The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project is an amazing, gut wrenching play. It is documentary theatre, built around the murder of Matthew Shephard in 1998 in Laramie, Wyoming. Matt was a university of Wyoming student who was brutally beaten by two locals and left tied to a fence post in …
Tag: American Drama
Argonautika, by Mary Zimmerman–30 Oct. 2017
Mary Zimmerman’s Argonautika straddles a number of boundaries—between ancient epic and modern drama, between comedy and tragedy, between poetry and theatre. Following the tale of Jason and the Argonauts, this modern adaptation based on the tale recounted in the Greek by Apollonius and in the Latin by Gaius Valerius Flaccus. But this is certainly no …
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Sylvia Review: Great Performances of a Dysfunctional Trio–20 June 2017
A.R. Gurney’s play Sylvia takes a unique look at the relationship between a man and his dog. And a man and his wife. And all the problems that can arise from trying to love both. The play is funny, touching, and occasionally disturbing, and West Virginia Public Theatre (in cooperation with the WVU College of …
Continue reading Sylvia Review: Great Performances of a Dysfunctional Trio–20 June 2017
Steel Magnolias, by Robert Harling–28 May 2017
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 …
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Kimberly Akimbo, by David Lindsay-Abaire–7 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 …
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True West, by Sam Shepard–2 Apr. 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 …
Silly Soup, by Carol Korty–13 Mar. 2017
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 …
How I Learned to Drive, by Paula Vogel–14 Nov. 2016
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 …
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Race, by David Mamet–30 Sept. 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 …
Sordid Lives, by Del Shores–23 Sept. 2016
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 …
Phillip Zapkin 