Author: cheriemessore

The Play That Goes Wrong Gets It Absolutely Right

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Here’s what I love about the WNY theatre community: there are the classics; there are the thought-provoking in-your-head-dramas; there are the social justice productions; there are soul-lifting musicals galore; and then there are the shows that are so silly and funny you laugh all the way home. And that, my friends, is The Play That Goes Wrong, onstage now at D’Youville Kavinoky Theatre.

It’s one of those “plays about a play” that gives the audience a glimpse behind the curtain at theatre’s inner workings. Although in this show, theatre’s inner workings aren’t working very well. This theatre company’s newest production is “The Murder at Haversham Manor” and at first, it’s the set that’s suffering from mantle pieces falling off and the director’s Duran Duran boxed set among the missing. And then the corpse isn’t properly dead. And the prop mistress is  reluctantly recast and eventually gets charmingly stage struck when the ingenue is suddenly stricken. Well, you get the picture.

What makes this production a cut above the usual play-within-a-play hijinks routines is the attention to detail all around. From Dyan Burlingame’s clever two-level set (spoiler alert, pieces break off a lot), costumes designed by Andrea Letcher to Donny Woodard’s collection of props, these fine points make a delightful production all the more special. Chris Cavanagh technical direction and trick creation (that’s what the program says) is pure stage magic.

The “actors” in this ersthwhile theatre company all play dual roles here. Brian Mysliwy is at his best as Inspector Carter whose searching for the killer. Kodi James’ best moments are as the deceased, and no, he’s not just laying there playing dead. He has one-eye-open (literally!) on what’s going on and he’s spot on. Don Gervasi is a riot as Thomas Colleymoore, resident rich guy in the manor. Jacob Albarella’s servant role is wonderfully understated and a snotty step out of any British drama on public broadcasting. It’s Steve Copps in the triad role that had me in stitches. His smallest part as Arthur the Gardener was the one to watch. He muggs for the audience. He smiles at the spotlight. He’s so good at being so bad. Alexandria Watts and Afrim Gjonbalaj as the stagehands were the perfect deadpan foils for the stage chaos of this acting troupe.

What I love best is that the show makes no apologies for what it is: a beautifully done send up of a theatre company that takes itself oh so seriously as stage disaster happens all around. It’s funny, it’s relaxing, and it’s just what we need in our theatre landscape right now. Kudos to directors Michael Galante and Adriano Gattos for assembling this just right onstage and offstage team.

The Play That Goes Wrong runs two hours with a 15-minute intermission to March 19. Make the time, see the show, laugh ‘til you can’t laugh anymore.

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Every Brilliant Thing Sparks Joy at Shea’s Smith Theatre

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Kids with a parent who is living with a mental illness diagnosis  develop an intriguing set of social skills. They quickly intuit to whom  they can confide, how to disappear into the woodwork during challenging moments, and how to fend for themselves if need be. They also learn how to love with a whole albeit broken heart. Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan MacMillan captures those highs and lows in a captivating one-actor show, produced by Second Generation Theatre and onstage now to March 18 at Shea’s Smith Theatre.

Kevin Craig is the young man who is reflecting on his life through the lens of his mother’s suicide attempts; the first time is when he was seven. His little boy wisdom includes the thought that perhaps he’s to blame for his mother’s mental state, so he figures he can also help save her life. He decides to make her a list of “every brilliant thing” that makes life worth living. Topping the list, of course, is ice cream and he moves through the everyday things that can spark a smile. His emphasis is more on the experience and not material things, and some are esoteric and thought-provoking. Like his fascination with like #521 –  “the word plinth.” When his mom makes another attempt 10 years later, he comes back to the list and it grows and becomes his touchstone, his comfort object. He continues to build the list throughout his life, on and off, in his own high moments and low moments.

Craig is magnificent. He’s funny, he’s wistful, he sprints around the stage like a puppy ready to play, he’s a hoot. His improv skills – no doubt honed by director Charmagne Chi in an amazing debut – are stellar and so smooth as he chats with the audience and engages the whole house in his deeply personal story.  He even pulled yours truly into a moment, not once but twice. (Sidebar: if you ever wondered if actors curry favor with reviewers to court a better review, that’s a big no. I mean…he called me old – twice! – in front of 100 people and well, so what if I am, but geez. And yet, I love him.) His more pensive, reflective moments still convey an energy and charm.

