To begin, The Nasty Delicious plays the main theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey. At the climax of the song, Craig Robinson enters with a very slow and smooth walk. It’s a perfect start to the set.

Soon afterwards, Craig says it isn’t fair how women get the “Here Comes the Bride” song at weddings, and the men don’t get one. He wants the “Rocky Theme” to play as he walks down the aisle. This idea is both awesome and hilarious as he plays the song.

He also plays a lot of songs where he slightly adjusts the words. In “Summer Nights”, he changes the lyrics to:

“Tell me more, tell me more, does he have a big cock?

Tell me more, tell me more, I’ll jerk off in a sock! “

Midway into the set, they play the main theme from “The Office”. It’s a great moment to celebrate that show. He was in 118 episodes from 2005 to 2013.

He also plays a lot of partial covers such as “Jessie’s Girl”, which he also sings on the Hot Tub Time Machine soundtrack.

Later on, Robinson suggests playing “Eye of the Tiger” in everyday moments when you need to get pumped up. Like, before having a meeting with your boss, or before having doggy style sex with your partner.

It was an absolutely hilarious night full of great music and nonstop laughter.

See a similar setlist here.

Cost of a ticket: $19

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional Value +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney

Many of the productions that happen in the lower level of St. Bonaventure, you would be surprised to see there. For example, The Shady Lady was about a man having multiple affairs and embezzling money. However, this musical is exactly what you would picture taking place in a church basement.

In a tragic accident, 52 nuns died from eating bad soup. They ran out of money after burying 48 of them, and buying a 3D HD Flatscreen TV. So, the sisters are putting on a show to raise money to lay to rest the last four.

It’s a very light hearted family and religion friendly show, which can’t be said of many of SSP’s other productions. There are some laughs, but not nearly as many as in other shows by the Saint Sebastian Players.  

The cast consists of Lauren Miller (Boeing-Boeing), Karyn Louise Doerfler, Heidi Mansfield, Kay Flynn, and Allison Ristaino.

Cost of a ticket: $35

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Half Price –

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Nunsense through November 12^th.

Quinn Delaney

 

It begins as a minstrel show. Before long, the characters snap out of it and discover they are real people trapped in the show. They spot the playwright in the audience. They drag him on stage and proceed to beat him up. Afterwards, they put on a rap show. Bones loves to rap about making big money. Tambo wants to address systematic racism in America.

Dave Harris has written a very dark comedy that is a quite unique and bizarre theatre experience that leaves the audience trying to make sense of it. In this production, there are extremely bright lights and very loud noises. Earplugs would be a good idea for the rap concert scene.

William Anthony Sebastian Rose II (Whistleblower) is intense as Tambo, always trying to address the issues of racism. Patrick Newson Jr. is excellent as Bones, on a quest to find as many quarters as he can. Lastly, Timothy Bernard Felton and Michael-Ellen (Mikey) Walden are solid in their supporting roles.

See the program here.

Cost of a ticket: $31

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It –

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Tambo & Bones through November 11!

Quinn Delaney

Barns Courtney and his band kick things off with a bang on “Fun Never Ends” from his 2019 album, 404. It’s a full throttle rock song with a driving beat and he keeps his foot on the gas pedal for the entire set.

A few songs later they play “Hobo Rocket” from the 2017 album, The Attractions of Youth. This song blends rock with a Beastie Boys style of hip hop. It’s impressive how well he combines these genres.

Up next is “Supernatural”, a 2022 single. This one is a fantastic rock ballad similar to the alternative rock style of Welshly Arms.

Soon afterwards, Barns Courtney hits another genre with “Little Boy”. It’s a pure folk rock jam reminiscent of a fellow English band, Mumford and Sons.

Next up is “Glitter & Gold”, which is his top track on Spotify with over 188 million streams. This one is a real rocker and it’s no surprise that it is a massive hit with it’s great sound.  

To close out the night, he plays “Fire”. Everyone sings together “Oh give me that fire / Burn, burn, burn” as he crowd surfs among his fans. It’s a fantastic closer that had just as much energy and passion as the opener. It definitely left the audience wanting more.

See a recent setlist here.

