2024 Reviews

by April Johnson ‘Twas the hour after noon of Sunday, Dec 8th and all through Kelsey Theater….okay, I’m sorry, I can’t find anything to rhyme with this but we all find ourselves repeating the beloved starting line from the holiday classic by Clement Moore. Book and lyrics by Bruce Craig Miller,” ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” is based on Moore’s life events and his notorious poem formally known as “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” As we walked in the vestibule of the theate

by Aimee Ferenz The 1985 Musical rendition of Charles Dickens’ Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes is an absolute wonder at Haddonfield Plays and Players. The musical follows a group of performers at the Music Hall Royale putting on a production of the titular Dickens tale in December, 1892, which is 22 years after the story was left unfinished by the author’s untimely passing. The musical flows between the actor’s perspectives as they perform and the story that they are

by M. Smith The clock strikes twelve, it’s midnight; signifying the end of a day, but the beginning of the next, almost like a fairytale, one that you may know well. A tale of magic, love, and standing up for what you believe in awaits you as Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella has just opened at the Ritz! If you too are a fan of fairy tales like this author, the story of Cinderella is not one that is too unfamiliar to you. For audiences who are not familiar with the tale, Ci

by Alex Davis You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a sweet musical, written by Clark Gesner with additions by Michael Mayer and Andrew Lippa. Friday’s performance by Masquerade Theatre’s troupe of regulars gave audiences exactly what was expected, and then some - a cute, funny, often heartfelt, sometimes heartbreaking depiction of the Peanuts gang. Directed by Megan Knowlton Balne, music directed by Jennifer Weir, and choreographed by Kenneth Fisher, the ensemble works seamle

by Ash Kotter Ah… love. One moment, your heart’s sentiments are as sharp as crisp winter air in your lungs; the next, you’re trudging through shovel-fulls of feelings and salting the pathways so you don’t slip and fall again. Playwright John Cariani braves this emotional tundra in Almost, Maine — where through eight separate yet interconnected vignettes, hearts break, mend, or are left haphazardly pieced together under an Aurora Borealis glow. I cozied up in the audience a

by Mike McKeon “Hey! Wanna go see a Shakespeare play?” I never thought I would say yes to that question, but this past Friday I gave it a shot. This show only references Shakespeare and just knowing his name is all the information you need. I had the privilege of seeing The Playmasters Playhouse production of “I Hate Hamlet” Directed by Joe Szumila. If you are not a Shakespeare fan like me, then that is perfect. The entrance to The Playmasters venue is a little obscure, but

by Stephen T. Kreal On Sunday, November 17th, I saw the closing performance of “Misery”, produced by Spotlight Theater, performed at their new performance space at The Twentieth Century Club in Lansdowne, PA. The new space is quite nice and the acoustics are good. I had never been to a production by this theater company before, but they are now on my radar! The play is based on the 1987 novel of the same name by famed author Stephen King. The stage play script is written by

by Mike McKeon The Holidays are approaching! I’m sure we are all aware now that the halloween decorations are coming down. And as always, they are swiftly replaced with Poinsettias and elaborate front lawn light shows. As the holidays approach many wonderful productions, both new and old, will be made available to us by our beloved South Jersey community theaters. I had the privilege to see one of the first productions of the season this past weekend at The Levoy in Historic

by M. Smith The autumn leaves are falling, the time for telling stories and reminiscing has come; a time of memories and recollections, a time for families and friends to sit around and reflect on the year that was. You reflect on the years that were a thing of the past, the journey you’ve taken, and how it has all led to where you are now. A similar story of memories can be found at the Blue Moon Theatre’s Production of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. As one o

by April Johnson I have to admit; even though I live approximately twenty minutes from Camden, I was a first timer at this venue. Tucked away in a street corner, the intimately modern Waterfront South Theatre houses the South Camden Theater Company—where an evening in the theater is a chance to stir the soul. Indeed, that experience occurred on Saturday, November 9, 2024 viewing God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, directed by Connie Norwood. Moved by a real-life experience, Re

by Brian Keith Graziani As director Andrew Jarema references, imagine “Succession, The Office, or Parks and Recreation” melded together with farcical tropes. Add in an intimate playing space, and a bold and outlandish group of comedic talent, and you have For The Whim’s production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Your reviewer had the pleasure of venturing out to Bridgeton for the opening performance of this spin on this classic tale. From the moment you step into Hopeloft, a c

by Aimee Ferenz The Disney magic is thriving at the Kelsey Theater at Mercer County College through MPOnStage. The magic in question is Disney’s Beauty and the Beast by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice, just as it was in the 1991 film. It follows Belle, an intelligent young woman who doesn’t fit into the rigid mold of society. When her father is abducted by the reclusive Beast who lives in the castle outside of town, Belle vows to take her fathers place and live in t