This is a charming, poignant, and engaging hour of theatre. While it’s primarily Craig on stage, he’s also in the audience a lot and audience members are brought to the stage for improv mini roles that are endearing and funny. One audience member is picked to be Mrs. Patterson, his elementary school counselor who speaks to troubled kids through a sock puppet. Yes, an audience member is charged with removing her sock on stage to embrace this important role.  

This work is a substantial departure from MacMillan’s other play recently on the Buffalo boards. His People, Places, and Things reprised by D’Youville Kavinoky Theatre earlier this year is a dark and authentic look substance abuse disorder and one woman’s journey to wellness.  While this show has its somber backstory, the focus is more on joy and appreciation for things large and small that keep us going.

The Second Generation team wisely engaged local agencies to table in the compact lobby bar and share resources. Representatives from these agencies also participate in Thursday post-show talkbacks. Full disclosure: when I’m not sitting in a theatre, I’m the Sr. Manager of Public Relations for Spectrum Health and Human Services, one of the sponsors of this outstanding production.  I love that this company took a risk on this production: its content is important and the presentation is well executed. Or in the words of author Margaret Atwood, “Hope is part of the human toolkit, along with the arts.”

The show is a fast-paced 60 minutes, no intermission, and you’ll leave with a tug in your heart for individuals who grapple with mental health issues every day…and perhaps a smile on your face for the WNY artistic community that reminds us that inspiration, help, and hope is all around us. Check out https://secondgenerationtheatre.com/ for tickets.

Also – sometimes even a million brilliant things aren’t enough. If you or someone you love is having suicidal ideations, call 988 for immediate intervention, or Spectrum Health’s 24/7 Help Line at 716 710 5172 or Crisis Services at 716 834 3131. There is always someone here for you.

BPO and ICTC Join Forces for a Storm Surge of Artistry

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Irish Classical Theatre Company and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra built a beautiful model for collaboration with this series of theatre-set-to-music productions. The 2023 installment was Shakespeare’s The Tempest with Jean Sibelius’ incidental music and it was a lush and lavish visual and aural feast.

First of all, the music. It was stunning, and it helped advance the story in critical places. The soaring sounds in the brass told your ears that a ship was on treacherous seas. Pizzicato passages in the strings conveyed dramatic tension and the light moments in the woodwinds brought deliverance. Balancing the music against the story was essential to make the production fit into a two-hour performance footprint, too. Of course the orchestra under JoAnn Falletta’s baton got it right.

The theatrical side was a perfectly-cast delight. Gender bending Prospero to Prospera was a fine choice and  Aleks Malejs’s strong demeanor and velvety voice created an imposing persona. Yes, she could swirl the sea into a tempest, rule a country, demand the return of her power when thwarted, and raise a daughter, too. Hey, sometimes a sister has to show her brother who is really the boss. Prospera’s daughter Miranda is winsomely played by Sabrina Kahwaty, with a girlish charm overlaying her mom’s determination. Some of the region’s finest actors were hailed for the rest of the roles, too, sometimes against type, and forming a solid corps. Standouts were Marisa Caruso as the spritely Ariel, who leapt across the stage in a swirl of earthly colors. Kevin Craig (concurrently preparing for his solo performance in Second Generation Theatre’s Every Brilliant Thing opening this week) is Trinculo, the jester who is one of three Prospera enemies. Philip Farugia as the tipsy servant, Matt Witten as Prospera’s scheming brother Antonio who’s plotting with Sebastian (Todd Benzin) make a masterful albeit evil trio.

This was a substantial cast and production team, under the direction of Fortunato Pezzimenti. Vocal soloists and a choir of 10 (from the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus) sang back up, directed by Adam Luebke . The other force was the projection: sheer images of the sea and scenery were projected on the back of that lovely blonde wood stage, giving it a glimmer, a suggestion of the sea and the islandscape. David Dwyer and Jayson Clark as set and light designer respectively told the right amount of visual story here. Vivian DelBello’s costuming was elegant, as was Susan Drozd’s makeup and hair design.

Collaborations like these are testament to the gestalt of Western New York’s arts community: come together in strength and emerge even stronger. This partnership is laudable. Regrettably, time and expense make these limited engagements, but it’s gratifying to know that they endure for another year. Congratulations to the musicians, singers, actors, and production artists – and the administrators who raise the funds and program the seasons – for these gifts.

