Put a Little Drama in your Life
By Pat Launer 6/9/03 The theater week was more than pleasant: Some trips to the past, a whiff of the present: "Charley's Aunt," ever gay and grand, Could be dragged right into "Falsettoland." And young "Fraulein Else" might get a kick From the aptly-named wackos appearing in [sic]. So Read More →
By Pat Launer 6/9/03 It's unequivocally true-- I see more shows than I review So this space gives me an opportunity To share more views with the theater community. And anyway, theatermakers, c'mon, confess -- Are you conscious early Fridays to hear me on KPBS??? Well, catch the info any way you choose: Herewith I present this week's stageworthy news! Even if Jack didn't bring his beloved Pumpkin to the 57thTony Awards, San Diego was very well represented. There was, of course, our musical darling, Read More →
KPBS AIRDATE: June 06, 2003 You don't need to know much about the Bible, art history or international politics to appreciate "Pentecost," but patience and acute listening will be well rewarded. This deep, rich, 1994 drama by British playwright David Edgar is vast and expansive, with its multicultural cast and characters, multiple languages, diverse accents and numerous storylines. There's a lot here, maybe even too much for Read More →
KPBS AIRDATE: May 23, 2003 Two dark shows, shot through with light. It's all a matter of your mood and preference. Stand at the Lyceum and choose: The Lady or the Miner. That is to say, "Stop Kiss" or "Fire on the Mountain." Playwrights Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman are back at the San Diego Rep, with another of their world premiere Read More →
KPBS AIRDATE: May 16, 2003 Life can be a dark and dirty business. That is, if you believe playwrights Sam Shepard and Karoline Leach. One American, one Brit. One play garnered the Pulitzer Prize- in 1979; the other is a first dramatic effort, which premiered in London in 1997. But the picture they paint, of rootlessness and spiritual emptiness, wrecking the myth of human kindness, spans decades Read More →
KPBS AIRDATE: May 02, 2003 Power differentials are everywhere. And as both history and current events have shown, oppression often leads to aggression. Dominance can be exploited in all quarters -- from the boardroom to the Pentagon, from classroom to kitchen, from the bedroom to the gates of Hell. And directly or indirectly, it's all played out onstage. Asian American Repertory Theatre and The Fritz Read More →
“San Diego is a hotbed of theater. Every year, I see 200-250 productions. This is fertile ground for new work. In addition to the prodigious local talent, theatermakers from around the country come here to premiere their latest creations. San Diego sends more shows to Broadway than nearly any other city in the U.S.”
-Pat Launer