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REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

Brand

Not even the leading avant-garde director, Max Truax could , despite a dark, depressing set design (byMichael Mroch) and a totally dedicated cast, could make Henrik Ibsen’s 1866 verse tragedy, Brand, audience friendly. Written while Ibsen was on a self-imposed exile in Italy, Brand is a ‘think” piece about Ibsen’s Christian views concerning freedom of will and the use of sacrifice to illustrate one’s Christian faith.

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Kabulitis

Kabulitis focuses on two periods in Afghan history: the return of the foreign-educated sons seeking reform, and the aftermath of invasion in 2002; this is done through a single family, a single person: Mildred (Caron Buinis), a Manhattan girl married to the Afghan Hamed (Gustavo Obregon) who is determined to reform his country. They travelled back to Kabul during the Second World War, but were eventually forced out because of the impending danger they faced.

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MUST SEEREVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

The Great Fire

I was impressed at the scope and depth of Musial’s work in the 2011 version. Seldom will you see a more technical stage work that vividly evokes the tragedy of a city-wide fire. The only thing lacking was the smoke and smell of a major fire. Telling the story of a catastrophic event on stage takes daring and loads of stage craft – all of which are ingredients in this thrilling and emotional telling of the story of the Chicago fire from October 8, 1871.

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Red

Theatre is often about something other than what the people on stage are talking about. And Red is no exception – as Logan himself says. The backdrop is art, but the subject is mankind, fathers and sons, mentors and protégés. Art is the intellectual canvas on which these two characters paint their relationship. “The son must kill the father,” Rothko tells Ken, speaking about what the Abstract Expressionists did to the Cubists. “Respect him, but kill him.”

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REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

The Amish Project

The dramatic retelling of the events of the Nickel Mines Shooting of 10 Amish children October 2, 2006 and the aftermath is a heart wrenching and complex story especially how the Lancaster, Pennsylvania Amish reacted. Told in an amazing tour de force performance by Sadieh Rifai, The Amish Project is a 70 minute drama that attempts to tell the shooting story and the effects on the Amish, the town’s folks and the shooter’s family.

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Mourning Becomes Electra

What makes this play great – and what makes it a tragedy – is that each and every character wills for good. There exists no one with evil in their heart, a wish simply to harm out of malice. Each person wants what is best – for themselves, for the family, for the greater good. They seek what is just. But what is “best,” what is “just,” is not always – ever – agreed upon.

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REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

Starting Here, Starting Now

The moods, desires and angst of revolving relationships are nicely presented by the three cast members. Their energy, singing skills ans their ability to “sell” their songs in character give this revue a tone of sensuality and realism. Eugen Dizon musical direction helps create a worthy accompaniment. Catch Starting Here, Starting Now to discover new show and movie songs and to have fun meeting Boone, Herman and Patingre. They’ll entertain you.

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Frat

There will always be the saying, “The best friends money can buy.” And of course that’s true – but money will always buy friends. So will fame. So will power and influence and any number of things. No one can deny that there are aspects of frat culture that are completely fucked up. But no one can deny that there is an upside, there is daylight, there is something that sustains these places, and it’s more than money and booze and sex – though that irrefutably plays a part.

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