Sir John Falstaff has always been one of the Bard’s most beloved characters. Queen Elizabeth was such a fan she allegedly demanded Shakespeare write a play about Falstaff in love. As with much of the information we have about Shakespeare, whether or not Queen Elizabeth actually ordered him to write such a story is debatable. However, such a play does exist, and it’s called The Merry Wives of Windsor (hereinafter referred to as “Merry Wives”). Continue Reading
Taken from the press release:
All photos by Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
American stories, Chinese stories, even Jamaican stories — there are stories that’s don’t just define individuals but define a collective idea, collective identity or at the very least a strongly perceived identity. Ragtime is a true American story because it explores the collective idea of America, the idea that anyone, no matter where you come from can make it in America. Not only does it tell this story but the musical also challenges this idea of anyone can make it in America — highlighting the real-life obstacles put against immigrants, people of color, and adherents of different faiths. To tell a story of this magnitude, any production of Ragtime needs a wide stage and big cast. Continue Reading
Allie (Autumn Paramore)
photo courtesy: Jordan Kubat
As the old saying goes — what was once old becomes new again. I’ve heard this before, but I don’t remember who said it. The basic idea, though, is ideas from the past are always recycled. When something is recycled or not original, you start noticing how that idea, that style seems to reverberate more. Sometimes there are good explanations for why these thoughts reverberate so much. Sometimes, there’s no explanation. Still, as a theatre critic seeing these thoughts reverberate and become trends, it informs me of how storytelling has changed over the years. These trends influence how I judge new material. This fact is a factor in everything I review. Some shows make this more apparent than others. Continue Reading
photo courtesy : Jordan Kubat
Interview with writer Wyn Moreno about his World Premiere play Strong Arm playing at Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana.
