BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Moonlight Stage, Vista
"The only characterizations that surmount the general mediocrity are Randall Dodge's hilarious take on blowhard ladies' man Gaston and Omri Schein's skillful slapstick pratfalls as Gaston's inept henchman Lefou..." Backstage West.
WHEN PIGS FLY, Diversionary Theatre, San Diego
"One understands, to perform good ‘satire’ and near slap-stick humor, truly requires top-of-the line comedians and singers – achieved only in this production, most successfully by Nathan Lane look-alike Omri Schein – recently seen in Moonlight Theatre’s SEUSSICAL. Omri’s every appearance on stage raised the decimal level of laughter from the SRO capacity house..." Rob Appel, SD Theatrescene.
"Omri Schein is wickedly hilarious as the nay-saying counselor, Mrs. Roundhole. He also plays a recurring cocktail singer who croons three innuendo-filled torch songs to Dick Cheney – whom he'd love to join at the VP's “undisclosed location.” Jennifer Chung, The Union Tribune, San Diego
"And Omri Schein grabs big laughs in several roles, including that nay-saying high school counselor, and the crooner of a torch song to Dick Cheney ("For you I feel a fever forming / Or is it just global warming?").” Jeff Smith, SD Reader
"Omri Schein, a really funny/gifted guy, is especially comical as the soul-destroying guidance counselor, Miss Roundhole, and the white-tuxed lounge lizard singing torch songs to Dick Cheney (uproarious new lyrics added for this production by lyricist Mark Waldrop)." Pat Launer, SD Theatrescene.
"The series of three torch songs was a running gag that was well lit by the hysterically funny Schein, who went on and on about his unquenchable, madly passionate crush on Dick Cheney. Schein holds his bee-hived head up high playing Miss Roundhole, Cupid and other characters, constantly showcasing his comedic talents." Gay and Lesbian Times
THE PEOPLE VS. MONA, Abingdon Theatre, NYC
"Omri Schein is hilarious in a variety of roles, whether dancing or singing..." Wilborn Hampton, The New York Times
"Best of all is Omri Schein, hilarious in a number of small roles, including a snappish coroner and the Indian owner of the local hotel. " Frank Scheck, The NY Post
"Omri Schein provides four broad but winning comic sketches." Steven Suskin, Variety
"Especially impressive is multi-tasking, multi-talented Omri Schein playing a few roles including the weary bailiff, and two of the witnesses: one who is smugly condescending and the other contrastingly bright-eyed and cheery with an Indian accent. His facial expressions and go-for-broke characterizations (including feline dance movements in a song called The Big Meow) are priceless." Rob Lester, EDGE
"Many of the biggest guffaws come from Omri Scheim (sic), a physically adept actor who shines in four roles, including coroner (and local dentist) Dr. Bloodweather, 96-year-old "legendary litigator" Euple R. Pugh, and Patel, owner of the local Santa Claus Hotel." Brian Scott Lipton, theatremania.com
"Pugh is played by Omri Schein, a bantam actor who appears to have Bilbo Baggins's DNA and takes on multiple roles—he's also a touchy dentist and a smooth-tempered Indian immigrant—with comic relish." Edward Karam, offoffonline.com
"...but the show is stolen by two supporting players, Omri Schein and Marcie Henderson. Both play multiple roles and make each one pop out. Schein makes the bailiff a sort of good-ol'-boy Peter Lorre with a wicked leer and shifty eyes. He's also that dentist-coroner, a lecherous lawyer, and an Indian hotel clerk with a passion for football." David Sheward, Backstage.
DEAR WORLD, Kalliope Stage, Cleveland
Dressed in top hat, tails and hiking boots, a wide-eyed, grimy looking Omri Schein steals the show as The Sewerman, whose ode to garbage (“Pretty Garbage”) is a highlight.
Fran Heller, Cleveland Jewish Times
This piece is aided immensely by the performance of Omri Schein, a diminutive actor with towering comic talent who has stage presence to burn, as Sewerman. If anyone is wondering where the next Nathan Lane may come from -- well, here he is. Christine Howey, Cleveland Scene
The highly expressive Omri Schein also is wonderful as the wise Sewerman, a little guy who bemoans that the underground world is no longer ''gracious living.'' Kerry Clawson, Akron Beacon Journal
One of the Countess's friends, The Sewerman (Omri Schein) is a strong comic actor who had the audience in his palm, especially during "Have a Little Pity on the Rich."
Marjorie Preston, Euclid Sun Journal
WHAT DO THE CRITICS SAY?
