Alice Childress Spotlights African American Stereotypes by Barry David Horwitz In Alice Childress’s 1957 play, “Trouble in Mind,” two titanic figures confront each other at a rehearsal of an “anti-lynching” script. The fictional new script, “Chaos in Belleville,” takes place on a southern plantation during slavery, parading offensive racial stereotypes. Playing seasoned African American…
Anthony Clarvoe Unveils A Chess Mom’s Competitive Urges by Barry David Horwitz Sharp, biting dialogue between a desperate mom and her Chess champion daughter reminds me of corporate skullduggery. Each side attempts to undermine the other, while pretending to serve a higher cause. The age of cutthroat competition has come down to the family…
Will Eno Probes One Man’s Thoughts & Feelings by Patricia L. Morin Will Eno’s “Thom Pain (based on nothing),” live-streamed from the Bus Barn Theater by Los Altos Stage Company, attempts to piece together an obscure jigsaw puzzle of human thoughts and feelings through the events of one agonized man’s life. As Thom Pain,…
Drew Larimore Masterfully Exposes Perils of Social Media by Patricia L. Morin Like a falling line of dominoes, the four dynamic monologues of “Smithtown” unfold events that destroy a young girl’s life. The tightly written emotional scenes from The Studios of Key West highlight media-savvy citizens who fall prey to their own self-interest. Playwright…