• MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT                                                                                                                                         
• Starlight Theater – Kansas City, Missouri    
• Aug. 4^th, 2026

Our Score 4.5 out of 5 stars 

Inspired by the Monty Python and the Holy Grail film from 1975, Spamalot is a musical featuring a step-by-step progression through the classic Python scenes with familiar songs as well as full on Broadway Bangers written for the stage by Eric Idle (lyrics) & John Du Prez (Music).

The story begins with a Narrator setting the scene, of England 932 A.D.   PLAGUE!  and more Plague. A miscommunication by the players brings out the “Fisch Schlapping Song”…to be interrupted and set back on course, as King Arthur (Major Attaway) begins a search to gather Knights for his Round Table, encountering obstacles along the way.  These scenes are so well known, the crowd could be heard reciting popular lines along with the actors, as did I.  “Bring Out Your Dead,” “I’m not Dead Yet,” and the rousing “Come with Me” -featuring the “Laker Girls” to remind you there are showtunes, are great opening songs.

We are introduced to The Lady of the Lake (Amanda Robles) who has to explain how Arthur became King and received Excalibur, and he gathers Sir Bedevere, Sir Galahad, Sir Robin and Sir Lancelot.  After a visit from GOD, who provides their quest …..find the Holy Grail !

There are a few scenes that are perhaps irreverent in today’s societal climate, but if you are a fan of the Python style of comedy, you expect them and fully embrace the humor.

One particular outstanding highlight was from the Knights Who Say Ni!   When changing their name to the Knight Who Day Ekke Ekke Ekke….etc., several contemporary inserts into the dialogue included JG Wentworth and Jungle Law, (reportedly they fit this for each performance to the local venue)

Also of note:  When at last the quest ended, KC’s own Michael Mackey was chosen from the audience, and presented with the Arthur Award!

Major Attaway (Broadways longest running Genie from Aladdin) was excellent.  Amanda Robles – vocals and personality – was very entertaining.  Each and everyone of the Knights were strong and the Camelot supporting cast were on point for opening night.

Musical Highlights:

I Am Not Dead Yet

The Song That Goes Like This

Knights of the Round Table

Find Your Grail

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

You Won’t Succeed on Broadway

On a scale of zero to five, “Monty Python’s SPAMALOT” receives ★★★★½  

While still selling out on stage in New York City, HADESTOWN, has been faithfully filmed and showing on cinema screens this week only.  Winning 8 Tony Awards in 2019 including Best Musical of the Year, this is a New Orleans style musical that is the story two young lovers in a relationship complicated by the devil himself- Hades.  He drags Eurydice to Hell for his lover but the boy, with help from his mentor Hermes follows them in to the depths to save her.

Filmed during a performance in March 2025 in London’s West End with all the principal actors from the Original Broadway Opening Night cast. The director of this “Pro-Shot” brings an intimacy to the filming, not just a performance captured on camera. His cinematography and editing takes the movie audience right into the show almost to the point of participation.  While occasionally giving us a view of the audience in the auditorium during filming it re-enforces the overall concept of being performed “live” as we enter this world.

Created by Anais Mitchell as a concept album and directed for the stage by Rachel Chavkin (both Tony Winners); theatrically HADESTOWN was a masterful work, and by moving it on to film by filmmaker Brett Sullivan, the production is enhanced becoming magnificent.

Broadway Legend, Andre De Shields (Tony nominated as the original WIZ in 1975) at almost 80 years old is Hermes the narrator of the tale as he guides the boy through his travels. He is perfection in his Tony winning role; you just can’t take your eyes off him as you hang on his every word. The lush music is performed by Reeve Carney as the boy, Eva Noblezada as the girl, with scary Patrick Page as Hades and Amber Gray as his wife.

With this amazing cast, the wonderful staging and the atmospheric cinematography this is without a doubt the definitive ephemeral staged production of  “HADESTOWN” – now captured forever.

