All stories by Alan Smason on BroadwayStars

Thursday, October 10, 2024

'Beetlejuice' makes a spirited debut at Marcus Center by Alan Smason

By ANNE SIEGEL Just in time for Halloween, Beetlejuice, the Musical arrives as the first offering in the Marcus Center's 2024-25 Broadway season. The musical plays though October 6 in …

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 07:38AM[SHARE]

Frenetic 'Murder for Two' is both a piano duet and a murder mystery by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") Several noted plays assign multiple roles to single actors in order to emphasize how clever and talented the actors are. Not only do t…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 06:04AM[SHARE]
Friday, September 20, 2024

Crescent City Stage mounts Herzog's impressive 'A Doll's House' by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House was first mounted in the fall of 1879, so there is little debate that the work could use a bit of timely…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 01:42PM[SHARE]
Thursday, September 19, 2024

Rivertown Theaters crafts a 'Hairspray' to die for by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") It's been said that the third time's the charm. Previously, two earlier iterations of Hairspray have graced local theaters. Le Petit T…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 04:11PM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 8, 2024

My two nights with Betsy Wolfe at Le Petit Theatre by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON For the past several weeks, I've been promoting this weekend as a way for the local theatre community to give back to Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carré, the historic theater fo…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 02:29PM[SHARE]
Thursday, July 25, 2024

TWTC's first-time 'Streetcar Named Desire' is a very satisfying ride by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") It has taken nine years for the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans (TWTC) to tackle one of the biggest and most intrica…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 12:40PM[SHARE]
Friday, July 19, 2024

Sensational 'MJ' explodes with amazing dancing, rockin' music and powerful visuals at Key Bank State Theatre by Alan Smason

By ROY BERKO Confession:  I am not a big fan of juke box musicals, the now popular Broadway vehicle which is a genre of American musical theatre in which pre-written songs are woven, most…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 04:44AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Cady Huffman enjoys Off-Broadway directorial debut with 'Empire' by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") After several decades in development and through various iterations, Empire, the musical that tells the story of the construction of t…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 12:30PM[SHARE]
Monday, July 15, 2024

Shaina Taub shines in remarkable 'Suffs' by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") The Public Theater has enjoyed a well deserved reputation as a proving grounds for works that have later found great fame on Broadway.…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 05:42AM[SHARE]
Monday, July 1, 2024

In Santa Fe, Exodus Ensemble's immersive 'Hamlet' adaptation moves audiences both physically and emotionally by Alan Smason

By LOU HARRY Prior to a performance, most theaters share a short list of expected behaviors. Turn off those cell phones. Unwrap those candies. Note the exits. However, for Hamlet, staged at …

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 09:39AM[SHARE]
Sunday, June 23, 2024

Superb musical 'The Notebook' leaves no dry eyes behind by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") One of the marketing ploys for The Notebook: The Musical can be found at the merchandising kiosk downstairs at the Gerald Schoenfeld T…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 01:04PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Special effects, quirky story pleases audience at 'Back to the Future: The Musical' by Alan Smason

By ROY BERKO In 1985, "Back to the Future," the feature film, opened.  It starred Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd.  It quickly became a cult favorite and spun off two sequel…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 02:04AM[SHARE]
Monday, June 17, 2024

2024 Tony Award Winners by Alan Smason

The 77th Annual Tony Awards were held in New York City on Sunday, June 16, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. Despite snagging 13 Tony nominations " the most for…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 03:39PM[SHARE]
Monday, June 10, 2024

Kaufman and Gronich's 'Here There Are Blueberries' Is a Riveting Holocaust Whodonit by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") With the rapid rise of blatant antisemitism in the world today, there is probably no better time than now for the presentation of Mois…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 03:32AM[SHARE]
Sunday, June 2, 2024

Brevity is the soul of NOLA Project's 'Tempest' Reimagined' by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") James Bartelle, a founding member of The NOLA Project, has written a number of original works for the troupe of young, innovative perf…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 08:44AM[SHARE]
Friday, May 24, 2024

Spectacular Sets, Costumes, Lighting Give 'Moulin Rouge' a Wow Factor by Alan Smason

