CRAM SESSION, CRASH COURSE Natalie Margolin’s sharply observed comedy captures the fleeting intensity of college friendships Natalie Margolin’s All Nighter, which opened Off-Broadway in …
ALL ABOARD THE S.S. SEX FARCE These gender-liberated pirates need to boink more and bicker less On the deck of the pirate ship Revenge, a buxom young lass leads a blindfolded young man to a …
A PILL THAT’S HARD TO SWALLOW Chance Theater’s committed cast sells the songs in this jukebox musical, but can’t overcome a sprawling script When Alanis Morissette released Jagged Litt…
FARCE MAJEURE This inventive adaptation trades reverence for revelry, with hilarious results Not everything ages well: milk, dress codes, and comedies are among the many things that are ofte…
SHOPPING FOR LAUGHS Jonathan Tolins’ delicious one-man comedy turns retail therapy into theatrical therapy A special kind of theatre magic occurs when a comedic play can live in the perfec…
COUNT ME IN Dr. Arthur Benjamin turns mathematics into an engaging theatrical experience Who would have dreamed math could be fun? Certainly not students sweating over difficult equations, t…
GOOD PEOPLE, GREAT SHOW David Lindsay-Abaire’s poignant drama delivers a powerful reminder that luck, circumstance, and class often shape lives as much as talent or determination In an all…
YESTERDAY’S REBELS Time has softened the musical’s edges, but not its beating heart In 1968, a rock musical featuring a ragtag group of hippies took Broadway by storm. With book and lyri…
A TIMELESS TRAGEDY TAKES ON A GILDED GLOW A beautifully conceived update proves Shakespeare’s young lovers lose none of their power in a new era There’s something magical about sitting i…
GOOD MORNING, SAN FRANCISCO The songs, the dancing, and the joy remain impossible to resist The summer’s most fun musical has arrived at the San Francisco Playhouse: Hairspray is here, and…
WAIT ‘TIL YOU HEAR HIM A gifted young singer proves he’s more than a novelty act When singers do their shows in New York City’s cabaret rooms, their audiences often include plenty of f…
STILL ANGRY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS A daring revival proves the musical’s power endures, even when one major directorial gamble doesn’t When people think of musicals, the stereotype is a s…
SPELLBOUND This warm, witty revival reminds us that growing up is never easy—but it can be hilarious Bee-lieve the hype. The Off-Broadway revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling …
PRESS BUTTON. REGRET LATER. Word for Word pairs two visions of the future with mixed results Z Space, known for developing original and experimental theater, is also home to Word for Word, a…
A LIFE IN THE KEYS Hershey Felder’s deeply personal journey proves as compelling as the music that shaped it Hershey Felder steps onto a stage with a grand piano surrounded by piles of old…
POP GOES THE BARD A jukebox musical that thrilled its fans while leaving this critic wishing the story mattered as much as the songs As I was settling into my seat at the gorgeous Auditorium…
SEXY, SINCERE… AND SLIGHT Outstanding chemistry can’t quite compensate for an opera that compresses too much Andy Acosta has sung Timothy Laughlin enough that the role has started to fee…
MORE VICTORIAN THAN NEW ROMANTIC Long Beach Shakespeare Company delivers Wilde’s classic with clarity and charm, even if its concept never fully blossoms Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of …
NO STRINGS ATTACHED? THINK AGAIN Erik Patterson’s provocative world premiere boasts superb performances but mistakes repetition for depth In F**king Strangers, receiving its world premiere…
A ticket stub fades and a programme yellows in a drawer. For the performances that stay with us, there are better ways to hold on to the image. Everyone who loves the stage or the screen col…
SKIN IN THE GAME Tony nominee Emily Skinner brings powerhouse vocals, incisive storytelling, and irresistible humor to CV Rep’s Summer Cabaret Series There is a rare tier of theatrical roy…
THE RAIN IT RAINETH A downpour doesn’t stop the cast from shining Heavy rains forced the July 18 performance of Twelfth Night indoors, but the cast and crew more than rose to the occasion.…
FOOD FOR THOUGHT Dave Hanson’s clever one-act turns awkward honesty into comic gold First dates can be anxiety-inducing to begin with, but what if your first impression became a Tower of B…
A PERFECT EIGHT Dave Malloy’s singular a cappella musical proves just as spellbinding in its Goodman transfer Theatrical sensations happen when audiences find themselves captivated by some…
YACKO OF ALL TRADES Broadway veteran Robert Yacko transforms an evening of songs into a heartfelt journey through a remarkable theatrical life Cabaret requires a delicate balance: a voice ca…