Cost of a ticket: $32.50

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional Value

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney

The children are home for the holidays and are hosting a party. The son has his head mostly in his phone playing a game. The daughter is also usually on her phone talking to her friends. The father is a recovering alcoholic who just started going to AA meetings. The new wife doesn’t like the housekeeper. Her ex-husband was just released from prison after 18 months. The old wife killed herself in the house and now she haunts it as a ghost.

Mia McCullough (Chagrin Falls) has written a story about a very disfunctional family. The first half of the play sets the scene for a more dramatic second half that includes talk about suicide and a gun.

Nathan Hile (Chicago debut) is great as the son, annoyed by everyone that interrupts his game. Tea Baum (Chicago debut) is very funny as Rox, who is consumed by her dating life. Doug Mackechnie is superb as the father, struggling with his new sobriety. Jennifer Jelsema is solid as the new wife, trying to make the house feel like her own. Cindy Gold is splendid as the housekeeper, who became the main mother figure after the old wife died. Joe Zarrow is excellent as the ex-husband, who just wants to spend more time with his daughter. Suzanne Petri is good as the voice of Julia, the doll. Lastly, Ilyssa Fradin is ghostly as the ex-wife, still watching out for her son and making things difficult for the new wife.

Get tickets now for Household Spirits through November 11^th.

Cost of a ticket: $36

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Half Price +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney

Early on in Skinny Lister’s set, they play “Colours”. It’s a beautiful song with a long slow build to a fantastic climax. “The red kite against the blue sky / My thoughts are drawn to them still / Colours flash before us, flash before us, flash before”. The band then brings out a giant jug filled with an alcoholic beverage and shared it with the crowd. The drink is quickly consumed by the fans.

This English Pub style sing-a-long style is a pervasive element of their fantastic live show. A fantastic example is on “John Kanaka”.  Everyone sings along “We’ll work tomorrow, but not today / John kanaka kanaka tura yay”. The show continuously thrills the audience with crowd surfing by the female singer! It’s an all-inclusive celebration of music that is an absolute joy to be a part of.

Later in the set, they play “Rollin’ Over” and the crowd instantly smiles and starts dancing around. It’s a perfect drinking tune to sing along with. Skinny Lister has definitely mastered the folk rock and party atmosphere of a great live show. Catch them on tour now!

Cost of a ticket: $25

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional Value

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney

Sneaky Pete (2018)

Choreography: Brock Clawson

One bright flashlight in the large dark theatre appears on the side of the stage.  A man humorously sneaks across the front of the curtain with the small light in silence. The following dance features him being chased around the stage as “I Will Follow You” by Abel Korzeniowski plays. By the way, Sneaky Pete is not a reference to the Amazon show of the same name.

Tossed Around (2017) (See the cover photo by Victoria Wesloh)

Choreography: Ray Mercer

The performance begins with all the dancers sitting in chairs in a circle facing the center. They begin tossing each other around and moving about like a crazy game of musical chairs / duck duck goose. The movement is intoxicating and showcases the talents of this great company.

The Man That Got Away – 1990

Choreography: Sherry Zunker

The Man That Got Away is the best piece of the night. Judy Garland sings as a woman dances dramatically while Michael McStraw, the Executive Director, dressed in a tuxedo stands still looking off to the left. He doesn’t react at all as she dances around him or even when she runs and jumps on him. The emotional singing by Garland is perfectly matched by the dancing of Ashley Downs. At the end, she embraces the man, who slips away and walks off stage as the audience erupts in applause!

JOLT (2012)

Choreography: Autumn Eckman

All the dancers are excitedly drinking out of mugs. What are they drinking? Alcohol, coffee, or maybe Jolt Cola? It gives them all a boost of energy and they proceed to dance very frenetically. At one point, they run across the stage in a single file line towards a light offstage. It’s a great visual as the bright white light contrasts with their black outfits.

Cost of a ticket: $29 to $99

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It (Go with the Front Main Floor seats on the side)

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for their spring performance, Unlimited, on April 5-6!

