AMERICAN MARIACHI @ Cleveland Play House

AMERICAN MARIACHI

Allen Theatre

September 17-October 9, 2022

www.clevelandplayhouse.com or 216-400-7000

Roy Berko

AMERICAN MARIACHI allows audiences to experience a telenovela, a Hispanic storytelling technique, and be exposed to mariachi music, while sharing a tale of universal angst.  The CPH production is well staged and performed.  This is a fine evening of theatre.

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

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

Howard Gollop

The production could easily sink into a tepid mix of Telenovela (Mexican soap opera) and Hallmark movie, but under the direction by Henry Godinez, the production value (with Linda Buchanan's sets coming directly from last year's Chicago mounting) and cast (with some actor/musicians recreating the same roles from productions in Chicago, Montgomery, Ala., and Dallas) -- not to mention the infectious and joyful sounds of a top Mariachi band, both male and female, and original Mariachi music by Cynthia Reifler Flores -- raise the proceedings to sheer theatrical delight.

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.

Chris Howey

"A sweet but overly simplistic look at what happens when five young Chicano women in the 1970s decide to start their own Mariachi band. The music is lively throughout and the performers give it their all. But a pedestrian and predictable book by José Cruz González doesn't provide the actors enough runway to lift this work to another level."

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

Laura Kennelly

"Director Henry Godinez places original musical arrangements by Cynthia Reifler Flores (who also serves as music director) front and center in this play by José Cruz González about the power of music (what else?) to unify and heal. In this case, the music is Mexican mariachi as played by a small, but striking ensemble that appears and disappears as the story continues....

Author González brings multiple plot points before us in the hour and a half plus production. There’s a lot of music, plus information about and evidence of music’s power to unite, to cheer, to heal, and to comfort. All valid ideas, each deserving of its own show. Blending them all together, however, weakens the overall effect — whipsawed as we are from feeling deeply touched by the daughter’s efforts to use music as therapy to soothe her mother’s dementia and then excited to see the entrepreneurship Lucha and Boli display as they decide to organize their own band. and then to our delight at their success as even her father sees how good her ensemble has become."

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.

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