Show your support for both entities by visiting their websites (bpo.org and irishclassical.com), attending their regular performances, and contributing to their successful seasons.

Suspense on Stage at RLTP

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Remember “Long Distance Call,” that episode of the incredible and timeless TV classic The Twilight Zone, where Billy Mumy’s grandmother gives him a play telephone and then she dies the next day? Whenever he picks up the phone, his grandma is talking to him.  The Thin Place, the new production at Road Less Traveled Theater, is as riveting and haunting as that 1961 episode. Maybe even moreso. Yes, I checked the backseat of my car before I got in after the show.

This is the WNY premiere of another work by lucas hnath and it breaks the fourth wall (while storytelling about the fifth dimension) in a way that is his signature style. As the story begins, house lights are up for several minutes as Hilda (Renee Landrigan) holds a cup of tea and starts talking about her grandma and their special relationship. Grandma was encouraging Hilda to see with her third eye, the one that is just behind her ‘seeing’ eyes, where communication is more felt than heard. Hilda’s mom called this satanic and demonic and banned Grandma from her home. Yet the lessons resonated with Hilda who would often sit quietly by candlelight to attempt to communicate with her grandma after she passed.

Hilda is an adult now, no longer living with her mom, when she meets Linda (Margaret Massman), a spiritual medium and she is captivated. They become friends and she soon meets others in Linda’s earthly circle, Sylvia (Kristen Tripp Kelley) and Jerry (David Mitchell), well-heeled jetsetters who have a different perspective on Linda’s ‘gift.’

Wow. Sounds like a simple parlor drama/relationship story, right? Nope. There are layers of story in here and piles of theatre magic wonderfully executed by the production team. Dyan Burlingame’s set is deceptively simple and Diane Almeter Jones’ props are the same. John Rickus does some creepy-good things with lighting; delaying and slowing the dimming of the house lights, cutting the stage lights (the theatre companion and I disagree on the critical duration of this black out. He says no more than :45 and I maintain it was a good 2:00 that I clutched his hand in terror). Sound Designer Katie Menke had some off-stage shattering and clattering to create, too.

Landrigan as Hilda ran the full emotional gamut, from almost shy to very knowing. This was an elegant performance. Massman was clever, convincing, mystical as the medium who was….or wasn’t. Tripp Kelley was easy to detest as the ‘friend’ with a jealous streak, and Mitchell brought a keen balance to this trio of women in complicated places.

All this was brought together by director Scott Behrend who let the strength of this content guide the simplicity of its presentation. This production is flawless, stop to finish, with its exquisite combination of story, actors, and production.

What I loved most about reading the playbill (yes, an actual book on paper with ink already) was reading about RLTP’s Bridge Program which has a college and high school student engaged in the production alongside working professionals. Best wishes to Brenda Bridges and Liam Rio respectively as you learn from the best in the business. I also loved the insert that had the story behind the story.

The Thin Place runs a gripping 90-minutes, with no intermission which would have broken the suspense and taken you away from a place beyond here and the beyond.  Find tickets and other info at www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org.

Sir Andrew’s Back in Town at MusicalFare

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It takes a lot of stage presence to command a stage solo for more than an hour. And that’s exactly what Leah Berst does in Tell Me on a Sunday, onstage now at MusicalFare Theatre.

Berst has the power (and the chops) to sing her way through this Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black one-woman song cycle. They wrote it in 1979, post Webber’s Evita, and the original plan was for it to be a TV program. Perhaps Sir Webber was still Rainbow High-weary; outside of the title song and the familiar tune “An Unexpected Song,” the melodies are Webber-predictable and the story is fairly flat.

That’s not to say that Berst isn’t commanding and outstanding on stage: she’s fantastic. It’s the script that doesn’t rise to her level, sadly.

In brief, Berst’s unnamed character leaves her home in the UK for New York City and love. That love fails, so it’s on to someone new. And then someone new and younger And then someone in California.. And then someone new and married. In between, she’s emailing her mum, getting angry at girlfriends, endeavoring to earn her green card, while remaining a hopeful romantic.

