REVIEW: Chester Theatre Company, “A Hundred Words for Snow”

Town Hall Theater, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through July 13, 2025

by C. L. Blacke

 

Equity actor Hero Marguerite (“Big Big Sky,” “Circle Mirror Transformation”) returns to Chester to deliver a top-notch performance as 15-year-old Rory in “A Hundred Words for Snow.” She deftly traverses the range of adolescence, exhibiting all the impulsiveness, self-consciousness, and eternal optimism of a teenage girl. Her performance is infused with humor, anger, sorrow, and an energy that fills the theater.

 

Written by Tatty Hennessy, “A Hundred Words for Snow” is an exploration of Rory’s solo adventure to scatter her dad’s ashes at the North Pole. On the surface, it is a coming-of-age story that navigates Rory’s sudden parental loss, her new-found independence, her first sexual encounter, and her experience as a teenage girl in an ever-changing world.

 

But beneath that constantly shifting sea is a diverse ecosystem. Rory’s monologue delves into a complex study of grief, climate change, and a search for spiritual connection with women past, present, and future. Her narrative is interspersed with facts about Arctic geography, famous Polar explorers, and the Inuit people, providing both context and emotional depth.

 

And just as the Inuit’s oral storytelling has preserved their cultural history and explained their connection with nature, “A Hundred Words for Snow” follows the same tradition. Depicted in short vignettes, it is the story of Rory and her dad (and eventually her mum) passed along through memories of the journey, not to mention dispelling some myths along the way.

 

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this play is the masterful hand of director Michelle Ong-Hendrick—masterful because the audience can’t see her hand in it at all; it is her invisible guidance and imagination that provides the space for Marguerite to create the illusion of Rory’s quest. Ong-Hendrick directs not only Marguerite as Rory but also Rory’s portrayal of all the other characters who she encounters. With a change in pitch, accent, and body positioning, Marguerite never misses a beat or loses the audience.

 

Marguerite isn’t just a great dramatic actor; she’s a great physical actor, too. She expertly manipulates the limited set pieces with agility and grace. Jeremy Winchester’s spare scenic design transforms in her capable hands. As she climbs, jumps, and moves the props around on stage, a steel chair becomes a campfire, an aluminum ladder an icebreaker ship, and white plastic sheeting the frozen Arctic landscape.

 

In all ways, “A Hundred Words for Snow” takes the audience on an epic adventure.

REVIEW: Shakespeare & Company, "The Victim"

Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA

www.shakespeare.org

through July 20, 2025

by Paul A. Jenney

If looking for a play that goes beyond storytelling and challenges its audience to wrestle with

uncomfortable questions, Shakespeare & Company’s “The Victim” delivers a deeply reflective and timely experience. Written by Lawrence Goodman and directed by Daniel Gidron, the play probes the intersecting lives of three women, each grappling with questions of identity, inherited trauma, and how lived experience shapes perception—both of oneself and of others.

The cast features Annette Miller as a thought inspiring Ruth, an aging Holocaust survivor

struggling with memory loss and the emotional burden of her past. Stephanie Clayman portrays

a conflicted Daphne, Ruth’s daughter, a successful New York physician caught in the pressures

of the “sandwich generation", caring for an elderly parent while navigating her own family and career, all while voicing a sharp political skepticism. Yvette King plays a bittersweet, Maria, a

young Dominican health care aide whose introduction to Judaism and the Holocaust unfolds

through her fraught relationship with Ruth. Maria’s sense of invisibility and frustration emerges

in contrast to the generational trauma of the woman she cares for.

Told entirely through a series of monologues, “The Victim” departs from conventional theatrical

narrative, instead allowing each character’s voice to take center stage. Performed on a

minimalist set with subtle lighting and movement cues to signal time’s passage, the structure

may seem spare, but it creates space for emotional depth and direct audience connection. The

stories unfold with humor, poignancy, and sincerity, drawing the viewer into the internal conflicts

and moral ambiguities each woman carries.

