**** Highly Recommended **** The opening production in the Dunes Arts Summer Theatre season is "Boeing Boeing", a delightfully snarky comedy set in the swinging sixties. The talented cast got the audience laughing early on and kept them laughing right to the end. Even though I’ve seen "Boeing Boeing" more than a few times, this production had me laughing, too. 4 Spotlights.
**** Highly Recommended **** Most Greek tragedies were written in the 5th Century BC, so too often people think they have no relevance today, so they frequently skip excellent stage productions. "The Gospel at Colonus" has a different approach – re-telling Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus at Colonus, in gospel form. Court Theatre was filled with glorious gospel music. In fact, instead of a Greek chorus, we got a joyful gospel choir, and it was awesome! 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Recommended **** TimeLine Theatre is well known for selecting thoughtful, intelligent and well-researched plays about real people, real history. "What the Constitution Means to Me" is an excellent fit. This play really is about the Constitution, at least playwright Heidi Schreck’s interpretation of that document which is an important part of our American system. I doubt if many people have actually read it, she did. Beth Lacke, who plays Schreck, has a warm and humorous touch. I learned a few things – you will too. 3 ½ Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" is a weirdly wonderful musical. The premise – two people, separated by 100 years and thousands of miles, accidentally meet online – is absurd. There’s no way the story should work, but it totally does. A charming script will pull you right into this alternate reality, and you’ll love it! 4 BIG Spotlight
**** Highly Recommended **** "MotherFreakingHood! A Musical Comedy" playing through June 11th in the Venus Cabaret at the Mercury Theater, is a freaking laugh riot! It takes all those not-so-precious lowlights of motherhood – the ones that you’ve conveniently forgotten (or would really prefer to forget) – and spins them into hilarity. No kidding, this irreverent show pushed every motherhood button. It will have you in stitches! Ladies, get your mothers, sisters, partners and gal pals together for an experience like no other. 4 BIG Spotlights
**** Recommended **** Watching "London Road" felt a bit like watching a Japanese Kabuki as the ensemble moved around the stage with highly synchronized precision to complex musical rhythms. "London Road" is something called Verbatim Theatre, a form of documentary theatre based on the spoken words of real people. In fact, I would bet that it is completely different from anything you’ve ever seen. It was a totally fascinating production! 4 Spotlights
**** Recommended **** The Towle Theater production of "Women in Jeopardy" is a lot of fun, a comedy of errors involving three divorced gal pals, a clueless, self-involved girl, a spacey, cougar-obsessed boy and a creepy dentist. Are two of the gals jealous because the third met someone – or is it really about his weird vibes? I had to laugh out loud at the funny dialogue and improbable situations in this light-hearted comedy. 3 ½ Spotlights
**** Recommended **** Audiences are loving Mercury Theater’s production of "Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", a delightful retelling of Mark Twain’s 1884 novel. William Hauptman’s musical adaptation is an old-fashioned story featuring wonderful bluegrass-style music with both music and lyrics written by Roger Miller. I guarantee you’ll enjoy "Big River", I sure did! 4 Spotlights
*** Recommended *** Sometimes when I see a play about families, I think about what Dickens said – something about it being the best of times, and the worst of times. Family issues are at the center of "Last Night and the Night Before", a gripping play at Steppenwolf, and they certainly meet that criteria. A joyful reunion interrupted by an unfriendly lover; a husband deserted by his wife; a child abandoned by her mother; sisters who love each other, yet rip each other to shreds – take your pick, it’s all here! 3 ½ Spotlights
**** Highly Recommended **** "The Porch on Windy Hill" is billed as “a new play with old music.” That ‘old music’ is folk music, music that tells a story, music that’s handed down through generations. The ‘new play’ has a familiar concept – anger, resentment and a failure to communicate caused a family split resulting in years of silence and hurt feelings. Making music brings the two sides together. I loved the music so much I found myself wishing "The Porch on Windy Hill" was in my neighborhood. I’d be there in a flash! 4 BIG Spotlights