By ANNE SIEGEL MILWAUKEE, WI " The Broadway Series at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts concludes its 2023-24 season with a bang. No, this is not a reference to the confetti-spewing …

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 02:11AM[SHARE]
Saturday, May 18, 2024

Rob McClure a masterful tour-de-force in national tour of 'Mrs. Doubtfire' by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") In what may be the greatest bit of casting for a national tour in decades, Rob McClure, the Tony-nominated actor brought his A game to…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 08:13AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 1, 2024

2024 Tony nominations by Alan Smason

The American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League, sponsors of the Tony Awards for excellence on the Broadway stage, were announced on Tuesday, April 30. The awards will be presented on Sund…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 10:51AM[SHARE]
Saturday, April 20, 2024

A Crowning Achievement at the Guthrie: 'Richard II,' 'Henry IV' & 'Henry V' by Alan Smason

By LOU HARRY While many companies have responded to the challenges facing post-lockdown theater by offering minimally cast shows and/or feel-good entertainments, the storied Guthrie Theater …

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 08:33PM[SHARE]
Thursday, April 18, 2024

Comic relief abounds as JPAS brings back 'Noises Off' farce by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") Playwright Michael Frayn claims he got the inspiration to write Noises Off in 1970 while watching a comedy he had written unfold backs…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 01:09PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Midwest Premiere of 'From Here to Eternity' Opens in Milwaukee by Alan Smason

By ANNE SIEGEL War is hell, they say. But the months leading up to war can also be a kind of hell, as demonstrated by the characters in From Here to Eternity, a new musical that opened recen…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 08:42PM[SHARE]
Sunday, April 7, 2024

Anthony Hopkins delivers deliberate, understated performance in 'One Life' by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON While the Academy Awards buzz was mostly about "Oppenheimer" and "Poor Things," a smaller film starring Anthony Hopkins " "One Life" " was distributed a few weeks ago and is s…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 01:40PM[SHARE]
Friday, March 29, 2024

Fire Weeds produces two Tennessee Williams one-acts, precursors to 'Streetcar' and 'Glass Menagerie' by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") While the Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival has ended this year's presentations and its famed Scholars Conference, seri…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 11:27AM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 21, 2024

Rivertown's 'The Prom' a comic romp for Ricky Graham & Co. by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") New Orleans audiences have long been enamored of local comedy genius Ricky Graham, but thanks to the regional premiere of The Prom, th…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 01:45PM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 17, 2024

New JPAS production of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' hits high notes by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") The latest production of Jesus Christ Superstar bowed this weekend, presented by the Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS) at the J…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 12:01PM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 14, 2024

Regional premiere of Stroli's 'A Jukebox for the Algonquin' is warm and funny by Alan Smason

By ALEX MILLER In the Algonquin Room of the Placid Pines Senior Care Center, a small group of New Yorkers gather to chat, drink coffee or juice and tell the same old stories. On one side of …

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 01:22PM[SHARE]

Jauné Buisson makes directorial debut of 'Beautiful' even more beautiful by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") With a subtitle " The Carole King Musical " it's easy to conceive that Beautiful is a musical that only concerns the life of legendary…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 05:29AM[SHARE]
Monday, March 11, 2024

'Something Clean' is compelling in its regional premiere at Dobama by Alan Smason

By ROY BERKO Northwestern grad, Selina Fillinger, was the first Judith Barlow Prize winner, an annual student award given to work inspired by a historic female playwright.  "In 2019, her …

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 06:56PM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 10, 2024

Nature arranges setting for powerful 'Kingdom of Earth' opening night by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") The producers from the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans had already planned for a major opening night on March 8 at M…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 01:21PM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 7, 2024

'Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812' aims high in Denver by Alan Smason

By LOU HARRY There are Broadway shows that seem destined for long lives after the New York production folds. I'm willing to bet, for instance, that we will be seeing productions as wide rang…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 07:51PM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 3, 2024

Talent abounds in national tour of 'Ain't Too Proud' by Alan Smason

By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic ("Steppin' Out") Producers of Broadway shows that performed reasonably well on the Great White Way have largely been upping their game in the years sin…

SOURCE: Theatre Criticsm at 04:04PM[SHARE]

All that Chat