Reviews

Kiss Me Kate

“Jeremy Kronenberg has directed his company well, keeping moments natural and fresh and relationships well defined in movement while choreographer Maddy Apple has moved the company into graceful postures and mini-dances that make songs like "Too Darn Hot" into miniature plays themselves.”

“Make this your show at the Mac if you only have one. This is the one.”

Berkshire Bright Focus

J. Peter Bergman

Caroline, or Change

“Every aspect of Jeremy Gold Kronenberg’s carefully nourished production – the first revival since Caroline’s initial, Tony-winning bow – is magnificent.”

“Caroline… is a show about the journey rather than any particular destination. And in the hands of Gallery Players, there is no greater chauffeur. “

Off Off Online

Penny for Her Thoughts (Or Sometimes, More)

by Doug Strassler

“…Kushner's musical is epic—it travels across racial, economic, and religious divides. And housed in the comfortable yet intimate home of The Gallery Players and with a cast that pounds the stage with vigor and vibrato, this production is explosive.”

“… I certainly felt as though I had to do something right then and there about the disparity between the races, the classes, the sexes. The Gallery Players' production of Caroline, or Change lives up to Kushner's theatre, theatre that can engage us so emotionally and then push us so politically.”

nytheatre.com review

Dan Kitrosser

“If you have any level of investment in New York Theater, established or independent, you need to go to the Gallery Players production of Caroline or Change. Please go, you will be glad you did, and you will kick yourself if you miss it.”

“What was given to me was, put simply, the very best that Broadway has to offer, married to the very best of independent theater. It was an astonishing performance, reinvigorating and inspiring, a reminder that we may all be looking for the same thing.”

“Supported by a simple, elegant and articulate set, with a faded twenty dollar bill filling the lower playing space and three levels of homes and porches all suggested with steps and frames, the direction is phenomenal. The show spins by, for all its suggested languidity and there isn't a wasted moment or piece of set. This is a show where the moon has a role, and sings a duet with a washing machine at the end of the second act, and the director has taken this Tom Robbins-esque absurdity and made it a David Eggers work of staggering heartbreak.

“If you think that modern musicals are all sung-through Sondheim rip-offs with no tunes, come see this show. If you think musicals are all plot-then-song, plot-then-song, plot-then-song, then come see this show. If you think that there are no productions worth seeing for $18, this show will change your entire worldview. If you think there is no talent outside of Actor's Equity Association, PLEASE come and see Teisha Duncan. If you think Tony Kushner needs to be done in a million dollar production to work... my God, you need to see this show. No one flies, no one delivers biblical verse, nobody even talk about Jesus... but toward the end of the show, Caroline says to Noah, "that sadness you have inside you? I have it too, and it never goes away", and it is somehow one of the most hopeful and uplifting things that I've witnessed in a year of shows.”

-SeanRants.com

“BOTTOM LINE: Brilliant material, and a production that does the company proud. If you haven't seen this musical, you should.”

“Caroline, or Change also brings to life the non-human players in Caroline's environment - the washer and dryer, the radio, the bus, and the moon. … In this production (as opposed to the original on Broadway), Caroline interacts more with these characters: almost talking directly to them, and even touching them occasionally. I might be wrong, but I don't remember this in the original; it is one example of director Jeremy Gold Kronenberg's subtle touches. However, Kronenberg wisely refrains from doing anything too overt; he understands the brilliance of this show, and largely lets the material speak for itself.”

Dan Dinero -Theatre is Easy

“…“Caroline, or Change” is strange for a musical, in that it is so amazingly profound and complex – an honor generally reserved for straight plays. Fortunately, the respective talents at the Gallery Players, directed by Jeremy Gold Kronenberg, filled these gargantuan shoes with ease, with little surprise that the show was nominated at the coveted New York Innovative Theatre Awards (www.nyitaawards.com).”

“Capturing the essence of the swinging ‘60s, “Caroline, or Change” packs a triple-threat in character, subject and musical depth. Though the Tony Award-winning Broadway run may have ended, that of Broadway in Brooklyn is in full swing, presented beautifully in the basement theatre at 199 14th Street.”

“Though nothing may be underground in Louisiana, as Caroline ruefully suggests, the

bottom level of the Gallery Players contains a unique spectacle – full of music and song; political strife and familial ardor – one certainly not to be missed.”

Review Fix.com

“…Caroline, or Change is a complex character study of classism in Louisiana in the 1960s. It’s not an easy feat to bring a show of this substance to life, but with a killer cast and tight direction, the Gallery Players have done a stellar job with this must-see musical.”

“This production itself is successful on many levels…. Director Jeremy Gold Kronenberg does an impressive job keeping the show moving and getting to the crux of each character’s struggles.”

Popdose.com

Molly Marinick

“Jeremy Gold Kronenberg's elegant, solidly acted revival captures the characters' emotional insecurities in full detail. The production serves the score quite well, which represents an eclectic mix of rhythm and blues, spirituals, folk and Jewish Kletzmer.”

