All stories by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

You haven’t seen a ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ like this SF production by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

'Midsummer Night's Dream' gets a unique production by Arabian Shakespeare Festival in S.F.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 11:45AM
Friday, November 8, 2019

Review: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Amaluna’ impresses, but doesn’t quite wow by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Cirque du Soleil's "Amaluna," adapted loosely from Shakespeare's 'Tempest,' is a entertaining show that falls just short of mind-blowing.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 06:39PM
Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Women of French Resistance come to life in ‘Convoy’ in Berkeley by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Berkeley’s Theatre Lunatico presents 'Convoy 31000,' based on stories on French women who fought the Nazis -- and the prices they paid.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 02:00PM
Monday, November 4, 2019

Famed Iranian playwright keeps surprises coming in ‘Nassim’ by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour keeps the script of 'Nassim' secret until each performance, when he takes the stage with a surprise actor.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 02:00PM
Friday, November 1, 2019

‘The Jap Box’: Magic and ‘uncomfortable’ history combine in Berkeley show by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

David Hirata's solo show 'The Jap Box' at The Marsh Berkeley tells the story of a Japanese magician whose act was co-opted by Americans.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 11:45AM
Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Review: Clever stage rom-com ‘Elevada’ sparkles in Berkeley by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Sheila Callaghan's clever rom-com "Elevada" -- featuring a great cast -- is presented by Shotgun Players at Ashby Stage in Berkeley.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 03:38PM
Monday, October 28, 2019

Review: ‘Chinese Lady’ in SF re-creates sad, lurid chapter in history by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Lloyd Suh's new play 'The Chinese Lady' at Magic Theatre tells of Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman in America who was paraded as an oddity.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 07:07PM
Tuesday, October 22, 2019

‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ — a primer on beloved wizard’s world before play’s storied SF run by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" is opening at the The Curran in S.F.; here's what you need to know about the books before you attend the show.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 09:15PM
Thursday, October 17, 2019

Review: Haunting O’Neill’s ‘Long Day’s Journey’ revived in Oakland by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" gets a pared-down but still powerful revival by Oakland's Ubuntu Theater Project.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 04:06PM
Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Drag queen road musical ‘Priscilla’ rolls into Walnut Creek by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Adapted from a hit indie movie, 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,' about drag queens on a road trip, comes to Walnut Creek.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 04:06PM

‘Rocky Horror’ — the play — is a hot ticket in Bay Area by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

'Rocky Horror Show,' Richard O’Brien's iconic campy musical about sexual freedom and mad science, gets 3 Bay Area productions in October.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 01:00PM
Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Sam Shepard’s final play gets first staging in Berkeley by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Sam Shepard's final play, 'A Particle of Dread,' blends the story Oedipus with a murder mystery; it opens in Berkeley Oct. 18.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 02:00PM
Monday, October 14, 2019

Death gets duped in Latino folk tale by Bay Area Theatre Company by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

In time for Day of the Dead celebrations, Bay Area Theatre Co. presents 'Death and the Artist' in San Francisco.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 04:00PM
Friday, October 11, 2019

Review: ‘Dance Nation’ at SF Playhouse a jarring look at adolescent angst by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

In Clare Barron's odd and powerful "Dance Nation," at SF Playhouse, adults perform as competitive teen dancers -- the results will astound you.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 01:56PM
Monday, October 7, 2019

Review: TheatreWorks’ Mark Twain musical needs more Mark Twain by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

"Mark Twain's River of Song" at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has some good music but fails to employ enough of Twain's character and wit.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 02:44PM
Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Review: Word for Word’s creepy ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ will haunt you by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Word for Word presents a haunting version of epic poem "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" that seems more a horror show than cautionary tale.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 01:00PM
Monday, September 30, 2019

Drag queen comedy opens Town Hall Theatre season in Lafayette by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Town Hall Theatre opens season 75 with Matthew Lopez’ "Legend of Georgia McBride,” about an Elvis impersonator turned drag queen.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 01:00PM
Friday, September 27, 2019

Review: Caryl Churchill’s classic ‘Top Girls’ gets potent revival in SF by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Caryl Churchill's feminist classic "Top Girls," with its famous fantasy dinner scene, gets a strong revival at ACT in S.F.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 04:23PM
Thursday, September 26, 2019

Review: New ‘Macbeth’ at Cal Shakes both bloody and bland by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Cal Shakes' "Macbeth" offers some aesthetic flourishes, but uneven acting and direction eventually sink the production.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 10:15AM
Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Review: ‘The Wolves’ scores in surprising ways at City Lights in San Jose by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Sarah DeLappe's compelling "The Wolves" centers on a high school girls' soccer team; it opens City Lights' new season in San Jose.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 11:15AM
Monday, September 23, 2019

Suzan-Lori Parks hopes new play ‘White Noise’ ‘burns you clean’ by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Berkeley Rep presents Suzan-Lori Parks' racially charged ‘White Noise,’ a play she hopes has a an cathartic effect on audiences.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 02:00PM
Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Building a family on poisoned ground in powerful ‘Inked Baby’ in SF by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

“Inked Baby,” about a young family grappling with a mysterious poison in their neighborhood, gets its Bay Area premiere at Crowded Fire Theater.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 11:30AM
Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Review: ‘Murder for Two’ gets good and silly in Walnut Creek by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

The farce 'Murder for Two' in Walnut Creek spoof's classic murder mysteries while serving up high-energy farce and some nifty piano playing.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 05:20PM
Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Review: No easy answers for a doomed school in ‘Exit Strategy’ in Berkeley by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Ike Holder's dark comedy "Exit Strategy" looks at what happens when a school can't be saved; it's playing at Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 11:00AM
Monday, September 9, 2019

‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ adds sizzle to new Bay Area theater season by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

The hit Harry Potter stage spin-off, plus 'The Great Wave' and 'Top Girls' head an exciting fall 2019 Bay Area theater season.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 01:40PM

Tennessee Williams’ ‘Glass Menagerie’ revived for Danville festival by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Role Players ensemble presents Tennessee Williams' classic "Glass Menagerie" as part of the 2019 Eugene O'Neill Festival.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 11:45AM
Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Review: ‘The Flick’ in Berkeley is long, funny, sad and a must-see by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Annie Baker's 3-hour depiction of youthful suburban malaise gets a spot-on production at Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 11:00AM
Monday, August 26, 2019

Review: TheatreWorks delivers madcap comedy ’39 Steps’ with a sure hand by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

With '39 Steps,' TheatreWorks Silicon Valley kicks off its 50th season in grand comical style.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 01:53PM
Friday, August 23, 2019

Review: New moms learn that stakes are high in ‘Cry It Out’ in SF by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

Molly Smith Metzler's new play 'Cry It Out' spells out the joys, fears, exhilaration and pressure of motherhood with compelling realism.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 02:43PM
Friday, August 16, 2019

Review: Back in Bay Area, ‘Wicked’ is a stirring ode to resistance by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

"Wicked," the Wizard of Oz-inspired musical returns to the Bay Area, and its story has never seemed more timely.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 06:22PM

Strindberg’s ‘Miss Julie’ radically re-invented to embrace feminist, LGBT themes by Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent

August Strindberg's "Miss Julie" is considered a stage classic yet strongly misogynistic -- two new S.F. adaptations address that issue.

SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News at 11:30AM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards