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Tampilkan postingan dengan label Cleveland Play House. Tampilkan semua postingan

Minggu, 09 April 2017

hello BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



Through April 23, 2017
(216) 241-6000

Bob Abelman
They don’t give Pulitzer Prizes for titles. 

But if they did, playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis would most certainly win one for “The Motherf***er With the Hat,” “Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train” or “Our Lady of 121st Street,” which are as evocative as the works they serve to announce.  One of Guirgis' best plays is his most recent, “Between Riverside and Crazy,” which won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for its dramatic content – not its clever caption – and is currently in production by the Cleveland Play House. 


To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's blog here.

Roy Berko
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Kerry Clawson
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Kerry Clawson's review here.

Howard Gollop
No review yet.

Mark Horning
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

Christine Howey
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan
To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Laura KennellyNo review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Laura's posts at Cool Cleveland.

David Ritchey
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read David's posts at Talkin' Broadway

Andrea Simakis
No review yet.
To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' blog or visit Cleveland.com here.

Jumat, 03 Maret 2017

hello HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



Through March 26, 2017
(216) 241-6000

Bob Abelman


It has taken 20 years for Paula Vogel’s 1997 Pulitzer Prize-winning “How I Learned to Drive” to appear on the Cleveland Play House stage.  But as we learn from the predatory pedophile at the center of her disturbing story,  patience has its rewards.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's blog here.

Roy Berko


“How I Learned to Drive,” in spite of its excellent staging, is not an easy play to watch.  It is haunting, dark, and the topic is not something to which everyone can relate.  But it deals with a realistic subject that is more prevalent in our society than is often recognized and if you’re willing to open yourself up to the emotional upheaval that the story may induce, this is a play well-worth seeing.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Mark Horning


This winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama takes a hard look at a near epidemic world problem using drama rather than visual simulation to tell a realistic story of unchecked lust. The courageous theater goers who witness this 80 minute one act play may have to deal with their emotions afterward but regardless they will end up more informed than before. Disturbing, touching, realistic and heartfelt all at the same time and a challenge for the senses.  

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.


Howard Gollop

There are a few more bumps from uneven cast members. Perhaps they could have used more help from director Laura Kepley to hone the nuances of their multiple, briefly appearing characters.
Fortunately, occasional soft performances do not undermine the power of Vogel’s drama and this production.
 
Christine Howey

There are many kinds of sexual abuse of minors. But when the abuse is doled out by a person whom you have grown close to and loved, the pain is beyond imagining. And this play comes as close as you can to that conflicted state without lapsing into easy regret and facile recrimination.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan
To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Laura Kennelly

It’s a great ride through risky territory. Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive looks honestly at family, sexual desire, puberty and pedophilia, and yet — magically — avoids being a mere lecture about the evils thereof. 

To see a full review of this show see Cool Cleveland or read Laura Kennelly's blog at ArtStillMatters

Andrea Simakis

We can rejoice that "How I Learned to Drive" feels as fresh and fearless as it did two decades ago...and mourn for the same reason.  "Fresh and Fearless"

To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' blog or visit Cleveland.com here.

Sabtu, 28 Januari 2017

hello BASKERVILLE @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



Through February 12, 2017
(216) 241-6000

Bob Abelman

Before the Cleveland Play House considers Ken Ludwig’s next play, it should hire Dr. Ruth Westheimer as a dramaturg.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's blog here.

Roy Berko


Is Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, a great play?  No!  Is it even a very good play?  Probably not.  What it is is a play that will delight many.  Especially those who like to solve mysteries, who are enamored with farcical delights, and enjoy a cast who is having a lark playing lots of characters and changing costumes a great deal.  And, no spoiler alert here, the butler didn’t do it! 