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED..., TRIARTS, Sharon CT
It’s a perfect show for summer stock with one caveat: You need an exceptional comic actor to play Pseudolus, and, fortunately, TriArts found Omri Schein....Schein’s schtick never loses steam or appeal. Given that this is a 1962 show, it’s not surprising that Schein seems to be channelling the Borscht Belt comedians (Phil Silvers, Milton Berle et al).
Dan Shaw, Rural Intelligence
Hold on to your togas, Pseudolus is on the loose. More of an impish Buddy Hackett than a Roman slave, more of a spark plug for a Maserati than a two-wheeled Roman chariot, Omri Schein is a force to be reckoned with. Playing the lead role in Stephen Sondheim's "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" at TriArts Sharon Playhouse, Schein ranks as one of the all time best Pseudoli. A power-packed dynamo, he has enough energy to carry the whole show.
Joanna Greco Rochman, Republican-American
THE PEOPLE VS. MONA, CAST RECORDING
"and — also from 2007 — an eccentric comedian named Omri Schein. Mr. Schein was side-splittingly good on stage, and he comes across quite well on CD in his three roles of a hapless coroner who does autopsies on dead people (only), an aged local lawyer (who the authors have die at an inopportune moment), and especially as Pafsanjani Patel, the desk clerk at the Santa Claus Motel (where everyone signs in under an assumed name)." Steve Suskin, On The Record. playbill.com
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, Northcoast Repertory Theatre
"Finally, one-of-a-kind Schein’s performance as Barfée gives new meaning to the word bizarre—and I mean this in the most complimentary way. He’s brilliant in a way that makes it clear how Broadway’s first Barfée could win the Tony for his performance."
LA STAGE SCENE
"Like Omri Schein (Barfee), Werner is now an Equity performer. Both hold MFAs from SDSU's MFA program in musical theater. Schein, who radiates a winning combination of obnoxious appeal and extraordinary underlying naiveté, is a hardworking, dynamite performer."
Charlene Baldridge, San Diego Uptown News
"Omri Schein is a stand out"
Martin Jones Westlin, SD Theatre Beat
"None of that from smug William Barfee (“that’s BarFAY,” he insists), played to the hilt by side-splitting Omri Schein."
Pat Launer, Sdnn.com theatre critic
"The production’s shining stars are Jacob Caltrider and Omri Schein as two of the nerdy spellers. Caltrider plays the goofy Leaf Coneybear, an independent soul who goes into a trance when spelling. Omri Schein is the cranky William Barfee who uses his magic foot to spell in hysterical dance segments. Both have such strong comedic timing and stage presence that you will find yourself watching for their reactions during other speller’s parts."
Alison Joseph-Maderia
FIVE COURSE LOVE, NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE
“Schein takes on several personas as Dean, Carlo, Heimlich and Ernesto. Small in size, Schein’s physique only accentuates his superb accent as Carlo, the waiter in an Italian restaurant where he’s a witness to an affair between a mobster’s gal and another mobster. “Will Nicky whack Gino or will he whack me?” he sings. As Heimlich, a German waiter enthralled with Gretchen and Klaus, the laughter at his frolics never stops.”
Diana Saenger, La Jolla Light
“And diminutive Omri Schein amusingly underpins each scene as various waiters and a maitre d'. He’s best as the heavily rouged, lederhosen-clad Emcee, Heimlich, at the German restaurant, Der Schlupfwinkel Speiseplatz.”
Pam Kragen, North County Times
“Foremost, however, are the magnificent, facile physical comedy and vocal attributes of the company…All the while, Schein is the catalyst, the maker of mayhem and just pure D funny. He personifies the epitome of shtick.”
Charlene and Brenda in the Blogosphere
“Schein is a hoot as the waiter in each greasy spoon, whose recurring exit line “Trouble in the kitchen!” eventually offers the audience a chance to participate. But it’s his lederhosen-clad Heimlich you’re most likely to remember. Stereotyped? You betcha. But you can’t help giggling.”
Jean Lowerison , Words Are Not Enough
“…and one wait person running interference (that would be Schein) are a laugh a minute. Silly? Sure! But don’t underestimate the power of that silliness. Underneath it all are three very funny and talented actors. All five scenarios or mini operettas consist of one protagonist, one antagonist and a waiter involved in some sorted romantic conflict. I can’t tell you which of the three is the funniest but Omri Schein tickled my funny bone the most.”
Carol Davis, Examiner
