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Actors’ Gang One Act Festival Reviewed by Deborah Klugman Actors’ Gang Through April 20 This program of original work in the Actors’ Gang One Act Festival illustrates how a misguided directorial choice can undermine a strong piece of writing, while a sketchier script can be illuminated by a gifted performance.The production, which runs in repertory with Sartre’s […]
Ada and the Engine Reviewed by Stephen Fife Theatre Unleashed Through April 7 Okay, serious theatergoers, who do you think was the most produced playwright in the United States last year?Arthur Miller? Tennessee Williams? August Wilson? Christopher Durang?Nope. It was Lauren Gunderson.Though only 37, Gunderson has had over 20 plays produced, most of them focusing on “female […]
Blood/Sugar Reviewed by Lara J. Altunian Plain Wood Productions Closed RECOMMENDED “Diabetes may no longer be a death sentence, but it is a life sentence.”Diana Wyenn’s descriptions of the autoimmune disease she has been battling for 15 years are haunting. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 20 years old, her journey has been wracked with difficulties, controversy, and […]
ParadiseReviewed by Ezra BittermanJuVee Productions, American Oasis Extended through March 31 [Note: This review is part of the Z. Clark Branson/Stage Raw Equity and Inclusion Initiative for Young Journalists. Stage Raw staff are mentoring the young authors, as they build their professional resumes as arts journalists.] Having transferred to the Matrix Theatre from its west coast premiere at […]
The Mother of Henry Reviewed by Dana Martin Latino Theater Company Through April 20 RECOMMENDED Evelina Fernández doesn’t need much drama to make her play compelling. The Mother of Henry explores a mother’s struggle to carry the burden of profound loss brought on by the Vietnam War during a time of intense civil unrest. The Latino […]
Bar Mitzvah Boy Reviewed by Stephen Fife West Coast Jewish Theatre Through May 12 In his opening curtain speech for Bar Mitzvah Boy at the Miles Playhouse in Santa Monica, director Howard Teichman — who is also artistic director of the West Coast Jewish Theatre — told the audience that he has “scoured the country […]
The Second Coming of Klaus Kinski! Reviewed by Julia Stier WTFN Through April 5 The real-life, controversial actor Klaus Kinski may have died in 1991, but now he’s back, and he’s got something to say.In The Second Coming of Klaus Kinski!, actor and writer Andrew Perez resurrects Kinski and takes on his persona. With exuberant […]
Steel Magnolias Reviewed by Terry Morgan Actors Co-op Theatre Company Through May 5 RECOMMENDED Watching this excellent current revival of Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias at Actors Co-op, I was reminded yet again of the power of a strong ensemble. Solo shows and two-handers certainly have their place, but there is something about the interaction among […]
