Take a Heroic Trip with DTC in the U.S. Premiere of "Glory Ride"

By Mike Logothetis

Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) takes its audience on a thrilling ride of defiance, sacrifice, and hope during World War II. Based on a true story, Glory Ride reveals the secret life of legendary Tour de France champion Gino Bartali, who conspired with the Cardinal of Florence to save hundreds of persecuted innocents from Mussolini’s Fascist Blackshirts. 

Glory Ride, now playing at DTC.  Photo courtesy of DTC.

Cycling thousands of miles, this unlikely team created the fastest resistance network the world never knew about...until now. Following a sold-out London debut, the piece is proudly making its U.S. Premiere at DTC, transporting audiences to the hills of Tuscany for an unforgettable, emotional adventure.

DTC’s Producing Artistic Director Mimi Warnick said: “Audiences may know Gino Bartali as a celebrated cyclist, but his impact during World War II went far beyond sport. DTC is proud to produce this new musical and invite audiences to be part of its future.”

Warnick added that Wilmington itself offers a lot for productions with an eye on a Broadway run, including its experience in premiering new works and its proximity to New York City, with its legions of actors and technical experts.

Right out of the gate, one is mesmerized by the imposing set by Beowulf Boritt. A circular screen commands the center of the action with angular beams radiating from it like a sun or a bicycle cog with its many teeth. All were constructed with an emphasis on symmetry and simplicity – a la fascist architecture. 

Images are projected on all free surfaces and from above onto the rotating stage floor. Kudos to Nicholas Hussong for the visuals, especially the rose window. It’s all very impressive and integrates wonderfully with Director Michael Bello’s grand vision. The story is incredible. The courage of Bartali and others is inspiring. The musical is uplifting even if some don’t make it out alive.

The book is by Victoria Buchholz and her father Todd Buchholz with music and lyrics by the younger Buchholz. While not memorable in a classic way, the songs serve an emotional purpose and showcase the lovely voices of the cast. None is more powerful than Bri Javis’s, who played Sister Maria. All songs in this production are sung live by the cast, which works in the confines of the cozy Riverfront theater.

The excellent cast is comprised of Matthew Amira (Bartali), Jared Zirilli (Il Lupo), Gavin Gregory (Cardinal Dalla Costa), Neal Mayer/Matthew Michael Janisse (Giorgio Nico), Javis, Patrick Oliver Jones (Commander Graziani), Sean Luc Rogers (Mario), Stephanie Prestage (Adriana), Willem Ford Butler, Elbi Cespedes, Chris Marsh Clark, Lincoln Cohen, David Hoffman, Cody Howard, Isabella Kaplan, Corinne Munsch, Michael Notardonato, Matthew Rella, Trevor Michael Schmidt, Scott Silagy, Everett Sobers, and Brooke Sterling.

Amira portrays Bartali as a simple man with a caring heart and conflicted loyalties. His voice could boom and focus attention on himself or meld tenderly with duet partners like Prestage. His song “King of the Mountains” is a highlight, especially with the accompanying choreography by Denis Jones. Jones utilizes props, the screens, and the rotating stage to perfection throughout the show. The effects are wonderful. The musical number “Ad Astra” aligned the stage direction, choreography, and lighting (Cory Pattak) in perfect harmony.

But the overarching question posed by the show is: “What is glory?” Bartali has experienced it by winning the Tour de France. Mario never had it until his wartime heroics provided it to him. The humble Cardinal and his bookkeeper Nico don’t want it to draw attention to their mission of saving those whom the authorities would like to see eliminated. The pursuit or avoidance of glory has different value for the characters and they struggle one way or the other to achieve their goals.

“Glory Ride isn’t just a race. It’s proof that one quiet act of courage can outrun evil,” said co-author Todd Buchholz.

Bravo to the entire production team, staff, musicians, and actors for this extremely satisfying theater experience.

Glory Ride finishes its run on Sunday, March 15. Showtimes are Wednesdays (2:00 & 7:00pm), Thursdays and Fridays (7:00pm), Saturdays (2:00 & 7:30pm), and Sundays (2:00pm). Ticket prices start at $39 and discounts are available. 

The play is roughly 2 hours and 25 minutes long with one 15-minute intermission. Join DTC for Viewpoints every Wednesday, starting 45 minutes before the start of the show. 

Talkbacks – Q&As with the creative team – occur Thursdays after the final curtain. Call 302.594.1100 or visit www.delawaretheatre.org to purchase tickets or for performance information. Delaware Theatre Company is located at 200 Water Street in Wilmington.

DTC recommends this show for children aged 12 and up due to its length and subject matter. More about Glory Ride can be found on its website: www.gloryridemusical.com.

Another Round for POTUS and the Seven Women Who Rule the Show

By Guest Blogger, Dan Sanchez
Dan holds a BA in Theatre Production from the University of Delaware and has studied theatre around the world. Dan has worked extensively both onstage and behind the scenes across the Mid-Atlantic Region with theaters such as Three Little Bakers, The Candlelight Theatre, the Philadelphia Theatre Project, The Milburn Stone Theatre and Phoenix Festival Theater. 

City Theater Company has unleashed a firecracker of a production with POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive — a high-octane farce that is as sharp as it is shameless, as outrageous as it is observant. If you like your comedy fast, fearless, and laced with political bite, take notice.

Written by Selina Fillinger — who was just 28 when the play premiered on Broadway in 2022 under the direction of Delaware’s own five-time Tony Award-winner Susan Stroman — POTUS blends the mechanics of classic door-slamming farce with distinctly modern feminist satire. Think Noises Off meets HBO’s Veep, sharpened for an era hyper-aware of power, image, and the labor women perform behind the scenes.

The inciting incident detonates in the first line. The unseen President of the United States—never fully appearing onstage, in the grand comic tradition of Vera from Cheers — has just referred to the First Lady using a word that rhymes with “blunt” and begins with a “C.” It is jarring. It is vulgar. It is wildly funny. And it sets off a chain reaction that traps seven women inside the White House as they scramble to contain diplomatic, political, and personal fallout.

A word of warning: if strong language offends you, this may not be your evening at the theatre. The script is unapologetically bawdy, profane, and occasionally gleefully lowbrow. But Fillinger’s vulgarity is not gratuitous; it is surgical. She exposes how casually misogyny permeates political spaces, then hands the women the verbal artillery to fight back. On opening night, the Delaware Contemporary’s Black Box Theater shook with laughter — big, rolling waves of it — punctuated by audible gasps that signaled a crowd fully on board.

Director Kristin Finger understands that farce is unforgiving. Timing is oxygen. Miss a beat and the joke suffocates. Here, the pacing is crisp and relentless. Doors fling open and slam with purpose. Physical comedy escalates with cartoon precision. Characters ricochet through the space in tightly choreographed chaos that never feels sloppy. Finger keeps the machine humming at full throttle, trusting both the script and her cast to stick the landing.

And this cast delivers.

POTUS is not a star vehicle masquerading as an ensemble piece. It is a true ensemble — seven women sharing narrative oxygen, each essential to the escalating absurdity. The comedy works because momentum flows seamlessly among them; no single character monopolizes the spotlight, even as individual performances sparkle.

LaNeshe Miller White brings layered strength to Margaret, the First Lady. White resists easy caricature, grounding the character’s frustration and humiliation in carefully constructed public dignity while allowing flickers of rage and razor wit to surface.

Mary Carpenter commands as Harriet, the high-strung bulldog Chief of Staff. With crisp authority and finely calibrated exasperation and obliviousness, Carpenter provides both the spine and the spinelessness of the operation. Her Harriet is all damage control on the surface but simmering with irritation and barely contained rage beneath it.

