"...a little artistic alchemy that transports an Elizabethan masterwork to a different time and temperament can take outmoded themes and render them relevant...This production leans heavily on the creative input of skilled artisans to illustrate the stark differences between the two lands. Scenic designer James J. Fenton has built a solid multi-tiered structure with passages for entrances and exits, sandwiched between two steep flights of stairs. With stark lighting and abundant shadows, courtesy of Maximo Grano De Oro’s design, Rachel Padula-Shufelt’s monochromatic costuming, and a foreboding soundscape by Mackenzie Adamick and David Remedio, Sicilia is a cold, ridged, and brutal place. When replaced with an explosion of color, vibrant bling, glow-in-the-dark accessories, and a techno synth soundtrack, Bohemia is “Twelfth Night’s” Illyria on steroids." THE BOSTON GLOBE by Bob Abelman
"Under the imaginative direction of Boice, in her Boston Common debut, the tragicomedy opens in the Court of Sicilia where King Leontes is raging with anger because he believes that his pregnant wife, Hermione, is having an affair with his boyhood pal and fellow sovereign Polixenes, the King of Bohemia...James J. Fenton’s fine scenic design – staged on a towering set reminiscent of Brutalist architecture – helps set the production’s various moods while costume and wig designer Rachel Padula Shufelt captures the worlds of Sicilia and Bohemia with her eye-catching array of garments and hairpieces." BROADWAY WORLD by Scott Reedy
"James J. Fenton’s magnificent, imposing, and versatile set is flanked by two monitors, which roll the text in real time. Maximo Grano De Oro’s lighting design helps transform the stage from Sicily’s austere court to a shepherd’s sheep shearing party in Sicily to a stormy seascape. Rachel Padula-Shufelt’s costumes, a mix of contemporary and Elizabethan, bring home the melding of tradition with the present time, as does Mackenzie Adamick’s original score." THEATER MIRROR by Michael Hoban
"The design team do equally heroic work: James J. Fenton's set is multi-layered, multi-leveled, and full of continuous surprises. Costume designer Rachel Padula-Shufelt clearly had fun working double duty as she envisioned the folks of two very different kingdoms – the formal, almost stuffy, Sicilians, and the fun-loving Bohemians, who certainly live up to the name here. David Remidios' sound design ensured that the outdoor venue lost nothing in terms of audibility, either in dialogue or in the imaginative and well-produced music." THE EDGE MEDIA NETWORK
"This production is accessible to a wide audience. Its crew and designers have gone out of their way to ensure that the majority of attendees will understand what is happening to the play’s characters even if they don’t understand the language. Set and lighting design indicate that The Winter’s Tale occurs in two different countries. Its costume and hair design tell us which characters are native to which location. Sound design and music indicate when and where dramatic events occur. The viewing public need only find a seat within proximity of the stage and away from loud attendees." NEW ENGLAND THEATER GEEK by Kitty Drexel
"The merriment begins at a psychedelic sheep-shearing party that Perdita is hosting full of flowers and dancing where true identities are revealed and a plan to right wrongs gets hatched. This epic scene fully illustrated the prowess of the creative team, including set designer James J. Fenton, cool outfits and hair by Rachel Padula-Shufelt and choreography by Victoria Lynn Awkward." WBUR by Jacquinn Sinclair
