Review: RED HOT PATRIOT – THE KICK-*SS WIT OF MOLLY IVINS at TheatreFor

I didn’t expect to leave the theater feeling both gut-punched and invigorated, but Red Hot Patriot – The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins delivers exactly that. TheatreFor’s latest production is sharp, timely, and unapologetically political—just like its subject. It’s a one-woman show in structure but not in spirit. Samantha Marti Parisi gives a performance that’s as layered and dynamic as the woman she portrays, bringing Molly Ivins roaring back to life with biting humor, fearless honesty, and deep love for democracy.

This is not a nostalgia piece. It’s a full-throated celebration of journalism with a purpose, of citizenship with teeth. Parisi doesn’t just impersonate Ivins—she embodies her with every sardonic grin, every firecracker punchline, every beat of heartbreak over how far we still have to go. The pacing is strong, the energy never drops, and thanks to the wordless but expressive presence of Blake Boles, there’s a surprising intimacy to it all. The show weaves together Ivins’ personal reflections, journalistic greatest hits, and cutting political commentary in a way that feels both theatrical and urgently real.