Howard Shapiro

From left, Geoff Sobelle, Steve Cuiffo and Trey Lyford in

The new FringeArts building at Race Street and Columbus Boulevard, the first permanent home of the organization that runs the annual Phil ...

10 years ago

Lauren Sowa as Emma and Jake Blouch as Frank Churchill in Lantern Theater Company's production of

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Review: ‘Emma’ — When does a story become theater?

Can a stage adaptation be too faithful to the book it’s taken from? The version of Jane Austen’s venerable “Emma,” ...

10 years ago

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Review: ‘The Brothers Size’ — tough love, anyone?

It’s a treat to see “The Brothers Size,” a stirring piece about two adult brothers who mostly get along by not getting ...

10 years ago

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Review: Barbara Cook and the rebirth of a cabaret

When the celebrated performer Barbara Cook sang her first notes Wednesday night at the revitalized Prince Music Theater, she wasn’t ...

10 years ago

From the left, Scott Greer, Rachel Camp, Sarah Gliko, Alex Keiper and Caroline Dooner of the ensemble in Arden Theatre Company's production of Parade. Photo courtesy of Mark Garvin.

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Review: ‘Parade’ passes by, then and now and all at once

The Arden Theatre Company’s stage bursts with talent in its meticulously delivered production of “Parade,” but the pers ...

10 years ago

Listen

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Review: ‘Evil Dead — the Musical.’ Deadly? Or just evil?

Take cold comfort in the fact that “Evil Dead – the Musical” – a piece of juvenile, B-grade Grizzly Kitsch playing here i ...

10 years ago

Leah Walton as Gilda Radner and Matt Pfeiffer as Alan Zweibel in 1812 Productions'

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Review: ‘Bunny Bunny’ and what friendship means

Nearly a generation ago, Alan Zweibel wrote a sweet and funny play called “Bunny Bunny” about his deep 15-year friendship wit ...

10 years ago

Brandon Pierce (left) and Brendan Dalton in Azuka Theatre's

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Philly Fringe review: ‘Dutch Masters’

Two guys strike up an unlikely conversation on a New York subway car. One is a young black man; the other, young and white. The black man ...

10 years ago

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Philly Fringe reviews: ‘LEO’ and ‘The Sea Plays’

LEO. Fred Astaire danced on the floor, the walls and the ceiling of a room in the 1951 movie, “Royal Wedding.̶ ...

10 years ago

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Review: Nailing it ‘In the Heights’

The high-voltage production of the musical “In the Heights,” opening Walnut Street Theatre’s 205th season, is a supersonic trick: I ...

10 years ago

Listen

The dancers of Brian Sanders' troupe, JUNK, performing

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Philly Fringe reviews: ‘Life and Times’ and ‘Hush Now Sweet High Heels and Oak’

Life and Times. The folks at the Nature Theater of Oklahoma asked a woman they knew to tell them her life’s story ...

10 years ago

Two audience members listen on headphones as they participate in

Shapiro on Theater

Arts & Entertainment

Philly Fringe review: ‘The Quiet Volume’

I came into the Free Library’s Central Branch only 45 minutes after putting down my Nook, on which I’d been reading a detecti ...

10 years ago

Listen

The World

Listen Live

BBC World Service

Howard Shapiro

More from the Contributor