Great Lakes Theatre’s ‘The Secret Garden’ blossoms

CLEVELAND – Methods of natural healing have interested people since the beginning of mankind. And knowledge about the power of the human mind is older than Freud (May 6, 1856- September 23, 1939). Both topics are as alive and well in 2015 as the English lad Colin Craven turns out...

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Ensemble’s ‘Death of a Salesman’ is riveting theater

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS — Attention must be paid, accolades must be heaped upon and applause must be showered on a splendid Ensemble Theatre cast deftly performing “Death of a Salesman,” Arthur Miller’s expertly-structured, Pulitzer-Prize winning tragedy of a common man whose value in the work world is running out. The production...

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Dobama’s ‘Or,’ about first female playwright is witty, lush, playful

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS – It’s rare to come across a sex farce that brims with intelligence and eloquence while being relevant. To find such a play – one full of gorgeous, poetic, smart language, unbridled joy, celebration and succulent sexuality — one need look no further than Dobama Theatre, where the...

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Ensemble’s ‘Farragut North’ deftly captures competitive spirit within politicial circles

Taxes? The economy? Immigration? Education? Social Security? The environment? Those issues and others important to Americans have almost no place in the biting satire “Farragut North,” now playing through Sunday, Sept. 6 on Ensemble Theatre’s extremely intimate Playground auditorium. I believe I counted a single line or perhaps two at...

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Mercury’s ‘Poppins’ ferociously entertaining

SOUTH EUCLID – She’s sure making good use of “Umbrella Airline’s” frequent flyer program here and to the west. She’s swooped from the skies to land at Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood for their annual holiday show late last year. She came in for another landing at Norwalk...

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Rousing ‘Footloose’ also raises important questions

How do you strike a balance between protecting your children from bad influences and letting them experience life?“Footloose,” the last 2015 Huron Playhouse production — a sensitive, heartfelt effort that pulses with energy — is much more than a rockin’ experience. It’s also deeper than a simple rebellious boy tale.The...

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This ‘Cinderella’ retains the familiar while adding refreshingly modern twists

CLEVELAND — The prince is giving a ball. Well, what else is new in “Cinderella,” that favorite fairy tale that’s existed since 1634, according to information provided by PkayhouseSquare. Plenty else is new — well, relatively speaking — with the rags-to-riches story about the poor servant girl who, with the...

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Huron Playhouse offers a tempestuos, convincing ‘Cat’

HURON — (Merriam-Webster) Mendacity: Lack of honesty.There’s plenty of mendacity to fill “the 28,000 acres of the richest land this side of the Valley Nile” in Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize winning play, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” set in the south in 1954 on a plantation.But you won’t uncover...

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OSTF’s gimmick free, updated ‘All’s Well’ a delight that resonates

OSTF’s gimmick free, updated ‘All’s Well’ a delight that resonates OBERLIN — William Shakespeare meets “Downton Abbey” in the Oberlin Summer Theatre Festival’s impressive production of the sophisticated, engrossing comedy “All’s Well That End’s Well,” running through Aug. 8 at Hall Auditorium in this college town.Director Paul Moser has set...

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‘The Odd Couple’ somewhat amusing but getting old

HURON — Ahhhhhh … Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple.”
Where have I heard that title before?
It’s been so long since I’ve seen slob Oscar Madison and neatnik Felix Ungar.
And so, seeing one of beloved playwright Neil Simon’s most popular and well-known plays on Tuesday at the Huron Playhouse was a little like seeing a friend you haven’t seen in ages. You’ve seen him countless times and you’re as familiar with his peculiar idiosyncrasies as you are with your own habits. Yet you expect that due to the time that’s elapsed, you’ll encounter an all-new, fresh face.

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