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Continue reading →: Review: City Lights’ ‘Rocky Horror Show’ is campy fun
Richard O’Brien’s “The Rocky Horror Show” is not exactly high art. It’s actually more like musical theatre comfort food. That is, if that food was full of sex. Which is entirely possible – ever been to Hot Cookie? City Lights Theatre Company’s production of the tale of sexual perversity and…
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Continue reading →: Stanford’s Summer Theater celebrates a milestone with its 15th anniversary
When Rush Rehm first embarked on an opportunity to begin a theatre festival at Stanford University, he did not plan to see that festival celebrating its 15th birthday this year. “We didn’t have money for 15 years of anything,” said Rehm, the artistic director and founder. “We had money for…
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Continue reading →: Review: Aurora’s ‘Goes’ does not shy away from exploring race
One of the most fascinating pieces of watching a play at Berkeley’s intimate Aurora Theatre is the fact that while the show goes on, you can see the audience react while not losing focus on the action. And in a play as explosive and uncomfortable, and funny mind you, as…
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Continue reading →: Review: A graceful and charming ‘Minister’s Wife’ at San Jose Rep
There is much to be said about grace and charm. San Jose Repertorty Theatre’s production of “A Minister’s Wife,” conceived by and directed with graceful charm by Michael Halberstam, ditches anything resembling a spectacle and opts for warmth and texture in this wonderful one-act chamber musical that runs a taut…
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Continue reading →: Review: Lots of scary ‘facts’ in extremely fun ‘Reefer Madness’ at San Jose Stage
I had a very strange eighth grade year at my humble little Catholic school. For starters, while others might have gone to various parks or museums as part of their field trips, my class went to a drug rehabilitation live-in facility and played basketball with recovering addicts. A very nice group of…
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Continue reading →: Review: TheatreWorks’ ‘Wild With Happy’ a showcase of joy and love
The wife and I are planning to go on our very first trip to Disney World with our daughters next summer. And I must admit, starting the research on this place is quite intimidating. Meal plan? Days to purchase on the hopper ticket? Water parks? Everything at Disney World is…
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Continue reading →: Actors in Palo Alto Players’ ‘Boeing Boeing’ ready for the physical challenges of the show
Pulling off massive lies in the Facebook and Twitter era are nearly impossible. A simple bailing on a friend for lunch because of an “appointment” can explode into hurt feelings based on being “tagged” with another friend at a different location. Clearly, these were not issues for those folks who…
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Continue reading →: Review: A pretty ‘Eurydice’ at Hayward’s DMT
Walking my daughters down the aisle is something I consider on occasion. Sure, they’re only nine, seven and now about 17 months, but I know they won’t stay this way forever. Even though Lord knows I give it my best shot to keep ‘em little. When “Her Father” begins to…
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Continue reading →: Improv and sketch finally ‘Clash’ in new show at Comedysportz San JoseThere is something seemingly not very random about the term “Random Search.” But there certainly is something painfully annoying about it. But what if there was a surprise at the end? In the same way people do annoying timeshare presentations for a free meal or show, a random search might…
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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