McCarter Theatre Center — Attraction in Princeton

I would have given 1 star, but the theater itself is very nice and well run. Unfortunately, the version of A Christmas Carol I saw on December 18th, 2022 at 5:30PM was an absolute disaster. If you're looking to treat your family to the Charles Dickens classic we all know and love, this ain't it. This particular adaptation was the perfect example of what someone with an agenda (In this case Lauren Keating) can do when they're given a little bit of power and a platform. Since when is Mrs. Cratchit a hispanic woman who immigrated to London in the 1800's? Mis Carinos? (Translates to "My Loves" for anyone unfamiliar). Are you kidding me? Note that I'm Puerto Rican, and both my parents are from the Island. So if I got annoyed with it, I can imagine everyone else. I can go on and on about how miscast this adaptation was. The female Scrooge (while a good actress overall), just did not fit. And since when are scholarships given out by Scrooge at the end of the story? And to veterinary school no less. Pretty freaking specific no? Btw- Which version of this story diagnoses him with rickets? Really?!?!?! Lastly, what the heck was up with the disco close out at the end of the show? I love Stevie Wonder. This wasn't the time to take me back to the Soul Train line I used to watch on channel 11 in the mid-80's while I was growing up in Brooklyn. The end was a disaster. Nobody knew what the heck to do when the cast started dancing. "Do we sit"? Do we clap?" "Do we dance along?", "Do we run?". It was so odd and confusing. They replaced the usual reflection about community outreach with a ridiculous dance set. Ultimately my wife cried on the way home because a 20 year tradition was trampled on. If you want to watch a weird play about a crotchety old woman who hates Christmas and then changes from her nightgown into a man's suit at the end to profess her love for the holiday, then this is the play for you. If you're expecting to see the Charles Dickens classic, please...

Primary Trust

There’s a quiet power in simplicity on stage. Understated storytelling doesn’t shout for your attention, but before you know it, you’re drawn in hooked by the small moments and gentle rhythms that somehow leave the deepest mark. Characters who seem naive or unassuming at first glance often end up the most compelling, especially as they’re nudged by new experiences or stay rooted in what feels safe. That slow, believable evolution is what makes live theater linger long after the curtain falls. That’s exactly what happens in “Primary Trust,” the Pulitzer-winning play now running at Princeton’s McCarter Theatre. The plot centers on a gentle, habit-bound man, played with quiet intensity and unguarded heart by Deshawn Harold Mitchell whose world starts to shift, bit by bit, as life pushes him to open up. Playwright Eboni Booth keeps his journey grounded, layering in fresh challenges and flashes of clarity that let his universe expand just enough to feel real, never forced. The supporting cast is equally impressive. Lilian Oben moves effortlessly between roles, making each character pop with their own energy and soul. Peter Bisgaier brings a lightness that cuts through the tension at just the right moments. And Shane Taylor, as Kenneth’s steadfast imaginary friend, is the anchor he clings to for over two decades until, finally, he steps aside and lets Kenneth find his own way. What sticks with me most is how the production wrestles with memory, loss, and the marks our past leaves on us. There’s an honesty in the way it shows how reaching out even after years of loneliness can rewrite the story we think we’re stuck with. McCarter Theatre has a knack for these kinds of shows: the ones you keep turning over in your mind long after the applause fades. Hats off to the entire cast and crew for a performance that turned an ordinary night into something quietly...

My 14 year old and I saw “The Wolves” at McCarter Theater this weekend. There wasn’t an ounce of humor in this play, as advertised. Had there been an intermission, we both agreed we would have chosen to leave. The foul language did not bother me, nor did the topics of conversation had by the actors. In my humble opinion, the play itself is not worth seeing. Young women are portrayed in a very negative light in this play. They are not good friends to each other. They do not keep each others’ secrets, they curse at each other, do not support each other in times of need, and even make fun of each other for not engaging in sexual acts they weren’t ready for. They were crass, immature, and ignorant. While they sometimes alluded to being sensitive to worldwide political/social issues, they were incredibly insensitive to each other and the cultural/social issues that presented within the team. I did not see any of these young women as “strong” women. Their conversations do not ring true to real life. My friends and I never spoke like that. My child’s female peers do not speak like this. The play was full of cliches and it seemed to me they just wanted to elicit a reaction. The audience had no reaction, because no one developed a connection with any of the characters. I didn’t find any of the characters likable. At the end, no one in the audience stood, there was only polite applause, and you could hear a pin drop as everyone filed out of the theater. Instead of “The Wolves: Fierce, Fearless, Female“, it should be “The Wolves: silly, immature,...