Beck Center’s ‘Ruthless!’ goes for broke, which pays huge dividends

 

Bob Abelman

Cleveland Jewish News, The News Herald, The Morning Journal

Member, International Association of Theatre Critics

 

One can only imagine the dead silence in the room when lyricist Joel Paley and composer Marvin Laird pitched their idea for “Ruthless!” to off-Broadway investors back in 1992. 

 

It probably matched the silence that engulfed the Beck Center for the Arts’ board room when artistic director Scott Spence pitched this show for the main stage season opener.   

 

For more of this review, go to www.clevelandjewishnews.com/columnists/.