Review: "Dear Alien," Chester Theatre

Chester Theatre, Chester, MA
www.chestertheatre.org
August 23, 2026
By Suzanne Wells

Chester Theatre Company presents “Dear Alien,” written by Liz Duffy Adams and directed by Michelle Ong Hendrick, as a vivid portrait of an advice columnist whose life has narrowed to one room and one relentless box of letters. At first, the play has a sparkle of a comic monologue but slowly darkens into a meditation on despair and survival.

The action unfolds in a shabby-chic one room apartment filled with velvet, satin, a hardwood writing desk, a faded, upholstered chaise lounge, and a well-stocked bar cart. Crumpled papers and letters litter every corner, suggesting a personal collapse.

As Dear Alien, Bill Kux is the center of the production. He begins flamboyantly, drawing the audience in with gossip and dry, sarcastic humor, then gradually reveals the disillusionment beneath the performance. He treats the audience as correspondents themselves, pulling them into the advice columnist’s world as he transitions to painful self-reflection. Kux’s range—witty, brittle, vulnerable, and finally exposed—makes the character deeply human.

David Keohane as Écrivain and Eliza Fichter as Scrittora function less as conventional supporting characters than as theatrical devices, embodiments of the many voices asking Dear Alien for help. They gracefully blend into the background, only to emerge with another letter, another crisis, another demand for wisdom from a man who is struggling to save himself. Their presence keeps the play moving while also emphasizing the pressure placed on Dear Alien.

The letters give the play its structure, and Dear Alien answers them with evocative imagery and sharp, sometimes brutal, truths. His counsel to trust one’s instincts, to be the hero of one’s own life, and to accept the world is full of “unnecessary unkindness” are themes which help him overcome his ultimate dilemma - a life-or-death reckoning.

Dear Alien recalls a morally complicated moment when he was faced with saving himself or someone else. Questioning if his actions were selfish, heroic, or some tangled mixture of both? In that uncertainty, the play finds its strongest tension. It asks whether survival and kindness can coexist, and whether saving someone else might also be a way of saving oneself.

“Dear Alien” proves thought-provoking and unexpectedly hopeful. 

REVIEW: TMCO (2)/Inheritances

Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood, Lenox, MA 

https://www.bso.org/tanglewood

Photo Credit: Hilary Scott

August 3, 10, & 12, 2026 
by Michael J. Moran 

Three recent concerts in Tanglewood's smaller performance venues showcased the growing diversity of musical styles available to discerning listeners there.  


On August 3, the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra played familiar symphonic music by three well-known composers under different conductors in Seiji Ozawa Hall. First, TMC conducting fellow and Louisiana native Lauren Smith led them in a sensitive reading of Ravel's 1917 "Le Tombeau de Couperin," a tribute to several friends killed in World War I. Using older French dance forms, it featured a swirling "Prelude," a poignant "Forlane," a graceful "Menuet," and an ebullient "Rigaudon." Polish TMC conducting fellow Julian Gilewski next led a buoyant account of Debussy's 1905 "La Mer, Three Symphonic Sketches," with a sparkling "From Dawn to Noon on the Sea," a joyous "Play of the Waves," and a powerful "Dialogue of the Wind and the Sea." 

Superstar Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen closed the program with a blazing rendition of Bartok's masterful 1945 "Concerto for Orchestra." A dramatic "Andante...Allegro vivace," a playful "Game of Pairs," showcasing woodwind duets, a haunting "Elegy," and a rollicking "Interrupted Intermezzo" all culminated in an exhilarating "Finale: Presto," in which Salonen pressed his young colleagues with a daringly fast tempo - they never faltered. 

  

A week later in Ozawa Hall, the TMCO and nine TMC vocal fellows presented a fascinating selection of music from ten American operas under the TMC conducting fellows. Highlights under Gilewski included: a yearning aria, "The world so wide," with soprano Diana Agasian, from Copland's "The Tender Land;" and a sensual "Waiting," with mezzo-soprano Ya Gao, and pensive "I remember long ago," with bass-baritone Raphael Laden-Guindon, from Harbison's "The Great Gatsby."  

  

Among highlights led by Smith were: a radiant "Magnificat," with soprano Eden Bartholomew, from Adams' "El Nino;" a shattering "El Mundo," with mezzo-soprano Danielle Casos, from Frank's "Frida and Diego's Last Dream;" and four numbers from Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress," including a transfixing "No word from Tom...I go to him," by soprano Zoe McCormick. 

  

Two nights later, in the Linde Center's intimate Studio E, American pianist Adam Tendler played all 16 short piano pieces he commissioned from composer friends in memory of his father. Most memorable were: Laurie Anderson's perky "Remember/I Created You," with playful snatches of J. S. Bach and Elvis Presley; Missy Mazzoli's "mechanical and heartbreaking" (her own instructions) "Forgiveness Machine;" inti figgis-vizueta's riotous "hushing" (with video of Tendler's youth); Marcos Balter's lyrical "False Memories;" Darian Donavan Thomas's hyperactive "We don't need to tend this garden. They're wildflowers" (with Tendler speak-singing a live monologue); Nico Muhly's gorgeous "Eiris, Sones;" and Devonte Hynes' sublime "Morning Piece," closing Tendler's "Inheritances" cycle on a note of quiet peace. Tendler performed throughout with deep affection and boundless virtuosity. 

 

Review: “Hamlet” Shakespeare & Company

Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA

www.shakespeare.org
August 13 – 30, 2026
by Shera Cohen

Photo Credit Maggie Hall

Don’t be fearful of Shakespeare’s plays. Yes, “Hamlet” is often a tough one to understand, perhaps the most dramatic in the Bard’s repertoire. Give it a chance to do what Hamlet asks his fellow characters, “What a piece of work is man?”He questions what is it that makes the human condition? These characters on stage represent all sorts of personalities, each possessing a different background and carrying their own joys and heartache.

It might be unfair to compare numerous theatres’ productions of “Hamlet”. Yet, it is easy to say that this version of the classic is extremely accessible, and no one within one hour’s distance of the Berkshires should hesitate to experience a brilliant play which would undoubtedly make William Shakespeare proud.

Not that director Ariel Bock can do no wrong because she is one of the longest permanent residents in the company, but it seems that way. She is a woman who knows the skills of her players and they know Bock’s expectations, perhaps because nearly all of the cast and crew members are already part of the S&Co. team.

The short version of the plot? Young Prince Hamlet of Denmark is summoned home upon the death of his father, to find that his mother, only two months a widow, has married her husband’s brother/husband’s murderer. This tortures Hamlet; he vows to the ghost of his deceased father that he will right this wrong. Simultaneously, the country is in the midst of a war, a minor storyline. Important, however, is the new king’s reconciliation with murder, the queen’s abandonment of her son, and Hamlet’s feigned repulsion of his true love.

“ranney,” (King Claudius) becoming a S&Co. regular, is at ease spouting the Elizabethan tongue as he is with a southern accent in numerous August Wilson dramas as of late. Kristin Wold (Queen Gertrude, another S&Co. stalwart), plays a confused yet powerful wife; at the same time the epitome of an uncaring mother.

David Gow is our Hamlet. He doesn’t just act as Hamlet but becomes (is) Hamlet. He’s young, handsome, trim, and sprite. His physical attributes show his ability to recoil in an embryo-like position as well as his agility swinging on high-beam bars. Gow portrays an infant, then a boy, because he is not yet a man ready to avenge his father. He takes his character of Hamlet to the core of his being, both in his mad and/or feigned mad scenes. Almost at the same time, he becomes scary and primitive, and in an instant gentle and juvenile. This is definitely an actor to watch.

Whoever thought that there is laugh-out-loud humor in “Hamlet”? Probably no one. While the language is the same, whether performed in London in the 16th century or at S&Co. in Lenox in 2026, this production delves into the psyche of each character intensely. And, who knew, that without embellishment of the script, oftentimes it is quite funny. Of course, every drama has its own clowns; in this case Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (Hamlet’s friends), and the ever-put-upon Polonius/Gravedigger, played by Jonathan Epstein. The former is a well-meaning but dim old man, the latter an undertaker with a sharp wit.

