Theater

Q & A with Lanna Joffrey

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Nella Vera February 28, 2020 Washington,

“A Thousand Splendid Suns”, a new play based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Khaled Hosseini (“Kite Runner”), focuses on the lives of two women in war-torn Afghanistan. Adapted for the stage by Ursula Rani Sarma and directed  ...

Gatz

Berkeley Rep
Presented by Elevator Repair Service

Emily S. Mendel February 21, 2020 Berkeley,

“Gatz,” the extraordinarily creative and intelligent combination of an oration and recreation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, “The Great Gatsby,” opened on February 13, 2020, at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater to well-deserved bravos and huzzahs.  ...

Hurricane Diane

by Madeleine George

Josh Baxt February 19, 2020 San Diego,

Hurricane Diane is about two-thirds satirical comedy and one-third social activism. The comedy part is fantastic. Set in a (mostly) pristine New Jersey cul-de-sac, the show pits the Greek god Dionysus against four Jersey housewives. Bored  ...

Describe the Night

by Ravji Joseph

Lewis Whittington February 19, 2020 Philadelphia,

The Wilma Theater has been redesigned as a multi-tiered amphitheater to frame Rajiv Joseph’s provocative 2017 political play ‘Describe the Night.’ A sterile sunken stage lined with hundreds of file boxes, and looming behind, a distant forest in Poland  ...

HEN, Johanny Bert

Théâtre de Romette

Marisa Hayes February 19, 2020 Paris,

“If you allow me the time to exist, everything will be all right,” announces a gregarious gender fluid puppet. Inspired by Sweden’s gender-neutral pronoun, HEN is the latest production from French theatre artist Johanny Bert and his Théâtre de  ...

Q&A with John Collins

Director of "Gatz" at Berkeley Rep.

Emily S. Mendel February 11, 2020 Berkeley,

The extraordinary and applauded theatrical production of “Gatz” has played to sold-out theaters in the United States and Europe since 2005, and it is finally coming to Berkeley Rep (February 13–March 1, 2020). This unusually creative and intelligent work  ...

Wakey, Wakey

Emily S. Mendel February 5, 2020 San Francisco,

Two-time Emmy Award-winning actor Tony Hale (Gary on “Veep,” Buster on “Arrested Development”) returned to the stage for the first time in 17 years to star in “Wakey, Wakey,” by Will Eno.  And on opening night, Hale did himself  ...

Jitney

Old Globe Theatre, San Diego

Josh Baxt January 30, 2020 San Diego,

August Wilson’s Pulitzer-winning drama, Jitney, covers so much territory it’s sometimes difficult to keep track. Struggle, work, gossip, respect, loyalty, race and deep, deep regret. But mostly, Jitney is about pride and the lengths people will go to maintain  ...

What the Constitution Means to Me

Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles

Karen Weinstein January 27, 2020 Los Angeles,

The title is personal, the play is personal, and so is this review. “What the Constitution Means to Me,” is the autobiographical story of author Heidi Schreck. It is particularly timely with the senate impeachment trial filling the airways,  ...

Bloomsday

Lynne Friedmann January 21, 2020 San Diego,

Should they? Could they? Would they? These questions resonate in a bittersweet story of an extraordinary day that offers love a second chance in “Bloomsday,” at the North Coast Rep. No surprise to English lit  ...