Performing Arts
'The Mystery of Irma Vep' is delightfully, audaciously strange
At Central Square Theater actors Paul Melendy and Gabriel Graetz star as all eight characters in this campy Gothic parody, transforming between roles in seconds. Critic Jacquinn Sinclair writes their...
The Huntington's 'Oedipus el Rey' is a singular and sharp retelling of a Greek tragedy
In Luis Alfaro’s sharp and vigorous play, the the bones of Sophocles’ tale remain intact. Set in Los Angeles, the characters are Chicano, and the King is the most powerful...
Jean Appolon throws open the doors to Haitian dance in Roxbury
After 30 years teaching Haitian folkloric dance, Jean Appolon's studio has opened in Nubian Square. The founder keeps the glass window open during rehearsals, inviting passersby to watch dancers move...
There's nothing rotten about Lyric Stage's new production
The Boston theater company is currently staging the hilarious musical "Something Rotten!," about two brothers competing for attention against rock star William Shakespeare. For WBUR theater critic Jacquinn Sinclair, "it...
Two local productions take audiences on very different high-seas journeys
DNAWORKS’ world premiere production of “The Secret Sharer" centers queer joy while SpeakEasy Stage Company’s “Swept Away” is a much darker story about a shipwrecked whaling crew fighting for their...
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Opera reboot finds inspiration in woman who fought for freedom dressed as a man
Boston Lyric Opera is adding its voice to America's 250th anniversary with a rebellious reimagining of the classic comedy "Daughter of the Regiment" that channels the spirit of Deborah Sampson.
August Wilson's 'Gem of the Ocean' holds vestiges of the past, but lacks tension
Presented by Actors' Shakespeare Project, the show follows Citizen Barlow who has recently arrived in post-emancipation Pittsburgh in seek of salvation. He meets the over 200-year-old Aunt Ester, who sends...
Angkor Dance Troupe's 'Swan Lake,' the Khmer way
Tchaikovsky's ballet is reimagined with an original score and Robam Kenor classical Cambodian dance at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, April 8-26. In this ending, the white swan's story trades Western tragedy...
'The Wash' reclaims the forgotten fight of Black washerwomen
The Front Porch Arts Collective will perform staged readings of Kelundra Smith's new play. It draws on the 1881 Atlanta Washerwomen's Strike, one of the first major labor actions led...
Actress Patrice Jean-Baptiste shines in 'Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous'
At Lyric Stage, the actress plays an aging artist wrestling with her own anxieties, insecurities and the decisions she’s made — good and bad — about her work. Theater critic...
'Lifted' explores plagiarism, family inheritance and healing
The seventh installment in the Ufot Family Cycle follows Toyoima Ufot, who is accused of plagiarizing her deceased father's work. "This is the play that I think is actively trying...
A guide to Greater Boston's spring classical music concerts
From Castle of Our Skins' sound portraits to Boston Lyric Opera's delightful sounding "Daughter of the Regiment," WBUR critic Lloyd Schwartz shares the performances he's particularly eager to hear —...
After the BSO's decision, a critic reviews Andris Nelsons' dismissal and tenure
The news of Nelsons contract coming to an end was seismic in the classical music world. While WBUR art critic Lloyd Schwartz wasn’t shocked by the decision, the way it's...
11 theater productions to see this spring
This season, local theaters are offering a collection of stories that highlight important historical figures, reimagine old tales with new vigor, and highlight the importance of starting over after a...
'Stereophonic' needs more music
Stereophonic puts you inside a '70s California studio where a five-person rock band records, fights and flirts. The brilliant set and songs shine, but the three-hour drama leaves you craving...
13 dance performances to attend this spring
From the Boston Ballet's whimsical Shakespearean production to KAIROS Dance Theater's work set to cellist Dave Eggar's music, WBUR arts contributor Shira Laucharoen shares 13 dance events that urge us...
'The Antiquities' grapples with technology’s power
The threat of humanity’s extinction anchors SpeakEasy Stage Company’s thought-provoking production, writes theater critic Jacquinn Sinclair. At the center of the play is a museum of Late Human Antiquities, which...
BSO ends maestro Andris Nelsons' contract
The Boston Symphony Orchestra's CEO Chad Smith and Board of Trustees said it was "not aligned on future vision" with Nelsons in a statement emailed to WBUR.
This Newton native has made her mark on Broadway
Theater producer Candy Gold has made her mark on the theater world, including with "Stereophonic," the most Tony Award-nominated show in history. Ahead of the show's Boston run, she reflects...
A tale of roses and thorns in 'We Had A World' at the Huntington
The autobiographical play by Joshua Harmon tells the complicated story of his cultured, alcoholic grandmother. She asked Harmon to write the play, and not to hold back. Critic Jacquinn Sinclair...