Author Archives: Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

Jun 10

A harmonious masterpiece that’s worth the trek: “Topdog/Underdog”

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Presented by Lanes Coven Theater Company
By Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by Kadeem Ali Harris
Featuring Akilah A. Walker and Adrianna Mitchell

Windhover Performing Arts Center
257R Granite Street
Rockport, MA 01966
May 30 – June 15, 2025

Review by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

ROCKPORT, Mass. — Lanes Coven Theater Company sets up shop at Windhover Performing Arts Center, a picturesque campus of indoor and outdoor workspaces in Cape Ann, nestled away at the end of a trail of winding, seaside roads. The company’s current production of Topdog/Underdog is being staged in the Chapel, a tall, barn-like structure that reverberates from whatever elements are roiling outside, with just enough room for 50 or so intrepid audience members who are in on a secret: there’s some damn good theatre in the corners of New England if you’re willing to make the trek. Continue reading →

Jun 03

Bold, Brutalist Political Commentary: “Mrs. Warren’s Profession”

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In Photo: Melinda Lopez, Wesley Savick, Nael Nacer, Evan Taylor, Luz Lopez, Barlow Adamson, Photo by: Nile Scott Studios

Presented by Central Square Theater
By George Bernard Shaw
Directed by Eric Tucker
Featuring Barlow Adamson, Luz Lopez, Melinda Lopez, Nael Nacer, Wesley Savick, Evan Taylor

Central Square Theater
May 29 – June 22, 2025
450 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

Review by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

Cambridge, MA — If there is one theme that director Eric Tucker drives home with his take on George Bernard Shaw’s once-controversial drama, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, it is greed. Scenes of domestic heartbreak play out in a sleek, modern boardroom; children and parents bicker from either end of a lengthy conference table; and overhead, capitalism’s unfeeling gaze surveilles the characters in the form of frenetically changing stock market numbers.

In theory, this modern approach should illuminate aspects of the play that feel trite by 21st century standards. The mere mention of Mrs. Warren’s profession (spoiler alert: she owns a brothel.) was controversial by late-Victorian standards, but the play’s truly radical nature lies in a question that remains just as pertinent today: Can genuine human connection survive when capitalism renders everything, even the most primal of relationships, merely transactional? Continue reading →

May 22

Unapologetic Joy, Bursting at the Seams: “Hello, Dolly!”

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The cast of “Hello, Dolly!” Photo by Mark S. Howard.

Presented by Lyric Stage of Boston
Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman
Book by Michael Stewart
Based on “The Matchmaker” by Thornton Wilder
Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent
Music direction by Dan Rodriguez
Choreography by Ilyse Robbins
Featuring Temma Beaudreau, Joshua Wolf Coleman, Max Connor, Aimee Doherty,
Kristian Espiritu, Mark Linehan, Michael Jennings Mahoney

May 16 – June 22
Lyric Stage Theatre
140 Clarendon Street, 2nd floor
Boston, MA 02116

Runtime: 2 hours and 30 minutes including intermission.

Review by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

BOSTON — Full disclosure: I am something of a Hello, Dolly! apologist. Sure, it’s Broadway at its hammiest, and I won’t pretend that it’s aged perfectly. But beneath its veneer of feathers and bows and heteronormativity, this is a musical about characters pushing against turn-of-the-century gender and class constraints, straining to express themselves as loudly and brassily as possible.

Jerry Herman, the composer-lyricist behind some of Broadway’s most fabulous characters (see Mame and La Cage aux Folles) knew what exactly he was doing here: Hello, Dolly! is queer joy incarnate, and you can’t convince me otherwise. Continue reading →

May 18

A Heartfelt Take on a Modern Classic: “The Light in the Piazza”

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The cast of The Light in the Piazza; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Julieta Cervantes.

Presented by The Huntington
Book by Craig Lucas
Music and lyrics by Adam Guettel
Based on the novel by Elizabeth Spencer
Directed by Loretta Greco
Music direction by Andrea Grody
Scenic design by Andrew Boyce
Lighting design by Christopher Akerlind
Costume design by Alex Jaeger
Featuring Emily Skinner, Sarah-Anne Martinez, Joshua Grosso, William Michals,
Rebecca Pitcher, Alexander Ross, Rebekah Rae Robles

May 9 – June 15, 2025
The Huntington Theatre
264 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02115

Review by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

BOSTON – When The Light in the Piazza premiered on Broadway two decades ago, it was lauded as a quaint but refreshing return to style, and Adam Guettel’s delicate, almost operatic score became an instant classic. Compared to contemporary 2000s box-office smashes like Spamalot and Avenue Q, this intimate love story favors pathos over spectacle, sincerity over irony – on the surface, it’s as old school as a 21st Century musical can get.