There are some fun moments. The repetitive “It’s Not the End of the World” (If I Lose Him, If He’s Younger, If He’s Married) is clever. Berst pours her heart into “Come Back With The Same Look in Your Eyes” and it’s lovely. Her self-righteous anger in “Let Me Finish” is classic break up material. She maintains her optimism with “Dreams Never Run On Time.” Le sigh…

Therese Quinn assembled a fine back up band, with Larry Albert on guitar, Jim Celeste on drums, Mike Moser on bass, Jim Runfola on woodwinds, and Gail Bauser playing cello which is absolutely lovely against Berst’s high range voice. Chris Cavanagh’s set is eye appealing and he uses some fun videos that help move the flimsy story along. It was fun to see other actors in video cameos, almost like a “Where’s Waldo of Buffalo Theatre.”

What I appreciate best about this show is its brevity: an hour and 10 minutes with no intermission. If COVID did one good thing for theatre, it’s the new emphasis on shorter productions. The Theatre Companion and I arrived early enough to enjoy good conversation in the Cabaret and lingered a few minutes post-show to enjoy Quinn and Randy Kramer getting four hands on the piano. It’s always great fun at MusicalFare.

I’m no fan of digital programs (I know…it saves money, it is contact-less, more to read on your own time…I get it), but I do love MusicalFare’s super creative use of the in-theatre video monitors before the program. Nell Mohn, Director of Strategic Development, was informative and entertaining in her video which explained the valueand need for fundraising. As a recovering fundraiser, I love and respect her enthusiasm for this challenging work.

Tell Me on a Sunday runs to March 19: visit musicalfare.com for tickets and details.

A World Premiere at Alleyway

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The connection between a mom and her daughter can run deep. Especially when it’s only the two of you, you’re tight in each other’s orbit, your worlds intersect in inextricable ways. And that is Nicky and Naomi, the mother-daughter duo at the heart of The Aleph Complex, now on stage at Alleyway Theatre.

This is a new play, a world premiere, winner of the 2020 Maxim Mazumdar New Play Award. It’s quirky, original, and unexpectedly thought-provoking in the way that it lingered and niggled in my head.

Nicky Stamats (“my last name is a palindrome,” she said by introduction (played by Caroline Kolasny) is a twitchy and anxious college freshman, an English major who is using shadow puppets in a class presentation. As midterms loom, her inner heart-voice calls her home to mom (Sara Kow-Falcone), a designer who hasn’t left her apartment in five years. Their anxieties co-mingle: Nicky escaped a major milestone in her first months away from mom while Naomi was happily in her solitary safe space. Nicky’s coping mechanism is to imagine trapping her fears in plastic boxes (conveniently, she had worked at The Container Store) where they become more cope-able sounds. She’s convinced she can help her mom by grabbing up some self-help books from the last Borders store on the planet, located in the same strip plaza as her former employer. It’s there that she meets a bookseller (Josh Wilde) with his own issues: he can’t leave his store. He lives in his store. His store and its contents haunt him and hurt him. Yet in the backroom, there is the Aleph, his version of the time-space continuum portal (Think of the backroom of the diner in Stephen King’s 11/22/63.) Nicky and Borders Guy are drawn to each other; Nicky shares a treasured photo she found of her mom, backpacking through Europe in her youth and their unspoken wonder of ‘what happened’ is wistful, palpable. She also knits him a sweater with one loose yarn; there’s lots of metaphor here. Yarn is another word for story. Strings hold us together and can also let us go.

There’s more to this richly layered and nuanced story. Inspired by Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges’ writings, there are metaphors galore and a myriad of mysticism against a backdrop of anxious emotions.

If this all sounds a little ‘out there,’ it is. The characters are endearing and the actors are solid in their roles. Kow-Falcone is especially interesting; we’re used to seeing her portray strong, empowered women, and here she’s more comfortable with shadow puppets than people. Kolasny and Wilde will be terrific to watch in future roles.

The set is nothing short of spectacular. First off, it’s huge, and uses every bit of Alleyway’s compact stage. Lynne Koscielniak and Nicholas Taboni built a two-level masterpiece that combined Naomi’s apartment, The Container Store, and Borders in one place. There’s some charming theatre magic crafted by puppet designer Caitlin McLeod to depict movement between Naomi’s apartment and the stores, too. Aaron Bowersox and Hudson Waldrop had oodles of light and sound cues respectively to craft and manage that added some of the more dreamlike moments.  The visual and aural experience underscored some of the more poignant points of playwright Deborah Yarchun’s story and locked it into a good place.  

