Following a group of women headquartered in a beauty salon in Louisiana, Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias has much in common with the stereotypical Lifetime movie. But that being said, it’s really quite excellent, and MT Pockets put on an outstanding production, directed by Seret Cole, with amazing performances by all of the cast members. The …
Continue reading Steel Magnolias, by Robert Harling–28 May 2017
A well-written comedy well performed makes for a delightful evening. And MT Pockets’ production of David Lindsay-Abaire’s Kimberly Akimbo was a delightful evening. Under Christian Cox’s direction, the cast put on a very strong performance, working cohesively together to create a fantastic production of a very funny play. I’ve seen one of Lindsay-Abaire’s other plays—Rabbit …
Continue reading Kimberly Akimbo, by David Lindsay-Abaire–7 May 2017
Sam Shepard’s True West tells the story of two brothers, Austin, an educated and semi-successful screenwriter struggling to write a love story, and Lee, a robber who drifts through the desert Southwest and effortlessly makes up a movie storyline he lacks the skill and knowledge to write. These brothers clash over everything from their relative …
My disclaimer is that I normally don't go to children's theatre, so I don't have much of a reference for reviewing Carol Korty's Silly Soup, performed by MT Pockets. I suppose the performance quality of this production was probably pretty standard for a children's theatre performance, so I won't really discuss the performances. Instead, I'd …
Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive is a tough play because it takes on the unsettling subject of childhood sexual abuse. Despite the difficult subject matter, the Red Masquers—a theatre group at Duquesne University—gave an excellent performance, directed by Justin Sines, with really strong acting throughout. The protagonist and primary narrator of How I …
Continue reading How I Learned to Drive, by Paula Vogel–14 Nov. 2016
David Mamet’s Race seems to be a play carefully crafted to make every audience member uncomfortable—whites, African Americans, Hispanics, men, women. No one is spared in Mamet’s play. The play centers on the law firm of Jack and Henry, who end up (not entirely by choice) defending the wealthy, white Charles after he is accused …
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and Del Shores’ Sordid Lives goes big—big hair, big personalities, big problems, and big laughs. The MT Pockets production of this black comedy about white trash brought a bit of Texas to the West Virginia stage. The play revolves around the funeral for Peggy Ingram, an elderly woman …
When you have a good script and very good actors, community theatre can produce some really special moments. And that’s precisely what happened at MT Pocket’s production of Bruce Graham’s Stella & Lou, directed by Vickie Trickett. With a funny, heart-breaking story, and three wonderful performers, the production was a treat. Stella & Lou focuses …
I’ve seen two productions of Neil Labute’s The Shape of Things, but this was the first time I had seen Fat Pig (or any other Labute play) produced. Labute seems to be a playwright of odd, dysfunctional relationships and the difficulty of finding genuine connections with people in a society that values people for their …
Peter Tolan’s Pillow Talk is a fun little comedy that explores the contours of sexuality and anxiety in modern US culture. The play spends one night with Aaron (Sean Marko) and Doug (Mack Kale Jr.) as they share a bed on the first night of their cross-country road trip. While both men are heterosexual, their …
Phillip Zapkin 