By EDWARD RUBIN “Every day I read the play, I think, I hear the words these words on CNN as I read them on the page. The play will be falling right around the midterm elections, and it is fitting that it reminds us of the choices that are available to us in relation to […]
By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“) The Big Easy Boys, the inspiration of Rich Arnold, have returned to New Orleans and the Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts just in time for Christmas. This time they are laden with a sleigh full of holiday songs to be given out by them with their […]
By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“) No one can ever claim that Michael McKelvey is an underachiever. Following his triumph at the Jefferson Performing Arts Society’s massive production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the artistic director at Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane returns to JPAS with a fresh and lively holiday production […]
By ROY BERKO Jeanine Tesori (music) and David Lindsay-Abaire (books and lyrics) developed the creative Shrek: The Musical from DreamWorks Animation’s film and William Steig’s book of the same name. The script, which tells the tale of Shrek, who on his seventh birthday is sent out by his parents into the “Big Bright Beautiful World,” […]
By ALAN SMASON New Orleanians need little excuse to have a party. They can do so at the drop of a hat and frequently do. But as quick as they celebrate Mardi Gras and revel with October’s Halloween, there is little to connect them with a modern celebration of Christmas. That is until now. Leslie […]
By AARON KRAUSE BOCA RATON, FL. — A director mounting an evergreen such as Annie doesn’t have to dig deep to unearth modern relevance. After all, the beloved musical theater classic contains practically every ingredient necessary to keep an audience emotionally invested. And in The Wick Theatre’s current funny, sunny and touching production, director Norb Joerder and […]
By AARON KRAUSE MIAMI — The woman of the moment rises. She approaches us with purpose, flashes a welcoming smile and waves warmly and enthusiastically to us. Perhaps the suddenly-skyrocketed wattage resulting from her warmth and brightness tempts us to silently hum the opening lyrics to the iconic title song. Of course, that number is “Hello, Dolly!,” […]
By EDWARD RUBIN People on trial, especially women who end up being executed, make good subjects for theater and film, as well as objects of art. The two reigning ladies, whose lives still continue to resonate long after their deaths are Marie Antoinette (1755-1793), the last Queen of France who literally lost her head, and […]
By AARON KRAUSE WILTON MANORS, FL. — If Alex More were a real-life struggling actor, you probably wouldn’t want to roll up his sleeves if you cannot stand the sight of injuries. Surely, those limbs would sport huge red marks, or even bruises. After all, if you were More, how could you not want pinches to ensure […]