Jordan Fidalgo’s Chris, the working-mother journalist circling the chaos, threads ambition with moral reckoning. Fidalgo balances sharp comedic beats with an undercurrent of conscience and parental responsibility, giving the character dimension beyond opportunism.

Heron Kennedy’s Dusty, the President’s dalliance — lips bluer than Jack Dawson’s as Rose lets go — injects volatile unpredictability into every entrance. Kennedy embraces the physicality and sensuality of the role, leaning into heightened naïve absurdity while maintaining emotional clarity — a tricky balance in farce, handled deftly here.

Jessica Jordan’s Jean, the cynical and oft-times paranoid Press Secretary, slices through the script’s dense dialogue with razor precision. Her verbal sparring is among the evening’s most satisfying, delivered with confidence and immaculate timing.

Karen Getz as Bernadette, the President’s criminal sister, gleefully detonates decorum. Getz understands exactly how far to push outrageous sexuality and impropriety before snapping it back, mining each moment for maximum comedic payoff.

And then there is Kelsey Hérbert as Stephanie, the President’s secretary. In a cast operating at such a high level, it is no small feat to stand out — yet Hérbert manages to do just that. Her Stephanie begins tentative, almost mousy, clinging to professionalism and struggling to “take up space” in her career. Over the course of the evening, Hérbert charts a beautifully controlled yet chaotic arc of self-possession. Her performance is, without giving too much away, “bloody” brilliant. She navigates slapstick, verbal dexterity, and even a surprising operatic flourish with remarkable ease. While the production thrives on collective strength, Hérbert’s performance lingers, an electric thread running through the ensemble fabric.

What elevates the evening further is the chemistry among the cast. Jokes land not in isolation but in carefully constructed cascades. One woman sets the rhythm; another escalates it; a third detonates it. The audience on opening night leaned forward, roaring with laughter as physical comedy tipped into delicious absurdity. It is rare to feel a room so fully surrendered to a production’s momentum.

If there is a minor critique to be made, it lies in the production design. Rick Nedig’s set is functional within the confines of a black box space but leaves much to the audience’s imagination regarding the inner workings of the White House. Maura Owens’ costumes are serviceable yet lack the specificity and polish one might expect from women operating at the highest levels of political power. In a play that boldly embraces heightened reality, a more distinctive visual palette might have amplified the theatricality. The design never detracts from the action, but it does not quite match the ferocity of the performances. Given the strength onstage, a bolder aesthetic frame may have elevated the production from excellent to unforgettable.

Still, farce lives or dies on performance and pacing, and City Theater Company triumphs where it matters most.

Importantly, POTUS is not about any single administration. The President remains unseen—an amalgamation of ego, entitlement, and oblivious privilege drawn from decades of political archetypes. The satire lands not because it is partisan, but because it is systemic. The women in proximity to power are tasked with cleaning up disasters they did not create, navigating double standards with ingenuity and grit. The humor is broad; the commentary is pointed.

By the final moments, what lingers is not simply the laughter but the collective force of these seven women. They are messy, strategic, furious, vulnerable, ambitious and very, very funny. Fillinger’s script allows them the full spectrum of humanity, and this ensemble embraces it wholeheartedly.

City Theater Company’s POTUS runs through March 7 at The Delaware Contemporary’s Black Box Theater. If you crave theatre that is smart, fast, and unapologetically fun — comedy with teeth and impeccable timing — this is your ticket. Gather your most politically savvy friends or your most chaos-loving ones and prepare to laugh until your sides ache.

Take notice. These women aren’t just keeping the President alive (seriously, they aren’t). They’re keeping Wilmington theatre exhilarating. Visit city-theater.org to grab your tickets today.

POTUS Comes to Delaware; Women Rule the Show

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

POTUS at City Theater Company.
Photo by Moonloop Photography.

Raise “Old Glory” and hang the bunting because City TheaterCompany (CTC) is welcoming POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive to its riverfront stage. The Tony-nominated comedy is an all-female satire of the inner workings of the Executive Branch (on a very bad day). Playwright Selina Fillinger has artfully/crassly tapped into the modern world of American politics with a biting look behind the scenes at the White House.

Cast members Mary Carpenter (Harriet), Jordan Fidalgo (Chris), Karen Getz (Bernadette), Kelsey Hébert (Stephanie), Jessica Jordan (Jean), Heron Kennedy (Dusty), and LaNeshe Miller White (Margaret/FLOTUS) purred like a finely-tuned engine. They consistently hit the gas and sped things up without losing control.

The New York Times originally called the 2022 show “Gleefully filthy,” which is an apt description. The play is rated R for adult content, situations, and (mostly) language. There is a lot of, let’s say, “colorful vernacular” peppered throughout the action. But, vulgarity aside, the dialog is the best part. The repartee is clever and biting and delivered expertly by the cast. Most importantly, it’s funny…very funny.

Lines like, “I need all of them first!” (Harriet), “No howling at the White House!” (Jean), and “We all serve in different ways” (Dusty) had the audience in stitches. The constant attacks on Jean’s wardrobe delivered laughs over and over – “…Jackie O meets Carl Sagan” (Bernadette).

The pacing of the show is quick. The snappy dialog and interwoven plot points come fast. Kudos to Director Kristin Finger for keeping everything on track; although parts of the second act seemed a tad chaotic. But, then again, that’s the nature of the play. Strap in and enjoy the ride!

I don’t want to discount the heaps of physical comedy on display. Whether it was Dusty’s blue-lipped cheerleading routine, Chris’s endless lactation issues, or Stephanie’s “Power Stance,” these women kept bringing the laughs.

There was a real sense of sisterhood, even though internal rivalries and external issues kept impeding their collective goal of “progress for women.” They were in the same mess together and needed their collective powers to right the ship. Can they pull it off? Do your duty as an American: Buy a ticket and find out!

There are some short musical interludes between scenes and featured songs by local artists Grace Vonderkuhn, Hot Breakfast, and Nitro Nitra, which were great to hear. In fact, the POTUS program has QR links to the soundtrack (Spotify and Apple Music).

POTUS will run through March 7. Curtain is at 8:00pm for all performances except for the Sunday (March 1) matinee, which starts at 2:00pm. The run time is approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. City Theater Company’s home is at The Delaware Contemporary – located at 200 South Madison, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. 

General admission tickets ($45) can be purchased at the box office or online at city-theater.org. Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel ($35), seniors ($35), and students ($25). All shows feature free admission to the museum galleries, and a cash bar is available. The Delaware Contemporary offers free parking and is a short walk from the Joseph R. Biden Amtrak train station. Please call the box office at 302.220.8285 or email info@city-theater.org for details.

Founded in 1993, City Theater Company performs contemporary comedies, new works, and classic musicals to critical acclaim inside The Delaware Contemporary. Both institutions are invested in promoting the work of local and emerging artists, advancing opportunity and growth by and for the community, and welcoming all those looking to experience art.

– “FML” (Harriet)

Last Call for FREE Art Program Registrations — The Sold Firm and Route 9 Library & Innovation Center

The content of this post comes from information provided by The Sold Firm art gallery in Wilmington...

Now, in its fifth year, The Art Space at the Route 9 Library and Innovation Center is a program dedicated to offering the fundamentals of visual arts to creative middle and high school students. 

This FREE program is application based and is a structured creative training course offering four weeks of drawing classes, four weeks of painting classes, and four weeks of digital art classes. 

Participating teens will be rewarded in cash at the end of the 12-week course for the time spent in The Art Space in recognition of their hard work and dedication.

