reviews Archives – Theatrical Musings

A national theater critics organization has presented more than $40,000 in awards to four playwrights to recognize their prestigious accomplishments. The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) presented Chiara Atik with the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award for one of her plays, Poor Clare. The…

Photo courtesy of Christa Ingraham Theater artist Layon Gray directs and stars as deputy U.S. marshal Bass Reeves in M Ensemble’s Cowboy. By AARON KRAUSE If I don’t tell the stories, who will? It’s not just a rhetorical question but an attitude through which multi award-winning theater artist Layon…

By AARON KRAUSE WINSTON SALEM, N.C. — Larry Leon Hamlin, the late founder of The National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., would likely have described the 2019 event using a favorite word he coined – “marvtastic,” a combination of “marvelous” and “fantastic.” Indeed, ticket sales were…

Photo by Liz Lauren Billie Dawn (Colleen Madden) resists attempts by Harry Brock (David Daniel) to control her in American Players Theatre’s production of Born Yesterday. By AARON KRAUSE SPRING GREEN, Wisc. — It’s tucked away amid 110 acres of hilly woods and meadows near this town of about 1,600…

(Photo by George Schiavone) David (Tom Aulino) seems more interested in his booze than his daughter, Ella, in GableStage’s production of I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard. CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Our desire for affirmation that others value us is sometimes as strong as our hydration needs on…

(Photo by George Wentzler) Mr. Parker (Michael McKeever) and Justin (Samuel Maya) enjoy a playful moment in the world premiere production of Mr. Parker. WILTON MANORS, Fla. — You don’t have to be gay to find resonance in Mr. Parker, a funny, touching play receiving its world premiere at Island…

Gunderson (photo by Charles Giuliano) Playwright Lauren Gunderson is officially the first repeat winner of a prestigious award from a group of theater critics . Four years after she received a top award from the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) for her play I and You, the writer recently won…

(Photos courtesy of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati) Othello (William Oliver Watkins) tries to reason with Iago (Nicholas Rose) to no avail in Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of Othello. At right are cast members of Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati’s production of Red Velvet. CINCINNATI — Theater…

Photo by George Wentzler From left, Al Lewis (Peter Librach) and Willie Clark (Michael H. Small) don’t exactly see eye-to-eye in Broward Stage Door’s production of Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys. MARGATE — As you hear his one-liners zing from the mouth of one character to the ear of another,…