Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson @ Great Lakes Theater

Through May 10, 2026

https://www.greatlakestheater.org/ 

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Howard Gollop

The Great Lakes production, stylishly designed by Jeff Herrmann, with busy contemporary costumes by Yvonne Miranda, is at least attractive to behold -- as long as the chaos of everything else can subside for a moment or two.

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Sheri Gross
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Sheri Gross' review here.

Mark Horning

This is a show that will not be to everyone’s taste. Families with young children should think twice as well as senior citizens who are easily offended. It is a show that tries too hard to be too many things...madcap comedy...serious crime drama...feminist manifesto...period piece. If you like a challenge, give it a go and see if you agree.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

Playwright Kate Hamill has modernized the classic Sherlock Holmes detective meme and kept the classic Arthur Conon Doyle mystery elements that tickle our fancy. Life’s all still a chase for golden rings, revenge, murder and dominance.

To see a full review of this show, read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Kate Klotzbach
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Kate's posts here.

Gwendolyn Kochur

"The case of “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B” is one that the detectives at Great Lakes Theater can’t quite crack."

To see a full review of this show, read Gwendolyn's posts here.

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

Joey Morona

"If you can get past what you think these iconic characters should be, then your attendance, my dear, is elementary."

To see a full review of this show, read Joey's posts here.

 

Macbeth @ Great Lakes Theatre

Through April 4, 2026

https://www.greatlakestheater.org/

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Howard Gollop
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Sheri Gross
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Sheri Gross' review here.

Mark Horning

If the three Weird Sisters aren’t enough to creep you out and give you bad dreams, Lord and Lady Macbeth will take you further down the road to Bonkersville. For fans of the macabre this show has all the elements and keeps the tension tight throughout with little touches of comedy to keep you off balance. The very last scene with the Weird Sisters and the new King will definitely raise your neck hairs. This productions is indeed something wicked this way comes.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Macbeth, produced by Great Lakes Theater at Playhouse Square, explores the down side of power and kingship.

“The Scottish Play,” directed by Sara Bruner, returns to the Hanna Theater still as relevant as it was when first produced during the reign of Great Britain’s King James I.

Yes, different times, different rulers, but the same vanities and ambitions continue to worry today’s humans.

The darkly lit stage, at times making it hard to see who was who and what was going on, provided a forewarning of the evil to come. Small spots of light showed paths and ways out as characters raced around (usually while trying not to be murdered—didn’t work for them most times). But we know this is a tragedy, right?

To see a full review of this show go here, read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Kate Klotzbach
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Kate's posts here.

Gwendolyn Kochur

"Great Lakes Theater’s current presentation of “Macbeth” is the seventh time the company has staged this popular tragedy, the most recent being in 2018. So, what defines this show and sets it apart from other productions of the same work? Double casting, relatable tragic heroes and a fascinating usage of light and color palette, for starters."

To see a full review of this show, read Gwendolyn's posts here.

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

Joey Morona

Directed by Sara Bruner, The Scottish Play is dark, brooding and thrilling, the story of a general seduced by ambition and then consumed by madness.

To see a full review of this show, read Joey's posts here.

 

The Heart of Robin Hood @ Great Lakes Theater

Through February 22, 2026

https://www.greatlakestheater.org/

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Howard Gollop

In classic Shakespearean cross dressing tradition of "Twelfth Night" and "As You Like It," Marion eventually finds herself disguised as a young man who befriends Robin Hood (solidly played here by Evan Stevens), and together they swashbuckle their way through the dramatic trappings of battling a throne-stealing nemesis (Nick Steen) of Marion's father, who's leading an important battle from afar. Farr's script is solidly and expertly framed as a lost Shakespere classic, where a royal maiden could very well find herself sporting a male persona while dealing with confusing romantic urges that seem to be emanating equally from her "pal" Robin.

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Sheri Gross
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Sheri Gross' review here.

Mark Horning

This is a refreshing take on a classic and one of the most complete stage productions to date. It literally has everything from a strong female antagonist, truly funny lines, great special effects, really mean villains and some of the most authentic fight scenes ever choreographed on a Cleveland stage. Add to that a tongue in cheek (no pun intended) feel and some madcap action and you have a truly entertaining time in the theater. 

