All stories by Ilana Jael on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

‘The How and The Why’ Takes on Modern Womanhood by Ilana Jael

The title of Sarah Treem’s The How and the Why comes from the idea, eventually articulated by one of its characters, that every scientific phenomenon is explainable from both perspectives.…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 09:10AM[SHARE]
Thursday, April 23, 2026

‘Everything Beautiful Happens At Night’ Is Beautiful At Any Hour by Ilana Jael

As a new play making its East Coast premiere in Island City Stage’s current can’t-miss production, Everything Beautiful Happens At Night isn’t a piece that I went into with any real kn…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 04:58AM[SHARE]
Friday, April 17, 2026

"Bull in A China Shop" Is An Intimate Look At Women Ahead Of Their Time by Ilana Jael

Does a bull belong in a China shop?  Well, when that "China shop" is actually "the patriarchy" and that "bull" is actually a woman ahead of her time, the takeaway from the standard cliche…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 12:09PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, April 8, 2026

'The Crucible' Is A Chilling Look Into History by Ilana Jael

For better or for worse, 2026 is a hell of a time to find myself tasked with reviewing  The Crucible.  To start with, I can easily say that I was thoroughly impressed by the precision,…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 06:37AM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 26, 2026

A Successful Experiment in 'The Effect' At Lake Worth Playhouse by Ilana Jael

After seeing a production of Lucy Prebble's The Effect in Orlando earlier this year, I found myself unable to resist conducting my own little theatrical experiment when it popped up in South…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 11:10AM[SHARE]
Monday, March 16, 2026

Zoetic's 'Merrily We Roll Along' Stunningly Seizes The Moment by Ilana Jael

This past Saturday, Zoetic Stage's masterful production of Merrily We Roll Along brought me one step closer to realizing my personal dream of seeing every Stephen Sondheim musical. Famously,…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 09:46AM[SHARE]
Saturday, April 19, 2025

A Tasty New Take On Hamlet In Island City Stage's 'Fat Ham' by Ilana Jael

No matter how many times you happen to have seen Hamlet, odds are likely low that you have ever seen anything like Fat Ham. And, assuming you are lucky enough to snag a highly sought after t…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 07:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, April 18, 2025

Chilling Commentary From History in 'Camping With Henry and Tom' by Ilana Jael

From the moment we walk in to Palm Beach Dramaworks' current production of Camping with Henry and Tom, we are ushered into the world of the play through Bert Scott's stunningly detailed fore…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 07:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, March 14, 2025

'Avenue Q' As Hilarious As Ever In the Hands of Entr'acte Theatrix by Ilana Jael

As long as you have a healthy sense of humor and high tolerance for perverted and profanity-spouting puppets, you should prepare to have a pretty great time at Avenue Q. To introduce the uni…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 07:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, January 31, 2025

Stripped Down 'As You Like It' Charms At Common Park by Ilana Jael

It was heartening to see the relatively substantial size of the crowd that had gathered for the opening night performance of As You Like It, at Royal Palm Beach's Common Park. This charming …

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 11:38AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Art-World Absurdism in the Extreme in Miami New Drama's 'Bad Dog' by Ilana Jael

As long as you possess a healthy appetite for the unhinged, you would definitely be remiss to miss out on Bad Dog, a truly arresting new play which premiered this past weekend at Miami New D…

SOURCE: southfloridatheater.com at 11:36AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Theatre Review: 'Laughing Stock' at Spotlighters Theatre by Ilana Jael

If I could say only one thing about Spotlighters Theatre's current production Charles Morey's "Laughing Stock" it would be that it definitely lives up to its name. First performed in 2001, t…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 07:55PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Theatre Review: 'How I Learned To Drive' at Vagabond Players by Ilana Jael

Though I was impressed with the first two offerings in Vagabond Players' 108th season, the company reaches an even higher level of precision and profundity in their current production of "Ho…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:27PM[SHARE]
Friday, February 16, 2024

Theatre Review: 'Ain't Too Proud"The Life and Times of The Temptations' at The Kennedy Center by Ilana Jael

Nobody should consider themselves too proud to have a great time at "Ain't Too Proud"The Life and Times of The Temptations," the story of the lives and music of the legendary R&B group f…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 05:44PM[SHARE]
Thursday, February 15, 2024