All told, The Aleph Complex is the kind of interesting theatre that is Alleyway’s hallmark. Get there before it closes March 4. The show runs just under two hours with one intermission. Visit alleyway.com for details and tickets.

The Mai on Stage at ICTC

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“I’m not drunk, I’m trapped.”

That single line sums up the key to The Mai, presented by the Irish Classical Theatre Company. Playwright Marina Carr examines the lives of seven women over four generations, each with their triumphs and tragedies that knit their family story.

The Mai (Kate LoConti Alcocer) is at the center: a mom and educator, she loves Robert her philandering husband (Chris Avery) , even when he takes off for five years and comes home with promises ne’er to be kept. Sisters Beck (Cassie Cameron) and Connie (Megan Callahan)  have their own struggles as they come and go from the lovely lakeside house The Mai built for her kids while Robert is pursuing his career and diversions. Grandma Fraochlan (Pamela Rose Mangus) tells her heirs hearfelt stories about their Mum’s short life and wistful stories of her late husband, the nine-fingered fisherman, between glasses of Mulberry wine and pulls on her pipe. Aunts Julie (Mary Moebius) and Agnes (Lisa Ludwig) in turn gossip and judge and ground this family as they keep a close hold on their practical handbags. It’s up to The Mai’s daughter Millie (Christine Turturro) as narrator to tell this story of her family, her legacy, and her future from her perspective. A clever plot device, Millie is both on the periphery and central to this story as she reflects on the dynamics that created the life she is yet to lead. And yes, they are all trapped, either by circumstances or in their memories or their designs for living. Even globe-trotting, bed-hopping Robert is trapped by his choices and questionable decisions.

It’s not a story laced with joy; while there are plenty of laughable moments, it’s The Mai’s overwhelming sadness that she’s not living the life she deserves that guides this story. Sure Grandma is a hoot; Magnus plays her to the hilt, with a scarlet ribbon holding back her tumble of grey curls, as she repeats the same stories about the men of her past and the one who captured her heart. Every family has Aunts like Agnes and Julie, and Moebius and Ludwig are perfection in these roles, with a look here, a comment there, and waning patience with their mother’s ramblings. Alcocer’s anguish pervades, even in the seemingly happy moment when Robert returns home with flowers, her favorite perfume and drink as peace offerings. Aye but the promise of fidelity you don’t quite hear is swiftly broken and his stern dressing down of his bride for having the audacity to criticize his latest girlfriend is exquisitely evidenced on Alcocer’s drawn face. Turturro’s finely nuanced narration ties all this together. She’s neither apologetic or condemning of her family story; she fills in the story between the story pragmatically yet with heart. I found myself watching her expressions (sometimes more than the central action) from her off-to-the-side position on set; she was actively taking it all in and processing as she watched the family story unfold. She bears responsibility for the next generation of this complex family.

Director Josephine Hogan made superb casting choices across the board with this stellar cast.  I always admire ICTC’s well-designed sets with bits and pieces of architectural elements suggesting walls and ceilings. Collin Ranney set designer was lovely and Jayson Clark’s lighting design had some subtle moments, too, with lingering illuminations at intermission and the final scene. There might have been some sound challenges the night I was in the house: Robert’s off-stage cello “playing” sounded tinny and truly canned (or perhaps that was sound designer Tom Makar’s intention to distort the usually elegant sound of this instrument to underscore Robert’s lack of humanity for his family.)

The Mai may make you chuckle in moments (seriously, I love Mangus as the grandmother and all her endearing quirks) but mostly you’ll leave disheartened that relationships fail, sad that hurting pervades the human condition, and wistful that sometimes family love is hard to feel.

The Mai is onstage to February 5: visit irishclassical.com. Run time is a little over two hours with a 15-minute intermission.

All Is Calm is Elegant Theatre

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We learn the most important lessons from the most devastating moments. Reflecting on a moment in World War I’s history is a poignant reminder of humanity and the power of simple kindness.

MusicalFare Theatre’s reprised production of All Is Calm at Shea’s 710 Theatre is just as stunning as its 2021 staging. The same production team created an aurally and visually immersive experience in this larger house, with the sounds of war gently (and sometimes not so gently) rumbling under the words and music of this remarkable cast.

