2026 Reviews

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

by Abigail Williams There’s nothing like dating in the modern era. No, really… there’s NOTHING like it. For people of all ages, the dating game can be a struggle and blow to self-esteem or make you the star in your own rom-com movie. In Langhorne Players’ production of On the Market, Charlotte (Janet Rosenberg) experiences it all and more. Written by Jason Odell Williams, On the Market is a modern rom-com following Long Island real estate agent, Charlotte, as she re-enter

by Devion Watson Musical theatre has a way of completely pulling you out of your own world and putting you inside someone else’s, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at the Levoy Theatre did exactly that. I absolutely loved this production. It was captivating from beginning to end, and there were so many moments where I completely forgot I was watching actors perform a musical. I felt like I was actually watching Carole King tell me her story. Every piece of this producti

by Jacob Graves From the moment I entered the theatre at Salem Community College, I immediately felt transported into the wonderful world of the 1920s. The painted set offered an interesting twist on the usual staging of Anything Goes, creating a warm, “homey” atmosphere aboard the cruise liner that made me feel as though I was being pulled into the story. The set construction by Noah McFadden and Ben Wentzell, along with the painting work of Amber Baratz and Travis Gibson a

by Deitra Oliver Kelsey Theatre of Mercer County, in conjunction with Off-Centre Stages, presents Company, the classic musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth. Produced by Abigail Acolia and directed by Jonathan Edmondson, with assistant directors MJ Santry and Alaina Stampe. Company is an exploration of relationships in various forms through the eyes of consummate bachelor Robert- Bobby to his friends. Starting with Robert’s 35th birthday, surrounded by his bevy of co

by Ellorah Maeve Is blood thicker than water? If a relationship is bad, would you leave the person or stay and give them a second chance? These are questions that can have many different answers. As stated by the local playwright, Michael Roche, we can all relate to having difficult relationships. Eden Street Players production of the one-act plays It’s My Birthday, Bitch and All My Plants Are Dead are great character studies into the dynamics of what a toxic relationship

by Amber Kusching Guys and Dolls is a classic American musical that premiered on Broadway in 1950, based on the colorful fictional world of author Damon Runyon. With music by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling, the show went on to win five Tony awards, including Best Musical. The show was revived on Broadway in 1992, and to this day, its story and music connect to audiences from all over the world. The show features two overlapping love stories: a charming but broke gam

by Megan Guy I was excited for the opportunity to review a childhood favorite of mine, Mary Poppins. Having seen the stage musical in both high school and community theatre productions, I was already familiar with the score and many of its magical moments. This was my first time attending a Viviana Theatre Company production, so I was surprised to arrive at a church rather than a traditional theatre. The sanctuary itself, surrounded by beautiful stained-glass windows, create

by Talia Walters The second you walk into this theater, your first instinct is to wonder how powerful and bold a production can truly be given the smaller size of the theater. The amazing team behind this production instantly proves that size does not matter. True West, written by Sam Shepard and directed by Wasif Sami, is currently playing at the Hamilton Murray Theater located on the beautiful Princeton University campus. It follows the story of two brothers, Austin (playe

by Shannon Reed From the time that I was a little girl, I have loved The Little Mermaid. A proud owner of an Ariel sheet set and a well loved cassette tape of the sound track, The Little Mermaid has stood as one of my favorite Disney movies. While in college I learned of the Broadway version and it only made my love grow. Based on the 1989 movie of the same name, Disney’s The Little Mermaid premiered on Broadway in 2008. With this deep love and nostalgia for this show coming

by Deitra Oliver Life and love will always find a way, even amid the darkest struggles, and that was my greatest takeaway from Where the Lost Children Play. Written by Hannah Lee Defrates and directed by Jim Cook Jr., with producers Cheryl and Joe Stark, the play is making its New Jersey debut at The Blue Moon Theatre. This new and exploratory play is a must-see event. Set in an unused fourth-floor stairwell - because why use the stairs when there is an elevator? - lies the

by Lucinda Fisher Alvarez Disney's The Little Mermaid, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and book by Doug Wright, was presented by the Yardley Players at Kelsey Theatre on the campus of Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, New Jersey. This is one of Disney’s classic princess fairytales and it did not disappoint with dancing, singing, laughter, and fun! Under the direction of Kristy Davis, the production brought the beloved Disne

by: Stephen Kreal On Friday, July 10th, I attended the opening night performance of “Home, I’m Darling” at Langhorne Players Theater at The Old Mill. The Spring Garden Mill is located at 1440 Newtown-Richboro Road in Newtown, PA 18940. It is a very quaint theater space. This production was produced by D. Ryan Lafferty and co-produced by Ken Marblestone. “Home, I’m Darling” was written by British playwright/screenwriter Laura Wade. It has received numerous awards since its in