Jeff Davis - Page 12

Before I share my thoughts on Classic Theatre's outstanding production of Death of a Salesman, I must start with my thoughts on the play itself. Lots of people consider Death of a Salesman to be the greatest American play every written. I'm not sold, though. I don't identify with Willy Loman, a man who is so disconnected from his dreams, his family, and even his reality. I don't see him as the tragic anti-hero that others make him out to be, and I don't see the play as the greatest American play or even the greatest play by Arthur Miller.

It's astounding and a little sad that of all the things that have fallen out of style since the 1600s, hypocrisy isn't one of them. Thankfully though, comedy isn't one of them either. Both hypocrisy and comedy take center stage in St Edwards University's production of Tartuffe, an interesting and often wonderful modern take on Moliere's classic play about a deceitful religious devotee who brings chaos in his wake when he becomes a houseguest to the spiritual but foolish Orgon.

BroadwayWorld is thrilled to share with you a two part interview series featuring the cast and crew of Les Miserables which opens at McCallum Fine Arts Academy next Thursday, February 27th.

BroadwayWorld is thrilled to share with you an interview series featuring the cast of Woodlawn Theatre's current production of Into the Woods.

BroadwayWorld is thrilled to share with you an interview series featuring the cast of Woodlawn Theatre's current production of Into the Woods.

It's rare for two plays by the same playwright to run simultaneously in Austin. It's exceedingly rare for two plays by the same female playwright to run simultaneously in Austin. That's why it's so surprising that there are two productions of Sarah Ruhl plays in Austin right now. As ZACH Theatre produces her Pulitzer Prize and Tony nominated comedy In the Next Room, UT-Austin's Department of Theatre and Dance presents another Ruhl comedy, Dead Man's Cell Phone. What makes the occurrence all the more interesting is their similarities in subject matter. Both involve technology and its ability to bring people together or isolate them. But that's where the similarities end. In the Next Room takes a more realistic, character driven approach while Dead Man's Cell Phone is more cerebral, artistic, modern, and surreal.

I'm a sucker for plays that are so multifaceted that I feel I can't do them justice in a review. In the Next Room, or the vibrator play, now playing at ZACH Theatre, is without a doubt one of those plays. The comedy, written by Sarah Ruhl, is wonderful but exceedingly difficult to describe. It's funny but poignant, humorous but emotional, modern and old-fashioned.

In 1996, several up and coming performers made their Broadway debuts in a show that would make musical theater history. The show was Rent and two of those performers were Adam Pascal and Daphne Ruben-Vega. Some very lucky Austin area Rentheads, myself included, got a chance to see the two reunite last night as part of Zach Theatre's Top Concerts Series.

BroadwayWorld is thrilled to share with you an interview series featuring the cast of Woodlawn Theatre's current production of Into the Woods.

There's a rather funny thing about relationships, whether they be friendships or romantic. We all know that they take hard work to maintain, but the best ones appear to require no work at all. While the unlikely chums in Richard Alfieri's dramedy Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks put in a painstaking amount of work to maintain their friendship, the show itself seems effortless. The show may tug at our heartstrings, but I say tug away. These characters, brilliantly brought to life in Paradox Players' current production, are just what we need around Valentine's Day.

Tied by faith. Bound by secrets. The City Theatre is gearing up for the start of the 2014 Season with The Whipping Man, Matthew Lopez's award-winning drama that has been recognized from coast to coast. Under the direction of guest director Stacey Glazer and starring three veterans of the CTC stage, The Whipping Man runs February 7 - March 2.

Have we got a girl (or girls) for you! BroadwayWorld recently had a chance to chat with Paige Blend and Elise Lopez who star in The Playhouse's current production of Company as April and Sarah, respectively.

After five and a half years of residence at the Blue Star Arts Complex, Classic Theatre of San Antonio has made a new home in the Black Box of the Woodlawn Theatre! Their debut production in the new space, Death of a Salesman, opened this past weekend and runs thru February 23rd.

Sometimes a new, much talked about Broadway play is well deserving of the hype. Case in point: Venus in Fur. The play, by the brilliant David Ives, was the talk of New York back in 2011, largely in part to the Tony Award winning performance from Nina Arianda. Since becoming available to regional theaters, companies all over the nation have been scrambling to get the rights to produce this naughty little crowd-pleaser.

If you decide to see Gidion's Knot, and you should, take this word of caution. Be prepared to feel punched in the gut. This play will hit you, demand that you think, and will put you through a fair share of pain. I guarantee that it's worth it. Gidion's Knot may be uncomfortable, but it's definitely one of the best and most powerful dramas to come along in quite some time.

My apologies to Verdi and Mozart. No one does romance like Puccini. If you were lucky enough to catch Austin Lyric Opera's recent production of Tosca, I assume you'd agree with me. The production is easily among the best productions in ALO's recent history.

There's no doubt that People Will Talk About You Sometimes has good intentions, something I applaud and have no intention to criticize. The world premiere play from Poison Apple Initiative tries to tackle the topic of suicide and is inspired by 4.48 Psychosis, a performance art exploration of depression written by Sarah Kane whose clinical depression ended in suicide.

It's about time that the music of David Bowie gets a stage treatment, and it's no wonder that the inventive Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre clearly sees the potential to create a unique theatrical experience through Bowie's work. Part concert, part dance show, and part performance art, the world premiere of The Bowie Project, which closed in Austin this weekend, frequently entertains but is occasionally too artistic and highbrow for its own good.

There's something about The Sniper's Next, a theatrical reinterpretation of Me & Lee, that is compelling and engaging despite the major implausibilities.

Any theatergoer knows that new works tend to be hit or miss. New works premiering at a fringe festival tend to be even more unpredictable. Yes, there are plenty of successful, well-respected plays that had their beginnings at a fringe fest, but thousands more premiere and are swiftly forgotten. Mocha, currently enjoying its World Premiere at FronteraFest, won't be forgotten anytime soon. The play, written by Eleanor Burgess and produced by EVN Productions and Last Act Theatre Company, gives an honest and unapologetic look at international adoptions. While every person involved may think they have the child's best interests at heart, political agendas quickly come into play.