Calvin Berger Reviews
Stage Scene LA- Highly Recommended
"...Get ready to fall head over heels for Calvin Berger, both the lovestruck teenager played ever so winningly by Frankie A. Rodriguez and Barry Wyner's tune-packed high-school-musical take on Cyrano de Bergerac, now captivating audiences at Burbank's Colony Theatre."
NoHoArtsDistrict- Highly Recommended
"...Calvin Berger is a brilliantly funny musical with a big heart and a thoughtful soul. It's the perfect play to take your kids to, or your granny. The performances are dynamic and authentic. These actors are truly excellent. They fit perfectly together, and their voices are superb."
Showmag- Recommended
"...CALVIN BERGER is a pleasant and diverting show, though it shows its age most in the decision to skim over the darker issues of body image and sexuality. That is something that would no doubt be addressed more realistically if the show had been written in this decade."
Stage Raw- Highly Recommended
"...Directed by Richard Israel and with book, music, and lyrics by Barry Wyner, Calvin Berger is a light-hearted musical loosely based on French dramatist Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, in which a 17th century Parisian nobleman, deeply insecure about his perceived large nose, attempts to woo his love interest by sending romantic poetry through his handsome yet inarticulate rival. Wyner's wisecracking adaptation keeps much of the same storyline, recasting Cyrano as the sharply intelligent Calvin (Frankie A. Rodriguez), the love interest Roxane as the tender-hearted and gorgeous Rosanna (Jasmine Sharma), the rival Christian as the endearingly daft and innocently optimistic Matt (Jordan Quisno), and Cyrano's best friend and voice of reason Le Bret to the outwardly cynical yet deeply hopeful and romantic Bret (Corinne Miller)."
Haines His Way- Recommended
"...The cast of four are young, energetic and in strong voice. Quisno proves to have good comic timing with his cocky jock persona turned into a tongue-tied idiot in front of girls. Director Richard Israel keeps the show’s momentum flowing nicely. The above the action on-stage band outnumbers the cast by one, and under the musical direction of keyboardist Anthony Lucca makes the score really sound better than it is. The melodies are very one-note, and the lyrics are mostly lame attempts at humor. The show’s best asset, besides the hard-working cast, is Alex M. Calle’s modular scenic design whose colorful blocks slide out to reveal beds, desks, tables, lockers transforming into everything from school hallways and gym locker rooms to study halls and janitor closets. If only the script had such versatility."