Wick Theatre shines in rare mounting of ‘Milk and Honey’

Photo by Amy Pasquantonio Ruth Stein (Laura Turnbull) and Phil Arkin (Avi Hoffman) share an intimate moment in The Wick Theatre’s touching production of the rarely performed “Milk and Honey.”   By AARON KRAUSE It is unfortunate that Milk and Honey, the show for which Jerry Herman penned his first...

Read more

‘4000 Miles’ nourishes the soul at PBD

Photo by Alicia Donelan Leo Joseph-Connell (Gabriell Salgado) and Vera Joseph (Patricia Conolly) share a moment in Palm Beach Dramawork’s production of 4000 Miles.   By AARON KRAUSE In the musical Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck and runaway slave, Jim, use distance as a metaphor to describe the...

Read more

‘Misery’ mesmerizes at Empire Stage

  Photo by Joseph Long Annie Wilkes (Elizabeth Price) tends to Paul Sheldon (David R. Gordon) in Empire Stage’s triumphant production of Misery.   By AARON KRAUSE The riveting stage adaptation of Stephen King’s 1987 suspenseful novel, Misery, grabs you in a vice-like grip and never lets go. Undoubtedly, you...

Read more
Controversial ‘Bent’ is a cautionary play for our times

Controversial ‘Bent’ is a cautionary play for our times

  Warning: This play contains brief nudity, disturbing images, and subject matter. Photo by Preston Bircher Max (Matthew Salas) tries to get a point across to Rudy (Ben Shaevitz) in a co-production of the historical play, “Bent.”   By AARON KRAUSE If Martin Sherman’s moving and disturbing, at times implausible...

Read more
Island City Stage’s ‘One in Two’ is eye-opening

Island City Stage’s ‘One in Two’ is eye-opening

Photo by Matthew Tippins The cast of Island City Stage’s production of “One in Two” prepares to face the audience.   By AARON KRAUSE The last show that Island City Stage (ICS) mounted elicited plenty of laughs. After all, the play was the hilarious 1984 spoof, The Mystery of Irma...

Read more
‘Educating Asher’ is an emotionally-satisfying new play

‘Educating Asher’ is an emotionally-satisfying new play

Photo by Carol Kassie The ghost of Elliot Weiss (Murphy Hayes) tries to express himself but Asher (Eytan Deray) is having none of it.    By AARON KRAUSE If you were blessed with an Elliott Weiss in your life, Educating Asher, a heartfelt and humorous new play, will touch you...

Read more
Island City Stage’s “The Mystery of Irma Vep” is consistently entertaining

Island City Stage’s “The Mystery of Irma Vep” is consistently entertaining

Photo by Matthew Tippins Nicodemus Underwood (Larry Buzzeo, back) startles Jane Twisden (Bruce Linser) in Island City Stage’s production of The Mystery of Irma Vep.   By AARON KRAUSE Comic brilliance is on display at Island City Stage (ICS). There, a side-splitting production of the hilarious 1984 spoof, The Mystery...

Read more
This time, we are in the room when ‘The Belle of Amherst’ happens

This time, we are in the room when ‘The Belle of Amherst’ happens

Emily Dickinson (Margery Lowe) embraces life in William Luce’s one-performer play, The Belle of Amherst   By AARON KRAUSE While looking at them through wide, radiant brown eyes, Emily Dickinson extends the black cake to her guests. This time, no screen separates the famed poetess from her visitors. Would they...

Read more
‘Water by the Spoonful’ is richly symbolic, moving

‘Water by the Spoonful’ is richly symbolic, moving

Photo by Ryan Arnst The title ‘Water by the Spoonful’ is symbolic in the play. In the above photo, Arlette del Toro, as Haikumom, appears in a scene from the play.    By AARON KRAUSE If you are trying to escape from a stressful past or painful situation, taking small,...

Read more
‘Cats’ still wins us over

‘Cats’ still wins us over

Photo by Matthew Murphy The Jellicle Cats appear close together, suggesting a tight-knit group.   By AARON KRAUSE They cartwheel, crawl, kick, shake, sing, slide, spin, somersault, speak, jump, kneel, tap dance, talk, walk, and leap – right into our hearts. Even after more than four decades, these felines still...

Read more