by Angela Robb This past Saturday evening I walked down to the basement of First Presbyterian Church and School and into the home of Village Playbox to see "A Comedy of Tenors" by Ken Ludwig. This was the first show I have seen with this theatre company and I was welcomed to a small house (I counted only 40 seats) and stage with additions built onto it making it look a lot bigger than the stage I stood on during my auditions here over the years. Starting with "A Comedy of Te

by Lori Clark I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of Pippin at Burlington County Footlighters. Watching a show as a reviewer, I experience theatre differently than I would as a regular audience member. I tend to reflect more deeply on how the performance affects me, contemplating the themes and ideas that echo in my mind as I take in each scene. Indulge me for a moment as I share what lingered with me after last night’s performance. I love community theatre. F

by Lisa Palena “What streak of madness lies inside me? What is the truth my fears conceal? What evil force makes Edward Hyde of me? What darker side of me does he reveal?” These lyrics, sung by Dr. Henry Jekyll in the musical Jekyll & Hyde, offer a chilling look down an evil path from which he won’t return. It’s a well known story - man seeks knowledge, attempts the improbable, succeeds, and then immediately realizes the danger of playing God. Such tropes exist througho

by Aimee Ferenz The Halloween spirits are busy at work at the Ritz Theatre in Oaklyn, NJ as they bring Stoker’s Dracula to life, dramatized by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston. This beautiful theater often finds great success in their various performances, and this is no exception. The audience is lured back into early 20th century England to Dr. Seward’s Sanitorium, where his daughter, Lucy, currently resides awaiting treatment for her anemia. Professor Van Helsing is

by Stephen Kreal On Saturday October 12th , I saw a performance “Dark Matters” written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The performance took place on Burlington County Footlighters intimate “Second Stage”, where the audience is extremely close to the performers. The Play was directed by Gabrielle Affleck and stage-managed by Chrissy Wick. Aguirre-Sacasa is an American comic book writer, screenwriter, and playwright. Known for his work on the television series Riverdale, Glee, T

by Aimee Ferenz The Diary of Anne Frank, a play written by Frances Goodrich and newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman, follows the true story of a young Jewish girl and her family as they hid from Nazi persecution during World War II. Anne wrote in her diary for the duration of their stay in the secret annex at her father’s factory, providing a rare depiction of a coming of age story during deeply tumultuous times. This story is currently being told at the Levoy Theater, under th

by Lisa Palena Based on the titular novel and subsequent Disney movies, Freaky Friday tells the story of Katherine and Ellie Blake, a mother and daughter duo who can never quite see eye-to-eye on, well, anything. A surprising turn of events involving a magic hourglass leads to a body swap, causing the two to literally step into the other’s shoes. But with Katherine’s second marriage only 24 hours away, the two characters know they only have one day to reverse the spell. I

by Mike McKeon Bigger is not always better! I had the privilege of visiting The Blue Moon Theatre on Friday evening, and it would be the second production I’ve seen there since discovering them in February 2024. I must say, after only two visits, I am absolutely falling in love with this quaint little theatre. Although it is a small venue the passion for putting on a good show by all involved, from the concession stand to the lead roles, is unrivaled. As soon as you walk i

by Angela Robb Assassins, based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, follows a group of people from various points in history who have attempted (either successfully or unsuccessfully) to assassinate the current president of The United States using a framing devise of a roadside carnival. It sounds like a weird topic for a musical but it was one I had always been interested in seeing live and never had the opportunity until Haddonfield Plays and Players annou

by Lori Caplan Clark When asked to review On Golden Pond which opened Friday, September 20 at Masquerade Theatre, I leapt at the chance. The movie version, released in 1981, remains one of my all-time favorites, so this was an assignment that I certainly looked forward to! The play, On Golden Pond, was written in 1979 by Ernest Thompson, and focuses on Ethel and Norman Thayer, an aging couple who spend their summers on a lake called Golden Pond. During this summer, their

by Angela Robb On the afternoon of September 14th my friend Andrew and I had a conversation about the difference between theatre people and people who like theatre. We put ourselves and those that we knew into each category and at the end of the conversation we determined that he is a person who likes theatre and I am a theatre person. We defined a person who likes theatre as someone who enjoys the shows that they see/do but that is where the love ends since their primary in

by Evan Harris I love theatre, but it’s not my only passion. I also love cooking, video games, and Dungeons and Dragons. Today, though, I want to focus on two things close to my heart: comic books and New Jersey. In 1978, my dad opened El Dorado Comics, a store that closed before I was born. Still, his love for superheroes, art, and community shaped me deeply. This passion brings me to The Toxic Avenger—New Jersey’s “first” superhero and the subject of South Camden Theatre