“the Gifts Of The Magi” At The Lamb’s Players Theatre

“the Gifts Of The Magi” At The Lamb’s Players Theatre

KPBS AIRDATE:   December 18, 1996 The classic story was only four pages long, and there was only one gift in the title.   But the musical version lasts about 90 intermissionless minutes and is called, “The Gifts of the Magi.”   Maybe it gains some plurality from the tripartite nature of the piece -- encompassing the classic O. Henry tale of love, mutual Read More →

“a Christmas Carol” At The San Diego Repertory Theatre And Other Holiday Fare

“a Christmas Carol” At The San Diego Repertory Theatre And Other Holiday Fare

KPBS AIRDATE:   December 11, 1996 Well, the holidays are officially upon us. You can hear it in shopping malls, taste it in restaurants... and see it onstage. The San Diego Repertory Theatre rolls out its 21st presentation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” But it had some tough acts to follow: its own impeccable 1995 production, and the Read More →

“free Will And Wanton Lust” At Sledgehammer Theatre

“free Will And Wanton Lust” At Sledgehammer Theatre

KPBS AIRDATE:   DECEMBER 4, 1996 If family functions this holiday season fill you with dread or drag you down, spend an evening with Nicky Silver’s family, and you’ll feel a whole lot better. No dramatist, except for maybe August Strindberg or Eugene O’Neill, succeeds so completely in making ‘family’ feel like a four-letter word. All three mix a Read More →

Forever Plaid At The Theatre In Old Town

Forever Plaid At The Theatre In Old Town

KPBS AIRDATE: November 27, 1996 MUSIC, under: “Three Coins in the Fountain” For some strange reason, plaid never seems to go out of style.    I guess it’s warm and familiar and comfortable.   Same goes for “Forever Plaid.”   Audiences, especially in San Diego, never seem to tire of it, and they’re fighting their way in Read More →

“laughter On The 23rd Floor” At The North Coast Repertory Theatre

“laughter On The 23rd Floor” At The North Coast Repertory Theatre

KPBS AIRDATE:   November 20, 1996 It really was the show of shows, a comic jewel set in the golden age of television.   Sid Caesar’s comedy hour, called “Your Show of Shows,” was smart, witty, silly, irreverent, iconoclastic and at times even controversial. But above all, it was funny.   And why not?   The writers of that program Read More →

Changing Rainbows At The Ensemble Arts Theatre / Sight Unseen At The Fritz Theatre

Changing Rainbows At The Ensemble Arts Theatre  /  Sight Unseen At The Fritz Theatre

KPBS AIRDATE: November 13, 1996 We’ve always been fascinated by the private lives of artists -- both factual and fictional. How their inner torment is reflected on their canvases. How frequently they abuse themselves and their loved ones.   How they crave fame and are tortured by it. Buyers pay top dollar for their work, but they pay Read More →