At its core, the play asks resonant questions: Who has the right to claim victimhood? Can

suffering ever be compared? Does trauma entitle, or isolate? Goodman’s script doesn’t offer

resolution rather intentionally. Instead, it invites us to consider how trauma, privilege, history,

and identity intersect in ways that are often messy, painful, and unresolved. The result is a

conversation-starter, one that lingers in the mind long after the final lines are spoken.

Ultimately, “The Victim” succeeds not by offering answers, but by provoking debate. It's a

theatrical meditation on how humans listen or fail to, to one another’s pain, and how easy it is to

retreat into competition rather than compassion.

REVIEW: Barrington Stage Company, “Camelot”

Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield, MA

www.barringtonstageco.org

through July 19, 2025

by Michael J. Moran

Based on T. H. White’s 1958 novel The Once and Future King, "Camelot" tells the story of 6th-century King Arthur of England and his Knights of the Round Table, who became known for settling disputes not through war but through law and who attracted recruits from far and wide. When virtuous Sir Lancelot arrives from France, his growing love for Arthur’s Queen, Guinevere and the treachery of Arthur’s illegitimate son Mordred put the peaceful kingdom in peril.

Photo by Daniel Rader

With a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, BSC’s enthralling production of the Tony-winning 1960 musical features a knockout cast of 17 talented singer-actors. Ken Wulf Clark brings a boyish charm to his exuberant portrayal of Arthur, who never loses his sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. The difference between his joyous take on the title song early in Act I and its more somber reprise at the end of the show is heartrending.

 

Ali Ewoldt is a resourceful Guinevere, who grows from a fearful girl in “The Simple Joys of Maidenhood” just before meeting Arthur to an achingly mature woman in “Before I Gaze at You Again” after falling for Lancelot. Emmett O’Hanlon as Lancelot finds the perfect mix of gravitas and humor introducing himself in “C’est Moi” and of rapture and vulnerability in his show-stopping ode to Guinevere, “If Ever I Would Leave You.” Ewoldt has remarkable chemistry with both her co-stars, more protective with Clark, more sensual with O’Hanlon.

Dakin Matthews offers rich comic portraits in the dual roles of Arthur’s mercurial teacher, the magician Merlyn, and of King Pellinore, a dotty more or less permanent house guest of Arthur and Guinevere. Danny Kornfeld’s gleefully malicious Mordred received an appreciative chorus of boos at his opening night curtain call. The men and women of the ensemble are versatile and seamless throughout.

Director Alan Paul (BSC’s Artistic Director) draws nuanced performances from his players and propels the action forward. Choreography by Brandon Bieber and Michele Lynch is graceful and witty, especially in “The Lusty Month of May.” Music director Darren R. Cohen’s eight-member band has outsize impact. Minimalist scenic design is by Lee Savage, tasteful costume design by Lia Wallfish and Ana Kuzmanic, and subtle lighting design by Christopher Akerlind.

BSC’s thrilling recreation of this musical theater classic is highly recommended to all audiences.

Review: Shakespeare & Company, “The Victim”

Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA

www.shakespeare.org 

through July 20, 2025

by Paul A. Jenney

If looking for a play that goes beyond storytelling and challenges its audience to wrestle with uncomfortable questions, Shakespeare & Company’s  “The Victim” delivers a deeply reflective and timely experience. Written by Lawrence Goodman and directed by Daniel Gidron, the play probes the intersecting lives of three women, each grappling with questions of identity, inherited trauma, and how lived experience shapes perception—both of oneself and of others.

The cast features Annette Miller as a thought inspiring Ruth, an aging Holocaust survivor struggling with memory loss and the emotional burden of her past. Stephanie Clayman portrays a conflicted Daphne, Ruth’s daughter, a successful New York physician caught in the pressures of the “sandwich generation", caring for an elderly parent while navigating her own family and career, all while voicing a sharp political skepticism. Yvette King plays a bittersweet, Maria, a young Dominican health care aide whose introduction to Judaism and the Holocaust unfolds through her fraught relationship with Ruth. Maria’s sense of invisibility and frustration emerges in contrast to the generational trauma of the woman she cares for.

