The Sleepless Critic

REVIEW: Exploring man’s darker side in Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s chilling thriller ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’

Posted on 6 Hours Ago by The Sleepless Critic

Some of the best thrillers kick off with a blood curdling scream and a man dead. Even better thrillers deliver an inevitable reckoning.

Both can be true with Jeffery Hatcher’s complex take on Robert Lewis Stevenson’s classic novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It is a no doubt a complicated case that perhaps only an esteemed scientist can fully decipher.

Street lamps eerily glow, grime decays industrial windows, doors alight with prognostication as part of Brian J. Lillenthal’s ominous lighting and multiple stairwells and tight quarters by scenic designer Michael Hoover add to the production’s writhing intensity as the night grows dark and a villain breaks free.

Eerily directed by Jenny Lavery, Merrimack Repertory Theatre continues Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde live and in person at Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 1. This dark production runs 2 hours and 15 minutes including an intermission, has some disturbing imagery, graphic language and is not for children. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Brent Charles, André Martin, Ed Swidey, Amber Quick, and Herman Gambhir in MRT’s ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ Photo by Meg Moore
Image Design by Braxton Lilyquist-DeLauro

Since Robert Lewis Stevenson wrote the classic novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1885, many adaptations have seen the light of day since including Jekyll and Hyde, a 1990 pop rock musical thriller that hit Broadway before a television version of the musical was created in 2001 starring David Hasselhoff. Even comedic variations of this novella have taken shape including 1963’s The Nutty Professor with Jerry Lewis and the 1996 reboot starring Eddie Murphy.

David Remedios creates a pulsing, urgent and steely atmosphere through the production’s deafening and creepy fiddle laden rhythms. Thick wool scarves, glossy vests splashed with red and blooms, glimmering neck ties, tall black boots, slender frock coats with gold buttons, and elegant, floral gowns create an aura of sophistication in Yao Chen’s chic costumes.

Amber Quick, Herman Gambhir and Brent Charles in MRT’s ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ Photo by Meg Moore
Image Design by Braxton Lilyquist-DeLauro

A hint of Sherlock Holmes rests in this production’s method of meticulous analysis and Sir Arthur Cohen’s Sherlock novel made its debut only a year after Stevenson’s novella was published. Though MRT’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde boasts some dark humor and is part love story, make no mistake this version is of the gothic thriller variety with an intensity of the classic tale that carries indomitable weight between its small and versatile cast.

Set in 1880 Victorian England, society is shaken by a string of mysterious crimes and getting to the bottom of them involves post mortem examinations as André Martin as secretive and dignified, level headed and kind scientist Dr. Jekyll performs experiments of his own. Martin makes for an intriguing Dr. Jekyll in his slight and careful demeanor underneath the shy charm. Sarah Danko amiably portrays a strong yet complicated Elizabeth.

Ed Swidey, Brent Charles and Amber Quick in MRT’s ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ Photo by Meg Moore
Image Design by Braxton Lilyquist-DeLauro

This version dives into its classic novella roots with a cast in which some members share the tale as multiple narrators, characters, and to quote from the playbill “others” especially through Herman Gambhir, Ed Swidey, Brent Charles and Amber Quick. Unequivocally linked, they bend, contort, swing, growl and can just as easily slip into the astute, prim and sophisticated London aristocracy. Though they all have a talent for getting under your skin, Brent Charles’s pliable facial expressions are absolutely brilliant and terrifying.

Ed Swidey, André Martin, Brent Charles, Amber Quick, and Herman Gambhir in MRT’s ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ Photo by Meg Moore
Image Design by Braxton Lilyquist-DeLauro

Jeffrey Hatcher’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde boasts a number of compelling observances into human nature which keeps Stevenson’s novel an enduring classic. The first half can be a bit confusing where maneuvering transformations can be as swift as a quick glance or a steely whisper, but you will grapple its greater meaning before the production is over.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre continues Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde live and in person at Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 1. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Intriguing and profound, the struggle to make a difference in Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ at the Huntington

Posted on 2 Days Ago by The Sleepless Critic

A gavel sounds. All rise.

In October 2018, PBS concluded their eight-part series, The Great American Read, by naming Harper Lee’s Pulitzer prize-winning To Kill a Mockingbird as America’s best-loved novel as a result of 4 million votes nationwide. Shortly after this series concluded in December 2018, award-winning screenwriter and playwright Aaron Sorkin unveiled a new adaptation of Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway that leans much more into the multilayered courtroom drama and Atticus Finch’s adult perspective.

Having witnessed Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird onstage before, The Huntington’s production does not unfold exactly as the novel you recall while maintaining its coming-of-age tale with more subtlety. Sorkin delivers a well paced adaptation that whisks the audience right into the courtroom almost from the start and establishes a mystery with verve and intensity that kept me invested in this encompassing production.

The cast of Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Photo by Liza Voll Photography

Perceptively directed by Loretta Greco, The Huntington continues Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird by Aaron Sorkin live and in person at The Huntington in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 8. This immersive production’s action is not limited to the stage and runs 2 hours and 50 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Scenic designer Andrew Boyce delivers swift and transformative changes throughout the production as set pieces rise from the floor and lower from the ceiling starting out with a simple porch swing and a sprawling tree on an opaque backdrop. Not only does sound designer Daniel Baker create the production’s evolving tone through ambient sounds, but works with single onstage fiddler Ashley Frith’s dynamic compositions and vocalizations as they navigate suspense, comedy and tragedy under a glorious tree. Christopher Acklerlind’s looming and active lighting invades in so many corners of this show, it could be its own a character. Ackerlind’s investigative and surveilling lighting moves, hovers and creates distinct shadows whether it is through lanterns or troffers. Newsboy caps, vintage three-piece suits with timepieces, ties, vests, denim overalls and a striking red dress are just a few of costumer Celeste Jennings’s wide variety of classic and rural ensembles.

