Michael Socrates Moran Grapples with Ruthless Autocrat by Jennifer Ann Charron I’m always drawn to Oakland Theater Project productions. The entire team typically overflows with talent and intelligence, bringing a cultural sensitivity to everything they do. Each production is spot on with the issues and emotions of the present day. OTP’s production of Shakespeare’s…
Kwei-Armah & Taub Amplify Shakespeare’s Comedy by Patricia L. Morin & Barry David Horwitz In a peaches and cream adaptation of “Twelfth Night,” Shaina Taub’s impressive New Orleans’ Jazz and R&B score spotlights feelings of love and self-realization. Taub’s music makes the heartbeat of the play, speeding story and emotions forward. The music modernizes…
Thornton Wilder’s Time Travelers Turn into Glorious Ghosts by Barry David Horwitz When I moved to Berkeley in 1960 for school, I thought I’d landed in Thornton Wilder’s ideal small town. We left our doors unlocked, we talked to our neighbors, and even helped each other out. It was “Our Town” re-discovered. Well, that…
Millennial Notes Shakespeare Kicks Off New Season of Fantastic Live Theater by Jordan Freed Watching “The Winter’s Tale” at Cal Shakes feels like witnessing two prodigious trapeze artists pull off a miraculous balancing act. At every moment, I’m nervous things are about to go terribly wrong, but watching the performance succeed like a high…