Roman HolidayCole Porter (Music & Lyrics)Kathy Speer, Terry Grossman & Paul Blake (Book)SHNStephanie Styles & Drew GehlingFor one evening of eye-popping scenery changes, jaw-dropping choreography, and swirling skirts among Italian shopkeepers and Roman tourists, we are as close to being a part of a 1950s, movie-theatre audience as we could imagine ever being. … [Read more...] about “Roman Holiday”
world premiere
“Monsoon Wedding”
Monsoon WeddingSabrina Dhawan (Book); Vishal Bhadrwaj (Music); Susan Birkenhead (Lyrics)Berkeley Repertory CompanyMembers of the Cast of Monsoon WeddingWith one grand splash of kaleidoscopic colors surrounded by pulsating beats of uplifting music and bodies moving and dancing in all directions, one opening number (“Song of My Heart”) tells us all we need to know that the world … [Read more...] about “Monsoon Wedding”
“Twins”
TwinsStuart BouselPianoFightRob Talbott, Kyle McReddle, Andrew Chung & Kyle Goldman (Apollo)Revenge killings, murders of your children, repeated rapes, fiery tortures, being transformed into animals or rocks – All are just part of the casual sharing and one-upping conversation taking place among the gods in bars and hangouts of the afterworld. As it turns out, many of … [Read more...] about “Twins”
“The Memory Stick”
The Memory StickDonal O’KellyThe Stage John R. Lewis, Joseph D. Valdez, & Lyndsy KailIn a co-commission with the Dublin City Arts Office and the Irish Theatre Institute, The Stage opens a world premiere The Memory Stick by Donal O’Kelly – a play about what it means and what it costs to stand up against all odds. Lyrically directed, often as in a dreamscape, by … [Read more...] about “The Memory Stick”
“Frankenstein”
FrankensteinAdapted by Kit WilderFrom Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary ShelleyCity Lights Theatre Company Nick Mandracchia Any time a theatre company undertakes a world premiere, much less one commissioned, kudos is warranted for the risks undertaken. While this new offering of Frankenstein has some issues mainly of … [Read more...] about “Frankenstein”
“Everything That’s Beautiful”
Everything’s That’s BeautifulElyzabeth Gregory WilderNew Conservatory Theatre CenterMattea Fountain as MorganSomething happens unexpected, unplanned, unwanted. Change. Immediately, the surrounding system is in transition – neither in the state of what was once nor in the state of what might someday be. Emotions follow rollercoaster tracks. Communication … [Read more...] about “Everything That’s Beautiful”
“Caeneus & Poseidon”
Caeneus & PoseidonBridgette Dutta PortmanDragon Productions Theatre CompanyNicky Martinez and Sharon Shao Dragon Productions Theatre Company boldly offers a world premiere of Caeneus & Poseidon by Bridgette Dutta Portman, demonstrating that acknowledging incorrect gender assignments at birth are not just some recent fad, as the ault-right might want us to … [Read more...] about “Caeneus & Poseidon”
“Leaving the Blues”
Leaving the BluesJewelle GomezNew Conservatory Theatre CenterDesiree Rogers as Alberta HunterWhat does a nurse who is told to retire at age seventy (but who is really eighty-two since she once lied about her age) do next with her life? Half singing, half whispering, she tells her unseen patient with some evident sadness, “Trouble, looks like I had it all my day ... looks … [Read more...] about “Leaving the Blues”
“Roe”
RoeLisa LoomerBerkeley Repertory Company(In co-production with Oregon Shakespeare Festival and ArenaStage)Sara Bruner & Sarah Jane AgnewAlmost forty-five years later after Justice Blackmun offered the Supreme Court’s decision and in a time when the country is now more divided than ever on almost every important social, environmental, and political issue, nothing still … [Read more...] about “Roe”
“Kilgallen Jones”
Kilgallen JonesAllison PageExit Theatre“Sequential ... one story told until it’s over.” So opens Alexis Jones’ first pod cast from her friend’s (Rae’s) basement in Cleveland, Ohio. What starts as an assignment for a community college “TV and Radio” class becomes for this avid lover of True Crime books, shows, and movies an all-grossing obsession. This is … [Read more...] about “Kilgallen Jones”
“Flim-Flam”
Flim-Flam / John Fisher / Theatre Rhinoceros John Fisher, Donald Currie & Daniel Chung As a noun, ‘flim-flam’ means “deceptive nonsense;” and as a verb, “swindle with a confidence game.” According to his program notes, John Fisher in September 2016 clearly had a certain, orange-haired politician-of-sorts in mind as he got the idea to write a farce … [Read more...] about “Flim-Flam”
“Love Sick”
Love SickOfra Daniel (Adaptation & Lyrics); Ofra Daniels & Lior Ben-Hur (Music)Jewish Circle Theatre Ofra Daniel and Cast of "Love Sick"The eighty, non-stop minutes of Love Sick pass all too quickly as Jewish Circle Theatre presents this world premiere by Ofra Daniel. The tale intrigues throughout and in the end, surprises. The music mesmerizes and … [Read more...] about “Love Sick”
“A Thousand Splendid Suns”
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”
