LaBorde Productions

04/28/2026

Tonight is the second of our Drama Book Club sessions at Troubadour Books at 6:00. Our play tonight is August Wilson's "Fences." Dr. Corlis Hayes--the area's finest Wilson scholar and director--will be sharing her thoughts on this classic masterpiece, which both she and I have directed.

We will also be drawing comparison's of "Fences" to last month's play, "Death of a Salesman."

Join us for a lively discussion and share your insights.

04/14/2026

03/09/2026

New York Theatre 2026

Brenda and I and our great traveling companion, Paula Baldwin, made a quick three-night trip to Manhattan to catch some shows and visit with our Brooklynite daughter, Meryl, who joined us for three of the five shows we caught.

One reason to go this early in March was to catch “Just in Time”—the Bobby Darin musical—with superstar Broadway leading man, Jonathan Groff. He certainly came through with a spectacular performance at the always intriguing space at Circle in the Square (or as they called it in the show, “the basement of Wicked.) The stage design transforms the intimate Broadway house into a stunning nightclub. The show was a delight from beginning to end with Groff leaving it all out there on the stage. Truly, I don’t see how he can do this eight times a week.

That was Day 1. Then Paula and I went to the matinee of Tracy Letts’ horrifying play, “Bug,” starring his wife Carrie C**n. I’d seen her twice before—in Chicago and on Broadway. This time she was even better than I remembered in her previous appearances. This show with its descent into paranoia and its amazing set changes in the dark should be a strong contender for the Tony for Revival of a Drama. My guess is that C**n will be in a race with Leslie Manville (in “Oedipus,” which closed before we could see her celebrated work) for an acting Tony.

As if that wasn’t enough for one day, the whole group went to the off-Broadway reimagining of “Phantom of the Opera,” now called “Masquerade.” For this one we had to dress up for the evening and wear masquerade masks, which was total fun. To enter the old warehouse where the show was staged, we had a password, not a ticket. We then were led up and down through a series of rooms where our small group of 60 theatre-goers was entertained by some very talented performers, (including Northwest School of the Arts graduate, Charles Osbourne), doing the show in our faces, intermixing with us throughout. This show is truly an experiental masterpiece with all of us audience members becoming members of the cast. What a delight. The show is part musical, part masquerade party, part haunted house, and all fun. They keep extending the run so anyone heading to New York in the coming months has a chance to catch this one-of-a-kind show.

Thursday afternoon found us at The Shed—a great new theatre space in Hudson Yards—where we saw a mixed reality one-act play called “An Ark.” For this one we had to take off our shoes, then be led into a carpeted room with a few dozen chairs. We then put on AR glasses, which made it look like there were four non-existent chairs in front of us. When the 50-minute show began, the chairs were occupied by four actors who weren’t actually there. The four told a story of the arc of life in what I would call a tone poem. And one of those computer-generated actors just happened to be arguably the world’s greatest actor, Sir Ian McKellan. Having that superstar talk directly to us, look us in the eye, was a transformative experience. These new computer enhanced approaches to theatre need to be experienced, since it is very difficult to describe the experience in words. Unfortunately, this show is closing, but they are building a new arena space to house “ABBA Voyage,” a stunning recreation of an ABBA concert at the height of the group’s popularity. Brenda and I caught this in London and cannot wait to see it again when the New York venue opens.

After that show it was a quick subway ride up to Lincoln Center to catch the spectacular revival of one of my favorite musicals, “Ragtime.” The Vivian Beaumont Theatre at the Center is an ideal place to stage this amazing musical. The Beaumont is the only Broadway house with a thrust stage (essentially a platform with the audience wrapping around the performance). I had selected first-row seats off to the side of the thrust, which proved to be a perfect spot to watch this near-perfect show. Led by Joshua Henry in the pivotal role of Coalhouse Walker, we were treated to a tuneful, exuberant and unforgettable production.

I’m sure you’ve heard the term “show stopper,” meaning a moment in a play that is so spectacular, so perfect in the moment that the audience can’t contain their enthusiasm and stops the show with shouting, applause, and a standing ovation. Now many of us are used to a standing ovation during the curtain call for even a mediocre show. But that wasn’t the case here. By my count there were at least 5 show-stoppers in this production, including anytime Coalhouse had a solo or a duet. I’ve really only seen one show before where that happened during the act. This marked my 53rd year of attendance at Broadway shows, and I have absolutely never seen anything like this. It was a night to remember.

