Before Hamilton, A Chorus Line, Hair, before Joseph Papp built the Public Theater into an institution, he was faced with a fight for survival of his newfound free Shakespeare in Central Park that he seemed destined to lose.
Archives for October 30, 2017
Inherit the Wind gets superb production at Compass Rose (review)
The real trial of the 20th century did not involve some imbecile driving a Bronco in a low-speed chase. Instead, it happened nearly a hundred years ago. In it, the greatest trial lawyer in American history, Clarence Darrow, faced down famed orator and three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan. The issue: freedom of thought in […]
True account of the dramatic “Trial of the Century” behind Inherit the Wind
Author’s note: The following is an account of the Scopes Monkey Trial, the real-life inspiration for Inherit the Wind. If you are unfamiliar with either the trial or the play, I recommend you see Compass Rose’s superb production, and then read this at your leisure as this is full of spoilers.
Review: Brave Spirits’ Doctor Faustus
A political rival once said of the famed French foreign minister, Talleyrand, that he “would sell his soul for money and he would be right, for he would be exchanging dung for gold.” And it is this observation which is at the bottom of Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, and also of all the deliberate evil […]
Review: The Book of Mormon. If you’re not into South Park, will BOM win you over?
There was reason behind the fact that I had not yet seen The Book of Mormon. The show, a pop culture lodestone and the apex theatrical event until it ran up against the wave of adoration over Hamilton, has been available for inspection since 2011. Its spell has spread near and far, selling out playhouses […]
Safe as Houses from Pinky Swear Productions
Safe as Houses seizes a few opportunities to explore how unintentionally hurting loved ones does not make that hurt any less your responsibility. It gets bogged down, however, in handwringing over a fantastical plot and fails to fully process this trauma.