Articles by: Jack Shaw

He has directed such plays as HARVEY, LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS, ROMANTIC COMEDY, BLITHE SPIRIT, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, and CREATION OF THE WORLD AND OTHER BUSINESS. His professional musical theater experience includes such roles as Nathan in GUYS AND DOLLS, Perchik in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Mordred in CAMELOT, and Ice in WEST SIDE STORY. He has performed summer stock and acted in various Regional theaters throughout the country. He admits to doing some background work in film, but his broadcasting jobs were meatier. His broadcasting experience includes being on-air radio personality, news director and talk show host. He was also a TV news and public affairs director, and staff commercial announcer. Today he is the founder of Acting and Training Smarts where he offers private coaching and training for public speakers and presenters as well as actors. You may not find him on stage as much, but you may see him in several University classrooms sharing his broad knowledge and experience. Don't be surprised to see him host a Talk Back or present a talk about Acting, Directing or Reviewing. While he may cut back onstage performing, he expresses his love of the art and passion for human communication in everything he does. In addition to writing reviews for STAGE Magazine and posts for Acting Smarts, he serves as the Blog Host and writes on Training and Development, and Communication topics for the Free Management Library. He sees theatre in everything--even writing. His soon-to-be-published science fiction novel, In Makr’s Shadow, is about what happens when people stop talking face-to-face and the devices take over. Jack received BA (cum laude) degrees in both Psychology and English from Missouri Western State University, a dual MA degree in Speech and Dramatic Art, and English, focusing on Performance Criticism, from the University of Missouri in Columbia. He also holds an MA in Social Psychology from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Contact Jack at jshaw2040@yahoo.com.

At times this show was brilliantly stupid and sometimes so funny it was genius. When put to music, the campy musical takes us to still another level. Then, there’s the splash zone to bring us back to reality. Did I say “reality?” I saw Stage Left’s production of EVIL DEAD [...]

It was definitely family community theatre that Moorestown Theater Company is known for that I saw with my family tonight at the William Allen Middle School. CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG was an opportunity “for people of all ages, and especially families, to have fun participating in theatre together,” and a [...]

Mainstage Center for the Arts at Camden Community College kicked off its Summer Stage with a musical explosion of 13 kids coming of age story, 13 THE MUSICAL. It was a powerful and poignant reminiscing of our own experiences–for some of us there were days we want to forget, for [...]

When I had heard The Collaborative Act Studio production of JEWTOPIA was fun, I never imagined I’d have a problem with the runaway laughter. There seemed to be no stopping it–except for short lulls when the actors changed the scene. There were two ladies in front of me who couldn’t [...]

Experiencing The Collaborative Act Studio’s production of MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS may have filled only one evening of laughter and fun at The Ritz Theatre in Oaklyn tonight, but I loved every zany minute of it. If I wasn’t fascinated by the film back story, I was smiling often and tearing up with laughter. [...]

InterAct Theatre Company’s world premier production of IN A DAUGHTER’S EYES at the Adrienne Theatre was intense, timely and more powerful from one minute to the next. Its subject matter continues to haunt us afterwards, too, hitting very close to home–personally close for some people. Excellent in nearly every way, [...]

Lantern Theater Company’s opening night production of Morris Panych’s VIGIL made a definite impression on me. Not normally a fan of dark comedies, I say this one is definitely a must see. One thing about this kind of comedy is that you know that behind all that comic outrage and [...]

The Sunday matinée of Burlington County Footlighters’ CHICAGO was hot, sexy, stylish, smart, and in every way, sensational. It featured great choreography, dynamic musical theatre performers, a talented ensemble, and a phenomenal set–all the makings for a terrific show. The theater said CHICAGO was sold out already and I’m not [...]

It’s not often that comedies contain the degree of intelligence and wit found in David Ives’ ALL IN THE TIMING. I like old romantic or situational comedies as much as the next guy, but this is truly a different theatre experience, and one worth having. With the variety of several [...]

“What would you do if you learned the date of your death, or should I say, if you came to believe that you had that information? Would it change the way you live your life? Would it affect your relationships with those you love? Would it shake your faith? Would it [...]

Once again I find myself at the inaugural production for a new theatre company. This time it’s Center City Theatre Works’ moving preview production of Michael Cristofer’s award-winning play, THE SHADOW BOX. It was a perfect choice for its inaugural production. Everything about this production worked. It did what good [...]

Mainstage Center for the Arts put on YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN as a 3-show benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS at Camden Community College in Blackwood, NJ. CHARLIE BROWN has always been a family crowd pleaser, and it was here, too, on beautiful Spring day. Today was the [...]

It is what you think it is and it’s not. A spoof on the boy band craze of the late ’90s and ’00s. On the last night of their Raise the Praise 2011 Tour this particular Christian boy band tries to save nearly 500 souls in the Broadway Theatre of [...]

South Camden Theatre Company’s production of MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN did justice to one of O’Neill’s most personal and difficult plays to perform. In what is often thought of as a “downer” of a play because of the subject matter, O’Neill gives us some chuckles by blending the real us [...]

Large scale musicals generally make me groan. You have play the stage just right, move people around without bumping into each other, and still have room to dance and otherwise perform. I couldn’t have groaned if I wanted to I was so busy laughing. If you missed THE DROWSY CHAPERONE [...]

A.R. Gurney writes in his introduction that LOVE LETTERS “began as a series of finger exercises as I was teaching myself to use the computer.” That makes it all the more amazing in this day and age when love notes are texted instead of passed to friend that theatre can [...]

I was definitely moved by the Wilmington, Delaware high school’s outstanding production of LES MISERABLES. Let me say at the beginning that I have never seen the play before and my expectations were high. I was pleasantly (no pun intended) surprised not only with some very talented individual performances, but [...]

My first time at the South Camden Theatre Company, Waterfront South Theatre, was practically my duty as an American Irish to witness the decline and fall of an artist.  I came in impressed with the new theater and left impressed with the fine work of Tom Flannery’s and Rodger Jacobs’ GO [...]

I had fun tonight. There were moments I was filled with hysterical and historical laughter—if that’s even possible. I found myself laughing with many other audience members at the jokes and bits from Vaudeville long before my time and at jokes so old they shouldn’t have been funny today. And, [...]

It took a genius like Theodore Seuss Geisel or Dr. Seuss to create the remarkable characters, with the delightful story and truly unique dialogue, but it takes a theatre company to make the fantasy he created come to life on stage. I saw that magic happen tonight with Haddonfield Plays [...]