By Daniel Skora The show is “Beautiful” because that’s the title of one of the cuts off the album that spent a phenomenal six years on the best-seller charts. It’s “Beautiful” because the music the songwriter created provided the soundtrack for a generation. And it’s “Beautiful” because that’s the best word to describe the woman … More Carole King Makes “Beautiful” Music at The Fisher
By Daniel Skora And to think I came very close to missing out on what may prove to be the best performance by an actor for the 2016/17 theatre season. What with one thing or another, there was not a single open date on my calendar for several weekends in a row. But when someone … More Lisa and Luna Create Memorable Theatre at Matrix
By Daniel Skora It’s the holiday season, and if you’re thinking the time might be ripe for the second annual Christmas Panto at Theatre Nova, you’d be right. Not to scare away the non-literate, but this year’s assemblage of skits, sketches, and general all-‘round mayhem draws its inspiration from “Nussknaker und Mausekonig”, which is German … More “Nutcracker” Gets Parodied in “Sugar Plum Panto”
By Daniel Skora In 2006, artist/cartoonist Alison Bechdel published a graphic novel that she had labored over for many years. “Fun Home” was a memoir about growing up in a small Pennsylvania town struggling to discover her sexual identity while dealing with a father who was obsessive, demanding, and gay. The book became both a … More “Fun Home” Not an Amusing Place to Grow Up
By Daniel Skora Playwright Larry Shue died much too young at the age of 39. But he left us with two comedies that have become classics of the American stage. Both plays are crowd pleasers and can frequently be found on the performance schedules of many types of theatres. It was “the Foreigner” that brought … More Beware “The Nerd” If He Shows Up At Your Door
By Daniel Skora The Encore Musical Theatre Company of Dexter has gotten so good at putting on musicals that are tailor made for larger venues that you can’t help but marvel at their success. Now, with their current production of “Mary Poppins”, they have another hit on their hands. So what’s the secret to their … More A Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious “Mary Poppins” at Encore Musical
