Delaware Theater Reviews

Review: MOON OVER BUFFALO at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - May 20, 2024

Candlelight’s MOON OVER BUFFALO is an uproariously funny comedy by Tony Award winning playwright Ken Ludwig. Last year they mounted his LEND ME A TENOR which was both parts as hilarious and charming. Ludwig’s plays have starred Carol Burnett, Alec Baldwin and Tony Shaloub, to name a few.nk of MOON O...

Review: FIRST STATE BALLET THEATRE AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE at The Grand Opera House
by Greer Firestone - May 10, 2024

It is not surprising to those who work in the live arts, performing arts or fine arts, that we understand a vibrant arts community attracts visitors who spend money and help keep local businesses thriving. They keep Delaware residents spending their money locally, vital income for local merchants....

Review: DANCING AT LUGHNASA at City Theatre
by Greer Firestone - April 20, 2024

Celebrating its 30th year as Delaware’s off-Broadway theatre, City Theatre delivers DANCING IN LUGHNASA, a stunning tour de force in ensemble acting, direction (Mary Catherine Kelley), linguistics/dialect (Michael Toner), scenic design (Rick Neidig) and every musical and technical aspect imaginable....

Review: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - March 25, 2024

What did our critic think of TCandlelight Music Theatre normally plays it safe when scheduling a season. That’s’ why Aisle Say was surprised that “THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD” was part of this year’s season. And more so for the musical was written by Rupert Holmes, whose most prominent claim to fame ...

Review: HELLO DOLLY! at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - January 29, 2024

Hello Dolly! Opened on Broadway in 1964 with the irrepressible, wide-eyed, charismatic Carol Channing in the title role, winning 10 Tony’s including Best Musical and Best Actress for Channing. The show was her signature and, to understate, she held it close. An understudy once remarked that she was ...

Review: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? at Walnut Street Theatre
by Greer Firestone - January 26, 2024

It’s 23 years into George and Martha’s minefield marriage, and passion has long since cooled into contempt The play is a cruel and competitive game of escalating insults between career-stalled history professor George (a riveting Greg Wood) and Martha (a boozy and absolutely compelling Susan Riley S...

Review: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - November 27, 2023

Aisle Say considers something we’ve all thought about it. During episodes of grave doubt and seemingly unrelenting anxiety – whether it be family or financial or health – we have considered maybe the world would be a better place if we had not been born....

Review: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT at Resident Ensemble Players
by Greer Firestone - November 13, 2023

Aisle Say has had the privilege of reviewing this staggering talented ensemble since 2008. Still do I remember their second show of the season, THE IMAGINARY INVALID. Forever imprinted in my mind are the enema gloves of Michael Gotch and Mic Matarrese. These two actors and many of their colleagues f...

Review: INTO THE WOODS at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - September 27, 2023

Candlelight Theatre continues to astound. While regional professional theatres are going from six week runs to three (see DE Theatre Co), the funky old barn in the bowels of sylvan Arden continues to welcome sold out crowds for a full six....

Review: SOUND OF MUSIC at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - July 20, 2023

What did our critic think of SOThe Preludium (i.e. prelude) begins Candlelight Music Theatre’s Sound of Music. Sung in Latin and – one must believe – meticulously rehearsed by Music Director Douglass Lutz and Sisters Margaretta (Neena Boyle) Berte (Lindsey Grant), Sophia (Leah Senseney) and Mother A...

Review: FREAKY FRIDAY at Wilmington Drama League
by Greer Firestone - June 15, 2023

Community theatre is where it all begins. Children attain their first production in community theater; life experiences never to be forgotten. A nurturing Mom and Dad could say, “Hey, why not try this. It’s a cool.” Or a friend might comment, “Hey, I auditioned for this show. Come on. Let’s have fun...

Review: THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940 at The Candlelight Theatre
by Rosanne DellAversano - May 24, 2023

The Candlelight Dinner Theatre, the only dinner theater in Delaware, offers a topsy-turvy murder mystery to go along with your dinner & drinks....

