Reviews 
Elf the Musical at DPAC Lacks the Bubbly Magic of the 2003 Will Ferrell Film
I was hoping for some holiday cheer from Elf the Musical, a child-friendly Christmas spectacle, playing now through Sunday evening at the Durham Performing Arts Center as part of DPAC‘s 2018-19 SunTrust Broadway Series. It’s the story of Buddy, an elf made famous by Will Ferrell in the 2013 movie Elf. Unfortunately, the play lacks… Read More ›
DPAC’s Elf is Pure Christmas Magic
It’s hard to believe that it’s been fifteen years since the hit movie Elf, starring Will Ferrell, was released and became a quick classic. The movie is such a favorite that, unsurprisingly, it has been turned into a musical by the same name, onstage now at DPAC under the direction of Sam Scalamoni. For those… Read More ›
Cary Players’ Production of the Dated 1940s Radio Christmas Carol Is a Mixed Bag
The Cary Players’ current production of A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol, which closes tonight, is a bit of what we call today, a mash-up. It is an homage to radio during the war years as well as a play-within-a-play and a comedy within a drama. Unfortunately, only 10 years after its debut, it is also… Read More ›
The Lythgoe Family Panto, Aladdin and His Winter Wish, at NCT Is a Delight for All Ages
The North Carolina Theatre‘s presentation of the Lythgoe Family Panto, Aladdin and His Winter Wish, which runs through Sunday, Dec. 2nd, at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, has something for everyone. Even though the fairy tale is aimed at children, it has the ability to touch the hearts… Read More ›
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical at Raleigh’s Fletcher Opera Theater Is Delightful
Nothing says Christmas like an auditorium full of round-eyed children, enthralled by the mystery and magic of snowmen and furry animals who speak — and fly. And nothing is more charming than a story of goodness and warmth like the one about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer — it’s the perfect start to the holiday… Read More ›