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Alice
Adapted by Mary Hall Surface from a story by Charles Dodgson, who wrote as Lewis Carroll
Directed by Mary Hall Surface
Produced by Round House Theatre
Reviewed by Tim Treanor

What churl could not love a stage adaptation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? What sort of cretin would not melt like a caramel nougat left in the sun to see this clever and plucky child, struggling with a pack of cards come to life, and with a feline who is all grin and no cat, and with a crazy hatter, and with a croquet mallet made of flamingo, and with a dozen other things no child in her right mind would have ever conceived? (more…)

Miss Nelson Is Missing!
Based on the book by Harry Allard
Book, music, & lyrics by Joan Cushing
Directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer
Produced by Imagination Stage
Reviewed by Steven McKnight

Miss Nelson Is Missing!, a hit children’s musical that made its world premiere at Imagination Stage in 2001, has returned to delight a new generation of children.  This enchanting and entertaining production offers a wonderful family theatre opportunity for the holiday season. (more…)

Playing from the Heart
By Charles Way
Directed by Janet Stanford
Produced by Imagination Stage
Reviewed by Leslie Weisman

What do you get when you take an almost bare-bones set, a heroine who can’t hear but who won’t hear of not making music, an orchestra of ideophones evoked by sticks, boards, panes and chimes and an indefatigable determination to do what those who love you, those who laugh at you, those who doubt you and those who deny you, say just can’t be done?

If it’s Charles Way’s innovative and inspirational Playing from the Heart, you get an absorbing and evocative biographical drama about a young woman both from and of the sticks who proved them all wrong to become the premier percussion artist of her generation. (more…)

Busytown
adapted for the stage by Kevin Kling
from the book “What Do People Do All Day” by Richard Scarry
music by Michael Koerner
lyrics by Kevin Kling and Michael Koerner
directed by Krissy Marty
produced by Imagination Stage
reviewed by Ted Ying

“So simple, yet so brilliant.”  says Huckle the cat when the postal service is explained to him.  But he might just as well be describing this wonderfully enchanting production (more…)

Story Theatre
By Paul Sills
Co-Directed by Suzanne Richard & Ian Armstrong
Produced by Open Circle Theatre
Reviewed by Steven McKnight

Watching Open Circle Theatre’s performance of Story Theatre reminded me of the importance of play selection.  This adaptation of several of Grimm’s fairy tales and Aesop’s fables accentuates the strengths of the company and delivers a satisfying evening of family entertainment. (more…)

• The Neverending Story
• Based on the novel by Michael Ende . Adapted by David S. Craig
• Directed by Janet Stanford
• Produced by Imagination Stage
• Reviewed by Ted Ying

Only a human child can save the land of Fantastica.  Such stuff as dreams are made on-or at least children’s fantasy.  The Neverending Story is such a fantasy, brought to life by Imagination Stage. (more…)

• Goodnight Moon
• Musical Adaptation by Chad Henry
• Based on the book by Margaret Wise Brown
• Directed by Mary Hall Surface
• Music Direction by Jay Crowder
• Co-produced by Adventure Theatre and Tribute Productions
• Reviewed by Gary McMillan

I thought I was wandering into a theatre to find a general admission seat for an evening performance, only to find that I had actually crossed a threshold into a Great Green Room. Oh, my!  (more…)

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• Two Future Stars Shine in Act Two’s Cabaret
• Josh Holober-Ward and Tracy Ramsay
• Interviewed by Joel Markowitz

(more…)

 

 Josh and Tracy Future Musical Stars: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1638)

• Looking for Roberto Clemente
• Book and Lyrics by Karen Zacarias . Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma
• Directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer
• Choreographed by Krissie Marty
• Produced by Imagination Stage
• Reviewed by Ted Ying

Do You Remember Where You Were…?

When you heard about 9/11?  When space shuttle Columbia crashed?  When JFK was assassinated?  Most people remember where they were when pivotal events in history occurred.  And like any other Pittsburgher, I remember when I learned in 1972 of the passing of our local hero, Roberto Clemente.  (more…)

• Cinderella
• Script and puppets by Christopher Piper
• Directed by Allan Stevens
• Produced by The Puppet Co
• Reviewed by Hunter Kieserman

Spending an afternoon at Glen Echo’s puppet theatre is such a pleasure! Just walking around on the grounds where the theater is located brings back great memories of all the shows I have seen there. I have been seeing productions at Glen Echo since I was seven or eight years old and I am very happy to see that Glen Echo Park is still going strong.   (more…)