Central Pennsylvania Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 3

Review: COSMIC TRASH: THE MUSICAL (THE NEXT ADVENTURE) at Gamut Theatre
by Jessica Crowe - July 24, 2024

When you think of the mysterious world of the tarot, what usually comes to mind is likely a tiny, dimly lit shop full of mystical old world objects and an eccentric woman who is incredibly excited to look into your past, present, and future to solve your problems......

Review: HARRISBURG FRINGE FESTIVAL 2024 DAY 4 at Various Harrisburg Venues
by Andrea Stephenson - July 23, 2024

Save the date for next year’s Harrisburg Fringe Festival, July 17th-20th, 2025. You do not want to miss out on the fun!...

Review: HARRISBURG FRINGE FESTIVAL 2024 DAY 3 at Various Harrisburg Venues
by Andrea Stephenson - July 22, 2024

Saturday was another beautiful day for the Harrisburg Fringe Festival! The shows started at 11am and continued well into the evening. While the Festival is now over, this reviewer highly recommends that you keep your eyes on these performers and on next year’s Harrisburg Fringe Festival!...

Review: HARRISBURG FRINGE FESTIVAL DAY 2 at Various Harrisburg Venues
by Andrea Stephenson - July 21, 2024

Don't miss out on your final chance to catch some of these fantastic performances at fringe! Do something weird and support the performing and visual arts!...

Review: HARRISBURG FRINGE FESTIVAL 2024 at Various Harrisburg Venues
by Andrea Stephenson - July 19, 2024

The Fringe Festival is off to a fantastic start! Join these fabulous artists July 18-21 in doing something weird!...

Review: THE 39 STEPS at Oyster Mill Playhouse
by Andrea Stephenson - July 14, 2024

Overall, The 39 Steps at Oyster Mill is a delightful production, filled with comedy, mystery, and energy. It is sure to be an audience favorite, so get your tickets before it completely sells out!...

Review: THE SOUND OF MUSIC at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
by Rich Mehrenberg - June 29, 2024

The Sound of Music is an iconic show, and Dutch Apple had a full and appreciative audience.  It’s a great first show for kids as well as family members who have seen the movie a dozen times...

Review: ALICE IN WONDERLAND at TAFE: Theatre Arts For Everyone
by Sandra Harberger - June 29, 2024

What did our critic think of ALICE IN WONDERLAND at TAFE: Theatre Arts For Everyone?...

Review: ANASTASIA THE MUSICAL at Keystone Theatrics at The Playhouse at Allenberry
by Andrea Stephenson - June 23, 2024

With its superb acting and lovely harmonies, this is a production that will capture the hearts of the audience....

Review: INTIMATE APPAREL at Theatre Harrisburg With Sankofa African American Theatre Group
by Andrea Stephenson - June 23, 2024

Every element of this production is carefully crafted, eliciting genuine emotion from the audience as they experience this smart, poetic, complex play. Intimate Apparel is a show you do not want to miss....

Review: ANGELS IN AMERICA: PART TWO at Ephrata Performing Arts Center
by Rich Mehrenberg - June 22, 2024

I am very grateful that EPAC brought Angels in America to their stage.  This important show is simultaneously contemporary and a product of its time. More people need to see it....

Review: LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST at Lancaster Shakespeare Theatre
by Rich Mehrenberg - June 20, 2024

But just like sex and pizza, Shakespeare is always, at least, pretty good.  This show has its moments, and the cast gives 110% with tons of physical comedy, silly voices, and manic energy....

Review: CATS at The Belmont Theatre
by Jason Davis - June 17, 2024

While Cats”might not be everyone's favorite Broadway show, due to its limited plot and unusual format, there is no denying that the energy and talent of this cast, the creativity of the choreography, the always incredible staging/directing by Rene Staub, and live orchestra, gave  this production of ...

Review: WAR OF THE ROSES: HENRY VI PART 2 & 3 at OrangeMite Studio
by Sandra Harberger - June 16, 2024

Orangemite has adapted the two plays with provided narration which shorted the time to 2 1/2 hours to deliver York, PA the first live performance of these Shakespeare plays. Dr. William Wolfgang directed, narrated, and provided both piano and trumpet music (often simultaneously)!...

Review: KINKY BOOTS at Gettysburg Community Theatre
by Andrea Stephenson - June 15, 2024

Gettysburg Community Theatre’s production of Kinky Boots will have audiences tapping their toes, cheering for the underdog, and wishing for their own pair of red stiletto boots....

Review: CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY at Fulton Theatre
by Rich Mehrenberg - June 15, 2024

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a scrumdiddlyumptious summer treat on the Fulton stage. The production retains everything you love about the original movie (Pure Imagination, eye-popping sets, bratty kids, etc.) and eliminates or updates the parts that weren’t so great (mediocre special effects...

Review: BRIDGE at The Belmont Theatre
by Jason Davis - June 10, 2024

Reggie Barton’s debut production of Bridge at The Belmont Theatre cleverly employs the backdrop of a charming card game in order to seamlessly blend thought-provoking contemporary themes with witty repartee. The show has garnered an enthusiastic response from audiences, who have lauded its impeccabl...

Review: MONSTERS! A MIDLIFE MUSICAL MELTDOWN at Hanover Little Theatre
by Andrea Stephenson - June 09, 2024

The cast members are clearly enjoying themselves, bringing the audience along on an amusing and entertaining ride through the mind. Monsters is a relevant, relatable show with an uplifting message that will have audiences pondering their relationships to their inner monsters....

Review: AMERICAN IDIOT at DreamWrights
by Sandra Harberger - June 08, 2024

DreamWrights is presenting “American Idiot” from June 7 to June 16th under the direction of Deirdre Casey. Louis Salazar was phenomenal in this emotional role through drug addiction, and I loved that his talent playing guitar was highlighted....

Review: MRS. LINCOLN at Little Theatre Of Mechanicsburg
by Andrea Stephenson - June 02, 2024

Mrs. Lincoln is an intense and fascinating play, and audiences can catch it at Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg under the direction of James Casey with stage manager Lori Haagen through June 23rd. Every aspect of this production works well together to bring the audience an intriguing and powerful eve...

Review: ANGELS IN AMERICA-PART ONE at EPAC
by Rich Mehrenberg - June 01, 2024

While theater often manages to entertain or to move its audience, Angles in America is a great example of how quality theater can also educate....upon hearing Kushner’s masterful dialogue and viewing Checchia’s excellently vulgar and vile performance (of Roy Cohn), I was incentivized to learn everyt...

Review: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS at Gamut Theatre Group's Harrisburg Shakespeare Company
by Andrea Stephenson - June 01, 2024

This delightful comedy, directed by Kelli Kauterman, is the perfect way to kick off the summer season. The cast doesn’t miss a beat. It is not easy to perform outside, surrounded by a host of distractions and noise, but this cast is fully engaged in their characters and the story, and they bring the...

Review: A YEAR OF TOAD AND FROG at Musical Bos Theatre
by Sandra Harberger - May 31, 2024

What did our critic think of A YEAR OF TOAD AND FROG at Musical Bos Theatre?...

Review: THE FULL MONTY at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
by Rich Mehrenberg - May 19, 2024

The Full Monty is a lot of fun, and a great palate cleanser after the more solemn, Ragtime.  It is playing now through June 22....

Review: WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME at Open Stage
by Andrea Stephenson - May 12, 2024

What the Constitution Means to Me is an important play that brings difficult themes, questions, statistics, and realities into the spotlight. It takes an empathetic, compassionate, thoughtful cast and crew to bring a show like this to life, and the team at Open Stage is just the right team to bring ...