My primary goal as a theater reviewer is to write an honest critique of a play that promotes interest in the production and/or theater company, and prompts conversation about the play's core themes. My approach is respectful, compassionate, and constructive. I try to be insightful and look for nuance. I do not believe in tearing down artists. I see theater critics as a bridge between artists and their potential audience. I want to encourage engagement between theater makers and theater goers. I want you to love theater as much as I do.

I have been reviewing plays for the Theater Mirror since 2019. Below is a catalog of those reviews. You may also find my reviews on Instagram: @ReviewsByJulie

Julie-Anne Whitney 6/13/22 Julie-Anne Whitney 6/13/22

‘Common Ground, Revisited’ Asks Us to Look Back to Move Forward

Common Ground, Revisited offers a sharp, clear-eyed perspective of a challenging part of Boston’s history and in doing so gives insight into the city’s present problems.

Julie-Anne Whitney 3/6/20 Julie-Anne Whitney 3/6/20

Speakeasy’s ‘The Children’ Asks the Hard Questions

What are we willing to give up to help others in need? What is our responsibility to future generations? …How do we – as Rose puts it – “learn to live with less”?

Julie-Anne Whitney 2/8/20 Julie-Anne Whitney 2/8/20

Huntington’s ‘Sweat’ Shows The Dark Side of American Dream

Director Kimberly Senior masterfully builds, suspends, and expands the tension throughout the play with moments of stillness and breathlessness followed by rapid action and rampant activity.

Julie-Anne Whitney 1/26/20 Julie-Anne Whitney 1/26/20

Fresh Ink’s ‘Last Catastrophist’ Looks for Answers in Bleak Future

Set on the coast of Iceland, Fresh Ink Theatre’s production of Last Catastrophist offers a chilling glimpse into a not-so-distant future in which climatologists are being threatened into silence while the world and its inhabitants are suffering from the disastrous effects of global climate change.

Julie-Anne Whitney 1/18/20 Julie-Anne Whitney 1/18/20

Lyric Stage Serves Delicious Fare With ‘The Cake’

It takes an actor of Karen MacDonald’s caliber to add complexity and depth to an often insufferable protagonist. MacDonald’s performance is filled with such warmth, humor, and tenderness that you cannot help but sympathize with Della’s internal struggle.

Julie-Anne Whitney 12/16/19 Julie-Anne Whitney 12/16/19

Moonbox productions’ ‘Parade’ is an Ugly Tale, Beautifully Told

Steve Shack’s lighting design plays with the emotional effects of light and dark, spreading shadows of branches and staircases and cell bars throughout the space, emphasizing the mystery and suspense at the core of the play.

Julie-Anne Whitney 11/15/19 Julie-Anne Whitney 11/15/19

BLO’s ‘Fellow Travelers’ is An Opera For Today

With the help of librettist Greg Pierce, Spears’ intuitive storytelling continues with Fuller’s Act II solo, “Our Very Own Home,” which starts with a single, repeated melody on the piano, emphasizing Fuller’s new lonely state, having cast off his friends and betrayed the man he loves.

Julie-Anne Whitney 10/22/19 Julie-Anne Whitney 10/22/19

‘Marie and Rosetta’ Shines light on Two Unsung (S)Heroes of American Music History

Dazzling audiences with their powerhouse vocals are Lovely Hoffman as Sister Rosetta and Pier Lamia Porter as Marie. Hoffman’s energy is infectious, bringing a natural vitality to the bigger-than-life character of Sister Rosetta, and Hoffman’s singing is positively scintillating.