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Janice Cane DCTS Reviewer She is a copy editor at The Atlantic magazine, the best possible job for an obsessive-compulsive grammar nut (favorite punctuation: the em dash). She loves theater,sushi, reading, and traveling.
25 Questions for a Jewish MotherIn Judy Gold’s world, selecting a sperm donor is like ordering Chinese food over the phone-you choose a dish, make a few substitutions, and dutifully recite your credit card number. And that’s why Judy Gold’s world is worth stepping into for an hour and a half at Theater J. Quite simply, she’s hilarious. [Read more...]
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One-Man Star Wars TrilogyRight now at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, you can see three movies for $28. That’s actually a bargain. And you can see all three in just one hour! But if you’re like me, you might end up investing a few more dollars-and hours-later. [Read more...]
The MaidsHave you ever seen that “Friends” episode where the gang watches the premiere of struggling actor Joey’s new TV show, “Mac and Cheese”? The show is so lacking in the quality department that the friends argue over who gets to compliment the lighting, because they cannot come up with anything else to say.
Where am I going with this? Well, let’s just say the lighting in Scena Theatre’s production of The Maids is well executed.
The set is pretty good, too.
Now What?Now What? easily could have been named What Are You Doing?, because writer/performer Josh Lefkowitz is constantly being asked that question. Mostly by his girlfriend, sometimes by his agent, wondering about his next project, but occasionally by the starving third-world child conjured by his liberal guilt during his many moments of creative and romantic angst.
You want to feel bad for the guy in those moments, but you can’t because they’re so damn funny. And that’s exactly why Josh writes about them. He is obeying the incessant inner voice that keeps chanting, “Maybe you should write about this.”
Speed-the-PlowTheater J is kicking off its 2007-08 season with a play about movies. And I’m glad it is. David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow is as funny today as I’m sure it was 20 years ago when it premiered on Broadway, even if this production’s cast doesn’t include Madonna.
Meghan Grady is a worthy substitute for Madonna as Karen, a secretary temping in the office of a major Hollywood studio’s head of production. Bob Gould was recently promoted to the job, and he is loving his newfound power. His long-time peer, however, is a bit resentful. Nevertheless, Charlie Fox proves his loyalty by bringing a script to Bob that is certain to make them both so rich, they’re “gonna have to hire someone just to figure out the things [they] wanna buy.”
The Arabian NightsConstellation Theatre Company’s production of The Arabian Nights, now playing at Source Theatre, is a good show. It’s not a great show, and it’s not a bad show. It’s just … good. The set, lushly carpeted with dozens of Persian rugs, sets the mood perfectly. Percussionist Tom Teasley plays his exotic musical instruments at all the right moments to heighten the level of drama on stage. Most of the actors play their parts with a great deal of enthusiasm. But somehow, when all of these elements come together, they lack that special something that makes a good show spectacular. [Read more...]
WellWell is a fantastically original play that explores both personal and societal issues. Well, it’s really a play within a play. Or no, wait, it’s really a theatrical exploration inside a theatrical exploration. Or is it a play within a theatrical exploration? Oh! Maybe it’s a theatrical exploration within a play. No no, I got it. It’s a “solo show with other people in it” inside a … [Read more...]
I AM THEATRE (TCG) American Theatre Wing Interviews