Category Archives: Drama

Sep 25

Lyndon B. Johnson Goes “All the Way”

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Photo: Evgenia Eliseeva

Presented by A.R.T.
By Robert Schenkkan
Directed by Bill Rauch

September 13, 2013 – October 12, 2013
Loeb Drama Center
64 Brattle St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
A.R.T. on Facebook

Review by Gillian Daniels

(Cambridge) Too often, biographies of American presidents are stories wrought with blind patriotism.  Director Bill Rauch, however, has not shaped a play about patriotism but politics. Politics and morality may occupy the same place once in a while, but in Robert Schenkkan’s complex and vividly realized All the Way, ambition dilutes ideals quickly. Continue reading →

Sep 24

ADA Approved for the Mainstream: TRIBES

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photo

Photo: Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo; Erica Spyres and James Caverly conversating.

Presented by Speakeasy Stage Co.
by Nina Raine
directed by M. Bevin O’Gara

September 13 – October 12
Stanford Calderwood Pavilion
Boston Center for the Arts
Boston, MA
SpeakEasy on Facebook

There will be two ASL-interpreted performances:  Sunday, October 6 at 7PM and Friday, October 11 at 8PM.

Review by Kitty Drexel

(Southie) It is always a relief to see minorities portrayed by the Arts as their community deserves; with dignity, love and respect. We, the disabled, weren’t/aren’t always seen this way. It was (and still is) a commonly held belief of the Christian persuasion that people were born disabled as a punishment from God for sinning. This is despite Jesus saying that the disabled were walking, talking acts of God (John Chapter 9 verses 1-3). In specific, Christians used to believe that, since a deaf person couldn’t hear the word of God, they then couldn’t know God. Fast forward to modern day, the stigmas still exist even with the ADA protecting us. This is why it was so humbling to watch Speakeasy’s intelligent production of Tribes last Saturday. My hope is that this production is a sign that society is ready to welcome the disabled into the mainstream. Continue reading →

Sep 23

Hot and Bothered Art: SEMINAR

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Seminar Pictures

Liz Hayes* and Jordan Ahnquist*; Photo Credit: David Costa

Presented by Stoneham Theatre
by Theresa Rebeck
directed by Weylin Symes

Stoneham, MA
Sept. 12 – 29th, 2013

Stoneham Theatre on Facebook

Review by Craig Idlebrook

(Stoneham) You can create memorable characters on stage and just let them be who they are, and they can be like fun guests at a cocktail party, hilarious and aimless.  Or you can create wooden characters on stage and then let them come at least somewhat to life, which can win you points among theatergoers who are just happy not to fall asleep in the second act.  But it’s awfully difficult to create memorable characters and then let them struggle, flounder, and grow on stage.

Seminar at the Stoneham Theatre is that rare production that both piques our interest and takes us on a romp of a ride.  It’s as if the production set off to check all the boxes for the checklist of good theater. Continue reading →

Sep 20

THEATRE@FIRST PRESENTS “THE BULLY PLAYS” TO BENEFIT TEEN EMPOWERMENT

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THEATRE@FIRST PRESENTS THE BULLY PLAYS
Honoring National Anti-Bullying Awareness Month in Somerville
Portion of the proceeds to benefit the local anti-bullying work of Teen Empowerment
Directed by Jeanné Callinan

October 23-24 @ 7pm
The Somerville Theatre
Davis Square, Somerville, MA
Order tickets now via Vendini: http://goo.gl/ajZvO0
Theatre@First on Facebook

