html

Art Thomas

This new production has enough local references to be indigenous to Cleveland. It tugs at the heartstrings in a valid way, and will be even better next year after some rewriting and tweaking of content and structure.

Click here to read the complete review at WestLife

 Kerry Clawson

 A Carol for Cleveland, a world premiere holiday play at Cleveland Play House, has awkward moments along its story trajectory but ultimately offers a heartfelt, positive message for families to enjoy. Adapted by prolific Cleveland Heights playwright Eric Coble, it is based on Cleveland mystery writer Les Roberts’ novella of the same name.
The original story was a slight one, and Coble has done a good job of fleshing out the background on main character Ed, an anti-hero who has fallen on very hard times.


 To see a full review of this show, read Kerry Clawson's review at http://enjoy.ohio.com/things-to-do.

Saturday, December 1, 2012


MY MOTHER'S LESBAIN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING
Actor's Summit

November 29 – December 23, 2012
                                             330-342-0800 or go to www.actorssummit.org


Roy Berko

MY MOTHER’S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING is a meaningful musical production which has a solid message enforcing the need for equal rights for all, while also being totally delightful.  This is a must see show!

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Kerry Clawson

The preposterous-sounding title My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding certainly grabs your attention.
But the core of the musical’s story — about finding and honoring true, fulfilling love — isn’t preposterous at all. Actors’ Summit has chosen a winner in its holiday slot with this heartfelt tale, which rings with authenticity because it’s based on the true story of co-creator David Hein’s family.

To see a full review of this show, read Kerry Clawson's review at http://enjoy.ohio.com/things-to-do.

Fran Heller

I didn't know what to expect with a title like "My Mother's Lesbian Jewish WIccan Wedding."
What I discovered was a warm and wonderful true story based on the real life experience of its co-authors.
Expertly directed by Neil Thackaberry with a talented ensemble who sing and act with tremendous verve, "Wedding" is a sweet, funny and moving gender-bending musical show about sexual and religious identity, tolerance and a celebration of love, wherever and with whomever you find it.


To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News
DEBBIE DOES DALLAS
Blank Canvas Theatre
November 30-December 22, 2012
                                               440-941-0458 or www.blankcanvastheatre.com

Roy Berko


DEBBIE DOES DALLAS is the kind of show that will entertain some, irritate others, titillate some, offend others.  The script, the production, and the concept has all the makings of a cult musical (think—THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW), mainly aimed at a young, hip audience.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Christine Howey
Based on the iconic 1978 porno flick of the same name, D3 follows the activities of five nubile high school cheerleaders in Oklahoma who have pneumatic sexual desires and pompoms for brains.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Andrea Simakis

"Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical" is a scream, a clever send-up of skin flicks in the Ron Jeremy days, when production values were as low as the woodman's hairy gut. A special cheer is in order for the band, which nailed the sleazy wacka-wacka-bow-wow soundtrack of 1970s X-rated "movies."

To see a full review of this show go to: 
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2012/12/for_a_good_time_see_debbie_bla.html

Kory

Much like THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MUSICAL, that launched Blank Canvas Theatre’s inaugural season, DEBBIE DOES DALLAS THE MUSICAL is a hit!



To see a full review of this show go to:
http://new102.cbslocal.com/2012/12/21/korys-review-debbie-does-dallas-blank-canvas-theatre/

Saturday, November 17, 2012


TRUE WEST
convergence continuum
November 16-December 16, 2012
216 687-0074 www.convergence-continuum.org

Bob Abelman

Tremont’s con-con fails to find the true north of “True West,” opting to take the easy way around the play’s many complexities and, often, losing its way completely. 

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's News-Herald article here

Christine Howey
Even though there are weaknesses in the playing of this piece, the brilliance of Shepard's concept, and the combustible energy of his words, comes through.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Andrea Simakis

In Cliff Bailey, director Clyde Simon has found a burly, deft comedian. Though he lacks the feline sexiness and menace of a Malkovich (who will forever be Lee to me), Bailey more than fills Lee's stained, strained wife-beater and has a wicked good time doing it. Like a buzzard eyeing a carcass, nothing escapes his tiny, shiny, red-rimmed eyes.

To read a full review of this show, go to http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2012/11/sam_shepards_true_west_is_true.html

 
Art Thomas

Sam Shepard's script plays as well today as it did thirty-five years ago in this faithful production. Two brothers are searching for meaning in their lives with many moments of emotional tension. In this production laughs win out however as Lee and Austin reconcile contemporary Hollywood with the Old West.

Click here to read the complete review at WestLife

 
MIRACLE AND WONDER
Ensemble Theatre
November 15-December 2, 2012
www.ensemble-theatre.com or 216-321-2930

Bob Abelman

Move over “Miracle on 34th Street.”  There’s a new holiday entertainment in town whose quirky charm, sense of humor and tender message offer a unique brand of Christmas cheer.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's News-Herald article here.