There are many tech staffers to congratulate. To single out one would be Kevin Coleman (another S&Co. leader), fight choreographer. Act II calls for a lengthy and tricky sword fight between Hamlet and Laertes. Never underestimate the seriousness of swordplay. There are too many horror stories. Coleman creates realistic choreography for those in battle.

The length of the production 500+ years ago was probably over 4-hours. Not to worry, S&Co. always makes judicious edits, sometimes omitting extraneous characters; nothing and no one of importance is cut. In fact, this method of trimming the fat helps make “Hamlet” and all the dramas and history plays much easier for today’s audiences to appreciate the stories.

Review: “The Legend of Georgia McBride,” Berkshire Theatre Group

Berkshire Theatre Group, Pittsfield, MA
www.berkshiretheatregroup.org
through August 16, 2026
by Shera Cohen

The songs of Edith Piaf are not nearly as popular as they were decades ago, except perhaps in gay bars. Indeed, that’s exactly the on stage location where the audiences of Colonial Theatre’s production of “The Legend of GeorgiaMcBride” frequent nightly (except Mondays) along with matiness.

Matthew Lopez, one of the most prolific and talented playwrights whose works are often staged in Hartford and the Berkshires, takes credit and laughs for “Georgia”. The comedy is broad, outlandish, and side-splitting. Yet, in Act II, sobering text offers a deep look at humanity. 

Straight guy Casey, down on his luck with an empty wallet, has two things going for him: a dream to be a successful musician and a caring wife. Michael Wartella as Casey, portrays a somewhat dimwitted young, sweet man who would take the shirt off his back to help a stranger. Metaphorically, this is his only shirt. In dire straits, Casey reluctantly agrees to work as a drag queen at a failing bar in a hick town in FL. Wartella’s credits include Broadway, Off Broadway, and several plays at BTG. Obviously, he is a favorite in the Berkshires. Somewhat short in stature, Wartella is a talented singer on guitar and physical comedian. 

Kyle Taylor Parker, who easily stands at 6’6’’ as transvestite extraordinaire whose comic timing, nuances, and asides steal the show portrays Miss Tracy Mills. Another Broadway and touring star, Parker’s lithe strides and dance moves bely his stature. Wartella and Parker make an odd couple fun to laugh at and laugh with. We like them both for their similarities and differences.

One sign of a skilled director and choreographer, in this case Isadora Wolfe takes on both, is when the audience doesn’t notice the work put into these jobs. Directors don’t just worry that actors might bump into each other (that should be a given), but every movement is purposeful for the characters.

Randall Parsons, scenic designer, has more to do than meets the eye. Casey and Jo’s apartment is bare because they have few funds to buy anything. The same for the rundown bar. However, a set mechanism turns one scene 180-degrees to create the other. Amy Avila, costume designer, must be in stitches (okay, bad pun) seeing her cheeky formal dresses worn by men.

Known primarily for his dramatic portrayals, BTG’s artistic regular of 40 years, David Adkins, takes an unusual role as the very funny on-stage MC and scripted bar owner. The small cast also includes Emilie Kouatchou (Casey’s wife), Shayne Haley (Tracy’s friend), and E. Gray Simons III (landlord).

“Georgia” is hoot. Some may hesitate to bring youngsters to this play. Don’t. Lots of kids on opening night obviously loved it!

 

Review: TheatreWorks, “The Cannibals of McGower County”

TheatreWorks, Hartford, CT

Photo:  Curtis Brown Photography

https://twhartford.org/

through August 30, 2026

By Jarice Hanson

 

TheaterWorks Hartford has mounted a play that is disturbing, violent, and very current. Four outstanding actors tell the story that unfolds before the audience’s eyes with honesty and full commitment. 

 

Playwright Drew Larimore’s note in the playbill explains that this show is part one of a trilogy he is writing that he classifies as “Southern Gothic.” The characters each have backstories of abuse, lies, poverty and disappointment, and Larimore workshopped the play with the four actors over a two-year process, undoubtedly learning each actor’s strengths and mining their ability to behave like disparate members of the community that has seen better days in McGower County in West Texas.

