The Mountaintop

  A Provocative Presentation!

  On the last night of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s life a young maid will off him hope, mercy, comfort ... and promise.

  Brilliantly written; amazingly performed; well directed; and, remarkably set, this play is a moving experience that should not be missed!

Starring:

Royce Johnson and Joniece Abbott-Pratt

Writer:   Katori Hall

Director: Skip Greer 

A / PG2
04 April 2015
Reel Reviews by Jaymes

West Side Story

 A surprising treat from this very talented troupe of amateurs and professionals.

 In the summer of 1957, the streets of New York City are alive with bigotry and violence. The Jets (a gang of white teenagers) and The Sharks (a gang of Puerto Rican teenagers) fight for dominance in the neighborhood they’ve been forced to cohabit. Compelled by their love for one another, Tony and Maria strive to bring peace to their neighborhood. Can love survive under the shroud of hatred and death?

 This live-stage production is very well choreographed. The dancing and stunts achieved with a quality defying expectation. The orchestration too is outstanding! However, the direction and portrayals in this show are often uneven. And, the use of microphones did little to enhance the experience. Still, I would recommend attending this show and I look forward to seeing more of this troupe’s work.

C / PG2

Starring: Michael Hall; Samantha Lasch; Jim Maxwell; and, Kelly Ann Murray.
Featuring: Chip Attwood; Brian Maxwell; Katie Murphy; and, J. Simmons.
With: Brittany Cerra; Kapil Dass; Crystal Diaz; and, Chris Eklund.
Also: Aaron Grippo; Aimee Grymin; Emily Kuschner; and, Sadie Mueller.
Plus: Liz Miranda
Writer: Arthur Laurents
(with music by Leonard Bernstein)
(and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim)
Directors: John Murphy; Ron Bowks; Jillian Miller; Derek Baird; and, Michael Johnston
[from a concept by Jerome Robbins]

Reel Review by Josef

Almost Maine

Funny, sweet, romantic and a bit unusual.

One winter night in the ‘not-quite’ township of Almost Maine, several pairs of people, some strangers, most not, find themselves with new perspective, new hope and new love.

There’s nothing too dramatic about this play, just an unusual bit of humor and romance defying description. Four performers for twenty roles in eleven scenes. Wonderfully set {even the stage hands get into the act!}, brilliantly directed and beautifully performed, attending this show is a terrific way to spend a winter’s evening!

A+ / PG2

Starring: David Mason; Alexis McGuinness; Patrick Noonan; and, Regan Thompson.
Writer: John Cariani
Director: Skip Greer

Reel Reviews by Josef

Evie's Waltz

A disturbing drama, provocatively presented.

It’s often easy to blame the parents when a child has gone bad... but who do you blame when you are the parents? What do you say? Who do you ask? How did my child do this terrible thing? What have I done? This is the dilemma now facing Clay and Gloria in the wake of an event which occurred at Evie’s school today.

Remarkably written and brilliantly performed this live-stage production is directed with an easy hand, allowing the audience to question all they see and hear... in the end one may feel an overwhelming sense of awe as they somberly leave the theater to go home and hug their children.

B / PG2

Starring: Magan Wiles; Annie Fitzpatrick; and, Skip Greer.
Writer: Carter W. Lewis
Director: Tim Ocel

Reel Review by Josef Franklin

Sweeney Todd

Attend The Tale Of Sweeney Todd!

Wrongfully imprisoned, a man has returned to London for reunion and revenge. Alas, his wife and child have been taken from him. With his beloved spouse there can be no reunion and his child too may be forever lost to him. Revenge would seem to be all there can be for Mr. Sweeney Todd – but how to do it? Razor in hand, he will return to the work for which he was once most famed... they will come to him and the blood will flow!

An amazingly macabre tale with brilliant song. Astonishingly performed and superbly directed - this live-stage production is not to be missed!

A+ / R

Starring: Marissa McGowan; Kristie Dale Sanders; Stephen Tewksbury; and, James Van Treuren.
Featuring: Leslie Becker; Daniel Bogart; Roland Rusinek; and, Brad Weinstock.
With: Ron DeStefano and Don Mayo.
Writers: Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim [from an adaption by Christopher Bond]
Director: Mark Cuddy

Reel Review by Josef

Sahara Nights

A terrific live-stage event!

