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Cinderella Review- Hopebox Theatre

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  Cinderella tells the familiar fairy tale of Ella, a young woman who is treated unfairly by her stepfamily but continues to show kindness despite her circumstances. With a little help from her Fairy Godmother, Ella gets the opportunity to attend the royal ball, where she meets Prince Topher. What follows is a story of magic, love, and the reminder that kindness can make a difference. Direction: Marinda Maxfield directed this production of Cinderella , bringing a classic fairy tale to the stage. One of the things I appreciate about this story is its message that kindness matters, even when the world around you isn’t treating you kindly. Ella’s compassion is at the heart of the story, and it is a lovely reminder that small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact. Music and Choreography: Larisa Stewart served as the music director, and Dylan Watson served as choreographer and assistant director. The vocals throughout the production were clear, making the songs easy to enjoy and f...
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Twelve Angry Men Review- Regalo Theatre Co

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Twelve Angry Men   is Reginald Rose’s classic 1954 stage play that is a full-length courtroom drama centered on 12 male jurors deliberating the fate of a 19-year-old on trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. Direction: The director of this production was Michael Carrasco. Carrasco made sure to assemble a production team that worked well together. He had a clear vision, and made sure to let his team know what he wanted. All parts of the show flowed together because of his clear direction. Carrasco made sure to play to all the serious moments and brought the emotion that was needed to make the show. Throughout the rehearsal process he kept both the female and male casts separate from each other to let them develop and be different from each other. The hard thing with this show is that the cast is supposed to be staying at a table discussing the case. Carrasco added movement and levels to make it so that most people could be seen. He had the characters pull the audience through s...
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Twelve Angry Women Review- Regalo Theatre Co

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Twelve Angry Women (adapted by Sherman L. Sergel from Reginald Rose’s classic 12 Angry Men) is a full-length courtroom drama centered on 12 female jurors deliberating the fate of a 18-year-old on trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. Direction: The director of this production was Michael Carrasco.  Carrasco made sure to assemble a production team that worked well together. He had a clear vision, and made sure to let his team know what he wanted. All parts of the show flowed together because of his clear direction. Carrasco made sure to play to all the serious moments and brought the emotion that was needed to make the show. Throughout the rehearsal process he kept both the female and male casts separate from each other to let them develop and be different from each other. The hard thing with this show is that the cast is supposed to be staying at a table discussing the case. Carrasco added movement and levels to make it so that most people could be seen. He had the chara...
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Jekyll & Hyde Review- Empress Theatre

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Jekyll & Hyde is a  musical that tells the story of a 19th-century London doctor who experiments on himself to separate good and evil, accidentally unleashing a murderous alter ego. It is  based on the 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Originally conceived for the stage by Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden, it features music by Frank Wildhorn, a book by Leslie Bricusse and lyrics by all of them.  Direction: The director for this production was Kylee Larsen. Larsen is know well enough where she is able to draw in a talented group of actors and production team. For this production, this was definitely the case.  She had a clear vision, and made sure to let her team know what she wanted. Most parts of the show flowed together because of her clear direction. She made sure that the actors on stage could be seen at most angles, and made sure that the story could be told. Larsen made sure all the scene changes were quick, an...
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A Midsummer Night's Dream Review- Empress Theatre

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A Midsummer Night's Dream   is about a world of mountain folklore, rural tradition, and whispered superstition. Lovers cross paths under the cover of night while something wild and magical stirs deep in the woods. When a traveling troupe, feuding families, and mischievous forest spirits collide, reality bends and chaos takes hold beneath the summer sky.  This production is placed in  the moonlit hills of 1930s Appalachia.  This reimagined Shakespearean classic blends poetic language with the rich atmosphere of the Appalachian mountains, where love is unpredictable, magic feels just out of sight, and nothing is quite as it seems once the forest wakes. Direction: The director for this production was  Dallyn Steenerson. They took a different approach to Shakespeare, in a delightful way. Steenerson added a dance/movement and the beginning and end of the show. (Classical theatre almost always incorporates some kind of movement and song.) They also had their music dir...
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Anything Goes Review- Hopebox Theatre

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  Anything Goes   follows wall-street assistant Billy Crocker as he stows away to win back debutante Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to wealthy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, with the chaotic comedic help of evangelist-turned-singer Reno Sweeney and a disguised gangster. The  music and lyrics are by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, revised considerably by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Direction: The show was directed by Jan Williams and Wyatt Welch. The team accomplished something that I never thought was possible- finally making me a like a production of "Anything Goes."  They made sure to assemble the best production team around. They had a clear vision, and made sure to let their team know what they wanted. All parts of the show flowed together because of their clear direction and vision.  The show was music directed by Brooks Teeples. The vocals during "There's No Cure Like Travel" were togethe...
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Cinderella Review- The Panto Theatre

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  Cinderella   is a British pantomime that follows the classic Cinderella, the story  of a girl, her fairy godmother and a royal ball. With magical help, she attends a royal ball, captures a prince's heart, and leaves behind a glass slipper that ultimately frees her. The script is by John Yates, with added local flair by Jords Shami.  Direction: The show was directed Jords Shami, with Chalese Craig as assistant director. Shami added local jokes, that added to the comedy. They started the show with introducing the characters and making sure the audience knew what catchphrases they needed to say. They kept the show flowing, with minor flaws. The addition of music to add in humor was a delightful addition. (The vampire joke was my favorite) The use of multiple puppets helped distinguish different characters, since many actors played more than one role.  The show was choreographed by Chalese Craig, with Kayla Thygerson as assistant choreographer. They  choreogr...
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