Theater

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Page 209
Abdul, Cowell: A useful conversation?

Directors vs. Critics: BSR's debate (2nd comment)

Who critiques the critics?

Who will hold theater critics accountable? Other critics, for one. But the Internet offers an even more effective solution.
Jim Rutter

Jim Rutter

Articles 3 minute read
Havard: Smeared by the 'Inquirer'?

Directors vs. critics: BSR's debate (1st comment)

Theaters, critics and delusions of injustice

At Broad Street Review's debate on theater criticism, three Philadelphia directors largely ignored the panel's Internet-based critics and mostly complained instead about the Inquirer. Earth to directors: Hip theatergoers no longer care about, much less read, the Inquirer.
Jackie Schifalacqua

Jackie Schifalacqua

Articles 3 minute read
Haas, Phelan: 'Why put on makeup?'

"Vigil' and older audiences at the Lantern

Why was I the only one laughing?

The wicked humor of Morris Panych's Vigil comes mostly at the expense of older audiences. That's bad news for cutting-edge theater in Philadelphia.
Christopher Munden

Christopher Munden

Articles 4 minute read
'Aida' by Philadelphia's High School of Creative and Performing Arts: When kids genuinely connect.

What the pros can learn from "The Cappies'

Teaching the Tonys a thing or two

The Cappies, an international project for high school theater and journalism students, is an awards show without commercials or long-winded acceptance speeches. And it's refreshing to see kids cheering for something other than sports.
Steve Cohen

Steve Cohen

Articles 3 minute read
Fahrner, Kunze: Fleshing out Puccini. (Photo: Mark Garvin.)

"Miss Saigon' at the Walnut

Beyond Butterfly

The Walnut's new production of Miss Saigon reaffirms the quality of its authors' work when they were at their short-lived peak. This play is more compact and focused than Les Miz, and more nuanced than Madam Butterfly, the play and opera on which Miss Saigon is based.
Steve Cohen

Steve Cohen

Articles 4 minute read
Norris, Shaurice: Where are the grown-ups? (Photo: Jim Roese.)

Ayckbourn's "My Wonderful Day' at the Wilma

Adults behaving childishly (and vice versa)

In My Wonderful Day, Ayckbourn has pulled off a rare feat: an adult comedy about adult childishness, abetted by the superb Wilma Theater production. It's the ideal tonic for an age that routinely confers responsibility on overgrown adolescents like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
Dan Rottenberg

Dan Rottenberg

Articles 3 minute read

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Jacobi as Lear: Don't go quietly.

Derek Jacobi as "King Lear' in Brooklyn

Old and foolish

No dramatic work rails against the injustice of aging like Shakespeare's King Lear. So imagine the surprise of visiting the Brooklyn Academy of Music this month to find, in Derek Jacobi, a robust and defiant King Lear not at the nadir but at the height of his powers, with an audience laughing and cheering him on.

Carol Rocamora

Articles 6 minute read
Wood (top), Petersen: A sense of entitlement.

Foote's "Dividing the Estate' at People's Light

A slice of dysfunctional Texas life

Horton Foote, a master at capturing the feel of people, place and time— in this case, rural Texas in 1987— is well served in this realistic People's Light production.

Bill Murphy

Articles 2 minute read
Luke Murphy, Careena Melia as the Macbeths: Sex, violence and a crush of masked strangers. (Photo: Thom Kaine.)

A wordless "Macbeth' in New York

Shakespeare sans inhibitions (or words)

Sleep No More, the bizarre “immersive theater” experience, has emerged as this season's most popular Macbeth. Yet it's performed without any text. What does that say about how to reach audiences today with the classics? Sleep No More. Punchdrunk production through June 25, 2011 at McKittrick Hotel, 530 West 27th St., New York. playing now through June 25, www.sleepnomorenyc.com.

Carol Rocamora

Articles 7 minute read
Herbert, Prisco, Mooney, Clemons-Hopkins: Not just the music, but the genre.

"My Way': Sinatra tribute at Walnut's Studio 3

Old Blue Eyes is back

My Way is as much of a tribute to Frank Sinatra's crowd and its ambience as it is to Old Blue Eyes himself. If you relish those folks and those times, here's a chance to renew old acquaintances.
Jackie Schifalacqua

Jackie Schifalacqua

Articles 3 minute read