LATEST REVIEWS

by Donald Toal Jukebox musicals have rarely been this reviewer’s cup of tea. Oftentimes they are a fun romp with some catchy earworms but little in the way of deeper, lasting substance (looking at you, “Mamma Mia!”). Sometimes, though, a jukebox musical not only has something meaningful to say, but says it with its full chest and raw honesty. Material that is full of sharp edges, but ones that need to be swallowed. 2018’s Jagged Little Pill: the Musical fits that role t

by Stephen Kreal On Friday, May 8th, I attended the opening night performance of Chicken & Biscuits at South Camden Theater Company. Chicken & Biscuits is written by Douglas Lyons. The play is directed by Damien J. Wallace, with Gabriella Velasquez credited as Assistant Director. This production is stage-managed by August Fen DeLuca. Assisting with stage management are Dione Taylor (ASM), and Samantha Coyle (stage hand). Credit for Props Management is given to Pam Staley. SC

by Aimee Renna The rent is due in Manayunk and the cast is getting their bag at the Ghostlight Players’ completely sold out run of Jonathan Larson’s Rent. This famous show follows the complex lives of several young impoverished artists in New York City during the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Larson’s rock opera was the first of its kind in 1996 and has had a massive lasting impact on Musical Theater as it has evolved through the 21st century. This production at the Venice Island Perfo

by Laura Duffy Despite being one of Stephen Sondheim’s many devotees, I was unfamiliar with his and George Furth’s 1970 musical Company - that is, until this past Friday night. Masquerade Theatre’s opening night performance was nearly sold out and highly energetic, with an audience full of friends and Company fans. For those also unfamiliar, Company is a concept musical about marriage and dating in New York City, and follows Robert (often referred to as Bobby) through a seri

by Meg Bryan Few theatrical experiences have felt as gleefully alive as Maurer Productions OnStage's production of The 39 Steps (at the Kelsey Theatre) as adapted for stage by Patrick Barlow. This show is full of heart with the quartet of a cast delivering a performance that is delightfully unrestrained. There’s a palpable joy in the way the cast navigates its challenges, ignoring limitations and turning theatrical convention on its head. The result is a show that feels sim

by Angela Robb Ever since I started writing for South Jersey Theatre Critics I have been given the opportunity to go to a variety of theaters, including several for the first time. Players Club of Swarthmore has definitely become a favorite of mine. It’s a theatre I can keep returning to with confidence knowing whatever show I see will be top notch. The production quality consistently rivals local regional houses. This confidence in PCS’s storytelling made me especially eage

by Stephen Kreal On Friday, May 1st, I attended the opening night performance of The Pirates of Penzance, the classic operetta written by Gilbert & Sullivan at Burlington County Footlighters Theater in Cinnaminson NJ. The production was directed AND choreographed by Lizi Baldwin. Heidi Kleber acted as stage manager. This spirited and fun musical debuted in 1879, and has remained popular ever since. The opera has been frequently revived, including a popular 1981 Broadway prod

by Sarah Dorsey Well I surely attended the tale of Sweeney Todd this week (opening night no less) at Village Playbox in Haddon Heights, NJ. The musical, book by Hugh Wheeler and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, takes place in 19th-century London on the dark and gothic Fleet Street. The musical tells the tale of Sweeney Todd, once Benjamin Barker, and his accomplice Mrs. Lovett. They work together– barber shop and pie shop– to get revenge on those that falsely accused h

by Sarah Dorsey And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie, tells the haunting tale of ten strangers that were brought together on a remote island by a mystery “U.N. Owen.” While the strangers prepare to settle into the home, they hear an eerie recording through the gramophone accusing each guest of a horrifying past. Tension escalates when the guests begin to die one by one– with each death mirroring the lines of the macabre nursery rhyme hung above the fireplace. Who is