REVIEWS BY Archives - Page 84 of 215

September 24, 2013 Tom Williams

The Story of Curtis Mayfield

But the best way to pay tribute to this genius composer is to hear his music. That is what Taylor’s tribute is check full of: from his early tunes – “Gypsy Woman” to “It’s All-Right” to “Mama Didn’t Lie,” the smoothly warm Soul style of Mayfield emerges. Cecil Jones was terrific as the ‘Young Curtis.’ As Mayfield’s works progressed his social and political consciousness, with a distinct peaceful message, gave hope to the struggles of African-Americans during their Civil Rights struggle

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September 22, 2013 Tom Williams

The Wheel

Scottish playwright Zinnie Harris’ 2011 commissioned work (by the National Theatre of Scotland), The Wheel reminds me of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage. The Wheel uses magic realism to send us on a journey with Beattriz (Joan Allen) as she attempts to return The Girl (Emma Gordon) to her banished father at the start of a war when France invades Spain in the 19th Century. Beatriz was preparing for the wedding of her sister Rosa (Chaon Cross) when the local militia disrupts the affair.

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September 21, 2013 Tom Williams

4000 Miles

Herzog drew from her own family members for inspiration, stating that elderly Vera Joseph is based on her feisty grandmother, Leepee Joseph– whom she describes as funny, dry, sassy and devastating at 93. Her struggling, hippie grandson Leo is based on a young cousin who –like Leo — had faced the traumatic loss of a dear friend.

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September 20, 2013 Tom Williams

Evita – 2013 National Tour

Caroline Bowman and Josh Young lead a stellar cast in a new production of the 1979 Evita. the results is a most enjoyable, well danced and nicely enunciated pop opera: Evita. I can’t remember liking Evita as much as I did this smart, tightly-flowing production. Evita still rouses audiences with its pop opera panache. This is an Equity tour.

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September 19, 2013 Tom Williams

To Master the Art at the Broadway Playhouse

Featuring the glorious smells of French cuisine, To Master The Art is the story of Julia Child, the famed advocate of French cooking, print and TV star of cooking shows, the remount of the hit premiere at TimeLine Theatre once more unites Karen Janes Woditsch, as Julia and Craig Spidle, as Paul.

art111 400×266 To Master the Art at the Broadway Playhouse

The first full production commissioned by TimeLine Theatre in 2010, To Master the Art by William Brown and Doug Frew was delightful.

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September 17, 2013 Tom Williams

The Killer Angels

It is quite difficult to mount a play that depicts a major 3 day battle but adapter Karen Tarjan and director Matt Miller have created a stylish theatrical piece that captures the essence of the horror of the battle while giving us enough of the motivations and strategies to give the piece coherence.

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September 16, 2013 Tom Williams

The Mountaintop

Filled with humor, raw humanity The Mountaintop unfolds as two-hander that becomes a powerful meditation on morality, destiny and fate. We see through clever scenes Camae calling God (who here is a she) on a cellphone to report that Dr. King is vehemently resisting leaving earth. King eventually talks then argues with God who ends up hanging up on King.

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September 16, 2013 Tom Williams

“In the Heights” – Paramount Theatre

“In the Heights” creates an atmosphere…a colorful dynamic world with mixed but primarily the Latino culture, filled with life, death, dreams and wakeups. On opening night the lobby of the theater buzzed with excitement, and this exuberance carried through the whole performance. You travel to a passionate street of struggle, various lifestyles, disappointments and triumphs…a colorful world that you may not know very well, but will understand better by the end of the show.

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September 14, 2013 Tom Williams

The Old Man and the Old Moon

The seven reunited with Stuart Carden at Writers Theatre after a successful 2012 run of The Old Man and the Old Moon in New York. They have revised the work for the Midwest premiere at Writers Theatre. The result is a magnificent wholly imaginative work. Pigpen Theatre Co. reminds me of the work of Redmoon Theater, Blair Thomas & Company and House Theatre but Pigpen is more sophisticated musically.

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September 12, 2013 Tom Williams

White Tie Ball

When Arizona Attorney General Spencer (Jan Radcliff) takes Edward under her wing, he realizes that he could move up in Arizona politics as, perhaps, the next Attorney General of Arizona. As the first Latino to hold such an office, he could help Latino’s get the justice they deserve. But when a female cop gets shot by a Latino under questionable circumstances, Edward yields to the “law-and-order'” sentiment and seeks the death penalty.