Jay Kuo’s Spirited Lyrics Illuminate Japanese American Story by Lynne Stevens From the opening scenes, I was almost moved to tears by this drama inspired by the true-life experiences of TV/film actor George Takei. “Allegiance” tells the story of his family’s internment during WWII—80 years ago, when Japanese Americans were removed from their homes…
Jane Martin’s Modern Spin on “Three Sisters” Makes Us Laugh! by Lynne Stevens Manipulative TV actor Holly snags the lead role of Masha for herself in this modern take on Chekhov’s “The Three Sisters.” Holly turns the idea of the casting couch on its head: She’ll screw anyone to get what she wants. With…
Jaclyn Backhaus Ridicules Male Heroes—Bring on the Gals! by Lynne Stevens Sarah Bernhardt did it playing Hamlet. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon did it to infiltrate an all-woman band in Some Like It Hot. Shakespeare’s pals played the roles of women in his plays. It’s called Cross-dressing. It’s also called acting. Playwright Jaclyn Backhaus…
Lisa Peterson Opens the Door to Six Actors’ Creative Process by Lynne Stevens Virginia Woolf is very good at describing what it’s like to be alive and remembering fleeting moments. Lisa Peterson’s “Theatrical Experiment in 6 Movements” based on Woolf’s 1931 novel The Waves, is a mash up of media. Like the Power of…