Croswell Opera House – Page 4 – Mostly Musical Theatre

HAIRSPRAY at Croswell Opera House (Review)

Hairspray, the Tony winning musical with book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Music by Marc Shaiman, and Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman has quickly become the most overproduced musical in the current amateur musical circuit — at last count, this is the 28th or 29th production of it in the state ofContinue reading “HAIRSPRAY at Croswell Opera House (Review)”

Damn Yankees strikes out at Croswell Opera House (Review)

In the past, Croswell has been the sole not-fully Equity regional theater that I have reviewed in this blog. I do so for a reason — they quite simply present the best musical theatre being produced on a non-professional (or educational, read University of Michigan) basis in the area. I can’t do a full reviewContinue reading “Damn Yankees strikes out at Croswell Opera House (Review)”

A Chorus Line, Croswell Opera House (Review)…good but uneven

I have to preface this review by stating that A Chorus Line is probably my favorite musical of all time. Its written perfectly: it hits the jugular for musical theater performers like no other show ever had before it’s initial run, and none has since. The choreography is pointed, clean, familiar and fast paced. AndContinue reading “A Chorus Line, Croswell Opera House (Review)…good but uneven”

Excellent “Will Rogers Follies” at Croswell Opera House – Review

There are some shows that any theater in Michigan best leave to Croswell with it’s big budget and full orchestra. One of those shows is The Will Rogers Follies which makes its second appearance at COH in the past 15 years. And its a doozy. Kent Sheridan and some of the ensemble of The WillContinue reading “Excellent “Will Rogers Follies” at Croswell Opera House – Review”

CITY OF ANGELS at Croswell is jazzy and “reel” fun…

Croswell Opera House has a doozy of a show in the Tony-winning CITY OF ANGELS currently playing in Adrian. Considered by many to be Cy Coleman’s best score, from the rhythmic driving beat with scat vocal quartet accompaniment to the patter of “Everybody’s gotta be somewhere” and the lush jazzy “It needs work” the scoreContinue reading “CITY OF ANGELS at Croswell is jazzy and “reel” fun…”

Superb cast salvages “The Producers” at Croswell Opera House

First — there are huge fans of Mel Brooks’ musical THE PRODUCERS, and there are those who are not (me) 12 Tonys notwithstanding (I voted for “The Full Monty”). It’s an actor’s dream to perform these roles — its another task entirely to sit for three hours in an audience being inundated with mean-spiritedness. TheContinue reading “Superb cast salvages “The Producers” at Croswell Opera House”