Sankoff & Hein’s Music Blends Generosity & Good Will by Patricia L. Morin “Come From Away” engulfs us in an incredible true story following 9/11, when a small community in Gander, Newfoundland, opens their hearts and homes to 7,000 weary airline passengers. After sitting in planes for over 24 hours, the disgruntled “Plane People”…
Sanaz Toossi Exposes Clash of Language & Dreams by Patricia L. Morin You often hear Americans asking, “Do you know English?” Sanaz Toossi’s unique classroom play “English” spotlights the diverse meanings behind that single phrase. Near Tehran, in a class preparing Iranian students for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), we…
Jay Bedwani’s Brilliant Docu-Pic Unfolds San Francisco Story by Robert M. Gardner Director Jay Bedwani’s new documentary, Donna, subtly follows the growing self-acceptance of Donna Personna, San Francisco trans cabaret singer. The story centers on Donna’s involvement in a play about the 1966 Compton Cafeteria drag uprising, an event that brings up unsettling memories…
Millennial Notes Lauren Yee Recalls Cambodian Tragedy via Rock Band Cyclo by Erin Weitzman It can’t be easy to direct a play that is simultaneously a comedy and a rock concert while telling a story about genocide. But director Chay Yew balances humor and terror adroitly. He captivates us with seamless scene transitions and…