A Thousand Splendid SunsAdapted by Ursula Rani SarmaBased on the Novel by Khaled HosseiniDavid Coulter (Music)American Conservatory Theatre David Coulter and Cast of "A Thousand Splendid Suns"For many years -- actually several decades -- daily headlines have presented themselves about the ongoing wars, devastation, atrocities, and yes, human suffering of a faraway land most of … [Read more...] about “A Thousand Splendid Suns”
“The Real Thing”
The Real ThingTom StoppardAurora TheatreLiz Sklar, Carrie Paff, Seann Gallagher & Elijah AlexanderBoundaries between real life and life on the stage, between the written word and the spoken word, and between married couples who are also friends are just some of the borders constantly blurring and leading to surprises for the characters and the audience of Tom Stoppard’s The … [Read more...] about “The Real Thing”
“Hand to God”
Hand to GodRobert AskinsBerkeley Repertory TheatreTyrone & Michael DohertyIn a brightly hued room full of rainbows, craft materials, and more than one happy Jesus, a friendly looking sock puppet pops out of a small, make-shift, cardboard theatre and starts telling us his version of the world’s beginning. This is not the Genesis, seven-day version usually coming from a … [Read more...] about “Hand to God”
“Fool for Love”
Fool for LoveSam ShepardMagic TheatreJessi Campbell, Andrew Pastides & Patrick RussellClassic Shepard: It is all here. The dry, dusty, desert setting of the American Southwest. The unmade, iron-frame bed and yellow kitchen chair leftover from the ‘50s (only missing the usual, out-dated Frigidare in the corner). The bare electric light hanging from the … [Read more...] about “Fool for Love”
“Rent: 20th Anniversary Tour”
Rent: 20thAnniversary TourJonathan Larson (Book, Music & Lyrics)SHNThe Cast of Rent: 20th Anniversary TourTwenty years ago, onto a Broadway stage burst a sexy, soaring musical daring to give unforgettable faces and personalities to seven artists struggling to survive not only their East Village poverty, but also the plague of AIDS/HIV that appeared ready to wipe out an … [Read more...] about “Rent: 20th Anniversary Tour”
“Disgraced”
DisgracedAyad AkhtarThe StageAllison F. Rich, Damien Seperi, Kathryn Smith-McGlynn, & Jonathan Rhys Williams If in the midst of the salad course at a dinner party with friends, friendly chatter begins to be peppered by the topics of a) religion, b) ethnic origins, c) politics, then politely remember you left something burning on the stove at home and dash out … [Read more...] about “Disgraced”
“The Revolution Will Not Be Harmonized”
The Revolution Will Not Be HarmonizedChardonnayPianoFightMembers of the Cast as "Freelancers"Imagine a world two hundred years from now where workers are all freelancers. But also imagine that in this post-apocalyptic world, everyone works for just one company, Spotif-Eye, laboring diligently day in and day out at tasks like shredding paper, shoveling dirt, or entering … [Read more...] about “The Revolution Will Not Be Harmonized”
“Patience”
PatienceWilliam S. Gilbert (Libretto) & Arthur Sullivan (Music)Lamplighters Music TheatreJennifer Mitchell & F. Lawrence EwingThose master geniuses of satire, rhyming lyrics, and operatic melodies -- William S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan – primed their pens and aimed their alliterative arrows at a target too conceited and flamboyant for them to ignore in the 1880s of … [Read more...] about “Patience”
“Ideation”
IdeationAaron LoebCity Lights Theater CompanyTom Gough, Sunny Moza & George PsarrasThe outlandish possibilities flouted about have too many bits of troubling plausibility tucked into them for us to say that Ideation is just a sci-fi, comic thriller. Premiering in 2014, Aaron Loeb’s play is unfortunately even more grippingly alarming just three years later, given some … [Read more...] about “Ideation”
“Silence! The Musical”
Silence! The MusicalJon Kaplan & Al Kaplan (Music & Lyrics); Hunter Bell (Book)Cloud 9 Theatricals In association with Lang Entertainment Group & Ray ofLight TheatreWith cute, floppy ears and paws of wool, a flock of lambs sings and dances with harmonized voices and clever steps as they warn: Homicidal freaks!Lunatics behind steel bars,Women missing … [Read more...] about “Silence! The Musical”
“The Christians”
The ChristiansLucas HnathSan Francisco PlayhouseAnthony Fusco & the Cast of "The Christians"Eerily, it does immediately feel as if we are in a church rather than the San Francisco Playhouse that we thought we had entered (although maybe the glasses of wine many of us still have in our hands is a dead give-away of the true location). Before us is another incredible, … [Read more...] about “The Christians”
“1776”
1776Sherman Edwards (Music & Lyrics); Peter Stone (Book)South Bay Musical TheatreThe Cast of "1776"How familiar does this sound: A Congress that seems to get nothing done? A Congress that is divided into two factions that can barely tolerate each other? Committees upon committees where members of Congress meet to debate ad nauseumand decide little? Members … [Read more...] about “1776”
“Anything Goes”
Anything GoesCole Porter (Music & Lyrics)P.G. Wodehouse, Guy Bolton, Howard Lindsay & Russell Crouse (Original Book)Timothy Crouse & John Weidman (New Book)Pacific Coast Repertory TheatreJoy SherrattA trumpet, echoed by a saxophone, announces those first few notes that has everyone in the audience ready to sing along; and once the classic hits start tumbling one … [Read more...] about “Anything Goes”
“Daniel’s Husband”
Daniel’s HusbandMichael McKeeverNew Conservatory Theatre CenterDaniel Redmond, Nathan Tylukti, John Steele Jr. & Michael MonagleThere are Hallmark-like phrases that pop up daily in our lives on one of those obnoxious Facebook-posted posters that that we habitually ignore, scrolling quickly to a much more interesting cat video or picture of someone’s latest meal. “Live … [Read more...] about “Daniel’s Husband”
“Fun Home”
Fun HomeJeanine Tesori (Music); Lisa Kron (Book & Lyrics)Based on the Graphic Novel by Alison BechdelCurran Theatre “My dad and I both grew up in the same small Pennsylvania town.And he was gay,And I was gay,And he killed himself,And I became a lesbian cartoonist.”Kate Shindle & Robert PetkoffAs blunt and bleak as this summation appears, the musical that fills out the … [Read more...] about “Fun Home”
