Cleveland Theater Reviews

BWW Reviews: WHAT MAKES A MAN EXPLORED at Actors' Summit

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BWW Reviews: Unnerving Musical about the Crime of the Century at Convergence-Continuum

Musicals have come from various sources. There has been the tale of an illiterate flower girl who was transformed into a proper woman (MY FAIR LADY), a Biblical Jewish youth who became a leader in Egypt (JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT), a prince who kept searching for his corner of the sky until he realized that it was right where he was (PIPPIN), and a big nosed sassy New York girl who transformed herself into a famous vaudeville star (FUNNY GIRL). (more...)

BWW Reviews: Acting Overshadows Esoteric Script at Cleveland Public Theatre

Philip Ridley, the author of TENDER NAPALM, now being staged at Cleveland Public Theatre, was trained as an artist. His paintings, like his plays, are characterized by using a palate of colors, splashed all over. There is also a bizarre quality to his writing which is fairly typical of 1990s British 'In-Yer-Face' theatre. Theatre that is filled with fantasy, dark surrealism, which leaves the audience asking, 'What the hell is going on?' (more...)

BWW Reviews: THERE IS HAPPINESS (and Absurdity) at Cleveland Public Theatre

If you went to college, and took a course in poetry, you'll find yourself morphing back and wishing that your professors had had a romp in the grass, and expressed themselves with such absurd hysterical language, as the duo in THERE IS A HAPPINESS THAT MORNING IS, which is getting a fine production at CPT. (more...)

BWW Reviews: NEW GROUND...New. Theatre. Festival, Light up Cleveland Play House

Cleveland Play House's The 2013 New Ground Theatre Festival lit up the three stages in the Allen Theatre complex starting on May 2nd with parts running through the 19th. (more...)

BWW Reviews: LOVE STORY, THE MUSICAL Showcases BW Talent at the 14th Street Theatre

Fanatics of chick flicks virtually swoon when they hear the words, 'Love means you never have to say you're sorry,' or someone hums a bar or two of 'Where Do I Begin?' Ah, yes, Andy Williams crooning the theme song from the 1970 film, LOVE STORY, which starred Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw and holds the #9 place on the American Film Institute's list of 'most romantic films of all time.' (more...)

BWW Reviews: Creatively Conceived and Thought-Provoking WORKING at Blank Canvas

Probing into the lives of real people often yields fascinating theatre. The classical musical CHORUS LINE was based on interviews that Elyrian, James Kirkwood, wove into a fascinating tale of the true life and theatrical experiences of Broadway singers and dancers. (more...)

BWW Reviews: THE LYONS Roars at Dobama Theatre

Nicky Silver's absurdist play, THE LYONS, gets an excellent production at Dobama. The balance between comedy and tragedy should get positive audience response and inspire some personal awareness. (more...)

BWW Reviews: RICH GIRL, a Sure to Please the Audience Production at Cleveland Play House

The plot: self-made vindictive wealthy person, inhibited daughter, handsome suitor who may be after her money, parent attempts to torpedo the relationship. Sound familiar? It should. That's basically the storyline of the Henry James novella WASHINGTON SQUARE and the play and film, THE HEIRESS. It's also the basic description of Victoria Stewart's RICH GIRL which takes from the past, but the play which is opening Cleveland Play House's 2013 NEW. THEATRE. FESTIVAL., adds comedy, infuses a little intrigue, and takes a 21st century twist. (more...)

BWW Reviews: THE ICEMAN COMETH, a Four-Hour Marathon at Ensemble

Eugene O'Neill, along with such writers as Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, transformed western theatre. They transitioned the stage from a place for escapist ideas into a mecca for the examination of real life problems. The quartet laid the foundation for what is now known as 'the modern theatre' and laid the groundwork for such luminaries as Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and William Inge. (more...)

BWW Reviews: none too fragile's WHITE PEOPLE is Wrenching, Powerful Theater

WHITE PEOPLE is very well worthwhile for anyone who thinks that gaining insight into personal ideas and values is a mission of theatre. You won't leave this production the same person as when you entered. This is compelling theater! (more...)

BWW Reviews: Compelling WAR HORSE Grasps the Imagination at the Palace

One of the fears of seeing a show which I regarded as one of the most mesmerizing that I've ever seen, was that the touring company of WARHORSE would fade by comparison. It did, somewhat, but still came out an exciting winner in the derby called theatre. (more...)

BWW Reviews: Actors' Summit's MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD - Delightful, Thought-Provoking

The great fear of realizing that MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD is a series of vignettes which look at varying phases of motherhood, is that it will turn out to be a Hallmark sentimental mindless experience. Fear not. The eighteen authors of the vignettes avoid making the experience sappy and purely entertaining. Instead, there is a balance of humor, pathos, and social commentary. (more...)

