The History Boys covers the life of eight English boys prepping for their entrance exams designed to get them into Oxford or Cambridge. But playwright Alan Bennett has a much larger agenda than merely a coming of age story or a debate about the purpose and style of education. He tackles issues such as sexual identity, teen angst and the role of teachers as mentors to their students
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The Florida audience fulfills all these criteria and more as they respond
to versatile actor/director Jake (aka Yankel) Ehrenreich in his new play,
an update of an earlier, quite successful version, both based on his book:
“A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, The curious Reflections of a First Generation
American” (published in 2010).
Kudos to the creatives at Chicago Shakespeare theatre for commissioning and producing The Book of Joseph from Richard Holland’s publication of his father’s story and the collection of family letters: “Every Day Lasts A Year.” Karen Hartman was commissioned to adapt the Holland letters into a stage play with the help of Rick Boynton and directed by Barbara Gaines. The result is a most compelling and empathetic story
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As this fact-paced 85 minute courtroom drama plays out, we witness the parallel these two young woman as they are, in fact, fighting a similar battle to defend their morals, motives and religious freedoms. Playwright Selina Fillinger skillfully presents both side of the argument: should we aggressively prosecute Americans who try to aid terrorist or only after they actually materially and personally commit acts to aid ISIS?
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There is nothing to like here. Bootycandy is offensive to gay men, to the black community, to black churches, and to white folks. The production is a series of vignettes that cover much more that the coming of age of a black gay boy. Among the play’s scenes, we hear two women, each playing two women, as they talk about the naming of a child.
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Utilizing a futuristic set (design by John Musical) with creepy lighting (by Mike Durist), The Nether becomes a haunting drama that questions responsibility, both individuality and governmental, as to the limits of entertainment in the new tech realities. The Hideaway goes farther than our present violence-oriented virtual games that many are playing too much.
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Saturday Night Fever – The Musical has mediocre disco dancing that was both uninspiring a tad mechanical. Usually Drury Lance Theatre’s musicals contain more creative and spirited choreography with stronger dancers. I also had a problem with the female singers who seemed flat or so unlike The Bee Gees that it hurt the production.
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A Disappearing Number uses mathematics as a framing devise for storytelling. Told in a series of face-paced vignettes that move around in time and place, this love letter to numbers blends math mysticism with personal relationships as well as a story about two giants of math in the 20th century.
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While playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has much smartly biting dialogue that satirizes the millennial’s he overs writes several long monologues. The long speeches quickly turn into “playwright-speak”since individuals simply don’t talk in long rages, especially when others patiently listen awaiting their chance to respond. What is said is a blustering attack their office atmosphere that these privileged find boring. The negativity suppressed the rage that they feel.
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