Cats (Plato/Macavity) Gateway Playhouse
Tony Howell as Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat, Jeff Smith as Macavity: The Mystery Cat and the nimble Evan Autio as Mistoffelees shake up our expectations with a rollicking trio of crowd-pleasers choreographed by director Brent.
Steve Parks - Newsday
Odyssey: The Epic Musical (Perimedes) American Theatre of Actors Chernuchin Theater - The Araca Group
Jeff M. Smith also stood out as "Perimedes" and "Others." While his looks caught my eye, Jeff did show he has the talent to back it up and get noticed.
Adam Rothenberg - callmeadam.com
The Fantasticks (Matt) Lubbock Community Theatre
Gifted vocalists also remind us that "The Fantasticks" remains as comfortable as a favorite weekend shirt. Anna Rodriguez's vocals are gorgeous. She receives appealing support from Jeff Smith. The cast may get to share "Try to Remember," but it is Rodriguez's Luisa and Smith's Matt who earn sighs by singing "They Were You" and "Soon It's Gonna Rain."
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
The Nutcracker (Doll/Arabian) Ballet Lubbock
Drosselmeyer’s wind-up dolls, danced by Jeff Smith and Annie Martin, are a true delight....Faith Gregg and Smith expressed personal poetry with a combination of strength and limber body control during the Arabian divertissement.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
The Full Monty (Jerry Lukowski) Texas Tech University
Nudity is not enough to make sellout audiences cheer - well, not at a legitimate theater anyway - much less inspire patrons to leap to their feet and deliver a lengthy and loud standing ovation. That demands excellence. Everything works on stage, voices are of varied strengths, but the stars do glitter. Three stars - Joe Rodriguez, Jeff M. Smith and Katy Baker co-starred in last summer's Moonlight Musical production of "Singin' in the Rain." They shine just as brightly again here.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
Pirates of Penzance (Frederick) Lubbock Moonlight Musicals
To the credit of director Bill Gelber, the present production also is assured cheers and ovations, as stars Arielle Murphy and Jeff Smith deliver tantalizing vocals throughout as calendar-crossed, would-be lovers Mabel and Frederic. Gelber's stars are double threats: capable actors who sing, and trained vocalists with natural stage charm. Smith and Murphy are especially impressive in the "Stay, Frederic, Stay!" number that finds Mabel desperately trying to hold Frederic away from his past.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
Bus Stop (Bo Decker) Lubbock Community Theatre
It takes a fun performance by Jeff Smith to make audiences believe in Bo as written. Connie Watson delivers a strong performance. She resists being mauled by Bo, yet makes it clear that she has been treated worse. Smith is all energy and testosterone, until character surprises are revealed.Thanks to Brown and his cast, every character is painted in believable fashion.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
Guys and Dolls (Benny Southstreet) Lubbock Moonlight Musicals
Add veterans Ian Klotzman and Jeff Smith, just right as Nicely-Nicely and Benny Southstreet, and the humor is complete - with song, dance and laughs.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Ephraim) Lubbock Moonlight Musicals
Simple sequences excel; the song-and-dance number in which Milly tells six younger brothers about "Goin' Co'tin" is performed to perfection. Dolter also has cast well. Adam Bielamowicz, Topher Payne, Michael Harrison, Jeff M. Smith, Heath Farr and Austin Burns provide laughs at every opportunity.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
Tony Howell as Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat, Jeff Smith as Macavity: The Mystery Cat and the nimble Evan Autio as Mistoffelees shake up our expectations with a rollicking trio of crowd-pleasers choreographed by director Brent.
Steve Parks - Newsday
Odyssey: The Epic Musical (Perimedes) American Theatre of Actors Chernuchin Theater - The Araca Group
Jeff M. Smith also stood out as "Perimedes" and "Others." While his looks caught my eye, Jeff did show he has the talent to back it up and get noticed.
Adam Rothenberg - callmeadam.com
The Fantasticks (Matt) Lubbock Community Theatre
Gifted vocalists also remind us that "The Fantasticks" remains as comfortable as a favorite weekend shirt. Anna Rodriguez's vocals are gorgeous. She receives appealing support from Jeff Smith. The cast may get to share "Try to Remember," but it is Rodriguez's Luisa and Smith's Matt who earn sighs by singing "They Were You" and "Soon It's Gonna Rain."
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
The Nutcracker (Doll/Arabian) Ballet Lubbock
Drosselmeyer’s wind-up dolls, danced by Jeff Smith and Annie Martin, are a true delight....Faith Gregg and Smith expressed personal poetry with a combination of strength and limber body control during the Arabian divertissement.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
The Full Monty (Jerry Lukowski) Texas Tech University
Nudity is not enough to make sellout audiences cheer - well, not at a legitimate theater anyway - much less inspire patrons to leap to their feet and deliver a lengthy and loud standing ovation. That demands excellence. Everything works on stage, voices are of varied strengths, but the stars do glitter. Three stars - Joe Rodriguez, Jeff M. Smith and Katy Baker co-starred in last summer's Moonlight Musical production of "Singin' in the Rain." They shine just as brightly again here.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
Pirates of Penzance (Frederick) Lubbock Moonlight Musicals
To the credit of director Bill Gelber, the present production also is assured cheers and ovations, as stars Arielle Murphy and Jeff Smith deliver tantalizing vocals throughout as calendar-crossed, would-be lovers Mabel and Frederic. Gelber's stars are double threats: capable actors who sing, and trained vocalists with natural stage charm. Smith and Murphy are especially impressive in the "Stay, Frederic, Stay!" number that finds Mabel desperately trying to hold Frederic away from his past.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
Bus Stop (Bo Decker) Lubbock Community Theatre
It takes a fun performance by Jeff Smith to make audiences believe in Bo as written. Connie Watson delivers a strong performance. She resists being mauled by Bo, yet makes it clear that she has been treated worse. Smith is all energy and testosterone, until character surprises are revealed.Thanks to Brown and his cast, every character is painted in believable fashion.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
Guys and Dolls (Benny Southstreet) Lubbock Moonlight Musicals
Add veterans Ian Klotzman and Jeff Smith, just right as Nicely-Nicely and Benny Southstreet, and the humor is complete - with song, dance and laughs.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Ephraim) Lubbock Moonlight Musicals
Simple sequences excel; the song-and-dance number in which Milly tells six younger brothers about "Goin' Co'tin" is performed to perfection. Dolter also has cast well. Adam Bielamowicz, Topher Payne, Michael Harrison, Jeff M. Smith, Heath Farr and Austin Burns provide laughs at every opportunity.
William Kerns | A-J ENTERTAINMENT