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HADESTOWN has been extended to run through Thursday, August 5th at theatres nationwide.  If you are in the Boston area, like Ben, you can see it at the following theatres:

Entertainment Cinemas, Leominster MA

Regal Solomon Pond Cinemas

Maynard (MA) Fine Arts Theater

O’Neil Cinemas at the Point, Littleton, MA

AMC Framingham 16

• A BEAUTIFUL NOISE
• Starlight Theater, Kansas City, MO
• July 7, 2026

Our score:  4.5 out of 5

To say Neil Diamond was important in our house when I was growing up is an understatement.  My mother, Rose, was, and still is, quite possibly his biggest fan.  She maintained that the song “Cracklin’ Rosie” was about her.  She would pay A LOT  of money every time Diamond came to Chicago so she could be in the front row.  She made him shirts, which she had sent backstage.  Let me put it this way:  I lived in Baltimore for thirteen years.  She came out to visit me twice, coincidentally at the same time Diamond was in the area.  In 1994 she called me all excited.  “Did you hear,” she asked, “Neil and Marsha are getting divorced.”  I asked who Neil and Marsha were and she replied “Neil Diamond.”  I asked, “Mom, did he ask you to marry him?”  “No.”  “Maybe next time.”

Having seen Diamond in concert three times over the years (once without my mother) I was looking forward to the arrival of the Broadway musical “A Beautiful Noise,” which recently opened at the Starlight Theater in Kansas City.  And I wasn’t disappointed.

The show is pretty much a look back at Diamond’s career, told by Diamond himself (Robert Westenberg) as part of an extended therapy session with his psychiatrist (Lisa Renee Pitts).  Mr. Westenberg is billed as “Neil – Now.”  Also playing Diamond, billed as “Neil Then,” is portrayed by former “American Idol” winner Nick Fradiani, who perfectly portrays both Diamond’s quite off-stage persona as well as the powerful performer the world knows.  Snippets of Diamond’s early career are shown:  meeting and being championed by songwriter Ellie Greenwich (Heidi Kettenring), having his songs recorded by the Monkees (Diamond wrote three of the best tunes the Monkees ever did:  “I’m A Believer,” “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You,” and “Look Out, Here Comes Tomorrow”) and, finally, having the courage to sing his own songs, becoming at one time the most successful live performer in the world.

The music, of course, is top notch.  Backed up by an ensemble of dancers/singers, Fradiani, who also played Diamond in the Broadway version, is spot on both visually and, even more important, vocally.  Close your eyes and I guarantee you couldn’t tell he difference between Fradiani and the real Neil Diamond.  Fradiani also shows some great dramatic chops, as he is forced to relive some of the toughest moments of his life.

The supporting cast is equally strong, featuring top work by Ms.’s Pitts and Kettenring.  If there is a weak spot in the cast, it’s Westenberg, whose emoting is so over the top as to border on comical.

Kansas City is the last stop on the tour so if you love Neil Diamond and are in the area, please take the opportunity to see “A Beautiful Noise.”  You won’t be disappointed!  And yes, my mother would love it!

On a scale of zero to five, A Beautiful Noise” receives ★★★★ ½

• MRS. DOUBTFIRE THEMUSICAL
• Hanover Theater, Worcester, Mass
• June 26, 2026

The National Tour of the Broadway Smash Hit – MRS. DOUBTFIRE has arrived in Worcester concluding the Hanover Theater’s 2025-2026 season.  Based on the phenomenal Robin Williams comedy that hit movie screens during the 1993 Holiday season.

The film was inspired by the novel- Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine published in 1987.  Daniel Hilliard has lost custody of his children in a messy divorce but will do anything to see them and be part of their lives.  When he discovers that his Ex is looking for a Nanny/Housekeeper he decides that he is the perfect choice.  Daniel creates Mrs. Doubtfire, an elderly Scottish “Lady” who charms her way into the job.

The musical captures most of the plot of the film through the first act but the longish second half seems padded with too many songs that seem to repeat the same narratives. But the younger members of the audience ate it all up, often applauding the jokes and performers who delivered the punchlines.

