Theatre
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Mark Rylance’s Bard on Broadway
Twelfth Night and Richard III Both Masterful
By: - Dec 18th, 2013In the theatrical event of the season, if not decade at least, two time Tony winner Mark Rylance has brought a tandem of Shakespeare plays to Broadway. On stunning and thrilling back to back nights at New York's Belasco Theatre we saw first Twelfe Night and then Richard III. Both were produced as close as possible to Elizabethan standards including all male casts. Don't miss these magnificent plays which run through mid February.
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Stephan Kaplan's Exquisite Potential
West Coast Premiere in Palm Springs
By: - Dec 17th, 2013“Exquisite Potential†by playwright Stephan Kaplan, recently recently had its West Coast Premiere at Dezart Performs in the Pearl McManus Theatre in Palm Springs. The comedy drama is one of two plays that ended in a tie as “audience favorite†from Dezart Performs annual staged play reading festival in April of this year.
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Welcome Home Sonny T in New York Premiere
By Seven Time Emmy Winner William Electric Black
By: - Dec 17th, 2013William Electric Black has won seven Enmmys writing for family and kids TV shows. With Welcome Home Sonny T he shows considerable chops taking on adult themes. This is the first of five intended plays focused on inner city violence. It is a high voltage theatrical experience.
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A Christmas Carol in Albany
A New Take on a Timeless Classic
By: - Dec 09th, 2013The adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" put on by Albany's Capital Repertory Theatre is a fun, fresh take on a Christmas classic. The talented cast show off their craft with multiple roles, enhancing the the heart-warming story with unexpected humor. An excellent outing for the whole family.
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Beef and Boards Annual Holiday Show
Chowing Down on Christmas Cheer in Indy
By: - Dec 07th, 2013The Beef & Boards Orchestra is excellent as always; highlighted center stage on the all-new set by Michael Layton. Dominic Sheahan-Stahl provides a fitting salute to the military with his rendition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.â€
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Mandy Greenfield For Williamstown Theatre Festival
Tenure Begins September 2014
By: - Dec 04th, 2013As she has for the past three seasons Jenny Gersten will plan the 2014 program for the Williamstown Theatre Festival. In September Mandy Greenfield will take over as artistic director. Currently she is Artistic Producer at Manhattan Theatre Club.
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Becky’s New Car Drives Great At Lyric Stage
MidLife Road Testing A New Life Style
By: - Dec 02nd, 2013Though Becky's midlife isn't exactly unhappy, she needs something. But from her car dealership desk, she can't help but wonder what else is out there. And then she accidentally finds out. When a wealthy suitor presumes she is a widow, she finds herself leading a double life. It quickly accelerates out of control. With very real and yet fantasy characters and places, this play is a witty comedy of manners and expectations. Becky takes an unexpected ride from doldrums to adventure in an often clever and amusing way.
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Wicked in Indy
At Murat Theatre until December 1
By: - Nov 27th, 2013It is fun to rediscover why the prennial Wicked sustains as one of America's most popular musicals. Through December 1 it is playing at The Murat Theatre in Indianapolis.
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Twelve Angry Men
Pasadena Playhouse to December 1
By: - Nov 26th, 2013Sheldon Epps is a director with a strong personal vision, and he’s been on the mark, more times than he’s missed it. In selecting “12 Angry Menâ€, a play with twelve white characters, he challenges the audience to accept six black actors playing roles written for white characters.
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A Worm in Paul Rudnick's Apple
Gay Eden Remake at Desert Rose Playhouse
By: - Nov 25th, 2013It may be somewhat funny at times and the actors are working hard to breathe life into a less than stellar plot line, but Paul Rudnick's “The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told†directed by the usually reliable Jim Strait, fails to engage on a couple of levels.
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Venus in Fur in San Diego
Whipping Up David Ives Play
By: - Nov 24th, 2013Playwright David Ives’ play “Venus in Furâ€, is scheduled to become the most produced play in America during 2013-2014 according to American Theatre magazine that keeps track of such things. Caroline Kinsolving and Jeffrey Meek star in the San Diego Repertory Theatre production though December 8.
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Huntington's Cocktail Hour Stirs Family Strife
A.R. Gurney Recalls WASP Family Bad Manners and Memories
By: - Nov 22nd, 2013The evening ritual of the upper middle class cocktail hour is used as the vehicle to virtually shake not stir the superficial, unflappable demeanor of cold WASP parents. Set in his parents' elegant home, John announces that he has written a play about them, and their calm demeanor dissolves. As the martinis flow, so do the revelations and recriminations, in this personal comedy of manners about ties that unravel with a couple of wonderful characterizations and witty words.
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The Normal Heart Beats at Chicago's Timeline
Larry Kramer's Play is Timeless
By: - Nov 18th, 2013Willful blindness is part of the human condition. We refuse to see what we see perfectly clearly. In the early phases of the AIDs epidemic, a few strident voices insisted on being heard. Lives were saved, but more would have been if eyes had not been wide shut.
