Press

“Costa came from North Carolina for “Mrs. Klein,” and has a nicely subtle touchwith a script that could easily have become overbearing and overdramatic in less-skilled hands.” –The Metropolitan

The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh – Charlotte Repertory Theatre

“The Charlotte Repertory Theatre show directed by Ann Marie Costa stresses […] humor. That emphasis makes the dark parts more emotionally painful when they arrive and the quiet conclusion more harrowing.” –The Charlotte Observer

Sister Calling My Name by Buzz McLaughlin – Charlotte Repertory Theatre

“Cast, story, direction superb in ‘Sister Calling My Name’ […] Director Ann Marie Costa carefully paces her […] theatrical vision of the piece. And the three actors mesh as if they had been together since birth.” –The Charlotte Observer

The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? by Edward Albee – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

“[…] the kind of show that makes you remember why live theatre is so special, so necessary and so important.” –Mike Collins, WFAE

“Ann Marie Costa […] understands how Albee scores his points while he’s gaming. Casting and directing, Costa has each of the four characters precisely tuned so that all the manifold disclosures, right up to the ultimate denouement, unfold with maximum coherence and impact.” –Creative Loafing, Charlotte

God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

“In the Charlotte premiere of the Tony Award winner, director Ann Marie Costa aims for maximum comedy mileage.  [… Yasmina Reza] has taken as much care in balancing the morality question as she has in balancing all the delicious maturity questions [….] A very handsome set design by Chip Decker completes this compact 83-minute package.” –Creative Loafing, Charlotte

In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play by Sarah Ruhl – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

“Naughty humor makes us smile, but director Ann Marie Costa knows the organ Ruhl wants to stimulate is the brain.” –The Charlotte Observer

Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

“Under the direction of Ann Marie Costa, we move more emphatically into the realm of surrealism…the super wide skies and spacious floating windows of Chip Decker’s set design are straight out of the scenic vocabulary of René Magritte.” –Creative Loafing, Charlotte

Stage Kiss by Sarah Ruhl – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

“But there must be artistry if we’re to believe we’re really watching an incompetent director directing wretched actors in wretched plays…Our director, Ann Marie Costa, helps us to navigate, deftly calibrating the inadequacy we see from [the performers].”–Creative Loafing, Charlotte

“Ruhl and Costa take welcome refuge in the madcap humor.” –The Charlotte Observer

River City by Diana Grisanti – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

“How much of director Ann Marie Costa’s efforts at making Mary more likable this year were channeled toward Kayla Carter and how much took the form of appeals to Grisanti is impossible for me to say. But those efforts have certainly paid off handsomely.”  –Creative Loafing, Charlotte

The Scene by Theresa Rebeck – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

“Director Ann Marie Costa and her fine cast make us care about the unlovable players in Rebeck’s tale of an out-of-work actor in a self-destructive tailspin.” –The Charlotte Observer

Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

“…Ann Marie Costa’s stage direction help us to look inwardly where the meaning is.” – Creative Loafing, Charlotte

The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow – Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

“This isn’t meant to be a tense narrative, just madcap cleverness for its own sake. Director Ann Marie Costa, who was assisted by Matt Hunter, gives the goofiness full rein. ” –The Charlotte Observer