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A Chapter Ends, A New One Begins (Imemorabili Theatre)
The Cherry Orchard By Anton Chekov Directed by Isabella Schott Review by Kate Barry Entire contents are copyright © 2025 Kate Barry. All rights reserved. A family arrives at their home and beloved orchard. Once wealthy, the matriarch faces a decision to sell the property or fall deeper into financial troubles. Anton Chekov’s play, The Cherry Orchard is considered a classic as it delves into social structures, privilege and class. Both tragic and comedic, this pillar of moder
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 20, 20253 min read


The Joy of Giving (Highview Arts Center)
Photo Credit: Matthew Bryan Pruitt A Christmas Carol Based on the story by Charles Dickens Adapted and written by Kathy Preher Reynolds Directed by Ke’Leb Beauchamp Review by Lan Nguyen-Colgate Entire contents are copyright © 2025 Lan Nguyen-Colgate. All rights reserved. A Christmas Caro l is a timeless play with countless adaptations. The recent production by Highview Arts Center is adapted and written by Kathy Preher Reynolds and directed by Ke’Leb Beauchamp. The story of
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 17, 20252 min read


Unexpected Camaraderie (Kentucky Opera)
Photos by Andrew Kung Group LLC All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Written by Peter Rothstein Vocal Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach Directed by Kelly Kitchen Review by Jeanne-Marie Rogers Entire contents are copyright © 2025 Jeanne-Marie Rogers. All rights reserved. The opera All Is Calm portrays the events of the “Christmas Truce” of 1914 in a powerfully moving way. The all-male cast shares the words of thirty-nine WWI soldiers, representing both Al
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 14, 20252 min read


The B*tch of Living (Prism Performing Arts)
Content Warning: Spring Awakening mentions sexual abuse, child abuse, rape, suicide, abortion, mental health, physical and emotional abuse. Spring Awakening Based on the play by Frank Wedekind Book and Lyrics by Steven Sater Music by Duncan Sheik Directed by Naomi Wayne Review by Kate Barry Entire contents are copyright © 2025 Kate Barry. All rights reserved. What makes a controversial work? Why is it so upsetting? Is the material too offensive? Or is the subject matter so h
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 13, 20253 min read


Nostalgia and Heart (Bunbury Theatre)
Gift of the Magi Written by O.Henry Adapted by Peter Ekstrom Misfit Christmas Written by Jack Wallen Directed by Sharon Kinnison Review by Erin Hargan Entire contents are copyright © 2025 Erin Hargan. All rights reserved. Bunbury Theatre’s holiday offering this season is a night of two one acts plays: The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, adapted by Peter Ekstrom (who once lived in Louisville), and Misfit Christmas by local playwright Jack Wallen. The evening opened with a
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 10, 20252 min read


What the Butler Saw (WhoDunnit)
From left to right: Angelique X. Stacy, Bryan Hoffmann, Mitzi Wood, Tiger Rogers, Rachel Hoffmann, John Lina, Graham Troop The Twelve Murders of Christmas Written by A.S. Waterman Directed by Beth Olliges Review by Loraine Lawson Entire contents are copyright © 2025 Loraine Lawson. All rights reserved. You always think you’ll know exactly what questions to ask when there’s a murder, but TV detectives make it look easy. As I learned at the December 6th production of The Twelv
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 9, 20254 min read


Merry and Bright (Clarksville Little Theatre)
Irving Berlin's White Christmas Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin Book by David Ives and Paul Blake Based on the film White Christmas by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama and Melvin Frank Directed by William Strauss Review by Brian Kennedy Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Brian Kennedy. All rights reserved. Some people dream of a white Christmas. Clarksville Little Theatre brings it to life on stage in a pretty good production. William Strauss directed Irving Berlin’s White
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 8, 20252 min read


A Transformation through the Meaning of the Season (Hayswood Theatre)
A Christmas Carol Novel written by Charles Dickens Adapted by Patrick Barlow Directed by Allen Platt and Emily Trinkle Review by Brian Kennedy Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Brian Kennedy. All rights reserved. A unique, fun take on a holiday classic awaits audiences in the Hayswood Theatre production of A Christmas Carol . Allen Platt and Emily Trinkle co-directed A Christmas Carol, which features a new adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic from Patrick Barlow.
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 7, 20252 min read


Scrooge's Journey to Compassion (Actors Theatre of Louisville)
A Christmas Carol Novel written by Charles Dickens Adapted by Lavina Jadhwani Directed by Amelia Acosta Powell and Emily Tarquin Review by Kate Barry Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Kate Barry. All rights reserved. There are a few things that just feel right, like snow on the ground in December and A Christmas Carol in the Pamela Brown Auditorium. Luckily, our community has been touched by both this week! Actors Theatre of Louisville has brought back the Dickensian hol
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 6, 20253 min read


Funny, Flawed, and Deeply Resonant (Broadway in Louisville)
Kimberly Akimbo Books and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire Music by Jeanine Tesori Directed by Jessica Stone Review by Loraine Lawson Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Loraine Lawson. All rights reserved. Kimberly Akimbo has a complicated life. Her alcoholic father is unpredictable, her mom is preoccupied with her pregnancy, her aunt is a criminal, and her crush is an awkward guy at a school where she doesn’t fit in. Oh yes, she also has a rare genetic condition that caus
stagedoorlouisville
Dec 3, 20254 min read