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Émilie La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight
WAM Production of Lauren Gunderson Play
By: - Nov 17th, 2013The approach of this WAM production of Émilie La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight by Lauren Gunderson has the twist of "Let us now praise not so famous women and trash men." The guy in this case is no less than Voltaire, her lover and collaborator, portrayed as a clown and misogynist. PC aside this is an enjoyable evening of theatre on the Mark St. Germain Stage in Pittsfield through November 24.
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The Pride By Alexi Kaye Campbell
London Revival of 2008 Award Winnng Gay Drama
By: - Nov 16th, 2013The lobby of the revival of the 2008 gay themed play The Pride is plastered with pull quotes from five star reviews. The play has also won a ton of awards. On the strength of that lavish praise was saw this London play. It proved to be more disappointing than bad. The audience, however, often responded to humor and poignancy that eluded me.
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Matilda Soars in London's West End
Olivier and Tony Winning Musical Also on Broadway
By: - Nov 15th, 2013Having won a remarkable seven Olivier Awards the musical Matilda was restaged in New York. There it won a modest four Tonys. It is the current toast of Broadway. Surrounded by kids of all ages we caught a Saturday matinee in London's West End. Rarely have we been more delighted.
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38th Humana Festival of New American Plays
Actors Theatre of Louisville February 26–April 6
By: - Nov 14th, 2013The Humana Festival of New American Plays is now in its 38th year. The American Theatre Critics Association will meet and participate in the Lousiville, Kentucky event.
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Shakespeare and Elizabeth I: The Reality Show
Theater for the New City Nov. 29 to Dec. 15
By: - Nov 14th, 2013Theater for the New City presents Phoebe Legere's "Shakespeare and Elizabeth I: The Reality Show," a very funny musical about love, war, espionage and creative genius. The play, directed by Zen Mansley, portrays the courtiers, scientists, artists, intellectuals, poets and ladies of Elizabeth's Court. The theatre is located at 155 First Ave., at E. 10th Street in New York City.
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George Brant's Grounded
NY Premiere at Page 73 Productions
By: - Nov 14th, 2013Page 73 Productions, now in its 16th year premiering the next generation of American playwrights – who have included Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara AlegrÃa Hudes, Drama Desk Award winner Sam Hunter, New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award recipient Dan LeFranc, and more – will present the New York premiere of George Brant’s gripping new play GROUNDED, directed by two-time Obie Award-winning director Ken Rus Schmoll (TELEPHONE, A MAP OF VIRTUE) and starring Hannah Cabell (3C, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS opposite Frank Langella). Previews begin on January 8 at Walkerspace (46 Walker Street) in Manhattan.
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Best Play in London’s West End Reopensin June
By: - Nov 14th, 2013With rave reviews and multiple awards, including seven Oliviers (the British equivalenbt of Tonys), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime may be the most original, galvanic and influential play of this century on either side of the pond. The only real question is when this magnificent production, the hottest ticket in London, will make its way to Broadway. Until then hop a plane.
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Tina Packer to Direct Henry VIII
The Modern Theatre at Suffolk University
By: - Nov 13th, 2013The founding artistic director of Shakespeare & Company, Tina Packer, will direct the Bard's rarely presented Henry VIII for Actor's Shakespeare Project. It was run in Boston at The Modern Theatre of Suffolk University from December 11 through January 5.
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Albee's At Home at the Zoo
Acting Up Production in Indianapolis
By: - Nov 12th, 2013Any production of an Edward Albee play is a cause for celebration. Years later he added a second act to the brief Zoo Story. Acting Up in Indianapolis presented the expanded At Home In the Zoo. As one may imagine it's a tough play with adult content and strong language.
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Maria Callas Evoked in Master Class
At CVREP in Rancho Mirage
By: - Nov 11th, 2013“Master Classâ€, is the 2013-14 CV Rep’s season opener and is the first production in three seasons that has more than two actors in the cast. The highly successful Rancho Mirage professional theatre in California, now beginning its third season ups the ante with this production in that it features six actors.
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A Brecht Twofer in Dublin and London
Threepenny Opera and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
By: - Nov 11th, 2013This past summer Shakespeare & Comoany staged Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children starring Olympia Dukakis with John Douglas Thompson as the Cook. This led to a dialogue with Thompson exploring the play and the concept of Epic Theatre. Here we consider two more productions. At the Gate Theatre in Dublin the musical with Kurt Weill The Threepenny Opera. And in London's West End The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.
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The Hanging Gardens by Frank McGuiness
World Premiere at the Abbey Theatre Dublin
By: - Nov 10th, 2013For our first visit to the 110 -year-old Abbey Theatre in Dublin we enjoyed an intense and poignant family drama The Hanging Gardens by Frank McGuiness. Having enjoyed its world premiere in Ireland it is an engaging drama that would play well as a staple of American regional theatre.
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