Russell Metheny News

Don’t let the comically large nose fool you, this one is a heartbreaker. The Indiana Repertory Theatre’s minimalist production of the classic Cyrano features just three actors. It’s a quiet romance about Cyrano (Ryan Artzberger) and his unspoken love for Roxane. There are a few sword fights, coordinated by Jeb Burris who pulls double duty playing six different characters in the show. Jo Roets’ adaptation clocks in at just 1 hour and 20 minutes, with no intermission.

Winners have been announced for the 2020 BroadwayWorld Indianapolis Awards - which were back bigger than ever, celebrating the best in local theatre of the past decade! 

Sara Bruner has proven once again that she is the queen of Shakespeare staging. As she did last season with her 'The Taming of the Shrew,' her women-centric version of 'Julius Caesar,' which is now on stage at Great Lakes Theater, is creative, well-formulated and long on clear message development.

Theater people are superstitious! The practices that relate to the fears have various origins. For example, 'the ghost of Thespis (the first known actor in ancient Greece) is said to wreak havoc upon theaters all over the world. The ghost light tradition-leaving a single lit bulb upstage center when the theater is empty-is meant to ward off these mischievous specters.'

The Tony Award winner for Best Play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, is now captivating audiences at Syracuse Stage. This thought-provoking and enthralling production is co-produced with the Indiana Repertory Theatre, where this same cast previously received rave reviews. Impressively directed by Risa Brainin and brilliantly acted, this production is memorable to say the least.

Syracuse Stage brings a deeply moving and engaging experience with the Tony award-winning (Best Play) show 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,' adapted by Simon Stephens from the original novel by Mark Haddon. 'Curious Incident' is co-produced with the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT).

Syracuse Stage brings a deeply moving and engaging experience with the Tony award-winning (Best Play) show 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,' adapted by Simon Stephens from the original novel by Mark Haddon. 'Curious Incident' is co-produced with the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT).

Greater Cleveland is blessed with a vital theater scene. It has been the purpose of the TIMES THEATER TRIBUTES, now known as BROADWAY WORLD-CLEVELAND REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL THEATER TRIBUTES (BWW-Cle Theater Tributes), to recognize theatrical experiences that, in the subjective view of this reviewer, were excellent and deserve recognition.

Broadwayworld.com interviewed Jim Petosa about his career and the show, 'Good' now on at Potomac Theatre Project.

Agatha Christie is one of the world's best-selling authors. Her 66 detective novellas and fourteen short story collections have sold over a billion copies. She is also credited with writing the play and movie scripts for some of her works.

William Shakespeare is considered by most experts on English language theatre as being the greatest of all writers. His vast folio of plays, consisting of tragedies, comedies, histories and dramas have lasted for over four hundred years. He is one of the few writers who has theatres, let alone festivals, dedicated exclusively to his works.

Mystery books are the second highest money-making genre in literature, only exceeded by Romance/Erotica. They are the highest rated television demand topic.

Asolo Repertory Theatre kicks off its 2014-15 rep season with three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Thornton Wilder's uproarious romantic comedy, THE MATCHMAKER. Directed by Peter Amster, the play opens Friday, January 9, 2015 at 8pm, with previews Tuesday, January 6 at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, January 7 and Thursday, January 8 at 8pm. THE MATCHMAKER, which was adapted into the Tony Award-winning musical Hello, Dolly!, runs in rotating rep through Saturday, April 11, 2015.

I have seen a few different versions of AS YOU LIKE IT over the years. I think when watching Shakespeare it's gets easier and more enjoyable each time you see it, since you understand what is happening. However, I think this production does such a good job of telling the story through the actions they chose to go along with the dialogue, that someone who knew nothing about the story could tell you what it was about.

For this production of DEATHTRAP, you notice that it is a home. Maybe a summer or winter home, but definitely someone's house. The walls are covered from floor to ceiling with weaponry: guns, knives, swords. It reminded me of the museum at the Tower of London. The Scenic Designer is Russell Matheny.

What do the phrases, 'all the world's a stage' and 'too much of a good thing' have in common? They are both quotes from Shakespeare's pastoral comedy 'As You Like It.' As is true of that genre, the play, which was written early in 1600, deals with shepherds and the rustic life, but, also concerns love, in its various forms.

Overheard at intermission of 'DEATHTRAP' at Great Lakes Theater: 'I never expected that to happen!' Response: 'I've seen this before and what's coming up in the second act is even more surprising!'

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) is pleased to offer an open captioned performance ofTony Award-winning director Frank Galati's triumphant new staging of the musical 1776 tonight, October 3 at 8 p.m., at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Special seats have been reserved for hearing-impaired audience members who would like an optimal view of the digital screen. These tickets (located in the Orchestra section) are $40 per person and available by visiting at act-sf.org/1776 (select the 'caption' tab) or by calling A.C.T. at 415.749.2228.

The creators of '1776' held political opinions that strongly disagreed with the ideals of many, like former president Richard Nixon, who ultimately came to enjoy and appreciate the musical. One can easily assume members of both major political parties made up the opening night audience of American Conservatory Theatre's co-production of the show, and surely a conservative or two chuckled at the universal hypocrisy and false pride presented in 'Cool, Cool Considerate Men,' which makes fun at those who lean ever to the right, never to the left. Values and people differ, but like the representatives who signed their names to the Declaration of Independence, we find a common bond in our history and, in the case of Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone's '1776,' in music and drama mixed.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) kicks off its 2013-14 season with passionate (and patriotic) fireworks with the West Coast premiere of Tony Award-winning director Frank Galati's triumphant new staging of the musical 1776. A.C.T.'s production of 1776 runs September 11-October 6, 2013, at The Geary Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Tickets starting at $20, and are on sale now and may be purchased online at act-sf.org or by calling 415.749.2228. Check out a sneak peek below!