Reviews of current productions by our writers
By HANNAH WING-BONICA If you are into physics, you might be familiar with Gottfried Leibniz’s concept of Force Vive, the squaring of velocity, which opposes Newton’s theory, in which force stops. In the late 1600s, Leibniz’s equation of Force Vive… Read More ›
ELECTRIFYING “DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA”
As Roberta and Danny, Shannon Donovan and Michael Patrick Trimm provide enough sustained, electrifying performances and raw passion provide enough energy to light the Cathedral of Learning, from basement to tower and back, where the John Patrick Shanley drama is currently in residence.
By JESSICA NEU Debuting on Broadway in 1970, Stephen Sondheim’s Company, is one of several musicals that underwent a reimagined revival in the 2010s & 20s. The 2021 reimagining brought a new audience and perspective, most notably by gender-swapping the lead role from… Read More ›
Kinetic Theatre’s production of David Mamet’s Henry Johnson marks the play’s Pittsburgh debut. It is also only the third production of the work, following its premiere in Los Angeles in 2023 and a staging in Chicago in 2025. Henry Johnson has Mamet’s classic flair, with its downward-spiraling plot, coercion, ulterior motives, and the rhythmic, staccato, naturalistic Mamet-speak. It’s a play that makes you wonder: What is the truth? Who should I believe? Am I, as an audience member, just as susceptible as Henry Johnson? The play is less of a moral lesson and more of a question of morality. It leaves us grappling with the ambiguity of where the truth and manipulation begin and end.
ELECTRIFYING “DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA”
As Roberta and Danny, Shannon Donovan and Michael Patrick Trimm provide enough sustained, electrifying performances and raw passion provide enough energy to light the Cathedral of Learning, from basement to tower and back, where the John Patrick Shanley drama is currently in residence.
My experience of RealTime Arts’ Equitable Dinner will not be yours. Yet, I can wholeheartedly recommend that you snatch up whatever slots are left for the trifecta of a short play based on community listening sessions, a potluck-style meal provided by the host, and conversations sparked by what you’ve seen and heard, facilitated by leader, but driven by what you bring to the table.
By HANNAH WING-BONICA Apparently, it’s a rare occurrence to see a concert featuring three tenors. The most famous concert took place thirty-six years ago in Rome, during the World Cup, and was acclaimed for bringing together three iconic tenors: Luciano… Read More ›
By JESSICA NEU Despite its reference to an old United States Marine Corps slogan, “A Few Good Men” ranks among the more recognizable monikers in the entertainment industry, even as a stand-alone title. Whether you are a die-hard fan of… Read More ›
Pittsburgh CLO’s 80th season opener, “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” rides the unstoppable wave of musical standards by one of the 30 greatest living American songwriters, according to a recent New York Times poll, in a production as finely tuned as any National Tour, especially in its sparkling Carole.
For Beautiful to get it right, you have to start with a Carole you believe in, and Pittsburgh CLO gets it very right with Kyra Kennedy, supported by an accomplished troupe of mostly local performers and musicians.
By GUILHERME MELETTI YAZBEK Upon entering the New Hazlett Theater for Resonance Works’ production of Roméo et Juliette, one is struck by how little there is to see. Four simple platforms covered in a black-and-white diamond pattern occupy the thrust stage, while the chamber… Read More ›
