Raleigh Theater Reviews

Review: CLUE National Tour at Durham Performing Arts Center
by Jeffrey Kare - September 04, 2024

Based on Jonathan Lynn’s 1985 film adaptation of Hasbro’s popular board game of the same name, six guests have been invited to attend a mystery get-together at a large, somewhat secluded mansion. Upon arrival, each guest is provided an alias, situates in the house, and is given a deadly weapon....

Review: Raleigh Little Theatre's SOMETHING ROTTEN!
by Jeffrey Kare - August 24, 2024

What did our critic think of SOMETHING ROTTEN! at Raleigh Little Theatre?...

Review: Theatre Raleigh's VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE
by Jeffrey Kare - July 18, 2024

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike centers on middle-aged siblings who share a home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where they bicker and complain about the circumstances of their lives....

Review: SETH'S BIG FAT BROADWAY SHOW at Theatre Raleigh
by Jeffrey Kare - June 24, 2024

Next up in Theatre Raleigh’s 2024 concert series is Seth Rudetsky. For those unfamiliar, he’s a DJ for SiriusXM on Broadway. He’s worked for more than 20 years as an actor, writer, pianist, and conductor working on blockbuster musicals such as Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime, and T...

Review: Theatre Raleigh's JANE EYRE
by Jeffrey Kare - May 30, 2024

Based on Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel of the same name, Jane Eyre follows a young orphan who is put in the unfortunate care of her cruel Aunt Sarah and cousin, John Reed, as per her uncle’s dying wish. After spending six years at Lowood School for Girls, Jane leaves and is shortly after hired as a ...

Review: THE LION KING National Tour at Durham Performing Arts Center
by Jeffrey Kare - May 17, 2024

Based on Disney’s 1994 animated film musical of the same name, The Lion King tells the story of Simba, a young lion who is supposed to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of Pride Rock. But when Simba's uncle, Scar, kills Mufasa, Simba runs away from home after being tricked into thinking that he wa...

Review: 2024 DPAC Rising Star Awards
by Jeffrey Kare - May 10, 2024

The DPAC Rising Star Awards is a regional competition that brings together high school musical theater students from Central and Eastern North Carolina to perform and compete for the chance to represent the Triangle in The National High School Musical Theater (otherwise known as The Jimmy) Awards in...

Review: MRS. DOUBTFIRE National Tour at Durham Performing Arts Center
by Jeffrey Kare - March 20, 2024

Based on Chris Columbus’ 1993 Academy Award-winning film of the same name adapted from Anne Fine’s 1987 novel titled Alias Madame Doubtfire. This musical follows Daniel Hillard, an out-of-work actor who loses custody of his kids in a divorce. So he masquerades as Scottish nanny Euphegenia Doubtfire ...

Review: Telly Leung at Theatre Raleigh
by Jeffrey Kare - January 27, 2024

Kicking off Theatre Raleigh’s 2024 concert series is Broadway star Telly Leung. For those unfamiliar, he has appeared in long-running hits such as Rent and Aladdin, revivals of Flower Drum Song, Pacific Overtures, and Godspell, as well as short-lived musicals such as Allegiance and In Transit....

Review: THE GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY at Durham Performing Arts Center
by Nicole Ackman - January 04, 2024

From the moment that the cast of Girl from the North Country enters through the aisles of the theater, it’s clear that this show is not your usual jukebox musical despite its usage of Bob Dylan’s catalog of songs....

Review: North Carolina Theatre's ELF THE MUSICAL
by Jeffrey Kare - December 10, 2023

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Review: DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL at DPAC
by Nicole Ackman - December 08, 2023

It doesn’t get much more classic Christmas story than Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, whether you’re reading the book or watching one of the several film adaptations. So seeing the story brought to life onstage is the perfect night out this holiday season for the whole family....

Review: FUNNY GIRL National Tour at Durham Performing Arts Center
by Jeffrey Kare - November 08, 2023

Funny Girl is a semi-biographical musical that follows real-life actress, singer, and comedian Fanny Brice. The story explores her humble beginnings as a struggling stage performer who dreams of making it big with the famed Ziegfeld Follies as well as her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and ga...

Review: Norm Lewis at Theatre Raleigh
by Jeffrey Kare - November 04, 2023

Within the past few months, Theatre Raleigh has brought Broadway stars Norbert Leo Butz, Rachel Bay Jones, and Ariana DeBose down to the Triangle area for one-night-only concert performances. On November 3rd, they brought down Tony-nominated actor Norm Lewis to their De Ann S. Jones Theatre....

Review: MJ National Tour at Durham Performing Arts Center
by Jeffrey Kare - October 12, 2023

MJ is a jukebox/biographical musical that follows the life and career of singer Michael Jackson. Centered around the making of his 1992 Dangerous World Tour, this show offers a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Jackson into legendary status. ...

Review: North Carolina Theatre's BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL
by Jeffrey Kare - October 11, 2023

Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of Carole King when she was starting out as a teenage songwriter at 1650 Broadway in the 1960s. Back then, she was writing songs in collaboration with her husband at the time, Gerry Goffin, for so many different musical acts such as Bobby Vee, The Drifters, T...

Review: WICKED Still Holds Up After Twenty Years at DPAC
by Nicole Ackman - August 26, 2023

What did our critic think of WICKED at DPAC?...

Review: Raleigh Little Theatre's CURTAINS
by Jeffrey Kare - August 12, 2023

Curtains is set at Boston’s Colonial Theatre in 1959. When the leading lady of a new musical, Robbin’ Hood, mysteriously dies on stage, the entire cast and crew become suspects. It is up to a local fast-talking detective, who just happens to be a musical theatre fan, to save the show, solve the case...

Review: THEATRE RALEIGH'S THE PROM
by Nicole Ackman - August 07, 2023

What did our critic think of THEATRE RALEIGH’S THE PROM?...

Review: North Carolina Theatre's MARY POPPINS
by Jeffrey Kare - July 26, 2023

Based on P.L. Travers’ children’s novels as well as Walt Disney’s 1964 Academy Award-winning movie musical of the same name, Mary Poppins follows a nanny who arrives on the doorstep of Jane & Michael Banks. Mary Poppins takes the children on many magical and memorable adventures, but Jane and Michae...

Review: Rachel Bay Jones at Theatre Raleigh
by Jeffrey Kare - July 09, 2023

In 2017, I was fortunate enough to have attended the Tony Awards. Rachel Bay Jones was among the winners that night for her performance as Heidi in Dear Evan Hansen. On July 7th, I saw her perform in person for the very first time....

Review: Norbert Leo Butz at Theatre Raleigh
by Jeffrey Kare - June 24, 2023

What did our critic think of Norbert Leo Butz at Theatre Raleigh?...

Review: SIX National Tour at Durham Performing Arts Center
by Jeffrey Kare - June 21, 2023

Six reimagines the stories of the six wives of King Henry VIII in the style of a pop concert. Each ex-wife gets to sing and tell her story to determine who suffered the most from marrying Henry and should therefore become the group’s lead singer. This musical originally began as a submission to the ...

Review: Theatre Raleigh's THE WEIGHT OF EVERYTHING WE KNOW
by Jeffrey Kare - June 01, 2023

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Review: 2023 Triangle Rising Star Awards
by Jeffrey Kare - May 19, 2023

The Triangle Rising Star Awards is a regional competition that brings together high school musical theater students from Central and Eastern North Carolina to perform and compete for the chance to represent the Triangle in The National High School Musical Theater (otherwise known as The Jimmy) Award...