To recap the story, In the first few months of the war (“we thought it would be over by Christmas,” is an oft-repeated sentiment), British soldiers were acclimating to life in the trenches in that most frightening location of The Great War: No Man’s Land. Something happened on Christmas night, 1914: British soldiers on the Western Front heard singing and saw flickering lights coming from the German troops.  They crossed this chasm of battle and joined in with carols of their own, first competitively and then in unity. Weapons were laid down, beverages, snacks, and stories were shared, language and cultural barriers were set aside. The men declared their own unofficial Christmas truce that lasted but a few days and was ne’er repeated.  Playwright Peter Rothstein’s script is built on a series of statements from soldiers with each quote closed out with their name and rank. The epistolary form was well-used here, we’re reading a soldier’s letter to a loved one. Associating words to people gave the story a wide open heart.

If the story sounds familiar, you’re either a student of world history or you were in the Subversive Theatre Collective Audience in 2014 to see local writer Gary Earl Ross’ take on the same story, The Guns of Christmas.

Between the spoken lines were popular songs of the day and song Christmas carols, too. Music Director Theresa Quinn’s church choral director skills are well used here. All songs were performed a cappella with beautifully layered harmonies.  And truly, the songs were as organic and authentic as they would have been in the day, just coming out of nowhere to underscore a moment of levity or punctuate a moment of reflection and remembrance. The singers’ skills were breathtaking, to literally pull their music out of the air and fill the space effortlessly and perfectly. From Ricky Needham’s opening “Will Ye Go To Flanders,” to the final reprisal of the ensemble singing “Silent Night/Sill Nacht” and the reflective Last Post, the singing was haunting and lovely. With Needham are Christopher Andreana, Kyle Bassett-Baran, Christian Brandjes, Louis Colaiacovo, Chris Cummings, Alex Anthony Garcia, Matthew Gilbert-Wachowiak, Bob Mazierski, John Panepinto, Marc Sacco, and Dave Spychalski. Together they were everyman.   

Susan Drozd stage direction was precise. There were beautiful moments when weapons were sharply, deliberately placed just so. Each actor held a firm gaze to the back of the house when delivering lines, speaking to everyone and someone else just beyond the fourth wall.  Chris Cavanagh’s dramatic lighting and battle noises meshed with designer Dyan Burlingame’s trench set. Kari Drozd managed costume design and it was fun to watch the men using simple leg wraps, hats, and coats to become other characters. This was an important detail in the story and signaled their transition from camp soldier to one in active battle.

It’s a breath-taking, beautiful production with a timeless message: peace on Earth is possible.

The well-paced, single act (no intermission and just under 90 minutes) ended with a reminder, from British poet Robert Laurence Binyon’s poem “The Fallen”: “We will remember them.”

All Is Calm is onstage until December 18: tickets and details are at https://www.sheas.org/performances/all-is-calm/.

Ride That Magic Carpet to Aladdin

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Well, after the week we’ve put in, isn’t it good to escape to a whole new world?

That’s what it felt like on opening night at Disney Aladdin on stage at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre until Sunday, November 27. It’s everything you expect a Disney stage production to be; dazzling costumes, lots of stage magic, a catchy score, and a high energy cast.

The story – if you missed the 1992 film – is a retelling of “Aladdin and His Magic Lamp” from the collection of Middle Eastern folktales “A Thousand and One Arabian Nights” albeit with a Disney spin.  It’s actually the perfect set up for practically every Disney story, where the kindly poor one encounters another one of privileged means, and while obstacles and meanies are thrown in their way, goodness and love will prevail. In other words, it could be Lady and the Tramp on two legs with two nasty humans instead of those wretched cats.

Cynicism aside, this Aladdin is everything you need it to be. From the opening number “Arabian Nights,” the Genie (Marcus M. Martin) completely endears you with his beguiling charm. You want to have a friend in him.  Martin’s rich and luxurious voice is the finest in this cast and his perfect articulation overcame some opening night muddiness in the sound mix. Aladdin (Adi Roy) is the heart-of-gold leader of his street gang-of four. They roam the marketplace, get in little bits of trouble, start their own boy band to earn some money, and will keep you laughing, even though the fat-guy-with-food-on-his-mind gags run their course pretty fast. Of course there’s Princess Jasmine (Senzel Ahmady), who’s disenchanted with her lot in life (marry a Prince, let him rule the kingdom) and wants to be the modern woman of her day. Jafar (Anand Nagraj) as the bad guy had the perfect spooky-evil laugh and his sidekick Iago (Aaron Choi) was as well-balanced and annoying sidekick.