Roy Berko

Ensemble’s Stagewright’s concept is an excellent means for local playwrights to try out their writing skills, get constructive feedback, and hopefully get their works staged.  Congratulations to Jonathan Wilhelm for developing the often delightful MIRACLE & WONDER.  Though it needs some refinements, and a more clearly directed concept, it is both entertaining and thought provoking and a change from the usual holiday theater fare.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Fran Heller

Cross "It's A Wonderful Life" with "Touched By An Angel" and you have "Miracle&Wonder," Cleveland playwright Jonathan Wilhelm's comedy about an angel (in this instance a Jewish one) who magically and mysteriously alights on folk with something missing in their lives and finds what connects them.
Principal weakness of play is an unwieldy plot that goes off on too many tangents and lacks focus.
Principal strength is sympathetic, funny and immensely likeable characters who take up residence under the skin.


To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News

Christine Howey

Ensemble Theatre is to be credited with trotting out a new entry in the genre, Miracle & Wonder, a play developed through their laudable StageWrights playwriting workshop. It's a comedy dripping with Christmas-time atmospherics and tender references to non-traditional family values. In short, a play one would love to love.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Marjorie Preston

Ensemble Theatre's current production, the World Premiere of “Miracle & Wonder,” by local playwright Jonathan Wilhelm, is a wacky comedy, smartly written and expertly acted, even though some of the explanations for events come late in the game and are a bit lengthy.  “Miracle & Wonder” can be a heady, abstract concept. But it can also be something right in front of us, if we choose to bear witness about the mysteries of life and those along for the journey.

To see a full review of this show, read Marjorie Preston's blog here.

Andrea Simakis

While discrete scenes, are well-acted and represent the stirring, sweet and funny sentiment shot through "Miracle & Wonder," the play never gels. The work feels more like a series of vignettes, partly because director Ian Hinz never figured out how to speed through a blizzard of scene changes. But I'd be a Grinch not to tip a tiara to Tim Tavcar, who gives a vanity-free performance as pot-bellied female impersonator Polly Esther.
To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis's complete review, go to
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2012/11/miracle_wonder_at_ensemble_the.html

Sunday, November 11, 2012


HOW HIS BRIDE CAME TO ABRAHAM
none too fragile theater
November 9-December 8, 2012330-671-4563 or nonetofragile.com
Roy Berko

In spite of good acting and an intense production, HOW HIS BRIDE CAME TO ABRAHAM has such a biased development that it fails to live up to the stated goal of educating the audience on hope and compassion as it relates to a pacifist attitude toward the Israeli/Arab conflict.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.


Christine Howey
As directed by Sean Derry, the two actors handling this ambitious material are starkly believable, even when the scenes are less so. 

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan

Kerry Clawson

Actors Leighann Niles DeLorenzo and Gabriel Riazi bring to life with impassioned intensity the horror, hatred and distrust of Middle East warfare in this two-person play by Karen Sunde. This pair sets a ferocious tone from the opening moment they’re seen wrestling on the ground of a sandy, boulder-strewn stage, she wearing a keffiyeh on her head so that at first, Abraham is unaware she’s a young woman. 

To see a full review of this show, see http://www.ohio.com/the330entertainment/theater-reviews/middle-east-warfare-explored-in-piercing-drama-1.349471

Wednesday, November 7, 2012



THE WHIPPING MAN
 Cleveland Play House--Allen Theatre
November 2-December 2, 2012
                                              216-241-6000 or www.clevelandplayhouse.com
 
Bob Abelman

Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech haolam mechaye hametim.  The saying of this Hebrew blessing for the revival of the dead by a Black slave during the final days of the Civil War is the first of many unexpected moments in Matthew Lopez’s gripping “The Whipping Man.”   This is a production free of missteps and false notes and, like the handiwork of the whipping man--who is unseen but whose presence is felt throughout the play-- this play strikes hard and true.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's News-Herald article here.


Roy Berko


THE WHIPPING MAN is one of the finest theatrical productions of this theatre season.  It is required viewing by anyone who wants to experience theatre at its finest.  This is one show that deserved a standing ovation.  Wow!
 
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.


Kerry Clawson

Shattering secrets, lies and intrigue are set against the backdrop of a tumultuous turning point in American history in the stellar drama The Whipping Man at Cleveland Play House’s Second Stage. ...
Playwright Matthew Lopez presents arresting twists on the “family” ties that bind, stemming from complicated dynamics between masters and slaves that have developed through the generations. 


To see a full review of this show, read Kerry Clawson's review at http://enjoy.ohio.com/things-to-do.

