Anastasia offers eye-popping visuals, soaring music and heartfelt emotion

Anastasia offers eye-popping visuals, soaring music and heartfelt emotion

      Photo by Matthew Murphy Anya (Lila Coogan) basks in the glow of lights in one of the stunningly vivid projections.   By AARON KRAUSE FT. LAUDERDALE — Dramamine is not one of the products for sale in the theater lobbies where the Broadway musical adaptation of Anastasia plays. But...

Read more
Measure for Measure’s Murder Ballad captivates at Broward Center

Measure for Measure’s Murder Ballad captivates at Broward Center

  (Photo by Tall Glass Photography) Michael (Christopher Alvarez) and Sara (Sabrina Lynn Gore) appear in a scene from Measure for Measure Theatre’s production of Murder Ballad.    By AARON KRAUSE FT. LAUDERDALE — Every once in a while, you hear about a husband and wife who’ve experienced many decades...

Read more
Palm Beach Dramaworks’ Fences offers ample power, pathos

Palm Beach Dramaworks’ Fences offers ample power, pathos

Photo by Samantha Mighdoll Rose (Karen Stephens) confronts her husband, Troy (Lester Purry) in Palm Beach Dramaworks’ riveting production of August Wilson’s Fences.  By AARON KRAUSE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Toward the end of Palm Beach Dramaworks’ breath-stealing, intense and all-together riveting production of August Wilson’s masterpiece, Fences, fierce thunder claps...

Read more
Island City Stage’s From White Plains packs an emotional punch

Island City Stage’s From White Plains packs an emotional punch

    Photo by George Wentzler Ethan (Todd Bruno) and John (Alex Alvarez) live it up in Island City Stage’s production of From White Plains.    By AARON KRAUSE WILTON MANORS, Fla. — William Faulkner wrote, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” And in a devastatingly honest...

Read more
Dynamic ‘Memphis’ is a rousing hit at Actors’ Playhouse

Dynamic ‘Memphis’ is a rousing hit at Actors’ Playhouse

Photo by Alberto Romeu Huey (Eddie Egan) and his mother (Margot Moreland) argue in a scene from Actors’ Playhouse’ production of Memphis: The Musical. By AARON KRAUSE CORAL GABLES, Fla. — About a year ago, Ft. Lauderdale-based Slow Burn Theatre mounted a dynamic production of the highly-charged, Tony-winning musical, Memphis. Today,...

Read more
Crossing Delancey is heartwarming at the Levis JCC

Crossing Delancey is heartwarming at the Levis JCC

  PHOTO BY ALAN NASH Izzy (Hannah Marks, far left) clearly doesn’t want to hear what Hannah the matchmaker (Betsy Lichtman, far right) is saying in the Levis JCC Sandler Center Theater production of Crossing Delancey. Pictured between Izzy and Hannah are Sam (Mark Kirschenbaum) and Bubbie (Fern Katz).   ...

Read more
‘Waitress’ remains timely, touching and empowering in national tour

‘Waitress’ remains timely, touching and empowering in national tour

Photo by Philicia Endelman Jenna Hunterson (Christine Dwyer) appears contemplative in the national equity tour of Waitress   By AARON KRAUSE MIAMI — Jenna Hunterson likely makes the #MeToo movement proud. Certainly, her new-found confidence and nerve inspire many in the Tony-nominated best musical Waitress. In particular, one scene should...

Read more
‘Race’ is vital, engrossing theater at Main Street Players

‘Race’ is vital, engrossing theater at Main Street Players

  (Photo by Dennis Lyzniak) Attorney Jack Lawson (Christopher Dreeson) is animated while making a point. Listening are his client, Charles Strickland (Brian McCormack), law assistant Susan (Trittney Huzzie) and law partner Henry Brown (Keith Oliver).    By AARON KRAUSE MIAMI LAKES – In Main Street Players’ riveting, unmissable mounting...

Read more
Florida Shakespeare Theater’s uneven Romeo and Juliet is on the move  

Florida Shakespeare Theater’s uneven Romeo and Juliet is on the move  

Logo taken from https://www.shakespearemiami.com. By AARON KRAUSE PINECREST, Fla. — While Florida Shakespeare Theater’s current production of Romeo and Juliet offers strong moments, the production mostly fails to touch – and break – one’s heart. Any successful mounting of this play requires heartfelt, passionate chemistry between the title characters. Unfortunately, there’s practically no...

Read more
Inaugural festival celebrates new plays

Inaugural festival celebrates new plays

    Photo courtesy of Palm Beach Dramaworks Panel members smile while discussing “Regional Theatre and the Development of New American Plays”    By AARON KRAUSE WEST PALM BEACH — Regional theater is at “the heart of the American process of creating plays.” That is what National New Play Network...

Read more