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Mark Horning

While not quite measuring up to the very high comedic bar of Ken Ludwig’s past works, “Baskerville” does make for an enjoyable evening of theater especially for those familiar with Sir Author Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series. While lacking in the farce department there is enough action to keep your attention. Not a bad play per say, just different than what was expected.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

Christine Howey


There are chuckles aplenty in this send-up of Sherlock—it’s a bracing dose of silliness for the sometimes overly staid CPH audiences.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan
To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

David Ritchey

On the stage a well-crafted mystery provokes the audience to gasp or scream or grab the arm of a complete stranger. Every heart in the auditorium skips a beat and then gallops as the mystery moves toward its terrifying climax.
To see a full review of this show, read David's posts at Talkin' Broadway

Andrea Simakis

The fast-moving production is as fun as roller coasters were when you were 10, thanks to the show's central conceit: Five actors play some 40 roles. The joy of "Baskerville" is seeing how they pull it off.

To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' blog or visit Cleveland.com here.

Rabu, 19 Oktober 2016

hello SEX WITH STRANGERS @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



October 22 through November 13. 2016
(216) 241-6000

Bob Abelman

The Cleveland Play House’s intimate, subterranean Outcalt Theatre is quickly becoming the place where carnality and clever writing come together for an evening of mutual and consensual gratification.  

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's CJN article here.

Roy Berko


SEX WITH STRANGERS is a well-written script which gets a compelling production.  The acting is top-notch, the direction spot-on.  The must see show will delight and tantalize the audience.  It well deserves the standing ovation it got on opening night.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Howard Gollop

The plot may be familiar, but Eason’s work is fresh from start to finish.
The cast is vital and electric, and so is the direction by Joanie Schultz.

Mark Horning

Although seemingly implausible on paper (young stud beds late thirty-year-old within minutes of their meeting) it is the manner in which the action is portrayed that brings credence to the story. What at first looks like a romantic romp turns instead into a moral tale of burning issues as to what makes for a successful truly meaningful relationship that will stand the test of time. It is a good yarn for those who have been together “forever.”   

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

Christine Howey


There’s a desire here to explore how two people from two different generations pursue their ideas of success and their own identities. But because of a few production wrinkles, the finished product is a bit like a promising, but not exactly stupendous, first date.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan
To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

David Ritchey

Agatha Christie could not have done it better. And, in truth,  "Sex with Strangers" has elements of a good mystery. Why do people fall in love?  How do the most unlikely people find each other and suddenly realize they’re right for each other?

To see a full review of this show, read David's posts at Talkin' Broadway




Andrea Simakis

Directed with playfulness, subtlety and nuance by Joanie Schultz, "Sex With Strangers" moves like a red-hot page turner; it's a book you can't possibly put down.

To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' blog or visit Cleveland.com here.

Jumat, 23 September 2016

hello ALL THE WAY @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



September 17 through October 9, 2016
(216) 241-6000

Bob Abelman

Richard II.  Edward III.  Henry VIII.  LBJ.  These famous  figures – with their larger-than-life personalities, excessive appetites, unfillable holes in their egos, and Rabelaisian crudity – are the focus of historical dramas.  And Robert Schenkkan's Tony Award-winning “All the Way” is no less Elizabethan, no less epic and no less theatrical than those penned by William Shakespeare or Christopher Marlowe.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's article here.

Roy Berko

ALL THE WAY is a well-written script that gets a strong production at Cleveland Play House.  In spite of some sound projection problems, the cast develops their characters and the themes of the play so well that anyone interested in good theatre and political history should be captivated.
 
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Mark Horning

Reading more like a Shakespearean tragedy than a political historical drama we gain insight into President Johnson and the conflicts that made him what he was.  Deeply flawed and ultimately challenged with making lasting changes to better his country he was a man driven to set things right.  This show is as close a representation as you will ever find of the author of “The Great Society.”  It is a fast moving and gripping drama well worth seeing.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

Howard Gollop

It’s political “Whack-A-Mole” as Johnson placates, grovels and bulldozes such legendary American figures as Martin Luther King Jr., J. Edgar Hoover and Gov. George Wallace, not to mention his wife Lady Bird. Yet the Cleveland Play House production of “All the Way” (an allusion to the campaign slogan “All the Way with LBJ”) makes Robert Schenkkan’s incisive play as thrilling as it is exhaustive.