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

Come into the green forest for a romp and a romance. To warm up February, Great Lakes Theater offers The Heart of Robin Hood directed by Jaclyn Miller. It’s a lighthearted take by author David Farr on the classic folk hero, Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest.

The Hanna Theatre stage design by Courtney O’Neill features sloping platform levels. As a result, locations shift instantly from woodland to castle via surrounding wooden walls which magically reveal  scene-enhancing windows and doors.

*****

Bottom Line: The Heart of Robin Hood offers a bit of fantasy, humor, and warming cheer to help us through the bitter cold.

To see a full review of this show, read here or find Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Kate Klotzbach
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Kate's posts here.

Gwendolyn Kochur

"Odds are that you’re familiar with Robin Hood, the dashing hero of film and folklore. Joined by his band of Merry Men, this lovable outlaw of Sherwood Forest steals from everyone and…keeps it all for himself.

That last part probably doesn’t match what you’ve come to expect from the fictional character of English legend, but “The Heart of Robin Hood” is a new version of a classic tale, one that’s told with humor, knack and zeal by the cast and creatives of Great Lakes Theater."

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

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

Joey Morona

In a recent interview, GLT Producing Artistic Director Sara Bruner talked about a guiding principle at the theater. She calls it the “yes and” approach — saying yes to the expectations of longtime subscribers and attracting new audiences and meeting the moment. It’s a tricky needle to thread, but one the company does with precision and panache in “The Heart of Robin Hood.”

To see a full review of this show, read Joey's posts here.

 

A Christmas Carol @ Great Lakes Theater

Through December 21, 2025

https://www.greatlakestheater.org/

(216) 241-6000

      

Mark Horning

If you are among the few who have never witnessed this production it is high time for you to come see it. For the rest, gather the clan and make the pilgrimage to the Mimi Ohio for a shared experience. It is after all what Christmas is all about, the gathering of family...God Bless us Everyone!

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Howard Gollop

Lorain native Gerald Freedman's script at times stalls on heavy narration, but The Great Lakes Theater production, nearing its 40th anniversary,  nevertheless reminds us of the beauteous prose of one of the world's most cherished novelists. So, by all means, join the fictitious "Cleaveland Family" onstage as they reencounter a magical and mythical nocturnal Yuletide dream. 

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.
Laura Kennelly
It’s no wonder Charles Dickens’ wonderful classic, A Christmas Carol, returns annually to Cleveland. And it’s also no wonder every year the merry GLT troupe moves from the Hanna to the Mimi Ohio Theatre (yes, this is the 37th year there) to tell the story. The Mimi Ohio stage, crafted for Scrooge over the years, sports trap doors, a rear stage wall that splits open (to Hell as well as to cheery Christmas spirits), and hissing fog machines.
To see a full review of this show, read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Joey Morona

The staging is as dazzling as ever: swirling smoke, sudden bursts of light and entrances that defy explanation. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come remains the show’s signature effect — a towering, shrouded figure with a Dementor-like presence that never fails to draw oohs and ahhs.

To see a full review of this show, read Joey's posts here.

 

Dial M For Murder @ Great Lakes Theater

Through November 9, 2025

https://www.greatlakestheater.org/

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko

DIAL M FOR MURDER is the kind of play that, if well done, grabs and holds an audience much to their delight.  The GLT staging is a well-done production that reaches that high level!  Go, enjoy a fun night of theatre!
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Howard Gollop

It's hard to review a murder mystery without giving away the layered plot, but in a new adaptation by Ohio's own Jeffrey Hatcher (from Steubenville), a pivotal romantic dalliance that results in a blackmail attempt and darker consequences involves a secret romance between two women, quite a departure from the male/female norm of the early 1950s.

Hatcher is smart enough not to allow the play to become ABOUT gender, but this conceit does add a fresh lens to a familiar genre.

For the full review, please go to

https://chroniclet.com/news/448099/murder-and-jorgensen-bring-1950s-to-2025-on-playhouse-square/

Mark Horning

This production is a masterclass of great ensemble work. Each character has not only mastered the dialogue but all the physical nuances necessary to sell the show. Even if you have seen this show before, this is your chance to see what it looks like when done to perfection.  

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review nullhere.

