Background: I'm from Worcester, went to school in Waltham (Bran to the Deis!), and I happen to know…read morethe director and her husband, who was an actor in the show. We also went out for drinks after, so there.
Anywho, went here to see Stopkiss. I'll get to the review on the show in a bit. First, the theater. If you go to the Waltham Public Library, walk over to Spring St., look down the road and where your blindspot is, that's the theater. It is a hidden gem that takes a bit to find, but worth the look. At the entranceway, you'll find you typical, small theater atrium before you descend stairs into their lair. The theater itself is a small space, but very, very well used. And this production was no exception to that.
Stopkiss has everything going for it, from the direction, to the acting, to the choice of lights and music (I gave my friend crap for one song, but it was only because it gave me visions of a Spanish Soap Opera at a crucial time in the show, not ruining, but adding a bit of levity to an otherwise melancholy moment). The cast is fantastic, with strong moments of acting coming from everyone, and I mean everyone, in the cast. The two lead actresses Jennifer McCartney and Gabrielle Hatcher steal the show, from what, I'm not sure, and are very well supported by Michael Soulios, Jason Rutledge, Andrew Boncoddo, Carolyn Cafarelli, and Melanie Bernier. Tatiana Rutledge has maintained her keen eye and artistry and only shown strong strides of development in her role as director of the show. The lighting design, well crafted set and, overall, highly kind stage crew make this a must see.
Tatiana, much love.
Z