Victor Cordell
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Recent Articles:
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The Monkey King Front Page
Spectacular World Premiere by San Francisco Opera
By: - Nov 21st, 2025Drawing from one of the four classic novels of Chinese literature, the opera tells the story of the Monkey King who claims to be more powerful than any being on earth other than the Buddha. Nonetheless, his story begins with 500 years of imprisonment but ends with his learning the ultimate lesson in life. It is hard to imagine an opera being more stunning visually.
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Madama Butterfly Front Page
One of Opera's Most Beloved by Opera San Jose
By: - Nov 18th, 2025Against social norms, the naive ingenue Cio Cio San marries the footloose U.S. Naval officer Pinkerton. On leaving, he promises to return to her before the robins nest. Some three years later, his return brings surprise and tragedy.
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Liberation Front Page
Reflection on Feminism in the 70s on Broadway
By: - Nov 17th, 2025Lizzie wants to learn more about her deceased mother who was committed to women's liberation. The scene shifts between her mother's "conscious raising" group in Ohio in the '70s and Lizzie's interviewing group members in present time.
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Reunions Front Page
Two Stories of Revisiting Set to Music Off-Broadway
By: - Nov 17th, 2025In the first of these turn-of-the-20th-century stories, a typist in England is sent unawares on a job that happens to be for her ex-husband who is being knighted. In the other, two Spanish lovers in youth find one another in their 70s.
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Romy & Michele: The Musical Front Page
The Movie Comes Alive Off-Broadway
By: - Nov 17th, 2025The two ditsy women who left Tucson for LA are invited to their 10th high school reunion. Wanting to appear successful, they hatch the plot that they invented Post-Its. Sounds plausible. Right?
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Six: The Musical Front Page
Long Running Broadway Production
By: - Nov 17th, 2025In this high energy musical, the six deceased wives of Henry VIII compete to find who is the best singer among them. Verbal jabs punctuate heavy rock solos by the contestants.
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The Woman in Black Front Page
London Production at Center Rep
By: - Nov 16th, 2025An attorney is dispatched to the creepy marshlands of eastern England to clear up the estate of a recently deceased widow. The attorney faces resistance from the local populace, a mountain of unexpected papers to be reviewed, and worse yet, earmarks of the supernatural - furnishings moved when no human is around and appearances of an apparition.
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Introduction to Four Shows on The Great White Way Front Page
Liberation, Reunions, Romy & Michele, Six
By: - Nov 14th, 2025While at the American Theatre Critics Conference in NYC, I attended four shows. By coincidence, the common theme of revisiting or reunion emerged. Women's relationships and rights surfaced as another binding element. Reviews of each play will appear separately.
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Parsifal Front Page
San Francisco Opera's Stellar Production
By: - Oct 30th, 2025Wagner's final opera boasts some of his most organic music and lyrics in a tale of redemption. The piece demands enormous resources of every kind, and San Francisco Opera has produced a matchless experience that excels in every way.
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The Wisdom of Eve Front Page
The Metatheatrical Treatise on Ambition
By: - Oct 27th, 2025The theatrical version of the movie "All About Eve" differs around the edges but carries the same impact. The fading star Margo Channing faces the rise of the talented but unprincipled Eve Harrington.
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Dada Teen Musical: The Play Front Page
Central Work's Provocative World Premiere
By: - Oct 24th, 2025High achieving Anabel wants to enhance her Harvard application by creating and producing a Dada version of a popular musical for her high school's theater group. To bring it off, she calls on two unlikely collaborators - self-indulgent Tyler who has money and people resources, and gothic Mariah, who has some music cred. Radical complications ensue.
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Hard Times: Appalachian Stories by Ron Rash Front Page
Word for Word Exquisitely Performs Three Regional Short Stories Without Alteration
By: - Oct 17th, 2025Three short stories span the period from the Great Depression through the end of the 20th century. Though they have little in common, collectively they contribute an insightful portrait of life in a region intimately known and revered by the author.
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Samson et Dalila Front Page
West Bay Opera's Fine Production
By: - Oct 14th, 2025The tale from the Bible is brought to the opera stage. The deceitful temptress Dalila seeks not love but destruction and revenge. Though she succeeds, Samson will have the last word.
