Wooster Group's "Emperor Jones' (1st review)

A white woman in male black face: Seeing is believing. The Wooster Group’s interpretation bends, slants and renders O’Neill’s emperor more comic than perhaps necessary. But Kate Valk’s virtuosity in the title role is an inspiration.

The Emperor Jones. By Eugene O’Neill. Wooster Group production September 5-9, 2007 at Arts Bank, 601 S. Broad St. LiveArts/Philadelphia Fringe Festival, (215) 413-1318 or

Lesley Valdes

Sep 11, 2007 · Articles · 3 minute read

Wooster Group's "Emperor Jones' (2nd review)

The world has changed since O’Neill’s The Emperor Jones first appeared in 1920. This new production reminds us that we’re still a racist society. OK, but what else is new?

The Emperor Jones. By Eugene O’Neill. Wooster Group production September 5-9, 2007 at Arts Bank, 601 S. Broad St. LiveArts/Philadelphia Fringe Festival, (215) 413-1318 or www.livearts-fr

Lewis Whittington

Sep 08, 2007 · Articles · 2 minute read

Artists and criminals

Should a convicted drug dealer be allowed to put on a show about his crime? Performance artist Christian Lisak raised that question with his recent monologue, That’s Why They Don’t Call It a Picnic. Some Philadelphia theater people say yes and others vehemently disagree, but all of their reactions seem to misunderstand what art— not to mention crime— is really all about.

Jim Rutter

Sep 08, 2007 · Articles · 5 minute read

Pig Iron Theatre's "Isabella' (1st review)

Shakespeare in the nude is certainly not for everybody. But Pig Iron Theatre mines a profund point: Decoration of the body is essentially meaningless to the human condition. This instant dark classic represents what the LiveArts-Philly Fringe Festivals could and should be.

Isabella. Pig Iron Theatre Company production through September 15, 2007 at Ice Box Projects Space, 1400 N. American St. (215) 413-1318or

Lewis Whittington

Sep 04, 2007 · Articles · 3 minute read

'Wicked' at the Academy of Music

Visually, this Wicked far outclasses what one normally sees outside of Manhattan. For a road production, it displays a rare look of luxury and permanence, and the lead roles are sung and played by two excellent performers, Victoria Matlock and Christina DeCicco, who even surpass the original cast in some ways.

Wicked. Words and music by Stephen Schwartz; book by Winnie Holzman. Through September 9, 2007 at Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Sts. (215) 893-1999 or

Steve Cohen

Aug 07, 2007 · Articles · 4 minute read

Gay Theatre Festival's "Heart and Music'

The composer lyricist William Finn has broken fresh ground on both gay and Jewish themes. Why, then, has he been embraced by gay audiences but not by Jewish theatergoers?

Heart and Music. Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival production through June 29, 2007 at the Arden Theater, 40 N. Second St. 215-922-1122 or www.philagaylesbiantheatrefest.org.

Steve Cohen

Jun 30, 2007 · Articles · 4 minute read

InterAct's "Skin in Flames' (2nd review)

Which is worse: Graphic nudity and sex acts on stage, or squeamishness about graphic nudity and sex acts on stage? InterAct’s Skin in Flames tried to have it both ways.

Skin in Flames. By Guillem Clua; directed Seth Rozin. Through June 24, 2007 at InterAct Theatre, 2030 Sansom St. (215) 568-8079 or www.interactheatre.org.

Steve Cohen

Jun 26, 2007 · Articles · 3 minute read

A plague of small-cast plays

Philadelphia’s Barrymore Awards, launched in 1995 to celebrate great local theater, have inadvertently encouraged small local theater. The reasons are economic: The Barrymore rules establish minimum pay scales for actors. So the question for theater companies becomes: How do you win a Barrymore without going broke? Answer: The fewer actors, the better.

Jim Rutter

Jun 23, 2007 · Articles · 5 minute read

"Camelot' at the Merriam

The new touring production of Camelot is a half-hour shorter than the original and offers a revised book by Alan Jay Lerner’s son. It also boasts some fine performances, including one by an understudy. Whether it’s an improvement on the original— or whether the original was that good to begin with— is another question.

Camelot. Music by Frederick Loewe; libretto by Alan Jay Lerner. Touring production closed June 10, 2007 at the Merriam Theatr

Steve Cohen

Jun 20, 2007 · Articles · 3 minute read

"Hair' at the Prince

It’s hard to recapture the anti-war feelings of the 1960s, but the Prince Music Theater’s 40th enthusiastic anniversary revival of Hair helps show today’s younger generation what the fuss was all about.

Hair. Book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado; 
music by Galt MacDermot; directed by Tom O’Horgan. Through June 17, 2007 at Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St. (215) 569-9700 or

Steve Cohen

Jun 06, 2007 · Articles · 4 minute read