Karen Killeen in Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird at the Huntington Photo by Liza Voll Photography

Many cast members step into multiple roles as a trio of keen and charming narrators including Karen Killeen as fast talking, adventurous and inquisitive Scout, Benjamin Izaak as bold and fiery Jem, and later Andrew Stevens Purdy as bright, naive and optimistic Dill recall Macon, Alabama in September 1935 where neighbors sat on their front porch, making it their business to watch over the community. This playful narrative trio shares an adventurous and mischievous rapport in this unfolding tale as their innocence and faith in humanity is inevitably tested. While this version of To Kill a Mockingbird holds familial moments and the enchantment and disenchantment of childhood, getting to the bottom of the case and exploring the nature of man takes a front seat.

Andrew Stevens Purdy and Benjamin Izaak Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird at the Huntington Photo by Liza Voll Photography

These days it is easy to forget about community distracted behind a computer or a cell phone, but To Kill a Mockingbird takes you back to a time when neighbors called on neighbors and found time for one another. When teenage Mayella (Jackie Scholl) accuses Mayella’s neighbor Tom Robinson (Rafael Jordan) of rape, small time lawyer Atticus takes the case. Humble, altruistic, brave and with an unyielding faith in humanity, Karl Kenzler makes you feel the weight of Atticus’s battles determined to make a difference even in the face of blatant cruelty for sometimes as little as bartered goods and produce.

Rafael Jordan, the cast of Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Photo by Liza Voll Photography

“No matter how bitter things get, they are still our neighbors,” Atticus reflects. However, Patrice Jean-Baptiste as the Finches housekeeper and nanny Calpernia has something to say about that. Stubborn, shrewd and pragmatic, Jean Baptiste’s Calpernia and Kenzler’s Atticus create a fascinating and palpable tension over things that seem to go unsaid as Atticus’s magnanimous nature and Cal’s discerning cynicism considerably collide.

Liam Craig impresses as menacing, shortsighted, insecure and self righteous Bob Ewell and his encounters with Kenzler as Atticus thrive in its intensity. Jackie Scholl encapsulates squirming and unsettling Mayella in an alarming and anguished performance from the moment she steps onstage. The pauses, sputtering, stammering and urge to speak burst out of her slight and visibly shaking frame. Rafael Jordan does not seem to get enough stage time as Tom Robinson, but makes the most of it in a stirring performance.

Andrew Stevens Purdy and Kyle Cameron in Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Photo by Liza Voll Photography

Ken Cheeseman adds firm sensibility and dry humor to the role of Judge Taylor and Jesse Garlick does double time finishing Lyric Stage’s All My Sons and impressively portraying harsh opposing lawyer Horace Gilmer.

Kyle Cameron displays sharp and melancholic comic timing as community member Link Deas who is not to be underestimated while Aimee Doherty steps into the accusatory Mrs. Debose, pretty town gossip Stephanie, and Dill’s neglectful mother with memorable finesse.

Karl Kenzler and Karen Killeen Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird at the Huntington Photo by Liza Voll Photography

To Kill a Mockingbird, though an incredibly significant novel in American Literature, it is not my favorite. However, Sorkin kept me rapt with a swiftly paced production that maintains its timeless insights, iconic moments and its core and prevalent themes including abuse, social status, prejudice, intimidation, mob mentality and faith. It was refreshing to witness something new brought into this powerful, poignant and thought provoking classic.

The Huntington continues Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird by Aaron Sorkin live and in person at The Huntington in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 8. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Under a sprawling magnolia tree, Newton Theatre Company’s immersive ‘Parade’ marches on

Posted on 17 Days Ago by The Sleepless Critic

A picnic and sprawling magnolia tree have never held greater meaning.

Taking place nearly 50 years after the Civil War in 1913, Ken Crossman depicts Leo Frank, a quiet and disciplined Jewish Brooklynite working hard to build a life in Georgia with Eliza Barmakian as Lucille, his Southern resourceful wife, when one harrowing night changes everything.

Corruption, hypocrisy, slander, scandal and manipulation are all boldly explored as Leo Frank is accused of an unimaginable crime. When truth is set aside, where is there to turn?

Prudently directed by Brit Garner with Alex Taylor’s earnest music direction, Newton Theatre Company presented historical musical drama Parade live and in person at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Newtonville, MA through Saturday, October 10. Based on a true story, this immersive musical’s action was not limited to the stage and ran 2 hours and 30 minutes including one intermission. Click here for further details about this sold out musical.

The cast of Newton Theatre Company’s ‘Parade’ Photo credit Newton Theatre Company

Having seen Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years, Brown has a gift for articulating a vast array of complex emotions while glimpses of his inspiration for his later work can been heard in this moving journey that ebbs and flows from bright to poignant, confident to humbling and rueful to optimistic. The emotional highs and lows infusing blues, pop, gospel, jazz, and rock are swift, stunning, and consistently thought-provoking.

