reviews ✍️


Zach Palumbo may as well have jumped right out of the TV screen. From his physical movements to his spot-on laugh and intonation to his grasp of the character’s child-like positivity, Palumbo is every inch a human version of SpongeBob Squarepants.
— Sheri Gross, The News-Herald (The SpongeBob Musical)
Zach Palumbo is a revelation. As Moritz, he embodies his character in deeply tortured realness... Palumbo brings his bolt of kinetic theatre energy that electrifies every scene he inhabits with brilliant resonance. His powerful voice conveys the music with immense connectivity and emotion. You will remember this performance and performer.
— Kevin Kelly, Cleveland Stage Alliance (Spring Awakening)
Zach Palumbo is dork-perfect as Warren, the cat-sitting artist who paints “pithy sayings” on paper which he distributes around Manhattan.
— Roy Berko, BroadwayWorld.com (Ordinary Days)
A special nod goes to Zach Palumbo in the titularly nerdy title role... This “SpongeBob” is the real deal.
— Howard Gollop, The Chronicle-Telegram (The SpongeBob Musical)
As the primary character who also speaks directly to the audience, Zach Palumbo’s Eugene is a rapid-fire joke machine, responding to virtually any situation with a killer line. But he also feels deeply for his family, and Palumbo brings out both those aspects.
— Christine Howey, Cleveland Scene (Broadway Bound)
Palumbo shines, especially in the second act, with an unrivaled manic persona in musical numbers such as “Cocaine” and “Winning”... With an all-in commitment to a sensationally quirky concept, Blank Canvas has taken this wild script and made it its own, and the jokes keep coming like waves at high tide.
— Roman Macharoni, Cleveland Scene (Yippee Ki-Yay)
Especially noteworthy are the performances of August Scarpelli as Moon, Quin Johnson as Zak, and Zach Palumbo as Nick, who give dimension to their characters and ground them in a way that makes them more accessible to the audience.
— Sherri Gross, Cleveland Jewish News (Millwood Outpost)
Zach Palumbo creates a sensitive and realistic character as Moritz... Near West Theatre’s Spring Awakening is a masterful production that fulfills the philosophy and production excellence of the venue.
— Roy Berko, BroadwayWorld.com (Spring Awakening)
Palumbo is so freaking funny, and adorable... He is a complete joy to watch!
— Kevin Kelly, Cleveland Stage Alliance (Dogfight)
Zach Palumbo doesn’t miss a beat as the semi-closeted Luis Carruthers...
— Sherri Gross, Cleveland Jewish News (American Psycho)
Beck’s cast, under the astute direction of William Roudebush, is near perfection... This is one of Simon’s most dramatic scripts, along with being very funny, and the cast so hits the right tone of seriousness that the farcical door slamming, comedy timing and dramatic realism all make for a special evening of theatre.
— Roy Berko, BroadwayWorld.com (Broadway Bound)
The band doesn’t just freaking rock, it explodes, takes no prisoners and leaves you breathless... One minute you’re in a rundown club, then the next there’s so much sound and energy you believe you’re in the first row of a stadium concert with a famous rock star.
— Linda Eisenstein, CoolCleveland (Hedwig and the Angry Inch)
The cast literally throw themselves into the show with boundless energy. Nothing is left on the stage as each and every performer sweats it up during their portrayals... [Fire on the Water] is a theatrical masterpiece that utilizes every square inch of the performance space while using every form of artistic endeavor imaginable. It is as complete a show as you will ever see. Come to be wowed.
— Mark Horning, Talkin' Broadway (Fire on the Water)
Happily, the engaging cast in the production now at Rubber City Theatre works [the script] for all it is worth, offering up an exuberant performance filled with laughter, good cheer and even a moving musical finale... physicality—and great timing—are strong suits among this cast.
— Elaine Cicora, Cleveland Scene (Love's Labour's Lost)
How does a New York drama critic spend his Friday nights when Broadway’s theaters are closed up tight? I don’t know about my colleagues, but I curled up on the couch with my laptop last week and watched a live performance in Akron, Ohio, of Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost”... Kelly Elliott’s modern-dress staging was satisfyingly simple and lively, and the handful of loyal audience members sprinkled throughout the company’s small auditorium were audibly pleased by the results. So was I, and I found myself asking as I watched: What am I getting out of this experience? Why am I so moved? Exactly what do masterpieces have to say to us at moments like these?
— Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal (Love's Labour's Lost)