Classic as it may look and sound, however, The Light in the Piazza is a weird little musical. It examines the idea of love through a myriad of refractions: passion, to be sure, but also power, possessiveness, and loss. It frequently shatters the fourth wall and its own idyllic veneer. At times, it is disarmingly funny; at others, profoundly sad. Continue reading →

May 06

A Cosmic Meditation on Hope: “Utopian Hotline”

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Theater Mitu; Utopian Hotline.

Presented by ArtsEmerson & Museum of Science
Conceived and developed by Theater Mitu
Produced in association with Octopus Theatricals
In partnership with SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute, Arizona State University’s Interplanetary Initiative, and Brooklyn Independent Middle School
Directed by Ruben Polendo
Featuring Kayla Asbell, Denis Butkus, Michael Littig, Monica Sanborn

May 01, 2025 – May 18, 2025
Museum of Science, Planetarium
1 Museum of Science Driveway, Boston, MA 02114

Review by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

BOSTON — Theater Mitu squeezes a myriad of existential questions into its 45-minute Boston planetarium experience, Utopian Hotline: Is utopia possible? Do we exist alongside an infinite number of parallel universes? Is there life beyond our tiny speck of a planet? Is time linear, a social construct, or flat circle? What is the point of love and art when our lives are so cosmically insignificant?

Theater Mitu never fully grapples with any of these questions. Instead, it gently poses them, invites the audience to meditate on our internal responses, and lets them drift away into the ephemerality of human memory.

This experience parallels the NASA Voyager mission that inspired the piece. In 1977, scientists launched a golden record into space, offering a sonic glimpse into the human experience for whomever might discover them. There is no surety of these messages being heard again, but the act of creating them is an exercise in hope for our little green planet. Continue reading →

Apr 20

A Springtime Treat for the Senses and Soul: “Crowns”

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Cast photo by Chelcy Garrett.

Presented by Moonbox Productions
Community Partner: Rosie’s Place
By Regina Taylor
Adapted from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry
Directed by Regine Vital
Associate Directed by Davron Monroe
Music Directed by David Coleman
Music Accompaniment by David Freeman Coleman (keyboard) and Brandon Mayes (drums)
Costume Design by E Rosser
Set Design by Baron E. Pugh
Featuring: Cortlandt Barret, Janelle Grace, Kaedon Gray, Lovely Hoffman, Mirrorajah, Cheryl D. Singleton, Mildred E. Walker

April 11th – May 4th
Arrow Street Arts
2 Arrow St., Cambridge, MA 02138.
Tickets here

Article by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — After a long, dark winter, Crowns is a musical manifestation of springtime, bursting with color, decadence, and jubilation. Regina Taylor’s musical is adapted from Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry’s photography/oral history book of the same name, and it’s been a staple of the American regional theatre scene for over two decades. Although this musical celebration of African American womanhood is in many ways timeless, Moonbox Production’s staging, directed by Regine Vital, is impeccably here-and-now, coming across as a breath of sweet, fresh air in this dire political moment.

Crowns is largely structured like a church worship service, but it is bookended by Yoruban ritual. The first sounds we hear come from Man/Elegba’s (the only male character, played by Kaedon Gray) staff during the processional prologue, a heartbeat that echoes through the play and draws a clear connection between Black church culture and African tradition. Crowns proceeds with a scant narrative: Yolanda (Mirrorajah), a young, hardened teen, is sent from Brooklyn to the South after her brother is killed. There, her grandmother (Mildred E. Walker) welcomes her into a community of Church Ladies, who regale Yolanda with stories about their most sacred, royal accessory: hats. Continue reading →

Apr 10

Visually Heavy, Emotionally Weightless: “Carousel”

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The cast of “Carousel.” Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Presented by Boston Lyric Opera
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Adapted from Ferenc Molnár ‘s 1909 play Liliom
Directed by Anne Bogart
Conducted by David Angus
Set design by Sara Brown
Costume design by Haydee Zelideth
Choreography by Shura Baryshnikov
Featuring: Brandie Sutton, Edward Nelson, Jamie Barton, Anya Matanovic, Omar Najmi, Markel Reed, Sarah Heltzel, Lee Pelton, Abigail Marie Curran

April 4th – 13th
Emerson Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116
Tickets here

Content advisory: contains themes and images of domestic violence and emotional abuse.

