Monthly Archives: July 2013

Saving Kitty…from Mom!

              The New Jersey Repertory Company press blurb for Marisa Smith’s Saving Kitty poses the question “What happens when a daughter brings a young man to meet her ultra-liberal parents for the first time and he turns out … Continue reading

Blog, Professional, Regional

Mid-summer in Holmdel with Shakespeare

             In his book “A Lifetime with Shakespeare,” Paul Barry, the moving force behind and co-founder (with me) of the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, suggests that designing A Midsummer Night’s Dream would be an ideal test for admission to the … Continue reading

Blog, Community, Regional

American History 101 in 70 minutes: “Colin Quinn Unconstitutional”

            Clowns do comedy and comics tell comedy, but humorists create comedy. They mine subjects and situations that may not be inherently comical for elements that lend themselves to being made fun of, or about. Humorists are often cynics, sometimes … Continue reading

NY Theater, Off Broadway

There’s “Trouble” in River City, but not in Red Bank

 It’s hard to come up with a musical that doesn’t revolve around one or two demanding roles and harder still to find people to carry those parts, especially in community theater. Phoenix Productions solved that problem by casting Joe Caruso … Continue reading

Blog, Community, Regional

Ontario Theatre Festivals: The Shaw

 Universally recognized for the quality of their namesake’s plays, the (George Bernard) Shaw Festival, in scenic Niagara-on-the-Lake, 20 minutes away from wonder-of-the-world Niagara Falls, also excels in other programming. Since its founding in 1962, the Festival has expanded to include … Continue reading

Blog, Canadian Theatre

Ontario Theatre Festivals: Stratford

       At 61 years and counting, the Stratford Festival remains faithful to Shakespeare, despite dropping his name from their title, after only adding it in 2008. Four of twelve productions are The Bard’s, including Measure for Measure and Romeo and … Continue reading

Blog, Canadian Theatre