Jan 25

First Time with Feeling: “The Great Pistachio”

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Production Art.

Presented by Yorick Ensemble
By Nicholas Cummings
Directed by Rachel Hall
Fight choreography by Sydney T Grant
Puppet consultant: Em Sheeran

January 23 – February 1, 2026 
Boston Center for the Arts
Plaza Black Box Theatre
539 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116
Online playbill

Critique by Kitty Drexel 

BOSTON — The Great Pistachio is an absurd gem of a play about nothing and everything that starts with the letter B: Brechtian, Beckett, burrow, beg, bunker, banjo, beige, brown, bureau of criminal apprehension, bruise, beets, Bertram, Boris, and Beatrice. To a lesser extent, it’s a play about things that start with the letters A and C: apocalypse and company policy. Yorick Ensemble brings this eccentric but thoughtful one-act play from the New York and Edinburgh Theatre Festivals to the Boston Center for the Arts for two weekends. If you survive Snowmageddon 2026, it’s worth carving a path to the South End to see it before it flits to another city.

Hold on to your butt, we’ve got a weird one. In a bunker at the end of the world, brothers Bertrand Brambles (John Brownlie) and Boris (Tim Lawton) are working on very important projects. Bertrand has written his magnum opus: a five-act, 272-page play free from worldly influence. Boris is determined to finally catch up on his newspaper reading; he won’t budge until he does. But! Boris might watch Bertrand’s play if Bertrand finds it a cast.  Continue reading →

Jan 20

The Invisible Work of Holding It Together in “Job”

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Credit: Benjamin Rose Photography

Presented by Speakeasy Stage Company
By Max Wolf Friedrich
Directed by Marianna Bassham

Jan 16 – Feb 7, 2026
Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts
539 Tremont St
Boston, MA 02116

Critique by Helen Ganley

Approximate run time: 1 hour 20 minutes with no intermission.

This production contains strong language, gun use, and discussions of trauma, violence, and abuse. Distressing sounds are used and were ethically sourced. Strobing effects and red and green flashing lights are also used.

BOSTON — “Everyone needs therapy.” As a 24-year-old woman living in Boston, it’s a phrase you hear tossed around constantly. It might be invoked while unpacking a friend’s toxic ex, a coworker’s strained family dynamics, or a roommate’s own internal battles. The phrase carries an easy confidence that there is a place for these stories to go, a person trained to receive them, and a clean separation between the one who speaks and the one who listens.

Job unsettles that assumption. Its patient is a content moderator, professionally tasked with absorbing the internet’s most disturbing images so others don’t have to encounter them. If therapy depends on the idea that pain can be transferred without consequence, Job asks what happens when both people in the room are already doing that work for a living. What begins as a therapeutic exchange becomes a hall of mirrors, where emotional labor reflects endlessly back on itself. Continue reading →

Jan 14

A Dream Without a Plan Is Just A Wish: “The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar)”

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Yetunde Felix-Ukwu and Victoria Omoregie. Photo by Ken Yotsukura Photography.

Presented by Company One, a co-production with Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
By Nia Akilah Robinson
Directed by Mina Morita
Dramaturgy by Sonia Fernandez

Jan 9 – Jan 31, 2026
The Modern Theatre at Suffolk University
525 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111

Critique by Kitty Drexel

Approximate run time: 1 hour 30 minutes with no intermission.
Seating is general admission.
This play includes strong language and the use of flashing lights.

BOSTON — For theatre folks, nothing puts current events into perspective like a play. America feels like it’s on fire, but it always has been. The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar), now running at Suffolk University’s Modern Theatre through Jan. 31, shows us how to find joy with our loved ones during our darkest moments; times and practices may change, but people do not; and, we may not get the closure we want, we get the closure we get. If you need a short break from the news to redirect your intentions, check out Company One’s Pay-What-You-Want tickets.  Continue reading →

Jan 10

Love with A Bitter Core: The BLO & BSO’s “Vanessa”

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Photo credit: Winslow Townson, courtesy of the BSO