Once upon a time there was a bored king and a young woman with a love for stories. To relieve the king’s boredom and ease the anxiety of his tyrannized people, she will tell the tales of three men: a daring peasant; an adventurous captain; and, a foolish emperor.

In this production, the popular tales of Shaharazad are retooled for popular culture and delightful humor. Music and song bring more energy to the stage and heighten the audience’s pleasure.

Brilliantly written, set and performed, this production is proof positive of the absolute value of music, drama and arts programs in school!

A / PG

Starring: Mason Ames; Kaylin Cervini; Mike Flanagan; Stephanie Summa; Robert Swanger; and, Samantha Thomas.
Featuring: Sydney Abbate; Anthony Grieco; Aaron Grippo; Moira Madden; Jen Reeves; and, Alex Sinanan.
With: Molly Bliss; Christina Grieco; Chris Mumpton; Jason Phillips; and, Alayna Zimbrich.
Writer(s): Hilton High School Drama Club [adapted from the work of Wade Bradford]
Directors: Leah Oltean and Mike Flanagan

Reel Review by Josef

House In Hydesville

Wonderfully spooky and mysterious in the first act – woefully less in the second!

In the winter of 1848 a poor family moved from the city (Rochester NY) to Hydesville, some thirty miles to the southeast. The family moved into a small rented cottage, locally known as [because some manner of fatal tragedy had occurred at] “the spook house”. Not long after settling into their new home, the family is plagued by unearthly visitations.

Soon, this haunting became a national event. The family’s new found fame afforded them the opportunity to not only return to the city but tour the nation – and abroad. Surviving Congressional investigation, spearheaded by men and woman who believed the family’s two youngest had “spiritual” power, The National Spiritualist Association of Churches was founded.

But, was there more... what were those strange noises... could it have been a great hoax?

Remarkably well performed this play seemed incomplete and unevenly directed.

D / PG2

Starring: Lauren Orkus; Annie Purcell; and, Lanie MacEwan
Featuring: Kristin Griffith; Michael Rudko; Rachel Rusch; and, Garrett Neergard
Writer: Dan O’Brien
Director: Skip Greer

Reel Reviews by Josef

A Christmas Story

A Delightful Surprise!

It’s that time of year when all children’s thoughts turn toward the receiving of a special gift. And, so it is with Ralphie; who, determined to get a Range Rider BB Gun [“with a thing to tell time built right into the stock”], has a plan to ensure that rifle will be his for Christmas. Alas, fate would seem to be against him [“You’ll put your eye out, kid.”]. Can Ralphie overcome cruel fate and it’s allies? Wish fulfilled or not, this will be one Christmas Ralphie will never forget.

This live-stage production is remarkably written and brilliantly set. Excellent performances by Eoin Dennis; Gavin Flood; Robert Krakovski; Lanie MacEwan; Brigitt Markusfeld; and, Sage Melcher ensure audience enjoyment!

B / PG

Starring: Eoin Dennis; Gavin Flood; Robert Krakovski; and, Lanie MacEwan
Featuring: Alison Banks; Eric Michael Gillett; Brigitt Markusfeld; and, Sage Melcher

Written by: Philip Grecian
Directed by: Mark Cuddy

Reel Reviews

By Frank Jaymes

Frost / Nixon

A brilliant live-stage production.

The year was 1977. Former U.S. President Richard M. Nixon had yet to answer accusations which brought about his resignation from office August 1974. A Presidential pardon [extended by President Gerald Ford] and three years of "exile" did little to soothe the agony of a people in need of answers, people demanding justice.

Enter David Frost. A television host whose program ran in the U.S. from 1969 to 1972. He was a diminutive celebrity, if a celebrity at all, in the United States. But, in England and Australia he was a prominent interviewer known to move from conversation to confrontation quickly without clemency.

With a series of interviews the American public would finally have a small measure of justice... and a former President would be convicted.

This is a well written play, brilliantly performed [especially by Keith Jochim, Jim Wisniewski; and, Jeff Talbott] and set. Sparse decoration and few props combined with short scenes and brief narrations keep the audience hungry, salivating for the interviews... waiting to devour the legacy of a President of The United States.

B / PG2

Starring: Keith Jochim; Jim Wisniewski; Jeff Talbott; and, Jeremy Holm.
Featuring: David Anzuelo; Celeste Ciulla; and, Keith Merrill.

Writer: Peter Morgan
Director: Steven Woolf

Reel Reviews
By Frank Jaymes