Three trailers, one housing the band, decorate the stage. Palm trees, pink flamingos and, at some points, no “fourth wall” invite the audience into the private world of Betty, Lin and Pickles who act as narrators and tour guides, while leading this Boston power-house cast of actors.

“Hilarity ensues” is a serious understatement for this show. Un-expectations abound, continuously taking the audience by surprise. This show is, by far, the most enjoyable time I’ve had at the theatre in quite a while.

With songs like “Flushed Down The Pipes,” “The Buck Stops Here,” and “Road Kill,” and the disco tune reminiscent of “It’s Raining Men,” “Storms A-Brewin,” you know you’re in for a good time. And you are. David Nehls (Music/Lyrics) and Betsy Kelso (Book) have created a world that is most likely not too far from reality in some parts, and normally reserved for over-blown parodies and mullet humor. While there’s plenty of mullets in the show, these characters are so proud to be who they are and to be living this life, and come across wonderfully with real problems, emotions and hilarious solutions.

Need another reason to consider seeing this show? Check out the cast: Kerry A. Dowling as Betty (and a few others,) Mary Callanan plays Lin (short for Linoleum, because her parents named her after the place she was conceived, the kitchen floor,) Leigh Barrett and David Benoit play Jeannie and Norbert Garstecki, an agoraphobic and toll collector respectively, along with Santina Umbach as Pickles, Caitlin Crosbie Doonan as new to the trailer park Pippi, and Emerson Alum Grant MacDermott as the permanent marker sniffing ex-boyfriend of Pippi, on a rampage to get her back.

“The Great American Trailer Park Musical” plays through May 30th at the Calderwood Pavillion at the Boston Center for the Arts.

For more information:

SpeakEasyStage.com

617-933-8600

Video Clips:

“This Side Of The Tracks“

“Storm’s A-Brewin“

“Road Kill“

“The Pulitzer Prize winning rock-musical by Jonathon Larsen, based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, changed the face of musical theatre forever. The emotionally stirring story follows a year in the lives of a community of young artists, all struggling to live and celebrate life in New York’s East Village.”

It’s not often that one will see a production of this quality at a non-profit, community theatre. I was blown away by everything about RENT at The Company Theatre. There were many instances where I questioned whether or not this was a professional production.

With a cast of both local and country-wide talent, RENT’s important story was told through actors with a true understanding of what musical they were performing. And with RENT’s cult-following (even in Norwell, MA,) it’s good that they did. The set design mirrored the actual RENT set, littered with random objects, towers, and staircases, and the actors did a wonderful job using every bit of it.

The cast is made up of Ken Bayliss and Joel Maki as Roger and Mark, Joe Rucker Jr. gave a wonderful performance as Tom Collins, John F. King as Benny, Sara Seals and Jen Kenneally as Joanne and Maureen (Their “Take Me Or Leave Me” was simply fantastic), Emerson College grad Shawn Verrier as Angel (a challenging role, played with passion and an appropriate sense-of-humor), and Charisse Shields as all-over-the-place Mimi. Rounding out the company was no one who should go unmentioned in such a tight ensemble cast was Ryan Barrow, Bethany Boles, Darren Bunch, Dan Delaporta, Jessie Mullen, Mikayla Pachucki, A. John Porcaro and Tracy Silva.

Stage direction by Zoe Bradford and Jordie Saucerman, and Musical Direction by Michael Joseph rounded out this excellent production.

If you’ve never seen a professional production of RENT, The Company Theatre’s production in Norwell, MA is a very good place to start.

RENT plays through April 18th at The Company Theatre in Norwell, MA. For more information, visit them online at www.companytheatre.com, or by calling 781-871-2787

(From left) Bob De Vivo, Leigh Barrett, Brendan McNab, Liz Hayes, David Krinitt, and Cheryl McMahon in a scene from the SpeakEasy Stage Company production of ADDING MACHINE: A MUSICAL, running March 12 thru April 10 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End. Tix/Info: 617-933-8600 or www.SpeakEasyStage.com. Photo: Mark L. Saperstein.

Dark with humor, Adding Machine: A Musical is a musical adaptation of Elmer Rice’s 1923 play. The story follows Mr. Zero, a human calculator by trade who, after 25 years to the day, loses his job and is replaced by a mechanical adding machine. He murders his boss ( this isn’t necessarily a show for the kids), ends up on death row, and takes a journey through the afterlife accompanied by an interesting and pleasing score under the musical direction of Steven Bergman, and an incredibly talented cast.

An intermission-less, 90-minute production with some 1920’s-era strong language, Adding Machine: A Musical was created by co-librettist Jason Loweth, and Composer and co-librettist Joshua Schmidt. This production was creatively directed by Paul Melone.