Quinn Delaney

The film version of Young Frankenstein was released in 1974. The musical opened on Broadway in 2007. A revised version opened in London’s West End in 2017. And now, in October 2023, it opens at the Mercury Theatre.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein is the grandson of the famous doctor that brought to life the terrifying monster. Frederick inherits his grandfather’s estate in Transylvania. He travels there without the intention to continue his grandfather’s work, but he is soon drawn into the possibilities of what could be done. He works with his humpback sidekick, Igor, and his beautiful assistant, Inga, to bring a new creature to life. Things don’t go as planned and the monster escapes which leads to many hijinks.

One of the best scenes is when Dr Frankenstein and the monster sing “Puttin’ On The Ritz”. In the movie, it’s only these two performing, but in this version it expands to include most of the cast in a big hilarious musical number.

Sean Fortunato (Billy Elliot) is great as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, who often delivers corny sex jokes. Andrew MacNaughton (Clue) is excellent as the monster, making the audience laugh with his physical humor. Ryan Stajmiger (Sweeney Todd, Company) is very funny as Igor. Jonah D. Winston (Clue, Avenue Q, Spamalot) is superb as Inspector Hans Kemp. Isabella Andrews (Sister Act) is delightful as Inga. The rest of the supporting cast is solid as well.

The jokes have a lot of Mel Brook’s 70’s style of corny comedy. If this matches your sense of humor, this is the show for you!

Cost of a ticket: $39 – $79

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It – (Go with the cheaper seats, it’s a small theater)

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Young Frankenstein through December 31^st!

Quinn Delaney

Henry Rollins is the first to take the stage. With just the microphone on stage, he tells the 40 minute version of his life story with great passion and humor. It begins in 1960, when his parents meet and conceive him. They get married and he is born in 1961. They get divorced soon afterwards and he spends his childhood going back and forth between their two homes. Flash forward many years and he is working at a Häagen-Dazs ice cream store. He travels up to New York City from Washington, DC to see a Black Flag show. It’s getting late and he needs to leave to get to work on time. So, he requests “Clocked In” from their 1983 album, The First Four Years, before he leaves. The band invites him to sing the song and he puts everything he has into the performance. Back in DC at the ice cream store, he gets a call from the band asking him if he would like to audition to join the band. The rest is history.

The stage crew wheels out a podium and a stool with waters placed on top it. It’s instantly clear this second half will be a bit different. David Sedaris takes the stage to great applause. He goes on to read many humorous essays that he has written. He includes a few very short stories. One of them is about the book signing he does in Cincinnati on October 15, 2023. A young woman asks him for advice about writing a college essay. He suggest writing about getting pregnant at 14 and then having an abortion. And then to say that it is very important that she gets into college to honor the sacrifices that she had to make. He also told a story that begins with him reading a ChatGPT story written in the David Sedaris style. After reading it, he exclaims that it really sucks and that he wrote a much better version. He goes on to tell a truly dark and hilarious version filled with rape and murder.

Both David Sedaris and Henry Rollins are master storytellers. While their styles certainly differ, they were both very entertaining this evening.

Cost of a ticket: $110 (Orchestra)

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Half Price +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Check out the Auditorium Theatre’s website for tickets to future shows here.

Quinn Delaney

A pair of friends who meet in third grade ESL class are still friends as high school seniors. It is now the 2000s in Newark, NJ. Often, she sneaks into his room via the fire escape to get away from her bad homelife. Her mother’s boyfriends are always trouble. Their relationship is never romantic, but they consider getting married so that he can get his citizenship. They are both very unsure if it’s the best option, since It carries many risks.

Martyna Majok has written a very emotional piece about friendship and the immigration experience of young adults. The first half rapidly switches between scenes as time flies by and the their friendship develops. An intermission should be added before the second half, which consists of much longer scenes and the additional of a third character.

Grant Kennedy Lewis is excellent as the guy who is struggling to find happiness and citizenship. Jocelyn Zamudio (Rust) is superb as the gal who really wants to help her friend, but is very nervous about the potential consequences. Brandon Rivera (Rust) is great as the friend who is very uncertain about the whole situation and how he fits into it.  

See the program here.

Cost of a ticket: $60

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Half Price +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Sanctuary City through November 18^th!

Quinn Delaney