Category Archives: Musicals and Opera

Dec 02

Have Yourself A Horny ‘Lil Christmas: “Sweeney Claus: The Demon Father of Sleet Street”

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Photo by Michael von Redlich. Ryan Landry as Mrs. Leaveit and Thain Bertin as Sweeney

Presented by the Gold Dust Orphans
Written by Ryan Landry
Directed by Kiki Samko
Choreography by Hallie Nowicki
Music Direction and Arrangement by Tad McKitterick
Sets & Costumes by Scott Martino
Lights by Matthew Brian Cost
Props by Ryan Landry and Gina Carmela
Sound by Ryan Landry & Tad McKitterick
Spotlight Operation by Keith DeSutter
Wigs by Shaun O’Connor
Production Assistance by Clare Strickland and Clare Newman
Featuring: Ryan Landry, Thain Bertin, T Perry, Mary Mahoney, Tim Lawton, Kiki Samko, Scott Martino, Gina Carmela, Sarah Jones, Tad McKitterick, Lizette Morris, Dominika Zawada, Joey Pelletier, Hallie Nowicki, Marilyn Wilson, Simon Huynh, James Brooks Jr., Phaedra Ferrini, Lara Williams.

November 29 – December 21, 2025
The Iron Wolf Theatre
South Boston Lithuanian Citizens Association
368 West Broadway, 3rd Floor
South Boston, MA 02127

Critique by Kitty Drexel

UPDATE 12/02/2025:  Ensemble member Lara Williams was improperly credited in a previous draft. Her name is now correct. 

SOUTH BOSTON — December has arrived and so has this year’s Gold Dust Orphans Christmas panto parody, Sweeney Claus: The Demon Father of Sleet Street by Ryan Landry. It’s a rollicking good time! Get your tickets before they sell out. 

Sweeney Claus marries the Sondheim and Wheeler musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street to Christmas capitalism via the Gold Dust Orphan panto tradition. It follows the essential plotlines of the Sondheim classic with some deviations. Dasher (Thain Bertin) is a disillusioned sea captain who lands in Scituate, Massachusetts, to set up his barber shop and search for his lost wife and daughter. Dasher finds himself in the spare room at Mrs. Leaveit’s (Landry, giving the people what they want by occasionally showing some leg) bakery. They concoct a plot with an aptly named sailor, Semen (T Perry), to rescue Dasher’s daughter, Johanna (Mary Mahoney). Continue reading →

Nov 13

A Romy & Michele Adventure: “Romy & Michele: The Musical”

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Photo by Valerie Terranova.

Romy & Michele: The Musical
Presented by Stage 42
Book by Robin Schiff
Music and lyrics by Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Jay
Directed by Kristin Hanggi
Choreographed by Karla Puno Garcia
Music supervision by Keith Harrison Dworkin

TICKETS
New York, NY

Review by Kitty Drexel

NEW YORK — Last week, I attended the American Theatre Critics Association’s yearly conference in New York. It was lit! (R.I.P. “lit,” T.O.D.: 10:26 AM, 11/13/25) Press tickets were made available to attendees in exchange for coverage. I attended Romy & Michele: The Musical at Stage 42 on November 6 as part of the conference. 

I streamed the movie after securing tickets. Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion is fun. Not good, not bad. Fun.  I’d watch the movie again if it happened to be on. I feel the same about the musical. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it if a local theatre was producing it, and I didn’t know anyone in the cast. I would totally attend as press to see what a different cast did with it. Because it’s fun. Some revolutions are built on fun.  

Based on the 1997 cult classic screenplay by Robin Schiff, Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion, Romy & Michele: The Musical is now playing off-Broadway at Stage 42 in New York. Romy (Laura Bell Bundy, who nails the accent and even brings the accent to her sick vocals) and Michele (Kara Lindsay, who gives Lisa Kudrow a run for her money and belts with equally as sick vocals) left their 80s Arizona high school for L.A. after graduation and never looked back. Except now, they are looking back.  Continue reading →

Nov 10

Oh, to be young, green, and safe to live from my truth: “Lizard Boy: A New Musical”

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From left: Chelsie Nectow, Keiji Ishiguri, Peter DiMaggio; photo courtesy of Benjamin Rose Photography.

Presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company
Written and Composed by Justin Huertas
Directed by Lyndsay Allyn Cox
Music Direction by Violet Wang

October 25-November 23, 2025
Stanford Calderwood Pavilion
Boston Center for the Arts
527 Tremont St
Boston, MA 02116

Run-time: 1 hour 30 minutes, no intermission

Critique by Diana Lu

BOSTON — It’s been ten years since Lizard Boy: A New Indie-Rock Musical premiered in Seattle, and SpeakEasy Stage Company has proven its Lizard BOY is a capable and self-assured MAN-phibian. Under the direction of Lyndsay Allyn Cox and the musical direction of Violet Wang, SpeakEasy’s invigorating revival allows the many strengths of the show’s impressive score and cast to shine, while also exposing its narrative limits.

Lizard Boy finds Trevor, a gay, green-skinned twenty-something, on the first anniversary of a painful breakup. While looking for love, he reveals this is the only night of the year he leaves the house—and the anniversary of the childhood dragon attack that turned his skin green. As the evening unfolds, he finds companionship, an archnemesis, a superpower, his soul truth, and maybe… the end of the world!  Continue reading →

Oct 19

As Mysterious As the Dark Side of the Moon: “The Ballad of Little Jo” 

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Presented by The Treehouse Collective
Music by Mike Reid
Lyrics by Sarah Schlesinger
Book by Sarah Schlesinger, Mike Reid, and John Dias
Directed by Katie Swimm
Music Directed by Jeff Kimball

Digital Playbill 

October 24 – November 2, 2025
The Plaza Theatre
The Boston Center for the Arts
Boston, MA

Critique by Kitty Drexel

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes with one intermission

BOSTON — The curious story of cattle ranching and mining pioneer Little Joe Monahan was brought to light when the trailblazer passed away in 1904. Monahan had lived and died as a successful male business owner in Idaho, Oregon, and northern New York. After his death, an unprofessional undertaker preparing Monahan for burial leaked to the Buffalo, NY, press that Monahan was born AFAB. His legacy reminds us that trans people have always existed despite some cis folks’ intentions to erase them.   

There is a lot we don’t know about Little Joe Monahan. Much has been lost to time or otherwise sensationalized by early journalists. Monahan was first memorialized in the 1981 play Little Joe Monaghan by Barbara Lebow. A 1993 movie of the same name starring Heather Graham, Sir Ian McKellen, and Rene Auberjonois further romanticized Joe’s story (and borrowed heavily from Lebow’s play). The Treehouse Collective presents another romanticized adaptation, The Ballad of Little Jo, through Nov. 2 at the Boston Center for the Arts. Continue reading →

Sep 30

So it is to be war between us… An Unsolicited, Unprofessional, Largely Unedited Critique of “Masquerade” in New York City

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From the “Masquerade” Facebook Page.

Masquerade NYC presented by LW Entertainment
Based on The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber 

Loosely based on the novel by historical hottie Gaston Leroux
Lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe
Book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Directed by Diane Paulus
Additional cast and crew credits
https://www.instagram.com/masqueradenyc

Now through February 1, 2026.
Performed at 218 W 57th Street, NY 10019 

Critique by Kitty Drexel

10/01/2025 Update: The critique now contains personal photos.

NEW YORK: In March 2025, cryptic messages from The Phantom of the Opera popped up across the internet asking his fans if they missed him. We did. In June 2025, Masquerade established its presence on social media. On June 30, tickets became available on the MasqueradeNYC website. They sold out in hours. When I didn’t snag a ticket during the first sold-out sales event, I theorized the show’s instant popularity would inspire an extension. Producers are horny for cold, hard cash and won’t turn down more if it’s assured. It turns out I was right about my prediction. On July 9, an email advertising the production’s extension was sent to subscribers. 