Christine Howey


Lyndon Baines Johnson was one of the more fascinating characters to ever populate the halls of Washington D.C., since he combined the raw, crotch-grabbing energy of a good ol’ boy from rural Texas with the liberal leanings of a man who deeply cared about the disadvantaged. Try finding a mixture like that in today’s polarized political landscape.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan
To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

David Ritchey

Steve Vinovich struts the stage as LBJ.  Vinovich threatens, shouts and barks to get his way.  He can out curse anyone I know – and, often he does it at the top of his voice. His LBJ knows where many of the skeletons are hidden in the nation’s capital and is not afraid to open those doors to gain his way and will. Vinovich was excellent as LBJ.  He understudied the Johnson role on Broadway when Bryan Cranston played LBJ. 

To see a full review of this show, read David's posts at Talkin' Broadway

Andrea Simakis

Not only does the Cleveland Play House producdtion of "All the Way" hold up without Cranston, it shots out the lights, as LBJs compatriots in his home state of Texas might say with a potent combination of topicality, smart staging and Steve Vinovich at the helm of as the 36th preident of the United States. . . . Great performances, like momentous elections, don't come around every day.  Don't sit this one out.

To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' blog or visit Cleveland.com here.

Selasa, 17 Mei 2016

hello STEEL MAGNOLIAS @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



May 21 through August 21, 2016
216-241-6000

Bob Abelman

Southern comfort comedy ‘Steel Magnolias’ historic and hysterical

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's CJN article here.

Roy Berko

There was some complaining when it was announced that one of the offerings of the Key Bank Broadway series was going to be a local staging of a script that has been done by many community theatres. After seeing the CPH/PHSq production there should be little upset.  Steel Magnoliasis a must see production that tells a life story with comedy and pathos!  Bravo!
 
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Mark Horning
As satisfying as a Southern home cook meal this sharply written gem of a play with its rapier wit has been pared down to the basic emotions of joy, love, friendship, fear and anguish as performed by a wonderful cast of relatable characters.  Bring the family for a dose of Southern fried humor.
To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

Howard Gollup

Unfortunately it’s not apparent that anything new has been stamped into this “Steel Magnolias.” It’s just a stamped-out production of a serviceable “dramady.”
It’s still a passable evening of theater, and it’s mounted befittingly for a Playhouse Square production (with nice sets by Vicki Smith).
But how fun or funny it winds up being for any individual depends ultimately on how easily he or she can afford a ticket in the first place.
 
Kerry Clawson

We find ourselves laughing through the tears as we spend a couple of hours with six southern spitfires in the beloved comedy-drama "Steel Magnolias" at Cleveland Play House.
This warm, poignant all-female play, directed by Cleveland Play House’s Laura Kepley, is a first-time co-production between CPH and Playhouse Square. CPH’s joint production with Playhouse Square, which is in an extended run into August, is beautifully directed and performed.

To see a full review of this show, read Kerry Clawson's review here.

Andrea Simakis

Southern charm, delivered by women on stage and off. 

To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' blog or visit Cleveland.com here.

Jumat, 01 April 2016

hello MR. WOLF @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



April 2 through 24, 2016
216-241-6000

Bob Abelman

Surely you followed the real-life drama of Michelle Knight who, in 2002, was abducted by Ariel Castro and finally rescued from his Tremont home after spending 11 years in captivity.  Leave it to Cleveland-born playwright Rajiv Joseph to find poetry in such pathology.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's CJN article here.

Roy Berko

MR. WOLF is a study of a girl, a man and a family in turmoil.  The dark drama leaves many unanswered questions that should tweak after-production discussions.  It is a play which will confound some, and exhilarate others (including me).  It is the kind of script that CPH should do more of in order to stretch the audience to be exposed to a wide range of theater. 