I had not heard of Leo Frank’s story until witnessing Parade’s national tour at Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts last year. This significant tale features some dark aspects that I hesitated to revisit a second time, but Newton Theatre Company’s musical presented the memorable tale in its own distinct way. From a massive musical production featuring a large cast and choir to an immersive and intimate theatre church space in a play-within-a-play atmosphere, this production featured the fictional theatre troupe The Parlor Players as they presented ‘The Lament of Leo Frank.’ The same power and heart of this important tale lingered within these two independent styles.

This captivating musical is based on a gripping true story and evokes a wide range of emotions. Like a parade, it unfolds with James Allen’s ascending vibrato and an opening drum roll of The Old Red Hills of Home boasting compelling harmonies and Garner’s carefully helmed direction.

An intimate quintet band wraps around a magnolia tree stacked on a tiered stage that includes a variety of trunks. This cleverly staged production takes advantageous use of every inch of the stage in dynamic blocking which makes the experience intimate and immersive while occasionally presenting scenes simultaneously. First adorned in all black, the cast gradually gains bursts of color as the show unfolds, fittingly capturing the essence of the Progressive era in pastels to deep reds with brimmed and floral wicker hats, blouses in frills and lace, classic suspenders, three piece suits in wool, plaids and corduroy as well as loose ribbons.

The fictional Parlor Players are made up of a dozen versatile actors, many of whom take on more than one interdependent role as they travel from town to town to share the story of Leo Frank. Crossman’s yearning and poignant vocals stirringly capture Leo’s stark loneliness and deft humor in How Can I Call this Home. With gravitas and sincerity, Crossman exposes an unsettling insecurity and uncompromising practicality as Leo as he shares his thoughts in melodious vocals and quiet candor emphasized during the impassioned ballad, It’s Hard to Speak my Heart. He also shares elevating chemistry with Barmakian as spirited and resourceful Lucille as they create powerful harmony for the resilient and optimistic duet It’s Not Over Yet and a soaring rendition of All the Wasted Time.

James Allen also empathetically depicts Frankie Epps, especially for a powerful and poignant rendition of There is a Fountain/It Don’t Make Sense. The medley infuses light and angelic harmony to a chilling transition of a boy maturing in an instant. Charismatic Allen and Ellie Lauter as exuberant Mary Phagan share playful and sweet moments during the catchy number The Picture Show.

In black with a thin red tie, Matthew Zahnzinger roars as slick and calculating Hugh Dorsey. Zahnzinger infuses a smooth façade with a sharp edge, and when provoked, Dorsey’s tense smile tears away as he snarls his words for Somethin’ Aint Right. Thain Bertin shines as charismatic yet contentious Tom Watson and semi-narrator leading the urgent Hammer of Justice highlighted by David Edge’s intense and flashing multicolor lighting. Nick Corsi is also notable as scandal thirsty reporter Britt Craig desperate to revive his career in the conspiring Real Big News.

Parade’s layered and kinetic choreography is demonstrated in the hypnotic turn and puppetry of The Factory Girls and the mischievous spring of Pretty Music with charismatic baritone Tim Lawton depicting an array of pivotal roles including slick Governor Slanton jubilantly spinning ladies across the dance floor as well as stringent yet levelheaded Judge Roan. The haunting and clapping rhythms and choreography form Feel the Rain Fall featuring Darren Paul’s strong vocals as mysterious Jim Conley as well as the telling and satirical number Where will you Stand when the Flood Comes.

Parade is an important and touching musical that is as breathtaking and mysterious as it is shocking. Just as affective without the pomp and circumstance, Newton Theatre Company cleverly delivers this haunting and powerful exploration of love, hope, faith, and loss into a profound and resonating piece of history that marches on.

Newton Theatre Company presented historical musical drama Parade live and in person at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Newtonville, MA through Saturday, October 10. Click here for further details about this sold out musical.

REVIEW: Secrets and transformation in The Huntington’s funny and meditative ‘Purpose’

Posted on 21 Days Ago by The Sleepless Critic

A famous preacher father, an overstepping mother, a son earnestly and blindly searching for approval while the other son and narrator just wants to be left alone while a dinner is veering off the rails.

A photo may be worth a thousand words but this family portrait doesn’t nearly tell half the story in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Purpose.

Directed insightfully by Josiah Davis, The Huntington continues Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s Pulitzer prize-winning dramedy Purpose live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, October 11. This elaborately-staged and multifaceted production contains some adult themes and runs approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

The cast of Purpose; directed by Josiah Davis; photo by Marc J Franklin
Purpose
September 10 – October 11, 2026

A glowing red light, reminiscent of a theatre ghost light, stands alone center stage as a crucial safelight in a photographer’s dark room. Here we meet Omari K. Chancellor as narrator and introspective Nazareth “Scootie” Jasper, a talented nature photographer who reflects on a tumultuous weekend visit with his famous and dysfunctional family in Chicago. Nazareth is most at home in his dark room and utilizes a wide array of photographs to share this increasingly eye opening story.

Omari K. Chancellor in Purpose; directed by Josiah Davis; photo by Marc J Franklin
Purpose
September 10 – October 11, 2026

Enhanced by Marika Kent’s rippling lighting, scenic designer Se Hyun Oh unveils the inside of the Jasper family’s functional modern luxury dual level home boasting high ceilings and a variety of textures and surfaces including finely-detailed bronze, wood, and stained glass door trim. It is so impressive that a collective gasp can be heard in the audience at first glance. Framed photos of impactful leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. hang on the wall and the finer details such as fingerprints on the door give the house a genuine authenticity.

