Central Works, a small and inviting theatre nestled in the heart of architect Julia Morgan’s Berkeley City Club, is renowned for producing bold and innovative new plays. Their latest production, “The Last Goat,” is no exception. Playwright and Director Gary Graves masterfully cloaks his plays in historical settings that resonate with the political and personal … Read more
Ixtlan (Demetrius), Elena Wright (Helena), Adrian Deane (Lysandra), Storm White (Hermia) Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream could not have found a better home than with the Marin Shakespeare Company and Bridgette Loriaux, who adapted, choreographed, and directed a delightfully modern, whimsical, and hilarious production that charms audiences of all ages. Set in San Rafael’s Forest … Read more
Left Edge Theatre’s The Sound Inside, by Adam Rapp, is an excellent psychological two-hander that unfolds like a literary mystery. Bella Lee Baird, portrayed with quiet intensity and authenticity by Ashley Kennedy, is a 53-year-old Creative Writing professor at Yale. She lives alone, keeps to herself, and her one novel—published over two decades ago—is nearly … Read more
Lisa Ramirez (Darja) Oakland Theatre Project’s production of Martyna Majok’s “Ironbound”creates a raw and intense psychological portrait of the often-ignored personal struggles of immigrant women. Immigrants, who we may see every day in any city waiting on a wrought iron bench for a bus. We first meet Darja, a 42-year-old Polish immigrant, on a … Read more
San Francisco Playhouse does it again—delivering a lively, hand-clapping satire that draws big laughs while shedding light on contemporary issues. James Ijames’s “Fat Ham,” under the direction of award-winning Margo Hall, reimagines “Hamlet” with an inventive and uproarious twist. Set in the South (Scenic Designer Nina Ball), a Black family gathers for a joyous wedding-day … Read more
Oakland Theatre Company, under the masterful leadership of Director Michael Socrates Moran, brilliantly stages a solo performance about the enigmatic transvestite Charlotte von Mahlsdorf. Playwright Doug Wright based the play on extensive interviews with von Mahlsdorf, exploring her remarkable and multi-faceted life. The performance premiered in New York City in 2003. It then won the … Read more
Novato Theater Company, in collaboration with Marin Musical Theatre Company, presents a dynamic rendition of the classic musical “Cabaret.” Artfully co-directed and choreographed by Jenny Boynton and Katie Wickes, this production immerses the audience in the seductive, volatile world of 1930s Berlin. The Kit Kat Club, a seedy, burlesque theatre, that boasts “We have … Read more