SAN FRANCISCO / BAY AREA THEATER REVIEWS

There is power in numbers. With 53 glorious cast members cleverly moved about the small Hillbarn Theatre stage, director Lee Foster's production of "Ragtime" excels over an imperfect script....

Playing now through August 31 in a limited engagement at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts, this 'Cinderella' is smart and edgy, giving a creatively refreshing twist to an old favorite....

Set aside all of your 21st century politically correct notions and feminist fury for a moment and go see 'A Funny thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.' This show is guaranteed to make you laugh, but you better hurry because it's only here through August 19th....

Playing now through September 9, 'War Horse' will dazzle you with its stage wizardry even as it brings into bold relief the gut-wrenching horrors that humans and horses alike endured during the war that was supposed to end them all, World War I....

Even with all the magic and all the fun, the thing I remember most from my childhood trips to the circus is my traditional circus cup filled with delicious flavored ice. So it's only natural that after a very long hiatus from Ringling Bros., I couldn't help but buy one of those overpriced, albeit cr...

It is a truth universally acknowledged that any audience member in possession of a show ticket must be in want of a good show. However little known the feelings or views of such an audience member may be on his or her first entering a theatre, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the relevant...

With beautiful, golden sets and a blessedly wonderful cast, the problem with Lamplighter's production of "The Mikado" does not result from a lack of talent. Actually, the production lacks very little and would verge on perfection if it weren't for slow comedic timing, missed opportunities for extra ...

When you're dealing with a musical version of a classic like 'The Little Mermaid,' it becomes nearly impossible to botch a show enough to give viewers reason to hate it. You still have all the popular songs that everyone loves to sing along with (including one adorable little girl sitting in the bac...

'Emotional Creature' exemplifies the spirit and heart of Ensler's best-selling book 'I am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World, shedding light on the joys and challenges as well as the violence faced by girls across the globe. 'Emotional Creature' is a theatrically lit m...

Apparently, anything goes at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto. Visit this stunning building this weekend and you'll find glimpses of "something shocking" as friendly ushers and ticketing staff welcome you, comfortable seats provide you with the perfect view and a standout orchestra begins pl...

Masterfully communicated through the art of minstrel storytelling, Kander and Ebb's "The Scottsboro Boys" turns around the stereotypes and exaggerated personalities that encouraged racism in the early 1900s to create a surprisingly poignant musical that celebrates the voice of the individual and rem...

'Emotional Creature' exemplifies the spirit and heart of Ensler's best-selling book 'I am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World, shedding light on the joys and challenges as well as the violence faced by girls across the globe. 'Emotional Creature' is a theatrically lit m...

One of Giuseppe Verdi's lesser-performed operas, Attila lacks the hummable songs that have brought his better-known operas into popular culture. His complicated characters are ever-present, however, and his grand melodies support those characters with a commanding presence, especially when a large c...

Polka dots, neon and pastel colors, and innovative use of projector technology comprise a cheerful and vivid new production of Mozart's The Magic Flute, which premiered Wednesday night at the San Francisco Opera Memorial House. Although it sometimes lacks the dramatics needed to keep a strong moment...

Home to some wonderfully strange and unique characters, San Francisco should have no trouble welcoming the Voca People. Hailing from planet Voca, the unusual group crash-lands its spaceship in the city every night through June 17, bringing with them non-stop comedy and mannerisms and costumes simila...

'Black n Blue Boys/Broken Men is truth-telling at its very best...about the very worst....

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - coo, what a sight! 'Mary Poppins' flew into San Jose bringing magic and mayhem in the most delightful way. Hodges and Hodges were there for the magical high jinx and fun as well as the somewhat darker elements of 'Mary Poppins,' playing now through June 10th at...

Audience members laughed and smiled as if they had never before seen Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music" at Saturday night's Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater performance of the classic musical. Such fresh enjoyment testifies to the quality of a show so often done - one that seems to be poppin...

Both terribly morbid and wonderfully brilliant, Samuel Beckett's "Endgame" and "Play" are difficult at first to understand. Beckett's focus on existential themes of death and the meaning - or meaninglessness - of life make any interpretation of his work difficult to enjoy on its own....

Julian Sands' warmly rendered readings and reminiscences of a man he much adored make 'A Celebration of Harold Pinter' a must-see event for now and future Pinter and Sands fans alike....

'Million Dollar Quartet' is an exciting, get-up-and-dance, rock and roll phenomenon that allows the audience to be present at one of the greatest moments in rock and roll history....

Perhaps the reason the film version of the musical The Producers did not do so well as its Tony-award winning Broadway counterpart because it lacked that special magic that only live theatre can give. Movie musicals like Hairspray have succeeded on the big screen, but the current trend seems to invo...

I have a difficult time staying away from Fiddler on the Roof comparisons when I consider 42nd Street Moon's production of Zorba. With the help of their common book writer, Joseph Stein, the two musicals exhibit similar leading characters and musical styles. Beyond all else, Zorba and Fiddler exhibi...

Wow! What a night at Broadway San Jose's production of 'In The Heights'. Winner of four 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the cast of 'In The Heights' rapped, hip-hopped and merengue'd their way through Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegria Hudes' immigrant tale of angst, hope, ...

Hodges and Hodges recommend that you go see CAMELOT in San Francisco. Oh, wait. No, that's not quite right. Sorry about that. Blimey! It's actually Monty Python's SPAMALOT at San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre, playing now through April 22nd....