Running Time: 3 hours with 1 intermission

Review by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

BOSTON — Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s Carousel haunts the musical theatre canon. It is undeniably contentious, an exploration of domestic violence that is either unflinchingly raw or insurmountably problematic, depending on who you ask. It also has an undeniable legacy, containing an atmospheric whimsy, masterful score, and dramaturgical strangeness that bring audiences and artists back time and time again. Continue reading →

Mar 31

An Invitation to Sacred Vulnerability: “Night Side Songs”

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Jonathan Raviv and Brooke Ishibashi in “Night Side Songs” at Under the Radar’s “Under Construction.” Photo: Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall

Presented by American Repertory Theater in association with Philadelphia Theatre Company
Words and music by Daniel Lazour and Patrick Lazour
Directed by Taibi Magar
Music Direction and Piano Arrangements by Alex Bechtel
Featuring: Jordan Dobson, Robi Hager, Brooke Ishibashi, Johathan Raviv, Mary Testa

March 27 – April 20
At the Cambridge Masonic Temple from March 27 – April 6
At Hibernian Hall, April 8 – 20
Tickets and information here

Content Advisory: This production contains descriptions of cancer treatments as well as discussions of grief, loss of a parent, and terminal illness. Recommended for ages 15+.

Review by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

CAMBRIDGE, Mass — Night Side Songs is not a religious story, but it is the closest I have ever come to having a spiritual experience in the theatre.

This production by the Lazour brothers, aptly described by the A.R.T. as a “communal music-theater experience,” is simultaneously concerned with the benign materiality and ineffable transcendence of human existence. In one moment, central character Yasmine (Brooke Ishibashi) discusses her love of Velveeta mac-and-cheese; in another, she contemplates the unfathomable smallness of existence – two distinct but equally holy experiences. Continue reading →

Mar 30

Critical Work, but Missing Voices: “Climate Crisis Cabaret: The Warm Up”

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“Meadowlark,” Photo: Kristina Lauer / Artwork: Maggie Cooley

Presented with support from Arrow Street Arts and the Puffin Foundation
Directed by Debra Wise and David Keohane
Organizing Committee: Debra Wise, Joyce Van Dyke, Bill Marx, Mary Curtin, Deobrah Forston, David Keohane, Robert Lauer, Ellen Ryan

Featuring: John Kuntz, Eliza Fichter, David Keohane, Antje Duvekot, Regie Gibson, Bill Marx, Phillis Ewen, Zoe Halperin, Rhiannon Jenkins, Seth Glier, Debra Wise, The Red Rebel Brigade, Dr. Robert Lauer, Dr. Rose Abramoff, Dr. Johanna Ray Vollhardt, Dr. Nathan Phillips, Isaijah Shadrach, Zev Imani

Lobby Street Fair participants: Extinction Rebellion, Scientist Rebellion, 350 Mass, Beyond Plastic, Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station, Stop Private Jet Expansion, All In Energy, Deborah Forston, Anne Loyer, Rick Dorff, Skip Schiel, Extinction Rebellion Art Working Group, Sara Peattie with The Puppeteers Cooperative

March 24 – 25, 2025
Arrow Street Arts
2 Arrow St., Cambridge, MA 02138.
Information here

Review by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — As MC John Kuntz observes in his opening remarks, the American artistic community has been shamefully timid in its response to the topic of climate catastrophe, and Climate Crisis Cabaret: The Warm Up strives to fill this gap from a Boston-specific standpoint. Over the course of two hours, local artists and activists explore a full spectrum of responses to the issue at hand, from grief and despair to hope and resilience. The production is an admirable and necessary call to action, a reminder of the critical need for art in desperate political times. Continue reading →

Dec 17

History, Memory, and Poetry in Motion: “Diary of a Tap Dancer”

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The cast of “Diary of a Tap Dancer.” Photo: Nile Scott Studios and Maggie Hall

Presented by the American Repertory Theater
Written and Choreographed by Ayodele Casel
Directed by Torya Beard
Scenic Design by Tatiana Kahvegian
Costume Design by Camilla Dely
Projection Design by Katherine Freer
Lighting Design by Brandon Stirling Baker
Featuring Ayodele Casel, Naomi Funaki, Afra Hines, Quynn L. Johnson, Funmi Sofola, Liberty Styles, Annaliese Wilbur, Ki’Leigh Williams

Dec. 12, 2024 – Jan. 4, 2025
64 Brattle Street
Cambridge MA 02138

Information and tickets here

Article by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

Content advisory: This production contains racial slurs, discusses domestic violence and drug use, and includes historical references to enslaved and oppressed people. It also contains haze and flashing lights. Recommended for ages 13+.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Ayodele Casel speaks dance. Diary of a Tap Dancer, Casel’s fittingly titled autobiographical play now running at the A.R.T., traces her lifelong relationship to this kinesthetic language, from her early days desperately searching for an expressive outlet, to her early career in a white- and male-dominated industry, and ultimately to the here-and-now: as a Black queer female artist on a stage in Boston, yearning to tell her own story in her own words while she has the time. The play also excavates Casel’s place within the broader context of dance history, gazing backward at the women who paved the way and forward toward the brilliant collaborators on stage with her.

Diary of a Tap Dancer is ambitious in scope, and it doesn’t hit every emotional beat with the same impact – but when it succeeds, it is resplendent. Continue reading →