Brett Cullum - Page 4

After seeing this film, I can’t get Cherry Cola Pitts out of my mind. He haunts me in the best of ways. Vincent embodies the character so well, and there are moments where you can see a sadness emerge from behind the otherwise leering prankster.

It’s a rock musical featuring all of the naughty behavior of the original film and marries it to the “hits of the day” that were hot when it came out. Innuendos about “booty sex” merge with Backstreet Boys hits in a jukebox musical that revels in the absurdity of the original concept.

This is a morally complex piece of theater, and luckily the cast is up to the challenge of bringing these people to life without judgment or any trace of hesitation. The language, the situations, the truths, are all difficult matters that have to be handled directly and confidently.

What did our critic think of HADESTOWN at BROADWAY AT THE HOBBY CENTER? The HADESTOWN national tour finally arrives in Houston after a significant pandemic pause, and it appears the wait was worth holding our breath for.

Unfortunately ISHIDA DANCE’s NO SPEAKING LEFT IN ME is only at the MATCH complex this weekend for Friday and Saturday night. It is a pity the company couldn’t run these works longer, because word of mouth should be strong after this amazing showcase of modern contemporary dance. It is something that Houston needs, an outlet for more modern iterations of the art of movement in our cultural landscape.

Tom Stoppard’s THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND captures an urbane wittiness that is simultaneously droll and accessible. It’s a rare script that works on all levels with enough to analyze for the academic, and then slapstick humor to keep the childlike engaged fully. In short, it’s smart fun. It is the kind of piece that MAIN STREET THEATER handles particularly well.

Tamarie is a whirling dervish, a force of nature, and a comedic genius of a performer. She rises to the challenge of playing herself admirably, and it's the kind of role she was born to play. I doubt any other actor or actress in Houston could portray her quite as convincingly.

It is safe to say this is a great festival, and well worth your time over the weekend.  Happy ten years to FADE TO BLACK!  Here’s hoping for many more decades to come.  

What did our critic think? CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG is perfect summer fare for kids, and also for those of us who enjoy a rather crazy car story from the creator of James Bond. It’s a treat to see it here at the MATCH in Midtown, especially with such a strong cast in a handsome production.

In the end they still managed to produce a show that asks the hard questions, never flinches from the truth, and captures perfectly what it means to be human. Imperfections be damned.

INNOMINATE is a mixture of dance, puppets, images on a screen, live music, and daring staging to tell the story of creator Afsaneh Aayani as she immigrated from war torn Iran to the United States. It also deals with the effects of the COVID pandemic and extreme loss. If I told you all of this was illustrated with dancing eyeballs and social media posts whizzing by, would you believe me?

You may know about FROZEN coming to the Hobby Center from Broadway Houston, or the Alley Theatre prepping for a new musical by Duncan Sheik named NOIR… but what are some of the gems out there from smaller companies that offer just as much air conditioning and some of the best acting in Houston? I’ve got you covered with four spotlights if you are interested.

These historic writings are coupled with the company’s signature lively staging and passion. The two present fascinating portraits of the Black community’s experience a hundred years ago, and the surprise is how little has changed.

Catastrophic Theatre’s THE BOOK OF GRACE makes good on the company’s promise of “we will destroy you” in the best way possible. The production is a well-honed punch to the gut that will leave you reeling and provoked.

HAMILTON is a joy to watch, and this cast lives up to the hype of the material they have been entrusted with. Rest assured this is the best way to see the show… live and in person. There is an energy to be shared with the cast and the audience that the COVID era almost made us forget.

It’s a chance to sit in an intimate space with artists who excel at telling a story you will never see in a large opera house or performance hall. A STEADY RAIN is tough, profane, and full of over-the-top masculinity, and yet it feels as progressive as it can be. It asks tough questions, and it makes you uncomfortable with its answers.

Shannon Emerick’s portrayal of Isabelle Arc is the performance on which MOTHER OF THE MAID hinges, and she manifests a miracle consisting of fully-realized characterization and range. Rarely will you see an actress wholly embody a role so fully and disappear completely into another person.

Josephine Baker is a historical figure that is not discussed nearly enough, but one of the joys of the Vincent Victoria company is they make sure attention will be paid.  And they do it with a keen eye for detail, and an honor for the spirit of the lady who lived it.

MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLY is the sort of show that will remind audiences you should do anything but marry without affection.  There is a lot to love in this Christmas play that feels authentically like a gorgeous Christmas coda to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. 

My advice for TOOTSIE THE MUSICAL is to distance yourself from the original film, and accept they are taking a dated concept and transposing it awkwardly onto today.  You are going for the exquisite comedy performances that surpass the fact that TOOTSIE has not very much to say about gender that seems substantial.