(Somerville) For first time director Jeannè Callinan, the hardest thing about her son being bullied was “the terrible feeling of being alone.” After members of her community rallied around her teenaged son and supported the family through their crisis, Callinan was compelled to let others know that they are not alone. On October 23rd and 24th at 7pm, Theatre@First presents The Bully Plays at the Somerville Theatre. Directed by Callinan as part of National Anti-Bullying Awareness Month, The Bully Plays will donate a portion of its proceeds to benefit the local anti-bullying work of Teen Empowerment (www.teenempowerment.org). Callinan is not the only production member turning negative experiences into positive engagement. Jason Hair-Wynn, an ensemble member who experienced bullying as a teenager, credits his family, specifically his mother and various local LGBT groups such as BAGLY for helping him in the face of harsh, anti-gay bullying that escalated into physical violence. A survivor of a hate crime in high school, he moved on to run workshops on making schools safer for all students. The ten one-acts chosen from the anthology The Bully Plays focus on kids within the American school system to force us to confront bullying as it happens: to our faces, behind our backs, across our social media, through our phones, and into our heads. Methods to combat aggression are brought to light on stage,often from a younger perspective than one would typically find in local community theatre.

The Bully Plays

Since 2003, Theatre@First has drawn on community talents and resources to offer thought-provoking entertainment, and to address issues of local concern through the universal language of theatre. This multi-faceted production encourages people to talk about difficult situations and come up with their own
strategies, perhaps by connecting to resources or simply by speaking with sympathetic listeners. Youth
activists from Teen Empowerment and a therapist will be available to talk after performances. Students,
teachers and parents are especially encouraged to attend. Group discounts are available for parties of six
or more by emailing groups AT theatreatfirst.org.

The Plays:
Alex by José Casas
Blu by Gloria Bond Clunie
The Bully Pulpit by Dwayne Hartford
Bully There Be by Lisa Dillman
Bystander Blues by Trish Lindberg
Conundrum by Brett Neveu
Downhill by Eric Coble
Final Testimony of Henry Sampson by Y York
Nobody Nose by Barry Kornhauser
“Send” by Linda Daugherty

Sep 02

Not the End of the Line for “T Plays V: Last Call”

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Winning play: “SL1 12:32am,” Greer Rooney and Kevin LaVelle, Photo by Meg Taintor

Presented by Mill 6 Collaborative
Artistic directed by John Edward O’Brien
Co-managing directors: Irene Daly, Antoine A. Gagnon

Aug. 21-31, 2013
The Boston Playwright’s Theatre
Boston, MA
Mill 6 Collaborative on Facebook

Written by : Lisa Burdick, Patrick Gabridge, Emily Kaye Lazzaro, Alexa Mavromatis, Bob Murphy, Rick Park

Plays directed by: Barlow Adamson, Matt Chapuran, Mikey DiLoreto, Lindsay Eagle, Kathy Maloney, Kim Anton Myatt

Actors: Jake Athyal, Irene Daly, Jillian C. Couillard, Kelley Estes, Kevin LaVelle, Lonnie McAdoo, Mal Malme, Janelle Mills, Bob Mussett,Jason Myatt, Greer Rooney, Forrest Walter, Stephanie Yackovetsky

Review by Kitty Drexel

My apologies to the cast and crew of T Plays. I had intended to get this review out several days ago. Life interceded and prevented me from doing ago. Please accept this as compensation.

(Boston) The MBTA has its own special kind of magic that transcends beyond the brilliance of a puppy’s smile or the tragedy of a dropped ice cream cone. It affects us all, pedestrian, car-driver and commuter alike. It’s a wonder that local transit hasn’t inspired more art in Boston. That is where Mill 6 Collaborative steps in. This theatre troupe brought us six 1-act plays all inspired by the MBTA in its many forms. The playwrights pick a bus or T line out of a hat, ride the last trip of the evening and write a short play based on their experiences. They hand the show over to their assigned directors and actors who then churn out theatre for an audience three days later. The audience then votes* for their favorite. The play that wins gets to brag and return for the next round in 2014.  Continue reading →

Aug 21

Flat Earth Sends “Rocket Man” to the Moon

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Photo via Flat Earth Theatre Facebook page. Awesome sauce.

presented by Flat Earth Theatre
By Steven Dietz
Directed by Lindsay Eagle

August 16 – 24, 2013
Arsenal Center for the Arts
321 Arsenal Street
Watertown, MA
Flat Earth Theatre on Facebook

Review by Gillian Daniels

(Watertown) The center of Rocket Man is the unraveling life of middle-aged divorcee, Donny (Robin Gabrielli), an unsteady center for an unassuming story.  Flat Earth Theatre has certainly taken on a tough show to pull off well.  Newly single and struggling to maintain his relationship with his teenage daughter, Trisha (Mariagrazia LaFauci), Donny is having a slow-moving breakdown.  He fights back with fantasies of traveling to space and going to another reality where time travels backward and his wife, Rita (Korinne T. Ritchey), is still with him. Continue reading →

Aug 05

It’s Only Torture if Organs Fail: “Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them”

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Photo Credit: Titanic Theatre Co’s Facebook page. The company is not afraid of icebergs or snuggles.