The cast lead by Craig Allen Smith as Daniel/Doubtfire gave quite the energetic portrayal, with astonishing comic timing; I don’t think Robin Williams could have handled a 2 ½ hour performance on stage at his pace and certainly could not have sung it as well as Smith. He held the audience in his hands from the time he appeared on stage in the frocks. The talented cast had some standouts including the Ex-wife, Melissa Campbell with her incredible vocals, & the 3 actors playing their children. Many supporting actors were also given individual chances to shine.

The first act up to the intermission, when two of the children realize who Mrs. Doubtfire really is, follows the movie almost scene for scene. The second act is less faithful to the original and runs into some problems with big changes that for me resulted in too much padding and extraneous business not serving the story.

Thankfully many wonderful new jokes are included in this crisp bright production that has been travelling the country for a couple of years.

• Bat Out of Hell:  The Musical       
• Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
• Kansas City, Missouri   

Score 3.5 out of 5 stars   

I’ve always been a fan of the collaboration between Meat Loaf and composer / lyricist Jim Steinman and the “opera rock” style of presentation made so famous with the album Bat Out of Hell in 1977.  I confess I had no idea of how far back the creative parts and pieces that were to become the record setting 40 million plus copies sold.  Also, Jim Steinman was prolific with his writing and music for other artists, probably the most success with Bonnie Tyler, think Total Eclipse of the Heart, or Air Supply with Making Love Out of Nothing At All.  He even had some radio success in the early 80’s recording his own composition “Rock and Roll Dreams come Through”. There are many, many other examples of his vast career, and if I have a personal favorite, it would be “Nowhere Fast” from the “Streets of Fire” soundtrack.

Pulling heavily from Bat Out of Hell, with several others as previously mentioned, the musical tells a story of young love…. Ala Romeo & Juliet with nods to a Peter Pan influence.   There is a group of underground – literally – kids (The Lost) who are forever 18 yrs old.  Except for “Tink” who is stuck being a younger age (and resents that) led by Strat.  The girl, Raven and her domineering parents, Falco and Sloane live in a tower above the war ravaged and earthquake damaged city.

Sloane meets Strat, is immediately stricken with desire but plays hard to get….at her 18^th Birthday party, Raven attempts to run away with him, has second thoughts and abandons him.  Strat is involved in a motorcycle wreak and seems to be killed. The performance moves through scenes where the lovers are reunited, the parents break up, Tink is killed, Raven is rejected by Strat, and then after many months apart, they are reunited with Strat pledging his forever love, no matter what age they are.

I found the music performance to be crisp and on point…. the touring band should be commended!

I thought the acting was “pushed” a bit too much at times, but there were very good moments by many of the cast.

On a scale of zero to five, “Bat Out of Hell:  The Musical” receives ★★★  ½

Musical Highlights:

Two out of Three Ain’t Bad

Paradise by the Dashboard Light

Making Love Out of Nothing at All

You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth

Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through

It’s All Coming Back to Me Now

I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)

REVIEW BY KARRA SMALL

• Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony
• Kauffman Center
• Kansas City, Missouri

Our Score:  4.5 out of 5 Stars

In this age of division and anger, it seems like only one person can bring us together- and that person is Dolly Parton. With that in mind, it should be no surprise that guests young and old alike packed the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts to see “Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony.”

The Kansas City Symphony, along with guest conductor David Hamilton, put on a spectacular performance of some of Dolly’s biggest hits. Alongside vocalists Katelyn Drye, Hollie Hammel and Julie Williams, Dolly’s songs filled the air with the merriment that only Dolly could bring. 

Even though Dolly wasn’t there in person, she did make recorded appearances throughout the show, playing a role of emcee. 

As a Dolly fan myself, hearing Dolly talk about the inspiration behind her catalog of music was my favorite part of the show. 

Spoiler alert ahead: Jolene was based on a real woman that Dolly’s late husband Carl Dean was a little too chatty with at their local bank back in Tennessee. “It’s okay,” Dolly said,”Jolene made me a lot of money.” 