Presented by Boston Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera
Music by Samuel Barber 
Libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti
Conducted by Andris Nelsons
Staging coordination by Alexandra Dietrich
Tanglewood Festival Chorus: Betsy Burleigh, guest choral conductor
Boston Lyric Opera Chorus: Brett Hodgdon, chorus director

Boston Symphony Hall
Thursday, January 8, 2026 
Saturday, January 10, 2026
301 Massachusetts Avenue 
Boston, MA 02115
Online Playbill 

Sung in English with supertitles

Critique by Kitty Drexel

BOSTON — This critique discusses the BLO & BSO concert production of Vanessa currently at Symphony Hall. As you read, please keep in mind several truths: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting Board, the private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress to steward the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting, voted to dissolve on January 5 after 58 years of American public service. 

The President and his Secretary of War (lol) illegally kidnapped the Venezuelan President and his wife for oil, and Instagram hits. 

A trained ICE mercenary murdered unarmed citizen Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota on January 7 when Good began driving her civilian vehicle away from an enforcement operation. 

These things are not normal. Life under these circumstances, whether you agree with the media’s portrayal of them or not, is not normal.

During these unprecedented times under fascism, the BLO and the BSO are commended for their elegant production of Barber and Menotti’s Vanessa, a 1958 Pulitzer Prize-winning opera by two gay men, one an Italian immigrant. It was composed at a time when it was unthinkable (and frequently illegal) to be out, and Italians weren’t entirely white. Vanessa was a necessary distraction from the impending fall of democracy. Continue reading →

Dec 30

When kindness and representation aren’t enough: “Wonder: The Musical”

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Garrett McNally and Donovan Louis Bazemore in Wonder. Photo: Hawver and Hall

Presented by American Repertory Theater
Based on the novel “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio and the Lionsgate and Mandeville film Wonder
Book by Sarah Ruhl
Music and Lyrics by A Great Big World (Ian Axel and Chad King)
Directed by Taibi Magar
Scenic design by Matt Saunders
Featuring: Melvin Abston, Kaylin Hedges, Alison Luff, Garrett McNally, Javier Muñoz, Nathan Salstone, Max Voehl 

December 17th, 2025 – February 8th, 2026
Tickets
Loeb Drama Center
64 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Online playbill

Review by Maegan Clearwood

This production depicts bullying and contains fog, haze, strobe, and flashing lights. Recommended for ages 9+.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — With the debut of Wonder: The Musical, the A.R.T. was simultaneously presented with a monumental opportunity and an obstacle. The source material, R.J. Palacio’s 2012 book of the same name, has been lauded as a groundbreaking story of empathy through its first-person portrayal of Auggie, a preteen boy with a facial difference. A Google search for reviews brings up words like “uplifting,” “heart-rending,” and “inspirational.” 

These very terms that are used to praise the novel are, however, at the root of frequent critique from members of the disability* rights community. Stories about disability far too often rehash tired tropes, portraying disabled characters as “objects of inspiration or charity,” as Professor Ari D. Ne’eman noted in a Harvard School of Public Health panel about the musical, rather than complex people in their own right. These tropes point to the fact that such stories are about disabled people, but not by or for them. (Editor’s note: We in the disabled community call this Inspiration Porn, a term coined by comedian and activist Stella Young. Check out her 2014 TEDx Talk. )  Continue reading →

Dec 24

An Opportunity to Tell the Truth or, Your Silence Will Not Protect You: “Is This A Room”

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The cast. Photo via Apollinaire Theatre Company.

Presented by Apollinaire Theatre Company
By Tina Satter
Based on the original FBI Verbatim transcript is HERE.  
Directed by Danielle Fauteux Jacques
Scenic & Sound Design: Joseph Lark-Riley
Lighting Design: Danielle Fauteux Jacques
Stage Manager: Kaleb Perez-Albuerne
Assistant Stage Managers: Miguel Dominguez, Laura Hubbard
Featuring: Parker Jennings, Brooks Reeves, Cristhian Mancinas-Garcia, Bradley Belanger

Dec. 12, 2025-Jan. 11, 2026
Chelsea Theatre Works
189 Winnisimmet Street
Chelsea, MA 02150

Is This A Room on The Culture Show Podcast 

FBI Verbatim transcript is HERE.  

