Regional Roundup: Top New Features This Week Around Our BroadwayWorld 12/14 - HAMILTON, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, LITTLE WOMEN, and More!
By: BWW Special Dec. 14, 2018
BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature HAMILTON, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, LITTLE WOMEN, and More!
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CD/Books/DVDs: Contributor David Clarke reviews Barbra Streisand's WALLS is Richly Political and Evocative, writing "I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but WALLS - Barbra Streisand's thirty-sixth studio album - is the first I have ever listened to by the iconic songstress. But I'm not embarrassed to admit that I love it. Alternating between heartfelt ballads and stirring anthems, Streisand's WALLS proves that the luster hasn't worn off of her star; in fact, it's as vibrant and enchanting as ever."
Australia - Sydney: Contributor Jade Kops reviews Sydney Philharmonia Choirs CAROLS AT THE HOUSE writing "Featuring Kerrie Anne Greenland and Teddy Tahu Rhodes, CAROLS AT THE HOUSE brings together Sydney Philharmonia Choirs' Chamber Singers, VOX choir, Symphony Chorus and the special Christmas Choir with the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra to deliver a delightful festive fare."
South Carolina: Contributor Neil Shurley reviews HAMILTON at the Peace Center, writing "If you're like me - overly familiar with the original cast recording - hearing a whole new set of voices can at first be jarring in their unfamiliarity. But that quickly subsides and you get sucked right in to the new voices and rhythms. And those new rhythms, those new inflections, those new and different character choices made by a whole new set of actors are exactly the extra level of genius I mentioned. The work is so much bigger than the original cast."
Boston: Contributor David Tompkins reviews A CHRISTMAS CAROL at North Shore Music Theatre, writing "The book has been called by some a "sledge hammer" against the ills of industrialism and consumerism. Dickens' own father had been sent to London's Marshalsea debtors' prison, and Charles Dickens himself bitterly remembered having to leave school, and work in a boot-blacking factory at the age of 12 near Convent Garden. He'd seen children working long hours in the tin mines and attending poor schools. He modeled the Bob Cratchit's lifestyle on his own experiences living in Camden Town, London. Dickens demonstrates that even in poverty, the winter holiday can inspire goodwill and generosity toward one's neighbors. He shows that the spirit of Christmas was not lost in the race to industrialize but can live on in our modern world."
Fort Wayne: Contributor Jen Poiry reviews HOLIDAY POPS at Fort Wayne Philharmonic at the Embassy Theatre, writing "Audience participation is another feature of the Holiday Pops that includes a holiday singalong, the Hallelujah Chorus, and the second year of "five gold(en) rings" solos during "Twelve Days of Christmas." Conductor Caleb Young stopped the song several times to good-naturedly remind the opening night audience that the line was a solo effort."
Connecticut: Contributor Joseph Harrison reviews LITTLE WOMEN at Connecticut Theatre Company, writing "There are some stories that no matter the venue or format, find a way to touch your soul, brighten your day, and ignite a fire within you. One such story, is Louisa May Alcott's masterpiece LITTLE WOMEN, which has been adapted from the original 1868 novel into many forms including several movies and television series and even a Broadway musical. This musical version is currently being produced by the Connecticut Theatre Company in New Britain and it couldn't be a more thrilling, fresh, or heartwarming experience."
Australia - Melbourne: Contributor Victoria Beal reviews Melbourne Shakespeare Company's ROMEO & JULIET at St Kilda Botanical Gardens, writing "The show's masked ball scene, where Romeo first sees Juliet, is a hilarious combination of old meets new. Once the cast started singing "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas and "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga, I knew we were in for a treat. The ball turns into a modern-day nightclub, which will have you laughing out loud. The scene is matched with quirky choreography by John Reed, who also plays "Paris". Though I wouldn't come to this show to see spectacular technique, the motive behind these numbers is to entertain, not to simply show off their pirouettes. The cast make the tight choreography work by putting their personalities into the numbers and deliver a unique performance."
CD/Books/DVDs: Contributor David Clarke reviews Lena Hall's OBSESSED: Chris Cornell , writing "Lena Hall's ambitious and successful year long EP project - Lena Hall OBSESSED - comes to end this month with her lovely tribute to Chris Cornell, the iconic front man of Soundgarden and Audioslave. The four-track OBSESSED: Chris Cornell stands as a vivid and stirring conclusion to the series, offering listeners the entrancing angst of the grunge era and a delightful reprieve from effusively ebullient holiday music."
Maine: Contributor Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold reviews BROADWAY AT THE GOOD THEATER, writing "In what has become a delightful Portland holiday tradition, the Good Theater presented its annual musical revue, created and directed by Brian P. Allen, starring an incandescent Valerie Perri, together with Daniel Patrick Smith and a fine ensemble of Maine talent. The program, which featured twenty-nine musical theatre classics as well as lesser-known songs of the 1980s, was woven together by Allen with his comprehensive knowledge of the repertoire and his customary wit and performed with relish and commitment by the entire ensemble."
Regional Editor Spotlight:
Jade Kops
Sydney Contributing Editor
I am an International Flight Attendant with a love of Cabaret, Musical Theatre, and Live Performing Arts in general. I try to see as many shows as I can, whether that be in my current home town of Sydney, other Australian cities or the International cities I visit with work. I am a graduate of the Cabaret Summer School 2012-Adelaide and have also been a Special Guest Critic for GlamAdelaide for the 2012 Adelaide Fringe Festival, specialising in Cabaret.
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