Omari K. Chancellor, MarHadoo Effeh in Purpose; directed by Josiah Davis; photo by Marc J Franklin
Purpose
September 10 – October 11, 2026

Chancellor proves to be an engaging and humorous storyteller as Naz who believes his peace lies in nature and his family can be a sensory overload. However, Ugo Chukwu as Naz’s troubled brother, Solomon Jr. has been released from prison and Naz is joining his family to welcome his brother home.

Ugo Chukwu, Omari K. Chancellor in Purpose; directed by Josiah Davis; photo by Marc J Franklin
Purpose
September 10 – October 11, 2026

Shy and contemplative, Naz became close with Kalyne Ashley Coleman as lively and outspoken Aziza Houston during the pandemic and share an easygoing rapport. When Naz arrives at his family home and Aziza stops by, everyone has questions, especially from Phyllis Yvonne Stickney as Naz’s strong and inquisitive mother, Claudine…and this evening has not even gotten started yet.

A hint…the tinkling silverware is deafening at dinner.

Omari K. Chancellor, Kalyne Ashley Coleman in Purpose; directed by Josiah Davis; photo by Marc J Franklin
Purpose
September 10 – October 11, 2026

Ezra Knight brings gravitas and charisma as famous orator and preacher Solomon Jasper displaying a complicated dynamic with Ugo Chukwu as earnest Solomon Jr. Chuckwu depicts a distinct sensitivity behind the outlandish ideas of yearning Solomon Jr., a man stumbling with a quiet desperation for approval any way he can find it. Knight MarHadoo Effeh stings as Solomon Jr.’s wife Morgan who is pretty much at the end of her rapidly fraying rope and Stickney’s Claudine is trying to make dinner a joyous occasion any way she knows how.

Ezra Knight in Purpose; directed by Josiah Davis; photo by Marc J Franklin
Purpose
September 10 – October 11, 2026

The cast boasts sharp and fluent comic timing, especially from Coleman as New Yorker Aziza. She is an amusing scene stealer brimming with charm and a lively personality while drawing keen observations. Not only standing out as the sole outside observer at the Jasper family home, but Coleman’s Aziza dazzles with multicolor hair and rambunctious clothing embellished by bright neon accents, just a glimpse of Celeste Jennings’s vibrant costume design.

This production is best enjoyed as each new plot development unfolds and the plot thickens many times over during the production. While it has its humorous moments, it also meditates and philosophizes about life, faith, humanity and why things happen the way they do and what might have been explored in a memorable scene between Chancellor and Knight.

Ezra Knight, Omari K. Chancellor in Purpose; directed by Josiah Davis; photo by Marc J Franklin
Purpose
September 10 – October 11, 2026

Purpose tackles many issues while unraveling family secrets but it is mainly about a transforming family and the ways they are all losing direction in their lives…and how beekeeping fits in with its own story to tell.

The Huntington continues Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Purpose live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, October 11. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Fueled by powerhouse performances, Lyric Stage’s ‘All My Sons’ a riveting and indelible tale

Posted on 25 Days Ago by The Sleepless Critic

Come closer.

A little bit closer.

Now you have some idea how close I was leaning forward in my seat, entangled in the rising and palpable tension in Lyric Stage’s All My Sons.

Having never witnessed any iteration of All My Sons before watching Lyric Stage’s gripping production, it was immediately clear why Arthur Miller’s multilayered Post World War II tale is a classic brimming with universal truths. Having recently witnessed the dated 1948 film of the same name, it also became clear to me that Lyric Stage’s All My Sons is so jaw droppingly good, I would gladly see it again.

Directed meticulously by Scott Edminston, Lyric Stage Boston has extended Arthur Miller’s drama All My Sons live and in person at Lyric Stage Company in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, October 25. This excellent production runs two hours and 20 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Julian Hirshfield and Bill Mootos in Lyric Stage’s ‘All My Sons’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

At one time in history, everyone knew their neighbors. They stopped by unannounced. They watched over each other’s children. They bonded like family. They shared their stories, dreams, and hardships…even if relationships became strained.

Scenic designer Janie E. Howland produces an ideal and picturesque 1940s suburban setting at the Keller household with a wraparound porch and white picket fence, surrounding terrace, window garden and cushioned porch swing. Fallen leaves surround the house and the finer details in Karen Perlow’s moody and suspenseful lighting offers glimpses of a tree’s reflection off the second floor window. Taffeta, chiffon, silks, and floral patterns accented with a string of pearls, plaids and distinct 40s patterns shape Chelsea Kerl’s nostalgic costumes. Oleg Smirnov delivers a contemplative and soothing guitar-tinged sound design as secrets and revelations gradually come to light.

Bill Mootos and Mark Sousa in Lyric Stage’s ‘All My Sons’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

Taking place approximately over a 24-hour period in 1947, Mark Sousa as Chris Keller approaches Bill Mootos as his father Joe, to reveal Chris is hopelessly in love with Josephine Moshiri Elwood as Annie. Annie is not only a childhood neighbor Chris grew up with, but his brother, Larry’s girlfriend who has been reportedly missing in action for three years. As Chris attempts to convince his father to let Larry go, Larry’s memorial tree had fallen the night before and Laura Marie Duncan as Chris’s mother Kate insists that it is a sure sign that Larry is still alive.

Laura Marie Duncan and Mark Sousa in Lyric Stage’s ‘All My Sons’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

Not only does this entire cast exude a natural and familial rapport, but each character leaves a lasting impression. Neighbors come by unannounced and visit with a natural affinity for one another. Mootos delivers a remarkable and multilayered performance as Joe who seamlessly fluctuates between charming and a seemingly easygoing neighbor and family patriarch torn between the happiness of one son and the hope that the other will return and a cagey and ambitious businessman recently exonerated for a crime he may or may not have committed.

