Just in: a theatre review

Murder to Death   takes place in a 1930s English manor filled with eccentric guests, suspicious secrets, and one hilariously inept detective! Murdered to Death is a delightful spoof of the traditional whodunit, brimming with witty banter, outrageous characters, and laugh-out-loud twists. The script is written by Peter Gordon. Direction: The director for this production was Stephanie Johnson. She made sure to assemble a production team that worked well together. Johnson had a clear vision, and made sure to let her team know what she wanted. All parts of the show flowed together because of her clear direction. She made sure that from whatever side you were on you could see some of the action of the show. Johnson made sure to play to all comedic moments and had the audience laughing throughout the night. Performances:  This show would not have been able to be as fun as it was without the cast being able to play off of each other. I am going to highlight a few of my favorite perfo...

The Scarlet Pimpernel   tells the story of the French Revolution, where the English baronet Sir Percy Blakeney, under the guise of a foppish dandy, leads a secret league to rescue French aristocrats from the guillotine as the enigmatic "Scarlet Pimpernel." The show has  music by Frank Wildhorn and lyrics & book by Nan Knighton. It is based on the 1905 novel of the same name by Baroness Orczy. The show is set in England and France during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution. Direction:  The show was directed by Becca Rhodes and Spencer Bawden. The two of them tackled a difficult show and made it look effortless. They put together a cast of strong singers, dancers, and actors. The set they designed and painted helped tell the story in a clear way. They came up with some ingenious uses of the stage that helped tell the story in a way I had never seen done before. The two of them assembled a powerhouse of a production team that helped make their vision for the sto...

  Peter and the Starcatcher   is the origin story of Peter Pan that follows a lonely orphan boy and his friends as they embark on a dangerous adventure to protect a trunk of "starstuff" from the notorious pirate Black Stache. Aided by Molly, the daughter of a Starcatcher, the boy discovers the true potential of friendship and the responsibility that comes with growing up, ultimately leading to the creation of Peter Pan. The play is based on the 2004 novel Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, adapted for the stage by Rick Elice, with music written by Wayne Barker. Direction: The director for this production was Beth Bruner. Bruner took a different approach to this production, that I had never seen done before. She made it feel like a bunch of friends came together to play make believe and put on the show. (I found this idea delightful.) Durning the announcements the actors came on in their base layer and put on their costume on stage when it was their c...

 (This review is a little different, because I am reviewing the show from the perspective of an actor.) Tarzan   is a musical based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios 1999 film of the same name, with music and lyrics by Phil Collins, and a book by David Henry Hwang. The musical follows Tarzan, who is raised by gorillas in West Africa. He meets Jane, a young English naturalist, and falls in love, unknowing that Jane's entourage plans to kill the gorillas. Direction: The director for this show and wig master is Cheryl Cripps Richardson. This show is her first time directing for a show and you wouldn't know it. I've worked with Cheryl on production teams before and I knew how skilled she was at what she does before I ever auditioned for her. She took everything that she saw that other directors did and didn't like, and made sure she never did those things. Cheryl values our time as actors and made sure we were called at times appropriate for what we were needed. She cast...

Shrek the Musical   tells the story of Shrek, an ogre who retreats to his swamp to live in isolation, only to have his home invaded by fairytale creatures banished by the diminutive Lord Farquaad. Shrek makes a deal: he'll get the creatures' homes back if Farquaad gives him his swamp back. Farquaad counters with a deal that Shrek must rescue Princess Fiona. Shrek and Donkey embark on the adventure, with Shrek finding himself drawn to Fiona, but she has a secret that unfolds as the story progresses.  The music is written by Jeanine Tesori and the book and lyrics are by David Lindsay-Abaire.  Direction: The show was directed by Sadie Day and assistant directed by James Boley. This duo made sure that all parts of their production team knew their vision. As a result, all parts of the show were cohesive and made this production magnificent. This team did something with  this production that I have never seen done before. The opening narration was made into a film that was...