Home Page Barlieb · Wallace
PRODUCTIONS, Ltd.
1680 Minesite Road    Allentown, PA 18103      barwalprod@rcn.com
(610) 395-7176      (800) 891-4898      fax (610) 395-8336

Theater and Video Reviews and Comments

Fast-paced "Witness" will keep you guessing
March 2008

The Players keep the courtroomdrama moving with sharply drawn characterizations and fast-paced dialog.
  Dave Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
CKP "Witness" a masterpiece of theater
March 2008

"Witness for the Prosecution" is an absorbing production for fans of courtroom drama and Agatha Christie.
  Paul Willistein
Bethlehem Press et al
Bethlehem, PA
Table set with "Old Lace' at Crowded Kitchen
December 2007

With 'Arsenic and Old Lace," the comedy conservators once again restore an antique to bygone luster, making the old new again as the CKP collective brings another collectible to life.
  Paul Willistein
Bethlehem Press et al
Bethlehem, PA
Drink in the Comfy Delight of 'Arsenic'
December 2007

What could be more Christmas-like than a few genteel murders? ''Arsenic and Old Lace'' is a finely roasted chestnut, with a comfortable stage set, including a Christmas tree, at McCoole's Arts & Events Place in Quakertown.
  Dave Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Call 'Room Service" for tasty vintage farce
October 2007

The Crowded Kitchen Players and director Ara Barlieb seem to have cornered the Lehigh Valley market on this type of vintage farce, and they do not disappoint with their quick repartee and timing.
  Dave Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
With "Noises," the real laughs are in Quakertown
July 2007

As nimbly and briskly directed by Ara Barlieb, the production pulls few punches, and, true to CKP form, adds a few to what is arguably the ultimate backstage comedy.
  Paul Willistein
Bethlehem Press et al
Bethlehem, PA
"Noises Off' a perfectly timed slapstick treat
July 2007

Director Ara Barlieb and The Crowded Kitchen Players do it right in this two-hour show, with measured British accents and perfectly timed slapstick.
  Dave Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Hamming it up works in farcical 'Hamlet'
February 2007

The best part of this production is the interaction, both verbal and with swords, between Barrymore, played to the hilt by David Oswald, in tight black tights and a highly distracting red codpiece, and J.D. Lepeta as Andrew. The transformation of Andrew into a full blown Shakespearean actor is great fun to watch.
  Myra Yellin Outwater
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Physical, bawdy 'Sly Fox' romps at Silkwerks
October 2006

Larry Gelbart's update of Ben Jonson's cynical satire about greed, avarice and lust is the perfect vehicle for the Crowded Kitchen Players' physical comedy and slapstick shenanigans. And director Ara Barlieb has pushed his cast to the limit.
  Myra Yellin Outwater
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Undying charm makes 'Heaven' a winner
May 2006

If you are a fan of old comedy movies, here is your chance to see one come to life. The Crowded Kitchen Players have a special knack for this type of classic, with drawing rooms of the rich, sinister plotting, exasperated detectives and help from a guardian angel.
  David Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
A funny and entertaining evening
May 2006

Director Ara Barlieb has kept this show moving, and deep philosophical questions take a back seat to the laughs. The characterizations are big and so are the physical aspects of the show.
  Bill Thobaben
Hearthstone Town and Country
Montgomery County, PA
Inherit the Wind is still relevant today
January 2006

This version by the Crowded Kitchen Players has inherited very little wind, with its fast pace and strong characterizations. Director Ara Barlieb, who usually produces farces, proves that he and his troupe of players can evolve easily from comedy to drama.
  David Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Inherit the Wind triumphant in Quakertown
January 2006

For their first production in Quakertown, Crowded Kitchen Players are providing an impressive performance that local theater enthusiasts will not want to miss. The entire cast, from the science teacher to the judge, interpret the script with strength, conviction and polish.
  Linda Quinby
Hearthstone Town and Country
Montgomery County, PA
None should miss Agatha Christie's 'None'
October 2005

"And Then There Were None" is vintage Christie and is filled with enough tension and suspense to keep the theater company's growing following of enthusiasts happy. I don't know what is more fun--- watching the plot being set up or being amazed and confounded as the mystery is resolved.
  Myra Yellin Outwater
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Crowded Kitchen Players' 'Needlemeyer' a hoot
May 2005

The Crowded Kitchen Players do their usual fine acting work. Many expertly balance multiple roles. The Resurrection of Seymour P. Needlemeyer might recall the Marx Borthers' Duck Soup' with sharp political satire hidden beneath slapstick and physical humor.
  David Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
So much good theater, so little time to savor it all!
December 2004

