Frank Schierloh
Queer-Reviewed Roundup: Philly Fringe Festival Week One
Welcome to my the Queer Reviewed round-up of several productions during the first week of the 2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival.
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Welcome to the Theatre Reviews section of Queer Reviewed!
Here you'll find my reviews for theatre productions, celebrating my first love: the stage.
While I'll primarily be focusing on Philly theatre reviews, this will also be the space where I review Broadway, Off-Broadway, and other regional theatrical productions.
Frank Schierloh
- Jun 9
- 3 min
REVIEW:Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts I, II & III (Quintessence Theatre Group, Germantown PA)
Quintessence Theatre Group presents Suzan-Lori Parks epic play in a solidly performed and directed production.
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Frank Schierloh
- May 28
- 4 min
REVIEW: Once On This Island (Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia PA)
The Arden Theatre presents a ravishing production of the Musical Once on this Island with a stellar cast and creative team.
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Frank Schierloh
- May 26
- 4 min
CABARET REVIEW: Down a Yellow Brick Road-The Music of Judy Garland.
Go into the world of cabaret for a fabulous evening of Judy Garland music and celebration of being queer. Tyler Houchins is a cabaret star.
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Frank Schierloh
- Apr 22
- 4 min
REVIEW: Dancing at Lughnasa (City Theater Company, Wilmington, DE)
City Theater Company presents the Irish classic in a beautifully elegant production that will leave you dancing and thinking.
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Frank Schierloh
- Mar 26
- 4 min
REVIEW: Macbeth (Quintessence Theatre Group, Germantown PA)
Quintessence Theatre Group presents the Scottish Play in a production that feels like too many ideas, without enough execution.
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Frank Schierloh
- Mar 25
- 4 min
REVIEW: Disney’s Frozen (National Tour, Academy of Music, Philadelphia PA)
The National tour of Frozen comes to Philly in a production that is visually great, a little too mature, and vocally great!
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Frank Schierloh
- Mar 23
- 3 min
REVIEW: Big the Musical (Bristol Riverside Theatre, Bristol PA)
Big the Musical is brought to stage at Bristol Riverside Theatre in a production that is entertaining, but a script that struggles to score.
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Frank Schierloh
- Mar 10
- 3 min
REVIEW: Once Upon A Bridge (Inis Nua Theatre Company, Philadelphia, PA)
Inis Nua presents the Philly premiere of Once Upon a Bridge in an uneven production that seems afraid to pass judgement on its subject.
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Frank Schierloh
- Feb 29
- 3 min
REVIEW: Girl from the North Country (National Tour, Forrest Theatre, Philadelphia)
Girl from the North Country is a unique theatre piece. At times maddening, beautiful, hilarious and confusing, it is a mixed bag of a show.
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Frank Schierloh
- Dec 22, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: The Little Prince (Quintessence Theatre Group, Philadelphia, PA)
Quintessence Theatre Group stages a musical adaptation of The Little Prince. While charming, it never soars like the source material.
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Frank Schierloh
- Dec 20, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: The Fantasticks (Quintessence Theatre Group, Philadelphia, PA)
Quintessence Theatre stages the classic love story, The Fantasticks. A delightful production, filled with great performances and direction.
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Frank Schierloh
- Dec 12, 2023
- 4 min
REVIEW: Fat Ham (Wilma Theater, Philadelphia, PA)
The Pulitzer Prize winning play returns to Philadelphia in a rapturous production, filled with a stellar cast and meaningful story.
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Frank Schierloh
- Dec 2, 2023
- 5 min
REVIEW: Company (National Tour, Forrest Theatre, Philadelphia)
The Broadway revival of Company arrives in Philadelphia with a stellar cast and a production that soars more frequently than confounds.
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Frank Schierloh
- Nov 12, 2023
- 2 min
Review: Madame Ovary (Inis Nua Theatre Company, Philadelphia, PA)
Inis Nua presents the American Premiere of the hilarious and heartfelt Madame Ovary, with a truly splendid central performance.
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Frank Schierloh
- Nov 6, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: Camp Siegfried (Theatre Exile, Philadelphia, PA)
The regional premiere of Bess Wohl's play is given an engaging production that elevates the script, but doesn't quite overcome its problems.
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Frank Schierloh
- Oct 14, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: No Exit (Quintessence Theatre Group, Philadelphia PA)
The new translation of No Exit premieres at Quintessence theatre Group in a production that ultimately misses the mark.
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Frank Schierloh
- Oct 10, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: The Mystery of Irma Vep (Bristol Riverside Theatre, Bristol PA)
Ring in the Halloween season with the campy and often hilarious production of The Mystery of Irma Vep at Bristol Riverside Theatre.
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Frank Schierloh
- Oct 2, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: Assassins (Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia, PA)
The Arden Theatre's production of the Sondheim/Weidman musical battles against the concept it's given, adding to the show's divisiveness.
