Ever had the hankering to stop being a seat warmer and jump up onstage to join the action? Careening out of your comfort zone and inadvertently breaking the fourth wall are two of the themes in Tom Stoppard’s affable send-up of pat murder mysteries and theater critic pretensions, The Real Inspector Hound.

Those already familiar with the awesome powers of the inimitable Bernardine Mitchell and have waited anxiously for her return to the metro area can breathe a sigh of relief.  She’s back in a winning combination—Mitchell telling the story of Ethel Waters –it’s a no brainer.  You gotta go.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is one of the old chestnuts of the holiday season without a doubt,  as evidenced by the scads of adaptations whether radio play, film, movie musical or animated feature. MetroStage has opted to make merry with Kathy Feininger’s show tune-driven riff on the classic tale.

Pop, fizz, deliriously good. Mash up the sensibilities of Gatsby and Thoroughly Modern Millie; pour over jazz-kissed show tunes laced with interesting harmonies (John Mercurio); stir in a witty book and lyrics (Tajlei Levis) — especially dazzling when cross-talking lyrics float on the intricate score; and before you can say, “Gilded Age” or “Roaring Twenties,” […]