LEHIGH VALLEY STAGE An initiative of Crowded Kitchen Players since 2012
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"Pints, Pounds & Pilgrims" hilarious, manic farce

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Written by: Kathy Lauer-Williams
Category: Play Reviews
Published: 05 June 2023
Hits: 645

Crowded Kitchen Players presents a hilarious, manic production of "Pints, Pounds & Pilgrims" an original comedy written and directed by Ara Barlieb, at the Charles A. Brown IceHouse, Bethlehem through June 18.

The wacky comedy is a play within in a play, or rather two plays within a play, as the story follows two competing theater companies who go to an arts festival on the Irish Island of Inishbofin off the coast of Connemara, County Galway to perform.

The excellent Trish Cipoletti is imperious as British director Simone Wexler, who deludes herself that her original Irish tragedy, "A Bad Year for Potatoes," is high art.

Cipoletti is outrageously funny as she blusters, fumes and storms while she delivers arch directions to her clueless cast.

Read more: "Pints, Pounds & Pilgrims" hilarious, manic farce

"Henry IV, Part 2" great performances, powerful moments at Pa Shakespeare

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Written by: Kathy Lauer-Williams
Category: Play Reviews
Published: 02 June 2023
Hits: 592

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival opened its 2023 season with William Shakespeares "Henry IV, Part 2" through June 11 in the Schubert Theater, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, Center Valley.

"Henry IV, Part 2" is being presented in the festivals "Extreme Shakespeare" style, with actors rehearsing the way it is believed Shakespeare's company would have. Actors arrive with their lines learned, rehearse on their own without a director, raid the costume shop and open in a matter of a few days. As a result, the production has a bit of a flying-by-the-seat-of-the-pants feel but contains strong performances and many powerful moments.

Read more: "Henry IV, Part 2" great performances, powerful moments at Pa Shakespeare

"Route 66" rollicking road trip at Pines

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Written by: Kathy Lauer-Williams
Category: Play Reviews
Published: 15 May 2023
Hits: 591

The Pines Dinner Theater takes audiences on a rollicking road trip through 1950s and 1960s music with its tune-filled revue "Route 66" through June 24 at the theater at 448 N 17th Street, Allentown.

A cast of 4 performers dressed as auto mechanics sings and plays their own instruments on an astonishing string of 30 road and car-related songs from Jan and Deans ""Dead Man's Curve" to Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again."

A radio broadcast complete with vintage car commercials periodically sets the stage along the historic Route 66 from Chicago to Oklahoma City to Amarillo to Flagstaff to Los Angeles.

Read more: "Route 66" rollicking road trip at Pines

Civic's lush "A Little Night Music" smart and delightful

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Written by: Kathy Lauer-Williams
Category: Play Reviews
Published: 08 May 2023
Hits: 584

Civic Theatres lush, smart and totally delightful production of Stephen Sondheims "A Little Night Music" is very well sung and crisply directed by Civic artistic director Williams Sanders.

The musical is through May 21 at Civics 19th Street Theatre, 527 N. 19th Street, Allentown.

One of Sondheims less commonly done musicals, "A Little Night Music" features counterpoint, some of Sondheims more complex musical lines and an almost operatic score; however, Civic is up for the challenge with this outstanding production.

Read more: Civic's lush "A Little Night Music" smart and delightful

Emotional and powerful "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" at DeSales

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Written by: Kathy Lauer-Williams
Category: Play Reviews
Published: 28 April 2023
Hits: 540

Intensely emotional and achingly poignant, Act 1 DeSales University Theatres production of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" features outstanding performances across the board.

The powerful musical runs through May 7 on the Main Stage of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts in Center Valley.

The show tells the story of Quasimodo, the bell ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris who falls for the gypsy Esmeralda. It draws its darker story from Victor Hugos novel and the songs from 1996 Disney film.

Read more: Emotional and powerful "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" at DeSales

More Articles …

  1. Darkly buoyant "Matilda the Musical" from Star of the Day in Emmaus
  2. NCC mines the laughs with playful "Much Ado About Nothing"
  3. Touchstone's "The Last Play" honest and fascinating look at art, love and endings
  4. Cast at Civic's Theatre514 pulls off "Trouble in Mind" with remarkably strong performances
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PLAY REVIEWS

  • "Allies" debates cultural identity, at Between the Lines Studio Theatre
  • "Clue: The Musical" wacky and colorful fun, at Pines Dinner Theatre

AUDITIONS

  • Auditions for "An Explosion by the Ballyseedy Woods", third part of CKP's Irish trilogy
  • Crowded Kitchen Players seeks singers and actors for new musical comedy

UPCOMING SHOWS

  • "An Explosion by the Ballyseedy Woods", a tale of the Irish Civil War at The Ice House March 13-16
  • Coming to The Ice House: “Earth Woven: Stories of Connection, Creation, and Wonder," a storytelling concert