Told entirely through a series of monologues, “The Victim” departs from conventional theatrical narrative, instead allowing each character’s voice to take center stage. Performed on a minimalist set with subtle lighting and movement cues to signal time’s passage, the structure may seem spare, but it creates space for emotional depth and direct audience connection. The stories unfold with humor, poignancy, and sincerity, drawing the viewer into the internal conflicts and moral ambiguities each woman carries.

At its core, the play asks resonant questions: Who has the right to claim victimhood? Can suffering ever be compared? Does trauma entitle, or isolate? Goodman’s script doesn’t offer resolution rather intentionally. Instead, it invites us to consider how trauma, privilege, history, and identity intersect in ways that are often messy, painful, and unresolved. The result is a conversation-starter, one that lingers in the mind long after the final lines are spoken.

Ultimately, “The Victim” succeeds not by offering answers, but by provoking debate. It's a theatrical meditation on how humans listen or fail to, to one another’s pain, and how easy it is to retreat into competition rather than compassion.

Review: Chester Theatre, "Magdelene"

Town Hall Theater, Chester, MA

www.chestertheatre.org

through June 29, 2025

by C. L. Blacke

 

Under direction of new Co-Artistic Directors, Michelle Ong-Hendrick and Christoper Baker, Chester Theatre Company’s 36th season opens with Mark St. Germain’s powerful and persuasive new play, “Magdalene”. It is a riveting story of the profound faith and wisdom of the Catholic religion but also its “obvious and illogical sexism.” 

No stranger to Chester, Director Keira Naughton brings this provocative play to life, seamlessly delivering the audience from outright laughter to a welling of tears. With sharp wit, familiar parables, and honest discourse, St. Germain’s play explores the anger, frustration, and untold trauma of Mary Magdalene that is at once poignant and believable.

“Magdalene” takes place 18-years after the death of Christ, when a desperate and confused Peter seeks the advice of the one person closer to Jesus than even him, Mary Magdalene. Jealous, not only of her relationship with Jesus and her understanding of His teachings, Peter confides that he is lost and unsure of how to continue preaching, especially in the face of a new self-proclaimed apostle taking up the role.

Equity actor Adam LeFevre portrays the aging apostle with a sense of humility and honesty, endearing him to the audience as he fully embraces his character’s simple, yet stubborn nature. His tone and mannerisms quietly display Peter’s regret and staunch adherence to tradition, leaving no doubt of Peter’s eventual martyrdom and subsequent sainthood.

As the title suggests, Equity actor Danielle Skraastad's is the true star of the show. She is neither meek nor mild, but a fierce proponent of truth and equality. She lives both independently and as a revered member of the community. With a gorgeous set designed by Juliana von Haubrich, the audience is immediately immersed in Mary’s world—a humble room of aged stucco, crude furnishings, woven textiles, and dried herbs. It is an inviting and sacred space built on strong convictions, deep faith, and enduring perseverance.

Skraastad’s presence on stage commands attention. She is a conduit for Mary’s story and a voice for all women and girls that must be heard. With numerous Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional credits to her name, Skraastad brings the fight for gender equality straight to the people, and her performance is nothing short of miraculous. Whether religious or not, Catholic or not, one will leave “Magdalene” with a new hero.

REVIEW: Hartford Symphony Orchestra, "Rachmaninoff & Rhapsody in Blue"

The Bushnell, Hartford, CT

www.hartfordsymphony.org

June 6-8, 2025

by Michael J. Moran

The HSO and its Music Director Carolyn Kuan closed their 2024-2025 “Masterworks” series of weekend concerts in festive style, including a powerful closing appearance by pianist Clayton Stephenson. The program comprised three works - written in the U.S. over an 80-year period by two American-born composers and a Russian immigrant - which were all distinctively American.

Photo by Jim Henkel

After a helpful spoken introduction and brief excerpts played by different HSO members, Kuan led the orchestra in a dramatic account of John Adams’ “Dr. Atomic Symphony.” This was adapted in 2007 from music in his 2005 opera “Doctor Atomic,” which portrayed the moral ambivalence of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer and his Manhattan Project colleagues in creating and testing the atomic bomb in the 1940's. The symphony’s three continuous movements featured many instrumental solos, but none more eloquent than the plaintive trumpet of HSO principal trumpet Dovas Lietuvninkas, expressing Oppenheimer’s anguish. 

