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• Shufflin’ Off to Buffalo
• for a sweet Little Dog and a delicious Sweeney treat
• By Joel Markowitz

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• Cookin’ at the Cookery         
• By Marion J. Caffey
• Produced by Metro Stage
• Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson

Just when you thought you couldn’t get through another musical bio-musical chit-chatting about a late, great jazz singer, something new comes up that smashes your preconceptions and must be seen.  Alberta Hunter deserves the best theatrical treatment around and Metro Stage’s Cookin’ at the Cookery is as good as it gets.   It’s an outstanding rendition of music, drama, top of the line musicians, and, to top it off, two of the finest singers/actors on stage today.  (more…)

• 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother
• By Kate Moira Ryan with Judy Gold
• Produced by Theater J
• Reviewed by Janice Cane

In Judy Gold’s world, selecting a sperm donor is like ordering Chinese food over the phone-you choose a dish, make a few substitutions, and dutifully recite your credit card number. And that’s why Judy Gold’s world is worth stepping into for an hour and a half at Theater J. Quite simply, she’s hilarious. (more…)

• Trad
• By Mark Doherty
• Directed by Linda Murray
• Produced by Solas Nua
• Reviewed by Steven McKnight

Trad (short for “tradition,” one of its overarching themes) is a brilliant Irish stew of surreal comedy, touching drama, clever satire, and thoughtful allegory.  Solas Nua presents a professional and charming production of Mark Doherty’s award-winning play. (more…)

Joel Markowitz interviews Tina Fabrique, star of Ella

Tina sings and swings and her scat-tacular performance as The First Lady of Song has local critics raving.  (more…)

 

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• No Child
• By Nilaja Sun
• Directed by Hal Brooks
• Produced by Woolly Mammoth Theatre
• Reviewed by Joy Jones

Pop quiz question - What’s the name of that show about the brilliant but beleaguered teacher who works with talented but troubled teens in the inner city?  It’s an easy question because there are so many potential right answers - ‘Freedom Writers’, ‘Dangerous Minds’, ‘Boston Public’, ‘Stand & Deliver’, ‘To Sir, with Love’, ‘Up the Down Staircase’.

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• Glory Days
• Music and Lyrics by Nick Blaemire
• Book by James Gardiner
• Directed by Eric Schaeffer
• Produced by Signature Theatre
• Reviewed by Gary McMillan

Glory Days, the latest gemstone on Signature’s string of world premiere musicals, is a diamond in the rough. It is 85 high-energy minutes of song with some of the smartest dialog and lyrics you’re likely to hear in any musical, let alone a pop-rock musical. (more…)

• Argonautika
• First presented in written form by Apollonius of Rhodes
• Adapted and Directed by Mary Zimmerman
• Produced by Shakespeare Theatre Company
• Reviewed by Tim Treanor

Before Aristotle, before The Iliad, a thousand years before the birth of Christ, we were these people: vain, ambitious, passionate, heroic, cowardly, treacherous, capable of great valor and generosity of spirit, and willing to risk life and treasure to obtain something of trivial intrinsic value. Sound familiar?

Tony-award winning director Mary Zimmerman has served up a crispy, tasty version of the ur-myth of Western Civilization, (more…)

• The K of D
• By Laura Schellhardt
• Directed by John Vreeke
• Produced by Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
• Reviewed by Lorraine Treanor

It’s just a plain rehearsal room. You’ve probably been in it before. But step through its curtains this time and see sheets, some sky blue, some dirt beige, a storyteller’s tent in the center, and the hint of - what? Turns out to be a fishing dock.

Hopefully the room will be packed, because you will seek the security of human contact as this tale unfolds.   (more…)

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• Joel Markowitz and Kids Stages reviewer Jonny Perl talk with three outstanding performers from Act Two’s sensational production of 42nd Street.  Listen to this podcast here.