Stage Write

Hamilton is back in town! The Broadway Across America production is currently at the Old National Center. At this point most people who have been dying to see Hamilton have made it happen in Chicago, New York, or with one of the touring productions. The real question is: is this production as excellent as the others and is it worth seeing multiple times? The obvious answer is yes. Whether it’s your first time seeing the show or your fifth, it’s no less intoxicating. The musical is so layered and filled to the brim with moving parts that there will always be something new to discover. Many are familiar with the addictive soundtrack and 2020 film version with the original cast, but there’s a contagious energy that can’t be captured without a live performance. With a cast of more than 20 people, the choreography is astonishing. Every motion is smooth and perfectly timed, and the supporting cast moves as one unit. In one scene a dancer uses a single book as a prop in a gorgeous dance, in a...

If you love dancing, have I got a show for you! An American in Paris is on stage for the first time at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. Many will recognize the story from the Oscar-winning 1951 film of the same name. The familiar Gershwin score and songs are lovely and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” is a particularly beautiful moment in the show. The love story hasn't aged as well as the music. Three different men claim to be in love with the lead, Lise, but not even one of them seems to make any effort to get to know her. Each one sees her as an exquisite creature but never seems to care about what she wants. That’s a plot flaw, but not a problem with this specific production. Ron Morgan pulls double duty as both the director and the choreographer and his focus is clear. Each scene is filled to the brim with dance numbers that cover every inch of the stage. Both the plot and musical numbers take a backseat. Jill Kelly Howe and Kathy Henry’s costume design is excellent. The...