Haddonfield Plays & Players

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 Ash Kotter We’ve now since closed the door on the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, but Haddonfield Plays & Players has opened seven new ones for us and launched into its own team precision sport: Olympic-level comedy. I’m truthfully more of a casual Olympics observer than an avid follower. It’s not that I don’t marvel at the athleticism that defies gravity and common sense. I just never made a tradition of watching the games with any regularity… … except for curling. Good God

by Donald Toal It’s funny to think about how stories get retold sometimes. It’s admittedly, for this millennial, less funny to think of Shrek as being a story that is now over 25(?!?) years old, longer if you count the original William Steig children’s book that inspired it (which first hit shelves in 1990). But time makes fools of us all, I suppose. Regardless of the forward passage of the years, the big green ogre has a heart to his story of satirized fairy tales and th

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 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 Laura Duffy “Don't breathe too deep Don't think all day Dive into work Drive the other way…” In my humble opinion, there’s always something to be gained from seeing a production of Rent. The show has it all - an addictive rock score, a powerful message, complex and lovable characters, and, unfortunately, continuing political and social relevance in today’s world. A perfect example: sitting in the audience at Haddonfield Plays and Players on Friday night, watching two dear

by Josh Buffington Day by day I was hoping for the chance to see an amazing production of Godspell and Haddonfield Plays & Players definitely delivered. Godspell for those who do not know what it is, it is a musical telling the story of Jesus and his apostles, focusing on how his teachings create a community that carries on his message after his crucifixion. It uses songs, skits, and parables from the Gospel according to St. Matthew to illustrate his lessons. Whilst the res

by Ash Kotter To do justice to what Steel Magnolias at Haddonfield Plays & Players gets so incredibly right, I need to start somewhere closer to home before we pop into Truvy’s Salon in Chinquapin Parish, Louisiana. Please indulge me while I open a time capsule and let me take you to Eileen’s Studio 24 in Gloucester City, New Jersey. In the early ‘90s, one of my mom’s three jobs was as a nail technician at Eileen’s. My elementary school was just across the street, so I’d

by Angela Robb For those who know me, they know that I often go on long rants about topics I am passionate about. For those who know me very well, they know that at all times I’m mere moments away from going off about the injustice of Disney Theatrical not transferring Hunchback of Notre Dame to Broadway after their out of town tryouts at Paper Mill Playhouse and La Jolla Playhouse in 2014/2015. The musical, with a revised book by Peter Parnell and score and lyrics by Alan M

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 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 Alex Davis Before reading this review, a note - due to the nature of the show, there is no way around giving some major plot points away that may be taken as “spoilers”. If that bothers you - I get it! Read this one singular paragraph and know that, in short, the production was moving, the performers were exquisite, and if you don’t mind a little heartbreak with your theater, don’t miss this show. John & Jen, a 2-person musical with music by Andrew Lippa, lyrics by Tom G

by April Johnson Mother’s Day, May 12, 2024. I traveled to the venue of Haddonfield Plays and Players to view the ground-breaking and controversial Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. In familiarity to the venue along with the production I knew I was in for a treat. In receipt of my ticket, I realized there appeared to be a shrine filled with meditational tools. As I headed to the door, the open stage was full of scaffolding strategically draped with tapestries of

by M. Smith The date is March 8, 2024, and Haddonfield Plays and Players’ rendition of Bonnie & Clyde by Frank Wildhorn, Ivan Menchel, and Don Black is taking the stage for opening night. Upon entering the space you are greeted by welcoming faces and the excited buzz of anticipating audience members to see the beauty that is theatre. Taking your seat you see the artistic work of the show’s Set Designer, Donald Swenson, who has created a two-leveled space with the craftsman

by Lori Caplan Clark Before we embark on this review, here’s a little truth bomb. I know very little about Monty Python humor. I know I know…it’s revered, adored, and genuinely respected. This is not to say that I can’t appreciate it, but my perspective whilst sitting inside the Haddonfield Plays and Players theatre was that of a simple peasant, a theatre geek with little knowledge or expectation of what I would be witnessing on the stage. That felt good to get off my ch

by Evan Harris Allow me to begin this by thanking you for taking the time to read my inaugural review. To blend two of my greatest joys, writing and theatre, is an honor and privilege beyond description. So, if I may once again, thank you! Now, while it may be, at best, a bit untraditional and, at worst, somewhat narcissistic to do this, I do think it is important to give you an idea of who I am as a theatre patron. I am the sort of person who does his best to completely a

by Stephen T. Kreal On Thursday, October 5th, I enjoyed a performance of “Something Rotten” at the Haddonfield Plays and Players Theater. The play was directed by Al Fuchs, with vocal direction by Andre Vermeullin. “Something Rotten” was written by John O'Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, with music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick. “Something Rotten” whimsically follows the challenges of two brothers who are trying to write “the next big thing” to compete with the wil

by Stephen T. Kreal I had the pleasure of seeing [title of show] On Friday, June 16th, 2023. The performance was part of Haddonfield Plays and Players special programming. The play was directed by Brian Keith Herrick. [title of show] was written by Jeff Bowen (music & lyrics) and Hunter Bell (book). [title of show] whimsically follows the challenges of writing and creating a musical in a relatively short period of time. The play won an Obie Award in 2006 and was nominated fo

by April Johnson As I walk in the vestibule of Haddonfield Plays and Players, I am greeted with the smell of popcorn infused with the pure vocal stylings of Sarah Lottes, who appears as Bitsy Mae Harling, with a guitar to accompany. Evan Harris serves as Bud, Bitsy’s entertaining hype man and sidekick. In addition, I am viewing a few familiar beloved faces who have appeared in the Broadway hit, “Sordid Lives”, such as the late Olivia Newton-John and Leslie Jordan along with