2026 Reviews

by Lucinda Fisher Alvarez There are musicals that aim to move an audience, musicals that inspire, and musicals that simply invite everyone to sit back and enjoy the ride. In Death’s Company’s Evil Dead: The Musical at Kelsey Theatre falls firmly into the third category and that is precisely where its appeal lies. Combining campy horror, outrageous humor, energetic musical numbers, and plenty of theatrical bloodshed, this production delivers an entertaining evening that emb

by Deitra Oliver Being part of South Jersey Theater Critics has allowed me to experience many wonderful productions and support the theater community with reviews I hope are encouraging and helpful. Community theater is a labor of love, with cast and crew members giving their time, energy, and talents, often for nothing more than their love of the craft. I love seeing the passion and dedication brought to each stage as people live out their dreams. This past July, I was fort

by Shannon Red In the 1867 play Peer Gynt, the troll king asks Peer Gynt “What is the difference between trolls and men?” While at first Peer Gent notes that there is no difference because both humans and trolls will do what their leader asks, the troll king goes on to share that the difference lies in humans’ ability to be true to themselves with moral reasoning and independent thinking. This scene movingly portrayed in Trolls and Men by Alex Wilke currently on stage at the

by Amber Stolarski “What does it mean to pursue your dreams? What is the weight of a true ‘American dream’?” Director Max Segarnick’s thoughtful director’s note asks audiences to consider this question as we prepare to watch Players’ Club of Swarthmore’s production of The Legend of Georgia McBride by Matthew López, now playing on the company’s Second Stage through October 18th. My journey to this evening’s destination of Cleo’s, a dive bar in Panama City Beach, Florida,

by Addison Geisler Though first published in 1868, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women continues to resonate with audiences, finding new life in its musical adaptation. Off-Centre Stages brings this beloved coming-of-age story to the Kelsey Theatre, directed by MJ Santry and produced by Jonathan Edmondson. Exploring sisterhood, ambition, and the bittersweet process of growing up, Little Women: The Musical invites audiences to rediscover the March family’s enduring story. With m

by Deitra Oliver If you are receiving this transmission, it means the giant plant monsters haven’t taken over yet, and there’s still time for you to see The Atlantic City Theater Company’s production of Little Shop of Horrors. Playing at the Resorts Casino and Hotel Theater, this production offers an opportunity to live it up this spooky season and possibly make a weekend of it, as I did. Little Shop of Horrors is a personal favorite of my mother, so I was excited to take h

by Sarah Dorsey I would be the worst thespian if I did not warn you to BUY YOUR TICKET NOW, because Burlington County Footlighters 2nd Stage sells out fast. Bring tissues if you’re lucky enough to get a ticket! Review the content before buying tickets for young adults. This show discusses some heavy stuff! … 22. This was one of the best plays I’ve ever seen in a blackbox theatre. Burlington County Footlighters 2nd Stage, located in Cinnaminson, NJ, provides a more intim

by Mike McKeon You would probably be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t recognize the name Sherlock Holmes. A name synonymous with excitement, adventure, and mystery all rolled into one. I personally, am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. I remember reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1892, when I was in 7th grade. I absolutely fell in love with the short stories and I read whatever else I could find in the school library related

by Abigail Williams The crushing weight of the American Dream is taking center stage in South Jersey. The Levoy Theatre kicked off their run of one of the most famous plays of all time, Death of a Salesman on October 2nd, 2026. Even if we haven’t seen the play, we’ve all heard of this masterpiece of a story. As both a first-time viewer of Death of Salesman and guest at The Levoy Theatre, I had high expectations for this legendary tragedy. Thankfully, the opening night perfor

by Deitra Oliver While a visit to The Demon Barber of Fleet Street may not be on your list of places to get a haircut, you will certainly want to put this show on your to-do list to kick off ‘spooky season.’ Directed by Drew Molotsky, with Abby Drexler as assistant director, Haddonfield Plays and Players brings Stephen Sondheim’s 1979 musical to glorious, murderous life. I was fortunate to attend the sold-out opening night, and the richness of the performances and the strong

by Shannon Reed Please note this show is not suitable for younger audiences. This review makes note of songs and storylines that are not for young readers. Figuring out your purpose in life is a quintessential part of young adulthood, or at least that’s what the world tells us all. The truth, however, is that most of us don’t have it figured out, maybe ever. This question, however, is one of the guiding lights of Avenue Q, currently on stage at Masquerade Theatre. Direc

by Ellorah Maeve Growing up and going to high school during the 2020's can be overwhelming. You have to worry about grades, social life and self-discovery over the span of 12 years before, eventually, being launched into adulthood to figure out everything else. Whether you go to public school or catholic school, a lot of struggles are the same. In the musical Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?, the audience learns about the nuances of catholic education through

