2025 Reviews

by Meg Bryan While many of us theater people love shows from all time periods, I find that there’s something about those “golden age” shows that feels a little extra magical. Maybe it’s the stories that feel fantastical while still being realistic enough, maybe it’s the music with that full orchestral sound, or maybe it’s something else entirely. Whatever it may be, PCS Theater’s production of Hello, Dolly! has captured that whimsical energy in every aspect with no stone lef

by Stephen Kreal On Sunday, December 7th, I attended an opening weekend matinee performance of the musical version of Little Women at Masquerade Theater in Riverside NJ. The musical is based on the story by Louisa May Alcott, originally published in 1868. The story is well-known, and remains popular, as evidenced by the well-loved 1994 movie version, and the critically-acclaimed 2019 movie version. There was also a 1978 made-for-TV miniseries with a star-studded cast. The m

by Ash Kotter Until its opening night at Haddonfield Plays & Players, I had somehow gone my whole life to date without ever seeing Fiddler on the Roof. By that point, I had somewhat absorbed Fiddler by a sort of cultural osmosis. So much so that I probably could have sketched the show from a memory that wasn’t even mine. I knew the general plot synopsis. “Matchmaker” and the playful ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum of “If I Were a Rich Man” were common earworms

by Aidan Rowe Gateway Playhouse brings to life a classic story that remains as relevant as it was when the novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was first published in 1843. Scrooge: The Musical is the brilliant 1992 stage musical with book, music, and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. It follows Father Christmas himself, Ebenezer Scrooge, as we watch him unravel his painful past and make a clear path forward towards redemption. Our story takes place on an intricate set, fe

by Stephen Kreal On Friday November 28th, I attended the opening night performance of “Dirt Nap” at Playmasters Theater Workshop, in Bensalem PA, located in Neshaminny State Park. The play was originally published in 2019, and has been characterized by many as a “dark comedy.” The action of the play is set in 1998, in the Nevada desert outside of Las Vegas with the opening scenes taking place in Trenton NJ. The play was directed by Rich Hall and stage-managed by William Lawl

by Meg Bryan Being politically correct is incredibly important to our society, especially in this day and age where cancel culture runs rampant. When it comes to being politically correct, the line between acting with pure intentions and acting “performative” is extremely thin. In many cases, those who are acting with good intent come off as performative allyship, making that line even harder to discern. The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse is a satirical comedy where

by M. Smith There is always a certain charm that comes with a play that is painfully aware of itself and its shenanigans. A piece that calls out its own idiosyncrasies is one that promises a night of fun and entertainment. Drop Dead! by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore at the Kelsey Theatre (through Yardley Players) delivered just that in their fascinating rendition of this piece. This play is one that opens on a theatre troupe’s bad production of a murder mystery, but thing

by Stephen T. Kreal On Friday, November 14th, I went to see the opening night performance of The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer, written by Carson Kreitzer. It was produced by Spotlight Theater Company in Lansdowne PA. Spotlight Theater is located in the Twentieth Century Club at 84 South Lansdowne Avenue. I had the pleasure of seeing “Misery”, their very first production at this new location, last year. The play was directed by Kelci Schlierf, and assistant-directed by

by Aidan Rowe Fun Home “makes being strong cool” in the hit musical based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same title written by Alison Bechdel, with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics written by Lisa Kron. In this introspective and deeply moving production, we watch the complicated family dynamic of a closeted father and daughter duo who ultimately choose different life paths. Under the demanding and critical thumb of her father Bruce, portrayed by Garrett Bruce, A

by Lisa Croce The Bad Seed is a 1954 play by American playwright Maxwell Anderson, adapted from the 1954 novel of the same name by American writer William March. It centers around a seemingly perfect little girl, Rhoda Penmark, who is able to charm her way into getting just about anything she wants. When a classmate drowns under mysterious circumstances, her mother, Christine, starts to suspect that Rhoda may have had something to do with it, and other mysterious deaths surr

by: April Johnson On Saturday, November 8th, I was delighted to view South Camden Theatre Company’s presentation of DOT written by the award-winning actor and playwright Colman Domingo and directed by Zuhairah McGill. As the closing production of the company’s 20th season theme “Seasons of Love,” DOT is a contemporary story of the Shealy family who is dealing with the cognitive decline of their matriarch, Dotty. DOT premiered as a part of the Humana Festival at the Actors

by Mike McKeon Being one of two men in my department sets the stage for some teasing quite easily. This past week the teasing by my coworkers was about how men heedlessly create problems that eventually fall in the laps of the women in our lives for a solution. Most of the time this teasing is just for fun with no feelings hurt, and that day was just the same. Nonetheless, as the expression goes, “Many a true word is spoken in jest” so I did not discount the point they were

by Don Toal Jr. Even the most timeless of tales deserve a glow-up. That’s not to say they require a makeover to stay relevant. But for stories that have endured for literal centuries–with the earliest examples of the “rags to riches” folk tale we now know as Cinderella dating all the way back to the days of Ancient Greece, as Strabo’s Rhodopis–approaching them with fresh eyes and a new perspective can do wonders for preserving their magic. In this case, the makeover for Ro