After paying an egregious amount for tickets in July, I added my name to the Phantom’s “visitor ledger” by buying a ticket for Sept. 17, 7:30 PM. I nearly wet myself with excitement planning my arrival at the not-so-secret venue on a public street, to speak the secret password for entrance into the Phantom’s lair, and to give myself over to the Music of the Night.  Continue reading →

Sep 23

Still Sad, Lovely, and Alive: “Rent”

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Aaron Alcaraz (Mark Cohen) and Austin Turner (Roger Davis) with the cast of “Rent.” Photos © Paul Lyden

Presented by North Shore Music Theatre
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson
Direction and Choreography by Marcos Santana
Music direction by Robert L Rucinski
Musical Arrangements by Steve Skinner
Original Concept/Additional Lyrics by Billy Aronson

September 16 – September 28, 2025
North Shore Music Theatre
54 Dunham Rd.
Beverly, MA 01915

Critique by Craig Idlebrook

BEVERLY, Mass. — When I first heard that North Shore Music Theatre was staging a production of Rent, I was a bit surprised. After all, the theatre is more well-known for crowd-pleasing musicals that will appeal to an older audience than for edgy, newer shows like those I first saw in college. Then it hit me. Rent has long ago passed the realm of edgy or new, and I had just gotten my AARP card in the mail.

Rent first burst onto Broadway in 1996 and stunned many theatergoers with its frank and humane depictions of the LGBTQ+ community, the AIDs epidemic, and those struggling with addiction. Set in a decaying New York City in 1989, the rock musical refused to allow its characters to be afterschool special-shallow, either as heroes or as cautionary tales. They were complicated, flawed, and lovely. The play’s beating heart was its depiction of the power of found family among non-conformists. Continue reading →

Jul 13

Uneven Grandeur: “Evita”

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The cast of “Evita.”

Presented by Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston
Lyrics by Tim Rice 
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Direction and choreography – Rachel Bertone
Musical Direction – Dan Rodriguez
Scenic Design – Cameron McEachearn
Lighting Design and Production Design –  Baron Pugh
Costume and Wig Design – Ellie De Lucia
Sound Design – Sebastian Nixon

Online Playbill

July 11 – 20, 2025
Robinson Theatre
617 Lexington Street
Waltham, MA 02452

Critique by Craig Idlebrook

2 hours, 15 minutes with a 15-minute intermission

WALTHAM, Mass. — The musical Evita is having a moment. It is an interesting time for a resurgence of a play about a populist Argentine icon, when the world appears buffeted by the populist and authoritarian actions of some world leaders. 

The play, which started its Broadway run in 1979, is seeing a viral resurgence, thanks to a Rachel Zegler-led production in London that has taken some of its act outside the theater for the masses to enjoy. One would think that Eva Perón, the titular Argentine historical figure, would have appreciated the streetside stagecraft.  Continue reading →

May 27

It’s About Us: “The Prom”

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The Company of THE PROM. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Presented by Wheelock Family Theatre
Book and Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Book by Bob Martin
Music by Matthew Sklar
Based on the Original Concept by Jack Viertel
Directed & Choreographed by Larry Sousa
Music Directed by Jordan Oczkowski

May 17 – June 8
Wheelock Family Theatre
180 Riverway
Boston, MA 02215

Runtime: 2 hours and 25 minutes including intermission.

Review by Helen Ganley

Floor-length dresses and well-tailored suits, a room full of bouncing balloons and floating streamers—it can only mean one thing: prom season. This high school rite of passage is so deeply ingrained in American culture that it’s almost hard to imagine a parents’ board canceling the whole event for one reason: two girls want to attend together. The Prom at Wheelock Family Theatre unfurls this story with energy and empathy, delivering a heartfelt tale of acceptance, community, and love. 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 →