theater

'Jersey Boys' keeps audience beggin’ for more
By Gabrielle Hughes
September 15, 2016 - 4:07pm
Review: Whether you hail from the homeland or have never set foot on Jersey soil, this show packs a punch that will have you singing along by the third verse.

For four nights and four nights only, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons are lighting up the Landmark Theatre with one of the most beloved jukebox musicals of all time.

Syracuse Opera has hidden grandeur in the heart of the city
By Michelle Hernandez
December 14, 2014 - 9:06pm
As patrons age and audience sensibilities change, Syracuse Opera takes strides to stay relevant in the digital age.

Opera is typically associated with traditional grandeur and the theatrical arts of yesteryear. An abundance of modern pop culture and entertainment media have clouded the eyes of this generation, leaving opera in the dark. Hidden in the heart of Syracuse lies Syracuse Opera, a theatrical gem in Upstate New York. The company strives to maintain relevance among the ever-changing stream of popularity by captivating audiences of all ages with fresh and engaging productions.

D.R.E.A.M. Freedom Revival: Where big-tent gospel theater meets political activism
By Nathan McAlone
December 10, 2014 - 12:04pm
Local activist Kevin Bott has run for mayor in Syracuse, but his real political power comes from his electric performances in the D.R.E.A.M. Freedom Revival, a musical theater group.

The first time Reverend Ebenezer Abernathy invited his audience to testify, a man stood up and declared he was an undocumented immigrant.

SU Drama-Syracuse Stage partnership nurtures burgeoning actors
By Jiamin Jiang
December 8, 2014 - 3:28pm
The collaboration between SU's drama program and downtown's theater allows students to graduate ahead of the curve in terms of real-world acting experience.

Jonathan R. Watson, a musical theater senior in Syracuse University’s Department of Drama (SU Drama), never tires of talking about his interesting experience of performing at Syracuse Stage, a professional regional theater downtown.

SU Drama's 'Stepping Out' is a toe-tapping good time
By Lauren Cavalli
November 18, 2014 - 1:21am
Review: An expressive cast saves the airy 'Stepping Out' from its most problematic element: its writing.

Editor's note: This review was originally published at Green Room Reviews on Nov. 17, 2014.

SU Drama’s second play of the season, Stepping Out, felt like an extra long episode of Seinfeld: It was laugh-out-loud funny, but it was a play about nothing.

Redhouse's 'The Penguin Tango' is the start of something bigger
By Seamus Kirst
October 28, 2014 - 12:37pm
Review: A flamboyant, whimsical tale still in its infancy hits its stride and sparks important social conversations.

Editor's note: This review originally appeared at Green Room Reviews on October 25, 2014.

Homosexual penguins, a flamingo dressed like Elton John and a polar bear wearing ballet flats are just a few of the characters you’ll see frenetically flouncing around the stage at the Redhouse Arts Center’s endearing production of The Penguin Tango.

Legacy flows through stories with 'The Piano Lesson' at Syracuse Stage
By Love Lee
October 27, 2014 - 4:25pm
Review: Family, tradition and ghosts of the past haunt the stage during the performance of August Wilson's play, which runs until Nov. 9.

Editor's note: This review originally appeared at Green Room Reviews on October 25, 2014.

August Wilson’s 1990 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama tells all the right stories.

Baldwinsville Theatre Guild puts on the Ritz with 'Young Frankenstein'
By Patrick Hosken
October 25, 2014 - 4:21pm
Review: A small theater in Baldwinsville pulls off a big, colorful, musical production of the beloved 1974 film starring Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle.

Editor's note: This review originally appeared at Green Room Reviews on October 24, 2014.

Local director uses theater to create dialogue on domestic violence
By Lauren Cavalli
October 22, 2014 - 9:36am
A new football-themed play, "Drafters, A Parable," has roots in a men's workshop designed to champion preventative conversations about violence against women.

Imagine a play without a script, without characters, without a plot.

What’s left?

For Ryan Hope Travis, 29, the answer is artistic freedom.

'Evil Dead: The Musical' brings laughs and buckets of blood
By Kate Drozynski
October 20, 2014 - 12:06am
Review: Fake blood, zombified corpses, campy tunes, shotguns and chainsaws. Need we say more?

Editor's note: This review originally appeared at Green Room Reviews on October 18, 2014.