As the play opens, Theo and Louise Maske (Jack Birdwell and Jessica Maynard, a fellow University of Michigan alum) rush into their apartment, scandalized: while they were innocently watching the king’s parade, Louise’s underwear fell to her ankles. She immediately swept them up, she contests, but Theo is concerned that he will lose his job and his reputation because of his wife’s “indiscretion.”
Read MoreThat Face, the debut from 19-year-old English playwright Polly Stenham, is impressive in its maturity. It does not come off, at first blush, as something a teenager would write. That said, the teen angst and actions are closer, fresher, more realistic than something written by a significantly older writer. This is very much a teen drama, sort of Skins-meets-Albee.
Read More…actor/playwright Joshua Rollins’ first full length play, A Girl With Sun In Her Eyes, is a masterpiece! It is one of the finest world premieres I’ve seen since Keith Huff’s A Steady Rain. Rollins’ work is flawless and so real it was scary. This action-packed mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout its 85 minutes.
Read MoreThere is nudity on stage for shock value, for sexual stimulation, and for simple gratuitous exploitation – and then there is the tasteful use of nudity that propels the artistic creativity of the folks at The Living Canvas. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Pete Guither, the Living Canvas’ 2011 production: Rain deals with the fundamental connection between the human body and the natural world — the pure and essential relationship between water and flesh. It’s theatre, it’s dance, it’s movement, it’s art, it’s a celebration!
Read MoreNow, let me state that most children and adults will find this production charming and quaint – and so did I. The material – the Menken score and the Ashman/Rice lyrics and the enduring fairytale about love, acceptance and friendship is so strong that it always finds the hearts of the audience.
Read MoreThe high flying act was breathtaking and the aerial silk and straps duo were amazing but there was too much contortion and insect-inspired dance for my taste. But, then the audience seemed to enjoy this show more than I did. I liked the trampo-wall act that ended the show.
Read MoreThis is a hilarious take on the challenges of doing business in a culture world apart form our own. There is much happening in this work requiring our full attention. At first glance, Chinglish seems to be a comedy based on the language barriers and cultural oddities that separate American and Chinese cultures.
Read MoreThis 90 minute work is filled with rich poetic language, a few laughs and a spirit that suggests that dreaming and the effort to reach the sun – no matter how much one may get burned – is superior to not trying. The living must have dreams and taking risks is necessary for happiness. Beau wears a ski mask to hide his real pain. He realizes that he can love and be loved if he dreams and takes action toward personal reconciliation for his painful secret.
Read MoreIt took effort to get me past the strong Our Town references about everyday life in small town America. But once I realized Eno’s take on the life cycle focuses on the middle part – that part between birth and death of the life cycle – I began to appreciate deeper levels of Middletown. Eno emphasizes how we attempt to articulate our lives through human speech.
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