Laura Kennelly

Murder, mayhem, mishap, marriage. Now at Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theatre, Dial M for Murder offers a “why did they do it?” mystery. Within minutes, the play reveals who wants to kill whom and why. But can they pull it off? Twists and turns abound. Half the fun is watching the lively cast create (and destroy) elaborate plans to hide (and discover) the truth.
To see a full review of this show, read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Gwendolyn Kochur

Great Lakes Theater’s production of Hatcher’s “Dial M for Murder” is both familiar and new; it honors traditional elements of classic thrillers but breathes fresh air into the narrative in a production that is thick with suspense and intrigue. 

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

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi

As the press release describes, this famous thriller deals with “deception, blackmail, murder” that collide in the affluent apartment of Margot and Tony Wendice in London. The show starts in the middle of a conversation between Margot (Jodi Dominick) and her ex-lover, and a crime thriller/mystery writer, Maxine Hadley (Carie Kawa), in the living room. The audience is drawn into their world by the stunning set, costumes, and lighting, then into this complicated plot and its reversal that would send—almost—Margot to an execution chamber. Margot’s husband, Tony (Nick Steen), whose artificial cheerfulness conceals his true character —a knave —and his hired assassin, Captain Lesgate (Jeffrey C. Hawkins), and Inspector Hubbard (David Anthony Smith) all parade on and off stage their own dramaturgical contributions to this plot, leading the audience to a straightforward but breathtaking conclusion.

To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

 

Sunday in the Park With George @ Great Lakes Theater

Through October 12, 2025

http://www.greatlakestheater.org

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, as directed by Victoria Bussert, and performed by the GLT cast, is a quality production.  It is a must see!  Congrats to the entire team on creating a special evening of theater.

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

Howard Gollop

Stephen Sondheim's revered "Sunday in the Park with George" is about as good as any production of the legendary Broadway musical can get. But this production quality at times sheds a harsher spotlight on the highly introspective, occasionally problematic work. But Like the thematic Seurat painting itself, success can be about sheer artistry over easy emotion. And in that respect, "Sunday in the Park with George" is a masterpiece to behold.

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Mark Horning

To understand this show one must attempt to understand Seurat’s painting technique of using small dots that when viewed at a distance blend into an image. The songs, choreography, costumes, stage, actors, lighting and sound are all the dots and it is up to us to step back far enough to see a clear image. Luckily the precision of this production makes that easy. 

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

Sunday in the Park with George, currently at Great Lakes Theater, blends music, story, and visual art to suggest the mind and method behind Georges Seurat’s most famous work, “A Sunday Afternoon on the the Island of La Grande Jatte” (1884). (It sounds fancier in French: “Un dimanche après-midi à l’Île de la Grande Jatte.”) Seurat, evidently seeking to escape the label “impressionist,” explored what became known as “pointillist” technique. Rather than traditional brushstrokes, he combined small dots to create “colors” via the viewer’s own vision. (If you compare his work to his competitor Renoir’s “Luncheon of the Boating Party” (1881), you can see what he was up against. “But what,” you might rightly ask, “does that have to do with the musical currently under discussion?” Oddly enough, it does—at least for those of us who tend to vanish down random rabbit holes of comparison and imagination. But back to the review: It’s fascinating to see how director Victoria Bussert adapts Seurat’s technique, using the finest “materials” (in this case, cast, set and music), to create a thought-provoking (and enjoyable) version of this rarely-produced Stephen Sodheim and James Lapine musical.
To see a full review of this show, read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Gwendolyn Kochur

Theater is like pointillism, in a way. It utilizes separate artistic contributions from casts and creatives and pieces them together so that, when viewed at a distance by the audience, it should create a seamless image. 

In Great Lakes Theater’s “Sunday in the Park with George,” director Victoria Bussert combines the artistry of skilled actors and creative designers to construct a visually stunning piece of theater ripe with talent. However, there is one character painted with such a charismatic, interesting hand that they continually pull the focus of the overall painting…and it’s not George. 

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

Joey Morona

Great Lakes Theater isn’t easing into its 64th season. The local repertory company, known for staging classics with flair, has made an ambitious choice for its 2025-26 opener: Stephen Sondheim’s daring musical “Sunday in the Park with George.” It’s a bold move, and not an easy one. The musical, at the Hanna Theatre through Oct. 12, is as evocative as it is esoteric. 

To see a full review of this show, read Joey's posts here.

