Show Reviews
FRIENDS! THE MUSICAL PARODY
"In the case of “Friends! The Musical Parody,” part of the fun is the hectic combination of pointed critique, 10 seasons’ worth of plot, and extratextual jokes about the actors’ salaries and post-“Friends” careers. There’s a whole song dedicated to the near-obligatory observation of the massiveness of Monica and Rachel’s apartment but, also, more spikily, a reference to the blinding whiteness of the cast."
Darryn King, The New York Times
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
"It was another treat to see the adorable WCSU senior Lauren Bell again and she carried off the role of the doddering Mrs. Tottendale; she never broke character and was simply wonderful."
Nancy Sasso Janis, OnStage Blog
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
Lauren Bell shines as Gilda, the lead protagonist, appearing completely in her element in this role.
Sean Fallon, Broadway World
SHERLOCK HOLMES
"Ricky Altamirano directs a spectacular cast of five that includes himself and showcases the strong talents of all five cast members in five well written and wonderfully performed roles. The three game show staff members have excellent stage chemistry with each other, realistically portraying the dynamics between three people working together on a game show. Ricky Altamirano has the game show host mannerism down, while Lauren Bell is excellent at imitating the mannerisms and facial expressions of female co-hosts and models who appear on game shows.
Uniqueness among this game show staff, however, is found in the sense that Vanessa Pearl clearly has vast knowledge and multiple college degrees, yet has her voice constantly squelched by her male co-workers who seem to prefer if she would essentially create the illusion that she has no intelligence to offer, but is merely there to smile and draw male viewers to the show. It certainly makes the audience stop and think about how so many highly educated and deeply intelligent women are stuck in jobs that undermine their personalities and intellectual capacities, and merely focus on their appearance."
Sean Fallon, Broadway World
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
"Lauren Bell shines as Gilda, the lead protagonist, appearing completely in her element in this role."
Sean Fallon, Broadway World
THE SNOW QUEEN
"There are several standouts among the company: …Surprisingly there is humor sprinkled throughout the work as evidenced by Brian Demar Jones’ Crow, with his intellectual veneer, David Perez-Ribada’s reindeer, Bac, whose outsized machismo leads him on to more and more dangerous deeds, Lauren Bell’s Robber Girl, who parades her bloodthirstiness even as she saves Gerda."
Barbara Waldinger, Berkshire On Stage
THE SNOW QUEEN
"Lauren Bell’s Robber Girl is a scene-stealing whirlwind of a character. In less capable hands, Robber Girl might be limited to comic relief – and indeed, Ms. Bell is funny. But even in this flight of imagination and fancy, Bell provides us the most intriguing and subtle character of the play; her Robber Girl makes us laugh, expresses our less noble inner dialogues, and then breaks our heart with the story’s most compelling turn."
Joe Eriole, Hudson Valley Ovation
THE SNOW QUEEN
"...the Robber Girl played by the delightful Lauren Bell who threatens to stop the show with her punk snarl, anarchic spirit and coonskin cap."
Patrick White, Nippertown