Devoting an entire show to some of history’s most notorious murderers would seem to be a monumentally ill-advised idea. Doing the show as a musical would seem to be an act of insanity. It is to the credit of famed composer Stephen Sondheim (Into the Woods) that Assassins works as well as it does. I […]
The Man from Earth is a rare stage play that raises challenging intellectual questions usually only seen in the best science-fiction, reminiscent of Twilight Zone and Star Trek. This is no coincidence, as it is the final dramatic work by playwright Jerome Bixby who was responsible for several episodes of both series in the 1950s […]
Kill the Virgin clearly intends to satirize the tropes of horror movies while providing a post-modern spin on them. Unfortunately, despite some funny moments, the play proves to be an ultimately frustrating and pointless piece of work. The virgin in this story is Ali, a sexy teenager who is questioned by two detectives, Marconi […]
Trinity Repertory Company could not have produced a more spectacular show to close out its 2015-2016 season than Oklahoma!. A first-rate group of performers, under the expert guidance of directors Richard Jenkins and Sharon Jenkins (also serving as choreographer), have breathed new life into the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Eugene Lee’s set resembles a […]
Epic Theatre’s Company’s Total Strangers is essentially a remake of the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, Strangers on a Train. The major change writer/director Kevin Broccoli made was switching the genders of the two main characters from male to female. Beth (Kelly McCabe) takes a seat next to Georgia (Hannah Lum) on a train in New […]
The Vietnam War-era love story Miss Saigon was given a first-rate production by Encore Repertory Company at the Stadium Theater in Woonsocket. The show ran from May 6 through 8. Sara LaFlamme gave a passionate and deeply moving performance as Kim, a young prostitute who falls in love with Chris, an American soldier stationed in […]
As someone who has worked in higher education for over 23 years, I know the value of a college education. Those holding bachelor’s degrees earn about $1.3 million more than those without over their lifetime. That is partially why I have a fondness for Educating Rita by Willy Russell. This two-person play is full of […]
On Thursday, For Colored Girls, a series of poetic monologues written by Ntozake Shange, will be performed at Aurora on 276 Westminster Street at 6pm. For Colored Girls tells the stories of seven women who have suffered oppression in a racist and sexist society. The event will benefit Sojourner House, a comprehensive domestic violence agency based […]
You don’t have to be a news aficionado to appreciate National Public Radio’s Chicago-based “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” but the weekly comedy series, taped live every week for Saturday broadcast, is ostensibly a “news quiz.” One might be forgiven for forgetting the topical nature of the show, however, since WWDTM is fast-paced, funny and […]
“Bon voyage, bon voyage,” sing the excited travelers preparing to embark on a transatlantic journey aboard the SS America. The is just one of many terrific ensemble numbers in Ocean State Theatre Company’s production of Cole Porter’s Tony Award-Winning Musical Anything Goes. And, for those who ventured out to the opening night performance, it certainly […]