The Producers

Danny Rutigliano, Fred Inkley & Michael Doherty

The Bristol Riverside Theater, located at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, Pa, is presenting Mel Brooks’ irreverent multiple Tony-Award winning musical, The Producers through April 1. Producer Max Bialystock (Danny Rutigliano) finds his Broadway flop much easier to bear when his accountant (Michael Doherty) discovers that he has actually made some money in the process. Thus a scheme is born - Produce the worst play and make a fortune. Find an awful script, hire the worst director, cast the most horrible actors and the show will certainly close on opening night. Ah, the best laid plans… Brooks’ cheeky play is an equal-opportunity offender. The Producers is satire at its most absurd. Boxing gloves are off and everything is fair game. That said, the cast and crew are marvelous. There is no weak link in this chain. The audience is wowed by Nicole Benoit’s rendition of “When You’ve Got it, Flaunt It’”, Fred Inkley’s demonstration of “Der Guten Tag Hop Clop”, and Danny Rutigliano’s lamentations in “Betrayed”. The ensemble acquits itself flawlessly. There are not only many musical numbers to sing but a wide variety of  dance numbers to perform as well, not the least of which  is a tap routine with walkers.  Michael Doherty’s portrayal of a shy, timid accountant who is afraid of his own shadow is a perfect foil for Danny Rutigliano’s blustery producer Max Bialystock. For more information or tickets for this incredible production, call 215-785-0100 or visit online at brtstage.org.

Time Stands Still

Michael Satow &
Eleanor Handley

Bristol Riverside Theatre is presenting the Pulitzer-Prize-winning drama Time Stands Still through February 11 This production gives an outstanding glimpse of both the physical and psychological effects of PTSD.  Usually attributed to soldiers returning home from a tour of duty, post-traumatic stress can also be suffered by journalists and photo-journalists that cover the events. Award-winning playwright Donald Margulies brings home Sara Goodwin (Eleanor Handley) a photo-journalist who was injured in Kabul. She returns to the home she has shared for 8 years with journalist James Dodd (Michael Satow) Both actors give strong performances, without a hint that they are actually married off-stage.  Danny Vaccaro, portraying Richard Ehrlich, Sara’s editor, visits with ingénue Mandy Bloom (Laura Giknis) on his arm. Laura gives a very convincing performance of a young “ditzy” girl who is totally out of her element with this professional group. She gains some inner strength and maturity after she gives birth. A series of blackouts denotes passage of time which enables us to further study the war’s damage to the psyche.  Which is worse to bear? The physical damage suffered by Sara when she suffered broken bones and a coma as a result of a bomb being detonated in front of her or the psychological damage suffered by Jamie when body parts were strewn all over his hair and face? This is not necessarily an easy show to watch but it is an excellent one. The ensemble cast is brilliant and the drama is thought-provoking. For more information of tickets, call 215-785-0100 or visit online at brtstage.org. 

The Humans

Mainstage set of The Humans

The Walnut Street Theatre, located at 825 Walnut Street, is presenting the much-acclaimed drama The Humans through March 4^th on its main stage. Playwright Stephen Karam set about writing a play that deals with the minutia and the travails of one family during a holiday dinner. The set is ingenious. Urgent visits to the second story bathroom  interrupt uncomfortable conversations. An "elevator" transporting a wheelchair conveniently clears the stage of a few characters for minutes at a time. An Eagles Stadium blanket elicits cheers from the entire audience. The spiral staircase connecting the first and second floor is the perfect spot for characters to pause and listen to conversations on the floor above or below them. Everyone is constantly talking about someone else and no one wants to be left out of the loop.  You will laugh as you watch this for there are some funny lines; you might squirm as well while peering into this family’s most intimate moments. Sharon Alexander’s portrayal of Momo’s ‘bad day’ is outstanding. Jennie Eisenhower lights up any stage she appears on and Mary Martello is always a delight to see (even if her characters are not). It is Alex Keiper, however, who illustrates her phenomenal sense of timing with the zingers and one-liners that she delivers first to her mother (Mary Martello), and then to her father (Greg Wood) at the dinner table. So effectively are the lines delivered that the audience gasps and then recoups in a moment of silence. This slice of life is offered with a razor sharp blade that is fascinating to observe. For more information or tickets, call 215,574-3550, 800-982-2787, visit online at www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org. or Ticketmaster.

