More Reviews for CSU Summer Stages

Check out some more fantastic reviews for CSU Summer Stages.

From Tony Brown at the Pee Dee:

Now in its third and strongest season, the mixed professional-student company succeeds best at its two extremes, the heart-rending death-drama "The Shadow Box" and the farcical outer-space musical "Return to the Forbidden Planet."

...Quinton's masterfully balanced reincarnation of "The Shadow Box,"... the extremely well-disciplined nine-member cast...

Mauldin pulls out all the nutty stops for his scatterbrained production of the wafer-thin but highly entertaining "Return to the Forbidden Planet"... Several students turn in exemplary performances, too, including dashing dork Lew Wallace as the Capt. Kirk hero, brawny Lawrence Charles as the Caliban-esque Cookie, John Paul Soto as a sweet-voiced, roller-skating robot version of Ariel and fresh-faced Melissa Crum as Miranda.

Christine Howey at Rave & Pan:

With the playwright borrowing liberally from Shakespeare’s The Tempest (on which the original flick was based) and his other works, the dialogue in Return ranges from elegant to glibly idiotic. And since it’s all played for maximum fun and minimum reflection, it all seems appropriate

And don't forget about this weekend's performances!

• Thursday: The Shadow Box (Benefit performance for Hospice of the Western Reserve)
• Friday: Chekhov in Yalta
• Saturday and Sunday*: Return to the Forbidden Planet

All performances at 8pm except *2pm.
Box office: 216.687.2109

SCENE Magazine can't get enough of CHEKHOV

When a review starts off like this:

When a theater critic encounters unexpected radiance on stage — as in CSU's production of Chekhov in Yalta — he has to struggle to prevent himself from becoming a cliché-spouting sycophant.

you know you're in for a good time.

Read the rest of Christie Howey's review of Chekhov in Yalta in Scene Magazine, then come see it for yourself.

Okay, I can't stop myself, here's another quote:

The production itself was like watching alchemy happen. To start at the top, we pay tribute to the director Cathy Hartenstein. Rarely has the magic hand of a skilled director been so evident. She brings effective casting, an understanding of the historical character's nuance, style and period, and created incredible visuals with blocking and pacing.