Sousa is remarkably well cast not only in his tenacious performance as Chris, but his resemblance to Mootos. Their tense familial chemistry makes it easy to see them as father and son.

Josephine Moshiri Elwood and Mark Sousa in Lyric Stage’s ‘All My Sons’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

Elwood’s Annie is warm, pleasant and cheerful, but Elwood genuinely shines evoking Annie’s lurking anguish caught in the middle of a family she grew up with. She shares some particularly memorable scenes with Laura Marie Duncan as complicated Kate and Allison Beauregard makes a lasting impression as Sue in a brief yet pivotal scene with Elwood.

Allison Beauregard and Josephine Moshiri Elwood in Lyric Stage’s ‘All My Sons’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

Laura Marie Duncan is enthralling as Chris’s mother and gifted homemaker Kate Keller who is incredibly skilled at taking characters under her wing and charismatically making them feel at home. Warm, energetic yet distraught over her missing son, she fusses, but yet there is something more. Duncan is exquisite, especially in a pivotal scene with Quinton Kappel who makes an impact as a seething and determined George. Nurturing and influential, Duncan as Kate expertly disarms George with careful words and an easy embrace. It is a wonder to witness.

Josephine Moshiri Elwood, Bill Mootos, Laura Marie Duncan and Quinton Kappel in Lyric Stage’s ‘All My Sons’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

All My Sons is a multilayered and mysterious tale that contains timeless and complex reflections in a post World War II world, the longing for normalcy, grief and complicated relationships and family conflict. It also boasts humor, an amazing cast, rich characters, gripping scenes and mounting tension that rise to an unpredictable conclusion. It is a show that stayed with me long after the production was over.

Mark Sousa, Laura Marie Duncan, Bill Mootos, and Josephine Moshiri Elwood in Lyric Stage’s ‘All My Sons’ Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

Lyric Stage Boston has extended Arthur Miller’s All My Sons live and in person at Lyric Stage Company in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, October 25. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: War and Sacrifice in theatre KAPOW’s stunning ‘Iphanalis in Aulis’

Posted on 26 Days Ago by The Sleepless Critic

The war cannot end unless it begins.

A prophecy, an atrocious act and a man blinded by victory. Stakes and superstitions run high in the Great Trojan War on an exceptional beach…at an unfathomable cost.

Elemental is Theatre KAPOW’s current season’s theme. Their 19^th season returns to basics and explores the power of nature in four distinct productions.

With Matthew Cahoon’s perceptive direction and stunning scenic design as well as Lorraine Chapman’s captivating choreography, theatre KAPOW presented Euripides’s Iphigenia in Aulis which ran for one weekend only from September 18 through 20 live and in person on the BNH Stage in Concord, New Hampshire. Trans adapted by Ann Washburn tying in classic and contemporary elements, this musically-inspired production ran approximately 100 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for Theatre Kapow’s upcoming productions.

The cast of theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

A luminous full moon and a rippling setting sun are just a couple of Cahoon’s striking projections intensified by Tavya Young’s innovative lighting illuminating Aulis’s sandy shores. Strategically-placed clothing is inventively transformed and shadows of the sea and sail come alive inside pristine parasols. Symbolic wooden posts scatter along this beach under a rich sky.

From halo braids to iridescent, flowing and draped Greek-inspired gowns and faithful panoply and sandals to symbolic and translucent veils to colorful and trendier styles, costumer Barbara Holbrook balances these classic and contemporary visuals flawlessly. Samantha Griffin as Iphigenia is a particular vision while Greek chorus Samantha Autumn, Tracy Hickey and Olivia Krick stylishly turn heads without seeming stilted or out of place.

Samantha Autumn, Alex Picard, Olivia Krick and Tracy Hickey in theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

As peaceful as this setting may sound, Euripides’s classic is anything but peaceful as Peter Josephson as Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, wanders onto the beach. Josephson has a gift for bringing depth and sympathy to complex and polarizing characters and he makes it easy to sympathize with Agamemnon’s lament. The goddess Artemis demands Agamemnon sacrifice his favorite daughter to ensure victory in a war that has not yet started.

Alex Picard and Peter Josephson in theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

Barefoot, distressed and lost in thought, Josephson chooses his words carefully while expressing his inner turmoil. He turns to Alex Picard as Agamemnon’s brother and King of Sparta Menelaus for reassurance, but what Picard’s Menelaus returns is far different from what he is expecting.

Even if you know the story of Iphigenia in Aulis, this intense adaptation reveals new perspectives and much more.

Rachel Chapin Longo and Peter Josephson theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

Led by Josephson, Iphigenia in Aulis boasts a skilled and discerning cast as some members take on multiple roles during the production. Picard and Josephson share gripping chemistry as palpable tension and sibling rivalry take hold, leveling each other in deep seated resentment. Trusting, warm, wise and practical, Rachael Chapin Longo holds her own with Josephson and delivers a courageous and powerful performance as Agamemnon’s wife Clytemnestra, Queen of Mycenae. However, Samantha Griffin shines as Agamemnon’s favorite daughter who is not to be underestimated.