A Doll's House

Nora & Torvald

The Arden Theatre Company is presenting Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House through February 25, 2018. The Arden’s smaller Arcadia Stage has been reconfigured to bring the audience inside the parlor of the … Doll’s House right alongside all the members of its talented ensemble cast. Although most two-act dramas have the majority of the action in the first act, such is not the case in this piece. Act I sets up the life style and relationships of  Torvald (Cody  Nickell) and his wife Nora (Katherine Powell) and their friends Dr. Rank (Scott Greer), Kristine (Betty Chong),and nemesis Krogstad (Akeem Davis). Act II is longer and more intense. Nora’s having helped Kristine get a job with Torvald inadvertently opens herself up to blackmail. Krogstad puts pressure on Nora and gives her an ultimatum she feels she can’t possibly meet. Katherine Powell is phenomenal in the role of Nora. If “a look is worth a thousand words”, she crams five thousand into each agonized facial expression in Act II.  Dr. Rank has agonizing revelations of his own. Even the staid Kristine has a secret passion which ultimately opens the doll house door. For more information or tickets to this timely centuries’ old drama, call 215-922-1122 or visit online www.ardentheatre.org.                      

Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, direct from an acclaimed two-and-a-half-year return to Broadway.

This production has new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. It has left both audiences and critics awestruck and cheering. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Featuring the thrilling score and beloved songs "Master of the House," "On My Own," "Stars," "Bring Him Home," "One Day More," and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. Seen by more than 70 million people in 44 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, Les Misérables is still the world's most popular musical, breaking box office records everywhere in its 32nd year. Broadway Philadelphia’s Les Misérables, shown collaboratively by the Shubert organization and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, can be seen from Jan 9, 2018 -Jan 21, 2018 at the Academy of Music. For more information or tickets visit www.kimmelcenter.org.

The Color Purple

Carla R. Stewart & Adrianna Hicks

The North American Tour of the Tony Award-winning revival of The Color Purple has returned to Philadelphia as part of Broadway Philadelphia, presented collaboratively by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and The Shubert Organization.  It has an interesting minimalistic set comprised of chairs hanging on wooden columns at the back of the stage of the Forrest Theater and steps around the other sides of the stage. Three incomparable women from the 2016 Broadway revival lead the touring company- Adrianna Hicks as Celie, Carla R. Stewart as Shug Avery and Carrie Compere as Sofia. All three have exceptional talent and each has marvelous stage presence. but Adrianna Hicks steals the show in the second act when she finds “her voice” and the audience roars its appreciation. Gavin Gregory does a first-rate job of portraying the “Mister” you’ll love to hate as he abuses Celie, his 14 year old “ugly wife”. There is a dazzling three-woman chorus who appear intermittently, simultaneously singing, gossiping and chattering away. There are many delightful musical numbers with beautiful harmonies throughout the performance. One of the most effective numbers in the entire musical, however, is the rendition of “Hell No!” led by Carrie Compere as Sofia. It is a great motivation to spur the audience to chime in and chant “Hell No” as well, decrying situations where women allow themselves to be victims of abuse. This phenomenal production of The Color Purple runs evenings through Sunday, December 17, 2017, with additional matinee  performances  both Saturday and Sunday. 

Peter Pan

Jo Vito Ramirez & Emilie Krause

The Arden’s Children Theater is presenting a fresh and original version of Peter Pan on its F. Otto Haas Stage through January 21, 2018. A very talented 4-member ensemble cast, playing multiple roles, joins Emilie Krause as Wendy and Jo Vito Ramirez as Peter Pan on an amazing journey from a campground to Neverland and back. Lighting Designer Thom Weaver’s brilliant use of lighting has everyone in an uproar as Peter and his shadow are re-connected after Wendy ”sews” it onto his feet. Children and adults alike are filled with wonder as Tinkerbell flits from Peter to one of the lost boys and back again, all the while whispering in Peter’s ear. Tinkerbell’s speech is provided by the violin engagingly played by ensemble member Eliana Fabiyi. The timing of Tinkerbells’ flight is “spot on” and is accompanied by many “ooos” and “ahhs” in the audience.” This is not your ho-hum Neverland. There are ropes to climb; tunnels to conquer, and a Captain Hook who is deathly afraid of a ticking crocodile. Spoiler alert. There IS a crocodile!  This is a fabulous show with a time-honored story in a brand new setting. Children of all ages are going to love it. For more information or tickets, call 215-922-1122 or visit www.ardentheatre.org.