Deadline for applications is tomorrow 2/20/26 for ages 13-18.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO!

COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION HERE!

The REP's Newest Production Asks Us, "What IS Art"?

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

The University of Delaware Resident Ensemble Players (REP) proudly presents the Tony- and Molière-winning dark comedy ART at the Roselle Center for the Arts in Newark. The 1994 play was written by Yasmina Reza and translated from the original French by Christopher Hampton. ART offers a witty and incisive look at friendship, honesty, significance, and the surprising power of a single piece of art.

The story focuses on three friends who find themselves at odds after one (Serge) purchases an expensive, all-white painting. Throughout the show, the three characters argue fiercely — and amusingly — over their visceral responses to the painting and the others’ reactions to it.

Though it makes several appearances during the play, the white painting is, in effect, a MacGuffin — i.e. a catalyst for the action. “The Antrios,” as it is often called, amplifies hidden tensions within this longstanding three-way friendship.

But the audience’s first impression is the commanding set by Christopher and Justin Swader. The unadorned walls (and our view of them) are angular and imposing…almost monolithic. The industrial lighting by Dawn Chiang adds to the feeling that these men are small in comparison to the disarray they’ve conjured between themselves.

These are not obscure personas, but fairly regular folks trying to make heads or tails of the everchanging world. Serge is an aesthete whose life has been mostly comfortable. Marc is a realist with a stern outer layer he uses for protection. Yvan is an easy-going person on the outside with insecurities swirling below the surface. 

The “deconstruction” of the central piece of artwork devolves to comic effect as the trio grapples with the larger question of how to maintain personal relationships through a prolonged three-pronged argument. When Yvan tries to play peacemaker, he is derided by the others as a “coward” and an “amoeba,” and even suffers a minor injury when he tries to defuse a brief scuffle.

ART stars REP stalwarts Hassan El-Amin as Marc, Lee E. Ernst as Yvan, and Stephen Pelinski as Serge. All three actors imbue their characters with staunch individuality and some compassion. They are a talented trio whose banter is natural and pointed, helping the audience believe their characters are really friends – but also scathing critics.

The intertwining theme of value versus values runs deep because true friendship is not superficial. These characters care about each other, but life has intervened, which often makes the simple more complex. Director Michael Gotch allows his actors to interact and soliloquize (under spotlight) easily and comfortably. Gotch’s pacing keeps us fixated by the changes these friends are going through. There was excellent switching between edgy discourses, comic dialog, and character asides.

“This is a masterpiece of a play, really — one of those rare ones where everything the author’s given you works,” says Gotch. “It’s in some ways a perfect play: it’s funny, it’s insightful and it manages to entertain on so many levels. In a world where it seems everything around us is a Rorschach test and wildly different opinions clash on social media 24/7, this play isn’t just entertaining, it’s also timely. But mostly it’s an incredibly fun, perfectly compact, and surprisingly sharp ride to enjoy.”

The funniest scene is when Yvan delivers his pre-wedding monologue, listing all that is going wrong regarding printed invitations and family dynamics. Ernst drew us into his character’s angst while humoring us with mundane decisions which are slowing driving Yvan mad.

Another funny micro-scene was an unspoken one where the three protagonists munch on olives after arguing well past the dinner hour. The pinging of the pits into a metal bowl was effectively comical, realistic, and surreal.

After the show, it is inevitable to ponder status and potential changes within one’s own friendship groups. A significant question being: Are interpersonal conflicts organic or are they initiated?

This production of ART runs now through March 1. Tickets range from $20-39 (+fees) with discounts available for students, seniors, plus University of Delaware faculty and staff. 

Tickets can be purchased online at www.rep.udel.edu; by contacting the REP box office at 302.831.2204; or visiting in person at 110 Orchard Road Tuesdays through Fridays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. The one act show runs approximately 90 minutes.

The Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts is located on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus and is ADA-compliant. It is equipped with a hearing loop system, which works with hearing aid t-coils, cochlear implants, and in-house hearing devices. Wheelchair and other seating requests can be made prior to the performance by calling (302)831-2204 or emailing cfa-boxoffice@udel.edu. 

“You should never leave your friends unchaperoned.” – Marc

DDOA Announces 2026 Delaware Individual Artist Fellows

The content of this post comes from a press release from the Delaware Division of the Arts...

The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) announced the 2026 recipients of its Individual Artist Fellowships, recognizing 27 Delaware artists for exceptional artistic quality and awarding $184,000 in individual artist grants. 

The Division received 246 applications from Delaware musicians, writers, and folk, media, and visual artists — an unprecedented level of interest in the program. Since 2020, the Division of the Arts has granted more than $950,000 to Delaware artists through the Individual Artist Fellowship program.

Work samples were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals, who evaluated demonstrated

creativity and skill within each artist’s discipline. Twenty-seven artists were selected for fellowships across three categories — 1 Master Fellow, 14 Established Fellows, and 12 Emerging Fellows — and the Division also named 5 runners-up, each of whom will receive an honorarium. This year, DDOA increased the fellowship funding pool by 20% in response to the strong demand.

Awards are provided in three categories: $12,000 for the Master Award, $8,000 for the Established Professional Award, and $5,000 for the Emerging Professional Award. 

Fellowship support is intentionally flexible, enabling artists to advance their work in ways that best fit their practice. Fellows are also required to offer at least one public exhibit or performance during the upcoming year, ensuring Delawareans have opportunities to experience the work their state is investing in. 

The 2026 fellows reside throughout Delaware, including Georgetown, Middletown, Bear, Townsend, Newark, Magnolia, Bethany Beach, New Castle, Rehoboth Beach, Farmington, Lewes, Milford, Smyrna, and Wilmington.

The Delaware Division of the Arts 2026 Individual Artist Fellows are listed below...

Masters Fellow

• Dennis Beach, Visual Arts: Sculpture, Wilmington

Established Fellows

• Catharine Fichtner, Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
• Michael Fleishman, Visual Arts: Works on Paper, Milford
• Yalonda JD Green, Literature: Poetry, Wilmington
• Jim Hawkins, Literature: Playwriting, Smyrna
• Jawanza Kobie, Jazz: Composition, Wilmington
• Erin Magnin, Music: Contemporary Performance, Newark
• Jonathan Chaiim McConnell, Literature: Fiction, New Castle
• Teddy Osei, Visual Arts: Crafts, New Castle
• Martha B. Pitts, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Middletown
• Alan B. Tuttle, Visual Arts: Painting, Lewes
• Jonathan Whitney, Music: Composition, Wilmington
• Brian Wild, Media Arts: Video/Film, Wilmington
• Rebecca Wilt, Music: Solo Recital, Newark
• Andre’ Wright Jr, Visual Arts: Photography, Wilmington

Emerging Fellows

• Itzel Aguilar, Folk Art: Visual Arts, Georgetown
• J.F. Arsenault, Visual Arts: Painting, Rehoboth Beach
• Deborah E. Baker, Literature: Fiction, Bethany Beach
• Hadrian Cerulean, Literature: Poetry, Wilmington
• Logan Farro, Visual Arts: Painting, Farmington
• Vik Hart, Visual Arts: Works on Paper, Wilmington
• Susan Isaacs, Visual Arts: Sculpture, Wilmington
• Valerie Lane, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Bear
• Orlando Lewis (aka Raylo), Music: Composition, Townsend
• Adaysela Reyes (aka Dayesla Ixtli), Visual Arts: Interdisciplinary, Newark
• Jonathan Rivera (aka J Pvpi), Music: Contemporary Performance, Magnolia
• David Warren Norbut, Visual Arts: Photography, Wilmington

Runners Up

• Cassandra Lewis Slattery, Established, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Wilmington
• Carly Maiorano, Emerging, Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
• Jennifer Polillo, Established, Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
• Jennifer Small, Established, Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
• Justin Tanksley, Established, Music: Contemporary Performance, Middletown

To contact an individual artist, email or call Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer, Artist Programs and Services, Roxanne.Stanulis@delaware.gov or 302.577.8283.