Boston favorites Brendan McNab stars, supported by Amelia Broome (Mrs. Zero), Leigh Barrett (Mrs. One/Mae), John Bambery (Shrdlu), Bob De Vivo (Mr. One), Liz Hayes (Daisy Dorothea Devore), David Krinitt (Mr. Two), Sean McGuirk (The Boss/Fixer/Charles) and Cheryl McMahon (Mrs. Two/Betty/Matron).

The entire cast was  excellent, not a weak link amongst them. Additionally, the whole team at SpeakEasy deserves a huge round of applause. Susan Zeeman Rogers’s set paired with Jeff Adelberg’s lighting design is beautiful. The Robert’s Studio Theatre at the B.C.A. is an intimate place, and they certainly took advantage of every nook and cranny, and used some fantastic scenic and lighting elements that really brought a lot to the show.

Would I see it again? Absolutely.

SpeakEasy Stage Company’s production of Adding Machine: A Musical, is running now through April 10 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts. For more information, visit: SpeakEasyStage.com, or call 617-933-8600.

- Adam Nickerson

Photo by Joan Marcus. Chester Gregory (James Early) and the company of DREAMGIRLS.

The national tour of Dreamgirls is in Boston and ‘you’re going to love it’. This touring production is overflowing with energy, passion, and emotion. A story of a rising 1960’s R&B trio, loosely based on The Supremes, Dreamgirls has become known for its powerful, emotionally raw numbers. And there are so many. After watching this production, it’s difficult to label a number “your favorite”. The plot glides between the onstage magic of 1960’s R&B performance and the backstage complexities that whirl egos, reputations, talent, and money into a behind-the-scenes hurricane. Dreamgirls explores the struggles of creating timeless music and the politics of creation.

This production is flashy, it almost seems like every square inch of the playing space has a stage light protruding out of it. But unlike some excessively budgeted productions, this Dreamgirls walks the walk. The performances are unforgettable. There is not one weak cast member in the company. The actors are so detailed and passionate about the songs they’re singing, every song becomes as majestic as the story they’re telling.

Audience members couldn’t help but be moved by the songs; clapping, crying, call-outs were all common. It’s just another day at the office Moya Angela (Effie White), Shyesha Mercado (Deena Jones), Chaz Lamar Shepherd (Curtis Taylor Jr.), Chester Gregory (James “Thunder” Early), Adrienne Warren (Lorrell Robinson), Trevon Davis (C.C. White), Margaret Hoffman (Michelle Morris), Milton Craig Nealy (Marty), and the sensational ensemble. Not to mention the backstage artists who seamlessly incorporated an army of lights, mammoth set pieces, live video, and lightning speed costume changes.

The only regrettable aspect of this production is the rectangular scenic panels, covered in LED lights that would glide across the stage. The panels would assemble and occasionally display large active graphics like a highway or a cityscape. While the panels themselves complement the show, the images that pop-up on them are of PowerPoint quality and distract from the top-notch performances.

Dreamgirls is a toe-tapping, hand-clapping musical that is guaranteed to give you a quality, exciting night in the theatre.

From Left: Jeff Bowen, Hunter Bell, Adam Nickerson, Susan Blackwell

Bell and Bowen wrote, starred, and produced this piece several years ago. The duo watched carefully over the evolution of their show up to its Broadway opening in 2008. Right now, [title of show] is making its local premiere at the SpeakEasy Stage with a Bostonian cast.

[title of show] is about two musical theatre worshipers (one is a web designer, the other a caterer) in New York City who decide to compose an original musical to submit to a competition. The musical is about the creation of itself. The two self-proclaimed musical theatre “nerds” recruit the help of their friends in search of creating a meaningful, artful musical. The best way I can describe this piece is if you combined Luigi Pirandello with Forbidden Broadway and maybe a hint of Will and Grace into a modest musical cocktail.

The piece is complex. It’s self-conscious, “would other people want to see a show like this?” the actors ask in the musical’s first half.  It takes itself very seriously and then it doesn’t take itself seriously at all. It’s a final production, it’s a brainstorm, and it’s a rehearsal. It’s a musical that knows it’s a musical, but will rarely acknowledge it. [title of show] explores the question: what is a good musical?

This Boston production with Jordon Ahnquist (Jeff), Joe Lanza (Hunter), Val Sullivan (Susan),  Amy Baker (Heidi), and directed by Paul Daigneault has the difficult task of portraying the actual people who have associated themselves with this production for years. And while the performances aren’t fully polished, that’s the point. This is a show about “two nobodies in New York” who harness their creative potential, casting aside the “vampires” of doubt, and create the musical they always knew they could. [title of show] is “their musical told their way” and that’s just how we like it.

for more information: www.speakeasystage.com