A spectacle worth missing
"American Idiot" is not, as TM describes it, "arguably the best musical of the season" - that award goes to "The Scottsboro Boys. I am completely baffled at the way so many critics fell in love with this train wreck of a show. With no book, no plot, the only thing holding this show together is the music and visuals. The music is simply okay, nothing special at all. The visuals however... the visuals are amazing. The set is eye-popping and perfect for the show it is serving, the costumes are spot-on, and the choreography isnt too shabby either. However, a good musical is determined by its plot and the way it is advanced by the songs. "Idiot" comes nowhere near hitting either of those marks.

American Idiot on Tuesday, Dec 21st, 2010

Low-key and engaging
"A Catered Affair" is a quiet chamber piece, and unfortunately that is what doomed it. Hemmed in by the bright lights and spectacle of such megahits as "Wicked", "Rent", "Phantom", and others, it got drowned out in the roar of the modern theater scene. The score is lovely, with melodies that float gently by the ears. The lyrics enter the heart and soul of every character and never leave. The actors performance, as preserved on CD, is phenomenal. If you ever get a chance to see this gem locally, do it. You wont be disappointed.

A Catered Affair on Tuesday, Dec 21st, 2010