CTC Paints the Town with Glitz in "Chicago"

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

City Theater Company (CTC) paints the town with a lively staging of the award-winning musical Chicago. With a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Ebb, Chicago first took the world by storm in 1975 and has endured ever since. Its iterations include an Academy Award–winning film and the current NYC production, which is the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. 

My recommendation is to do “A Little Bit of Good” and head to the Wilmington Riverfront to experience “All That Jazz.”

The cozy Black Box theater at The Delaware Contemporary has been transformed into a social club with a swingin’ band on one side and a Prohibition-era bar on the other. The audience can choose to sit in a standard seat, a chair with a mini cocktail table, or a high top in the back. Performers weave their ways up the center aisle or around the sides in this immersive setting. Sometimes the action isn’t right in front of you.

Dylan Geringer stars as Roxie Hart, the bored housewife-turned-murderess with wannabe chanteuse dreams. CTC Artistic Director Kerry Kristine McElrone stars as Velma Kelly, seasoned vaudeville star and fellow accused killer. The two play well off each other in dialog and song. But it seems like everyone in the cast has those sorts of strong interpersonal stage relationships. It’s an excellent ensemble of notable of CTC fan-favorites including Tonya Baynes, Daryan Borys, Jolene Cuisine, Tommy Fisher-Klein, Autumn Jewel Hudson, Mary Catherine Kelley, Paul McElwee, and Dionne Williford. Making their CTC debuts alongside these veterans are Jonathan Frazier and CTC Board Member Scott Frelick.

McElwee was superb in his smarminess, ruthlessness, and conviction as celebrity lawyer Billy Flynn. His vocals and movements were supremely confident in his songs “All I Care About” and “Razzle Dazzle.” His puppeteering of Roxie during “We Both Reached for the Gun” was a highlight for both McElwee and Geringer.

In a classic show with a stellar score, it’s tough to pick favorites…but I did...I had to. Along with the previously mentioned numbers, “When You’re Good to Mama” (Baynes), “Roxie” (Geringer), “I Can’t Do It Alone” (McElrone), and “Mister Cellophane” (Borys) were standouts. And how Jolene Cuisine belted out “A Little Bit of Good” – while commanding the world to take notice – was amazing.

The cast of CTC's Chicago. Photo by Jim Coarse/Moonloop Photography.

McElrone chose Chicago, in part, as a response to the current times:
“We are a century removed from the era of the play, but in our Roaring Twenties timeline, the power of ‘celebrity’ under the ever-changing ‘rule of law’ are remarkably similar. Times are hard and chaotic,
everyone has an angle, and some
of us are cashing in where they can,” said McElrone. “The media circus
that surrounds every new scandal consumes the public — and ‘nowadays’ we too move on from yesterday’s news in an instant when some fresh outrage shows up. Beneath all the glitz and fun of that other ‘20s is a laser-focused commentary on society’s response to turbulent times.”

Dawn Morningstar’s choreography filled the performance with movements that provided levity as well as menace. Dance Captain Autumn Jewel Hogan didn’t have much space to work with, but created some ebullient dances that complemented the music well. 

Kudos to Joe Trainor’s orchestra of Virginia Cheung, Josh Dowiak, Christopher Ertelt, Kanako Neale, Gary Oberparleiter, Jim Olson, Nate Peterson, and Bryan Tuk. The backing music is critical to underscore moods, support song vocals, and to entertain entre’ act. The musicians performed beautifully; knew when to be subtle; plus ebbed and flowed skillfully with the storyline.

Founded in 1993, City Theater Company performs contemporary comedies, new works, and classic musicals to critical acclaim inside The Delaware Contemporary. Both institutions are invested in promoting the work of local and emerging artists, advancing opportunity and growth by and for the community, and welcoming all those looking to experience art.

Chicago will run through December 20. Curtain is at 8 o’clock for all performances save for the December 14 Sunday matinee (2 PM). The run time is approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. City Theater Company’s home is at The Delaware Contemporary, located at 200 South Madison street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. 

General admission tickets ($45) can be purchased at the box office or online at www.city-theater.org. Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel ($35) and students ($25). Do check the website for availability, because show tickets are moving faster than Roxie's rising star. 

All shows feature admission to the adjacent museum galleries, and a cash bar (with a signature drink) is available. The Delaware Contemporary offers free parking and is a short walk from the Joseph R. Biden Amtrak train station. Please call the box office at 302.220.8285 or email info@city-theater.org for details.

Note: This show is rated PG-13 due to adult themes, (simulated) murder, plus sexual and suggestive content. 

“Razzle dazzle 'em / Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it / And the reaction will be passionate” — Razzle Dazzle

"Shrek" the Halls This Holiday Season with Wolf & DTC

By Kelly Paustian
Kelly is a guest blogger who works in the nonprofit field, throws things in dirt to see if they grow, tries her best to raise a small human, occasionally appears on local theater stages, and enjoys a great cup of coffee.

On the outskirts of the Kingdom of Duloc lives Shrek, a big, green, blunt, but completely lovable, ogre. Suddenly, his peaceful swamp is full of fairytale creatures evicted by Lord Farquaad, and chaos (and laughs) ensue. This is the scene for Wolf Performing Arts Center's Production of DreamWorks Shrek the Musical, and it’s a blast for the whole family.

Shrek the Musical by Wolf PAC, now playing
at Delaware Theatre Company. 

I took my kiddo, my husband, my bestie, and her crew to the opening performance presented at the Delaware Theatre Company, and and we were hooked from the start!

From the very first moments, we were drawn into the parallel stories of young Shrek and young Fiona, two children cast out by their parents and left to find their own way. The story quickly moves to adult Shrek (played by Cullen Hussey) navigating his new “neighbors” and the unexpected journey ahead.

Shrek doesn’t venture to Duloc to face Lord Farquaad alone. He’s joined by Donkey, brought to life by the incredibly talented Danny Wilfred. Any scene with Donkey earned huge laughs from our group — kids and adults alike. His impeccable comedic timing, boundless energy, and charmingly relentless personality make him both lovably annoying and an undeniable fan favorite.

The duo is soon lured into a side quest by Lord Farquaad, who promises Shrek his swamp back if he rescues Princess Fiona, locked away in a distant tower. Shrek reluctantly agrees, and off they go, sparking a series of adventures full of laughs, heart, and unexpected friendships.

Fiona is brilliantly portrayed by Bridget Gooley, whose vocals are stunning and whose chemistry with both Shrek and Donkey turns this unlikely trio into a team you can’t help but root for. 

A special shoutout goes to Carl Nathaniel Smith, who masterfully takes on the physically demanding role of Lord Farquaad as he spends the entire show on his knees in a cleverly designed costume that creates the illusion of Farquaad’s diminutive stature. 

Part of the cast of Shrek the Musical by Wolf PAC,
now playing at Delaware Theatre Company. 

Add in a misunderstood dragon with a crush on Donkey, castle guards, and a very opinionated gingerbread man, and you have a cast of characters who fully transport the audience into this playful, magical world.