01/18/2026

I saw my first play of the New Year today and it was a real winner—the relatively unknown musical, Stephen Schwartz’ “The Prince of Egypt,” which tells the Book of Exodus up to that Red Sea trick.
It is a production filled with “Wow” moments.

John P Woodey’s lighting is the first thing you notice. There are silhouettes, a sea of special projections on the cyclorama, and tons of special effects moments.

The set by Paul Swanson is not to be outdone. We see a fairly pyramid-shaped raked stage where most of the action takes place, while leaving plenty of stage space for movement both above and below the tilted stage.

What about the costumes? They are about as detailed for the principals as you will ever see in a community theatre production. Very impressive work by Beth Killion and Chelsea Retalic.

Now all that technical stuff is impressive in the extreme, but what about the acting? And since this is a musical, how about the singing? Just let me say that this clearly-focused and devoted cast deliver with an almost operatic sound that you will almost never hear on a community theatre stage. The male principals are all very impressive. Led by the always excellent Neifert Enrique, the men hit homerun after homerun in the big arias that make up most of the score. The vocal “duels” between Enrique and Ezra DeVane blow the doors off the theatre.

The women are given much less in the aria department, but when composer Schwartz gives them a chance to belt them out, they do so with equal flair to that of the men. The heart-breaking “Heartless” is handled magnificently by Octavia Nicole.

Folks, this is not a typical musical by any stretch. While there is some slight humor, the show is mostly serious, bordering on tragedy. This is an epic story told in a big, over-the-top way. It is filled with creative choreography by the large chorus. While the use of dancers to play such things as the burning bush confused me a little, the dancers were fully committed to those numbers. Good work on difficult choreography.

One of my big gripes lately in Charlotte-area theatre has been the quality of the direction. There are far too many shows that have fallen flat because of poor direction. The shows have either had no vision/conception by the directors or even worse, simply bad concepts that ruined their shows for me.

Well, let me tell you: this show’s director/choreographer Tod A. Kubo has enough creativity and vision for about five musicals. Congratulations, Tod for masterful work on this one.

I cannot end without mentioning the rousing finale. (Spoiler alert for those of you who don’t know the Bible or haven't seen “The Ten Commandments.”) The parting of the Red Sea is pretty darn impressive, but it is nothing compared to the coming together of the sea—done with set, lighting, sound, and a huge piece of cloth doubling as the roiling sea.

Simply put: go see this one.

Watch the Trailer NOW! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMV7zRSjQ1E

Get your tickets for the REGIONAL PREMIERE of The Prince of Egypt!
From the composer of Wicked comes the epic story of The Prince of Egypt!
See this spectacular production for yourself, January 16-February 1, 2026!

Journey through the wonders of Ancient Egypt as Ramses and Moses, two young men raised together as brothers in a kingdom of privilege, find themselves suddenly divided by a secret past. One must rule as Pharaoh, the other must rise up and free his true people; both face a destiny that will change history forever.​
​
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Philip LaZebnik

Directed & Choreographed by Tod A. Kubo
Musical Direction by John Nipe

Tickets on sale now at https://www.matthewsplayhouse.com/2025-2026-mainstage-season/2025-2026-the-prince-of-egypt

10/25/2025

I broke my typical rule not to drive at night just so I could see the premiere performance of Theatre Charlotte’s production of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express,” as adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig. Now folks, this play is very much in my comfort zone—I read more mysteries than any other form of fiction, my dissertation is on—wait for it—formulaic plotting in mystery plays—and was published in an eight-part series in the Edgar-Award-winning mystery journal, “The Armchair Detective.” I only say this to let you know that I love and respect the genre and am not easily pleased with stage and film adaptations.

First, let me start with Mr. Ludwig’s take on this familiar work. I am not a fan of his writing at all so I was very pleasantly surprised at how faithful an adaptation it was. (Interestingly, Dame Christie—an accomplished playwright herself—never put Poirot on the stage. The one Poirot novel she adapted for the stage had a slight oddity—she left Poirot out entirely.) So congratulations to Ludwig for giving us a strong script and one not marred by his typical over the top “humor.”

