Reviews of current productions by our writers
By GUILHEREME MELETTI YAZBEK There is something inherently unstable about a mixed repertory program. Unlike a full-length work, which unfolds through a sustained aesthetic trajectory—developing its own internal logic and language—a program composed of multiple choreographies often resists cohesion, offering… Read More ›
In Ty Greenwood’s powerful new drama, “Paradox of Education,” a group of Black students discover that scholarships to a PWI — predominantly white institutions — come with student debt, living up to academic expectations and piles of obligations, along with shouldering racially-charged, passive-aggressive encounters and outright hostility.
Produced by Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, in a dynamic directorial debut by Maurice Redwood, the play comes out of the gate swinging, and doesn’t let up.
Theater is an art form that continues to expand humanity’s understanding of reality through many different formats. We’ve seen the changes that theater has gone through and continues to do so, adapting to encapsulate the reality of modern times and tell stories that grab attention and bring us, the audience, into the world. Quantum Theatre’s production of 10 Out of 12 does exactly this. A meta script brought to life through immersive blocking, mixed with sound design that makes the audience feel that they’re in the booth, 10 Out of 12 is a masterclass in what theater today can be.
10 Out of 12 — the working and break hours in a day prescribed by union rules — celebrates the unsung behind-the-scenes heroes who make sure the magic happens. It’s also a time when mundane, often funny conversations flow through headphones, bored or boorish actors stir up trouble, along with the emergence of old wounds and outside distractions.
Disruptions abound, with those 10 hours proving to be necessary if ever the doors will open on opening night, as they did on Friday, April 3, for Quantum Theatre’s production of Anne Washburn’s laugh-out-loud and often maddening play, now at Mellon Institute.
Having the audience wear headphones and be in on every conversation worked beautifully, judging by the laughter all around me. Simple instructions at the entry were all we needed to be in on the unseen action.
By MINGSI MA Water for Elephants is a no-doubt true showstopper, and I find it hard to select a single aspect to praise because there are so many stunners throughout the performance. First premiered in the Alliance Theatre (Atlanta) in 2023,… Read More ›
The reasons to flock to see Water for Elephants are not your typical musical theater must-haves. They include thrilling circus artistry and innovative puppetry, and, for those in the know, experiencing the adaptation of a beloved book-turned-movie-turned-theatrical romance. The touring company’s edge-of-seat daring was on display on opening night, as performers were tossed and caught, or were hanging and tumbling by a figurative thread, with only each other as a net.
Pittsburgh Public Theater’s heartwarming production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Primary Trust” illustrates how far simple acts of kindness and empathy can go in uplifting spirits, and perhaps, changing lives forever, for the better. A quartet of Pittsburgh’s most accomplished performers — Monteze Freeland, Malic Maat, Bria Walker-Rhoze and Sam Turich, the latter two in multiple roles — are so darn likable and engaging in their roles, the play feels like a warm embrace of hope for all of its 90 minutes.
In PICT’s “The Smuggler,” a solo show by Ronán Noone about the underbelly of immigration, Michael Patrick Trimm’s Tim Finnegan gives off a pirate-like energy, in a fast-paced and energetic performance — Trimm won’t let you take your eyes off him for a second.
By SHARON EBERSON High winds and power outages this past weekend ushered in theater openings featuring provocative spins on hot-button issues, told with powerful performances. From uproarious laughter, to shock and empathy, the well-intended grownups of Eureka Day at City… Read More ›
By MINGSI MA Playwright Ann Baker‘s Infinite Life depicts a group of five women and a man on a wellness retreat at a fasting facility. They sunbathe on lawn chairs, with only a parking lot behind a bakery in their line… Read More ›