Themes of inequality, acceptance, belonging, and vulnerability weave through the entire production, approached with just the right balance of sincerity and comedy, making it ideal for a family-friendly show. These themes culminate beautifully in the final musical number, “Let Your Freak Flag Fly,” an anthem of self-acceptance that had our whole row smiling and singing along.

From start to finish, the show was an absolute delight. And in the spirit of the holidays, we give this production 11 lords-a-leaping!

DreamWorks Shrek the Musical is running at the Delaware Theatre Company from December 3–21, with both daytime and evening performances available. It’s a fantastic outing for families looking for fun, laughter, and a little heartwarming ogre wisdom.

...And There Was This One at The REP!

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

Adapted for the stage by the “Queen of Crime” herself, this famous Agatha Christie murder mystery deftly weaves suspicion and intrigue to deliver a shocking tale of suspense. The University of Delaware’s Resident Ensemble Players (REP) asks the audience to put on its thinking caps to solve a doozy of a whodunnit and delivers a masterpiece with And Then There Were None..

The REP's production of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.
Photo by Evan Krape.

Ten strangers gather on a secluded island off the coast of Devon, England on a stormy night. A mysterious host somehow knows everyone’s secrets, but is nowhere to be found. He/she orchestrates the playing a chilling recording accusing each guest of a terrible crime. As time goes by, and characters fall away one-by-one to the rhymes in “Ten Little Soldier Boys,” it is clear that the survivors can trust no one. With no way to escape and a killer among them, tension rises as they attempt to uncover the identity of the murderer before none are left to tell the tale.

Will anyone survive this ultimate passing of judgement? Francis Bacon wrote that “revenge is a kind of wild justice” and that sentiment is personified on the Thompson Theatre stage. The harmony within the acting troupe is palpable from the start, as the characters figure out who to trust and who to suspect. Some players arrive with bombast and confidence, while others are quiet and slightly leery of the situation. It’s a masterful intertwining of stage personalities.

Director Charles Fee keeps the excellent ensemble humming at a tight pace. It’s not too fast to follow and never slows enough to curb the momentum of the thriller. The set design by Rick Martin and Russell Metheny is impressive, somewhat modern, and foreboding. The simple architectural lines don’t convey the twisted plot within the walls. Kudos to Light Designer Cat Wilson and Sound Designer Eileen Smitheimer for quality in their endeavors.

The cast, in alphabetical order, is: Hassan El-Amin (Dr. Armstrong), Patrick Barrett (Fred Naracott), Lee E. Ernst (William Blore), Michael Gotch (Anthony Marston), Elizabeth Heflin (Mrs. Rogers), Mic Matarrese (Philip Lombard), Erin Partin (Vera Claythorne), Stephen Pelinski (Sir Lawrence Wargrave), Kathleen Pirkl Tague (Emily Brent), Steve Tague (Gen. Mackenzie), and M.A. Taylor (Rogers).

The audience was rapt from the get-go, and there were audible gasps and moans when bodies were discovered or certain deaths occurred on stage. The performance I attended rewarded the blood, death, and tears with a deserved standing ovation. 

“Wizard!” – Anthony Marston

Performances of And Then There Were None run Thursdays through Sundays until November 16. Informal cast talkbacks take place following the evening performances on Thursday, November 6 and Friday, November 14. Two “Prologues” occur on Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 16. Tickets prices range from $20-43 (+fees) with discounts available for students, seniors, and University of Delaware faculty and staff. 

Tickets can be purchased online at www.rep.udel.edu; by contacting the REP box office at 302.831.2204; or visiting in person at 110 Orchard Road Tuesdays through Fridays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Run time is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with two 10-minute intermissions. (The time flies by.)

The Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts is located on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus and is ADA-compliant. It is equipped with a hearing loop system, which works with hearing aid t-coils, cochlear implants, and in-house hearing devices. Wheelchair and other seating requests can be made prior to the performance by calling 302.831.2204 or emailing cfa-boxoffice@udel.edu.

Content and Trigger Warnings: This play includes themes and depictions of murder, manslaughter, and suicide. Production Warnings: This production includes gun shots, theatrical fog, and strobe lights.

“Stay thirsty.” – Philip Lombard

Giving Second Samuel a First-Class Rating

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

In the late 1940s, the sleepy hamlet of Second Samuel, Georgia is surprisingly rocked by the passing of their beloved music teacher, Miss Gertrude. The death of one sweet, old lady turns the whole town upside down and citizens begin to wonder if normalcy will ever return.

Second Samuel is a town full of good, hardworking folks that are presented with a situation no one could have ever imagined. Bernard Flat (Jeff Gudzune), an autistic young man affectionately nicknamed B Flat by his friends, introduces us to the townspeople as they move through the chores and activities of their days. B Flat acts as a narrator of sorts and moral heartbeat of the town.

At the local tavern and bait store, bartender Frisky Madison (Sam Dressler) keeps his opinionated patrons in check. Oft-drunk Manuel Dean (Fran Lazartic) and curmudgeon Mr. Mozel (Dave Hastings) cast judgements as easily as casting a line into a fishing hole. Barback US (Sedric Wills) is a black man who has to tip-toe between voicing his convictions and knowing his unfortunate station in post-war Southern life.

Set Designer David Sokolowski has split the stage in two. On the other side of the bar is a beauty salon where Omaha Madison (Lisa Osicky) and Ruby (Danielle Nelms) host gab sessions while cutting hair. Local gossip Jimmy Deeanne (Corinth Ford) spars with pragmatist and prankster Marcela Dean (Bethany Miller) over almost everything.

Everyone in both locations is mourning the loss of Miss Gertrude by telling stories of her upstanding character and generosity. That posthumous goodwill only lasts until mortuary director June Cline (Alan Albert) drops a truth bomb to end the first act.

What could Cline have said? What secrets did Miss Gertrude hold? Is her memory forever tarnished?

“She’s still Miss Gertrude,” asserts B Flat as arguments erupt around him at the bar and hair salon.

Unfortunately, B Flat is regularly dismissed as he is considered “simple.” But Second Samuel is all about simple folk wrestling with complex issues concerning the nature of a person. Doc (Dan Tucker) seems to be the first learned man to accept who Miss Gertrude was. His reasoned position adds credence to recognizing someone’s true/good character over all else.

“Just love one another,” US says in a heartful talk with B Flat. Truer words have not been spoken.

Playwright Pamela Parker once said “Second Samuel is about redemption.”

“It is about the good in people overcoming the bad; it’s about doing the right thing [even when they don’t understand],” she said.

Director Ruth K. Brown deftly conducts action between bar and salon and emotions between outrage and forgiveness. The pacing is tight and the cast chemistry is strong.

“I hope walking out the door [the audience is] thinking, ‘Those people are just like me…and I’d do the right thing too,” Parker said. “I hope so anyway. Maybe they won’t, but I hope they will.”

“I want to believe there is goodness in all of us. For me, Second Samuel keeps that hope alive.”

The two-act show runs 1 hour and 40 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.

The short run of Second Samuel is: October 23-26 inside the Delaware City Community Center located at 250 Fifth Street in Delaware City. All performances are at 8 o’clock save for the Sunday matinee at 2 pm. Tickets start at $16 with discounts for seniors, military, fire, police, and EMS affiliations. Ticket sales and information can be found at reedypoint.org and reedypoint@gmail.com. The Reedy Point Players, LTD are a non-profit 501(c)(3) certified community theatre group located in Delaware City, Delaware.

“How come some kinds of different are OK?” – B Flat

In the Game with The Girls of Summer

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) continues its 'sports' theme with its second show of the season: Layon Gray’s The Girls of Summer. The play shines a light on the Red Diamonds, an all-Black female baseball team in 1946 gearing up for a game against an all-White team. While this is a work of fiction, Gray has rooted facets of his show in history. Winner of the prestigious NAACP Award for Best Play, this period drama will keep you wondering about what was, is, and could be.