Theatre Review: 'Mahalia: A Gospel Musical' at Arena Players by Ilana Jael

If you're a fan of Mahalia Jackson or of gospel music in general, you will have an amazing time at "Mahalia: A Gospel Musical." This uplifting and touching show focuses on the life of the le…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 07:50PM[SHARE]
Monday, February 5, 2024

Theatre Review: 'Lipstick, A Queer Farce' at Fells Point Corner Theatre by Ilana Jael

Lane Michael Stanley's "Lipstick," as currently produced by Fells Point Corner Theatre, is one of the most enjoyable plays I've seen in Baltimore so far this season. After reviewing the worl…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:18PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Theatre News: Contemplating Shakespeare and Race at Folger Theatre's Reading Room Festival by Ilana Jael

The Saturday events at Folger Theatre's Reading Room Festival gave me the opportunity to enjoy four, thought-provoking events which each dealt, each in their own way, with issues of racial r…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:36PM[SHARE]
Thursday, January 25, 2024

Theatre Review: 'The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the Moon-Marigolds' at Spotlighters Theatre by Ilana Jael

A Pulitzer Prize-winning work first performed in 1964, "The Effect Of Gamma Rays On Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" is a bleak but beautiful play brought to affecting life in Spotlighter Theatre'…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 08:11PM[SHARE]
Monday, January 22, 2024

Theatre Review: 'RENT' presented by Iron Crow Theatre at Baltimore Theatre Project by Ilana Jael

Any musical theatre fans worth their salt probably have at least some familiarity with the musical "RENT" written by Jonathan Larson. The musical became an immediate sensation after its 1996…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:56PM[SHARE]
Friday, January 12, 2024

Theatre Review: 'Witness for the Prosecution' at Vagabond Players by Ilana Jael

If you've been craving a good old-fashioned murder mystery, Vagabond Players' current production of Agatha Christie's "Witness For The Prosecution" will definitely hit the spot. Though it is…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 11:44AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Concert/Opera Review: 'Sounds of the Season' presented by Maryland Opera by Ilana Jael

If Maryland Opera's Sounds of the Season is any indication, the future of opera in our area is very bright indeed. Narrated and accompanied by the company's artistic director, James Harp, th…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:02PM[SHARE]
Monday, December 11, 2023

Theatre Review: 'A Dickens' Christmas Carol' at Spotlighters Theatre by Ilana Jael

The spotlight is on Charles Dickens' immortal and  inimitable words when it comes to the Spotlighters Theatre's captivating adaptation of "A Christmas Carol." Finding myself not only thre…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:54PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Theatre Review: 'Intimate Apparel' at Fells Point Corner Theatre (FPCT) by Ilana Jael

If you've ever wanted to get intimate with the art of theatre, a great start might be at Fells Point Corner Theatre's production of "Intimate Apparel." The 2004 work by Pulitzer Prize-winnin…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 04:28PM[SHARE]

Theatre Review: 'The Lights Went Out Because of a Problem' presented by The Acme Corporation at The Voxel by Ilana Jael

At least in a broad sense, the exact tone you might expect from "The Lights Went Out Because of a Problem" is perfectly broadcast via its cryptic title"deliberately indecipherable, inexplica…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:17PM[SHARE]

Theatre Review: 'The Pirates of Penzance' at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore by Ilana Jael

As a newcomer to the area's theatre scene, I was at first thrown somewhat off guard walking into a church basement to see Artistic Synergy of Baltimore's version of "The Pirates of Penzance.…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 02:14PM[SHARE]
Monday, December 4, 2023

Theatre Review: 'A Christmas Carol' at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company by Ilana Jael

It's hard to imagine a Christmas Carol much more charming than Chesapeake Theatre Company's Charm City-themed adaptation of the beloved holiday classic. Though the company's annual presentat…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 05:45PM[SHARE]
Friday, November 17, 2023

Theatre Review: 'Witch' at Stillpointe Theatre by Ilana Jael

If you're looking for a genuinely exciting and refreshingly unique evening of untraditional theatre, you definitely don't want to miss out on "Witch! A New Musical," directed by Ryan Haase w…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 02:42PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Theatre Review: 'Chess' at Vagabond Players by Ilana Jael

Longstanding Baltimore theatre company Vagabond Players delivers a respectable start to its 108th season with a well-played production of "Chess." First performed on the West End in 1986, th…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 11:00AM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off