On Off Broadway/AM New York

Matt Windman

The Fantasticks

Professional theatre is alive and well in Rolla, Missouri at Ozark Actors Theatre, with the current production of “The Fantasticks”. 

Director Jeremy Gold Kronenberg , working with stage manager Jim Welch and his assistant Allison Whitehall has given us a fast-paced and most enjoyable production with seamless transitions between scenes

The Fantasticks is…well, fantastic!

by Lindsay Bagnall-

Rolla Daily News

Drat! The Cat!

My review in three words: HOORAY!!! GO!!! ENJOY!!! The production is highly recommended to anyone who has a sweet tooth for a good, old-fashioned musical comedy romp performed with flair.

Directed with zest and affection by a fan of the appealing score, Jeremy Gold Kronenberg, the 10-member cast bubbles with energy and good spirits. They dive into the daffy doings and keeping the audience’s attention.

By Rob Lester, www.NiteLifeExchange.com

…there's plenty of craft, charm, and high spirits on hand.

….the many pleasures of "Drat! The Cat!" are getting their due at the Duplex.

The original production had acres of choreography of the Cat in action, by the great Joe Layton, designed to show off dancing star Lesley Ann Warren. Those sequences are, by necessity, missing here, but director Jeremy Gold Kronenberg still finds the requisite style for this kind of show to fly.

Erik Haagensen, Backstage

…they offer a charming production full of good humor, fine voices and more fun than you might expect from such a quick-closer.

…Jeremy Gold Kronenberg and choreographer Christine Schwalenberg pull off the tricky task of making ten people look comfortable and fluid on a small stage with only one entrance/exit (at one point five couples are waltzing and singing together)….

Broadwayworld.com

Review - Drat! The Cat!: Steal With Style

by Michael Dale

Is There Life After High School?

"Opening Doors re-opens doors to our memories that never are shut very tight (no matter how hard we may try) with Is There Life After High School?  Appropriately, Opening Doors also opens wounds that accompany those recollections of those character-forming days for us all.  As characters looking back with vivid recall or wistfulness, the emotions are in the committed ensemble cast's every glance, stance, reaction and passionately sung lyric.  This

nuanced and thoughtful production exploring the years after the yearbooks and homework is a textbook example of acting while singing and making individual and words count.  The kaleidoscope of snapshots snaps us back to our own past.  As of one Craig Carnelia's precise and potent songs states, "All it takes is the slam of a locker."  Ever a part of us, like a tattoo, we are marked by what we said, shoulda said, was said to us back then.  Come for the catharsis and closure, have the humor and hope that come with hindsight as a bonus, or

just come prepared to be impressed and entertained by the huge amount of talebt on the tiny stage.  Slickness would be anathema to anyone involved.  Attending is a welcome "assignment."

Rob Lester, Cabaret Scenes

"As Opening Doors Theatre Company revives Is There Life After High School? on a teeny stage at the Duplex, [it] does turn out to have more charm and immediacy than might have been found [in its original Broadway run] at the Barrymore [Theatre].

Marc Miller, Backstage

Scrooge The Musical

…make no mistake, you will leave this show both impressed with the local performances and your spirit rejuvenated for the holidays.

“Just as Scrooge, who savored of the “Milk of Kindness” from the Ghost of Christmas Present, began to feel the spirit of Christmas, so will audiences in this inspiring, heart-warming tale of this 166-year-old holiday classic.”

“Franc D’Ambrosio, the man behind the mask in Phantom of the Opera in Rolla for his performance at Castleman Theater, attended Saturday evening’s performance and was astounded. “They are unbelievable,” D’Ambrosio said. “They are so good. I can’t believe they’ve only been     rehearsing for two weeks. Even on Broadway, we get eight weeks.” Impressive, they are. Even to those familiar with the stellar performances of Broadway like D’Ambrosio.”

“Director Jeremy Gold Kronenberg does a magnificent job assembling the staff,  many of whom have multiple portrayals.”

“The show is right on, just the elixir needed to jumpstart the Christmas season— a hit for the holidays.”

Alan Lewis Gerstenecker

The Rolla Daily News

“The show opens with the lone voice of a young girl singing “The First Noel,” followed by a swelling chorus of impressive voices joining together in a medley of familiar Christmas carols. Nearly every scene of Scrooge is replete with fantastic music.”

“Kronenberg worked side by side with Musical Director Susan Holmes of Rolla, who set the bar quite high for the cast, eventually achieving heavenly harmonies and inspiring solos.”

Lois Ann Marler

Ozarks Entertainment

My Salvation Has A First Name

“**** (four stars)  …invites the audience into the driver's seat of [a] painfully honest and hilariously self-deprecating tale…. [a] nonstop romp….”