But how is this production of a strong adaptation? I am happy to report it is firing on all cylinders. Under the adept and creative hands of director Jill Bloede, it is a delight from the stunning opening with Poirot emerging in shadow out of the fog in a blazing light that sure looks like an oncoming train to the clever staging of the solution and Poirot’s breaking the fourth wall and taking us in the audience into his thinking. Bloede also puts the minor characters in the lobby during intermission to interact with the patrons. Shades of the old CAST days for those who’ve been around long enough to remember it. Jill shows a deft and even subtle hand in approaching this formulaic material. Instead of going over the top and lampooning the genre, she embraces it lovingly. Bravos all around.

How about the cast? Strong in every way. We see such familiar Charlotte actors as the inimitable Dennis Delamar, Paula Baldwin, and Timoth Hager as well as a stage full of other supporting players all hitting the right notes. And all navigating the multitude of accents the play calls for with its cast of people from across Europe and America. Luckily, Jill Bloede, the area’s finest dialect coach, is on hand. Another bravo to the cast for their spot-on accents.

And then there’s Poirot. He is the show. Assigned to this daunting role is Brandon Samples who gives us the most authentic French—oops, Belgian—accent this side of Paris. Now be warned—he in no way tries to be Christie’s Poirot—the short, fat balding eccentric old man with his gigantic moustaches. He is a tall, slender dashing leading man who commands the stage throughout. Did it bother me that he did not follow in the footsteps of the many film and television Poirots? That is a list that includes David Suchet, Kenneth Branagh, Alfred Molina, Peter Ustinov, John Malcovich, and Tony Randall (!). No, it didn’t bother me at all. He made the character his own and I was with him all the way. Another big bravo for him.

Finally, I must comment on the design. Costumes by Sophie Carlick are gorgeous and amazingly period for a community theatre production. And then we get to Chris Timmons’ set and lighting design. Let me start by saying I have been an admirer of Chris’ talents in this area for a long time. But I think with this brilliant art deco set he outdoes himself. It is easily the best set I have seen at Theatre Charlotte for the 50 years I have been attending shows there. We start with the light picking our hero out of the fog, move to an elegant hotel lobby, then to the train platform with a stunning projection of the train, and finally onto the train itself—cars come rolling on and off stage. And these aren’t flimsy cutouts but fully realized three dimensional representations of that elegant train in its heyday in the 1930’s. We even see the countryside and snow outside the windows beautifully animated throughout the show. Chris quite simply hits a home run—no, a grand slam with this one. (I had to use the baseball imagery with this one, since I gave up the first game of the World Series to catch opening night of this show.)

Word has it that the show is almost sold out for its entire run. Stop reading this and get online and try to grab a ticket.

This production is proof positive that Artistic Director Chris Timmons (yeah, that same guy) and Managing Director Lisa Blanton have something special going on at this 98-year-old institution on Queens Road. Thanks for bringing such delightful work to our community—and at very reasonable prices, too. You won't find better community theatre anywhere in the country.

𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗴𝘀, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁! 🧳 Agatha Christie's 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 is packed with secrets, suspects and suspense and it all begins tonight! Only a handful of seats remain for the rest of the run — grab yours before they're gone! 🎟 theatrecharlotte.org/orient-express

08/15/2025

Thursday night Brenda and I got to attend the final dress rehearsal of Three Bone Theatre’s final play of a very strong season, Luis Alfaro’s retelling of the Greek myth of Electra, which he not so subtly calls, “Electricidad.”

It is a very interesting script (including a three-woman chorus that delights throughout) that sometimes uneasily walks a difficult line between tragedy and outright comedy. In this production the preview audience’s reaction was almost always laughter, which made the turn at the end very difficult indeed. (If you know the story, which has been told by all three of the extant Greek tragedians—Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides—as well as by such disparate more recent playwrights as Richard Strauss, Eugene O’Neill and Jean Paul Sartre—you know where this is headed.) The actors are fully committed to the challenging ending.
Frankly, I have not been as appreciative of this version than I am of O’Neill’s epic, “Mourning Becomes Electra,” but Alfaro still gives a unique take on the myth and does it in a hell of a lot less time than did O’Neill.

