Review
Welcome to John Garcia's THE COLUMN
CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL
Created by Jordon Ross, Lindsey Rosin and Roger Kumble, based on the film by Roger KumblePresented by AT&T Performing Arts Center
Runs through 5/26/2019
Reviewed by Ann Saucer,
Associate Critic for John Garcia's THE COLUMN
It is the year 1999 and a posh private boarding school on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is out for the summer. Meet the wealthy, gorgeous step siblings Sebastian Valmont (Jeffrey Kringer) and Kathryn Merteuil (Taylor Pearlstein). For all of their charm and outer beauty, the audience quickly learns that they are devilishly rotten to the core. To hear them tell it, the apples did not fall far from the tree: “Where’s your gold digger mother?” Not at home spending quality time with her daughter; she apparently is with Sebastian’s “impotent, alcoholic father.” The dialogue between these two is sharp, frequently shocking, and consistently un-brotherly.
That Sebastian and Kathryn are unsupervised, while simultaneously enjoying the resources to bankroll Kathryn’s coke habit and Sebastian’s photography-for-blackmail habit, does not fully explain the depth of their ...
THE LIGHTNING THIEF – The Percy Jackson Musical
Adapted from the book THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan Music & Lyrics by Rob Rokicki Book by Joe Tracz Presented by TheatreWorks USA at the AT&T Performing Arts CenterPresented by AT&T Performing Arts Center
Runs through 5/26/2019
Reviewed by Travis McCallum,
Associate Critic for John Garcia's THE COLUMN
Wind chimes sway above me on a massive chandelier, lit in emissive blue and white. A distant rumble of encroaching thunder marks an impending storm and grackles cackle with ominous uncertainty.
Welcome to the world of the Gods.
In the present day, Greek mythology still lives among us littered with half-bloods— half-god and half-mortal children with magical powers. Central to the story of THE LIGHTNING THIEF is Percy Jackson (Chris McCarrell), a boy who finds he doesn’t quite fit in with his surroundings.
“The Lightning Thief” is a story about one teenager boy’s journey of self-discovery to find his godly lineage by embarking on a quest to clear his good name, save his mother from the underworld, all with the help of newfound half-blood friends.
This musical is an adaptation of Joe Tracz’s ...
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
Book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay Lyrics by Johnny Mercer Music by Gene de Paul New Songs by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn Based on the MGM film and ‘The Sobbin’ Women by Stephen Vincent BenetPresented by Granbury Theatre Company
Runs through 5/27/2019
Reviewed by Eric Bird,
Associate Critic for John Garcia's THE COLUMN
Seven Brides is one of those timeless classics that follows the antics of seven unruly brothers living in the mountains of Oregon that want to get brides. Comedy ensues as the brothers learn how to woo the women. This musical came from the 1954 film of the same name. The musical was created in 1978 and first premiered at Dallas Summer Musicals. It reached Broadway in 1982 and has since gone on tours throughout the US and UK. Filled with high energy, rousing tunes and talented singers, this Granbury Theatre Company performance is sure to impress.
This show was done on a well-designed set created by Kerri Pavelick. I loved the mountain backdrop she created; it helped me remember that the characters were all living in the mountains or a ...
ELTON JOHN & TIM RICE’S AIDA: A TIMELESS LOVE STORY
Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice Book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang Produced by special arrangement with Music Theater International, New York, NYPresented by Plaza Theatre Company
Runs through 6/15/2019
Reviewed by Chris Hauge,
Associate Critic for John Garcia's THE COLUMN
Plaza Theatre Company at Dudley Hall in Cleburne, TX transports us to ancient Egypt for a story of star-crossed lovers, told with pop songs and a modern sensibility, and do so with passion and style. The production of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida: A Timeless Love Story, directed by JaceSon P. Barrus, is a wonderful night at the theater and a breath-taking display of talent.
The storyline for the piece is adapted from the famous opera written by Giuseppe Verdi and began life as a ‘concept’ album recorded in 1999 using various famous artists. Adapted for the stage, it gives us the story of Aida (Kim Billins), a Nubian princess who has been captured and taken as a slave to Egypt. Her Captor, Radames (Jacob Catalano), unaware of her ...