Time Out New York

“…an entertaining night of theatre. You'll surely enjoy yourself…”

NY THEATRE.COM

The Pirates of Penzance

“Director Jeremy Gold Kronenberg (he's earning a graduate degree in directing; last season his Side Show earned a CEA nomination for Best Musical) has totally captured the frothy spirit of Pirates of Penzance, framing it as tale with childlike humor and innocence. That doesn't mean it only appeals to children, however: CCM's talented performers (teeing up for Broadway careers) have the wit and sophistication to extract giggles and guffaws. “

                                   

Cincinnati City Beat

      

“As our Cincinnati Reds spend the next few weeks in Florida in spring training, the Pirates are visiting our city. Oh, not the Pittsburgh Pirates, but rather The Pirates of Penzance, the swashbuckling Gilbert & Sullivan comedic operetta. As presented in a Mainstage Series production at the University of Cincinnati - Conservatory of Music (CCM), this show is a frolicking good time, thanks in large part to solid performances and inventive direction. “

       

“One of the most important reasons for the success of this production is the direction by Jeremy Gold Kronenberg. He has flooded the show with a child-like exuberance and silly playfulness which includes just a few modern references, much to the delight of the audience. This marks one of the first times that an MFA Directing candidate has led a CCM Mainstage production. “

Talking Broadway

     

“The focus now is almost entirely on their theatrical joys. The rolling, rhythmic songs, the puns, the challenging accelerated singing and general silliness reign. It's all safely captured in director Jeremy Gold Kronenberg's sprightly production of "The Pirates of Penzance" for the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music.”

  

The Cincinnati Post

Side Show

“Kronenberg’s commendable CCM production … provided musical pleasures and opportunities for characterization that are more complex and challenging than found in many musical theater productions.”

      

“Despite these flawed characters, this production of Side Show worked because of the strength of its performance and the entertaining spectacle of the show. From the menacing opening, with staring performers inviting us to “Come Look at the Freaks,” we know this isn’t going to be a traditionally happy musical. Director Kronenberg moves his actors skillfully through a ballet of freakishness that sets the tone for the balance of the production: We quickly understand we are entering a harsh, Brechtian, world, far removed from normal values and behavior. It’s a marvelous juxtaposition of images, because the show’s evocative period costumes (designed by Ellie Steingraeber) and wigs (created by Andrea Moriarty-Dahlberg) evoke a kind of ultra-reality that is quite distinct from the abstract emotions and events of the story.”

“CCM’s production mined the strengths of Side Show’s music and spectacle in a way that made this a satisfying performance of a seldom-seen work. “

                                         

Cincinnati City Beat

“Director Jeremy Gold Kronenberg stages the musical with much activity and realism... Kronenberg's storytelling, however, is very clear, and the ensemble numbers (including the freak show scene and "The Devil You Know") are handled with wonderful care. “

“Side Show is a musical that leaves the audience feeling optimistic that, even though these sisters may not reach their dreams, they will nonetheless persevere in life with dignity and grace. Because it is so rarely staged, any well done production is one to treasure. CCM delivers an extremely worthwhile production, and one that is more fully staged than most of their Studio Series shows. A great score, talented cast and solid direction, choreography and design make this a memorable theatrical experience.“

                                   

Talking Broadway

Working

     

“Kronenberg opens the show effectively with a building montage of rhythmic work sounds: A hammer striking a concrete block, a clicking keyboard, a broom sweeping.  It’s a nice device that builds to a unified symphony of sound (the non-speaking touring company of Stomp would be right at home with this approach), and it creates a fabric from which each of the individual characters can emerge.” 

“Working ends strongly.  “Cleaning Women” is a nice ensemble piece with some humor but an undertow that shows the dignity of physical labor such women undertake.”

“Finally, Craig Carnelia’s keystone song, “Something To Point To,” effectively encapsulates the show, as each worker focuses on a contribution he or she made.  Director Kronenberg used this number to return to the image of the opening tableau- this time without sound – each character positioned like a statue in the pose that captured and nicely recalled for one last moment the array of characters from the past two hours.”

                                       

Cincinnati City Beat

“CCM's production makes the most out of the material by employing uniformly wonderful performances, as well as strong direction and choreography. “

      

“This production of Working is also aided by fine direction, choreography, and musical direction. Director Jeremy Gold Kroneberg stages some emotionally effective and visually interesting scenes, provides seamless transitions, and keeps an appropriate tone throughout. The use of purple and black boxes for most of the set pieces and props is likewise inventive.”

“Thanks to some strong material and CCM's seemingly never ending supply of talented performers and artists, this production "works" well, and all involved deserve high marks on their next performance appraisals.”

Talking Broadway

Floyd Collins

Musical highlights include “The Ballad of Floyd Collins,” “The Riddle Song.” “Is That Remarkable?” (a humorous take on the misinformation spread by the press, and one of the better staged songs in the show), and “Through The Mountain.”

Director R. Terrell Finney (with assistance from Jeremy Kronenberg) does well in staging the piece, with apt pacing, flow, transitions, use of space, and interaction.

                                         

Talking Broadway