Summer Shorts: Homegrown Edition entertains, highlights diversity
Photo courtesy of Morgan Sophia Photography Roderick Randle and Bretta-Raia Curah play a futuristic couple living in a world near collapse in the short play, And Other Dreams We Had. By AARON KRAUSE This year’s version of City Theatre’s popular annual short play festival, Summer Shorts, is a...
New City Players’ ‘Cry Old Kingdom’ emits a vital sound
The artist Edwin (Denzel McCausland) and his wife, Judith (Odlenika Joseph) harbor different ideas about how to deal with the murderous Duvalier regime in 1960s Haiti in New City Players’ production of Cry Old Kingdom. By AARON KRAUSE What sacrifices would you make for freedom? What about just to...
‘Wicked’ is a winner in Miami
Photo by Joan Marcus Lissa deGuzman plays Elphaba in an equity national touring production playing in Miami. By AARON KRAUSE Clearly defining the megahit musical Wicked can prove almost as daunting as defying gravity. Indeed, it is part origin story, part musical, part fantasy, part prequel, part fable, part...
‘Aladdin’ astonishes anew
The titular character (Adi Roy) touches gold in an equity national touring production of Aladdin. By AARON KRAUSE The last time Aladdin visited South Florida, life as we knew it was still operating. Specifically, a little less than three years ago, in January 2020, virtually nobody...
New play about veteran actor has potential
Photo by Magnus Stark Ruben Rabasa appears as himself in the world premiere of Rubenology: The Making of An American Legend. By AARON KRAUSE Rubenology: The Making of An American Legend is a new one-person play whose title suggests a journey or process. Actually, the piece itself has a...
Actors’ Playhouse handles Hank Williams bio-musical with care
Photo by Alberto Romeu Hank Williams (Andy Christopher, center) happily plays and sings. Flanking him are Chaz Rose (left) as Tee-Tot and Lindsey Corey as Audrey Williams. By AARON KRAUSE For much of the run of Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre’s spirited and believable production of the stirring,...
‘The Year of Magical Thinking’ is powerful theater at GableStage
Photo by Magnus Stark Joan Didion (Sara Morsey) appears in a scene from The Year of Magical Thinking. By AARON KRAUSE A mirrored floor is part of the minimal yet effective set in GableStage’s haunting production of the moving, one-character stage adaptation of writer Joan Didion’s powerful memoir, The...
Touring production of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ offers a relatable titular character
Photo by Matthew Murphy, Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMade Jesus Christ (Aaron LaVigne) stands out in this dance number from the 50th anniversary national touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar. By AARON KRAUSE Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s glorious music is front and center in the moving and intense,...
‘Anastasia’ awes in national touring production
Photo by Jeremy Daniel Anya (Kyla Stone) goes on a journey into her past in the non-equity touring production of Anastasia, currently playing in Miami. By AARON KRAUSE A ride up the Eiffel Tower and a journey by train through the early 20th century European countryside are some...
New play reveals the ‘Real Cuba’
Photo by Tony Tur Cast members appear in a scene from the world premiere production of GringoLandia. By AARON KRAUSE If you talk to Miami native and Cuban-American playwright Hannah Benitez about Cuba today, she might quote a saying. It goes something like this: “If you visited...
