Robert Sokol - Page 2

It would be easy to make FUN HOME a dour polemic about LGBT oppression from within and without, but the gifts of Kron, Tesori, Bechdel - which director Robert Kelley artfully deploys - are the moments of lightness and pure joy that make the losses all the more tragic.

The Berkeley Repertory Theatre production of fairview is disturbing. That's good. If you are white and liberal and experiencing mild to major discomfort by the end of the performance, that's even better.

BroadwayWorld-San Francisco Senior Editor Robert Sokol takes Creel on a trip down memory lane to revisit his Main Stem alter egos in advance of his debut at Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel as part of producer Marilyn Levinson's fifteenth anniversary season of Bay Area Cabaret in San Francisco.

SWEAT neither romanticizes nor demonizes the factory worker or their situations. You know most of these people voted for Trump, but they are at worst, desperate, not deplorable. They face hard choices with honesty and determination, understanding the limited cards they have been dealt.

SCHOOL OF ROCK is a fleetingly affable evening composed by Lloyd Webber for lyrics by Glenn Slater (Sister Act) and a book by Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey). The kids are more than alright, saving the night and earning an 'A' for natural talent and a refreshingly unaffected stage presence.

San Francisco native Francis Jue (M. Butterfly and Pacific Overtures on Broadway) reflects on becoming an actor, being an Asian-American actor, and the intersection of THE KING AND I and SOFT POWER, the new 'play in a musical' by David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori.

The new musical A WALK ON THE MOON, based on the 1999 film written by Pamela Gary, does a fine job of telling its story, and patrons will have a good time at this nice musical. In the era of making things great again are fine, good, and nice enuf?

This weekend marks the world premiere of UNBREAKABLE, an original work by composer and lyricist Andrew Lippa, co-commissioned by a nationwide consortium of ten gay choruses and featuring Lisa Vroman, Britney Coleman, and Marcus J. Paige.

Tony-nominee Carmen Cusack is returning to San Francisco to perform May 19 at the annual 'A Twist of Limelight' gala for Bay Area Musicals followed by rehearsals for this fall's VICTOR/VICTORIA in Los Angeles, part of the Reprise 2.0 relaunch season.

Vietgone by Qui Nguyen is a refreshingly upending night of theatre. It's also an extremely funny, sexy, tender, and truthful night of theatre.

LOVE NEVER DIES is an unnecessary sequel to the megahit PHANTOM that wisely skips Broadway and hits the national tour road for ALW fans. The ladies of this evening rule even though the guys are (supposed to be) in charge of the action in this passable evening of musical theatre.

At 67, this King is timely and timeless in a lush tour based on the Tony-winning Lincoln Center Theater revival directed by Bartlett Sher. As on Broadway, Lady Thiang steals the show.

Caissie Levy shares some thoughts on fitting in some cabaret gigs between Frozen runs and how motherhood has changed her approach to her career.

Delicious dancing, gorgeous design, and great Gershwin songs are a joy but can't mask the musical theatre shortcomings of another film-to-stage transfer in AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.

Actor Riley Costello makes the directing leap with a regional production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and reveals his favorite character. It's not who you might guess!

There's not a lot to be written about The Book of Mormon that's new but the tour currently in San Jose is definitely worth another joyful, irreverent look.

While not particularly illuminating on the life of the singer, A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN (now extended to July 9) delivers powerful vocal performances from Kacee Clanton and a strong supporting cast including Sharon Brown.

Deborah Cox and company make THE BODYGUARD easy to consume pop nostalgia in a slick production that makes few demands and delivers on the expected soundtrack highlights.