Play Review: ‘Our Little Secret’ at the Citadel Theatre

The Citadel Theatre continued its 2026–27 season with the unique, dynamic, one-person show Our Little Secret, written by and starring Noam Tomaschoff. Directed by Adam Pascal, the show follows the true story of Tomaschoff’s discovery that his dad is not his biological father and that, rather than being an only child, he has 35 half-siblings. The show follows his journey and reconciliation with his unique family dynamic.

As an avid theatre-goer and musical-enjoyer, I hoped that Tomaschoff’s one-person performance would provide a fresh look at musical theatre. The result was anything but. People often make fun of musical theatre for its emotional earnestness, stereotyped subcultures, and unrealistic conventions, as well as the classic “theatre-kid” stereotype. Unfortunately, this show does nothing to change that. It seemed as though Our Little Secret is pandering to a millenial audience. The show fails to contribute anything to the zeitgeist, or really to anything whatsoever.

If I had to describe the show in one word, it would be “serviceable.” Tomaschoff delivered a fair performance, especially considering the show’s 90-minute runtime with no break. He clearly has the energy and presence to capture the stage. The show got off to an awkward but charming start. Tomaschoff directly addressed and interacted with the audience throughout its run, contributing to its dynamic feel. Tomaschoff hit his stride around the second half, reeling the audience in with a musical number on his biological father “Captain Jack.”

The standout of the show was the musical accompaniment. It featured a live quartet, visible behind the set. Steve Sidwell, the orchestrator of the show, excelled in making the accompaniment lively, energetic, and full. Regardless of its small size, the musical team rivalled that of large-scale productions.

While the performance was fine, the set design was indeed also fine. Bruno-Pierre Houle, the set designer, created a set that fit perfectly with the small scale of the show. The minimalist style portrayed Tomaschoff’s apartment and was filled with lights representing meaningful parts of his life. I enjoyed the playful and simple style of the set, but the overly grey style felt almost corporate.

Overall, Our Little Secret is absolutely not the worst thing to come out of theatre. Unfortunately, as a piece of art, it does not have anything new to say or any way to challenge viewers. Tomaschoff delivered a fine performance, and I am excited to see what he will produce in the future.

Our Little Secret runs at the Citadel Theatre until October 25.