I also got my first look at the work of The Crowded Kitchen Players. Their effervescent rendtition of A Thurber Carnival was so much fun that I returned to see their equally well done Christmas production, Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Christmas Goose. This is a group that manages miracles in small spaces, and does it with flair, farce and fun.
  Myra Yellin Outwater
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
'Sherlock and the Christmas Goose' puts a satisfying spin on an original December 2004
Writer/Director Ara Barlieb has adapted three of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous Holmes mysteries to create an original and very satisfying story. Add in a capable and adaptable professional cast and a Christmas theme, and the result is a fast-moving and very entertaining production.
  Myra Yellin Outwater
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
'Slight Case of Murder' makes an enjoyable period piece
October 2004

Runyon's characters make A Slight Case of Murder an enjoyable period piece, particularly when their dialogue is delivered with the crispness and panache of this production. Each of the 18 players captures the spirit of their characters, with many of the actors carrying two or three roles.
  David Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Every act is well worthing catching at 'A Thurber Carnival'
March 2004

As staged in a cocktail-party setting by Ara Barlieb and his accomplished group of players, A Thurber Carnival is an old-fashioned verbal romp with puns, slapstick, one-liners, hilariously improbable events that all collide on stage in well-directed and cleverly staged chaos.
  Myra Yellin Outwater
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Pratfalls and solid acting succeed in entertaining 'Sherlock Holmes' November 2003
The Barlieb Wallace Production of Sherlock Holmes has taken liberties while retaining the familiar characters. The campy melodrama of the original work has been changed to out-and-out farce. The pratfalls and broad vaudeville gags take second place to solid acting and a fast-moving plot.
  David Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Irreverent attitude threads through 'Needlemeyer'
June 2003

Barlieb's old-timey entertainment is a hoot and a holler. By the final scene of Here Lies Seymour P. Needlemeyer, Barlieb's wickedly cynical script has taken on the press, capitalism and the justice system with lines such as, "You may be walking, talking and breathing, but in the infallible eyes of the law, you are deceased," and "Not doing anything and getting paid are nearly synonymous in the legal trade." .
  Tony Sienzant
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Snappy 'Twentieth Century' arrives in Bethlehem
October 2002

As staged by the Crowded Kitchen Players at the Ice House in Bethlehem, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur'sTwentieth Century is a farce that captures the spirit and hilarity of vintage movie comedies, with a few added modern touches that make it even more hilarious.
  Dave Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
'Inspecting Carol' a funny poke at Dickens classic
December 2001

Inspecting Carol, presented by Barlieb Wallace Productions and the Crowded Kitchen Players in Allentown, satirizes local theater productions of the Dickens play without ever being mean-spirited. The play-within-a-play version of A Christmas Carol is likely to be the worst version that you will ever see--- and the funniest!
  Dave Howell
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
For fast-paced mystery, don't miss 'Front Page'
January 2001

The veteran players of Barlieb Wallace Productions really have their act together at the Theatre Outlet's TO2 Second Stage. In a roller-coaster ride of action and fast-paced dialogue, they exhume The Front Page, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's classic play originally presented in 1928.
  Tony Sienzant
The Morning Call
Allentown, PA
Plot twist turns 'Sly Fox' into a spectacle of greed run amok
July 2000

What a great, riotous and very funny evening awaits you when you go see the current production of Theatre Outlet's TO2 Second Stage, the Barlieb Wallace Productions performance of Larry Gelbart's Sly Fox. This show is raucous, loud and worth every penny.
  Bill Thobaben
Hearthstone Town & Country
Montgomery County, PA
The best production company that I have worked with. They are excellent in capturing the essence of human service work and exploring the important issues in our field. I use their videotapes in all my community education and staff training lectures.
  Kevin E. Dolan
Administrator-Northampton County
Children, Youth and Families
Easton, PA
Fever is a short, but powerful film designed to educate sexually active people about HIV infection and the consequences of risky behavior. It's 13-minutes that can save your life and the lives of those you love. Don't miss it!  
  Vicky Kistler, Manager
Communicable Disease Program
Allentown Health Bureau
The Black Rag has had the pleasure of reviewing the 20-minute DV Pints, Pounds & Pilgrims from Barlieb Wallace Productions, which helped to put us in fine fettle for the upcoming round of summer festivals. It's a well-edited and insightful slice of cross-cultural entertainment.  
  The Black Rag
Dublin, Republic of Ireland
If you happen to be invited to participate in an Irish Arts Festival off the west coast of Co. Galway, accept the offer, and don't forget to bring two gifted documentary producers to record the event. Their brilliant picture and sound techniques allow the viewer to delight in the breathtaking scenery found on the practically barren island of Inishbofin. A well-crafted epic!
  Maureen Neville
Irish Abroad
Philadelphia, PA

© Last modified on May 12, 2008