“The Capital District can embrace Sage’s Theatre Institute as yet another contender for great theatre.”

Richard DiMaggio, didyouweekend.com

War of the Worlds

“… entertaining…” “…magical…”

Michael Eck, Times Union

“This dramatization gives a new insight as to how the media can affect us as listeners and viewers."

  

"Kudos to everyone involved. This was a journey well worth taking.”

Dave Bower and Monica Sirignano, The Free George Online Magazine

 

 

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Best of 2012, Bob Goepfert, Troy Record    

Best of 2012, Michael Eck, Times Union 

“Wow!"

”… the best Woolf I have seen (which is saying something, considering it’s my favorite play)”

Michael Eck, Times Union 

“… amazing performances…”

“… if you care about powerful theatre this is a production that should not be missed.”

Bob Goepfert, The Troy Record 

”… nothing short of brilliant…” “…titanic talents…”

”… simply brilliant, exceptional performance…”

Richard DiMaggio, didyouweekend.com 

“… a breathtaking emotional ride…”

Gail Burns and Larry Murray, BerkshireOnStage.com 

“The intensity that director David Baecker has brought to the venerable work actually took my breath away at times, and his superb cast ran the equivalent of a theatrical marathon.”

“This play was fantastic. Not good. Fantastic. I will even go on the record and state it was one of the top three dramas in the northeast for 2012…” 

 

Willy Wonka: The Musical

“Martiniano makes (Willy Wonka) nicely smarmy and even a little tangy…. His opening jaunt through The Candy Man is delicious…”

Michael Eck, Times Union 

“… a holiday treat…”

“Jack Rento (as Charlie Bucket)… plays the boy earnestly, and the audience immediately pulls for him.”

“… delightful to watch…”

“Michael Musial has assembled a cast with the right energy.” 

 

Lord of the Flies

“Flies is still a disturbing work that’s well worth seeing and thinking about.”

Michael Eck, Times Union 

 

“Nick Martiniano gets Piggy’s whine, but underpins it with a desire for order born from the chaos of his own life.”

“Kevin Mitchell commits fully to Jack’s power-mad jaunts across the jungle and the sand. He’s a spry captain Kurtz in waiting, and his return to reality, in the last moment of the show, is thrilling.” 

“… cast cuts (to) the core of these boys well.”

"...the director keeps everything in its place, right down to the hectic stage combat and Kyrie Ellison’s haunting choreography." 

 

Trojan Women

Michael Eck, Times Union

“… certainly impressive sonically and visually, and the young cast adapts well to director Leigh Strimbeck’s heavily stylized acting style."

 

“… the actors… all do excellent work.”

 

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Michael Eck, Times Union

"Michael Musial’s production of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” is a wonderful bit of silliness waiting to be enjoyed by theater fans of every stripe."

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Despite all the tomfoolery, there are some very good songs here."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Musial’s student cast is excellent." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 "... the engine of the play is Robert Dalton, who narrates the action as well as participating in it."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Leigh Strimbeck is (the) show’s other pro, in more ways than one. She plays an opium den mother, who sells a little flesh on the side. And she’s funny as all get out doing it."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"“Drood” will not make you think. It will not prompt heady discussions on the drive home. And it will not send you to the library to brush up on Dickens. In other words, it’s perfect."