Approximately 75 minutes with no intermission. 

Content warning: Flashes of light, high tension, The Fed

Article by Kitty Drexel

“I sincerely apologize and take full responsibility for my actions. In particular, I want to apologize to my family.”  – Reality Winner to Chief U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall at her federal trial in Augusta, GA in 2017.

CHELSEA, Mass. — On June 3, 2017, Reality Winner, a linguist contractor for the National Security Agency, was questioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Augusta, Georgia, regarding her part in the leak of a classified document to The Intercept. Their conversation was recorded in accordance with FBI protocol. The leaked document was a classified report about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. 

On August 23 of that year, Winner was convicted and sentenced to five years and three months in a federal prison under the Espionage Act of 1917. At the time, it was the longest federal prison sentence ever imposed for classified leaks to the news media.  Continue reading →

Dec 16

He’s a Bollocks, but He’s Our Bollocks: “An Irish Christmas”

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Photos by Nile Scott Studios. This cast & crew photo would make an excellent holiday card.

A New England Premiere!
Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company
By Matthew Keenan
Directed by Weylin Symes
Dialect coaching by Lee Nishri-Howitt 
Featuring Alex Deroo, Alex M. Jacobs, Chris Kandra, Julia Hertzberg, Alex Leondedis, Ross MacDonald, Paul Valley, Richard Snee, and Robert Walsh
With rotating walk-on appearances by Eleanor Colleran, Phoebe Jacobs, Gilda Fitzpatrick, and Anya Flores
Musicians: Lindsay Straw with rotating collaborators: fiddlers Cara Frankowicz and Clare Fraser, and accordionist Dan Accardi.

December 5-21, 2025
GBSC Main Stage
395 Main Street
Stoneham, MA 02180
Online playbill

Critique by Kitty Drexel

Advisory: Colorful language and discussions of death.

STONEHAM, Mass. — ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the pub/ Some regulars (Ross MacDonald and Paul Valley) were drinking despite the grievances of its Scroogey schlub (a stern Robert Walsh who gives the role of David hidden depths). The bar and toilets were stocked by tender Bartek (a stalwart Alex Deroo) with care/While rosy-cheeked Frank (Richard Snee) hoped that sobriety would ne’er be there. Simon (Alex Leondedis) and Anna (Julia Hertzberg) bundled up in their coats/Had sincere glad tidings stuck in their throats. While all dreamed of gifts from ole Saint Nick/David chased them off by being a dick. With the arrival of Michael (Alex M Jacobs), blood brother and friend/David looked up from his accounting book and brought the jolliness to an end.

 “Now, Simon, Now Michael! Now, Frank and Jim! Now, Julia! Now, Bartek! Get away with that din!” The owner chased them out the bar/He chased them all out. 

So David was left to suffer alone for eternity/We’ve no doubt.    Continue reading →

Dec 15

Champing at too many bits: “Horseplay (Played by Medusa the Horse)”

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Presented by Fork & Shoe Theatre Cooperative
Written and directed by Charlie Snow
Scenic and lighting design by Isaac Zerkle
Choreography by J Cramer
Musical direction by Elise Brown
Costume design by E. Rosser
Puppetry design by Nick Chieffo
Featuring: Caleb Palmer, Mabel White, Tiffany Santiago, Robert Thorpe II, Cara Clough, Sophie Pels, Michael J Blunt

December 11 – 14, 2025
BCA Plaza Theatres
539 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116

Review by Maegan Clearwood

BOSTON — In spite of all its weirdness, the world of Horseplay (Played by Medusa the Horse) isn’t very different from our own. Animals talk and pickles are an illicit substance, but in the offices of equine billionaire CEO Medusa Maria Groucho Martini the 10th, the capitalist machine churns along as unfeelingly as ever.