Review: MAN OF LA MANCHA at Delaware Theatre Company
by Greer Firestone - April 24, 2023

Matt Silva’s first foray into two leadership roles: Artistic Director and Stage Director of DTC, resulted with an inspiring and majestic MAN OF LA MANCHA at Delaware Theatre Co....

Review: I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - April 28, 2023

What dAisle Say was a trifle surprised at the first dialogue interchange of I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, the current production at Candlelight. It was risqué, somewhat risk-taking from the norm, owing to the senior citizen demographics of their audience.id our critic think of I LOVE YOU, ...

Review: SISTER ACT at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - February 27, 2023

Having the privilege of reviewing Candlelight Theatre for years, the once community theatre has morphed into a fully professional troupe. Over the past 3 years, Aisle Say has witnessed productions there that absolutely rival non-equity touring shows staged at The Playhouse....

Review: IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - November 28, 2022

After a stellar run of showstoppers and extraordinary, electric entertainment in 2022, Candlelight returns to the seasonal theme of sentimental and saccharine with Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS The Musical. Sentimentality and nostalgia are good. And, the venue is to be applauded for staging this s...

Review: MEMPHIS at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - October 09, 2022

What did our critic think oHockadoo! MEMPHIS, The Musical, running at Candlelight through October 30, is a compelling show in many respects. Memphis is the story of Huey Calhoun (loosely based on real-life 1950s disc jockey Dewey Phillips) and his mission to bring blues and soul music to a white sou...

Review: THE PLAY THE GOES WRONG at Wilmington Drama League
by Rosanne DellAversano - September 15, 2022

BWW Delaware review of THE PLAY THE GOES WRONG at Wilmington Drama League. The end of summer blues got you down? A little stressed because you're going back to in-person work? Fear not! The Wilmington Drama League's production of The Play That Goes Wrong will put you in a much better mood. Written b...

Review: SWEET CHARITY at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - July 24, 2022

What did our critic think As a 5 decade long advocate for Candlelight Dinner Theatre, first as actor and then as reviewer, it is immensely gratifying to witness that not only have they survived but prospered over these years. They pay their actors and creative crew only a stipend. To a man/woman, “t...

BWW Review: OTHER WORLD at Delaware Theatre Company
by Rosanne DellAversano - March 31, 2022

Will the new musical OTHER WORLD continue in IRL after its premiere at Delaware Theatre Company? I sure hope so!...

BWW Review: BIG FISH at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - April 04, 2022

Aisle Say’s most recent review was at DE Theatre Co’s OTHER WORLD, the largest and most technically challenging production in their 45-year history. The budgets of that show versus the cost of Candlelight’s BIG FISH are as dissimilar as Mt. Kilimanjaro to Brandywine Park’s Monkey Hill....

BWW Review: OTHER WORLD at Delaware Theatre Company
by Greer Firestone - March 10, 2022

In it’s 45+ years existence, Delaware Theatre Company has never mounted a production of this magnitude. Originally scheduled to open 2 years ago at Bucks County Playhouse, the world went topsy turvy....

BWW Review: MAMMA MIA at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - February 01, 2022

Mamma Mia must be one of the greatest juke box musicals of all time. When the film came out, a colleague mentioned that Pierce Brosnan had an atrocious voice, so I passed. He had star power. That is how two of the most horrendous miscastings of movie musicals were cast; Marlon Brando in Guys and Dol...

BWW Review: LE CAVALIER RESTAURANT at Hotel DuPont
by Greer Firestone - November 30, 2021

I have been blessed with being involved in theatre for 64 years and have critiqued the arts for 35 years. Those of a certain age will remember News Journal theatre critics Phil Crossland and Otto Dekom of the 60’s through 90’s. Phil loved every show he ever saw and every actor on stage. We all wante...

BWW Review: BEST OF CANDLELIGHT at Candlelight Music Theatre
by Greer Firestone - September 28, 2021

Candlelight Theatre opens their third show of the season with an economical inhouse production of BEST OF CANDLELIGHT, a prudent decision with live theatre the world over attempting to gain financial stasis. This show has no ‘book’, saving licensing money. The show takes us down Broadway; a smorgasb...