Millennial Notes Jane Anderson Bravely Explores Rebirth After Burnout by Tyler Jeffreys The stage is set ablaze—with energy, not fire. We get couple vs. couple, Liberal vs. Conservative, and Agnostic vs. Christian. Each character tries to keep his or her ego afloat, while struggling to stay positive. “The Quality of Life” by Jane Anderson…
Cleavon Smith Debates the Ways and Means of Racial Progress by Jennifer Ann Charron Students rally frequently at UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza. During protests, University Police are often called to seal off buildings and to “protect” people and property. All too often police clash with impassioned students in predictable outcomes. Playwright Cleavon Smith wisely…
Beth Wilmurt Revives Prophetic Musical Genius by Robert M. Gardner Song stylist and virtuoso keyboard artist Beth Wilmurt inhabits the skin of 60s folk icon Malvina Reynolds. She treats Reynolds with a sense of awe, but also exposes Reynolds’ conflicts. As Reynolds, Wilmurt appears alone in a recording booth struggling with rhythm and tempo. …
Millennial Notes Sondheim & Lapine Brew Powerful Musical Magic by Jordan Freed Everyone I know either loves “Into the Woods” or hates it. When I saw it as a teenager I hated it. Only after I worked on a production, did I fall in love with Sondheim’s weaving of our lives into classic fairy…