Dolly also talked a lot about her relationship with Porter Wagoner and the seven years she spent on “The Porter Wagoner Show.” I can only imagine that he would’ve found the symphony performance as a fitting tribute to their time together. 

The vocalists and symphony put on a touching performance of “Travelin’ Thru,” a pro-transgender acceptance song that Dolly wrote for the 2005 film “Transamerica.” The song earned Dolly critical acclaim, including an Oscar nomination. 

As I sat in the audience hearing the story behind that song for the first time, Dolly preached acceptance and happiness on the screen and it was personally touching to see an older couple gladly clapping and nodding in agreement. 

There’s something inherently beautiful about people working together for a common goal, or in this case, putting on a tribute to a living legend. 

“Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony” will have you tapping your toes…and it just might warm your heart.   

• THE MUSIC MAN
• Hanover Theater
• Worcester, Massachusetts

The trouble in River City has arrived in Worcester. Now at the Hanover Theater for weekend performances is the national tour of the beloved musical- Meredith Wilson’s THE MUSIC MAN. The winner of 5 Tony Awards including Best Musical has been produced in thousands of theaters all over America since the Broadway show premiered almost 70 years ago.

 In the summer of 1912, Harold Hill, a fast-talking salesman, tries to convince the citizens of River City, Iowa into buying musical instruments and uniforms with which he will create a boy’s band for the town. But the con man plans to skip town after receiving the money since he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. However, he falls for the town librarian, Marian, who transforms him into respectability before the final curtain.

This beautiful production comes with all the old-fashioned charm which had the audience cheering at that final curtain. Elliot Andrews plays the titular character heading up this huge cast dancing and singing with crystal clear sound at the Hanover. I counted 35 performers in total, a huge cast for a road tour. When he falls for Marian, Elizabeth D’Aiuto, it’s easy to understand why. Her beautiful soprano voice filled the auditorium to top of the balcony. Josuha Bergasse (who recently choreographed Broadway’s musical SMASH) created the dances and this troupe can handle them with ease as they astonished the audience on opening night. Such energy and talent.

Production values are top notch with colorful period sets often highlighted with projected backgrounds that wash across the stage to effectively set the scenes.

THE MUSIC MAN may be decades old in theatrical lore, but this new production is sparkling and is a great addition to the Spring season in Worcester now thru Sunday.  For tickets to this performance or future stops on the tour, click HERE.

• STEREOPHONIC
• Kauffman Center
• Kansas City, Missouri

Our Score:  4 out of 5

Of all of the performing arts, in my opinion it’s music that puts the most strain on staying on top.  A great album leads to chatter about whether or not your band is a one-hit wonder (I’m looking at you, the Knack) or continues to impress their fans.  “Bad” is a great album, yet all Michael Jackson heard was that ‘it isn’t Thriller.”’  The same was said about Fleetwood Mac (“Rumors” vs “Tusk”), Jimmy Buffet (“Son of a Son of a Sailor” vs “Volcanos”) and the Rolling Stones (“Some Girls” vs “Emotional Rescue,” though they bounce back with “Tattoo You.”)  The band in the new play “Stereophonic” is unnamed, but their turmoil is easily recognizable to anyone who knows the story of Fleetwood Mac and the making of “Rumors.”

Summer 1976.  In a rented house in California, we meet the five members of a band that currently has the #1 album in the country.  Consisting of Brits Reg (Christopher Mowood) and Holly (Emilie Kouatchou) and Americans Peter (Andrew Gombass), Diana (Claire Dejean) and Simon (Cornelius McMoyler), the group spends more time fighting among themselves then making music.  Things are more complicated because Reg and Holly are a couple, as are Peter and Diana. Bass player Simon is the voice of reason and resident peacekeeper.  But when the stress of success comes down on you, nothing ever seems right.

Nominated for a record (13) Tony Awards, “Stereophonic” won (5), including Best Play, an award earned by the brilliant writing of playwright David Adjmi.  The various situations and infighting come across as real.  The excesses of the 1970s is also featured as the group experiments with many of the popular drugs of the period, leading to even more problems.

