This review aired on KBAQ February 24, 2014

DAMON DERING PHENOMENAL IN STRAY CAT’S FASCINATING “THE WHALE”

“THE WHALE”
Stray Cat Theatre, Tempe Performing Arts Center
Tempe, AZ

Damon Dering delivers a phenomenal acting performance in the central role of Stray Cat Theatre’s fascinating “The Whale,” a mesmerizing script about morbid obesity and the need for love.

That’s a terse description of Samuel D. Hunter’s play.  There’s much more below the play’s surface when you connect the plot dots together and superimpose the intriguingly complicated central character, Charlie, and what his corpulence tells us about his shattered life and his brushes with love.  He weighs more … Continue Reading

This review aired on KBAQ February 17, 2014

“OTHER DESERT CITIES” IS FUNNY AS IT SKEWERS CONVENTIONAL FAMILIES

“OTHER DESERT CITIES”
Arizona Theatre Company, Center Stage, Herberger Theater Center
Phoenix, AZ

Jon Robin Baitz’ “Other Desert Cities” is a multi-layered play.  It’s a pithy comedy with several hysterical jokes but the humor doesn’t disguise a pointed script that skewers hypocritical conventional families.  These folks will do anything to preserve a normal family image to friends and strangers, while in private they crucify each other.

It’s a rich and rewarding play and the Arizona Theatre Company production is brilliantly acted by an artful ensemble that delivers the … Continue Reading

This review aired on KBAQ February 10, 2014

BTT STAGES MOVING AND BEAUTIFULLY CONCEIVED “BOESMAN AND LENA”

“BOESMAN AND LENA”
Black Theatre Troupe, Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center
Phoenix, AZ

After struggling through several mediocre shows in their impressive new Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, the Black Theatre Troupe has finally staged a remarkably moving and beautifully conceived production of Athol Fugard’s 1969 insightful play, “Boesman and Lena .”  The play reveals the awful realities of South African apartheid in the late 1960’s before the awful practice was abolished.

The production is artfully but simply staged by Walter Dallas, brilliantly acted by Jeremy Gillett’s … Continue Reading

This review aired on KBAQ February 6, 2014

LIKEABLE NEW STAGING OF CLASSIC FILM “THE WIZARD OF OZ” WORKS

“THE WIZARD OF OZ”
Broadway Across America – Arizona, ASU Gammage
Tempe, AZ

It’s challenging if not impossible to better a screen classic like “The Wizard of Oz” on stage without the added glories of film magic.  In 2011, Andrew Lloyd Webber produced a new stage version of “The Wizard of Oz” in London.  That staging arrived in 2012 in  Canada and it is now touring the United States in a production that opened Tuesday at ASU Gammage.  It’s a likeable staging that works just fine.

On … Continue Reading

This review aired on KBAQ February 3, 2014

MOVING “TRIBES” PRESENTED BEAUTIFULLY AT PHOENIX THEATRE

“TRIBES”
Black Box Theatre, Phoenix Theatre
Phoenix, AZ

“Tribes,” Nina Raine’s 2012 off-Broadway play, is thoughtfully moving and Phoenix Theatre does it beautifully with an exquisite cast who portray their characters with touching depth.  “Tribes” deals with a challenging subject – being deaf in an otherwise normal but highly dysfunctional family.

Billy, the deaf son, has struggled without any family assistance to come to terms with his affliction.  Billy doesn’t know sign language because his family forced him to read lips because they wouldn’t learn to sign.  Billy has a crass … Continue Reading