The other treat of the night was the announcement of next year’s season for Three Bone. It is probably the strongest I have seen from them in their fourteen-year history. It is anchored by a recent Tony winner and a recent Pulitzer winner as well. Seasons tickets are officially on sale as of August 15. I suggest you get yours early, since tickets are often hard to come by as more and more people look to Three Bone for challenging theatre that engages your mind while entertaining you.

Hi Gorgeous People! We are SOLD OUT for opening night of "Electricidad" Produced by Three Bone Theatre.

Don't wait to get your tickets to this fierce and brilliant show. They're going fast. Check out this badass sneak peek!

www.threebonetheatre.com/season13/electricidad

Photo Credit - Jennifer O'Kelly
Projection Design, Scenic Design, Scenic Artist - Jennifer O'Kelly
Costumes - Jackie Obando Carter
Lighting - Madison King

06/13/2025

New York has “Forbidden Broadway.” Chicago has “Second City.” Washington has “Capital Steps.” But we’ve got Charlotte Squawks. I’ve seen them all and quite frankly—ours is the best. This year’s 20th incarnation hits on all cylinders—cast, singing, dance, and the physical side—set, costumes, and lighting. And that large orchestra deservedly in view throughout the show is phenomenal.

The show itself is a beauty to behold. It is a whirling three-ring circus of local satire, song, and dance. There are fake news—real fake news—and video bits that bring down the house. But the biggest treats are the large production numbers using all or most of the eleven-member cast and choreographed by the enormously talented Linda Booth. From the rousing opening number “Hey, Y’all”—a southern “Willkommen” led skillfully by Squawks frontman and ringleader Mike Collins—to parodies of bits from such familiar Broadway standards as “Les Miz” and “Hamilton,” this show delivers.

How would I describe it? Funny, tuneful, profane (definitely leave the kids and your puritanism at home), and an utter delight from beginning to end.

All the familiar faces are here such as Patrick Ratchford, Susan Roberts, Bobby Tyson, and Johanna Jowett, but the rest of the cast—Alex Aguilar, Griffin Digsby, Kalya Simone Ferguson, Jeff Stetson, and Lucia Victoria—are just as talented and just as adept at segueing from clownish buffoonery to good old fashioned vaudeville hoofing. And Olivia Edge brings down the house with her incredible aria “I’m Not Joining’” a parody from “Dreamgirls.”

And I have to mention the genius behind it all—Brian Kahn. There is not a better song parodist in the business. Take that “Forever Broadway” and SNL.

The show runs at the Booth Playhouse until June 28. It is playing nightly to packed houses. Stop reading this and get your tickets, if you can find any.

This show makes for another homerun in the string of locally produced theatre I have been thrilled by in recent weeks. Be careful, Charlotte. You might even become a real theatre town one of these days.

06/13/2025

New York has “Forbidden Broadway.” Chicago has “Second City.” Washington has “Capital Steps.” But we’ve got Charlotte Squawks. I’ve seen them all and quite frankly—ours is the best. This year’s 20th incarnation hits on all cylinders—cast, singing, dance, and the physical side—set, costumes, and lighting. And that large orchestra deservedly in view throughout the show is phenomenal.
The show itself is a beauty to behold. It is a whirling three-ring circus of local satire, song, and dance. There are fake news—real fake news—and video bits that bring down the house. But the biggest treats are the large production numbers using all or most of the eleven-member cast and choreographed by the enormously talented Linda Booth. From the rousing opening number “Hey, Y’all”—a southern “Willkommen” led skillfully by Squawks frontman and ringleader Mike Collins—to parodies of bits from such familiar Broadway standards as “Les Miz” and “Hamilton,” this show delivers.
How would I describe it? Funny, tuneful, profane (definitely leave the kids and your puritanism at home), and an utter delight from beginning to end.
All the familiar faces are here such as Patrick Ratchford, Susan Roberts, Bobby Tyson, and Johanna Jowett, but the rest of the cast—Alex Aguilar, Griffin Digsby, Kalya Simone Ferguson, Jeff Stetson, and Lucia Victoria—are just as talented and just as adept at segueing from clownish buffoonery to good old fashioned vaudeville hoofing. And Olivia Edge brings down the house with her incredible aria “I’m Not Joining’” a parody from “Dreamgirls.”
And I have to mention the genius behind it all—Brian Kahn. There is not a better song parodist in the business. Take that “Forever Broadway” and SNL.
The show runs at the Booth Playhouse until June 28. It is playing nightly to packed houses. Stop reading this and get your tickets, if you can find any.
This show makes for another homerun in the string of locally produced theatre I have been thrilled by in recent weeks. Be careful, Charlotte. You might even become a real theatre town one of these days.

