STEVE DUNKELBERGER: VOODOO FUN >>> 

Lakewood Playhouse is currently staging the Caribbean-themed musical Once Upon This Island. And I don't really know what to say about it. The acting was solid but not overall stellar. The singing was good, with a few mulligans here and there. The set design was simple but effective. All that totaled up and I loved it more than the summary of its components. I was a great show. I found myself swaying to the island beats and diving headlong into the story. By the time the lights flashed back on at the end of the show, I was well into my island trance. If theater is an avenue for escapism, I was well on my way to sitting on the beaches alongside the island workers.

Read more in my View from the Cheap Seats column this Thursday.