 

Noises Off @ Great Lakes Theater

Through May 18, 2025

https://www.greatlakestheater.org/ 

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko

The GLFT proves the old saying in theatre that performing drama is easy but doing farce is hard.  At the end of the performance, half the audience was on its feet cheering, while the rest were in the aisles running for the exits.  Didn’t hate it, but I was caught in the stampede.

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

Howard Gollop

Perhaps an authentic British production might have rung a few extra laughs, but it's hard to fault such an amazing comedic triumph from a Cleveland company, with especially hysterical performances by Zoe Lewis-McLean as the ultimate bimbo, and Nick Steen as the wimpy nose-bleeding, pants-falling handsome leading actor. They as well as the rest of the cast understand playing it dead serious is the best way to conjure up extra comedic life.

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Sheri Gross
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Sheri Gross' review here.

Mark Horning

This is a show that slowly builds on itself as the situations become more and more fatuous and out of control. With the slower paced first act, patience is the key to truly enjoy this madcap gem to the end. 

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here

Laura Kennelly

 Carefully-timed classic farce that celebrates comedy’s messy moments. No wonder it’s one of the most popular plays around. The Great Lakes team gives it its proper due, although I did wonder upon leaving, “How would I know if panicked players playing players in a play made up a line?” (But that’s just me, recalling my own real-life onstage panic, not theirs.)..

To see a full review of this show, read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Kate Klotzbach
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Kate's posts here.

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi

The Great Lakes Theater production successfully dealt with these difficulties and challenges, adding some technical surprises and highlighting the strong presence of female actors/characters. 

The set, “another character” in this play, designed by Jeff Herrmann, is stunning; the set for Nothing On illustrates a well-furnished living room that leads to different parts of the house, including bedrooms upstairs and the kitchen downstairs. To name a few, technical “surprises” are added to the doors, windows, and the deer head ornament. Costume designer Oona Natesan designed and prepared layers of garments for key, outrageous moments. Jason Lynch’s lighting design and Patrick John Kiernan’s sound design add comical and hilarious aspects to the show.

To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

J

Twelfth Night @ Great Lakes Theater

Through April 6, 2025

https://www.greatlakestheater.org/ 

(216) 241-6000.    

 

Roy Berko

TWELFTH NIGHT gets a pleasing production at GLT.  It could have been enhanced by broader farce and more joyous attitude.  As might be said of the New Hampshire Board Education that banned the play, "The fool doth think he is wise, bit wise man knows himself to be a fool."  (AS YOU LIKE IT) 

 

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

Howard Gollop

Company artistic director Sara Bruner enthusiastically takes the directorial reins, putting proper focus on the initial tragedy that gives way to "the ecstasy of being," as she puts it in her program notes.

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review at https://chroniclet.com/

Sheri Gross

Great Lakes Theater production of TWELFTH NIGHT is one that will have audiences riding the waves of bitter and sweet, comedy and tragedy, and lughter and intrigue to a satisfy shore.

To see a full review of this show, read Sheri Gross' review here.

Mark Horning

For those not familiar with live performances of Shakespeare, this would be a perfect “first play” to attend. The middle English dialogue is quite easy to follow, the comedy broad enough to comprehend and the main themes simple to learn from. Come see what all the fuss has been about for over 400 years.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

The Bard of Avon’s music-honoring, identity-mixing romantic satire, Twelfth Night, directed by Sara Bruner, closes the “Shakespeare requirement” for this Great Lakes Theater season.

******

Bottom Line: An oft chaotic, sometimes amusing, mix of comedy, romance, mistaken identity, and general horseplay brought to you by Great Lakes Theater’s merry crew.

Kate Klotzbach

To quote a famous line from the show - "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." This production is, indeed, GREAT.

To see a full review of this show, read Kate's posts here.

To see a full review of this show go here or read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here. 

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

Great Lakes Theater

2-7 through 3-2, 2025

216-241-6000 or www.greatlakestheater.org

Roy Berko

After a tepid first act, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER explodes into a farcical, creative and enjoyable production in the second act under the direction of Jaclyn Miller.  Observation:  Though there were lots of kids at the Sunday afternoon staging, the show seems a little too sophisticated for anyone less than tweens as the younger children seated near me were generally very restless.

