Professional Theatre
Taming of the Shrew
Water Works Shakespeare Festival
Royal Oak, Michigan
"Zanny humor abounds in Water Works' Shrew"
Suddenly, a masked zanni appears in the aisle. And another one. And another. Quickly, the stage is overrun with characters right out of a Commedia dell'arte production - complete with aged Pantalone dressed all in red and the romantically entangled innamorati...Water Works' Taming of the Shrew, directed by Oakland University Associate Professor of Theatre Lynnae Lehfeldt, is performed entirely in the Commedia dell'Arte tradition...It's a blast...You don't have to understand the conventions of commedia to appreciate that this cast is amazing...This ensemble works together like a precision military team on crack...We'll never know if Shakespeare intended Taming of the Shrew to be played as full-out Italian comedy. But this Water Works Theatre production convinces us - by its effervescent laugh level - that it's a pretty good idea.
Encore, Patrice Nolan
Laughter on the 23rd Floor
Jewish Ensemble
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
"Director Lynnae Lehfeldt and a crack cast of nine have crafted this irreverent recollection into a show about the miracle of a peerless creative team...Ultimately, to its credit, this production's biggest strength is its ensemble. It takes just the right blend of people to work this splendidly together, and the result is creative magic, both here and in the context of the play,...To work in an atmosphere as special as this one in Laughter is rare enough; to recognize it accurately and do it justice in the retelling are wholly other feats -- all of which are handily achieved." Carolyn Hayes, Encore Michigan
Academic Theatre
Seagull - Oakland University
The Trojan Women - Oakland University
Oakland University’s ‘Seagull’ Dives Deep Into Human Nature of happiness?
"The idea of longing and search for identity are not new, but they are worth exploring. This is what makes the performances given by these university students all the more impressive. The material is meaty and each actor makes the most of the portion he or she is given...your heart breaks for Constantine and Nina because their inner turmoil is so visibly etched on their faces and in the way they carry themselves. These actors aren’t simply speaking their lines, but going all in and inhabiting their characters’ neuroses. It’s both exhausting and exhilarating to watch and all involved should be commended for the level of professionalism they bring to the performance."
Rochester Media, Sarah Hovis
Much Ado About Nothing - Oakland University
What is impressive is how well these very young actors and actresses handle their roles under the able direction of Lynnae Lehfeldt."
Robert Delaney, New Monitor
A Doll's House - Oakland University
"...OU's splendid production of Ibsen's A Doll's House...This new production at Oakland Univerisity plays true to the script, setting and period, but adds a nuanced sceneic design (Jason Maracani) that forces the audience to shift its point of view in a literal way. We enter Varner Hall's studio theatre by walking up a polished wooden floor that leads to the door and foyer of a beautiful period home. Prominently displyed is the letter box that plays a pivotal role in the story. We step into the parlor of Nora and Torvald Helmer and, when we take out stadium-type seats, feel as if we have invaded their home and are watcacting as witnesses, or perhaps, as judges. looking down at the intimate scandal that is about to unfold." Examiner, Edith Evans
Theatre for Young Audiences - Professional
Beanstalk, the Musical!
Wild Swan Theatre,
Ann Arbor, Michigan
"The kids were loving it! And that's is what we look for in a play performed for kids about third-grade and under. The production is certainly up to this company's high standard...Beanstalk finds the right balance of the characters telling the story to young audience and acting off one another. Lynnae Lehfeldt also weaves just the right amount of audience participation into the hour, and uses the aisles of the theatre well for chase scenes, as when the giant is chasing Jack." David Kiley, Encore Michigan
Theatre for Young audiences - Academic Theatre
Wiley and the Hairy Man - Oakland University
James and the Giant Peach - Oakland University
The Three Little Pigs - Oakland University
The Troll King - Oakland University
