Monthly Archives: April 2018

Five Irish sisters and a Chinese family on New Jersey stages

Playwright Bran Friel has been called “the Irish Chekhov.” (Friel died in 2015 at 86.)  Like the plays of that century-earlier Russian author, Friel’s are character-driven rather than story-driven, with an emphasis on family relationships. Friel’s best-known, “Dancing at Lughnasa,” … Continue reading

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NJ Community group has a successful go at “Much Ado About Nothing”

When I commented to Holmdel Theatre Company’s  “Much Ado About Nothing” producer that I did not recognize any cast names (except hers) from prior community productions, she explained that many of the ‘usual suspects’ shun Shakespeare auditions. Rehearsal periods are … Continue reading

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Don’t get shut out at the gate: put your money on “The Sting”

What do you look for in a musical? Songs and singers that make you glad you have ears? Multi-style choreography and dancers adept at every one of them? How ‘bout a plot that freezes your attention through every scene.  And … Continue reading

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Some other Damon Runyon guys and dolls in “Three Wise Guys”

I am sitting in Jersey Mike’s eating a mini number seven sub when I hear that Stephanie “Stormy” Clifford is suing Donald “Grab ‘Em” Trump. That sentence is in the present tense, but you can tell it was in the … Continue reading

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