Besides the Genie rightfully stealing every scene he is in (Martin really is THAT good), my other favorite part of the Aladdin experience is seeing how many kids were there with grown ups or with groups. That is how the next generation of theatre goers is built: one kid-appealing show at a time. And if it takes a Disney on stage extravaganza (with some well-placed ‘adult’ one-liners) to get them hooked, that’s OK. My parents started me with British light opera at Melody Fair (The Student Prince and Naughty Marietta when I was literally a babe in arm) and heck, it worked.

So yes, it’s pretty formulaic. The Menkin-Ashman-Rice-Begulein score is very familiar. It’s not the deepest of the deep plotlines. And yes, there is a marketplace of merch for sale and a lobby kiss and cry with Aladdin’s lap made for selfies. Embrace it. Get lost in the sparkle.  Take that magic carpet ride, just enjoy yourself. And don’t you dare close your eyes.

Disney Aladdin runs about two hours with a 15-minute intermission. There is no show on Thanksgiving and performances double-up for the weekend with rush priced tickets to boot. Get the details at www.sheas.org.

Guards at the Taj at Road Less Traveled Productions

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I’ve always loved a good buddy story. Butch and Sundance, Thelma and Louise, Oscar and Felix…you get it. One is always solid, pragmatic while the other is more spontaneous, creative, free-falling through life because the other buddy is both the emotional safety net and soft place to land. Road Less Traveled Productions has the ultimate in buddy experiences onstage until December 11.

The two Guards at the Taj share that same rapport. Babur (Darryl Samira) and Humayun (Afrim Gjonbalaj) are on the lower rung of imperial guards gate-keeping the 22 year construction of the Taj Mahal.  They are to follow a strict protocol: they are to keep their backs to the construction site at all times with swords raised in their right hands; they are not to speak; and they are not to scale the wall to sneak a peek at the beauty that is being created behind them. No, they are not to see the work of 20,000 laboring men. But these young guards, who also shared military experience, are curious. Even through Humayun keeps reminding Babur to be quiet, stand tall, take this role seriously, they do fall into the easy banter of two guys on the job, until they realize that their work will include an unthinkable, unfathomable task. You see, the architect has asked the Shah to allow the workforce to view the completed Taj Mahal before it’s revealed to the rest of Agra and the world. This is an affront to the Shah, and there will be consequences. Babur can’t fathom that, nor can he zip his lip about his opinions, despite Humayun’s emphatic reminders. And this is where the buddy story takes a dark turn.

Playwright Rajiv Joseph’s award-winning script was inspired by myths, legends, and some history about how the Taj Mahal was constructed. The result is an intense and emotional experience that examines the boundaries of loyalty, honesty, and family responsibility.

Both Semira and Gjonbalaj are exceptional  here. It’s easy to get caught up in Semira’s boyish curiosity and enthusiasm as he dreams out loud about inventing a flying machine and seeing the world. Yet Humayun’s respect for rules has its virtue, too. This is riveting theatre that will linger in your mind as you reflect on its content and pull away the layers of their words, their actions, and the consequences they will face. It’s good to see Semira in this role after playing Arthur is MusicalFare Theatre’s easy-to-forget staging of Camelot. Gjonbalaj has a penchant for rich, complex roles as his character in RLTP’s Disgraced in  2018 and last season in D’Youville Kavinoky’s fierce People, Places, and Things.

Dyan Burlingame’s set is austere: the façade of a construction site is pretty blasé, but add John Rickus’ vibrant lighting design and Kate Menke’s sound that you can almost feel and the whole effect is unified and powerful. Director Kate Mallinson had a rich palette here.

I’ll be blunt: there were some scenes that were hard to watch. And they were meant to be that way. The 17th century was a brutal time and a grieving, entitled monarch could make his own rules.

Guards at the Taj runs just under 90 minutes with no intermission. Find info and a link to tickets at http://www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org.