by Paula Kaplan-Reiss 2026, the 250th anniversary of our country, is the perfect time to bring back the Tony award musical, 1776, first performed on Broadway in 1969 and made into a popular film in 1972, book by Peter Stone, and music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards. A revival was…
by Paula Kaplan-Reiss Lorraine Hansberry, the first black woman to have a play on Broadway in 1959, wrote A Raisin in the Sun, depicting a poor black family on the Southside of Chicago, wrestling with how to spend a $10,000 life insurance check left by the late Walter Lee Younger,…
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…
by Paula Kaplan-Reiss EDITOR’S NOTE: This review was written in response to a preview performance of 1999. As with any world premiere production, some changes may have been made before the official opening. Having the opportunity to see a preview of the world premiere of 1999,, I am confronted with…
by Paula Kaplan-Reiss The late great William Finn wrote the music and lyrics for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, originally workshopped at Barrington Stage Company in 2004 and premiered on Broadway in 2005. A winner of two Tony awards, this sweet, endearing and hilarious musical depicts the competitors…
Pittsfield— On Tuesday, October 7th at 1:30 p.m., OLLI presents the Berkshire Theatre Critics Panel for an in-depth virtual discussion and review of the 2025 theatre season in the Berkshires. Moderated by Naomi Spatz and featuring theater critics of The Berkshire Edge, The Berkshire Eagle, Berkshire Bright Focus, and Berkshire On Stage, the…
by Jeannie Marlin Woods The 2025 Berkshire Theatre Season is beginning to wind down and the reflection on the season as a whole is beginning. One theme that has emerged is the need for humor and laughter in what many feel are dark days. So, I suppose it is not…
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…
