Past Reviews
“Death Tax” a Slightly Taxing Dark Comedy
Aiesha Watley as Nurse Tina sits beside the bedside of Linda McDonald as Maxine while Todd (Cam Taylor) and Maxine’s daughter (Katy Hughes look on.
Carpenter Square is presenting “Death Tax” the popular new play by Lucas Hnath. While Hnath is clearly a fine writer, his style is particularly difficult when translating to the spoken word. Specifically, his dialogue, and much of the play, consists of speech making by the characters rather than conversation. The intensity in emotion is handled well by all the actors in both speaking and listening, yet they are unable to respond naturally.… Continue reading
Beehive: The 60s Musical Returns to The Pollard
Beehive: The 60s Musical. Photo courtesy The Pollard Theatre.
Beehive: The 60s Musical is the ultimate celebration of female empowerment, music, fashion, and hairdos that defined an era. The 1960s were a time of great change for American history, and with it came some of the best music by the most iconic artists. Beehive celebrates these feminine revolutionaries and features some of their most recognizable tunes. Audiences will love hearing “My Boyfriend’s Back”, “Son of a Preacher Man”, “Me and Bobby McGee”, “Natural Woman” and more.
Timothy Stewart directs this revival production, which is returning to the Pollard… Continue reading
The Rokademy Experiment Braves The Hazards of Love
The Thelma Gaylord Academy’s Rokademy Experiment is gearing up for another epic concert performance. This time around, they’re performing The Hazards of Love by The Decemberists. Part rock theatre, part storytelling, the concept album is more than just fun rock music. The album features a plot and characters and creates a lavish musical fairy tale with each of the seventeen songs. The Rokademy has already impressed peers and parents alike with their rockin’ Christmas show, and this year’s annual spring concert is sure to bring the fire once again. This intricate lyrical journey is a chance for the students of… Continue reading
Bluegrass Musical Bright Star Premieres at The Lyric
Ken Singleton as Billy Cane and Bligh Voth as Alice Murphy in Bright Star. Photo by K. Talley Photography.
Bluegrass is the classically American music, and it finds its home in musical storytelling with the Lyric’s Bright Star. Written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Bright Star is a southern story of hope and growing up in North Carolina. Based in the 1920s and the 40s, Bright Star follows Alice Murphy through life in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The musical was inspired by the 2013 bluegrass album Love Has Come for You, which earned a Grammy Award… Continue reading
Jewel Box Takes Audience Down the Aisle with a Smile in “Wedding Belles”
Julia Donaldson (kneeling) as Glendine and Peggy Hoshall as Laura Lee (left) with Barbara DeMaio as Bobrita (right) and Chris Harris as Violet (far right) overwhelm Lindsay Nicole Steinberg as the blushing bride Ima Jean (center)
Jewel Box Theatre presents a wonderful and amusing comedy “Wedding Belles” a play guaranteed to put a twinkle in the eye. The play is co-written by Alan Bailey and Ronnie Claire Edwards and premiered in 2008 to high acclaim. The action takes place in the garden of Laura Lee Mcinerny, a prominent citizen of Eufala Springs, Texas in 1942. Laura Lee,… Continue reading
CityRep Presents the Unique Play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
CityRep’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre, CityRep, is presenting the regional professional premiere of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, an intriguing tale with a special main character. Curious Incident focuses on Christopher, a 15-year-old, exceptional young man with a mystery to solve. Christopher must find a way to navigate the unknown outside world and the detective work at hand, a dilemma that is harder for him than most. Christopher has a special mind and therefore sees and experiences the world differently. He’s never ventured past his… Continue reading
Crushing on Lyric Theatre’s Girlfriend
From left, Ian Marcontell and Jimmy Mavrikes star in Girlfriend. Photo by KO Rinearson.
Lyric Theatre’s Oklahoma premiere musical Girlfriend is a coming of age story about two recent high school graduates falling in love. It’s typical in every way that love stories are. There are nerves, first kisses, awkward silences, and shared mixtapes. It’s young love at its finest, most recognizable moments. What’s not so expected is that this isn’t a regular boy-girl post high school story. The two lovers at the center are both men, and that brings a refreshing, unexpected turn of events to the… Continue reading
Bonus Review: Hedwig and the Angry Inch Round 2
Matthew Alvin Brown, Renee Anderson and the cast of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
It’s a common theme amongst Hedwig and the Angry Inch die-hard fans. Affectionately known as “Hed-Heads”, we gather together at live performances of the show as often as we can. Scrunched together at the wobbly tables inside The Boom, we quiz each other on how many times we’ve seen Hedwig, when and where we first saw it, and what number we’re on for witnessing this cast. Counting myself amongst the most dedicated of Hed-Heads, this is a welcome conversation starter.
On this night… Continue reading
Marvelously Thrilling “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” at Carpenter Square
Three Hydes gather to plot deviltry and tempting Jekyll. From left: David Burkhart, Rob Mays, Albert Bostick and far right as Henry Jekyll, Rick Lockett. Photo courtesy of Carpenter Square
One of Robert Louis Stevenson’s most popular novellas “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” was first published in 1883. The story concerns an idealistic doctor, Henry Jekyll, who becomes fascinated with the idea of conquering the evil in man. He experiments upon himself, developing a formula that will isolate his own evil into a persona distinct from himself. This creates two personalities within one… Continue reading
“Almost Maine” Absolutely Delights
Timothy Stewart and Kris Schinske Wolfe in “Almost Maine” Photo Courtesy of the Pollard Theatre
“Almost Maine” is a delightful show about the lives and loves of folks living in a town that never quite became a township, hence, Almost, ME. The play, written by John Cariani, tells the story of lovers, those who seek, those who find and those who lose at the game of love. “Almost Maine” deals with romantic love, but also the love between good friends. The play consists of eight separate scenes featuring different characters. There is also a three-part series of vignettes,… Continue reading