Stephenson was next; a dazzling soloist in George Gershwin’s 1924 “Rhapsody in Blue" to show how jazz could enrich classical music. With technical polish and emotional exuberance to spare, the Juilliard-educated Stephenson shifted seamlessly between the piece’s contrasting moods, from quiet blues to joyous outbursts. Kuan and the ensemble were proficient partners, with a sinuous opening solo by HSO principal clarinet Sangwon Lee.

Stephenson’s perky encore performance of Igor Stravinsky’s 1921 arrangement for solo piano of the “Russian Dance” from his 1911 ballet “Petrushka” was equally virtuosic and invigorating.

Photo by Jim Henkel

The concert ended with a vibrant rendition of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s three “Symphonic Dances,” his last work for orchestra. Written in 1940 at his summer home on Long Island, its jagged rhythms and percussive instrumentation reflected both the influence of the composer’s native Russia and his growing Americanization over two decades spent in the U.S. The first movement featured an alto saxophone solo, sensuously played by Carrie Koffman, while the finale quoted an ancient Russian liturgical hymn of joy in its lively climax; a curious but memorable epitaph.

Next up for the HSO are a free concert in Bushnell Park on June 14 and their five-concert summer Talcott Mountain Music Festival in Simsbury (June 27-July 25).

REVIEW: Barrington Stage Company, "N/A"

St. Germain Stage, Pittsfield, MA

www.barringtonstageco.org

through June 22, 2025

by Jarice Hanson

 

While there is no doubt the “N” of “N/A” is Nancy Pelosi and the “A” is Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, the names of the two political powerhouses are never mentioned in the 90-minute play at the intimate St. Germain Stage at  Barrington Stage Company. Still, the two actresses, Kelly Lester (Pelosi) and Diane Guerrero (AOC) not only resemble the two women, but they channel their energy and mannerisms to a “T.”

 

Mario Correa’s ambitious script is deliciously constructed to pose several questions to the audience generally dealing with the overarching theme: “What do these women have in common, and where might they clash?”  There are many suggestions of where the internal conflict comes from. It this relationship one of “old” politics clashing with “new” politics? Are these two women destined for a power struggle that insures they never work together or that one must capitulate to the other? Is there any one way for an organization to function smoothly when one person has privilege and the other has little? What is moral leadership, and who gets to define the terms? 

Photo by Daniel Rader

 

The brilliance of the script is that the decisions are left to the audience, and according to the playwright’s perspective written in the playbill, the delicate balance relies heavily on the fact that: “…people in the audience have a strong feeling about those people and events to begin with…”  Correa’s experience as a staffer to a member of Congress informed his approach to thinking about how politics work at a practical level, as well as how ideology influences behavior.

 

In this whip-smart, fast paced, dialog-laden production, director Katie Birenboim does not allow her actors to rely on stereotypes or dwell on media images, but rather, gets to the heart of what makes each woman a leader. Learning of family relationships—who knows whether Nancy Pelosi actually gave her granddaughter an Eleanor Roosevelt Barbie or not—or how AOC’s family experience impacts her decisions about immigration—ground the individuals in unique ways of seeing the world and shaping how they view their responsibilities as leaders for the people they serve.    

 

The spare set by Brian Prather is central to involving the audience in the sense of place. Suggestions of what the view from each one’s office enhances the sense of power for the two women, and Wheeler Moon’s effective lighting design serves as a reference to time as the characters learn more about each other, and themselves.

 

The topics drawn from history are very real, and Brandon Bulls’ sound design is haunting as it recalls January 6th and the violence inflicted on those public servants attempting to do their duty.

 

The play reminds audiences that real people work on behalf of the public every day. To be successful leaders, they grapple with moral ambiguity, a sense of honor, and that democracy is a system that requires vigilance, checks, and balances.

 

This is an important play, and when told through the eyes of two powerful women, leaves a lasting impression on the state of our nation.