by Barbara Waldinger Imagine a production of Macbeth without the witches. No “When shall we three meet again?” No “Double, double toil and trouble: Fire, burn; and, cauldron, bubble.” No cauldron for that matter; no murderers to kill Banquo or Macduff’s family—only blood magically spurting from their chests. These are…
by Roseann Cane I was just shy of 15 when Hair opened off-Broadway and began to cause a stir in 1967, a pivotal time in American culture. When a significantly revised version of the show opened on Broadway in 1968, it rapidly permeated the culture it reflected. It’s impossible to…
by Barbara Waldinger The local go-to venue for big, splashy summer musicals is usually Chatham’s Mac-Haydn Theatre. The tiny stage is characteristically populated with dozens of talented young singers/dancers/actors, energetic and beautifully costumed.  However, the latest production, Mamma Mia!, despite showcasing all the usual ingredients, is largely a disappointment. Part…
by Barbara Walldinger Directions for a perfect production of The Cake:  start with a brilliant, sensitive and brave playwright (Bekah Brunstetter), add a director who understands the playwright’s message and translates it beautifully from page to stage (Jennifer Chambers), throw in a multi-talented actress who can embody the inner life…
by Barbara Waldinger Metaphor: the oft-repeated word describing Rabbi Michael Levitz-Sharon (Tara Franklin)’s view of biblical stories in Mark-Leiren-Young’s Bar Mitzvah Boy. The Creation of the World in 7 Days, the Burning Bush, Noah’s Ark, the Binding of Isaac—all metaphors, not to be taken literally, according to the Rabbi. This…
by Barbara Waldinger For its first production of the 2018 season, Shakespeare & Company dispenses with kings, queens and wars, instead seeking a perfect marriage between the characters depicted onstage and the viewing audience. Although, alas, no perfect marriage exists for the three mature characters in Carey Crim’s Morning After…
by Barbara Waldinger The Mac-Haydn Theatre, celebrated for its spectacular musical revivals, opened its 50th season with the Tony-award winning Damn Yankees. The performance delivered on its promise of outstanding singer/dancers directed (by John Saunders) and choreographed (by Brian Knowlton) to a fare-thee-well. Damn Yankees first opened in 1955, written…
by Barbara Waldinger For the past four years, Bridge Street Theatre has laudably dared to present challenging plays with highly controversial central characters. Following up on last year’s depiction, in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the Moon Marigolds, of a mother whose verbal and emotional abuse threatens to destroy…