 

Director Jen Wineman finds humor at the right moments but never allows the story to get silly or lose its momentum. Instead, the story emerges like an onion, shedding its skin and drawing one deeper into the human condition. There are twists and turns aplenty, and many of them unexpected. If this show had men at the center of the action it would be just another treatment of men behaving badly, but because two of the leads in this ensemble piece are women of a certain age, the behaviors are unexpected and shockingly powerful.

 

Anchoring the play are two gifted actresses, Annalee Jefferies as “Lindalyn,” a curmudgeonly woman who seems bitter and unfulfilled. She walks with a cane and a limp—signs of an injury that never healed correctly. Constance Shulman as “Viola” seems simple-minded but loyal to Lindalyn, who she’s known most of her life.  The two women are wonderful together, especially as they enter the broken-down diner wearing what looks like miners' hats with headlamps, planning to steal whatever they can sell. 

Costumes by Alejo Vietti tell the story of their personalities, and Tim Mackabee’s set design gives them plenty of props on the realistic set that looks like a deserted bar in a place where no one wants to live.

 

The young lovers are Gus Birney as “Sarah Nell,” a sweet, beautiful girl who hasn’t had much life experience, and Edward Hoke as Blaze" who comes from privilege and has purchased the old bar.

What do these two have in common besides a load of chemistry and passion? That’s where the story that brings these four people together starts to get juicy.

 

There are more sudden shifts in tone than could be described in this summary, but that would spoil the moment-by-moment pleasure of the audiences’ discovery of these characters and the lives of the three women who try to guard a lifetime of secrets. 

 

“Cannibals of McGower County” is not a perfect play (yet), but this is an excellent production and shows the promise of the character-driven study that emerges as the story spirals deeper and deeper. This creative cast and production team work seamlessly together to reach into the audience’s collective soul and remind us that there are places in this country that have suffered from ignorance and poverty. 

McGower County is a place where even people who mean well, are sometimes damaged and dangerous. 

 

Constance Shulman and Annalee Jefferies in "Cannibals of McGower County"

 

Visiting The Mount: Even if you’ve never heard of Edith Wharton

August 5, 2026

Lenox, MA
edithwharton.org
by Shera Cohen

Perhaps you were assigned readings of classics in high school or college? Perhaps they included “The Age of Innocence,” “The House of Mirth,” and/or “Ethan Frome”. These were not on my lists, and I had enough to read for my classes that there was little time for pleasure reading. It wasn’t until years later, when I didn’t “have to” study books that I added Edith Wharton novels. I had a large choice to choose from: fiction novels, non-fiction books, short stories. Frankly, I didn’t realize what pleasure I had been missing.

I also didn’t know that this talented, world-renowned, prolific author, born in 1862, New York had lived part of her adult life not so far away from me in Lenox, MA. Surprisingly, Wharton designed her estate, which she shared with her husband, down to the last detail.

It’s somewhat of a trek up and down the terrain but walking shoes or sneakers should solve that problem; perhaps. One large mound covered with brown dirt and only a bit of grass is the Dog Cemetery. Wharton was known for her love of dogs and owned many. As each dog died, her grounds man buried the animal, along with the others who had passed away before, in this graveyard. She purposely designed the land for her pets; directly within sight of her bedroom window so that she could frequently and easily see the spot.

The Mount’s Sculpture Exhibit of curated art created by famous sculptors from throughout the country is visitors’ favorite. This year’s theme is “Flourish” which means growth, resilience, connection, hope, and the ways communities thrive by bringing people together. Works engage with nature, flora, fauna, and the interplay between art and landscape.

These pieces are large! Don’t think of them as house decorations, and many would not fit on the average house’s lawn. The pieces are made of a plethora of material, including copper, steel, flowers, glass, ceramic, straw, and more. Take a leisurely stroll through the entire grounds, even bring your dog. FREE

The exhibition includes many clearly obvious depictions of people, animals, as well as identifiable objects. Oftentimes, sculpture is not that obvious, eliciting questions from viewers like, “What is that?” But that’s okay. Art of all genres can and should be examined and inspected by those who are curious and wish to learn. A small metal lamb bows its head near the entry to the garden, “Flight” is a bird (what kind? ) landed on a large strip of green lawn, the life-size “Boy with Frog” is exactly that. There are a few metal flower sculptures and two small windmills. The Sculpture Exhibit ends October 24, 2026.

