The premise is simple enough. A group of five women are getting together to celebrate a bride-to-be. Their activity of choice is a paint night, where they'll all be guided through the created replication of a particular painting. Along the way, they’ll drink, gossip, and expel their deepest, darkest secrets. This isn't to imply that things here aren’t funny – they frequently are. It’s just that Paint Night's comedy feels more like light seasoning in a rather heavy stew. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

It’s February, so love must be in the air – or at least affection. The Playcrafters Barn Theatre's first production of 2024, director Jake Ladd's Harvey, is a hoot, and a hearty helping of classic comedy.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a Christmas-Music-After-Thanksgiving-and-Not-Halloween kind of person.. This isn't to say I’m a Grinch or a Scrooge; it's more that I find the charm of the holidays best enjoyed in smaller doses. Thankfully, the Timber Lake Playhouse’s most recent production Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, directed by Tim Seib, offers a rousing alternative to typical Christmas fare.

I knew next to nothing about [title of show] before attending Friday’s opening-night performance at St. Ambrose University. I was aware of it in the sense that I knew it was a musical, and I’ve had people tell me I would love it, given that I do so (too?) much theatre. Yet after finally seeing the show for myself, I’d say I left the theatre more entertained than enamored.