by Piper Byrne Some nights at the theatre are just meant to be. Friday, September 25 (that’s 9/25) was Dolly Parton Day, the first since we lost her last month. I spent it in Somers Point watching Gateway Playhouse’s 9 to 5: The Musical, and there was truly no better way to celebrate. In his Director’s Note, Philip Palitto shares that the company chose this show a year ago, never imagining they’d be staging it so soon after Dolly’s passing. Somewhere along the way, he write

by CJ Higgins Younger audiences may be familiar with Disney’s 1996 film adaptation of the novel by Victor Hugo, but perhaps not with the extremely mixed reviews upon its initial release. The main issue was the tone; Hugo’s novel is large enough that it could have reasonably served as one of the bricks of the famous cathedral, each page darker in its subject matter than the last, but Disney films are primarily known for being cheerful family musicals that can keep kids seated

by Shirley Erwin As a fan of retellings, I vaguely remember hearing about a musical based on Alice in Wonderland. Wonderland, with music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Jack Murphy, and book by Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy, did indeed have a brief stint on Broadway in 2011. It closed due to negative reviews, but was recently given a second chance with a revised book by Jennifer Paulson-Lee and Gabriel Barre. Although Wonderland is a topsy-turvy journey riddled with puzzles and

by Robert Banskter If you’re anything like me, you love the tea. Drinking the tea, Spilling the tea, and Living your Tea. If you don’t know what I mean by “Tea” it is queer lingo for the truth. But when the Tea is steeped in malice and conceit, it goes by the name Gossip. “The Women” by Claire Boothe Luce is a satirical commentary on New York Social Life in the 1930s. It is such an enamoring story and has lessons and comments that are still so prevalent in today’s world.

by Shannon Reed Robert Frost is credited with saying “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors.” What Frost didn’t say, however, is what to do when the fence itself ignites a feud. Luckily, Native Gardens by Karen Zacarias helps us find some solutions. On stage at the South Camden Theatre Company, Native Gardens is being directed by Natalie Payán during the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Under Payán’s direction, the cast masterfully navigated the topics of class, race an

by Meg Bryan In all of its forms, art has become a sanctuary for many of us creatives, an escape from the often rough reality we face day to day. Spotlight Theatre’s Alice By Heart is a textbook example of the kind of art you can escape into, and I was honored to have been able to join this stellar team as they invited us to seek refuge with them in the whimsy of Wonderland for a while. The production as a whole overflowed with so much magic, I could swear every person on th

by Talia Walters As soon as the house lights dim and Evan Hansen (played by Micheal Gibson) steps onto the stage, the whole audience instantly can tell that this production will exceed expectations. Dear Evan Hansen, written by Steven Levenson and music/lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul is currently playing at Players Club of Swarthmore in Swarthmore Pennsylvania. It is directed by Anne Marie Scalies and produced by Danielle Marone and Ally Perez. I watched the "Pasek" ca

by Aimee Renna I had the pleasure of attending “The Play That Goes Wrong: High School Edition” at Playmasters Theater Workshop in Bensalem, PA. Don’t misunderstand, this was a fully adult production. The only reason that they must put “High school Edition” on their playbill is because they did a modified version of the script that does not require a second floor, something that would have been impossible in their single story stage space. Rights for both versions of the show

by Deitra Oliver For 40 years, The Ritz Theatre Company in Haddon Township has been bringing affordable, high-quality productions to the region, and this celebratory season has been a joy to partake in. La Gringa, the current show for their 40th season, directed by Edwin “Rico” Santiago, was very much a homecoming event for me as a reviewer. As a “No Sabo” kid, raised by a Puerto Rican mother and an African American father, this story spoke to a struggle I have felt my whole

by Robert Banskter Konstantin Stanislavski once said, “There are no small parts, only small actors.” A phrase we have all heard at one point or another in our theatre careers. One-Act Play Festivals are a testament to that fact, creating so many opportunities for actors who have not had a chance to shine in lead or featured roles to get a chance to stretch their wings, and it allows performers who wish to try directing an opportunity to do so. The 6th Annual One-Act Play Fes

by Stephen Kreal On Friday, September 4th, I went to see the opening night performance of “Marrying George Clooney: CONFESSIONS FROM A MIDLIFE CRISIS,” a sharp-witted play written by award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and activist Amy Ferris, and adapted from her best-selling memoir, at Haddonfield Plays and Players. This production was part of special programming at HPP, which has produced female-centric plays for several years now. The stage adaptation (adapted from

by Shannon Reed At some point in our lives, each person has likely read a Shakespeare play or two. As I have ventured more and more back into the theatre, I have been lucky to experience more and more of Shakespeare’s works. The thing that always seems to strike me the most as I watch these pieces unfold onto the stage is the relevance of the lessons in our world today. A similar sentiment is seen in this production of The Winter's Tale at the Players Club of Swarthmore. Dire