By Christopher Durang
Directed by Adam Zahler
Presented by Titanic Theatre Company

July 25-August 10, 2013
Arsenal Center for the Arts
Watertown, MA
Titanic Theatre Co Facebook Page

Review by Kitty Drexel

M for Mature. Actors occasionally appear in their underoos.

(Watertown) The attack on the two towers in NYC and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001 changed the way the United States viewed itself forever. Before that day, many citizens viewed North America as the most powerful entity in the world. After 9/11, we recognized our vulnerability as a country. Almost everyone was looking for answers. There were many who turned to The Arts for catharsis. These same people reacted in anger when artists turned back to them for compassion. The Arts were supposed to provide answers. While coping with the same shock, we artists didn’t know what to do either.

It’s been 12 years since the attacks and the US is still divided. Our media has moved on to bigger and newer things. But our artists are still processing the events and asking questions. The media has given the American people plenty of reasons to explain why Taliban members attacked. Thank goodness for The Arts. Playwright Christopher Durang hasn’t given up on understanding the U.S.’s response to the attacks of 9/11. Rather than focus on the “badness” of Ossama Bin Laden*, Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them ponders the American people’s decade-long reaction from the perspective of western, 20/20 hindsight. He peppers his absurdist play with Dadaism and panic. The script is a sweet bouquet of human experience and dramatic flair. Continue reading →

Jul 26

Caucasian Chalk Circle: King Solomon’s Revenge?

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Photo Credit: Apollinaire Theatre Co Facebook Page

Presented by Apollinaire Theatre Company
by Bertolt Brecht
Directed by Danielle Fauteux Jacques

Mary O’ Malley Park
Chelsea, MA
July 10th – July 27th, 2013
Apollinaire Theatre Co Facebook Page

Review by Craig Idlebrook and Kate Longberg-Lew

(Chelsea) Having grown up Catholic, I can spy a morality play when I see it.  We used to do some painfully bad skits in church class on the subject of good and evil…think a “very special” episode of Family Ties, without the acting.  It felt good, almost ritualistically cleansing, to present a moral world to an audience.  Continue reading →

Jul 26

It’s Like A Jungle . . . Sometimes: HOW WE GOT ON

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© Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo

Presented by Company One
by Idris Goodwin
Directed by Summer L. Williams

July 19-August 17
Boston Center for the Arts
Boston, MA
Company One Facebook Page

Review by Noe Kamelamela

(Boston) Company One has spent over a decade in Boston bringing theater to bear on a list of problems, which is nearly as long as their list of awards.  Their latest is a vibrant production that lays down a phat beat for diversity.  The audience I sat in was the most visibly excited and diverse audience I’ve experienced all year, possibly due to one of its key topics:  hip-hop. Continue reading →

Jul 24

Ladies Pondering Lives, Fashion in “Love, Loss, and What I Wore”

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Presented by Hub Theatre Company of Boston
by Nora & Delia Ephron
based on the book by Ilene Beckerman
directed by Paula Plum

July 19 – August 3, 2013
The First Church in Boston
66 Marlborough Street
Boston, MA 02116
Hub Theatre Co of Boston Facebook Page

Review by Gillian Daniels

(Boston) Until recently, I scorned “chick lit” and “chick flicks,” resenting the idea that light, fluffy fare was meant for women alone.  I’ve begun to wonder, however, if the label has been stuck on books and films having to do with women because of how the material is approached or because it’s about women, period.  It’s an insulting, dismissive label and it would be a little too easy to slap it on Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Continue reading →