Adding context, meaning and atmosphere to this production is a trio of acoustic Greek folk musicians who narrate, participate and articulate a number of perspectives and observations through stirring original music by composer Jake Hudgins. Along with guitar and harmonica tinged rhythms, they muse, “Let this not come to me or my children’s children” and “Water flowing…an excellent daughter…let the winds blow.”

Alex Picard, Tracy Hickey, Olivia Krick and Samatha Griffin as the Chorus in theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

Having never witnessed this classic Greek mythical tale, Iphigenia in Aulis explores a great deal in its tense 100 minute timeframe. It does share moments of dark and clever humor while tackling war, cowardice, sacrifice, jealousy, ambition, obsession, betrayal, honor, and loyalty in a profound exploration of family and country where truth and integrity are so difficult to find.

Samantha Griffin, Samantha Autumn, Olivia Krick, Alex Picard, Tracy Hickey and Rachael Chapin Longo in theatre KAPOW’s Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides/Anne Washburn, September 18 – 20 at the BNH Stage in Concord, NH. http://www.tkapow.com. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

Theatre KAPOW particularly excels at bringing something new to classic works and Anne Washburn’s final play Iphigenia in Aulis is an ideal work for Theatre KAPOW, delivering a unique and multilayered journey with a number of unpredictable twists and turns right down to its final shocking seconds.

Theatre KAPOW presented Euripides’s Iphigenia in Aulis which ran for one weekend only from September 18 through 20 live and in person at the BNH Stage in Concord, New Hampshire. Click here for more information and for further details on Theatre Kapow’s upcoming productions.

REVIEW: Kindness stirs in North Shore Music Theatre’s uplifting ‘Come from Away’

Posted on September 25 by The Sleepless Critic

It’s the furthest place from Disneyland.

In a small town where everyone knows everyone, a melting pot of 7,000 strangers from around the world make an impact on these unsuspecting residents on September 11, 2001, one of the most harrowing days in U.S. history. Abandoning all their self interests and in the middle of a Gander strike, Gander, Newfoundland put everything aside to find out what they can do to help.

Fueled by Kevin P. Hill’s inspired direction and intricate choreography with Dr. Michael McBride’s affecting music direction, Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre continues the extraordinary folk-rock musical, Come from Away live and in person at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly Massachusetts through Sunday, September 27. Based on a true story, this semi-interactive theater-in-the-round musical runs approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

The cast of “Come From Away” at Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre from September 16 -September 27, 2026. Photo © Paul Lyden

Come from Away first took the stage as the result of a student workshop in Ontario, Canada in 2013 before finding its way to Broadway in 2017 to win a Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical.

This inspiring musical finished its run in Gander, Newfoundland on September 13 days after observing the 25^th anniversary of 9/11 before North Shore Music Theatre’s Come from Away made its timely stage debut on Wednesday, September 16 continuing through Sunday, September 27.

I wasn’t aware of what happened in Newfoundland 25 years ago on September 11 until seeing this production and haven’t witnessed this degree of kindness in a musical since The Huntington’s The Band’s Visit which is also based on a true story. What a revelation.

A group of distinct and strategically-placed chairs form the basis of Jack Mehler’s creative scenic design as the colorful and atmospheric lighting transforms the tiered stage from a crowded plane to a coffee shop to an impromptu celebration. Ryan Marsh’s intense sound design excels, especially during sudden and pivotal moments. From business suits to cultural and traditional attire to flannels to the vibrant Sou’wester, costumer Rebecca Glick distinctively dresses each individual, but brings an entirely new significance to their attire when characters find themselves in someone else’s shoes.

Compelling from its first scene, Come from Away is rich in tone delivering a balanced mix of warmth and urgency. It contains a variety of captivating Celtic-tinged drum, acoustic and fiddle-laden rhythms steeped in enchanting, contemplative, intricate and multilayered harmony. From hopeful to suspenseful to uplifting and everywhere in between, Come from Away boasts a strong collaborative cast who work wonderfully off each other sharing testimonies while articulating a number of resonating emotions looking back on that fateful day.

Based on real life individuals including rookie reporter Janis Moser to trailblazing airline pilot Beverley Bass, each cast member skillfully navigates more than one character with an authenticity and quiet resonance as thousands of strangers from all over the world face an unknown future stranded in a mysterious land.

Laurel Harris as Beverley in “Come From Away” at Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre from September 16 -September 27, 2026. Photo © Paul Lyden

Matthew Bryan Feld and Susan Oliver share a sweet camaraderie, especially during the reflective number Stop the World. Laurel Harris delivers a memorable and exhilarating rendition of Me and the Sky and Carla Wood is lovely and sympathetic for an earnest rendition of I Am Here. Kevin T. Hannah’s consoling vibrato rises with the cast for a moving Prayer and Welcome to the Rock’s pulsing and infectious rhythms may stay with you long after the musical ends.

Carla Woods (Hannah) and Mary Callanan (Beulah) in “Come From Away” at Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre from September 16 -September 27, 2026. Photo © Paul Lyden

Come from Away is not without moments of shock, distress and uncertainty, but holds many more moments of warmth, encouragement and humor delivered in rich harmony that could very well spark a renewed faith in humanity.

Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre continues the extraordinary folk-rock musical, Come from Away live and in person at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts through Sunday, September 27. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Path of a trailblazing woman in Central Square Theater’s fascinating ‘Eleanor’

Posted on September 24 by The Sleepless Critic

Many stories start with love but this one opens with betrayal.

