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Continue reading →: Review: Passions flow mightily in Broadway San Jose’s electric ‘On Your Feet’The story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan is one of plenty of joy and triumph, two musical heartbeats discovered in the Cuban community of Miami. Yet despite their success of creating a sound infused with hearty pop and Latin rhythms, their triumphs came at great cost and sacrifice for themselves…
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Continue reading →: Review: San Jose Stage’s bloody ‘Lieutenant of Inishmore’ turns black comedy redThere is nothing Mad Padraic does that’s not loaded with passion. It’s one of the joys of the 2001 Tony-nominated Martin McDonagh play “The Lieutenant of Inishmore,” now running through Oct. 21st at San Jose Stage. Take note of a few things Padraic does with absolute fire: Rips off the toenails of drug pushers Threatens an impromptu boob job on the same drug pusher who…
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Continue reading →: Stone’s love for Alisons of all sizes is strong in TheatreWorks’ ‘Fun Home’Moira Stone is in awe of Alison Bechdel. It’s not just Bechdel’s obvious talent as an author, illustrator, and her critical role in popular culture. It’s not simply her inspiration for women of all sexual orientations. And it’s not just her voice, which lends itself powerfully and passionately to the…
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Continue reading →: Review: Amens aplenty for Crowded Fire’s ‘Church’The three lovely pastors have been working on something, and when they unleash, they unleash hard. By my own count, I saw at least five classic dance moves. There was certainly a choo choo train, definitely a cabbage patch, and you can’t go wrong with thunderously passionate jazz hands. And…
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Continue reading →: Review: ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’ stuns and delights at Berkeley RepThere is no doubt that Nora has engaged in some thrilling relationships in the 15 years since she famously shut that door on her way out. In those years, there was an architect who designed houses. And there was the man who built the houses designed by said architect. How…
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Continue reading →: Strength and magic the focus of African-American Shakes’ production of ‘For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf’When Brittany Sims walks into the rehearsal room of her latest show, it feels different. Sims did not grow up with reaffirming hashtags such as “Me Too” and “Black Girl Magic.” For Sims, it wasn’t uncommon to internalize her struggles as a young woman. But now, a seminal work in…
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Continue reading →: The Drama Guy’s top 10 fall (POC) theatre picksWhile the fall is a time for a beautiful change in weather, sweetened coffees, and the return of football, there’s also a ton of great theatre that kicks off the seasons of many local companies. This fall is no exception, with great work being performed in this Bay Area hotbed…
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Continue reading →: Review: Humor-filled ‘Native Gardens’ a mostly green affairI have had these conversations. Believe you me, I have had these conversations. Sometimes being a person of color means people don’t always know what to make of you. In white spaces, you are an outlier, people that can throw off the status quo in certain neighborhoods. And when you’re…
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Continue reading →: Howdy neighbor: Playwright Zacarías dives into proximity battles in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s ‘Native Gardens’There are few things worse than a war with a neighbor. Playwright Karen Zacarías started quite a conversation at a dinner party a few years ago while discussing a new play idea. What started off as an innocuous discussion with friends about an issue her mother was having with a…
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Continue reading →: The Marsh’s Dattner is ready for her enlightenment to crack you upLike anyone else living in these wild and wacky times, Alicia Dattner is looking for a laugh. She’s not only looking for laughs she can share, but laughs she can get for herself too. That’s because the comedian and solo performer has a little therapeutic thing going on for herself…
David John Chávez
Bay Area theater critic/reporter, Executive Chair – American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association, Two-time Pulitzer Prize for Drama jurist (’22-’23). Follow me on socials and say hi! #hellatheatre
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