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

Howard Gollop

Like the Broadway musical "Wicked," the 2012 Broadway version of "Peter and the Starcatcher" regales the audience in an intriguingly convoluted plot of orphans, pirates, young love, a lost islands and shipwrecks -- defying the dramatic odds of getting us up to the moment Peter flies off to meet young Wendy back in Victorian-cum-Edwardian England. There's an unmistakable patina of Monty Python to the work, although, surprisingly, there's no actual British pedigree. The play actually originated in 2009 at the LaJolla Playhouse in California. As for this production, despite its cutthroat pirates, rioting native islanders and foreboding seastorms, the audience gladly grabs a chance to escape from the truly treacherous Cleveland winter outside for a moment in this slice of joyous paradise.

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Mark Horning

No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Laura Kennelly 

Over 100 years after it first appeared, J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan still inspires imagination as seen in Peter and the Starcatcher (2011), the play currently offered by Great Lakes Theater in the Hanna Theatre. The story, adapted by Rick Elice from the 2004 novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, offers an engaging account of the flying-never-aging boy’s origins.

 Scenic designer Courtney O’Neill, assisted by Rick Martin (lighting) proved form follows function with a simple setting. The stage, filled with undulating waves of sturdy black and white levels dotted, when need be with sails and trunks, offered a surprisingly useful surface for actions and settings.

 Costumes designed by Esther M. Haberlen and hairpieces by wig designer Caitie Martin also helped us follow the story as actors shifted (via a hat or a jacket, etc.) from one character to another. It worked surprisingly well. Puppets designed by Davey Collins and Hayden Pedersen added supernatural effects, as did other touches by designer Josh Brinkman.

 Program notes quote director Jaclyn Miller’s statement that “Theater is a team sport.” Based on the show’s opening night, the skilled (and nimble) cast proved Coach Miller’s analysis as they worked together to create a world. Especially amusing was watching as they left the stage as one believable character and emerged almost immediately as a completely different one.

 Leading the team, a charismatic Benjamin Michael Hall morphed from orphan child in dire peril of being a pirate slave to Peter Pan, the magical champion of his fellow castaways. Once Peter meets Molly (Angela Utrera) a beautiful and kind young woman, they join forces with the other lost boys to fight the dreadful pirate, Black Stache (Joe Wegner).

 Other players—all outstanding contributors playing everybody everywhere all at once (almost)--included Theo Allyn, Dar’Jon Marquise Bentley, Jeremy Gallardo, Nic Hermick, Grayson Heyl, Jesse Cope Miller, James Alexander Rankin, Evan Stevens, and M.A. Taylor.

 I’d like to see it again because I think I might have missed some of the play’s reputed verbal wit that was swallowed up as characters jumped from one area to another or wielded weapons in mighty fights. But, by closing night, all should be perfect—and it nearly was opening night anyway.

 What wasn’t perfect that night was the weather. A snow/sleet storm engulfed Cleveland right before the show, but it didn’t stop the stalwart audience. Most seats were filled. Great Lakes fans are the best.

 Bottom Line: Indeed, why grow up? Not when the unsettled land of childhood’s possibilities still remains to be claimed and explored—at least for a few hours—while watching this delight-filled show. Go team Peter Pan!

To see a full review of this show, read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Kate Klotzbach
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Kate's posts here.

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi

Great Lakes Theater’s Peter and the Starcatcher is a delightful, educational, and philosophical work that draws audiences of all ages to the world of the Neverland created on Hanna Theatre’s stage. I saw a Broadway production and one regional theatre production, but what I got out of this production was genuinely impactful, visually, atmospherically, and thematically.

To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

 

"A Christmas Carol" @ Great Lakes Theater

Through December 22, 2024 

https://www.greatlakestheater.org/ 

(216) 241-6000

 

Mark Horning

Much like a favorite television show or movie, this perennial production of “A Christmas Carol” is a delight to the eyes and ears and a wonderful Cleveland holiday tradition that should not be missed. Dress up in your holiday finest and spend a few hours of escape from the hustle and bustle. You will be glad you did.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

A Midsummer Night's Dream @ Great Lakes Theater

Through October 27, 2024

www.greatlakestheater.org

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko

GLT’S A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM will delight those who enjoy unbridled farce and mod language, while Shakespeare purists will rue the day they saw this “reimagined,” Bard-light edition.  Me?  I started out on the side of the purist’s and ended up an advocate of the modernists.  Go…see…enjoy (maybe!)

