Category: Review
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when one of literature’s most infamous vampires emerges from the shadows and takes over the stage just in time for spooky season? TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s Dracula sinks its teeth into Bram Stoker’s legendary gothic horror story with an eerie, visually spectacular production that embraces everything audiences have come to love…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when one of musical theatre’s most iconic productions returns to the stage nearly four decades later and somehow manages to feel just as magical as ever? Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera has officially made its long-awaited debut at Broadway San Jose, and what a spectacular occasion it…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when a chance encounter between two strangers becomes an unexpected exploration of loneliness, dissatisfaction, and human connection? Bess Wohl’s Barcelona opens San Jose Stage Company’s 44th season with an intimate, two-person drama that attempts to peel back the layers of two vastly different individuals. Set in a Barcelona apartment over…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when Shakespeare, show tunes, and an absurd amount of musical theatre references collide in Renaissance England? Woodside Musical Theatre’s Something Rotten! takes the Elizabethan era and turns it into one giant, campy love letter to Broadway. Following struggling playwrights Nick and Nigel Bottom as they desperately attempt to compete with…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when a theatre company attempts its most ambitious production yet—and practically everything that can go wrong does? Peter Pan Goes Wrong at San Francisco Playhouse takes the familiar world of Neverland and throws it headfirst into theatrical catastrophe. From the creators of The Play That Goes Wrong, Henry Lewis, Henry…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when a classic comedy is reimagined through a decidedly contemporary lens? Pear Theatre’s Private Lives takes Noël Coward’s nearly century-old comedy and challenges some of the conventions audiences may associate with the piece. Director Dennis M. Lickteig’s production reimagines Amanda as Andrew, transforming the central relationship and offering a different…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when a man-eating plant, a nerdy florist, and one of musical theatre’s catchiest scores take over a tiny flower shop? Little Shop of Horrors at New Conservatory Theatre Center reminds me exactly why this strange little musical has remained such a cult classic. Every time I see it, I’m reminded…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when climbing the social ladder requires eliminating a few relatives along the way? A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at Palo Alto Players takes that delightfully morbid premise and wraps it inside an old-fashioned musical comedy filled with romance, murder, and an increasingly ridiculous collection of aristocrats. With its…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when deeply personal stories of love are given nothing but a performer, a stage, and an audience willing to listen? Crushing at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater approaches live performance from a refreshingly different angle, bringing together an interdisciplinary group of writers and performers to share true stories surrounding romantic love and…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when loyalty to a home, a country, and a promise begins to cost you everything? Eduardo Machado’s The Cook at Berkeley Repertory Theatre takes audiences into the heart of revolutionary Cuba through an incredibly intimate lens: one woman, one kitchen, and a promise that spans four decades. Rather than attempting…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when a tale as old as time returns with a little new magic up its sleeve? Disney’s Beauty and the Beast arrives at Broadway San Jose in a visually spectacular revival that honors much of what audiences have loved about this musical for decades while giving the production a refreshed…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when a classic Puccini opera is given a modern voice for a new audience? The Girl of the Golden West, presented by The Voice Studio of Thomas Clark Inc., takes Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West and makes the Western tale considerably more approachable through a new English translation by producer…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when four women from history are given the chance to rewrite their own revolution? The Revolutionists at Los Altos Stage Company takes the turbulence of the French Revolution and filters it through the distinctly modern voice of playwright Lauren Gunderson. Historical figures collide with contemporary humor, sharp dialogue, and plenty…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when espionage, natural disasters, drag, and enough inappropriate jokes to fill an airplane all collide under one roof? Disastrous! at Oasis SF answers that question with absolutely no interest in playing it safe. D’Arcy Drollinger’s latest Champagne White adventure embraces the wonderfully ridiculous world of 1970s disaster and exploitation films,…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when a musical you’ve seen time and time again suddenly feels brand new? S.F. Playhouse’s Hairspray accomplishes exactly that. Based on the beloved John Waters film and packed with one of the most infectious scores in musical theatre, the show remains a joyful celebration of acceptance, perseverance, and the courage…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when Mel Brooks unleashes his unmistakable brand of comedy on one of cinema’s greatest horror stories? Young Frankenstein at Broadway Sacramento’s Music Circus is a gloriously ridiculous celebration of classic movie monsters, Broadway spectacle, and unabashed silliness. Based on Mel Brooks’ beloved 1974 film, the musical lovingly spoofs the Frankenstein…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when one of the most beloved Golden Age musicals asks audiences to wrestle with its most difficult themes? Carousel at Woodminster Summer Musicals is a reminder that some of musical theatre’s greatest classics are also some of its most complicated. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved musical explores love, loss, redemption, and…
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By AJ Jaffari Some stories are timeless. Others become unforgettable when paired with a live orchestra. The San Francisco Symphony’s film series offers audiences the rare opportunity to experience beloved movies with their iconic scores performed live, and West Side Story is one of the finest examples of why these events are so special. Whether…
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By Sarah Duarte Surviving the end of the school year made it challenging to see shows in May, but I was fortunate enough to make the drive to Livermore on May 8th to attend Tutti Frutti: The Tribute Concert to Little Richard at the Almost Famous Wine Bar and Music Hall. It was well worth…
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By AJ Jaffari What happens when a beloved animated film is transformed into a theatrical spectacle in the round? Frozen at Broadway Sacramento’s Music Circus proves that Disney magic can thrive on stage just as powerfully as it does on screen. Filled with unforgettable songs, dazzling visuals, and a story rooted in love and self-discovery,…