The play centers around the mysterious disappearance of Red Diamonds manager Odessa Hicks (Kim Monroe), who vanishes just before an exhibition game that could have been a personal and professional triumph. Monroe’s portrayal of Coach Hicks is unflinching – she never seems to give an inch…until she does. She is sole caretaker for her cheerful but slow-witted daughter Lucy (Luisa Turner) and looms large over all who enter her orbit.

The cast of The Girls of Summer at DTC. Photo by Matt Urban.

The women who make up the team don’t take to their coach’s highly critical methods. Piper (Kenisha Pinckney) complains enough to earn the others a night session of running laps in the rain. Coby Rae (Maya Naasira Thompson) left a husband and child behind to pursue her baseball dream, but is a clubhouse peacemaker. New Nork native Mattie (Liana April) has men on her mind as much as baseball. Jonetta (Shaakirah Nazim-Harris) is a late addition to the squad and isn’t keen on making new friends. The story does seem to lean on some familiar tropes often found in tales of this kind.

The sparkplugs were Martha Faye (Alex Bates) and Eddie (pronounced Edie and played by Shanna Lee Hill). They have funny, and larger-than-life personalities that radiated positivity to both stage and audience. “Twin sisters” Betty (ShaTerrica Hyder) and Billie (Kira Janine Bennett) are as different as can be and appear to be shadows of one another. But appearances aren’t everything.

The story unfolds through flashbacks, peeling back layers as it moves along. Gray – also the director – hops back and forth in time, utilizing the character of local reporter Peter James (Thaddeus Daniels) as a narrator to supply just enough information at any given time without ruining the mystery. Through interviews with players, James slowly uncovers truths from inside and outside the locker room. Sometimes, those truths come at a pace that slows the momentum of the show.

Sal Rendino rounds out the cast as Mr. West, a curmudgeonly baseball executive putting on the exhibition. He always seemed to be yelling, which over time felt more distracting from the scenes.

The true highlights of the show can be found in the clubhouse with the teammates dancing and telling tales without coaches or outsiders getting in the way. They bicker and chide and support and comfort. They also recognize that their big chance is here and they must stick together to succeed on the field and, perhaps, beyond.

“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do” – Coach Odessa Hicks

The performance schedule of The Girls of Summer is: Wednesdays (2:00pm), Thursdays and Fridays (7:00pm), Saturdays (2:00 & 7:30pm except October 25 (Opening Night curtain is only at 7:30pm), and Sundays (2:00pm) through November 9. Tickets start at $47 and discounts are available. 

The show is roughly 2 hours and 20 minutes long, including one 15-minute intermission. Join DTC for Viewpoints every Wednesday in the Lobby Gallery starting 45 minutes before the start of the show. A Talkback is scheduled in the theater immediately after Thursday performances. 

Call (302)594-1100 or visit www.delawaretheatre.org to purchase tickets or for performance information. Delaware Theatre Company is located at 200 Water Street in Wilmington.

NOTE: DTC recommends this show for audience members aged 14 and up due to its racial context and mature themes.

Take a Spin with Ray Didinger's World Premiere at DTC

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) opens its 2025-2026 season with the World Premiere of Spinner by Ray Didinger – the local Hall of Fame sportswriter and radio legend. The play shares the true story of former NHL player Brian “Spinner” Spencer and the trauma that engulfed him after his NHL debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Spinner by Ray Didinger, premiering at Delaware Theatre Company.
Photo by Matt Urban, NuPOINT Marketing

“It sounds like a fairly ordinary sports story, but that night – December 12, 1970 – was anything but ordinary,” Didinger recounts. “A hockey game resulted in a family tragedy that
made headlines across North America. I was assigned to follow up on the story, and that’s how I met Brian Spencer.”

Brian and his twin brother Byron Spencer (Sean Lally) are being
raised hockey players in tiny Fort Saint James, British Columbia. Their father Roy (Scott Greer) is adamant that at last one of his sons is going to play his way out of town and into the NHL. His practical wife Irene (Karen Peakes) disagrees, reminding Roy that he moved them there to start a family and build a better life.

While Byron drops hockey and focuses on his future, “Rink Rat” Brian loves every minute of being on the ice. Roy is driven by his dream and is confident Brian is NHL material. He works multiple jobs to provide his hockey prodigy with everything he could need…to play hockey, not progress with real life. Brian’s schoolwork suffers, breaking his former schoolteacher mother’s heart. But scouts take notice and Brian feels he’s on the true path to success.

All of this – and the fateful night – are depicted in a non-linear timeline. The audience can sense the stresses of singularly striving towards a goal plus growing familial fractures caused by the desire. While choppy at times, the cuts back and forth in time help develop both the characters and the plot.

When new father Byron confronts his father and asserts, “It’s a goddamn game,” Roy doesn’t see it that way. Roy is quick to anger and his presence is foreboding. He’s not malicious, but he funnels so much of his energy into getting Brian to the ranks of professional hockey that he loses sight of what may be most important in his life. Greer does an exceptional job getting the audience to root for his vision while simultaneously realizing his methods are smothering. He’s close to the edge and it’s anyone’s guess to what might set him off.

It turns out, 1970s Canadian broadcasting rights are the trigger and Roy heads to local CBC affiliate CKPG to fix what he feels is a personal slight – TV won’t be airing Brian’s NHL debut in his hometown. Receptionist Carol (Genevieve Perrier) and engineer Stu (Dave Johnson) try to placate Roy with the (true) explanation that the broadcast feed is out of their control. They are powerless to help him. He is powerless to help himself. It descends further into tragedy from there.

All of this happens on a cool outdoorsy set by Scenic Designer Parris Bradley. Bradley has split logs and tree stumps dominating the stage along with CRT TV screens. Lighting Designer Shannon Zura and Projection Designer Colin J. Sass amplify this (and more) with excellent effects which provide accompaniment to the story. Director Matt Silva keeps the pacing fairly tight, adding to the tension. The cast is rounded out by Charlie DelMarcelle, who plays Roy’s levelheaded friend Harry.

“Since its first reading last September, it has been a joy to watch Spinner take shape,” remarks Artistic Director Mimi Warnick. “Ray has carried this story close to his heart throughout his remarkable career, and it is an honor to see it premiere on the DTC stage and kick off our 46th season.”

Spinner reflects on the risks, rewards, and regrets we all face when chasing something bigger than ourselves. It’s a powerful tale of sacrifice, family, and the lengths we’ll go to make our dreams a reality…even when the cost is too high. At the Talkback I attended, playwright Didinger explained that the story is about “the price to pay to fulfill [your] dreams.” The Spencer family certainly – and heartbreakingly – did that.

Didinger was the first print journalist inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. As a columnist for the Philadelphia Bulletin and Philadelphia Daily News, he was named Pennsylvania Sportswriter of the Year five times. In 1995, he won the Bill Nunn Award for long and distinguished reporting on pro football and his name was added to the writers’ honor roll at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Didinger also won six Emmy Awards for his work as a writer and producer for NFL Films. He has authored or co-authored a dozen books on professional football. His play, Tommy and Me, about his friendship with Eagles Hall of Famer Tommy McDonald, has been performed in area theaters since 2016. (DTC featured the show in 2021.) He can be heard talking football on 94WIP Sports Radio and NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The performance schedule of Spinner is: Wednesdays (2:00pm), Thursdays and Fridays (7:00pm), Saturdays (2:00 & 7:30pm except September 20 (Opening Night curtain is only at 7:30pm), and Sundays (2:00pm) through October 5.

