Katori Hall Imagines King & a Mysterious Woman by Robert M. Gardner In “The Mountaintop,” playwright Katori Hall’s conversational dialogue makes us eager to hear more of the spirited interaction between two fully engaged actors: Fred Pitts and Damaris Divito. Director Sinjin Jones does a wonderful job opening their connection into a multifaceted tragicomedy….
Kathleen Collins, Dawn L. Troupe Summon Healing Spirits by Philippa Kelly On Sunday night I saw the Oakland Theater Project’s “Begin the Beguine,” a drive-in experience in the carpark of the Flax building in Oakland. William Oliver III, a familiar and much-loved company member, was there to welcome us, directing traffic and helping everyone…
Lydia R. Diamond Refocuses US on Poverty & Racism by Patricia L. Morin & Barry David Horwitz In Lydia R. Diamond’s audio-drama of Toni Morrison’s first novel, The Bluest Eye (1970), disembodied voices tell the tragic story of an outcast little Black girl. That girl, rejected and despised, lives in backwoods Lorain, Ohio, Morrison’s…
Brian Copeland: A Genuine Christmas Gem! by Barry David Horwitz Brian Copeland, famed for his “Not a Genuine Black Man” solo show, is our master story-teller. His gift to audiences during the holidays, “The Jewelry Box,” offers a treasure chest of wit, warmth, and wisdom, now online from San Francisco Playhouse. Every word counts…