John Logan Celebrates Sue Mengers, Hollywood's First Woman Superagent by Patricia L. Morin "I'll eat you last" is the caustic last sentence the renowned Hollywood talent agent Sue Mengers im…
David Henry Hwang Uses Love to Expose Deception in China/U.S. Deals by Patricia L. Morin In his crafty comedy "Chinglish," David Henry Hwang forces us to face the consequences of rampant cul…
W. Fran Astorga's Comic Vision Inspires with Grace & Eco-Poetry by Barry David Horwitz I have never seen a play like "Exhaustion Arroyo: Dancin' Trees in the Ravine." Â "Arroyo" is a t…
Millennial Notes Marc Anthony Thompson Transforms Minstrel Satire to Black Joy by Korinne Nickings The lights go down … and darkness fills the room as I listen to the sounds of screams, an…
Millennial Notes Erika Dickerson-Despenza Delivers a Force of Nature by Beau McGlasson It can be a challenge to find joy and beauty in the face of cruelty, racism, and government failings. S…
Brian Quijada's Musical Unravels a Latin Life by Patricia L. Morin In class at a young age, Satya Chávez attempts to understand the defiance of Rosa Parks, a Black woman, when she sat dow…
Millennial Notes  Mel Brooks Exposes Taxes & Tricks in Musical Comedy by Hamilton Nguyen "The Producers" imagines a Dynamic Duo trying to manipulate IRS rules to make money on a big m…
Marc Camoletti's Farce Unwinds a Parisian Don Juan's Scheme  by Patricia L. Morin "Boeing Boeing," a 1960s jet-set farce, is the world's most frequently performed French play. It …
Millennial Notes Edmond Rostand's Classic Still Touches Hearts   by Rachel Norby Director Josh Costello's distilled version of "Cyrano de Bergerac" carefully unfolds surprising transf…
Millennial Notes Qui Nguyen Honors Both Tradition & Pop Culture by Hamilton Nguyen Using neon-lit sets, rap music, and country lingo, "Poor Yella Rednecks: Vietgone 2" tells the stor…
Brown & Frew Revive the Tale of Julia Child in France by Patricia L. Morin "To Master the Art" is an enjoyable mix of French history, American intrigue, and humorous cooking lessons. Jul…
Millennial Notes Gloria Bond Clunie's Lyrics Encourage Kids to Dance by Rosa Leither Giraffes Can't Dance, a picture book by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, has been a family favorite sin…
Josh Costello Revives Soldier-Poet for Our Time by Lynne Stevens I've always felt that an intelligent, witty man is much more attractive than one who is merely lucky to be handsome. I always…
Millennial Notes Qui Nguyen's "Vietgone 2" Highlights Vietnamese Immigrant Experience by Jeanette Quick I wanted to love "Poor Yella Rednecks: Vietgone 2," the second part of Qui Nguyen's tr…
Reflections Lynn Nottage Exposes How Corporate Profits Trump People by Tom van Nuenen "Sweat," the Pulitzer-awarded play by Lynn Nottage, is a powerful examination of the capitalist strategy…
Millennial Notes Tina D'Elia Asserts Female Power in Hollywood by Kelly Mou Tina D'Elia's solo show at The Rhino is a sure-fire hit. It's jam-packed with Latina and LGBTQ+ characters. Her un…
Millennial Notes Fred Pitts Tours Missions, Finds White Confusion by Erin Weitzman Fred Pitts' solo show at The Marsh, Berkeley, called "Aren't You…?" brings us the voices and opinions of …
Sankoff & Hein's Music Blends Generosity & Good Will by Patricia L. Morin "Come From Away" engulfs us in an incredible true story following 9/11, when a small community in Gander, Ne…
George Saunders Exposes the Costs of War by Karen Marguerite Caronna For its 30th Anniversary year, Word for Word has put George Saunders' touching short story onstage. Â In "HOME," a vete…
Millennial Notes Aleshea Harris Exposes Deep Wounds of Race War by Hamilton Nguyen At Oakland Theater Project, "Is God Is" by Aleshea Harris shows us two kinds of people"those who fixate on …
Sanaz Toossi Exposes Clash of Language & Dreams by Patricia L. Morin You often hear Americans asking, "Do you know English?" Sanaz Toossi's unique classroom play "English" spotlights the…
Millennial Notes Manuel Puig's Gender-Bending Political Love Story Still Shines by Jeanette Quick "Kiss of the Spider Woman," now playing at A Noise Within in Pasadena, is a complex and intr…
Millennial Notes Dana Anderson Imbues Psychopathy with Chilling Charm by Rachel Norby "Ruthless! The Musical" tells the story of eight-year-old Tina Denmark, a disturbed little girl who is i…
Millennial Notes Mona Pirnot Brilliantly Multiplies the Meanings of Privacy by Jeanette Quick "Why does it matter if people hear our business?" "Private" by Mona Pirnot at SFBATCO is a wonde…
Sarah Burgess Unfolds Conflicts in Corporate Takeover by Patricia L. Morin In the high-stakes private corporate world, "dry powder" is the phrase used for the cash the company has on-hand fo…