Publisher: Elizabeth Hurd

Past Reviews

A Departure, A New Beginning for The Pollard’s Season 32

Brenda Williams as the titular sovereign in An Act of God. Photo courtesy Pollard Theatre.

Season 32 marks a unique time in the Pollard Theatre Company’s history. For the first time in over 25 years, The Pollard will feature a different Christmas play this season, a temporary departure from their venerated Territorial Christmas Carol. The loss of company member turned famed Scrooge, James Ong, has shifted the mindset of this remarkable company. While they do intend to bring the show back to the Pollard stage, the hiatus this season will give the company time to redirect. According to artistic… Continue reading

Kismet Arts Studio and Theatre Astounds with “Oliver”

Emily Pace as Nancy shields Hudson Ratcliff as Oliver

Occasionally a talented director in community theatre will stumble upon the key to superb community theatre and a masterpiece is created in an unexpected place.  Angela Polk and Laura Himes own the Kismet Arts Studio and Theatre and their first full-fledged community performance of “Oliver” is a masterpiece, however the success of their production is no stumble.  It is, rather, the result of perfect understanding in birthing superb community theatre.

Almost everyone is familiar with the work of Charles Dickens in the wonderful novels he created, set in Victorian… Continue reading

Lyric Theatre’s “Mamma Mia!” Delights the Audience at the Civic Center

The cast of “Mamma Mia!” dancing in front of the taverna

In 1976 ABBA, one of the most popular rock groups of all time released “Dancing Queen” and while not everyone was a fan of ABBA, everyone became familiar with that song.  Not only is “Dancing Queen” a great song for dancing, it is a great song to hear on the radio on that long drive home.  And for that brief moment any woman can become the dancing queen.  Even my own mother who would be 100 this year was caught in such a brief moment of… Continue reading

“Ruthless” is a Qualified Boom Success!

Emily Etherton as Judy Denmark and Erin Heatly as Tina Denmark in “Ruthless”

Favorite dramas from Hollywood’s heyday in the 50’s are “All About Eve” and “The Bad Seed.” Nancy Kelly originated Christine Penmark in both stage and movie productions of “The Bad Seed.”  Alongside her is Patty McCormack as the psychopathic daughter, Rhoda in the classic film.  Of course no one could forget Bette Davis and Anne Baxter in “All About Eve” the movie that created the iconic female conniver with Baxter as Eve, alongside the outstanding diva in Margot Channing so memorably played by Bette Davis.… Continue reading

Lyric’s Fabulous Summer Series Concludes with Mamma Mia!

Lyric Theatre presents Mamma Mia!
Silhouette of Rosie, Donna, and Tanya
Photo by KO Rinearson

What a whirlwind! Lyric Theatre has given us a wonderful Summer at the Civic series, and this memorable season is closing out with another hit. Mamma Mia opens July 24th and runs until the 29th. Mamma Mia is a crowd-pleaser that features the legendary music of disco-pop band Abba. Lyric’s production of this fun show is directed and choreographed by Lyn Cramer. Of the show, Cramer says “Mamma Mia! is the ultimate feel-good tale of love conquering all. A celebration of love, laughter, family… Continue reading

Lyric’s “Hello Dolly” Continues a Tradition of Excellence and Style

The Cast of “Hello Dolly” with Dee Hoty gliding down the staircase in the iconic red dress by Jeffrey Meek. Photo courtesy of Lyric Theatre

Thornton Wilder wrote “The Merchant of Yonkers” in 1938, one of his few flops.  In 1955 he revised and retitled it into “The Matchmaker,” and it was a hit.  In 1964, Michael Stewart and Jerry Herman took the property and created the amazingly successful musical “Hello Dolly” starring Carol Channing and it was a smash hit! Stewart did the book and Herman wrote the music and lyrics, but Channing made it her own,… Continue reading

More Questions than Answers as Shakespeare in the Park Takes on The Revolutionists

The Cast of The Revolutionists, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park.
Photography by April Porterfield

Lauren Gunderson’s The Revolutionists, presented by Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, offers a confusing and odd spin on historical events. It lumps four real women of the French Revolution together in a single room, as if they’ve all been stuck in an elevator, and attempts to find out what they have in common. These women who really lived and died in Paris in 1793 didn’t actually know each other. But if they had, what would they have said? It’s a lofty attempt at humanizing an… Continue reading

Comic Brilliance at Carpenter Square with “My Brilliant Divorce”

A scene from “My Brilliant Divorce,” at Carpenter Square Theatre. June 29-July 21, Pictured left to right are Richie Rayfield, Lilli Bassett, and Laurie Blankenship. 

Linda McDonald is a multi-talented choice for almost any performance endeavor, although she has not been seen dancing a jig, at least not lately.  She is a talented actress from “Ripcord” and “Mrs. Mannerly” to name a just a few productions from Carpenter Square, recently and she is an amazing writer with five mystery/psychological thrillers under her belt beginning with “Crimes of Redemption,” Oklahoma’s Best Fiction of 2013.  She clearly understands the… Continue reading

Lyric Theatre says “Hello, Dolly!” as Next in Summer Series Opens

Dee Hoty as Mrs. Dolly Levi and George Dvorsky as Horace Vandergelder in Lyric Theatre’s Hello, Dolly!
photo credit KO Rinearson

Summer is hot, and Summer at the Civic is even hotter! Rolling out three shows in a five week span, Lyric Theatre is pulling out all the stops for their second show of the series. They’re welcoming back Dee Hoty, 3-time Tony nominee and Lyric Theatre favorite, to star as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!. Hoty returns to the Lyric after her 2014 performance in A Little Night Music. Hello, Dolly! also stars George Dvorsky as Horace Vandergelder,… Continue reading

Disney’s Freaky Friday is a Hit for Families This Summer at the Civic

Jennifer Teel and Celeste Rose as Katherine and Ellie, Lyric’s Freaky Friday. Photo credit KO Rinearson.

Disney’s Freaky Friday offers a new concept for Disney and the theatre. Directed at older audiences than many of their formulaic stage musicals, Freaky Friday aims its sights at tweens and up. It’s based on the popular novels and movies of the same name. Freaky Friday features a mother-daughter team who switch bodies thanks to some lessons that must be learned and that necessary ingredient- Disney Magic. With only one day before the mother’s wedding, and just before the daughter needs to pass the… Continue reading