Eady & Mast Propose Treatment for Israeli/Palestinian Tribalism by Lynne Stevens “We Repair Army Jeeps,” claims the sign outside a modest garage in a small Israeli town. But inside bigger questions roll out. Do they repair injured hearts, too? Inside, we meet Him (cautious Nick Musleh) and Her (probing Elissa Beth Stebbins). They are... Read More Read More| Theatrius
Gabriel Diamond Evokes Laughter, Tears, Love, SF Style by Barry David Horwitz Somehow, I was summoned magically to The Tenderloin Sunday night and ended up at the Fringe Festival at the invitation of Gabriel Diamond who is doing his solo show in honor of his mother—artist, poet, and performer Sandy Diamond. Sandy Diamond’s story... Read More Read More| Theatrius
Eady & Mast Unveil Palestinian Identity Nightmare by Jenyth Jo In “The Return,” playwrights Hanna Eady and Edward Mast sensitively portray the suffering of Palestinians in Israel, where they are under constant suspicion and surveillance. When a Palestinian car mechanic’s painful past comes back to haunt him, we learn that his constrained life is... Read More Read More| Theatrius
Hend Ayoub Travels from Israel to US, Making Art from Life| Theatrius
Most people who are worried about falling birth rates in the U.S. probably don't realize that birth rates are only falling among non-married women.| Family Inequality
Pearl Ong, All-Night Cabby, Speeds to Lesbian Liberation by Zack Rogow Pearl Ong has certainly lived a larger-than-life story. She went from Hong Kong princess to joining the lesbian liberation scene in San Francisco in the 70s, driving a taxi during late-night hours. In “Night Driver,” Ong unfolds her privileged past with quick humor... Read More Read More| Theatrius
Terry Guest Intertwines Black History & Growing Up, A Saga by Kheven Lee LaGrone “The Magnolia Ballet” tells a part of American history through the eyes of a Black gay teenager finding himself inside his Southern roots. It’s a moving 21st century tale about the “tough love” between a father and his son. By... Read More Read More| Theatrius
Millennial Notes Lorraine Hansberry Exposes European Arrogance in Africa by Kristian Stovall “Les Blancs” is a story that doesn’t let you look away. It holds up a mirror to the impact of colonization—on spirit, family, and identity. Lorraine Hansberry’s 1970 study of imperialism asks: What do you do when your own kin have had... Read More Read More| Theatrius
Emily Mann Revives Outrage Over 1978 Moscone/Milk Murders by Jenyth Jo When San Francisco Supervisor Dan White revealed—in a taped confession—that he deliberately shot both Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk in City Hall, the public expected a first-degree murder conviction. White, a former Marine, fireman, and cop, fired two bullets into the head... Read More Read More| Theatrius
Lorraine Hansberry’s Final, African Play Rocks the House| Theatrius
Gary Graves Ponders Collapse of Empires, from Greece to US| Theatrius
Moisés Kaufman’s Docudrama Still Horrifies After 25 Years| Theatrius
Lauren Groff Inspires in Superb ‘Word for Word’ Treasure| Theatrius
Shakespeare Re-Imagined in Dance, Design, & Whimsy| Theatrius
Lynn Nottage Paints Gripping Portrait of Workers Who Lose Everything| Theatrius
Min Kahng Exposes Senior High Jinx in Raucous Comedy by Mary Lou Herlihy --first published on March 13, 2025, for the TheatreWorks co-production. There may be changes of performers in the Center REP show. A horny grandma and her self-obsessed granddaughter light up the stage with comedic timing and musical gifts. In grandma’s bedroom at the Happy Pleasant Valley Senior Apartments, men are dropping faster than red herrings and sex toys. When we meet frisky June (fabulous Emily Kuroda), she...| theatrius.com
JC Lee’s Millennial Comedy Salutes Out & Proud Among Us| Theatrius
Andrew Bergh Exposes Greed & Spies in Sound of Music| Theatrius
Shakespeare & Christina Anderson’s Madcap Update Shines| Theatrius
Ava Roy Adapts the Bard to Seaside Civil War Landmark| Theatrius
James Ijames Delights with Riotous Black Family Comedy by Jenyth Jo After twenty minutes of “Fat Ham,” a comical version of “Hamlet” set at a North Carolina backyard BBQ, it’s clear Juicy / Hamlet (Devin A. Cunningham) has been skewered and charred by the toxic flames of his out-of-date masculine role models. When Phaedra Tillery-Boughton’s Rabby (Polonius as hot pink mama) enters the party, we want this church lady to survive. Will the final act show bodies strewn on the stage li...| theatrius.com
James Ijames Finds Funny Bone in Black BBQ-Wedding| Theatrius
James Ijames Gives “Hamlet” Brand-New Black American Look | Theatrius
Kathryn Seabron Reveals the Rise of MYSOGYNOIR| Theatrius
Doug Wright’s Masterpiece Spotlights Superb Trans SHERO| Theatrius
Lewis & Rajan Elevate Daily Life into Pure Joy by Mary Lou Herlihy & Barry David Horwitz Using an Indian celebration in New Zealand and a shared meal, “Mrs. Krishnan’s Party” transcends daily life. Come with us into a backroom of a convenience store and share the revelations. “Mrs. Krishnan’s Party” raises ideas that rarely appear in drama. Playwrights Justin Lewis and Jacob Rajan float themes of international acceptance, radical generosity, and spiritual discovery. They raise our...| theatrius.com
Robert Townsend Delivers Tales & Truths, Honestly by Robert M. Gardner When co-producer Don Reed steps forward to introduce Robert Townsend, enthusiasm for the show immediately energizes us. For 90 joyful minutes, Townsend astounds, confides, and reveals the challenges and triumphs of a remarkable life in show business. The common note through his life resounds with Townsend’s resilience when he was faced with racism and doubt from those who refused to believe in his talent. Townsend...| theatrius.com
Anton Chekhov’s Doctor Astrov Unfurls the Future Onstage by Barry David Horwitz Berkeley Rep’s sparkling production of Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” highlights a perennial question: Do we want more exploitation of land and people, or shall we plan for a better, more humane future? Director Simon Godwin sets Chekhov’s 1899 masterpiece in a comfortable, shabby old house, full of amusing and annoying family and friends. The top-notch actors embody hard-working folks who struggle to survive...| theatrius.com
Valcq & Alley Shine Bright, Musical Light on Small Town USA by Mary Lou Herlihy Hope is the thing with feathers. —Emily Dickinson “The Spitfire Grill,” set in the fictional town of Gilead, Wisconsin, IS small town America. Children are lost to foreign wars, jobs have gone offshore, and small businesses struggle. Whole communities are devastated and forsaken. But the musical offers hope and redemption in the Rust Belt. Music Director Nick Brown creates a seamless world of sound, with gi...| theatrius.com
Hershey Felder Plays Melancholy Maestro, Passionate Piano by Barry David Horwitz After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Sergei Rachmaninoff fled Russia, abandoned his aristocratic life, and moved to New York. The popular pianist-composer arrives in the U.S. with nothing. Hershey Felder plays the exiled Rachmaninoff with verve and passion, calling up vivid memories of Russia, bringing brilliant acting and musical genius to the role. As Rachmaninoff, at his lavish Beverley Hills estate in 1943, ...| theatrius.com
