Wednesday, September 15,2010

'Brigadoon' hits music, misses drama

by Paul Wozniak

What if thy built a condo on the plot of land where the magical town of Brigadoon appears from the mist for only one day every 100 years? Would the villagers wake up to urban sprawl? Thankfully, in a sense, “Brigadoon” creators Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe were not concerned with logical, real-world possibilities.

Read more Read it in print

Wednesday, August 4,2010

Less is Moor

Outdoor 'Othello' works effectively

by Paul Wozniak

“Bare bones” blatantly describes the design elements of Shakespeare on the Grand’s "Othello" in its current form.

Read more Read it in print

Wednesday, July 28,2010

’Hairy’ plotter

A boogieman haunts the bayou backwaters in fun frightfest ’Wiley’

by Paul Wozniak

Rounding out the cast is Garrett Clinard as Wiley’s trusty hound Dog, as well as a chorus of trees, vines, prickly bushes and many other malleable conjurations made of Jan Anderson, Carol Ferris, Jennifer Dachtler, Jayke Pell and Bob Murrell..

Read more Read it in print

Wednesday, July 21,2010

Can you taste the ’Love’ tonight?

Williamston Theatre cooks up summer fun with a zany musical

by Paul Wozniak

“Five Course Love” may be light fare from a dramatic standpoint, but it is certainly a tasty and satisfying dish worth trying. A musical that fits cozily on the Williamston Theatre stage, “Five Course Love” offers a variety of flavors for a broad palate, with plenty of spices thrown in as well.

Read more Read it in print

Friday, June 25,2010

'Wonderland' express

Summer Circle production full of fun physicality and imagination

by Paul Wozniak

Playtime with children can often be a surreal experience while their imaginations are still free and untethered by the constraints of growing older. Thus is MSU Summer Circle’s current interpretation of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" (directed by Mary Job) the odyssey of a child at play being regulated and warped by slightly older children.

That’s amore

’Light in the Piazza’ burns brightly at Riverwalk

by Paul Wozniak

“Love knows no boundaries” could be the central theme of “The Light in the Piazza,” a romantic musical that explores more boundaries than just language.

Read more Read it in print

Wednesday, April 28,2010

'Third' isn't quite first-rate drama

Awkward acting hobbles provocative premise

by Paul Wozniak

Are the East Coast liberals really any more open-minded than the Midwest conservatives? The late playwright Wendy Wasserstein did not seem to think so. In her play "Third," currently being performed at the Creole Gallery by the Peppermint Creek Theatre Co.

Read more Read it in print

Wednesday, March 31,2010

Mixed messages

'Talking With' marred by uneven performances

by Paul Wozniak

Monologues — like stories — require different skills from an actor than standard stage dialogue. "Talking With," by the pseudonymous Jane Martin, is at times a struggle for the actors of Icarus Falling and for director Erica Beck. Some scenes have been given painstaki...

Awesome ’Alegria’

Cirque spectacular provides an assortment of amazing acts

by Paul Wozniak

The themes for this show are reportedly darker than other Cirque productions, but apart from a sad clown and a few distorted face masks and disproportioned bodies, there is virtually no darkness to be found. The glittery white costumes are intricately stunning in both surreal design and unlimited movement for the performers.

Read more Read it in print

Wednesday, March 24,2010

Small town, big trouble

’Cheatin’’ is lowbrow, but high in laughs

by Paul Wozniak

The Lansing Civic Players Guild want you to know it is revamping its image. Left with the basement of its costume shop, the Players have cleaned and reformed the space into a cozy black-box setting, albeit not one with tiered seating.

Read more Read it in print