Author Archives
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Review: ‘Two Trains Running’ by August Wilson at the Pittsburgh Public Theater
By Bob Hoover After The Piano Lesson, the 1986 play that earned August Wilson his second Pulitzer Prize, he was ready to move on to the next chapter in his Pittsburgh cycle. The inspiration would be this line: “Then I… Read More ›
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Review: Pittsburgh Public’s “Murder on the Orient Express” is a Pageantry of Solid Acting, Period Costumes, and an Amazing Set Design
Reviewed by Bob Hoover Playwright David Mamet recently wrote that “theater on Broadway has largely been replaced by pageantry.” Audiences “come to Broadway exactly as they come to Disneyland. They do not come to risk their hard-earned cash on a… Read More ›
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Review: Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” by Riverfront Theater Company
Reviewed By Bob Hoover The spirit of that hopeful Hollywood cliché, “Let’s use the barn and put on a show!” runs through the energetic production of Company by the Riverfront Theater Company, whose cast pours plenty of perspiration and exertion… Read More ›
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Review: Hamilton at the Benedum Center
By Bob Hoover Let’s face it. Hardly anything new can be said about Hamilton. Now six years old, Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s masterpiece is the most honored and successful musical in American theater history. Then again, there’s nothing new about Hamilton. While… Read More ›
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National Theatre of Great Britain’s View From the Bridge by Arthur Miller
By Bob Hoover The filmed version of this 2015 production, shown Oct. 3 at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, seems like an artifact from long ago when unmasked audiences sat within feet of the stage as actors embraced and kissed. Controversial in… Read More ›
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Review: The Tragedy of Hamlet
Hamlet fights a Noisy Schenley Plaza in Oakland By Bob Hoover One of last year’s most highly praised books was “Hamnet” by the British novelist Maggie O’Farrell. Hamnet was one of the twins of Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway,… Read More ›
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Review: Quantum Theater’s An Odyssey
The Quantum crew’s production of An Odyssey might be one of the company’s most creative ones yet. Reviewed by Bob Hoover With thanks to Stephen King, “Everything old is new again.” And you can’t get much older than The Odyssey, the classical epic… Read More ›
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Pittsburgh Playwrights dissects Dr. Cyril Wecht
By Bob Hoover Old cases never die as long as Dr. Cyril Wecht is around. The former Allegheny County coroner, now 90, has been commenting on a variety of controversial killings for years, beginning with the assassination of President John… Read More ›
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Review- Quantum Theatre’s THE CURRENT WAR
THE CURRENT WARby Quantum Theatre at Westinghouse Park, North Point BreezeWritten by Michael MitnickDirected by Tome CousinRuns through June 27, 2021 Reviewed By Bob Hoover Carefully, Quantum Theatre has brought live theater back to town and has done it with… Read More ›
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Review- Quantum Theatre’s THE CURRENT WAR
THE CURRENT WAR by Quantum Theatre at Westinghouse Park, North Point Breeze Written by Michael Mitnick Directed by Tome Cousin Runs through June 27, 2021 Reviewed By Bob Hoover Carefully, Quantum Theatre has brought live theater back to town and… Read More ›