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Review: Aurora’s ‘Goes’ does not shy away from exploring race
One of the most fascinating pieces of watching a play at Berkeley’s intimate Aurora Theatre is the fact that while the show goes on, you can see the audience react while not losing focus on the action....
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Stanford’s Summer Theater celebrates a milestone with its 15th anniversary
When Rush Rehm first embarked on an opportunity to begin a theatre festival at Stanford University, he did not plan to see that festival celebrating its 15th birthday this year. “We didn’t have money...
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Review: City Lights’‘Rocky Horror Show’ is campy fun
Rocky (Michael Wieland, center) is the new sexual boy-toy of Doctor Frank’n'Furter (Nathaniel Rothrock) in “The Rocky Horror Show” at City Lights in Downtown San Jose. (Photo by Mike Ko of...
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Review: A family affair at joyful ‘Priscilla’
The coolest thing happened to me the other night. I went to see a play, and a Pride parade broke out. In all my years of attending Broadway shows in San Francisco, I have a hard time remembering being...
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San Jose Rep gives audiences one night to recreate the magic of Janis Joplin
Late night talk show host Dick Cavett did some of the most insightful interviews with some of the biggest rock stars in music history. Cavett, whose initial late night show was launched on ABC in...
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Review: Hillbarn’s ‘Spamalot’ makes audience laugh a lot
I love jokes that I actually get. As opposed to those I don’t. I agree, an absolutely brilliant thought! Well, maybe not. As a huge musical theatre buff, I get that moment where, in a duet, the two...
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Review: Magic of Joplin is channeled for one more night at San Jose Rep
On the Janis Joplin Greatest Hits album, while performing her legendary tune “Ball and Chain,” in the middle of the song, Joplin goes into an earthy monologue about love and living every day as if it’s...
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Review: Strong showcase of Shakespeare’s language in The Pear’s ‘Tempest’
A case can certainly be made that William Shakespeare saved his best play for one of his last plays when writing “The Tempest.” The play is chock-full of passionate language, a reverence for the...
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Review: Carole King easy to connect to in wonderful ‘Beautiful’
Carole King (Jessie Mueller) finds her voice after writing for so many others in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco through Oct. 20th. Broadway previews begin...
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Review: City Lights’‘Animals out of Paper’ a sharp, life metaphor
Ilana (Janis DeLucia) mentors origami protege Suresh (Danraj Rajasansi) in “Animals out of Paper” at City Lights Theater Company. (Photo by Tasi Alabastro) It is certainly important to count your...
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Gay rights, religion the focus of San Jose Rep’s ‘Next Fall’
Less than three weeks into former San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom’s first term in 2004, he made a decision that kick-started a wild and wonderful 29 days in the Bay Area and throughout the world. Or,...
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Review: SHN’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ is comfortable and warm
Dorothy (Danielle Wade) befriends the Scarecrow (Jamie McKnight) as she travels down the Yellow Brick Road in “The Wizard of Oz,” playing at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre through Sunday, Oct. 27th....
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Getting laughs in the Bay Area is ‘rough’ business
The Bay Area comedy theatre scene is about to get a little bit “Rougher.” Roughhouse Comedy, a group from San Jose that has branched out from the venerable Comedysportz improvisation troupe, is now...
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Review: San Jose Rep’s ‘Next Fall’ stays with you long after the final curtain
Luke (Adam Shonkwiler, left) and Adam (Danny Scheie share a tender moment in “Next Fall,” playing through Nov. 10th in San Jose. (Photo by Kevin Berne) Waiting in a waiting room can be ugly. I did it a...
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WVLO’s ‘Fiddler’ a timeless story of culture, tradition
The simple dairyman Tevye (Doug Brook) and his wife Golde (Rachel Michelberg) deal with an ever-changing world in “Fiddler on the Roof” at Saratoga’s West Valley Light Opera through Dec. 7th. (Photo by...
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Review: Inventive staging, sharp direction highlight somewhat tepid...
Peter (Joey deBettencourt) and Molly (Megan Stern) mix adventure with the discovery of love in “Peter and the Starcatcher,” through Dec. 1st in San Francisco. (Photo by Jenny Anderson) There is...
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San Jose Rep’s ‘The Snow Queen’ tells a universal, coming-of-age tale
Since 1937, when the world was first introduced to the demure and pure “Snow White,” in the popular Disney film, the princess genre in popular entertainment has gone through quite the radical...
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Home-grown choreographer returns for CMTSJ’s ‘White Christmas’
Dennis O’Bannion, left, performs with the Broadway company of “White Christmas” in 2008. The show plays at CMTSJ through Dec. 15th. (Photo courtesy of CMTSJ) Here’s a theatrical recipe for success:...
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Review: A magical, fantastical dream for the Holidaze
So I’m watching the beautiful show “Cirque Dreams Holidaze,” at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre, completely enamored with the company’s ability to test the bounds of human physiology. And of all the...
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Review: Warmth of original film captured in SJ Stage’s production of...
(L to R) Martin Rojas Dietrich, Kevin Blackton and Will Springhorn, Jr. portray multiple characters in San Jose Stage’s “It’s a Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play.” (Photo by Dave Lepori) It is not...
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