Mark St. Germain’s Eleanor plants one foot inside the past and the other experiencing today’s world from the Rose Garden’s lush greenery in Hyde Park, New York where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt are buried. Donning a classic stylish blue gown, hat and pearls by costumer Rachel Padula-Shufelt, Paula Plum delightfully embodies Eleanor Roosevelt who is more than ready to share her side of the story many years later.

Thoughtfully directed by Bryn Boice, Central Square Theater continues Mark St. Germain’s Eleanor live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts extended through Sunday, October 11. This enlightening one-woman production boasts valuable captions and runs approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Paula Plum in Central Square Theater’s ‘Eleanor’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Enhanced by Mackenzie Adamick’s serene sound design and light designer Karen Perlow’s warm and inviting tones, set and projection designer Justin LaHue recreates Hyde Park’s stately and peaceful Rose Garden on a tiered set which includes a birdbath and park bench utilized during the production. Dynamic projections enliven tall green hedges from sweatshops to vintage New York to ocean waves to a comprehensive and illuminated family tree.

The role of a First Lady is undoubtedly an uphill battle, especially a traveling one. Hub Theatre Company explored the distinctive plight of America’s First Ladies in their short play 46 Plays for America’s First Ladies. Eleanor Roosevelt was both a traveling and trailblazing First Lady who faced a wealth of challenges and stood up for her beliefs in the face of many forms of adversity.

Exuding determination, humility, humor and insecurity, Paula Plum remarkably engages the audience exacting Eleanor’s distinct mannerisms as well as her wisdom, quips, insights, anecdotes and recollections while tying in observations of today. Plum’s Eleanor is endearing, charismatic and funny while candidly sharing minor details such as her favorite song to stirring revelations about her past. It is a detailed and deeply personal account diving into her hardships growing up, criticisms throughout her life and her lack of self esteem and loneliness suspecting Franklin Roosevelt may not be what she expected.

Delving into domestic and political squabbles, the issues of the day, family dynamics, revelations, love, motherhood and much more, Plum seamlessly navigates Eleanor as well as other roles Eleanor recalls along the way including frank and cigar smoking Roosevelt secretary and New Yorker Louie Howe and Franklin Roosevelt’s opinionated mother with finesse and without distraction. For example, never flummoxed and ever the professional, Plum, upon encountering boisterous rhythms just outside the theatre during the performance and without missing a cue, cleverly adlibbed whimsically as Eleanor, “Don’t you love the beat?”

Without being preachy or overtly political, Eleanor is a fascinating, educational, inspiring and enriching biographical memory play helmed by Paula Plum’s tremendous performance as Eleanor. While Eleanor knows she has passed away, Plum breathes new life into Eleanor’s indomitable spirit and somehow this First Lady is here again.

Central Square Theater continues Mark St. Germain’s Eleanor live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts extended through Sunday, October 11. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Fandom takes an all-consuming turn in Samantha Hurley’s dark comedy ‘I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire’

Posted on September 11 by The Sleepless Critic

This is not your average teenage crush.

A wild-eyed teenager is determined to make her dreams come true…even if he is under duress.

With zany direction by Sydney T. Grant, Yorick Ensemble continues Samantha Hurley’s dark comedy, ‘I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire’ live and in person through Saturday, September 13 at Hovey Players in the D’Angio Building in Waltham, Massachusetts. This semi-interactive fringe production is not limited to the stage, contains some mature language and humor and runs approximately two hours with an intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Demi DiCarlo in Yorick Ensemble’s ‘I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire’

Set in 2004 in secluded South Dakota, I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire infuses online fandom and Y2K pop hits into a dark coming-of-age comedy with hints of Misery for beginners and a whisper of Carrie. However without the gore, not quite a horror movie and never really takes itself too seriously.

Alexa Erb’s illustrative scenic and props design produces a brightly colored bedroom with traces of Shelby’s various obsessions including a princess petal bed canapé, flowered walls covered in Tobey Maguire photos, gleeful frog printed bed sheets, Barbie dolls and a curious chart of Tobey’s whereabouts. Josh Telepman keeps up the show’s seemingly cheerful façade in jungle prints, fanciful pink layered ensembles with lace gloves and a fanciful wedding dress.

Crossing a soft smile with a seemingly vacant stare, Demi DiCarlo impresses and is occasionally sympathetic as intense Shelby who may be calculating but not diabolical, at least according to her trusty issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine. She quips, “I’m not bad. I’m romantic.” However, her anxious smile, madcap reactions and unsettling actions hint at something more just underneath the surface.

Demi DiCarlo in Yorick Ensemble’s ‘I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire’ Photo by Josh Telepman

Socially awkward and an only child, Shelby spends her days after school in a basement bedroom as President and founder of the Tobey Maguire Fan Club communicating to members through a handheld camera disassociating and fantasizing about actor Tobey Maguire. Secluded from the rest of the house, her basement bedroom almost seems like she was sent there to be ignored except when her nagging mother needs something.

Learning the facts of life through Cosmo, fairy tales and all things Tobey Maguire, delusional Shelby has deduced that the only solution to her isolation and loneliness is to capture and marry Tobey Maguire at the ripe age of 14.

To make matters more absurd, teenage Shelby does (seemingly impossibly) capture Tobey Maguire and has him chained in the basement. Where is security or his entourage? It is also hard to imagine Tobey Maguire afraid of a 14 year old, but the Tobey in front of her is not the Tobey she imagines. Sam Hackett is quite fittingly not a Tobey Maguire doppelganger portraying far from that sparkling example of optimism and well meaning persona amplified in Spiderman’s No Way Home. Never meet your heroes, right?