Fran Heller

Giovanna Sardelli's hauntingly graphic direction and a trio of galvanizing performances burning with feverish intensity make for an evening of gripping theater.
Like all good drama, the play raises more questions than it answers.


To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News


Christine Howey
An amputation is just one of the startling moments in this intense three-hander. And while the script is not particularly inventive with the conflicts engendered by sudden freedom from slavery, leaning on some stereotypes in the process, the production fizzes with a trio of energetic, spot-on performances.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Kory

A powerful look into post-civil war relationships between former slave owners and their freed slaves, The Whipping Man is nothing short of incredible.

To see a full review of this show, read Kory's blog here.


Andrea Simakis

 "The Whipping Man," now playing in the intimate Second Stage theater of the Cleveland Play House, is a production that achieves holistic perfection. It fires on all cylinders, right from the crash of thunder heralding the start of the tight, three-man drama, and never lets up, not once, like a Confederate mortar attack.
To see a full review of this show, go to
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2012/11/cleveland_play_house_delivers.html

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Palace Th
eatre-Playhouse Square
November 6 - November 18, 2012
216-241-6000 or
www.playhousesquare.org


Bob Abelman

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” on tour is both beautiful and beastly.  Children will be charmed by this colorful equivalent of a musical theater theme park, while most adults may well feel cheated by the cost-saving production values and re-envisioned version of the original on Broadway. 

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's News-Herald article here.

Roy Berko


The touring production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST doesn’t have the charm of the original staging.  It’s more Saturday morning television  cartoons and over-done farce than enchantment, but, as evidenced by the response of the opening night audience, audiences will generally like it.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Fran Heller

Fairy tales aren't just for kids. They're for grown-ups too.
With plenty of stage magic and storybook appeal for the younger set, and lots of heart and wisdom for the rest of us, this warm and fuzzy re-invention of the Disney classic is a feel-good family production with something for everyone.


To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News

Christine Howey

Youngsters won’t be disappointed by this touring show, even though they may squirm a bit as it lumbers along for almost three hours, with intermission. Adults, however, could find entrancement hard to come by in a production directed with children’s theater broadness by Rob Roth. 

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan

Kory

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is a classic, but this production lacks the pixie dust you’d expect from a show with “Disney” in the title.

To see a full review of this show, read Kory's blog here.

Sunday, November 4, 2012





SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO
Ensemble Theatre
November 3-5, 2012
www.ensemble-theatre.com or 216-321-2930


Marjorie Preston

“Sexual Perversity in Chicago” by David Mamet, the inaugural production at Ensemble Theatre's new “Second Stage” space, ambitiously tries to cover kinky sex, lesbianism, molestation, premature ejaculation, living together, the power struggle between the sexes, pornography, bestiality, and gender stereotypes, but understandably, in just over an hour, only pursues these topics shallowly. The funny and realistic script seems to have a short attention span, jumping quickly from one subject to another in pursuit of completely covering the entire territory of sexual relations.

To see a full review of this show, read Marjorie Preston's blog "Brava!" here.

Thursday, November 1, 2012





MARBLE CITY
THEATER NINJAS
November 1-17, 2012
http://theaterninjas.com


Christine Howey
The show is performed with unflagging commitment and vocal as well as physical precision. And while the flaws outweigh the strengths, it is a laudable, multilayered and challenging effort.
To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Friday, October 26, 2012


A BRIGHT NEW BOISE
Dobama Theatre
October 26-November 18, 2012
216-932-3396 or dobama.org

Bob Abelman

Walking into the Dobama Theatre’s production is like stepping into Edward Hopper's iconic 1942 painting, “Nighthawks.”   On the surface, “A Bright New Boise” appears to be telling a simple, two-dimensional story.   But then it reveals the playwright’s aptitude for dark comedy, his remarkable capacity to capture in words the intense desperation of human suffering, and the many layers of complexity he hides just below its surface.  Director Nathan Motta digs deep and his superb cast uncovers everything.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's News-Herald article here.

Roy Berko

Though the message, due to the abstract nature of the concept of Rapture and religious differences may turn off some viewers, Dobama’s A BRIGHT NEW BOISE, featuring superb acting and focused directing, is a production well worth seeing!
 
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Fran Heller

Winner of the 2011 OBIE award for Best Playwriting, "Boise" is a beautifully written play whose quirky, eccentric characters may seem alien to you or to me, but who grow on the viewer in ways that are humorous and heartbreaking.  The deeply moving Dobama production under Nathan Motta's piercingly intelligent direction features an ensemble whose richly etched characterizations make for an evening of thoughtful and rewarding theatre.

To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News

Christine Howey
Using minimum-wage workers at a typical craft store as his palette, the playwright attempts a thematic reach-around. While plumbing the depths of one character's personal search for meaning, Hunter also tries to diddle the complexities of a father-son relationship. It's an ambitious gambit, garnished with a surprising number of laughs. 

