Theatre Horizon's 'Black Nativity'

Celebrating the season

Theatre Horizon makes up for a dearth of black theater in the area with a rousing production of Langston Hughes's Black Nativity.

Mark Cofta

Dec 01, 2015 · Articles · 2 minute read

‘The Leftovers’ on HBO

Let the mystery be

The change of scene in season two of The Leftovers jolted the show from a meditation on grief into a crisis of conscience — and gave me hope that it won’t spiral into the incoherent plotting of creator Damon Lindelof’s previous show, Lost.

Paula Berman

Nov 30, 2015 · Articles · 5 minute read

Picasso's sculptures and Matisse's books in New York

Two greats in three dimensions

Two shows in New York focus on less commonly seen aspects of the 20th century’s great masters, Picasso and Matisse.

Robert Zaller

Nov 27, 2015 · Articles · 5 minute read

Christopher Knowles: In a Word at ICA

An elusive view

When Christopher Knowles, a person diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, was just 13, a tape of him describing his sister’s TV-viewing habits in simple sentences brought him to the attention of experimental theater director Robert Wilson. The two collaborated frequently over the next decade; Knowles has been celebrated as an artist ever since.

Pamela J. Forsythe

Nov 27, 2015 · Articles · 4 minute read

'The Three Musketeers': People's Light's annual pantomime

All for one and one for all

People's Light has created an enduring tradition with its holiday pantos, as The Three Musketeers (The Later Years) ably shows.

Mark Coftaand Illustration by Mike Jackson

Nov 24, 2015 · Articles · 4 minute read

'A Christmas Story, the Musical' at Walnut Street Theatre

A happy family holiday with a BB gun

The classic movie A Christmas Story has been turned into a happy holiday musical about a boy and his desire for a BB gun. While the show is fun and cheerful, I kept wondering about the underlying message about what it means to grow up and become a man.

Naomi Orwin

Nov 24, 2015 · Articles · 3 minute read

Ethics for theater critics: The Craigslist critic

Does a review that no one paid for have value?

A Seattle theater critic sold his “plus one” press passes on Craigslist in the hopes of both finding a date and scoring a profit. What, exactly, is the problem with that? Let Wendy Rosenfield count the ways.

Wendy Rosenfield

Nov 24, 2015 · Articles · 5 minute read

The Metropolitan Opera's 'Lulu'

A decadent opera by a civilized man

A sordid tale about sex and murder is the biggest hit of the Metropolitan Opera season. Surprisingly, its rewards are more intellectual than titillating.

Steve Cohen

Nov 24, 2015 · Articles · 4 minute read

BalletX: 'Beasts'

Athleticism and technique brought out the Beasts

BalletX continues to add to the landscape of contemporary dance by their commitment to producing world premieres. In Beasts, Nicolo Fonte asked the company’s dancers to use their individuality to channel their primal human instinct.

Gregory King

Nov 24, 2015 · Articles · 2 minute read

'Becoming Dr. Ruth' at the Walnut Street Theatre

Healing the world with sex

Celebrities hold our hopes and our dreams, but we rarely peek behind the curtain and learn what makes them who they are. The woman we know as Dr. Ruth, who says outrageous things on television, has a history that surprises us with its challenges and her resilience.

Naomi Orwin

Nov 23, 2015 · Articles · 3 minute read