Faithful, fervent Oklahoma! revival reveals a darker tale
Little Fang Photo Ado Annie (Ali Stroker) and Ali Hakim (Will Brill) share a moment in the current revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! By AARON KRAUSE NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — The wording on the Playbill at Circle in the Square Theatre does not deceive your eyes:...
A shattering ‘Streetcar’ at Palm Beach Dramaworks
Photo by Samantha Mighdoll Stanley Kowalski (Danny Gavigan) pleads with his wife, Stella (Annie Grier) to forgive him in Palm Beach Dramaworks’ stellar production of A Streetcar Named Desire. By AARON KRAUSE WEST PALM BEACH — Brutal reality shatters sensitivity, fragility and illusion with the force of a monster...
New City Players’ bleak ‘Macbeth’ reflects the zeitgeist
Photo courtesy of New City Players Macbeth (Seth Trucks) makes a point to his wife, Lady Macbeth (Laura Plyler) in New City Players’ production of “The Scottish Play.” By AARON KRAUSE FT. LAUDREDALE — If you ask most people, they may tell you that they’ve always...
Director learns from actors while staging complex classic ‘A Raisin in the Sun’
(Ryan Arnst Photography/Courtesy) Walter Lee Younger (Jovon Jacobs) is in obvious agony. Jacobs plays a suffering, flawed offspring in New City Players’ powerful production of A Raisin in the Sun. By AARON KRAUSE FT. LAUDERDALE — The prospect of directing A Raisin in the Sun thrilled Mary Elizabeth Gundlach....
A sunny ‘Annie’ at The Wick
Photo by Amy Pasqantonio Sandy leaps up to his new best friend, Annie (Peyton Ella) in The Wick Theatre’s wonderful production of the beloved musical. By AARON KRAUSE BOCA RATON, Fla. — A director mounting an evergreen such as Annie doesn’t have to dig deep to unearth modern relevance. After all,...
‘La Cage’ marks a remarkable debut for Stage Door Theatre at new venue
Photo by George Wentzler Some of the La Cage aux folles’ girls surround Georges (Jamie Michael Parnell) with feather-like materials. By AARON KRAUSE LAUDERHILL, Fla. — …So hold this moment fast…and make this moment last. Surely, these lyrics from La Cage Aux Folles are apropos for Stage Door Theatre’s...
Area Stage Company’s vibrant ‘Cabaret’ speaks to our times, implicates us.
(Photo by Giancarlo Rodaz) The flamboyant, charismatic Master of Ceremonies (Giorgio Volpe) interacts with the audience in Area Stage Company’s production of Cabaret. By AARON KRAUSE CORAL GABLES — Without warning, a group of Nazi flag-waving activists march down the aisle of the audience seating area, fervently singing the anthem...
Powerfully-staged ‘Equus’ at PBD proves terribly timely
(Photo by Samantha Mighdoll) Alan Strang (Steven Maier) has a disturbing obsession with horses in Peter Shaffer’s Equus. WEST PALM BEACH — In the wake of recent school shootings, some undoubtedly and understandably harbor emotions too raw to ponder psychological motivations behind heinous crimes. Yet, theater has a responsibility to...
See The Sound of Music from a different perspective with Radicalization of Rolfe
Photo credited to Wentzler Photography Herr Zeller (Michael Kehr, standing), shows tough love toward Rolfe Gruber (Jordan Armstrong) in The Radicalization of Rolfe. WILTON MANORS, Fla. — In a way, The Radicalization of Rolfe is to The Sound of Music as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is to Hamlet. Consider:...
Palm Beach Dramaworks’ ‘On Golden Pond’ is touching and funny
Photo by Alicia Donelan Ethel Thayer (Pat Bowie) tries to get through to her husband, Norman (John Felix), in Palm Beach Dramaworks’ staging of On Golden Pond. WEST PALM BEACH — If you were to read the 1979 classic, beloved play On Golden Pond, it might seem easy to lump...
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