BWW Reviews: PERHAPS PERICLES - A Maybe Shakespeare Script at Cesear's Forum

For those who are interested in seeing a version of what may be the very little performed PERHAPS PERICLES, the Cesear's Forum's showing is a good opportunity. (more...)

BWW Reviews: Afrobeat, Political Commentary FELA! Rocks the Palace Theatre

At the conclusion of FELA!, the Afrobeat political awareness musical, now on stage at the Palace Theatre, caskets are carried onto center stage and piled up. On top of the stack of caskets, emblazed with names such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and words such as 'freedom,' 'bullying' and 'oppression,' was a vertical box of death entitled, 'Chardon High School.' Yes, FELA! is filled with music, but it is a wrenching tale of genocide, oppression and death, not only in Nigeria, where the show is set, but across the world, including a Cleveland suburb. (more...)

BWW Reviews: STRUCK Examines the Brain and Strokes at Cleveland Public Theatre

STRUCK, now on stage as Cleveland Public Theatre is an interesting piece, much in the vein of Arthur Kopit's WINGS, which had a startling production at Beck Center starring Dorothy Silver, in which the ramifications of a person having a stroke is investigated. (more...)

BWW Reviews: A Wonderfully Delightful MUCH ADO at Great Lakes Theater

Boy hates girl. Girl hates boy. Boy overhears that girl is secretly in love with boy; girl hears vice versa. Other boy and girl love each other, but something gets in the way of their happiness. That's the basic premise of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, which is now on stage at Great Lakes Theatre. Throw in a couple of interesting subplots, including an idiotic sheriff, a phony death, an irrational lover (is there any other kind?), and a vengeful half-brother, and you have the makings of one of William Shakespeare's best comedies. In fact, the fifth best of all of the Bard's plays, according to a renowned Shakespeare expert. (more...)

BWW Reviews: SORDID LIVES is a Laugh-Filled Farce at convergence-continuum

The con-con production of SORDID LIVES is a hoot. Simon has pulled out all the farcical stops. His cast has fun, the audience has even more fun. If you want an evening of outlandish theatre, this is it! (more...)

BWW Reviews: NICK & JEREMY - An Electric, Kool-Aid Acid Trip at Cleveland Public Theatre

NICK AND JEREMY is an electric, kool-aid acid trip, minus the drugs, which would make Timothy Leary, the proponent of the use of psychedelic substances and believer in' tune on, tune in, drop out,' very happy. It should be of great interest to deep or pseudo-deep thinkers. (more...)

BWW Reviews: GOOD PEOPLE is Funny and Compelling at Cleveland Play House

CPH's GOOD PEOPLE is one of those special evenings of theatre that combines a well-written script, excellent direction, and fine acting into an evening of humor and pathos to create a must-see production. (more...)

BWW Reviews: Beck's THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES Asks Whether the Whole World is Crazy

'A man's home is his castle, unless it's a zoo' is the banner used to describe author John Guare's THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, which is now confounding audiences at Beck Center for the Arts. (more...)

BWW Reviews: SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION Challenges Audience at Karamu

John Guare, author of SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, which is now being staged at Karamu Theatre, is noted for his highly theatrical scripts. His writing often tries to expand the theatre's boundaries, which reflects his attitude that 'the chaotic state of the world demands it.' (more...)

BWW Review: FREUD'S LAST SESSION - A Fascinating Look at Belief or Lack of Belief

FREUD'S LAST SESSION is must-see, fascinating theatre for anyone who is interested in a philosophical, thought laced drama, with laughter and fine acting. (more...)

BWW Review: CWRU/Cleveland Play House MFA Students Excel in IDENTITY THEFT

IDentity THEFT, SEVEN LIVES FILTERED THROUGH THE IDEAS OF AUGUST STRINDBERG, is fascinating theatre and gave additional proof of the quality of the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Programs' class of 2014. (more...)

BWW Reviews: SISTER ACT Entertaining at Palace, But . . .

There have been lots of plays, movies and musicals about nuns. Nuns, who are traditionally known as those fearsome enforcers of strict rules, wielding punishing rulers, and giving lesser human beings the evil eye. The purveyors of such wisdom as 'don't wear patent leather shoes because they reflect up,' 'don't go on a date to a restaurant with white tablecloths because it will remind the boy of bed sheets,' 'red clothing incites passion,' and 'don't wear makeup as it entices the devil.' (more...)