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

Howard Gollop

Of course it's hard to say where occasional innocent modern vernacular clarity becomes dramaturgy desecration. Apparently the former is the intent of a new nation-wide enterprise called Play on Shakespeare, which produces Bard-lite entries in live theater and podcast form. The result of the latter in Great Lakes collaboration may be due to the careless abandon of Sara Bruner, tagged to become Great Lakes Theater's new artistic director. Under her direction, there doesn't seem to be any stroke too broad, mugging too sustained or character-audience interaction too intrusive that would compel her to take a breath and ask her cast, "You think this is a bit much?"

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Mark Horning

This is truly not your parent’s (or for that matter your grandparent’s) Shakespeare. This is a madcap comic farce of the highest degree that will have you rolling in the aisles. Pay close attention to all the little “modern” references and nuances. Well worth the ticket...go see this work.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Chris Howey

There is plenty of laughter generated in this new Dream. Genuine, hearty belly laughs. But they aren't laughing at the gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) wit of Shakespeare and his verbal constructions which, while daunting at times, can also please the mind and soul. They're laughing at actors beating each other with colorful pool noodles as they climb and romp on the jungle gym set and adopt various funny character voices, some borrowed from SNL, to squeeze just one more easy cackle from the patrons.

To see a full review of this show, read Chris Howey's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

Director Sara Bruner and her excellent accomplices (cast and crew all) wove soap opera (love/hate relationships) with comic farce (adventures in the woods) to create a refreshing romp into a world that never was.

Great Lakes chose a new take on Shakespeare’s classic, this one translated by Jeff Whitty (who wrote Avenue Q). Whitty’s version neither mangles the original nor turns it into a word circus. The result? Raucous laughs.

To see a full review of this show go here or read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Dr.Yuko Kurahashi

Directed by Great Lakes Theater’s new artistic director, Sara Bruner, the production uses the modern translation/adaptation done by Jeff Whitty in partnership with Play on Shakespeare, adapting Shakespeare’s work so that the audience can better understand the language “with so many bubbles” and the characters’ confusing relationships.

To see a full review of this, go to Yuko's Playshakespeare site here

Into The Woods @ Great Lakes Theater

Through November 10, 2024

http://www.greatlakestheater.org

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko

INTO THE WOOD is a well-conceived script, which gets a fine GLT production!  There has been, and will be many presentations of this musical, but few will match this one!  Go…enjoy musical theatre at its finest!

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

Mark Horning

If you are a fan of Stephen Sondheim then you will probably flock to this show and love every minute of it. Good for you. As for me there is not enough aspirin in the world that could get me back to see this show in any form but that is just me. The audience loved it and you will probably love it also. 

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Howard Gollop

Director Victoria Bussert charges though the dark proceedings with clarity and style. With the craftsmanship of choreographer Jaclyn Miller and musical director Matthew Webb, the able ensemble moves assuredly through production numbers and pathos with equal alacrity. It's an engaging forest of light and dark undertones that beckon the willing audience to get lost into.

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Chris Howey

This Great Lakes Theater production of the much-loved Stephen Sondheim musical bristles with invigorating movement and features a raft of fine singing voices. And aside from a couple wrinkles, it is a richly involving treat.

To see a full review of this show, read Chris Howey's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

Stephen Sondheim’s classic Into the Woods, now at the Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theater, offers a blissful, exuberant, dangerous — and deliciously musical — expedition into the forest.

As director Victoria Bussert pointed out in the program notes, “Be careful what you wish for, you may get it.” And that’s what Into the Woods’ two full acts are all about. It’s an enchanting production shining with exceptional performances.

To see a full review of this show go here or read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Kate Klotzbach

Busser's direction is quick-paced and well-timed, making this production a whimsical whirlwind well worth entering Into the Woods for.

To see a full review of this show, read Kate's posts here.

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi

Into the Woods is not a typical happy musical. During the “natural disaster,” three mothers die, leaving Little Riding Hood, Jack, and the baby motherless. Two adolescents may be under the parental guidance of the Baker and Cinderella for several years. The third mother, the witch, is left “childless” as the Giant’s Wife kills Rapunzel. The multiple deaths, along with philosophical quests in the story, transform this musical into a social parable, offering the possibility of multiple interpretations about humans, their relationships, and the environment.  Underneath the vivacious, colorful, cheerful presentation, The Great Lakes Theater production of Into the Woods compelling maintains Sondheim and Lapine’s revisional work, which came out of an intellectual and aesthetically challenging twist on the traditional fairytales.