A Change of Heart for the Herdmans (StageOne Family Theatre)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever By Barbara Robinson Directed by Andrew D Harris Review by Kate Barry Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Kate Barry. All rights reserved. Every year, a church gathers at Christmas for a pageant. The kids are cast as wise men and angels where they go through the motions, dressed in their parent’s finest bathrobes. And every year, it’s the same old thing…until the six Herdmans show up. Things are never the same. StageOne Family Theatre’s The B
stagedoorlouisville
Nov 24, 20253 min read


The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. (Derby Dinner Playhouse)
Elf The Musical Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin Music by Matthew Sklar Lyrics by Chad Beguelin Based upon the New Line Cinema film Written by David Berenbaum Directed by Tina Jo Wallace Review by Brian Kennedy Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Brian Kennedy. All rights reserved. Looking for a fun-filled show with plenty of humor, tender moments and holiday cheer? Derby Dinner Playhouse has one with Elf the Musical . The Tina Jo Wallace-directed Elf the Musical is
stagedoorlouisville
Nov 15, 20252 min read


Away from The Blue (Warehouse Theatre)
Photo by Zachary Burrell Photography Grounded By George Brant Directed by Kyle Ware Review by Kate Barry Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Kate Barry. All rights reserved. Vulnerable, direct, honest…these words merely describe Warehouse Theatre’s one person show Grounded . Directed by Kyle Ware and performed by Megan Massie, the play dives into one woman’s journey from ace fighter pilot to drone operator by way of motherhood. Through her story, the realities of modern wa
stagedoorlouisville
Nov 15, 20252 min read


Community and Creativity (Pandora Productions)
Holiday: An Immersive Crafting Experience Written by Jeffrey James Keyes Directed by Gil Reyes Review by Erin Hargan Entire contents are copyright @ 2025 by Erin Hargan. All rights reserved. Pandora Productions’ Holiday: An Immersive Crafting Experience by Jeffrey James Keyes offers something unique for Louisville theatergoers — a cozy, hands-on mix of performance, creativity, and connection. As guests entered the space they were greeted as participants, and no
stagedoorlouisville
Nov 12, 20252 min read


There for each other through joy and tragedy (South End Theatre Society)
Steel Magnolias Written by Robert Harling Produced by South End Theatre Society Review by Regina Harris Entire contents are copyright @ 2025 by Regina Harris. All rights reserved. Theater kids, listen up! There's a new kid in town called the South End Theatre Society, (great name, btw) and they're making waves in the local theater scene. In a city, chock full of worthy theater companies, SETS was conceived of a mere 10 months ago by a handful of people. These community memb
stagedoorlouisville
Nov 10, 20253 min read


Passion, Shame and Loss (Kentucky Opera)
Photo by Andrew Kung Group LLC La Traviata Music by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave Conducted by Emily Senturia Directed by Sable Strout Review by Jeanne-Marie Rogers. Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Jeanne-Marie Rogers. All rights reserved. “La traviata” (the woman who strayed) tells the story of Violetta, a woman who has built a lavish life for herself by trading companionship and sexual favors for gifts and financial support. She embraces the pursu
stagedoorlouisville
Nov 9, 20252 min read


Desire, rejection, and revenge in Biblical times (Meaningless Magic)
Salomé Written by Oscar Wilde Adapted by Kimby Taylor-Peterson Directed by Rachel Allen and Kimby Taylor-Peterson Review by Erin Hargan Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Erin Hargan. All rights reserved. Meaningless Magic is a new company on the Louisville arts scene that describes itself as a creative collective that includes theatrical productions, short films, and other artistic pursuits. This production of “Salome” by Oscar WIlde is their first live production,
stagedoorlouisville
Nov 8, 20252 min read


What do you get from marriages and all that? (JCC CenterStage)
Company Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by George Furth Director Erin Silliman Review by Kate Barry Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Kate Barry. All rights reserved. It’s Bobby’s birthday. He is turning 35 years old. And he has never married. Why is he alone? Does he want to get married? Is that the life for him? JCC CenterStage production of Company is a groovy version of Stephen Sondheim’s nonlinear musical comedy. The vocals are strong and the orchestra m
stagedoorlouisville
Nov 7, 20253 min read


What Remains is Nothing but the Bones (Actors Theatre)
Dead as a Dodo Presented by Wakka Wakka Written and Directed by Gwendolyn Warnock and Kirjan Waage with help from the ensemble Review by Lan Nguyen-Colgate Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Lan Nguyen-Colgate. All rights reserved. Dead as a Dodo is a new play written by Gwendolyn Warnock and Kirjan Waage and performed by puppetry company Wakka Wakka. It’s a beautiful story that begins in an underworld and moves towards life in a world above. In this story a skeleton boy
stagedoorlouisville
Nov 4, 20252 min read


A Gothic Tale, Bloody and Action Packed (Clarksville Little Theatre)
Dracula Adapted by William McNulty Directed by Zackary Ross Review by Kate Barry Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Kate Barry. All rights reserved. As you walk into Clarksville Little Theatre, you are covered in a red light. The stage is bare except for a door and gramophone. The stage maintains stillness with the promise of something lurking in the wings. Soon we meet a poor soul thrown into asylum after a dark visitor drives him to madness. Dracula at Clarksville Littl
stagedoorlouisville
Oct 25, 20253 min read
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