Tickets start at $34 and discounts are available. The one-act show is roughly 75 minutes long. Join DTC for Viewpoints every Wednesday starting 45 minutes before the start of the show. There will be Talkbacks after several performances with Didinger and featuring writers, radio personalities, former athletes, and more. Visit www.delawaretheatre.org/spinner for the schedule of Talkback participants. Call 302.594.1100 or visit www.delawaretheatre.org to purchase tickets or for performance information. Delaware Theatre Company is located at 200 Water Street in Wilmington.

Reveiwer aside: I was lucky enough to have Hockey Hall of Fame goalkeeper Bernie Parent sit behind me at the performance. He was welcoming and gregarious. He also flashed me his two Stanley Cup rings while sporting a massive grin. On stage for Talkback, he was honest and funny.

Add The REP's "Every Brilliant Thing" to Your List

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

An uplifting play about depression, Every Brilliant Thing has become a global phenomenon since its Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut in 2014. Playwrights Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe created Every Brilliant Thing to tackle the complex topics of depression and suicide with warmth, honesty, and a touch of laughter. The University of Delaware’s Resident Ensemble Players (REP) aims to spark dialogue around mental health using this adaptive play. Simply put, The REP's interpretation of the show is an unmitigated success.

The plot is simple: In response to a young boy’s mother’s suicide attempt, the child makes a list of “every brilliant thing” worth living for — ice cream, Kung Fu movies, “things with stripes,” etc. As time progresses, the list grows into an unexpectedly funny and emotional tribute to life and the human spirit.

Michael Gotch stars as the Narrator in 
Every Brilliant Thing at The REP. 

“To me, Every Brilliant Thing is, itself, a brilliant thing,” said director Steve Tague, also the producing artistic director of The REP. “Theater has a unique power to move us, but this play goes even further. It asks one of the most essential questions: What makes life worth living?”

#99 Sunlight

REP stalwart Michael Gotch is excellent as the “Narrator” — taking the audience through an emotional version of his life’s journey. This is theatre-in-the-round, so the personal stories the Narrator tells become even more intimate. The production also involves voluntary audience interaction. Audience members may be asked to read a line or briefly engage with the performer in a lighthearted and supportive way. Participation is completely optional.
(And who knew so many community members could act?!)

Tague added, “Socks and coats come alive, and audience members become counselors, lecturers, spouses, and veterinarians. For a brief time, we pretend that we can face the realities of mental illness with honesty, vulnerability, and even joy. And if we can do that together in a theater, maybe we can do it in life. That’s the quiet, profound magic of this piece.”

Because this production breaks the fourth wall, the theater experience is as cathartic as it is uplifting. It’s a worthwhile endeavor that may have you noticing and naming the brilliant things in your own life.

#6 Rollercoasters

This production of Every Brilliant Thing is co-sponsored by the University of Delaware’s Institute for Community Mental Health (ICMH) as a way to de-stigmatize conversations around mental health through art and shared experience. Please be advised that this performance includes references to suicide and attempted suicide, plus themes of depression and mental illness.

Performances of Every Brilliant Thing run through Sunday, September 21. Informal talkbacks with the cast take place following the evening performances on Thursday, September 11 and Friday, September 19. Two “Prologues” occur on Saturday, September 13 and Sunday, September 21. Mental health professionals from the ICMH will lead both prologue discussions and engage with audiences during talkback performances.

“At the ICMH, we’re driven by the belief that the best of clinical psychological science should serve real people in real communities,” said Dr. Ryan Beveridge, executive director of the ICMH. “This partnership with the REP is a powerful reflection of that, using the emotional truth of live theatre to reach people where they are, spark conversation, and connect them with support. Through this collaboration, we’re not only raising awareness, but we’re also offering access to high-quality, evidence-based care, community-focused clinicians, and research that’s designed to make a difference in people’s everyday lives.”

Tickets prices range from $20-39 (+fees) with discounts available for students, seniors, plus University of Delaware faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased online at www.rep.udel.edu; by contacting the REP box office at 302.831.2204; or visiting in person at 110 Orchard Road Tuesdays through Fridays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. The one-act show runs approximately 65 minutes.

The Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts is located on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus and is ADA-compliant. It is equipped with a hearing loop system, which works with hearing aid t-coils, cochlear implants, and in-house hearing devices. Wheelchair and other seating requests can be made prior to the performance by calling 302.831.2204 or emailing cfa-boxoffice@udel.edu.

#45 Hugging

Bootless' "Evil Dead" Rises for the Final Time

By Mike Logothhetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

Evil Dead, The Musical is a fun, raunchy production that delivers a final “Ash-kicking” to those audiences (and Kandarian Demons) who dare venture into the Bootless Stageworks chambers for the last time. Sadly, the (literally) underground theater in Trolley Square will be closing its doors after the final curtain of this campy musical based on the 1980s “Evil Dead” film franchise. 

The cast of Evil Dead, The Musical, killing it one last time.
Photo courtesy BootlessStageworks.

Theater director Rosanne DellAversano’s heartfelt pre-curtain talk to the audience thanked those who have supported Bootless through the years – explaining that she needs a rest and hinted that one-off productions may happen in the future. (Fingers crossed!)

The show provides plenty of laughs plus gallons of fake blood. The plot involves five college students spending a rustic weekend in the woods and accidentally unleashing an ancient terror. While trapped in a cabin fighting for their lives, the kids bicker amongst themselves and
try to defeat the evil that lurks around them. The musical takes creative liberty with the arching plot line of the original movies – the first act being an adaptation of The Evil Dead while the second act is a riff on Evil Dead II. The finale even has a nod to the third film in the canon: Army of Darkness.

Snarky hero Ash (John Jerbasi) leads the charge with his vicious one-liners and no tolerance for the demonic attackers. His human posse consists of his girlfriend Linda (Mariza Esparanza), his best friend Scott (Aaron Wachs), Scott’s new bimbo girlfriend Shelly (Jen Rotsch), and Ash’s sister Cheryl (Lauren Knecht). You sense the excitement of the group during their road trip to the “Cabin the Woods” for a long week of partying.

The problem is that the cabin is possessed. A missing professor has left mysterious recordings documenting his research of the Necronomicon Ex Mortis – literally “Book of the Dead.” This was his cabin and when the kids recite from the found book, they release an evil that absorbs items all around them like trees and even the stuffed moose head (Will Rotsch) hanging on the wall. Cheryl is the first to be terrorized and infected by the evil. She is thrown into the basement where she continuously hurls wisecracks from a heating vent. Cheryl and Shelly’s post-transformation duet “Look Who’s Evil Now” was a show highlight.

Director DellAversano is also the choreographer and does a masterful job with the dance numbers and critical movements. The hysterical figure skating lifts during “Housewares Employees” plus the tango-esque Ash and Scott dance for “What the Fuck Was That?” had the audience howling. The big demonic ensemble number “Do the Necronomicon” was also innovative and energetic.

The story adds more characters as the professor’s daughter Annie (Samantha McNerney) and her stifle manservant Ed (Antoine Deivert) arrive on the scene with more pages from the Necronomicon. But realizing the bridge to the cabin is out, they request the help of local hick Jake (Jose Bernard) to guide them. Bernard steals every scene he’s in and nails his song “Good Old Reliable Jake.” Deivert’s physicality during and after his solo “Bit Part Demon” was an extended joke that delivered each time.