To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

Always...Patsy Cline @ Great Lakes Theater

Through May 19, 2024

 https://www.greatlakestheater.org/ 

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko

Hey, “Stupid Cupid,” if you have “True Love” for country music, you’ll have “Sweet Dreams” and feel “True Love” when you think back to having seen ALWAYS…PATSY CLINE.  For the rest of us, “Come on In and Make Yourself at Home” and realize that you are not “Crazy” for being a semi-fan and not echoing the Patsyites yelling, “How Great Thou Art.”

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

Howard Gollop

Coincidentally, "Always ... Patsy Cline" was a successful centerpiece of a revival of its current Hanna Theater (which became home to Great Lakes Theater) as a short-lived cabaret repertory in the mid-1990s. Almost three decades later, “Always … Patsy Cline” returns as charming as ever under the playful direction of Victoria Bussert, an inviting production design with Grand Ole Opry undertones by Jeff Herrmann and authentic-sounding country-music backup lead by Matthew Webb. This twosome romance is definitely a two-stepping treat.

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Sheri Gross
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Sheri Gross' review here.

Mark Horning

Even if you are not a big fan of country or for that matter Patsy Cline, you really owe it to yourself to see this particular show. It is a nice reminder of gentle music that induces a sense of calm. It is an evening of songs about love gone wrong but done exceptionally well in a concert setting. See This Show!

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Chris Howey
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Chris Howey's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

Always…Patsy Cline. Jukebox musical sporting a documentary style? Yes, for sure. Well done? Absolutely. Fun? Yes, again.

Always…Patsy Cline has just enough story to hold the songs (why we are here) together. The show, originally crafted by Ted Swindley and now directed at GLT by Victoria Bussert, is a little gem. It never gets tiresome as it looks at friendship and song in equally compelling measure.

-To see a full review of this show, read here or see Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Kate Klotzbach

The story is loose, but effective, and the audience actually gets the best character development from France's Louise, as the script is written from her point of view. If anything, the show could use a little more backstory and a better in-depth look at Patsy Cline, herself, as she is the title role. But what the script lacks in insight into the star sensation, it makes up for in heart in regards to demonstrating the importance of the friendship between the two women. There is also a ton of humor and wit in this show, and Bussert has done a clever job staging this well-matched duo around the performance space.

To see a full review of this show, read Kate's posts here.

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi

Created and originally directed by Ted Swindley (playwright, director, and founder of Stages Repertory in Houston, Texas) and directed by Victoria Bussert, the Great Lakes Theatre production of Always…Patsy Cline captures the audience’s heart—especially those who grew up listening to her on radio and records.

To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

Joey Morona
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Joey's posts here.

 

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

GREAT LAKES THEATER

March 22-April7, 2024

For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to www.greatlakestheater.org

Roy Berko

Though generally described as a lesser work, with the right production, the tale of Falstaff, the rotund rascal who attempts, unsuccessfully, to woo and con the two wealthiest married ladies in the town of Windsor, can be a delight.  GLT’s staging, with its glorious set, entrancing costumes, and wonderful acting is so good, that even if you aren’t a Bardophile, it’s a must-see.

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

Howard Gollop
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here.

Sheri Gross
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Sheri Gross' review here.

Mark Horning

With any other company this would be a tough production to pull off but in the hands of GLT this madcap farce about the over weight and over sexed rascal trying to con two ladies of means in Windsor is a feast of comic theater. Old fans and newbies of the Bard will all agree that this is must see theater. It’s all fun until someone gets dumped in the canal then it becomes hilarious.  

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Chris Howey

There are some laughs to be had in this Wives, thanks to the script that is in many ways foolproof, as is the physical humor. But overall, the merriment is less merry than it might be.  

To see a full review of this show, read Chris Howey's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

William Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, now at the Hanna Theatre, featured Sir John Falstaff, an oft-drunk, always clownish, would-be womanizer. His scenes provided comic relief in Shakespeare’s Serious (and grim) dramas about the Tudor family’s rise to power. (See Henry IV, Parts I and 2, as well as Henry V.) Elizabethan-era audiences adored Falstaff. They clamored for more.

As a result, Falstaff got his own show. And why not? History — like the news — can be depressing. And, as The Merry Wives of Windsor demonstrates, marriage, love, sex and politics can be funny.

