The fairy dust does its job in the Theatre Cedar Rapids production of the musical version of ‘Peter Pan.’ Under the direction of Leslie Charipar, with musical direction by Benjamin Lee Schmidt, and choreography by Alvon Reed, the cast takes flight for a fun-filled romp in Neverland. My soon-to-be 12-year-old daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed the May 6 performance.
Cedar Rapids Live Theatre
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Pay attention: TCR’s ‘Assassins’ is timely and terrifying
Assassins Theatre Cedar Rapids — through March 4 It’s no secret that I’m not a Sondheim fan. And while Assassins pushes the boundaries of his typical style with more edge and rawness than one gets from a production of Company or Into the Woods, it utterly lacks the kind of cohesive story you get in […]
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TCR’s ‘Next Fall’ is hard and real, unique and touching
Next Fall Theatre Cedar Rapids — through Jan. 28 Next Fall, by Geoffrey Nauffts, which opened at Theatre Cedar Rapids on Jan. 13, is set in two worlds. In one, we travel the timeline of a relationship brimming with honesty and real love. And, in another, we are stuck in an uncomfortable hospital waiting room, […]
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Eastern Iowa sees an explosion of local theatre this weekend
Once upon a time, in a land much like ours, summer was a down time for the theatre community. You’d have an outdoor Shakespeare production, perhaps, but by and large, companies drew down the curtain for a few months, especially at community and amateur theatres. Those times are gone, and this weekend is a phenomenal […]
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See ‘Cock,’ support the community
RHCR Theatre presents: Dreamwell Theatre’s Cock Artisan’s Sanctuary — Friday and Saturday, June 10–11 at 7 p.m. This April, Dreamwell Theatre in Iowa City presented the final show of its 2015-16 season, a well-received production of Mike Bartlett’s 2009 Cock. The play is, essentially, a traditional drawing room comedy about the sort of people who […]
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Impeccable vocals and magical effects bring audiences ‘Under the Sea’ at ‘Disney’s The Little Mermaid’
Disney’s The Little Mermaid Theatre Cedar Rapids — through June 12 Theatre Cedar Rapids was absolutely buzzing when we arrived for their production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Families everywhere. A sea of lighted tiaras, wands and children in their dress-up Disney gear. When we sat down, there was a young woman in front of […]
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‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead’ spins a colorful, whimsical darkness
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Theatre Cedar Rapids — Friday and Saturday, April 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. A good existential crisis is like a good cry: You feel clean afterward, perhaps vindicated. You come back from the edge and can now say, “Oh, that’s over there.” It’s exhilarating, almost. You feel awake and […]
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To see or not to see, there is no question: A review of Theatre Cedar Rapids’ ‘Hamlet’
Hamlet Theatre Cedar Rapids — through Apr. 16 I fell in love with Hamlet at a very young age. The titular character of one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated tragedies was exactly the kind of goth-y antihero that I went for, and his bloodthirsty revenge fantasy was utterly relatable to me. The romance of Ophelia, so […]
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Just announced: Theatre Cedar Rapids’ 83rd season
New surprises, familiar traditions and beloved classics are all on the bill for Theatre Cedar Rapids, which announced its 2016-17 season tonight. For the second year in a row, they kick off their production year with a play in the Grandon Studio — this year, it’s The Flick, by Annie Baker, a comedy that won […]
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TCR pairs impeccable vocals with smart little quirks for ‘Next to Normal’
Next to Normal Theatre Cedar Rapids — Friday, Mar. 11 and Saturday, Mar. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Next To Normal (book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey; music by Tom Kitt) centers around a family, broken by the lingering mental state of the mother figure, Diana. The husband can’t fix her, so stands supportive. The daughter […]