In between shouting matches – there are a lot of them – the band does jam on the occasional song.  Written by former Arcade Fire keyboardist Will Butler.  The songs are catchy and well performed.  I wish there were more of them.  The one issue I have with the show is that everyone yells their lines.  The biggest culprit here is Mr. Mowood, whose stage directions for Reg must have been YELL EVERYTHING!  Even in normal conversation, the actors words hit the ears hard.  I’m not sure if this was a sound problem or just the way the show is intended to be performed, but several people around us were visibly discouraged by the noise and left the performance.   The show runs a little over 3-hours with intermission but could have been 30 minutes shorter without losing any of the drama.  Sometimes less is more.

On a scale of zero to five, “Stereophonic” receives ★★★★

“Stereophonic” continues in Kansas City at the Kauffman Center through Sunday, April 12.  For tickets to this or future performances click HERE.

• HAMILTON
• Music Hall
• Kansas City, Missouri

Alexander Hamilton may have died in 1804, but his story seems more relevant than ever.

The current touring production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton playing at Kansas City’s Music Hall on February 19 shows the questions that the founding father wrestled with still challenge this country and provide the inspiration for an infectious hip hop beat.

Miranda’s play and music, inspired by Ron Chernow’s biography, follows Hamilton’s life from his teenage years, where he wrote his first essays advocating the American Revolution, through his tenure as an artillery officer in George Washington’s Army, to his  voluminous contributions to the Federalist Papers, which advocated for the new Constitution.

Miranda tells the founder’s tale from the point of view of Aaron Burr, the one-time Vice President who wound up killing Hamilton in a duel.

Sorry, it’s not a spoiler; it’s just history.

Their paths frequently cross, but Burr (Jimmy “JJ” Jeter) doesn’t get the Caribbean immigrant’s idealism and ambition.

Hamilton (Tyler Fauntleroy) does love his wife Eliza (Lauren Mariasoosay), but his eagerness to help a woman with a husband she says is abusive. His son Philip (Nathan Haydel) has a knack for getting himself into disputes like his dad does but may not be be dealing with the weighty matters that drove the older Hamilton.

While President George Washington (A.D. Weaver) trusts Hamilton completely as his Secretary of the Treasury, other founders like Thomas Jefferson (Christian Magby) don’t get his policies or him.

Having seen the original Broadway cast in the Disney+ presentation, I’m happy to report the current touring production fills their formidable shoes.  Weaver’s resonant baritone is perfect for this country’s first Commander in Chief. Similarly, Jeter is just charming enough to make viewers tolerate Burr’s duplicity.

While the Disney+ comes close to capturing the exhilaration the stage experience, it’s not the same as being, in the words of the play, “in the room where it happened.” It’s a delight to boo the oblivious King George III of England (Matt Bittner), who can’t quite quite grasp why the former colonials would rather rule themselves.

The rotating stage features elaborate choreography that doesn’t quite fit on a TV screen. Having seen the previous TV production, I was able to follow Miranda’s lyrics more closely and appreciate his dense, rapid-fire wordplay that would make Stephen Sondheim proud. Combined with the hip-hop accompaniment, debates about this country’s economic origins sound lively and engaging.

How much power the federal government still puzzles us, so it’s good that Miranda and the current production remind us that the question may never go away. The Constitution that Hamilton helped support would not allow him to run for President, but this country would not be what it is without his input. Immigrants may indeed get the job done, but can they truly be welcome? The question is currently being answered in our streets.

That may be why the play still draws viewers. After all, what is more American than a hip-hop musical that makes our founders and their ideas more than simply names and dates in a textbook?

• BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
• Music Hall
• Kansas City, Missouri

An incredible experience the entire family can enjoy, the fantastic Broadway touring production of “Beauty and the Beast” at the Music Hall in downtown Kansas City is nothing short of magical. From superb dance sequences to impeccable singing by the lead Kyra Belle Johnson, the show on opening night delivered everything you could want from a musical. Inspired by the 1991 Oscar-nominated animation and the 2017 Oscar-nominated live action version, which were based upon the original, 18^th century tale by French novelist, Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve (1685-1755), “Beauty and the Beast” takes on a journey that begins with a curse.

A selfish prince refuses to grant shelter to an elderly beggar woman after she offers an enchanted rose for her stay. An enchantress in disguise, she teaches the prince a lesson in humility by transforming him into a hideous beast and his entire staff in household objects. If he does not find true love by the time the last petal falls from the rose, then he will live as a beast for all time while his staff will become permanent house fixtures.

Time passes and in a nearby village, Belle (Johnson), the daughter of an eccentric inventor (Kevin Ligon), dreams of what life is like beyond her home by delving into every book she can find. Her beauty gains the unwanted attention of the arrogant Gaston (Stephen Mark Lukas), who wants to make her his wife…and he won’t take no for answer. When Belle later rescues her father from the Beast (Fergie L. Philippe), and the sparks eventually begin to fly, it is Gaston who seeks out a violent confrontation with what he views as a foul creature.

“Beauty and the Beast” is punctuated by creative set and costume designs that lend a certain bedazzlement to the overall performances. Johnson’s powerful voice hits every note with sheer perfection. She shares tangible, onstage chemistry with Philippe, whose vocal talents are matched by his terrific comedic timing. Speaking of comedy, Danny Gardner as the candlestick Lumiere is nothing less than a scene stealer. On opening night, he brought the house down with a rousing rendition of “Be Our Guest”. The other cast member of note was Lukas whose presence on state was nothing less than larger than life. Overall, I cannot remember a performance where so many scenes were met with such raucous, near-standing ovation receptions. It is truly must-see theater.

“Beauty and the Beast” will run through November 2^nd at the Kansas City Music Hall, located at 301 W 13^th St. in Kansas City, Missouri.  For ticket information, click HERE..

• THE BOOK OF MORMON
• Music Hall
• Kansas City, Missouri

To borrow a phrase….” Now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are”

I’m not sure why the satire of :The Book of Mormon” strikes me as so hilariously, but apologetically, it does.   I have always had a lure to the irreverent side of comedy….as a kid I bought every copy of Mad and Cracked magazine, George Carlin or Richard Pryor records, I would relate excerpts to my mother, who would rarely find the same level of amusement as I, claiming those things as not funny and a waste of my paper route money.

“The Book of Mormon” came to the world from the guys behind South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, with Robert Lopez, co-creator of Avenue Q with a premier in March of 2011 on Broadway,

The musical comedy tells the story of two mis-matched Mormon Missionaries and their assignment to go to Uganda.   The show begins setting the background for each one.  Elder Price (Sam McLellan) and Elder Cunnigham (Diego Enrico).  Their introduction to the Ugandan village, and the already in place group of Missionaries who have so far failed to produce any conversions gets everything rolling.  The entire cast was excellent in their acting, singing and dance numbers. Charity Arianna (Nabulungi) and Shariq Hicks (The General – BFN) led the supporting cast of villagers and ne’re-do-wells.

If you have any back knowledge of the Mormon story you can really enjoy the satire of the lyrics of the musical numbers like the opening “Hello”, or “I Believe”,  the best line is “ I believe, that the Garden of Eden was in Jackson County Missouri”, when you watching the show in Jackson County Missouri, that receives a rousing rise of laughter and cheers.

I’ve attended a performance of “The Book of Mormon” before, and this time I enjoyed it even more.  Knowing when certain scenes were coming only made them better by being able to really pay attention to the level of the production presentation (Fantastic !) and the characters’ development from introduction to the finale.    My wife attended with me this time, and could not stop laughing, as she put it…at all the inappropriate dialog and situations, and for a couple of hours, we were both giggling along like a couple of 14-year-old high schoolers.

