Production Photos
Production Photos
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Reviews...
IMBROGLIO, Great River Shakespeare Festival
"Playwriting this good deserves our attention. . . . It is sometimes a mistake for a playwright to direct their own play, especially its premiere staging. Maxwell, though, has a deft hand, keeping the audience guessing about what will happen so that we feel the jolt of each sharp turn in the plot. . . . Best of all, it is a crackling, snapping good story, expertly meted out over two acts, and given a sterling production by Great River Shakespeare Festival. I feel certain that somehow, Imbroglio is destined to have a future life. Hopefully, it will appear somewhere you can see it, but if you are within range of Winona, a charming town on the banks of the Mississippi, I suggest you seize the moment and see it this season."
"I just saw the original play “Imbroglio” by playwright Melissa Maxwell last week as part of the Shakespeare festival. I am so impressed by the quality and genius of the play itself and the superb performances of the entire company. The stage setting is so realistic and intimate; the actors so genuine, vibrant, and powerful; the scene changes and action so clever and on point. The subject so poignant that I was completely stunned and stimulated at the same time. The play is brilliant; it brings the Broadway scene right to our doorstep!"
CLYDE'S, George Street Playhouse
"This sharply acted and deftly directed production at George Street expertly captures the warmth and insightfulness of “Clyde’s.” Maxwell and cast celebrate these frequently overlooked characters, finding a collective drive for the dignity that is often denied them and the joy that often eludes them."
Under Melissa Maxwell’s direction, the action is quick-paced and fluid as the characters’ self-awareness evolves. “Clyde’s,” at George Street . . . , is masterful storytelling that amuses an audience while showing them the impact neglect and injustice can have on people whose potential is greater than their mistakes."
"Written by the two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Lynn Nottage, the show enjoys inspired direction by Melissa Maxwell...Treat yourself to a theatre production that promises to amuse and inform. Clyde's is a gem of a play that we know our readers will appreciate and long remember."
TROUBLE IN MIND, Utah Shakespeare Festival
"The acting and directing of Trouble in Mind at the Utah Shakespeare Festival are so riveting that I left the show wishing it were hours longer . . . Director Melissa Maxwell has crafted a production that does not hesitate to make its audience feel uncomfortable with its portrayal of racism and interpersonal conflict. Maxwell uses this discomfort to build empathy for the African American characters, and she regularly breaks the tension with moments of lighthearted humor or quiet kindness among the characters. Maxwell is adept at using the pregnant pause, and there are times when the actors marinate in the silence, allowing the audience to absorb the emotional gravity of the characters’ situation. Despite these pauses, the play flies by; the two-hour running time feels like half that duration . . . At the end of the play, Wiletta says, “I always wanted to do something real grand in the theater.” With Trouble in Mind, this cast has. But Trouble in Mind is more than grand: it is a tour de force. This play’s audience members will find themselves enriched and entertained with direction and acting that are second to none in Utah.”
"Utah Shakespeare Festival (Utah Shakes, USF) tells us that Trouble in Mind, a play about racism and theater in 1957, “will make you laugh, and make you think.” I will tell you that for me, it did far more. I rarely have had such an enormously profound experience as I did in Monday’s performance of Trouble in Mind. I was, in a word, gob- smacked....Director Melissa Maxwell keeps the tension high with her talented cast. The beauty, humor, reality flows over us, but pins us to our chairs, too."
"The play succeeds not just because of its intricate story but the engaging fluid dynamics of its cast of eight, expertly directed by Melissa Maxwell."
SAFE HOUSE, Repertory Theatre of St Louis
"A gripping story superbly told, Safe House is a taut, superbly written yarn now being given an exhilarating interpretation by director Melissa Maxwell and a top-notch cast at The Rep’s Studio Theatre."
"Melissa Maxwell expertly directs this production, pulling particularly special performances from her ensemble, while mining the material for all it's provocative drama and surprising humor."
—Broadwayworld.com
"Melissa Maxwell has deftly directed the production to modulate the moods and weight the words."
—BND.com
SLASHES OF LIGHT, Kitchen Theatre
"Tate couldn’t ask for a better premiere, helmed by her long-time director Melissa Maxwell, who directs with precision, delicately layering the performances."
—Ithaca Stages
"Kudos to the creative team—the actors and the production staff— that made this outstanding world premiere possible."
—Ithica Times
THE AFRICAN COMPANY PRESENTS RICHARD III, Nevada Conservatory
"Director Melissa Maxwell did an admirable job keeping the action moving and getting the ensemble comfortable and confident in their transitions between the play-within-a-play."
INTIMATE APPAREL, UT Austin
"Truth be told, I'm a bit unsure how to start this review. When I see something as astonishing and extraordinary as 'Intimate Apparel', I try to come up with something clever, witty, or poetic to kick off my critique, but I am so wonderfully flustered by this beautifully acted and well-crafted production that all I can think off to kick off this review is "Wow.""
"As Esther navigates these places, we see her change from one sort of person to another. Under Melissa Maxwell's direction, the movement into a new identity is powerful."
LITTLE WOMEN, the musical, UT Austin
"Technically, the production is excellent. Melissa Maxwell's direction is fluid and visually lovely."
TROUBLE IN MIND, Ohio State University
"Special attention should be paid to the guest director, OSU’s artist in residence Melissa Maxwell... She gets stunning performances and, despite the weight of the material, keeps the balls moving. The play never drags or gets bogged down; she keeps our attention where it needs to be."
