Krista Garver

What did our critic think of LOUISA MAY ALCOTT'S LITTLE WOMEN at Portland Center Stage? I had forgotten that Little Women opens at Christmas until I started rereading the book in anticipation of Portland Center Stage's production of Lauren M. Gunderson's new adaptation: LOUISA MAY ALCOTT'S LITTLE WOMEN, a co-production with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

Not knowing who you are can hollow you out, leaving a space that can too easily get filled with all sorts of dangerous things. Joy Nesbitt's STILT, now making its world premiere at Corrib Theatre under Holly Griffith's direction, takes that primal anxiety about identity and weaves it into something both mythic and unnervingly contemporary.

What did our critic think of RECENT TRAGIC EVENTS at Third Rail Repertory Theatre?

What did our critic think of MADONNA OF THE CAT at 21ten Theatre?

In times like these, sometimes you just need to turn off your brain and laugh. That's exactly what the national tour of the musical comedy SHUCKED delivers – a few hours of unapologetically silly, pun-saturated fun.

Samantha Van Der Merwe once again demolishes any idea of conventional theatre with DANCING ON THE SABBATH, her adaptation of 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses,' now running at Shaking the Tree Theatre. It's a story told without audible dialogue, a movement piece without traditional dance, and an immersive multimedia art installation all rolled into one.

Dominique Morisseau's PARADISE BLUE, now running at Portland Playhouse, is an intense, beautifully acted noir drama about community, legacy, and the forces that tear both apart. Set at the Paradise Club in Detroit's Black Bottom neighborhood in 1949, this jazz-infused play opens with a jolt — a trumpet solo pierced by a gunshot. It's a thriller of sorts that explores the individual forces that further complicate the societal impact of gentrification.

What did our critic think of THE BED TRICK at Artists Repertory Theatre? Is all well that ends well? If you’re familiar with Shakespeare's comedy, you know this is a loaded question. The play's supposedly happy resolution hinges on the 'bed trick,' a deception in which one person tricks another person into sex by impersonating a third. It's a troubling foundation for romance, and Keiko Green's incisive new comedy THE BED TRICK, now opening Artists Repertory's season, interrogates this ancient narrative device for our modern moment.

When I saw Portland Center Stage lineup for this season, the show I was most excited about was Eboni Booth’s PRIMARY TRUST. I’d heard nothing but good things about this play, which won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The plot is deceptively simple, but underneath flows a current of kindness, human connection, and the possibility of transformation – all themes that feel urgently necessary.

As the lights dimmed at the end of ORANGE FLOWER WATER, the debut production of 100 Lives Repertory, a deafening silence settled over the audience, as if we were collectively deciding whether to clap or let out a primal scream. It was one of the most visceral theatrical experiences I've had in years, and catharsis wasn't optional — it was necessary. (We clapped. I screamed later.)

When I first learned that a musical romance would be built around the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire — one of New York's most devastating industrial disasters (there’s an excellent book about it) — I'll admit I was skeptical. But TRIANGLE, with its intricate dual narrative structure, won me over. This isn't a show about the fire itself. Rather, the historical catastrophe is a catalyst for exploring what it means to open yourself up to finding love in unexpected places.

Right now, with political divisions seeming to slice through every aspect of our lives, Bekah Brunstetter's 2017 play THE CAKE arrives at triangle productions with uncomfortable timeliness. This show is a funny and insightful exploration of what happens when our convictions collide with our hearts.

What did our critic think of SOME LIKE IT HOT at Keller Auditorium?

Broadway Rose Theatre continues to dazzle with their big summer productions. The latest offering of Cole Porter's beloved 1934 classic ANYTHING GOES proves that sometimes the best entertainment comes from embracing pure, unadulterated fun.

Whether you're a Shakespeare devotee, a musical theater lover, or simply someone who believes in the transformative power of love and second chances, & JULIET delivers.

MJ The Musical is a high-energy tribute to the King of Pop that delivers everything you could want from a Michael Jackson show. This Tony Award-winning production (4 wins, including choreography) combines spectacular performances with Jackson’s legendary catalog into a celebration of one of the biggest music stars of all time.

What did our critic think of THE ONE at 21ten Theatre?

At its heart, WAITRESS celebrates the dreams that refuse to stay buried, the courage to reimagine your life, and the friends who believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself. I loved every minute of this excellent production.

The play centers on Evgeny (Bets Swadis) and Dmitri (Orion Bradshaw), two twenty-five-year-olds whose career aspirations – cushy government work and KGB glory, respectively – have been rendered obsolete. With no other work available, they find themselves surveilling a former subversive-pop-star-turned-school-teacher (Ashley Song) instead. All the while, the character of Mother Russia, brilliantly personified by Diane Kondrat, watches her children struggle to understand the implications of their hard-won independence.

Kamilah Bush's new adaptation of Oscar Wilde's beloved comedy THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST transplants the action to 1919, creating a world that mirrors contemporary D.C.'s obsession with wealth, identity, and reputation as social currency.