Justin's Theatre Reviews

   Finding Neverland was an evil show. Throughout the last thirty minutes of the touring production of the 2015 musical, I was mesmerized by the endearing, adorable, heartbreaking, and genuinely great scenes that I was witnessing before me. As I was sitting there in my seat watching the last thirty minutes of the second act, I said "Wait a second, the other two hours of this show were painfully mediocre. How come the show is acting like it was really good, all of a sudden?" That is the evil of Finding Neverland . For two hours I sat through a generic and bland family musical and left feeling positive about it. It's not that I thought the show was terrible by any means, I just found it to be so subpar that it hurt. But then all of a sudden, I am so completely entranced for the final thirty minutes, that I was almost convinced I was seeing a good musical. However, when the houselights came up at the end of the show, I quickly remembered everything else I didn't like abo

   The Sound of Music is one of the world's most popular musicals. Most people have seen the movie at least once in their lives and avid theatergoers have likely seen a numerous amount of productions throughout the years. The 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein classic is a charming family musical that delights young and old, alike, in addition to carrying social and political themes that continue to resonate, even in today's political climate. I actually re-watched NBC's 2013 live broadcast of the musical a few months ago and was really struck by the message that the musical carries of taking a stand against the heinous acts of government officials, even when what is happening does not effect you directly. The musical has a surprising amount to say about politics in the its second act, even though all you see at a glance is "Do-Re-Mi" and "My Favorite Things." The touring production that played at El Paso's Plaza Theatre this past weekend was an incredibly

   While sequels to Broadway musicals are rare, good sequels to Broadway musicals are even rarer. Just take a look at Annie Warbucks and Love Never Dies . What these two musicals have in common is that they are terrible sequels to shows that I enjoy. However, the newly released film sequel to the jukebox musical, Mamma Mia , is different from these two musicals because it's next chapter, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again , is an enjoyable sequel to a musical that I carry so much disdain for. It must be because I am a jaded, unpleasant person, who is awful to be around, but I have never liked Mamma Mia . I think it is a ridiculous musical that is sometimes entertaining, but overstays its welcome, takes itself too seriously, and is just a poorly written show. I have nothing against mindless entertainment, but I didn't think that Mamma Mia was the good kind of mindless entertainment. When I walked into the movie theatre to watch the sequel, I was more than prepared to trash it, but I

   Often hailed as one of the greatest musicals of the 21st century thus fare, Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's Pulitzer Prize winning musical, Next to Normal, is a brilliant piece of musical theatre that is very emotionally heavy and heart wrenching. It is the story of a woman named Diana (played in this production by Rachel Robins), who is suffering from a worsening mental disorder and how it impacts the people in her family. Kitt and Yorkey truly created a beautiful show that is a testament to what is possible in storytelling. At the time the show opened on Broadway, it was one of the first musicals to deal with depression and mental illness of this degree (to my knowledge, I feel like that is incorrect) in a relatable and provocative way. The El Paso Community College Theatre Ensemble's near terrific production of Next to Normal is able to encapsulate the show in a way that is effective and tragically beautiful.   Brian Yorkey's book and lyrics, paired with Tom Kitt's

       I don't know about the rest of you, but I am such a sucker for the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein. As generic as this might sound to certain people, they may quite possibly be my favorite composers (although many others put up a good fight). I honestly don't think it gets much better than their magical love duets, intricate solos, and rousing chorus numbers. The UTEP Dinner Theatre continued to fulfill my love for the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein with their sensational production of South Pacific . The Dinner Theatre's production of South Pacific was very satisfying and contained nearly all of the qualities a good production of a classic musical is supposed to have.    The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic takes place on two islands during World War II and tells the     tale of an American nurse, Nellie Forbush (Megan McQueen), who falls in love with the French planter, Emile de Becque (James Gier). The French planter has two Polynesian children,

   Another theatrical season on Broadway has come and gone and with that, comes my favorite holiday, which is the American Theatre Wing's annual Tony Awards ceremony, honoring the countless people who have worked tirelessly on the new musicals, plays, and revivals that opened on Broadway each season. Although this was a very commercial Broadway season, with many of the shows that opened being based off of movies or other popular works, I loved this season so much so I knew was going to be thrilled no matter who won the awards....AND THRILLED I WAS.     The Band's Visit swept the Tony Awards, picking up 10 Tony Awards (including Best Musical), one for every single category in which they were nominated, except for Best Scenic Design (that award went to David Zinn for his colorful work on SpongeBob SquarePants ). Also picking up one of the biggest awards of the night was Once On This Island who won the award for Best Revival of a Musical.  Rounding out the awards on the musical