And so, it seems, Shakespeare obliged with more fat Falstaff jokes, although, as Director Terri McMahon notes, The Merry Wives of Windsor is set in an era contemporary with Shakespeare’s own.

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Bottom Line: The brawling, egotistical clown that is Falstaff gets a play of his own. He may not have deserved one. Despite valiant efforts and the talented Great Lakes Theater cast, opening night seemed too slow-paced for farce. It is highly likely in later shows (last performance is April 7), the pace will pick up and all will revel in this classic comedy.

To see a full review of this show, read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Kate Klotzbach

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR is full of classic Shakespearean plot points: mistaken identities, misunderstandings, disguises, and joyful conspiracies amidst foes, friends, and lovers... All-in-all the show is worth seeing, whether you are a seasoned Shakespearian or a first-time watcher who is “Shakespeare-curious.”

To see a full review of this show, read Kate's posts here.

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

Joey Morona
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Joey's posts here.

 

Murder On The Orient Express @ Great Lakes Theater

Through March 3, 2024

https://www.greatlakestheater.org/ 

(216) 241-6000

 

Roy Berko

Agatha Christie’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS gets a wonderful staging at GLT.  It challenges the imagination, it delights, it makes for a special evening of theatre.  Yes, if you want a couple of hours out of the time we are all spending in this stressful world, this is an absolute GO SEE!

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

Howard Gollop

After two major film versions and TV versions of Agatha Christie's iconic mystery novel "Murder on the Orient Express," it might be hard to propel Ken ("Lend Me a Tenor") Ludwig the 2017 stage version on the basis of its actual mystery. Instead, the Great Lakes Theater's production propels "Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express" with a train. Under the embracing direction of Charles Fee, the cast members deliver all the European color, flare and mystery of their potentially duplicitous characters, but nothing gets this production moving like the stage crew, dressed as conductors, who literally push the whodunnit drama forward on its tracks. The audience eagerly hops aboard.

To see a full review of this show, read Howard Gollop's review here. 

Sheri Gross

All aboard the luxurious Orient Express for a fabulous, fast-paced farce full of murder, mystery, and mayhem, with a talented cast that will keep you guessing from curtain up to curtain call.  

To see a full review of this show, read Sheri Gross' review here.

Mark Horning

Even those who are familiar with the movie version (and thus the “surprise ending”) will still fall in love with the characters and the way the plot and characters are developed. It is an evening of superb theater that is guaranteed to sell out with each performance. Get your tickets NOW! It’s everything that is great about theater.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's Review here.

Chris Howey

"Of course, the ending is what makes this play  so enduring, as it tosses the concepts of punishment and justice into a cocked (and oh-so-decorous) hat. After all the splendid speeches and visual delights, it will leave you to mull the appropriateness of the outcome yourself. And that's a tasty ending to a luscious theatrical package."

To see a full review of this show, read Chris Howey's Review here.

Laura Kennelly

A shotgun wedding — an Agatha Christie thriller combined with playwright Ken Ludwig’s sense of the ridiculous — makes for a mystery-packed comedy production of Murder on the Orient Express at Great Lakes Theater.

While it may sound lovely to ride on an elegantly decorated express train from Istanbul to Paris, our story makes it obvious it is a mistake to ride anywhere with mystery writer Christie’s Detective Hercule Poirot. Trouble is bound to follow, at least in this well-paced play directed by Charles Fee.

To see a full review of this show, go here or read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

Dr. Yuko Kurahashi

Ken Ludwig’s adaptation/dramatization makes the story simpler, more hilarious, and entertaining for the American audience.  According to the program note, Ludwig reduced the number of suspects from 12 to 8, making it possible for the audience to follow the characters and their relationships with the murder of Daisy. This murder case, which ties all the eight passengers together, reminds the audience of the kidnapping of Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr. in 1932. Ludwig’s script ominously foretells the approaching Hitler’s invasion of the territories that the Orient Express traverses. And that unsettling atmosphere is implied—so I felt—by the sound effects similar to bombings in the last scene.    

To see a full review of this show, read Yuko's posts here.

Joey Morona

The official description calls “Alter” a workplace dramedy, but the playwright sees it as more of a dark comedy with thriller and horror elements.

To see a full review of this show, read Joey's posts here.