Alison Butts and Demi DiCarlo in Yorick Ensemble’s ‘I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire’ Photo by Josh Telepman

As Shelby’s illusions shatter, things really start to get out of hand.

Alison Butts does double time portraying various roles that move the plot along from the voice of Shelby’s mom to a kooky real estate agent.

With flashes of Y2K nostalgia, I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire has its moments of intriguing self-aware humor, a wealth of pop culture references and a special appearance which will not be revealed here. It would do better without its share of superfluous and raunchy gags that do not advance the plot and would benefit spending more time fleshing out what makes Hackett’s egotistical, complaining, irascible and drug-addled Tobey tick.

Alison Butts in Yorick Ensemble’s ‘I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire’ Photo by Josh Telepman

I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire is a cautionary tale of obsession, loneliness, isolation, trauma and infamy which, like Shelby, loses itself a bit along the way. As someone who has loved something teetering beyond reason, this outlandish tale stretches the imagination to conceive a dark comedy of what happens when fantasy and reality collide.

Demi DiCarlo and Alison Butts in Yorick Ensemble’s ‘I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire’ Photo by Josh Telepman

Yorick Ensemble continues Samantha Hurley’s dark comedy, I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire live and in person through Saturday, September 12 at Hovey Players in the D’Angio Building in Waltham, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: The wild pursuit of love and meaning in Gloucester’s Stage’s world premiere of ‘Dalloway: First Love’

Posted on August 27 by The Sleepless Critic

Who knew a sprawling tree would hold such meaning?

In the far off 1890 English countryside, Clarissa, deep in thought, is anticipating her 18^th birthday cradled in a symbolic tree torn between coming of age and missing her late older sister. Like many literary heroines, she does not want to grow up or for her world to change as certain arrangements are being made behind the scenes as she longs to become a writer.

Fueled by Rebecca Bradshaw’s prognosticative direction, Gloucester Stage Company continues the world `premiere of Lindsay Joelle’s romantic dramedy, Dalloway: First Love live and in person at Gloucester Stage in Gloucester, Massachusetts through Saturday, August 29. Playwright Lindsay Joelle introduces this coming-of-age story-within-a-story production which runs approximately two hours with an intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Gloucester Stage Company’s world premiere production of “Dalloway”, written by Lindsay Joelle and directed by Rebecca Bradshaw. The play stars Josephine Moshiri Elwood as Clarisa Parry, Haley Dyana Schwartz as Sally Seton, Shobhit Piasa as Peter Walsh, and Jesse Garlick as The Slew. The production runs August 13 to August 29 at the Natti-Willsky Performance Center, 267 East Main Street in Gloucester, MA.

© 2026 Shawn G. Henry • 978-590-4869

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Dalloway First Love stands as a prequel to Virginia Wolff’s famous novel, Mrs. Dalloway and is also a somewhat modern take on a period piece. I have not read Virginia Wolff’s work, but it does not seem necessary to read it in order to understand or appreciate this production.

With subtle winks to the future of women, Dalloway First Love has one foot inside the world of 1890 and the other exploring women’s contemporary accomplishments. As several suitors compete for Clarissa’s affections, Elwood’s Clarissa, while open to falling in love, dreams of a world with options. The famous English folk ballad, Scarborough Fair, also seems to also serve as a touchstone between classic and modern day interwoven into this period piece.

Enhanced by Aubrey Dube’s soothing sound design, Scenic designer Kristin Loeffler draws from a rural landscape as this large and symbolic tree stands as the production’s centerpiece occasionally surrounded by a Victrola, dangling chandelier, decanter and dining room set. Capitalized by Josephine Moshiri Elwood’s delicately detailed signature lilac gown, costumer Chelsea Kerl’s presents an elegant array of period pieces including puffy silhouette lace dresses as well as stately ties, button down coat and tails in velvet and pinstripes.

Bright eyed Josephine Moshiri Elwood is no stranger to period pieces having previously performed as vivacious Emma in Actors Shakespeare Company’s period play with a modern twist, Emma in 2024. Elwood is in her element and displays charismatic charm and a way with words as pensive Clarissa, especially in a laugh out loud moment when she passionately jokes about being ravaged by gravity. Daring, adventuresome, impressionable and somewhat naïve, Elwood’s Clarissa is an easy individual to root and become protective of as she shares her hopes and dreams apart from societal norms roaming her family’s Bourton estate.

While Elwood shares genuine and unrefined chemistry with Shobhit Piasa as Clarissa’s boastful yet well meaning childhood chum Peter who longs for something more, it is Haley Dyana Schwartz as enigmatic, manipulative, shrewd and persistent Sally who indulges her hopes and is consistently nearby with an agenda all her own. Schwartz is captivating as Sally who boasts a seemingly charismatic zest for life. However, Peter is not to be underestimated.

Jesse Garlick shows off his range and serves ample comic relief stepping into a few characters from egotistical and entitled to outlandish to humble and heroic as The Slew.

Funny and wistful, Dalloway First Love also explores several themes such as grief, status, ambition, growing up, prejudice and discovery. Though the production could be a bit tighter in its narrative, the production is at its best when it explores Clarissa’s profound introspectiveness discovering what will be her next step.

Gloucester Stage continues the world premiere of Lindsay Joelle’s romantic dramedy, Dalloway: First Love live and in person at Gloucester Stage in Gloucester, Massachusetts through Saturday, August 29. Click here for more information and for tickets.