For many years, I have attended the Mount’s Summer Author Series. This season features eight authors, each discussing the impetus, process, and insight into his or her book – fiction and non-fiction. The series takes place weekly on Monday afternoons and again on Tuesday mornings. I remember when audiences filled the prior venue for the talks; The Wharton Stables. Every seat was taken for every Monday with an overflow of disappointed visitors who had to miss the talk. The brilliant idea of purchasing a huge circus-size tent was one of the Mount’s best investments. Still, lectures on two days fill the tent. This is wonderful!

Admittedly, I don’t attend all talks, yet many subscribe. Author Mark Braude spoke on The Typewriter and the Guillotine, an untold story of Janet Flanner, an atypical American journalist living and working in France at the start of the fascist movement of the 1930’s.

For the most part, this year’s speakers focus on biographies: James Baldwin, Bruce Lee, The Schuyler Sisters, and Dolly Parton. Then there are histories of various eras: conservative movement in the 1960’s, women in Modern Russia, and the start of WWII.

Another series, called “In Conversation,” is moderated by Andre Bernard. You never know who will be interviewed until  you receive the Mount brochure. Again, the site is the tent, where Bernard is in a type of “60 Minutes” visit with renowned experts in their fields; primarily politics and history. For example, the success of this series was the interview by Former CIA Director General David Petraeus; an instant sell-out.

This should be any person’s worst problem, but to some degree, there is too much to do at the Mount on any given day; i.e. garden tours, dance performances, poetry readings, music for tots, and Wharton short stories read-aloud by professional actors. Oddly, perhaps, is my mandatory destination to the gift shop. Trust me, leave time to experience this lovely and intimate section in the Wharton House.

 

Review: "Grease" Opera House Players

Opera House Players

Temple Beth El, Springfield, MA

https://www.operahouseplayers.org/show-information 

through August 16, 2026

by Shera Cohen

It is safe to say that "Grease," the movie and the musical (the latter ran on Broadway for 8 years) is a favorite of all generations. That was the case by a look at the packed house at the production of "Grease" by OHP, yet this time located on the stage of Temple Beth El, Springfield. 

OHP, in the throes of renovation of its permanent theatre in Enfield, CT, is using the temple for what they plan to be a one-time only move. This alternate venue is intended to keep patrons and performers safe and comfortable in an air-conditioned environment.

Perhaps designed purposefully, or not, this version of the musical seems to be an ensemble rather than a vehicle to showcase the characters Danny and Sandy. Atypical can be a plus for OHP. After all, the stars sing very few solos and one duet. Kudos truly belong to the company; meaning just about everyone onstage. 

Bravo to codirectors Stevie Norman and Michael King, and equally to choreographer Chantel Martin for successfully manipulating 21 actors/singers/dancers on a relatively small, unfamiliar stage. The big numbers -- "Grease Is the Word," "We Go Together," "Shakin' at the High School Hop," "You're the One that I Want" and "Hand Jive" are the winning elements of OHP's version of "Grease". Can anyone return on the ride home without humming or singing at least one of these standout songs?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Many players, as well as members of the creative team, are newcomers to OHP; and nearly all are young. Everyone in theatre must start somewhere. As wonderful as it is to offer this opportunity to newbies, a suggestion is to mix it up in the future. Immediately recognizing Tim Reilly as the oldest cast member (no insult intended, because by far, Reilly is certainly one of the best in local community theatre), without scene-stealing, he makes Act II shine. In fact, Act II is fun; not just because Danny and Sandy "go together" at the musical's end.

Direction of Act I needs more humor, whether it be physical interactions between characters and/or conversations.

Forgivable problems attribute to a new venue and opening night. Many sound glitches and reverberations jar the audience and slow the dialogue, lighting beams in wrong sections, set changes taking much too long, and some backrow and sideline dancers scattered. Assuredly, these errors will diminish as the production continues this weekend and next.

The energy of the actors is evident. See this musical soon, as "Grease is the word."

Note: "Grease" depicts the 1950's and hit Broadway in the early 1970's. Remember that the script is extremely dated and some material might be suggestive to children.