TOP TEN OF 2017!

10. WORKING
(The Umbrella Community Arts Center)

Updated and more relevant than ever, Director James Tallach shows us the grit and the grime of everyday people doing the very best they can. There is comfort in knowing that we are not alone. The thru-line of Construction Man documenting everyone's stories is an impressive way to anchor the production. A stellar cast coupled with rock-solid music direction by Gina Naggar showcases the ups and downs of the 9 to 5 life and how everyone is still working for the weekend.  

9. FUN HOME

(Broadway Across Boston)

Reworked from in-the-round presentation to the proscenium only makes this intimate story that much poignant and important. In a world where
Traditional Family is both changing and being challenged, this Best Musical Tony Winner shows us that things are not always what they appear to be but that Love still remains.

8. SOMETHING ROTTEN!
(Broadway Across Boston)
There is nothing rotten about this clever, witty, sophisticated, hilarious take on everything Shakespeare and Musical Theatre! Headlined by Bob McClure, Adam Pascal, and Josh Grisetti, this production is overflowing with non-stop inside humor and word play. "A Musical" is just about the most exuberant number in Broadway history. This is a welcoming reminder of why we do and see live theatre.

7. THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
(Broadway Across Boston)This Tony Winner for Best Play is everything it promises to be and more. Based on Mark Haddon's novel we go into the mind of Christopher Boone and understand his world of overstimulation. Adam Langdon is superb in the title role. The complex choreography and lighting design that is Act Two are to be marveled and appreciated.

6. DESIRE - PLAYS BASED ON SHORT STORIES OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS

(Zeitgeist Stage Company)

The only thing that is more brilliant than a collection of short plays inspired by the brilliant Tennessee Williams is how this company coordinates several different works by several different playwrights and assembled them into one cohesive piece. David J. Miller directs a superbly talented cast taking the audience on journeys we did not anticipate. Relying less on elaborate set pieces and more on each other only strengthens the quality of this piece.

5. THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

(Speakeasy Stage Company)

Streamlined for a more intimate space? I think not. The three-quarter thrust approach with stage covered in mathematical equations and non-stop lights and Eliott Purcell in the title role make this a powerful portrayal of stimulation and the world in which we live. Everything adds up to an evening that is both entertaining and education. 

4. EVITA 

(North Shore Music Theatre)

Briana Carlson-Goodman's multi-layered portrayal of Eva Perone and Constatine Maroulis's salty, gritty Che is only the beginning of this jaw-dropping experience. NSMT favorite Nick Kenkel directs and choreographs every number and moment as a Tango - representing the perpetual tug-of-war of both politics and emotions.   

3. next to normal

(Arts After Hours)

Kayla Cantrall's linear set design that is Diana's mind is a bold, brave choice that works perfectly. If one is sitting on the sides, we experience the tennis match representing her emotional struggles. If we sit on the edge, we experience the tunnel vision with which she struggles. Katie Picket in the title role explores and demonstrates her character's anguish that is as heartbreaking as it is frustrating. Corey Jackson's by-her-side sufferer is an honest, broken husband. Director Adrienne Boris still discovers new levels in this story that dares to go there.

2. 42nd STREET

(North Shore Music Theatre)

This musical is a personal favorite of mine, and this production is every reason why. From the very first beat, the audience is taken on a ride of non-stop high-octane energy that just gets better as the performance progresses. Director/Choreographer Kelli Barclay gets it. Yes, this is a tale of how dreams can come true, but it is also about escapism in a bleak world. Ultimately, it is about the chorus -- the unsung heroes of Musical Theatre that are doing what they truly love for as long as they can. It's great when you love what you do and do what you love, so embrace it!

1. COME FROM AWAY

(Broadway, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre)

This is a portrayal of actual events of how residents in a little town in Newfoundland embraced scared, lonely strangers when the attacks of 9/11 altered everything. With bold honesty and refreshing humor, it is a welcome reminder that there is still good in the world, and there is still plenty of time to be good. This brilliant ensemble portrays several real-life people and how just a few days changed their lives permanently. The score by Irene Sankoff and David Hein is inspiring and moving. 

Thank you, Jason, for a birthday I will remember and treasure!