The cast is rounded out by Wes Belli, Shawn D. Kline, Meg Hazzard, Andrew Dean Laino, Tara Herwig, Shamma Casson, Aubrey Murphy, and Benji Deivert. Note: They are not all “bit part demons.”

As more and more people morph into evil beings after contact, Ash must push forward and kill all who threaten him. He even severs his own infected hand…which doesn’t quite die. When he decapitates his girlfriend Linda, her talking head remains and delivers some classic jokes. Sure, there is plenty of gore, but there’s nothing to truly be squeamish about. It’s all in good fun.

Full disclosure for those in the “Splatter Zone”: This is a messy show with fake blood splattering all around. Bootless Stageworks is not responsible for damage to clothing or any other personal items. It is strongly recommended that you don’t bring purses, bags, or anything else that can’t get wet, dirty, or needs to be left on the floor. Ziplock bags are suggested for cell phones. Bring your own poncho or other covering as Bootless does not offer or sell such items. If you are sitting in the comfortable tiered seats, there’s no need to worry about protecting yourself or your personal items.

My lone knock on the show is the low audio level for some of the dialog. The theater space ate up several of the asides and subversive quips that make the script so endearing.

Live musical accompaniment is provided by The Zombie Lovin’ Band – Joe Eigenbrot, Jim Fazzino, Zack Geffre, and Deb Bialecki – under the direction of James W. Fuerst. The remaining performance schedule of Evil Dead, The Musical is Friday June 27 and Saturday June 28 at 8:00pm. Online tickets start at $25 and patrons can opt to sit in the “Splatter Zone” ($30) or not. Note, the theater boasts its “BEST EVER!!!” blood delivery system to guarantee “the MOST SPLATTER” for those opting to sit up front. Tickets can be purchased via website (www.bootless.org) or by calling Bootless Stageworks at (302)887-9300. Tickets are also available at the door, subject to availability, at a lightly higher price. The running time is roughly 2 hours including one 15-minute intermission. Bootless Stageworks offers a full selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks plus some snacks at its concessions stand. The theater space is in the basement of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church at 1301 N. Broom Street in Wilmington.

Fare thee well, Bootless family. You provided a wonderful arts service for the region. We will miss your stimulating productions and friendly faces!

You Can't Stop the Beat at WDL's Hairspray

By Jeff Gudzune
Jeff writes book reviews for a variety of publishers and is active in community theater. Since 2013, Jeff has owned and operated Matrix Notary Service.

A hallmark of good theater is the ability to entertain and inform. This is certainly the case with Hairspray, which opened to a sold-out audience at Wilmington Drama League (WDL) on Friday, May 30. This upbeat, toe-tapping explosion of hair gel and taffeta is the perfect cap for a wonderful season. Hairspray was an informed choice, as its themes parallel the world today.

The social issues confronted by the ensemble are the very same social issues facing young people today. Race relations, generational divides, body image, and socio-economic disparities are ever-present reminders of harsh reality. It is altogether fitting that WDL elected to cap its season with a show that encapsulates these concerns.

Hairspray at Wilmington Drama League. Photo by KRL Photography/Rich Lee.

Before the first note of the Introit, the audience is treated with a set that manages to be busy but in no way obnoxious. Grainy black and white monitors take us to a time when local television programs knitted the community together. In an opening number that stuns in its execution, the ensemble sets the scene. It is 1962. JFK is President. Rock and Roll is the zeitgeist of America’s youth. Hair is teased up and held together with aerosol spray and God’s work. Tracy Turnblad, rotund but stunning, wakes to another beautiful day in Baltimore. As she goes through her morning routine, the pressing social specters of communism and racial injustice are unimportant. She is America’s innocence personified.

With joy in her heart, Tracy sees the world as it should be. Jane Haracz shines as Tracy, bringing an energy to the role that had me entranced from the first scene. Tracy manages to captivate the heart of local all-American boy Link Larkin, who is first seen as self-absorbed but later revealed to be a young man at war with himself. Cole Miller’s vocal acuity is amazing and his visible transition from the veneer of stereotypical self-obsessed youth to a real kid with his own personal struggles provides wonderful context. Ashley Grantham is amazing as Edna Turnblad.

Supporting Tracy in her journey to stardom is Penny Lou Pingleton, played with such zest by Haley Hughes that it was difficult to hear her lines due to the audience laughing so vigorously. Shana Roberts performance as “Motormouth” Mabel ran through such a range of emotions that there was an audible pause after her rendition of “Big, Blonde and Beautiful” immediately followed by a standing ovation from the audience.

Hairspray is a timeless classic, wildly entertaining and spiritually uplifting. It makes a social commentary that is needed in the world of today. Through acrobatic choreography and musical performances that resonated so profoundly that the house itself vibrated, the show strikes all the right emotional chords. This performance is not to be missed.

Hairspray runs at Wilmington Drama League May 31 (SOLD OUT) and June 1 (2:00pm); June 6 & 7 (8:00pm) and June 8 (2:00pm); June 13 & 14 (8:00pm) and June 15 (2:00pm). Tickets are available at wilmingtondramaleague.org. 

Reedy Point Players Bring "Angels" to Delaware

By guest blogger, R. Scott Frelick
R. Scott Frelick is Designer/ Artist who is a major supporter of our local arts community and a Board member of City Theater Company. 

In Reedy Point Players' World Premiere of Angels in Gangland: A Supernatural Tale, the audience is first introduced to Lou Tasca, the recently “whacked" protagonist. Lou (Craig Stump) explains that he can’t get into Heaven until he convinces the man who murdered him to leave the mob and join the Witness Protection Program. Assisting Lou is the ghost of Rabbi Solomon Levitsky, whose own son Sam is an “associate” of the Giordano crime family.  

A screenshot of Angels in Gangland performance. 
Courtesy of Jeff Gudzune.

Rabbi Sol (Hank Conklin) explains that Carlo Parisi (Jeff Gudzune) was ordered to kill Lou based on false information from Boss Tony Rizzo (Michael Brook).  At Carlo’s 30th birthday party, Lou’s ghost reveals Tony’s deception to a visibly shaken Carlo. Convinced that Carlo is on the edge of a nervous breakdown, Tony orders Sam (Fran Lazartic) to watch him. With an equal mix of dark comedy and supernatural intrigue,
Angels in Gangland proves to be a unique experience.   

Written by Robert Russel Smith, Angels in Gangland is an original work directed by Rachel Diane Barton and brought to life by a talented group of performers who stand out in their roles.  

While the action centers around Lou, everyone has a moment to stretch their creative muscles. Tya Pope is Carlo’s concerned and strong-willed fiancé, Sherri Falco. Corinth Ford is a riot as Cocktail Waitress and part-time Psychic Medium, Zoe Plato. Jeff Gudzune runs through a range of emotions as he brings Carlo’s conflict to life, providing emotional resonance in what must have been a thrilling and exhausting creative experience.  Fran Lazartic brings depth to the character of Sam as he confronts his own struggle with the supernatural.  Tina Walls stands out as the strong-willed wife of Boss Tony Rizzo, and Craig Stump plays Lou so well it’s like he was born for the part. 

A special treat was the Playwright himself, shining as Oleg Oransky. Even with what is going on in the world, it was great to see people from differing religious backgrounds working to bring peace to others souls. Angels in Gangland was performed May 16, 17, and 18 at Reedy Point Players space in Delaware City.  

This show may have closed, but Reedy Point is already working on ways to expand its audience and perhaps find a new venue for this amazing production. Reedy Point Players is a non-profit theater group founded in 2001 and located at 250 5th Street in Delaware City. 

Learn more at https://reedypoint.org/.