Theatre Reviews

Sweet and sassy with a side of spunk, Waitress is the perfect girls night out. This celebration of love, friendship, and second chances will delight and amuse you from beginning to end. Based on the 2007 movie written by Adrienne Shelley, Waitress is the story of talented baker Jenna, who mentally escapes from her abusive marriage to low-life Earl and her small town existence by baking delicious pies at Joe’s Pie Diner. She finds meaning in her work and in her friendships with fellow waitresses Becky and Dawn. The women all dream of a better life and meaningful relationships. When …

Orange Park Community Theatre just opened One Toe in the Grave, a comedy by Jack Sharkey. You may have previously seen a Sharkey play and not realized it, as he wrote under four pseudonyms as well as his own name. He didn’t start writing for stage until in his thirties, but by the time he passed, he had over eighty published comedies, musicals, and thrillers. That the audience was laughing pretty much throughout the show is a testament not only to the cast, but to Sharkey’s wit. Jason Kingsley () is the treasurer for Murdock and Moran (M&M), a company …

A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW Theatre Jacksonville opened the North Florida debut of Old Love on March 1st, 2019. This romantic comedy runs through March 17th. The theatre is located at 2032 San Marco Boulevard in Jacksonville, Florida. Visit theatrejax.com for additional information or call 904-396-4425 for reservations. The play was written by Norm Foster, who has written over fifty plays since 1983 and is Canada’s most-produced playwright. He is a fine actor as well, and is the only nationally known playwright to have appeared on stage at . He wrote and played the lead to acclaim in On A First Name …

A Dual Critics Review The 5 & Dime, Jacksonville’s theatre company, has opened Sam Shepard’s “The God of Hell,” which remains onstage through March 10, 2019. Of note, the theatre is now celebrating a third year at its permanent location at 112 East Adams Street. Additional information is available on the company’s Facebook page. For reservations, call (904) 637-5100 or visit www.The5andDime.org. The late Sam Shepard (1943 – 2017) was both an accomplished actor and acclaimed playwright. His “Buried Child” won a Pulitzer Prize. He wrote “The God of Hell” in 2004 in based on his view of the political …

Jacksonville University student Christopher Mandel held his Senior Showcase in the Black Box Theatre on Saturday, February 16, 2019. Theatre majors are graded on their showcase performance, which is a final must-past test. Over the years, The Dual Critics of EU Jacksonville have attended and covered a number of showcase productions, but have also missed a number of them because we were reviewing stage plays, or just didn’t know about them. Of note, performances are free to students and the public. We have noted a recent twist: students are using Facebook to publicize their creation and announce time and place. …

No need for reality TV or Desperate Housewives reruns if you’re in the mood for a good dose of gossip and drama. ’s presents The Women with an all-female cast that charms and delights the audience from beginning to end. Although male characters play a vital role in the plotline– they’re the much-discussed source of the characters’ heartache, misery, and security all in one—there are no male performers whatsoever. These ladies really pull it off! Lovely Mary Haines leads a charmed life: a husband who adores her, an enviable lifestyle, servants, and two sweet children who are her pride and …

A Dual Critics Review Douglas Anderson School of the Arts opened Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” on January 31, which continues during February 6 – 9, 2019.  The school campus is located in Jacksonville’s ; the show is in the. For tickets, visit www.datheatreboosters.org or call the Box Office at 904-346.5620 x 122. Simon, who died at age ninety-one last August, left behind a lifetime filled with productions for theatre, film, and television. Many of his stories were set in New York City, where he was born. Notable works include “Barefoot in the Park,” “The Odd Couple,” and the Pulitzer …

A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW Jacksonville Beach’s Players by the Sea opened its first production of 2019 with “The Bridges of Madison County” on January 25th, which runs through February 16th. The theatre is located at 106 6th Street North in . For reservations call 904-249-0289 or visit playersbythesea.org. The musical is based on a novella of the same name by Robert James Waller, published in 1992.  Many theatre-goers will be familiar with the story. The book was on the New York Times bestseller list for over three years, has sold over sixty million copies worldwide, and a 1995 film adaptation …

A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW The All Beaches Experimental Theatre (ABET) opened “The Robber Bridegroom” on January 25th, 2019. This high-spirited musical is sponsored by John Johnson and runs through February 10th. The production by is the North Florida premier. The story is based on a 1942 novella by Eudora Welty adapted from a story the Grimm brothers included in their book of European fairy tales (published 1812); she changed the setting from Germany to Mississippi. The story was rewritten as a musical in the early 1970s, with book and lyrics by Alfred Uhry and music by Robert Waldman. This  version …