‘Compensation’ is a compelling, timely new play
Photo by Matthew Tippins Tara (Gaby Tortoledo), Gabriel (Stephen Kaiser), and Elliot (Israel Vinas) are engaged in conversation in Island City Stage’s world premiere production of Compensation. By AARON KRAUSE If you couldn’t have children the conventional way, how far would you go to form and raise a family...
Licensing rights available for trilingual ‘Our Town’
Photo by Arnulfo Maldonado Keith Randolph Smith played the “Stage Manager” in Miami New Drama’s trilingual Our Town. By AARON KRAUSE Three years after Miami New Drama premiered a trilingual version of Thornton Wilder’s classic play, Our Town, the adaptation’s script is available to perform and/or read....
In the age of COVID, ‘The Humans’ is particularly timely
Photo courtesy of Olney Theatre Center Here is the Blake family. Pictured from left is Jonathan Raviv as Richard Saad, Dani Stoller as Brigid Blake, Kimberly Gilbert as Aimee Blake, Sherri L. Edelen as Deirdre Blake, Catie Flye as “Momo” Blake, and Mitchell Hebert as Erik Blake. By AARON...
Area Stage’s ‘Matilda’ is filled with humor, heart and magic
Photo by John Rodaz Katie Duerr as Miss Honey and Alejandra Bess as Matilda are deep in thought in Area Stage’s commendable production of Matilda. By AARON KRAUSE CORAL GABLES — The smell of rebellion from “revolting” children has rarely been sweeter. The aroma emanates these days from...
Family-oriented ‘When She Had Wings’ soars at Theatre Lab
By AARON KRAUSE BOCA RATON — If you listen closely, you’ll hear what sounds like the opening notes to the Stephen Sondheim classic, “Send in the Clowns” as part of the music to Theatre Lab’s magical production of When She Had Wings. Chances are, this...
Despite its flaws, ‘A Bronx Tale’s’ heart and humor win us over
Photo by Joan Marcus Athletic, even acrobatic choreography helps tell the ‘tale’ in A Bronx Tale. Pictured above are touring cast members. By AARON KRAUSE FT. LAUDERDALE — A couple of reviews of A Bronx Tale, the Broadway musical, describe the show as a blending between Jersey Boys and West Side Story. Many might rightly...
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....
‘Admissions’ is complex, yet compelling, relatable at GableStage
Photo by George Schiavone Charlie (Joshua Hernandez, right) non-verbally expresses disgust with his father, Bill (Tom Wahl) in GableStage’s production of Admissions. By AARON KRAUSE CORAL GABLES, Fla. — If you wanted to write a truly satiric, but apropos commercial for Joshua Harmon’s unapologetically satiric, scorching play, Admissions,...
An emotionally-potent ‘Next to Normal’ shines in South Florida co-production
Photo by Fernando Barron II (From left) Christopher Alvarez as Gabe, Sabrina Lynn Gore as Diana and Johnbarry Green appear in Infinite Abyss Productions and Measure for Measure’s staging of Next to Normal WILTON MANORS, Fla. — A current South Florida co-production of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning musical Next to Normal is...
Characters, issues in If I Forget will stay with you
Photo by George Schiavone Holly Fischer (Patti Gardner) speaks her piece as family members look on in GableStage’s production of If I Forget. CORAL GABLES, Fla. — In Tony Award-winning playwright Steven Levenson’s deeply unsettling drama If I Forget, dread hovers over a family like funnel clouds over Hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico last...