On a scale of zero to five, “The Book of Mormon” receives ★★★★

• LIFE OF PI
• Starlight Theater
• Kansas City, Missouri

As the last show of Starlight Theatre’s Broadway season, “Life of Pi,” which is playing through Sunday, ends summer with a tragic, yet magical journey across the vast Pacific Ocean. Filled with wonderful imagery, masterful puppetry, and a talented cast, “Life of Pi” is a production that is perhaps once of the most memorable to grace the Starlight stage.

Based upon the 2001 best-selling novel by Canadian author Yann Martel and the 2012 Oscar-nominated film adaptation by director Ang Lee, “Life of Pi” begins in India during the late 1970s. Political unrest forces the Patel family to make the difficult decision to leave their homeland for a better life in Canada where they hope to restart their zoo. Their plan goes tragically wrong when the cargo ship they are on sinks during a bad storm in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Over 200 days later, an epic story of survival is told at a hospital in Mexico through the eyes of 16-year-old Pi Patel (Taha Mandviwala). Stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker – Pi recounts the trials and tribulations of being on the open ocean for so long as he continually sought out divine guidance. However, the question is whether the animals in his story were real.

Mandviwala is just as captivating as the puppetry and set that surrounds him. While his character can be a little annoying at times, Mandviwala pulls the audience with a performance that reminds us just how indomitable the human spirit can be in the face of great adversity. His choreography with the elaborate puppets is seamless throughout as he deftly balances his character’s sanity and delirium.

The set design that represents the ship is a little confusing, but it works, nonetheless, while the lighting certainly helps set the tone and mood of each scene. All in all, “Life of Pi” is a Broadway production that should not be missed during its time in KC.

 For ticket information on upcoming shows on the tour, click HERE.

Bank of America Broadway at The Straz
APR 29 – MAY 4, 2025

Great Scott! BACK TO THE FUTURE, the beloved, the Broadway musical, which premiered back in 2021 at the West End in London has its destination set for Tampa in this month. I had the pleasure of seeing this musical in London back in 2022 and 2023 and also on opening date on Broadway in 2024. I would have to say that it is one of my favorite musicals in the past few years. Still regardless having seen this show three times previously, The Straz Center delivered the goods for this touring production. The sets were fantastic, the sound was perfect and the acting was on par with previous stage adaptations. And most important the car flies (sort of)! This was an amazing experience and I highly recommend getting tickets while you still can to catch this amazing show at the Straz Center in Tampa, FL.

Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award®-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy® winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel” and “Back in Time.”

Having seen BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL previously with original cast Olly Dobson, who played Marty McFly and Roger Bart, who perfectly became Doc Brown it was setting the bar high for Tampa, FL. Lucas Hallauer, who plays Marty honestly did a fantastic job. Haven seen the show three times with three different Martys, he fit right up there with the best of them. Don Stephenson, who plays Doc also delivered the good. My favorite is still Roger Bart but the guy originated the role so its hard to beat the best. Don did a solid job and hit all the right notes. Notable performances were Cartreze Tucker, who plays Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry, he sang his heart out and delivered a fun performance. Also I thought that Ethan Rogers was a really solid Biff Tannen. He has the looks and the chops to go along with the role. Honestly highly recommend this touring cast overall.

After seeing this show in London and New York, I was a bit concerned about how they would do a few of the shows key moments and depict the sets. Well let me tell you we were blown away but the sets. They did an amazing job replicating taking you back to Hill Valley. And if you have seen the show you are probably wondering if the car flies…and it does in Tampa, FL. Not fully like in London and New York but it does what it can for a touring production and honestly let the audience in awe and us quite impressed with how things were handled. So I say, get out to Tampa, FL for this run of BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL before time runs out because you don’t want to miss this show!!

• PARADE
• Music Hall, Kansas City, Missouri
• February 4, 2025

People often assume that musicals simply provide audiences an escape from the misery and gloom of the world outside the theater, but Parade is an example of a play that wrestles with a thorny incident in 1913 Atlanta that still haunts our nation.

