Originally published at www.theatrius.com Walking into the Forest Meadows Amphitheatre at Dominican University, I eyed rows upon rows of wooden seats surrounding an eye-popping stage design. As a soft breeze scattered leaves, I felt like I just had just stepped back centuries into a Shakespearean theater. Set Designer Nina Ball’s royal blue and aqua fortresses … Read more
Originally published at www.theatrius.com “A Chorus Line” engulfs the audience in radiant Broadway colors, exquisite dance steps, and magnificent songs—a legend in musical theater. Marvin Hamlisch’s music and Edward Klieban’s lyrics live on in “One” and “What I Did for Love.” We still sing these songs under our breath or silently moving our lips. I … Read more
Originally published at www.theatrius.com In “Out of Character,” Ari’el Stachel, 2018 Tony Award winner, pulls out all the stops. He unfolds his life as an actor in a dynamic, 90-minute memoir using creative stories, song, and dance. The 9/11 catastrophic event precipitated a major shift in Stachel’s life. Born half-Yemeni Israeli and half-Ashkenazi Jew in … Read more
Originally published at www.theatrius.com “The Dignity Circle” engages us from the first words spoken: “What would you do with 40,000 dollars?” Although not a massive amount of money these days, it is very enticing when your bank account nears zero and you depend on a spouse to keep you. Self-effacing Judith (versatile Rebecca Pingree) cannot … Read more
Originally published at www.theatrius.com “In the Evening by the Moonlight”—by Traci Tolmaire with Margo Hall—honors Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin, and Nina Simone. We see them in 1963, when they were young artists fighting racism. We are introduced to three of the most influential 20th Century artists in a crowded New York apartment. Very ill, Hansberry … Read more
Originally published at www.theatrius.com “I’ll eat you last” is the caustic last sentence the renowned Hollywood talent agent Sue Mengers imparts to clients who left her or displeased her. Her promise or threat best represents her wit and confidence. Set in the 70s, John Logan’s one woman show takes place on an elegant antique settee, … Read more
Originally published at www.theatrius.com In his crafty comedy “Chinglish,” David Henry Hwang forces us to face the consequences of rampant cultural misinterpretations. His characters play a game of deception that feels like a British spy comedy set in China. Hwang jumps into the gap between Chinese and U.S. culture, while Jeffrey Lo directs a brilliant … Read more
Originally published at www.theatrius.com In class at a young age, Satya Chávez attempts to understand the defiance of Rosa Parks, a Black woman, when she sat down in the white people’s section on a segregated bus. Chávez, as a Brown girl, innocently asks the teacher: “Where did we sit on the bus?” Thanks to the dynamic work … Read more
Originally published at www.theatrius.com “Boeing Boeing,” a 1960s jet-set farce, is the world’s most frequently performed French play. It was first staged in English in London in 1964, two years before Benicia Theatre Group opened in the grand Divino Espirito Santo Hall. Now, Benicia has revived this light-hearted, fast-paced frolic to my delight. The bright … Read more
Originally published at www.theatrius.com In the high-stakes private corporate world, “dry powder” is the phrase used for the cash the company has on-hand for swift investment buyouts. Named after gunpowder, the more cash reserves the venture capitalist has on hand, the more quickly the takeover can ignite. Sarah Burgess gives us a microscopic view of … Read more