At the machine’s mercy is Julie Fern the Unpaid Intern (an appropriately frenetic Mable White). Practical, well-educated, and constantly on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Julie has eight other jobs, but this time, she thinks, maybe this time, she will finally unlock the secrets of adulthood. Continue reading →

Dec 12

The bells are ringing out for Christmas day: “A Celtic Christmas” by A Taste of Ireland

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A Celtic Christmas cast photo by A Taste of Ireland.

Presented by Pace Live: A Taste of Ireland
Dancers on Dec. 11, 2025, 7 PM:
Principal Dancers – Brittany Pymm, Gavin Shevlin
Soloists – Cian Walsh
Understudies – Meagan Urbanek, Isaac Loxley
Ensemble members – Fiona Shanley, Natalie Wagner, Jess Miller, Catilin Ward, Colleen McCarthy, Hannah Cunniffe, Dillon D’Amore, Michael Roberson, Enda Keane, Ciaran Bagley
Band:
Megan McGinley – Fiddle
Joel Libed – Vocalist
Aaron O’Grady – Guitarist
Simon Lace – Guitarist/Banjo

Dec. 2-14, 2025
Boston Center for the Arts
Calderwood Pavilion
527 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116

Critique by Kitty Drexel

2 hours with one intermission

BOSTON — A Taste of Ireland presents a pepperminty-fresh holiday Irish dance concert, A Celtic Christmas, now at the Boston Center for the Arts. It’s a perfect treat for the avid dancer enthusiast and hobbyist alike. Tickets are available for this touring production’s Boston stop through Dec. 14.

Direct from its Off-Broadway season, A Taste of Ireland brings A Celtic Christmas to Boston for the first time. It features Irish dance competition champions and stars from Lord of the Dance and Riverdance. Frankly, the stamina, flexibility and athleticism of these dancers is remarkable. These performers dance for two hours with only the briefest of pauses for costume changes with a live band that meets them halfway. While the show’s loose plot relies heavily on hetero-normative gender roles to push its narrative, the dancers’ impressive skill is a heartbeat keeping the audience focused on the stage. Even if Irish dance isn’t your idea of fun, one can’t deny how impressive their artistic labor is.   Continue reading →

Dec 09

A Jumbled Jukebox Experience: “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash”

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Photo by Meg Moore/megpix.com.

Presented by Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Created by Richard Maltby, Jr., Conceived by William Meade
Adapted from the larger-cast Broadway production by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Jason Edwards
Co-direction: Karen Oster and Correy West
Choreography: Correy West
Cast: Patrick Dinnsen, Nathan Yates Douglass, Jenna Fawcett, Andrew Frace, Celeste Vandermillen

November 26-December 14, 2025
Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Lowell Memorial Auditorium
50 E Merrimack St.
Lowell, MA 01852

Review by Craig Idlebrook

Content advisory: Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash is suitable for teenage and adult audiences. This musical celebrates the iconic Johnny Cash, featuring details of Johnny’s career, covering topics such as substance abuse, firearms, violence and murder.

Much has changed in the fifty-six years since Cash first recorded A Boy Named Sue. Some may feel that “A Boy Named Sue” is sexist and outdated, and this is certainly a reasonable view. However, just as it did in 1969, the song invites more than one interpretation. Please read here for some additional thoughts:  Further Reflection on A Boy Named Sue

LOWELL, Mass. — It is never a good sign for a biographical staging when the person you came to the play with leans over in the second act and asks, “Which one of those guys is Johnny Cash?”

It may be a testament to the music of Cash and the skillful performance of the small cast that this question only arose in the second act. Too often, we were swept up by the sweet harmonies and Americana-before-it-was-Americana sound on stage.

That’s just the rub. Was this a play or a concert? The title seems to disclose that the performance is intended solely to be the “music of Johnny Cash”, but the action on stage had just enough theater to be confusing. There is brief dialogue, some pantomime, and some direct musical-like interaction to provide a few breadcrumbs into the life and times of Johnny Cash, but not enough to follow the trail to lead to the full picture of his complicated and rich biography.  Continue reading →