06/06/2025

Here's my review of a little delight in Fort Mill, SC. From the Fort Mill Sun.

(Review contributed by Charles LaBorde) To borrow a lyric from an older Broadway musical, “Do you wanna have fun?  Laughs?  Good times?” Then “First Date,” the current musical offering in […]

05/26/2025

Brenda and I caught the national tour of "Les Miserables" at the Belk yesterday. Although I've seen this show literally dozens of times (Broadway, Toronto, Charlotte, even directing it at NWSA 18 years ago), I found it as enthralling as ever. The voices were as strong as I've ever heard for this show. And the low-light, chiaroscuro lighting/set design worked very impressively for me. During the barricade scenes I felt I was seeing a classic painting such as "Raft of the Medusa" by Gericault or "Liberty Leading the People" by Delacroix come to life.
Simply amazing.

Next up at Blumenthal Arts will be "Shucked," a definite change of pace.

05/05/2025

Caught the Old Courthouse Theatre (you know, the wonderful theatre company in Concord that is housed in an old--wait for it--church) production of what has become a minor classic "Cabaret."
This is the third production of the musical I have seen in the past year. The first was the London "experiential" production that envelops the audience in the world of the play--the same staging that is now replicated on Broadway. Second was the train-wreck of a very misguided production at Flat Rock Playhouse in the Hendersonville area. That version contained a design motif of using mannequins to represent patrons, party-goers, etc. Like I say--if you have a really bad idea, make sure you ram it down the audience's throat as often as possible. (This would be the equivalent of having a big dance number in a show and placing me in the FRONT row.)

After that long digression, let me address the current OCT production. It is a very well-produced and enjoyable production. Heather Wilson-Bowlby is to be applauded for her direction and keeping this ship on course. Her use of interactions with the audience were limited but effective; however, her decision not to have a curtain call did strike me as pretentious.

The cast mixes some real veterans like Tommy Foster and Paula Baldwin with younger and very talented fellow cast members.

Tommy does his professional job, as usual, albeit in a role very much against his typical types. He starts out a clueless Emcee just whistling past the graveyard that was the rise of Na**sm. Then in act two he becomes much darker, leading gradually (spoiler alert) to his demise. It is an interesting choice that didn't work well for me. His oozing "charm" from Act One is just right. I wish he had remained clueless until the very end. But bravo Tommy in going outside your comfort zone for this one. (I did wonder why he wore a ridiculous Snidely Whiplash moustache in the first act, which is mercifully gone in act two. And were I costuming this, I would cover that arm with the massive and very distracting, not to mention anachronistic sleeve tattoo.)

Then there's my muse, Paula Baldwin, in a role she was born to play once she achieved senior status. She is strong vocally and brings the depth of emotion to this role in a musical that she brings to all her work in straight plays. (Having seen her and worked with her so many times, I am always amused when people in the lobby comment that they didn't know she could sing.)

Her scene partner, Kris Loretz, in the role of Herr Schultz, plays opposite her beautifully.

Lindsey Litka-Montez playing Sally Bowles does a very effective job throughout. Her English accent is consistent and authentic, she is very believable in her "book" (non-singing) scenes, and she grabs the audience with her singing, most notably in her angry rendition of the title song.

Myles Arnold does good work in the utterly thankless role of the clueless American, Cliff Bradshaw.

Besides these major roles there is a very creditable contingent of singers, dancers, and actors. The Kit Kat Girls (now consigned only to being dancers with their original stage-band function only a very distant memory) are delightfully naughty and sleazy. What really elevates them are the brilliantly decadent costumes and the amazing choreography by Rachel Peterson.

The set design works well for the transitions and I loved that spiral staircase.

Go see it. Leave your troubles outside. You'll have a good time and there's not a mannequin in sight.