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Marjorie Preston
  
Dobama Theatre's current production, “A Bright New Boise,” by Samuel D. Hunter, confronts religion's effect on each of the characters working at a Hobby Lobby in Boise, Idaho. Religion may be a coping mechanism, but in this drama that is also heavily comic, it is an escape from the harsh realities of life.  The cast of “A Bright New Boise” rises to the occasion and delivers a thoroughly engrossing, thought-provoking and funny evening of theater.
To see a full review of this show, read Marjorie Preston's blog here.

Andrea Simakis

Despite some flaws in the script and pacing issues -- a few scenes needed a swig of Red Bull -- Samuel D. Hunter's 2011 Obie-winning play resonates now more than ever, and the Dobama Theatre production wrings both tragedy and comedy from the quiet desperation of clock punchers. Though worth seeing, the show leaves you in purgatory
To see a full review of this show, go to
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2012/10/dobama_theatres_a_bright_new_b.html

THE MISANTHROPE
Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program
October 24-November 3, 2012
                                      216-241-6000 or go to www.clevelandplayhouse.com


Roy Berko

CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Programs’,  THE MISANTHROPE, is a delightful production of a historic classic.
 
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Fran Heller

Moliere's bittersweet, darkly satiric masterpiece about an idealist who cannot function in the hypocritical society in which he lives remains timeless.  The production sparkles under the knowing direction of Donald Carrier, and an ensemble perfectly attuned to Richard Wilbur's translation in rhymed couplets, making the 400-year old comedy of manners accessible and enjoyable.

To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News

Sunday, October 14, 2012


KID SIMPLE: a radio play in the flesh
converence-continuum
October 5 through October 27

 convergence-continiuum.org or 216-687-0074


Christine Howey


Centered on a most intriguing concept, the play veers off into uncharted territory. And that could be a good thing. But due to one less than inspired performance and fuzzy direction by Geoffrey Hoffman, the whole enterprise basically (sfx: bowling ball dropped into a box of wet mud).

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan


THE COLOR PURPLE
KARAMU PERFORMING ARTS THEATRE
October 4-28
216-795-7077 or www.karamuhouse.org


Roy Berko


THE COLOR PURPLE, which is an appropriate selection for Karamu’s mission, gets a good, but somewhat flawed production, filled with some wonderful singing and acting.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.


Fran Heller

Credit belongs to artistic director Terrence Spivey for bringing this mega-musical to Karamu House.  With a cast of 46, most of whom are non-professional actors, 15 scenes and as many set changes, and more than 25 songs in this operetta-style musical, 'Purple' is a monumental challenge that the Karamu production meets with uneven results.

To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News


Christine Howey

There are so many good things in this ambitious production of The Color Purple at Karamu House that it almost seems churlish to point out a couple major problems. Trouble is, those problems affect the overall impact of the piece, and that’s most unfortunate.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan

Wednesday, October 10, 2012


THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED
Beck Center for the Arts
October 5-November 11
216-521-2540 or http://www.beckcenter.org

Bob Abelman


For a play full of characters who readily admit an inability to identify their feelings in a police lineup, it is not for want of trying or for a lack of eloquent verbiage to do so.  Douglas Carter Beane’s “The Little Dog Laughed” is the kind of theater that requires and rewards a careful listening to. 

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's News-Herald article here.

Roy Berko


THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED continues the recent trend of area theatres to probe into the gay phenomenon.  Though it is somewhat dated due to changing attitudes towards gays in the arts, it still makes for an interesting theatrical experience.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Fran Heller

The acerbic comedy parallels the lies and deceptions of the movie industry with the lies and deceptions of two gay men in denial about their real identity.
Play takes on Hollywood's hypocritical stance about homosexuality.
This dog bites at Beck..


To see a full review of this show, read Fran Heller's review at the Cleveland Jewish News

Christine Howey

This sneaky, snarky play by Douglas Carter Beane is about a film star, Mitchell, whose flickering fascination with gay sex is causing problems for his razor-edged agent, Diane. And under Scott Plate's propulsive direction, the humor lances all the right targets.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Kory

If you are offended by the male form, this is not the show for you. Period. If you can get past the random scattered booty, or if it’s your primary motivation, you will thoroughly enjoy this incredible production playing now at Lakewood’s Beck Center For The Arts.

To see a full review of this show, link to http://new102.com/korysreviews

Andrea Simakis

Plate's "The Little Dog Laughed" is entertainment for grown-ups, and
the director assumes his audience is urbane enough to handle a show
that depicts sex between two men with fearless frankness. And what a
show it is.


To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' review on Cleveland.com go to:http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2012/10/beck_centers_the_little_dog_la.html