Reviews
Cabaret
“Bertone, whose production of “In the Heights’’ at Wheelock Family Theatre was one of the high points of last year, frames the familiar material of Cabaret in ways that emphasize the escalating atmosphere of dread.”
Don Aucoin, The Boston Globe
“It is without an ounce of hyperbole that I say that this searing revival of Cabaret, directed and choreographed by the extraordinary Rachel Bertone, is the best theatrical production so far this year. What’s more, it’s the best Boston-born revival of a musical in recent memory. There is hardly a scrap of this production that feels routine, which is part of the reason that it feels so fresh. When Cabaret is done right, the show hits you like an unexpected punch to the gut….I can count on one hand the number of times that I have been rendered speechless by a musical. This is one of those times. If all the world’s a stage, may we all be so lucky so as to see it through Rachel Bertone’s eyes.”
Christopher Ehlers, DigBoston
“Rachel Bertone and Moonbox created an uber sexy but exceptionally dark and disturbing version of the classic that only served to reinforce the ‘it couldn’t happen here’ dread of the present zeitgeist.”
Mike Hoban, Theater Mirror
“Along comes the hottest, the brightest, the high-intensity-xenon-light of an 18-wheeler barreling toward your windshield in an undivided highway, Cabaret…especially with wunderkind director/choreographer Rachel Bertone once again calling the shots. Every aspect of Bertone’s vision in on target.”
Nancy Grossman, BroadwayWorld
“This production is stunningly perfect! It is as good as, or even better than, what has graced the stages of Broadway. Director and choreographer Rachel Bertone has artfully taken this classic musical and sculpted every actor, song, and dance into a theatrical masterpiece.”
Susan Mulford, Boston Events and Beyond
“Given the times we live in, this one was right on the money. Rachel Bertone’s direction and an excellent cast…made this so much more than a musical. And the curtain call? I have chills just thinking about it.”
Michele Markarian, Theater Mirror
Gypsy
“Friends, let me proclaim, without hyperbole, that the Lyric Stage Company has hit the trifecta with their season opening iconic musical Gypsy, a virtual must see production, thanks to Rachel Bertone's direction and choreography. Bertone adds another feather to the burgeoning plumage of her colorful cap (The Wild Party, Barnum, Carousel). The Lyric Stage Company production of Gypsy evokes its past while giving it purchase in the present. This is one that will be remembered well into the future.
Nancy Grossman, BroadwayWorld
“Rachel Bertone has proven herself, with a string of credits at a young age, one of the leading double-threats—director and choreographer—and this Gypsy steps lively and moves along seamlessly, belying its two-hour, 45 minute length.”
Rich Fahey, On Boston Stages
“What is also a joy to watch is the work of director-choreographer Rachel Bertone, who directs this production with style and insight. In the first act, her choreography of the vaudeville numbers is campy fun and in the second when Louise emerges as Gypsy Rose Lee, her strip has just right prurient edge; but what makes her staging so distinctive is how smoothly she integrates movement throughout. From the addition of dance to the overture to cleverly-staged scene changes, Bertone never lets her production lag. And she also keenly understands the interpersonal dynamics, which makes the final scenes so dramatic.”
Robert Nesti, Edge Media Network
Little Shop of Horrors
“You feel a renewed pang at what was lost, as well as a firm sense of the creative synergy that drove their partnership (Howard Ashman and Alan Menken), while watching Rachel Bertone’s exhilarating production. You needn’t feel any need to rush down to New York, not when Bertone has brought Little Shop of Horrors to life in all its deranged glory. The director, whose track record when it comes to staging vibrant musicals grows more impressive each season, also draws on the talents of a crackerjack design team.”
Don Aucoin, The Boston Globe
“Rachel Bertone has set the bar high for the Lyric Stage Company with her pitch perfect production of Little Shop of Horrors. Bertone and her design team capture the grit and innocence of the story…while finding ways to punctuate it with flashes of contemporary pizzazz. Bertone and company have found a way to put their singular imprint on the musical.”
Nancy Grossman, BroadwayWorld
Show Boat
“From the opening moment, I knew that we were in good hands under the skillful direction of Rachel Bertone. As a director, she also thinks like a choreographer, and that was apparent in the first tableau—river hands struggling in slow motion to haul in a line along the river dock. That moment reflected both the poetry and beauty of the setting and the arduous life lived by the characters in the play. It wonderfully set the tone for this entire production.”
Al Chase, The White Rhino
“Director/choreographer Rachel Bertone has earned a reputation for production numbers with energy and creativity, often bringing her charges even further than they thought they could go, the mark of a strong leader.”
Rich Fahey, On Boston Stages
Carousel
West Side Story
“Bertone is a natural choice for helming this difficult production of one of the best musicals of the twentieth century. For the past few years, Bertone has built herself a following of devoted and dedicated performers and audience members, admiring her persistence, her support, and her attention to detail, especially considering the effect of movement and space in telling stories. Carousel becomes one of her crowning achievements to date.”
Brian Balduzzi, ArtsImpluse
“West Side Story would be nothing without the talents of a capable choreographer and Bertone more than fits the bill. Her use of the original choreography with her own style and ideas, and her commitment to getting the best from her dancers, is truly magnificent.”
Brian Balduzzi, My Entertainment World
The Musical of Musicals
“Bertone seamlessly blends her dual roles as director and choreographer to make the evening pass in a New York minute…Bertone's choreography challenges the ensemble dancers to show their versatility throughout and they do not disappoint, whether performing ballet, tap, or roller skating.”
Nancy Grossman, BroadwayWorld
“Bertone keeps the pace beyond brisk and her foot on the throttle in the production numbers until the wonderful finale. You’ll be entertained and dazzled by the singing and dancing, the energy and enthusiasm, and the cleverness.”
Rich Fahey, On Boston Stages
Joseph…Dreamcoat
Guys and Dolls
“Bertone directs and choreographs, making story and dancing inseparable. The result? The dancing is so tight and the story so moving that you see Joseph through new eyes.”
Beverly Creasey, Boston Arts Review
“Bertone’s fresh and fiery choreography is the standout key in this staging. The ensembles for “Sit Down…” and “The Crapshooters’ Dance”—both showstoppers—demonstrate Bertone’s inventive approach to blocking and fast-paced movement. She is a choreographer of the first order.”
Jules Becker, Boston Theatre Wings
In the Heights
Kiss of the Spider Woman
“…A full-throttle production at Wheelock Family Theatre, superbly directed and choreographed by Rachel Bertone.”
Don Aucoin, The Boston Globe
“Director-choreographer Rachel Bertone’s stirring production at Lyric Stage Company of Boston makes a pretty good case that the distinctive merits of the musical adaptation should be recognized by contemporary audiences.”
Don Aucoin, The Boston Globe
Barnum
Billy Elliot
“It’s a mystery why Barnum isn’t produced more often. One of the brightest and cleverest musicals of its era...it can be a tremendously engaging circus-themed crowd-pleaser if done right. And I’m happy to report that in its current run, Moonbox Productions and director/choreographer Rachel Bertone do Barnum right, and then some.”
Peter Chianca, Wicked Local
“Director and choreographer Rachel Bertone did serious tailoring to fit this show into such a small theater. But Bertone proves she can modify without sacrificing any of the show’s passion, or impact; this is a wholly, moving production. The pace is perfect, energy up, staging and performances sincere. Bertone is equally skilled at choreography, and again sacrifices none of the show’s edge in the compact setting…It’s impeccably choreographed and powerful for the deft use of space.”
Jeanné McCarton, Seacoastonline.com