"Taking Steps @ Lakewood

"Taking Steps is a classic farce with a British-lilt. Once I made peace with the fact the promotional material had exaggerated the "haunted manor" aspect, which is what caught my attention, I found it to be an amiable entry into the genre. As always with a Lakewood production, the cast was top-notch, and the set worthy of a theatre twice its size. It's a pleasant way to while away the last of the cold, as we inch ever closer to Spring. There's just a wintery feel about it, and as the season itself ebbs, so does the length of the run, if dry British wit strikes your fancy, rush over to Lakewood.

"Until the Flood" @ PCS

My first exposure to Dael Orlandersmith's work was "Forever" Reading that review again., I see I rained down superlatives upon it. "Until the Flood" is even more entrancing, and at times seems like a impossibility. I was silently awestruck at the way she inhabited such diverse characters. At times Olandersmith disappears so completely into the roles that she seems almost like a conduit.

"Until the Flood" examines the Michael Brown Shooting through the eyes of several residents who live near the scene. The most admirable aspect of the production is its even-handedness. Even the unapologetically racist electrician is given space to describe events in his life that may have led to misplaced anger. The bravest thing about the show is its unabashed excoriation of the fence-sitting White Liberal, having one characters state  "At least with a bigot, I know where I stand." That's bold remark to make in a show where that category of people is likely to make up a large segment of your audience. Still, virtually no character or group emerges unscathed, except perhaps the Universalist minister who pleads for love among all, ultimately she's the only one who deserves to be unblemished, because her view is the best we can hope for.

"Wolf Play" @ Artists Rep

"Wolf Play" gets off to a rough start. It begins as a metaphysical rumination on wolves, acting, theatre, and the nature of the universe. It registers as a gigantic "Huh?" This is especially unfortunate because there are some fairly important details of the plot in this rapid-fire mishmash.  However, it doesn't take long for the play to find its groove. "Wolf Play" explores the legal pitfalls of same-sex adoption, which exist even following the Supreme Court victory in gay-marriage, Much more surprising, and even less widely known, are issues involving the internet and adoption. The production is well-acted, particularly the genuinely motherly performance of Ayanna Berkshire. Despite my disappointment with its opening, I must also note that there is a harkening-back to some of the more esoteric details, which do seem to help bring the play full-circle. But, I do hope that some editing is done, as this play is world-premiere, and it is on it's way to more productions elsewhere.   

"Tiny Beautiful Things" @ PCS

I came in completely cold to "Tiny Beautiful Things." I had not read either of Ms. Strayed's books, and only knew that the play concerned an advice column she had written.  My only thought about it was: "Oh, my mom might like this one." In other words, I was expecting a fairly light night at the theatre. Arriving on Opening Night, (sadly without my mom, who was sick, and as I predicted, quite disappointed to miss it), the woman who hands out the press-tickets gave a warning about the need for tissues. She was promptly chided for her "spoiler" by a nearby co-worker. I shrugged it off, being a seasoned-veteran of emotionally engaging theater, and even having a preference for it. The play is 90 minutes, and in the very beginning, it was approximately what I had expected. Things quickly take a serious turn, into some of the most emotionally-exhausting territory one can encounter. Consider this the warning I wish I'd had. I may not have had warning, but I did have cake at the Opening Night Reception. Cake helped. Plan to get cake. I have done you a big favor.