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Mark Horning


While abounding with a variety of unanswered questions, “Mr. Wolf” gives you just enough information to answer what in some cases may be rhetorical.  The amount of thinking effort post play is up to you but at the least it will make for a lively discussion on the way home.  Well done.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

Christine Howey
After an opening scene that pulses with intrigue laced with heady discussions about infinity and the cosmos, the play slowly devolves into a domestic drama with snatches of a police investigation. It is indeed rare to see a play begins so promisingly and then meander away from glorious possibilities to settle for a handful of mundane clichés.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

David Ritchey


Playwright Rajiv Joseph tackled an almost impossible subject in “Mr. Wolf.” I went into the performance in Cleveland Play House’s Outcalt Theatre with no knowledge of the subject of this drama.  Now, I have nothing but admiration for Joseph and the cast for dealing so openly with this topic.

To see a full review of this show, read David's posts at Talkin' Broadway

Andrea Simakis

MR. WOLF, like Joseph's BENGAL TIGER, works on our hearts as its' messing with our heads.  If also refuses to offer pat answer or an ending tied up in a neat, bright bow, all reasons to celebrate this finely wrought production.

To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' blog or visit Cleveland.com here.

Jumat, 26 Februari 2016

hello LUNA GALE @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



February 27 through March 20, 2016
216-241-6000

Bob Abelman

A year or two ago, a short play called “Legally Addicted” toured Cleveland-area schools and dramatized the opiate epidemic among teens in order to educate and advocate.  Many of the kids in attendance – who received community service credit or reduced probation to be there – felt trapped within a public service announcement as the play’s didactic earnestness and frequent teaching moments overpowered things meant to be merely entertaining.  Rebecca Gilman’s “Luna Gale” seems to have had a similar effect on its opening night audience at Cleveland Play House’s Allen Theatre.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's CJN article here.

Roy Berko

One of the purposes of good theatre is to enlighten and educate an audience.  LUNA GALE does just that as it continues CPH’s quality centennial season. The script is well written, the acting top notch, the directing spot on. This is a must see for anyone who wants to experience an emotionally wrenching tale of the real world of social work and the fragile child welfare system.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here. 

Mark Horning

Luna Gale is a deeply dark and disturbing play that exposes the weaknesses of our over burdened child protection services, the drug epidemic sweeping the country and the Christian fanatics who wait with zeal for the rapture.  It is a show that will give you plenty to talk about, especially the surprisingly logical ending.  Bring your adult children to see this and you will appreciate them much more. 

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

Christine Howey
There are many facets in Luna Gale, and they aren't all addressed with equal success. But the cast, for the most part, is up to the challenge. 


To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene

Andrea Simakis

It's an amazingly engrossing piece of work, an edge-of-your-seat drama from its cranked-up beginning to its heartbreaking end.  Make no mistake: Though often mordantly funny, as all good pieces about the workings and failings of government are, "Luna Gale" has the makings of a modern-day tragedy. 

To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' blog or visit Cleveland.com here.

Art Thomas

The subject matter of this play moves directly into the laps of the audience with the cast never more than five feet from the front of the stage. The 110 minute study explores the powerful influences on a baby born to ill-prepared addict parents. It's powerful material stuffed with enough discussion questions for a mini-series.

Click here to read the complete review at WestLife

Kamis, 21 Januari 2016

hello THE MOUNTAINTOP @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



January 23 through February 14, 2016
216-241-6000

Bob Abelman

‘The Mountaintop’ at Cleveland Play House is built on hallowed but shaky ground.

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's blog here.

Roy Berko


THE MOUNTAINTOP is not an easy play to watch, especially since we know what is going to happen the next day on the balcony outside that motel  room.  That is not to say the play is depressing. It’s not. It is filled with vivid imagery and humor.  The Cleveland Play House reinvention of the script is a perfect Black History month offering and is a theatrical must see!
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Mark Horning


Without a doubt, it will be seen that the Cleveland Play House production of “The Mountaintop” will be one of the high points of the Cleveland theatrical season.  This play shaves away the public perceptions of a great man and shows him for all his human qualities without lessoning his appeal one iota.  Gather all your friends for a night of exceptional theater. 

