My Children! My Africa! - Profile Theater

Written by Athol Fugard; directed by Adriana Baer
Mr. M - Bobby Mermea
Isbel Dyson - Chelsie Kinney
Thami Mbikwana - Gilbert Feliciano

Setting:  Camdeboo, South Africa, 1985

Thami, a black student in an apartheid school is in a debate contest with a white girl from a privileged white school under the direction of Mr. M.  Mr. M believes his student Thami is outstanding and has a chance to go far within the limits of blacks in apartheid South Africa--Thami turns to revolution, to break the boundaries that Mr. M sees no way to escape in the short run and turns in the revolutionaries and is subsequently killed by them.

Well acted, another excellent play from the incomparable Mr. Fugard.

Ithaka Artists Repertory Theatre

written by Andrea Stolowitz
Director - Gemma Whelan
Odysseus/Jacob - Victor Mack
Captain Elaine Edwards - Dana Millican
Lance Corporal Eve Richardson - Danielle Purdy
Bill Edwards - Paul Angelo
E.M. Richardson - Valerie Stevens

mc: Good storytelling, good acting, got me into the emotions and struggles of the context.
sz:  Story about PTSS woman returns from war tortured by guilt and questions of her role in an incident in which her friend dies:  should she have shot the child instead?

The Lost Boy - Artists Repertory Theater

Written by Susan Mach and Directed Allan Nause
Cast:  Christian Ross - Michael Fischer-Welsh
          Sarah Ross - Dana Millican
          Detective Heins - Doren Ellias
          Bill Mosher - Duffy Epstein
          Joseph Douglas - Sean Doran
          PT Barnum - Todd Van Voris
          Zalumma Agra - Louisa Sermol
          Tom Thumb/Zahaer - Sam Dinkowitz
          Charlie Ross - Logan Martin
          Walter Ross - Harper Lea
          Cynthia - Elizabeth Houghton
          Ian McKean - Geoff Kanick

Child kidnapping reveals fractures in family that struggles to come to find a way to reclaim their child while dealing with the public fascination and scrutiny.  Wheeling and dealing family and showmen all want a piece of the profits that can be made from a tragedy.  We weren't impressed with how it all played out.

Seven Guitars - Artists Repertory Theater

Written by August Wilson and Directed by Kevin Jones
Cast:  Canewell - Victor Mack
          Red Carter - Michael J Asberry
          Vera Dotsun - Ramona Lisa Alexander
          Louise - Gayle Samuels
          Hedley - Mujahid Abdul-Rashid
          Floyd Barton - Lance McQueen
          Ruby - Ashley Williams

August Wilson is one of our favorite playwrights and we love to see any of his plays especially when they are well done as this was.  This is 1940s Pittsburgh Cycle play begins and ends with the funeral of the main character.  Floyd Barton recently released from jail has an opportunity to go to Chicago and record his music and possible set his life on a different path, but while he might think is done with the past, the past isn't done with him, nor is breaking the codes and patterns around easily accomplished.

Circle Mirror Transformation - Artists Repertory Theater

Written by Annie Baker and Directed by Allen Nause
Cast:  Marty - Beth Harper
          James - Richard Elmore
          Schultz - Jason Glick
          Theresa - Val Landrum
          Lauren - Danielle Purdy

Various individuals from a small town meet and participate in a creative drama class.  Their real lives have complexities that are demonstrated and ameliorated in the drama class. Kind of new "agey"

I am Still the Duchess of Malfi - Artists Repertory Theater

Written by Joseph Fisher and Directed by John Karetzu
Cast:  The Cardinal - Todd Van Voris
          Delio - Nicholas Hongola
          Bosola - Chris Murray
          Ferdinand - Jack Street
          Antonio - Vin Shambry
          Cariola - Camille Cettina
          The Duchess - Sara Catherine Wheatley

Well done reconfigured tale of revenge with laughs and serious content.

Race - Artists Repertory Theater

Written by David Mamet and Directed by Tamara Fisch
Cast:  Jack - Todd Van Voris
          Henry - Reginald Andre Jackson
          Susan - Ayanna Berkshire
          Charles - Jim Iorio

Legal issues demonstrate social and cultural attitudes, prejudices, assumptions, complications of our society when it comes to race and gender - did he didn't he rape the black woman, and who should or could bes defend him.  Not sure what all we learned from watching this.