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Noises Off Front Page
Metatheatrical Farce Par Excellence by San Francisco Playhouse
By: - Oct 03rd, 2025A full-length play-within-a-play has a cast endure zany pratfalls. Unpreparedness, dipsomania, love triangles, antagonisms, prop misplacements, and more produce endless farce.
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La Traviata Front Page
Avery Boettcher's Performance Highlights Livermore Valley's Outstanding Production
By: - Sep 30th, 2025One of the canon's most fabled operas, the story of a frail, doomed courtesan and her star-crossed love for a man from the upper class has resonated with audiences of all ilks for over 170 years. Verdi's sumptuous score with stunning arias and ensembles is matchless.
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Kim's Convenience Front Page
From Stage to Five Seasons on Netflix and Back
By: - Sep 26th, 2025Korean-Canadian immigrant Appa Kim owns a mini-mart in Toronto. He faces challenges in the two areas of greatest importance to him, his family and his business. Those interests intersect as the store sustains the family; as he has no succession plan because his children aren't interested in running the business; and because he has a good offer to sell the store. But isn't it funny how conditions change?
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Dead Man Walking Front Page
San Francisco Opera Reprises 21st Century's Most Successful Opera
By: - Sep 19th, 2025Joseph de Rocher faces execution for the grisly murders of young lovers. Though unrepentant, he requests and receives spiritual counseling from Sister Helen Prejean. The opera based on the true story scintillates on all dimensions.
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Cosi fan Tutte Front Page
Opera San Jose Charms with a Bright Version of the Mozart / da Ponte Favorite
By: - Sep 17th, 2025A small-scale grand opera, Cosi revolves around a bet that two sisters will be unfaithful to their fiances within 24 hours. To tempt the women, the men are required to dress like Albanians, with each man pursuing the other's beloved. Cosi is full of beautiful, if unmemorable music, but the comic chops of the singers are what makes the opera most appealing.
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Indecent Front Page
Center Rep's Compelling Paean to Paula Vogel's Allegory on Humanity and Acceptance
By: - Sep 15th, 2025The playwright deftly envelopes the essence of Sholem Asch's "God of Vengeance" into a dramatic wrapper of the history detailing Asch's unending challenges from his community and from authorities concerning the play's alleged obscenity.
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The Reservoir Front Page
Memory Loss Two Ways in Thoughtful Dramedy from Berkeley Rep
By: - Sep 12th, 2025Josh returns home to Colorado in hopes of recovering from alcoholism and getting to know his grandparents better. A shared characteristic between them is memory loss, the difference being that the cause of Josh's is reversible, while that of the older generation is not.
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A Night with Janis Joplin Front Page
Sonoma Arts Live's Lively Jukebox Musical
By: - Sep 06th, 2025Janis Joplin was one of rock-and-roll's greatest icons. This musical tribute to her which has thrilled audiences across the country and around the world returns to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she earned her fame.
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Eureka Day Front Page
Marin/Aurora's Masterful Revival of Tony Award Winner Commissioned by Aurora
By: - Sep 05th, 2025The board of a private school in Berkeley, CA must make policy decisions following a mumps outbreak. Jonathan Spector's brilliant script reveals archetypes and arguments, and an exemplary cast enlivens the characters. The arguments concerning vaccinations are timely given the anti-vaxxing crusade of the current federal administration.
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Santa Fe: The City Different - Traveler's Notes Front Page
No Other Small American City Has the Quality and Diversity of Santa Fe
By: - Aug 30th, 2025The unlikely Santa Fe, New Mexico sets a remarkably high standard for tourism on many fronts. Exemplary visual arts, performing arts, museums, cuisine and restaurants, architecture, and festivals are just the beginning.
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Good People Front Page
Altarena's Masterful Look at Working Class South Boston
By: - Aug 25th, 2025Working-class Margie is fired from her job and desperately needs an income. She calls on Mike, now a successful doctor who she dated just before giving birth 30 ago and hasn't seen since. Unexpected clashes occur in this well-produced and riveting play.
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Alabaster Front Page
A Dramedy About Making Connections and Resurrecting Damaged Women
By: - Aug 18th, 2025A tornado destroyed June's family and farm. In isolation, she communicates with a goat. But when Alice, who brings photographic dignity and beauty to damaged women, shows up to do a layout on June, each faces her shortcomings with the possibility of escaping the pain of the past.
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