By: Amber Kusching Steel Pier, named for the steel girders that supported the structure, has been an integral part of the Atlantic City Boardwalk for over 120 years. Opening on June 18, 1898 as a performance and entertainment pier, the Steel Pier quickly drew crowds with its renowned performers, and amazing and unique acts. Many celebrities walked the boards, ranging from the Three Stooges and Frank Sinatra to The Beatles and Benny Goodman. Though most people nowadays know i

by Megan Guy If you’re a fan of romantic comedies in the likes of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, this show is a must-see! Director Valerie Brothers does an amazing job with a vision for this old-fashioned yet timeless musical by Joe Masteroff. Originally created in 1964 based on the play Parfumerie from the 1930s, She Loves Me explores themes of love and friendship and finding connections in the unlikeliest of partners. Set in the 1930s, She Loves Me primarily takes place in Mr. Ma

by Deitra Oliver Something Rotten, directed by Mark Morgan, is the Moorestown Theater Company’s 250th stage production, and the high quality of the show proves why they have been around for that long. Something Rotten is a comedic reimagining of the birth of the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet, told from the vantage point of two bumbling brothers, their theater troupe, and a whole cast of zany characters, including good old Will Shakespeare himself. The Bottom brothers are play

by Amber Kusching When murderous, carnivorous swarming birds overrun the world, survival becomes the number one focus for the determined published author Diane, and the emotionally unstable Nat. The two strangers are brought together by their will to live and their need to survive. The two take shelter in an abandoned home by a lake. Their shared fate lies in each other’s hands as they scrounge for food and supplies during the six hours the birds do not attack when the tides

by Evie Passanante Young Frankenstein at the Kelsey Theater, directed by John M. Maurer, is a hit like no other! Along with this fabulous direction, comes astounding musical direction, by Laurie Gougher, and dazzling choreography by Haley Schmalbach. This production truly brought Transylvania to New Jersey, immersing the audience the entire time. Walking into the Kelsey Theater, I was greeted with the kindest ushers and usherettes, who handed out themed programs, looking

by Dominic Traini Last Thursday I had the pleasure of seeing Evil Dead at Haddonfield Plays and Players. I had never seen the original movie or any of its sequels or adaptations, so I was going in completely blind. All I knew was that the 1981 film was a campy cult classic and that the original Broadway production famously featured a “splash zone” for all the excessive blood. So when I walked into Haddonfield Plays and Players’ off-location home at the Deptford Community Cen

by Mike McKeon This past Saturday I had the pleasure of viewing The Memory of Water directed by Susan Jami Paschkes at Bridge Players Theatre Company in Historic Burlington City. The Memory of Water is a family drama that centers on three sisters dealing with their mother's funeral. The play is structured around the emotional and often conflicting ways the sisters remember their past and navigate their grief and resentment, balancing humor and tragedy as they uncover long-bu

by Laura Duffy Ride the Cyclone is a 2009 musical with lyrics and book by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, which has developed a cult following in recent years due to internet popularity. It follows six high school students who die in a roller coaster accident, and are left in limbo with a mysterious mechanical fortune telling machine who forces them to compete for a chance to escape the afterlife. Barnstormers Theatre set the tone for their production with a simple but

by Aimee Renna The children’s series of Players Club of Swarthmore has brought another excellent performance together in their second stage. The production Curious George and the Golden Meatball follows our favorite little monkey as he takes his dear friend’s meatball recipe all the way to Rome for a competition. While originally he was created by Margaret and H.A. Rey in 1941, the musical was written by John Cavanaugh and the Books and Lyrics were by Jeremy Desmon. The pr

by Mike McKeon “Stick it to the man” has been melodically playing through my mind all weekend, in both the literal and metaphorical meanings, as this show hilariously drives that theme home. On Thursday evening I had the pleasure of viewing The Grand Theatre: Home of The Road Company’s musical production of School of Rock directed by Maria Panvini and musical direction by Ruslan Odintsov. When I hear a theatre is producing School of Rock I can’t help but immediately think o

by Lori Clark Picture this: it’s opening night of Rocky Horror Show at the Ritz Theatre, and we are at a nearby restaurant, enjoying pre-show margaritas. I’m people watching and take notice of some fellow patrons decked out in what I initially assumed were Halloween costumes. It was only after further inspection that it dawned on me…these people were in their Rocky Horror finest - fishnets, glitter, sequins, hats. The WORKS! Their energy and excitement were palpable, and i