Steven McCasland’s Memorare, running at St. John’s Lutheran Church until Jan. 27, 2018, is a fascinating and timely piece of work. With conversations that are still familiar today, a wonderful cast, and a beautifully-written story, the world-premiere production is a must-see.

I have to admit that the romance genre, generally speaking, is not a favorite of mine. There are a variety of reasons for this, among them being some inevitable clichés that can emerge in the writing, and thus lead to some mediocre art. Still, there are still some occasions in which a well-written romance play can keep me entertained. That much was clear this Wednesday, as I was able to easily enjoy and appreciate some of the gems in Look Me in the Eyes, a series of new one-act plays now being presented by American Renaissance Theater Company.

There’s nowhere to hide in “A Chorus Line.” That’s the whole point of the landmark musical director-choreographer Michael Bennett brought to Broadway in 1975. Shine a spotlight on the journeyman hoofers who do all the heavy lifting in musicals yet who seem destined to remain in the background, anonymous and unheralded.

Unless you’ve been adopted yourself, it may be difficult to fully understand how it might feel, to have grown up in that situation. Furthermore, it’s highly unlikely that people who haven’t been in that situation are aware of not just the emotional challenges, but also the legal and financial obstacles that can come with trying to find out more about your biological family. However, that’s exactly what The Good Adoptee – one of two solo-shows currently being produced by JMTC Theatre – ultimately triumphs in shining a light on.

Domestic violence and abuse has been a painful and far too prevalent issue facing American families. While it is something that is tragic in all situations, it is especially horrible to hear about such abuse happening to young children, whom often carry that trauma well into adulthood. Yet Spitting In The Face Of The Devil – one of two solo-shows currently being produced by JMTC Theatre – shows no hesitation in boldly diving into this important issue, in a very personal manner.

Think back to the early 2000s. If you were a kid or teen during this time, especially if you were with a certain group of kids, you probably remember those years – at least, partially – as a time when flip phones were still a thing, the Warped Tour was still extremely popular, and bands like blink-182 and Sum 41 were in their prime. In short, it was the era of pop punk, and as the title suggests, it is the feeling of nostalgia for this era that the new musical Pop Punk High seeks to conjure for its audience.

As a theatergoer, improvisational comedy has always been one of my favorite genres of theatre. The reason being that you never really go into it – either as a performer, or as an audience member – knowing exactly what you’re going to end up with. More often than not, the result is hilarious and memorable. However, it’s not every day that you see the genre of musical theatre being mixed with improv in theatre, yet that’s exactly what the show What Town? The Musical – presented by performers Katie Hammond and Daniel Tepper – seeks to pull off in a successful manner.