‘The Prisoners’ is a powerful play at the Foundry

‘The Prisoners’ is a powerful play at the Foundry

Photo courtesy of Ronnie Larsen Presents Jeffrey Roach (front) plays Tim while Brandon Campbell (with beard) plays a prisoner named Justin. Jack Stein (back) plays multiple roles.   By AARON KRAUSE Ronnie Larsen’s riveting play, The Prisoners, is a strong piece that works on several levels. For starters, it’s a...

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‘Rotterdam’ is relatable, touching theater at Island City Stage

Photo by Matthew Tippins Alice (Suzanne Ankrum) and Fiona/Adrian (Autumn Kioti Horne) play lovers in Jon Brittain’s touching play, Rotterdam.     By AARON KRAUSE Change can be hard for anybody, especially when they least expect it. With that in mind, you may find it easy to identify with Alice,...

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Controversial ‘Bent’ is a cautionary play for our times

Controversial ‘Bent’ is a cautionary play for our times

  Warning: This play contains brief nudity, disturbing images, and subject matter. Photo by Preston Bircher Max (Matthew Salas) tries to get a point across to Rudy (Ben Shaevitz) in a co-production of the historical play, “Bent.”   By AARON KRAUSE If Martin Sherman’s moving and disturbing, at times implausible...

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Island City Stage’s ‘One in Two’ is eye-opening

Island City Stage’s ‘One in Two’ is eye-opening

Photo by Matthew Tippins The cast of Island City Stage’s production of “One in Two” prepares to face the audience.   By AARON KRAUSE The last show that Island City Stage (ICS) mounted elicited plenty of laughs. After all, the play was the hilarious 1984 spoof, The Mystery of Irma...

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Explosive ‘Armature’ erupts at Island City Stage

Explosive ‘Armature’ erupts at Island City Stage

Photo by Matthew Tippins Shod (Michael Ford) and Evan (Matthew Salas) appear in a passionate scene from Island City Stage’s world premiere production of Armature.   By AARON KRAUSE Shod, a gay man in Andrew Kramer’s sexy and searing, dark and disturbing new play, Armature, removes his white, sleeveless shirt....

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‘Bright Colors and Bold Patterns’ is a comic delight at Island City Stage

‘Bright Colors and Bold Patterns’ is a comic delight at Island City Stage

Photo by Matthew Tippins Gerry (Thomas Mark) makes a grand entrance in Island City Stage’s production of Bright Colors and Bold Patterns.   By AARON KRAUSE While watching Drew Droege’s delightfully comic, single-character play, Bright Colors and Bold Patterns, one might wonder: Is the horizontally big fellow at the piece’s...

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‘Compensation’ is a compelling, timely new play

‘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...

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Island City Stage offers ‘Compensation’ as its next production

Island City Stage offers ‘Compensation’ as its next production

      PHOTO BY MATT TIPPINS The cast of Island City Stage’s upcoming production of Compensation comprises (l-r) Stephen Kaiser, Gaby Tortoledo, and Israel Vinas.   When Island City Stage (ICS) Artistic Director Andy Rogow discovered a new piece titled Compensation, “I knew right away this was a play...

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Thinking Cap Theatre’s ‘Laced’ will leave you hopeful for better days

Thinking Cap Theatre’s ‘Laced’ will leave you hopeful for better days

  Thinking Cap Theatre Cat (played by Jordan Patriarca in Thinking Cap Theatre’s virtual production) thought wrong.   By AARON KRAUSE The owner of a gay bar “used to throw a mean right hook in the face of some homophobic mother—ers, that’s for sure,” a character says in Samantha Mueller’s...

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Artist and advocate during the AIDS crisis dies at 84

Artist and advocate during the AIDS crisis dies at 84

Larry Kramer Photo by David Shankbone via Wikimedia Commons   Larry Kramer, a fiercely passionate playwright, screenwriter, and advocate whom many credited with jump-starting the response to the HIV/AIDS crisis in America, has died in Manhattan. He was 84 and less than a month from his 85th birthday. His husband,...

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