Favorites of 2025: Paula Kaplan-Reiss

After a fulfilling theater season of seeing close to 50 plays, musicals, and staged readings, I have walked away with some impressive highlights which have stayed with me. How fortunate to live in an area rich with gifted playwrights and talented performers, not to mention the able staff and crew…

REVIEW: “Escape to Margaritaville” at the Mac-Haydn Theatre

by Paula Kaplan-Reiss Escape to Margaritaville, featuring the music of the late Jimmy Buffett, had a brief run on Broadway in 2018. Bringing this musical to the Mac-Haydn stage is Director/Choreographer, Clint Hromsco. Given the brevity of Margaritaville’s experience on Broadway and my lack of familiarity with Buffett’s music, myexpectations…

REVIEW: “Annie” at the Mac-Haydn Theatre

by Paula Kaplan-Reiss Multiple Tony Award winning musical, Annie, first on Broadway in 1977 for six years, revived on Broadway in 2012, toured all over the world and probably performed at every theater in this country, delights audiences again at Mac-Haydn Theatre. Annie last appeared at the Mac-Haydn in 2018,…

REVIEW: “The Last Five Years” at the Mac-Haydn Theatre

by Barbara Waldinger Mac-Haydn Theatre’s latest “Special Event” is a two-day run of Jason Robert Brown’s THE LAST FIVE YEARS, sandwiched in just before the final weekend of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.  Experimenting with events like concerts,  “Show Stoppers” and now a fully-staged musical, Producing Artistic Director John Saunders, who directs…

Mac-Haydn Theatre Announces Limited Engagement of “The Last Five Years”—Two Nights Only

CHATHAM, NY (July 30, 2025)—The Mac-Haydn Theatre is thrilled to present Jason Robert Brown’s celebrated musical, The Last Five Years, for an exclusive limited run of just two performances: Wednesday, July 30 and Friday, August 1. This intimate, powerful two-person musical has captivated audiences around the world with its unique storytelling and…

REVIEW: “Jesus Christ Superstar” at The Mac-Haydn Theatre

by Paula Kaplan-Reiss The Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice Tony nominated rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar is the fourth glorious musical of the Mac-Haydn Theatre season. Originally performed on Broadway in 1972, this musical, loosely based on the Gospel of Matthew has enjoyed many revivals with classic songs that cemented the…

Mac-Haydn Theatre Cuts Loose with “Footloose”

(June 29, 2023–Chatham, NY) The Mac-Haydn Theatre continues its summer season of hits with “Footloose,” the Tony and Grammy winning musical based on the decade-defining film of the same name, running July 6 – 16. Coming to the Mac-Haydn stage for only the second time in its history, “Footloose” follows the…

REVIEW: “42nd Street” at the Mac-Haydn Theatre

by Lisa Jarisch Is there a better way to celebrate the first full day of summer than an evening spent at a theater putting on a show about putting on a show? Surely not, and in classic Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney “ Here’s a barn. Let’s put on a show!” fashion—complete…