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Frank Schierloh
- Sep 30, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: BAZZAR (Cirque du Soleil, Oaks, PA)
Cirque du Soleil does it again with a stellar Bazzar! Infused with classic acrobatics and clowning it is a wonderful night under the big top
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Frank Schierloh
- Sep 26, 2023
- 3 min
FRINGE REVIEW: She Was a Conquistawhore. (Rachel O'Hanlon Rodriguez and Pardners)
Funny and heartfelt, She Was a Conquistawhore is a wonderful embodiment of all that the Philadelphia Fringe Festival is and could be.
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Frank Schierloh
- Sep 21, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: Major Barbara (Quintessence Theatre Group, PA)
Quintessence Theatre Group presents Shaw's Major Barbara with a fantastic cast, but some strange theatrical choices that don't quite land.
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Frank Schierloh
- Sep 19, 2023
- 3 min
FRINGE REVIEW: Black Wood (Gunnar Montana Productions, Philadelphia)
Gunnar Montana and Company have achieved macabre dance excellence with their production of Black Wood. It's perfect for Halloween time!
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Frank Schierloh
- Sep 16, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: August: Osage County (Footlighters Theater, Berwyn PA)
The new American classic, August: Osage County is brought to life with wonderful performances at the Footlighters Theater in Berwyn.
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Frank Schierloh
- Sep 9, 2023
- 3 min
REVIEW: Fiddler on the Roof (Players Club of Swarthmore; Swarthmore, PA)
The Players Club of Swarthmore puts on the perennial favorite Fiddler on the Roof. A decent production that shows how good the script is.
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Frank Schierloh
- Sep 4, 2023
- 3 min
FRINGE REVIEW: Birth. Sparkle. Death. (Cannonball Festival, Philadelphia)
A review of the show Birth. Sparkle. Death. Part of the Philadelphia Fringe and Cannonball Festivals. By Queer Philly Critic Frank Schierloh
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Frank Schierloh
- Aug 25, 2023
- 4 min
REVIEW: Little Women (OJ Productions, Philadelphia)
A small theatre company tackles the beloved classic in a production that is uneven with an adaptation that feels rushed.
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Frank Schierloh
- Jul 27, 2023
- 4 min
Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare in Clark Park): The 70's Were Wild.
The rarely produced Two Gentlemen of Verona musical gets a concert production at Shakespeare in Clark Park, where it can't shake the 70's.
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Frank Schierloh
- Jul 14, 2023
- 3 min
Other Orbits (Applied Mechanics): A Space Fantasia That Falls Short
Other Orbits, by Applied Mechanics, is a visually arresting piece that ultimately doesn't do enough with the big ideas it presents.
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Frank Schierloh
- Jun 7, 2023
- 3 min
Beetlejuice on Tour (Kimmel Center): Adaptation, Adaptation, Adaptation!
A strong book, and not as strong score are the key takeaways of the touring production of Beetlejuice the musical. Review by Frank Schierloh
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Frank Schierloh
- May 4, 2023
- 4 min
ABANDON (Theatre Exile): A Hopeful Show with Discomfort Attached
James Ijames' world premiere play Abandon at Theatre Exile is a fascinating examination of grief and moving on, anchored by great acting.
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Frank Schierloh
- Apr 2, 2023
- 3 min
JOHNNY DEPP: A RETROSPECTIVE ON LATE STAGE CAPITALISM (Jenna Kuerzi): A coin-tossing good time!
Johnny Depp is a controversial figure: watch him get lampooned by Philly entertainer Jenna Kuerzi in her one woman take down of the bad boy.
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Frank Schierloh
- Mar 30, 2023
- 2 min
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (Theatre Unspeakable): An Historical Miss
Review of Theatre Unspeakable's The American Revolution. An hour long educational show that doesn't quite hit the mark on quality.
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Frank Schierloh
- Mar 26, 2023
- 2 min
Six on Tour (Kimmel Center): Slay Queens!
Six is an exuberant musical about the 6 wives of Henry VII, with amazing performances, fun choreo and songs that will get stuck in your head
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Frank Schierloh
- Mar 7, 2023
- 3 min
THE BEAR & AFTERPLAY (Irish Heritage Theatre):An Unbalanced Take on Chekov
My review of Irish Heritage Theatre's production of The Bear & Afterplay. An uneven production that explores Chekov adaptations.
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Frank Schierloh
- Feb 18, 2023
- 3 min
EMPATHITRAX (Philadelphia Theatre Company):What tools can…or, should you use to save a relationship?
One can never fully understand what another person is feeling and going through. But what if you could with a simple drug: Empathitrax?
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Frank Schierloh
- Feb 11, 2023
- 2 min
THE LIGHT (Theatre Exile): A couple finally, authentically communicating
True to its namesake, this play illuminates to the characters and audience that that difficult conversations are essential.
41 views0 comments
Frank Schierloh
- Jan 30, 2023
- 4 min
Clyde's @ The Arden: A Satisfying Sandwich.
Read the review of "Clyde's" at the Arden Theatre Company of Philadelphia PA, as written by Frank Schierloh for Queer Reviewed.
55 views0 comments
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