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

Christine Howey

The Mountaintop is shallow and manipulative, overreaching to make us consider Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. a saint. He was simply a remarkably gifted man who fought fearlessly and eloquently for human rights. And that should be enough.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's blog Rave and Pan

Art Thomas

The playwright takes King at one moment of his life, and theatrically shows the effects of that moment on a man--separate from the hero. It's an intense vision and emotionally draining to watch, especially as the pace quickens toward the assassination in Memphis, Tennessee. Two performers make the King legend human, and brilliant production design adds context to our present time. 

Click here to read the complete review at WestLife

Kamis, 14 Januari 2016

hello LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



Through February 7, 2016
216-241-6000

Bob Abelman

The Cleveland Play House doesn’t often stage musicals and, when it does, most serve to tell the life story of legendary singers like Mahalia Jackson, Woody Guthrie, and five guys named Moe. It is the exception when the CPH boldly colors outside the lines and stages so effectively something as outrageously campy and hilariously quirky as "Little Shop of Horrors.”  

To see a full review of this show, read Bob Abelman's CJN article here.

Roy Berko

LITLE SHOP OF HORRORS will delight audience members who are looking for an escapist evening of theatre, while giving the “thinking” audience an opportunity to consider the implications of the Ashman-Menken creation.  The show is well-conceived by director/choreographer/musical director Amanda Dehnert.
 
To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Kerry Clawson

A bloodbath can be an awful lot of fun when it’s Audrey II you’re talking about, the man-eating plant in Cleveland Play House’s delicious celebration of the ultra-campy: "Little Shop of Horrors."  Director Amanda Dehnert has modernized this 1982 musical by replacing its original trio of street urchins with five sexy girl band members.

To see a full review of this show, read Kerry Clawson's review here.

Mark Horning

With two show stopping hummable tunes to take home, a great stage set, fine acting and singing, a really rocking band and of course the true star of the show, Audrey II, “Little Shop” is a creepy delight that will entertain all who attend.  The show is a killer.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

Christine Howey

Sure enough, this production at the Allen Theatre is often a fun ride. And if you've never seen this show before, the bloodthirsty plant and the sadistic dentist will definitely blow your skirt up. But if you have seen Little Shop previously, you may be distracted by some odd directorial choices and a couple performances that fall a tad short.

To see a full review of this show, read Christine Howey's review at  Cleveland Scene


Andrea Simakis

Why does "Little Shop of Horrors" 2016 at the Cleveland Play House feel flat and uninspired much of the time?  Maybe it's because it isn't content to sha-boop its way into ears and hearts.

To see a full review of this show, read Andrea Simakis' blog or visit Cleveland.com here.



Art Thomas

There's some rethinking of the original production of this show, which itself was a musical adaptation of a low-budget campy horror film. The talking plant from outer space desires to take over the world, but nerdy florist assistant Seymour tries to make things right. Ari Butler dances up a storm using the exuberant direction/choreography of Amanda Dehnert.

Click here to read the complete review at WestLife

Jumat, 27 November 2015

hello A CHRISTMAS STORY @ CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE - hub



November 27 through December 23, 2015
216-241-6000 

Roy Berko


It’s back!  Once again CPH is presenting “A Christmas Story.”  This production, as has become the tradition, is a charming reenactment of the Jean Shepard story.

To see a full review of this show, read Roy Berko's blog here.

Mark Horning

Although this production has come through with very little changes, it is the kind of story that bears repeating from time to time.  It is a story of hope, fighting against the odds, friendship and winning over adversity.  Plus it is just plain fun to watch.  Bring the family and have a ball.

To see a full review of this show, read Mark Horning's blog.

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