Put a Little Drama in your Life
KPBS AIRDATE: MARCH 10, 1999 There’s something to be said for the ballpeen hammer approach to playwriting plays: the audience can’t miss the message. Several recent openings are pounding their manifestoes into your brain. Not that they’re nefarious in intent; it’s heady stuff like ‘Love conquers all,’ ‘You gotta move on,’ and ‘Women should have control over their bodies and Read More →
Published in In Theater Trained as an actor, acclaimed as a director, Sheldon Epps has been able to maintain his balance in straddling the worlds of theater and television. In 1983, he conceived ”Blues in the Night” (which starred Leslie Uggams on Broadway, Della Reese and Eartha Kitt on tour). The revue was nominated for a Best Musical Tony and two Olivier Read More →
KPBS AIRDATE: MARCH 3, 1999 Imagine the ultimate bachelor pad, circa 1961. The mere term ‘bachelor pad’ smacks of 1961. No, it doesn’t have a lava lamp; those came later. But it does have beanbag chairs (orange and teal, of course) and a remote clicker that does triple-duty. It doesn’t flip TV channels. But Read More →
Published in In Theater March 1999 "The Ballad of Floyd Collins" is more than just the plaintive opening number. It could be the tale of the show's evolution. Commissioned in 1994 by the American Music Theatre Festival of Philadelphia, "Floyd Collins" opened at Playwrights Horizons in the busy 1996 season, up against "Rent" and "Noise/Funk." It got lost in the shuffle; Read More →
Published in In Theater March 1999 It's the smorgasbord syndrome. You taste a little of this and that and the other thing, and soon it all starts to mush together on your plate. You lose the individual flavors. You long for a more complete and focused repast. Ultimately, you come away full, but not satisfied. Read More →
KPBS AIRDATE: FEBRUARY 24, 1999 MUSIC: yodel from “The Call” That’s the sound of a caver calling into a deep, dark space, to see if there’s a cavern within. It’s the seminal sound of “Floyd Collins,” the 1994 musical just remounted and co-produced at the Old Globe Theatre, before it goes off on tour. 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