Although Parade, first hit stages in 1998, it feels curiously more urgent in the current touring revival, which played at the Muriel Kaufman on January 28, felt less like a period drama and more like a stirring account of how the issues that played America 112 years ago are still with us.

Having a sincere recorded introduction from U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, who now represents Georgia, makes the play seem anything but a fossil. The book by Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) and songs by Jason Robert Brown (The Bridges of Madison County) recount the murder of a 13-year-old pencil factory worker named Mary Phagan (Olivia Goosman). One of the few people to see her on the day she was killed was a manager named Leo Frank (Max Chernin).

Frank was working when Atlanta residents were celebrating Confederate Memorial Day, and the Texas native had moved there from New York. Being a Jew also made him seem suspicious to his neighbors. 

Robert Knight and Ethan Riordan in the National Tour of PARADE, photo by Joan Marc

Parade recounts Frank’s trial and the sensational coverage news coverage that followed. While Frank was convicted, much of the evidence against him was circumstantial and seemed to be based on bad vibes and prejudice instead of hard evidence. Eventually, the governor commuted his sentence from death to life in prison, but Phagan’s murder wound up metastasizing into something far more horrific.

While happy endings aren’t going to happen in this situation, the current touring production of Parade is still consistently engrossing. It unfolds in an almost cinematic manner with dates and images of the real participants projected on the stage and lightning fast transitions between locales.

Chernin is terrific as Leo demonstrating both a stellar singing voice and an outsider persona that makes the ill-starred manager inherently sympathetic. Talia Suskauer is equally solid as Leo’s determined wife Lucille. Her quest to get Leo acquitted even after the trial gives the story a crucial momentum. 

Even though you could look up the people and events in Wikipedia, Parade moves like a rocket and is buoyed by a dark humor that never feels like a history lesson. Because this is a musical, having the yellow journalists recount the crime with copious embellishments, seems even more fulsome and grandiose. Similarly, having the questionable police investigations sung instead of spoken makes that toxic folly feel even more real. 

It’s easy to tell the tale is personal for Uhry because his great uncle owned the factory where the murder took place. The fact that he could fit a love story into the tale of a hate crime is remarkable. It’s little wonder that the 2023 revival won a Tony and that new tour is so rewarding.

• PETER PAN
• Starlight Theater, Kansas City, Missouri
• September 17, 2024

“Peter Pan” needed more fairy dust

As the last show of Starlight Theatre’s Broadway season, “Peter Pan,” which is playing through Sunday, tries to take us on magical journey with a few pinches of fairy dust and some loud crowing. While the talented cast does their best to make it an unforgettable experience, “Peter Pan” the musical falls a little short of taking us back to Neverland.

It’s hard to believe how old the story is, but “Peter Pan” was first conceived as a play in 1904 by Scottish novelist and playwright, Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937). In 1911, Barrie adapted it into novel form with the title “Peter and Wendy.” It was adapted as a musical several times including in 1950 with music and lyrics by legendary conductor, Leonard Bernstein. However, it was the 1954 Broadway adaptation with actress Mary Martin playing the title role that put it into the stratosphere, resulting in multiple television broadcasts which enabled generations across the country to see it.

The story of “Peter Pan” is well-documented so there is not a lot of need to delve into the storyline’s details. What is more important is a discussion of the touring production itself. On the plus side, Nolan Almeida as the title character and Hawa Kamara as Wendy displayed amazing vocals throughout the entire opening night performance. Cody Garcia as Captain Hook almost stole the show as the dastardly pirate villain. His red and gold costume also equally stood out and was perhaps the best of the production.

The dance sequences were largely in sync and some special effects, most notably a scene involving Pan interacting with his shadow, were captivating. Unfortunately, the set design was less than inspirational with little to no wow factor. The same was true for the costumes. The story itself was bland even though there are attempts to modernize some of the dialogue, which doesn’t suit the story all that well. While the cast did their best, “Peter Pan” was less than magical and needed a whole lot more fairy dust.

“Peter Pan” will run through September 22 at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City.  For ticket information, CLICK HERE.