Reviews

“SWEET CHARITY” at The Welk Theatre

“SWEET CHARITY” at The Welk Theatre

Views:1329

Aired on KSDS-FM on 9/9/16 RUN DATES: 9/3/16 - 11/20/16 VENUE:  The Welk Theatre It’s hard to believe the spunky 1966 musical, “Sweet Charity,” had its origins in the dark, 1957 Fellini film, “Nights of Cabiria.” But it certainly does perpetuate the old cliché of the whore with the heart of gold. Charity Hope Valentine is just looking for love, but her job as dance-hall girl with benefits doesn’t exactly land her in the most facilitative circumstances. From the men she Read More →

“LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR” at North Coast Repertory Theatre

“LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR” at North Coast Repertory Theatre

Views:1588

Aired on KSDS-FM on 11/18/16 RUN DATES:  10/19/16 - 11/20/16 VENUE: North Coast Repertory Theatre Imagine being in a room with Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Carl Reiner, Larry Gelbart and Sid Caesar. That’s a boatload of comic genius. The young Neil Simon couldn’t believe his luck, landing a job as a junior writer for “Your Show of Shows,” the most popular TV comedy-variety program of the early 1950s. In 1993, he immortalized the experience in the hilarious comedy, “Laughter on Read More →

“EQUIVOCATION” at Lamb’s Players Theatre

“EQUIVOCATION” at Lamb’s Players Theatre

Views:1281

Aired on KSDS-FM on 11/11/16 RUN DATES:  10/21/16 - 11/20/16 VENUE: Lamb's Players Theatre Historical fiction vs. political truth. Catholics against Protestants. A playwright in conflict with his actors. Morality coming up against political expedience. A beloved son… and neglected daughter. A treasonous plot. And an imagined theatrical commission. “Equivocation” has a lot on its mind. Bill Cain’s 2009 play, an acting ensemble showcase, is rife with clever repartee and sly and overt Shakespearean references. Whole scenes are lifted from Read More →

“GOD OF CARNAGE” at New Village Arts

“GOD OF CARNAGE” at New Village Arts

Views:1213

Aired on KSDS-FM on 11/4/16 RUN DATES:  10/14/16 - 11/13/16 VENUE: New Village Arts Kids are little sponges, right? From birth, they soak up whatever oozes or spews from their parents. Never was this so graphically demonstrated as in Yazmina Reza’s 2008 dramedy, “God of Carnage.” The first salvo is fired in a playground brawl, where one 11 year-old hits another with a stick, knocking out some teeth and injuring his pride. But the real carnage comes when the Read More →

“LIZARD BOY” at Diversionary Theatre

“LIZARD BOY” at Diversionary Theatre

Views:1202

Aired on KSDS-FM on  10/28/16 RUN DATES:  9/29/16 - 11/6/16 VENUE: Diversionary Theatre You don’t have to like monsters or sci fi or superheroes to love “Lizard Boy.” This unexpectedly irresistible three-person “comic book musical fantasy” will make you laugh, and make you think:  about people who are alienated because they look different, and seeing past the surface – in this case, green, scaly skin – to the humble person within, even if he turns out to have superpowers. Read More →

“SEVEN GUITARS” and “KING HEDLEY II” at Cygnet Theatre

“SEVEN GUITARS” and “KING HEDLEY II” at Cygnet Theatre

Views:1255

Aired on KSDS-FM on 10/14/16 RUN DATES:  9/28/16 - 11/6/16 VENUE: Cygnet Theatre August Wilson wrote jazz; he wasn’t a composer, but in his plays, the language is distinctly musical, with dips and riffs, crescendos and stunning solos. The late playwright famously chronicled the African American experience in the 20th century, through ten decade-by-decade dramas, mainly set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. Cygnet Theatre, which relishes presenting plays in repertory, has brilliantly paired two Pulitzer-nominated Wilson pieces, set in the 1940s and Read More →