KPFA - Bay Area Theater

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews the touring production of the Broadway revival of the musical “Parade” at BroadwaySF‘s Orpheum Theatre through June 8, 2025. The post Review: “Parade” at BroadwaySF Orpheum appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Yellow Face” by Henry David Hwang, at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through June 14, 2025. The post Review: “Yellow Face” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” at San Francisco Playhouse through June 21, 2025. The post Review: “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” at San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Two Trains Running” by August Wilson, a production of The Acting Company, at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre through May 4, 2025. The post Review: “Two Trains Running” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Here There Are Blueberries” by Moises Kaufman and Amanda Gronich, conceived and directed by Moises Kaufman, a Tectonic Theater Project, at Berkeley Rep Roda Theater through May 11, 2025. (Photo: Matthew Murphy). The post Review: “Here There Are Blueberries” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Heart Sellers” by Lloyd Suh, at TheatreWorks Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts through April 27, 2025 (previously at Aurora Theatre in Berkeley). The post Review: “The Heart Sellers” at TheatreWorks Mountain View appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Eddie Izzard Hamlet” at ACT Strand Theatre through April 20, 2025. The post Review: “Eddie Izzard Hamlet” at ACT Strand Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Fat Ham” by James Ijames, directed by Margo Hall, at San Francisco Playhouse through April 19, 2025. The post Review: “Fat Ham” at San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Art” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through April 12, 2025. The post Review: “Art” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Nobody Loves You” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre through March 30, 2025. The post Review: “Nobody Loves You” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Uncle Vanya” by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Conor McPherson, at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre through March 23, 2025. The post Review: “Uncle Vanya” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Waste,” directed by Carey Perloff, at Marin Theatre through March 2, 2025. The post Review: “Waste” at Marin Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Thing About Jellyfish” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre through March 9, 2025. The post Review: “The Thing About Jellyfish” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Rachmaninoff and the Tsar” at TheatreWorks Mountain View Center for the Arts through February 9, 2025. The post Review: “Rachmaninoff and the Tsar” at TheatreWorks Mountain View appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Some Like It Hot,” the national tour production, at BroadwaySF Orpheum Theater through January 26, 2025. The post Review: “Some Like It Hot” at Orpheum Theater appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Waitress” at San Francisco Playhouse through January 18, 2025.   The post Review: “Waitress” at San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “A WHYNOT CHRISTMAS CAROL” at ACT Toni Rembe (Geary) Theatre through December 24, 2024. The post Review: “A WHYNOT CHRISTMAS CAROL” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Antipodes” by Annie Baker, performed by The Actors Reading Collective at the Marin Shakespeare Theatre through December 1, 2024. The post Review: “The Antipodes” at Marin Shakespeare Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Thirty-Six,” a world premiere play by Leah Nanako Winkler at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through December 22. 2024. The post Review: “Thirty-Six” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Woiinsky reviews “Jaja's African Hair Braiding” at Berkeley Rep‘s Peets Theatre through December 15, 2024. The post Review: “Jaja's African Hair Braiding” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Kimberly Akimbo” at BroadwaySF Curran Theater through December 1, 2024. The post Review: “Kimberly Akimbo” at BroadwaySF Curran Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Choir Boy” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through October 20, 2024. The post Review: “Choir Boy” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Mexodus” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre through October 20, 2024. The post Review: “Mexodus” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Private Lives” by Noel Coward, at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre through October 6, 2024. The post Review: “Private Lives” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Girl from the North Country” at BroadwaySF Golden Gate Theatre through August 18, 2024. The post Review: “Girl from the North Country” at BroadwaySF Golden Gate appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through August 18, 2024. The full title of the play by Jen Silverman is Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties; In Essence, a Queer and Occasionally Hazardous Exploration; Do You Remember When You Were in Middle School and You Read About Shackleton and How He Explored the Antarctic?; Imagine the Antarctic as a Pussy and It's Sort of Like That. The post Review: “Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Evita” at San Francisco Playhouse through September 7, 2024. The post Review: “Evita” at San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Lifespan of a Fact” at Aurora Theatre Company through July 21, 2024. The post Review: “The Lifespan of a Fact” at Aurora Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Mother Road” by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre through July 21, 2024. The post Review: “Mother Road” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews the touring production of Stephen Sondheim's “Company,” at BroadwaySF Orpheum Theater through June 23, 2024. The post Review: “Company” at BroadwaySF Orpheum appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Lehman Trilogy,” directed by Sam Mendes, at ACT Toni Rembe Theater through June 23, 2024. The post Review: “The Lehman Trilogy” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Galileo, A Rock Musical” at Berkeley Rep‘s Roda Theatre through June 23, 2024. The post Review: “Galileo” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Torch Song” at Marin Theatre through June 2, 2024. The post Review: “Torch Song” at Marin Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams, directed by Jeffrey Lo, at San Francisco Playhouse through June 15, 2024 The post Review: “The Glass Menagerie” at San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Blue Door” by Tanya Barfield, at Aurora Theatre Company through May 19th (streaming May 12th – 19th). The post Review: “Blue Door” at Aurora Theatre Company appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “A Strange Loop” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre through May 12, 2024. The post Review: “A Strange Loop” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theater Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Tiger Style!” by Mike Lew, at TheatreWorks Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts through April 28, 2024. The post Review: “Tiger Style!” at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Kristina Wong Sweatshop Overlord” at ACT Strand Theatre through May 5, 2024. The post Review: “Kristina Wong Sweatshop Overlord” at ACT Strand Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The 39 Steps” at San Francisco Playhouse through April 20, 2024. The post Review: “The 39 Steps” at San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Far Country” by Lloyd Suh, at Berkeley Rep‘s Peets Theatre through April 14, 2024. The post Review: “The Far Country” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Queen” by Madhuri Shekar, at TheaterWorks Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto through March 31, 2024. The post Review: “Queen” at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews ‘Manahatta” at Aurora Theatre Company through March 10, 2024. The post Review: “Manahatta” at Aurora Theatre Company appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “My Home on the Moon” by Minna Lee at San Francisco Playhouse through February 24, 2024. The post Review: “My Home on the Moon” at San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Cult of Love” at Berkeley Rep‘s Roda Theatre through March 3, 2024. The post Review: “Cult of Love” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “MJ The Musical” at BroadwaySF‘s Orpheum Theater through February 25, 2024. The post Review: “MJ The Musical” at BroadwaySF Orpheum Theater appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Babes In Ho-lland” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stages, extended to February 10, 2024. The post Review: “Babes In Ho-lland” at Shotgun Players appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “How I Learned What I Learned” by August Wilson, at TheatreWorks Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts through February 3, 2024. The post Review: “How I Learned What I Learned” at TheatreWorks appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews the Broadway-bound revival of “The Wiz” at BroadwaySF Golden Gate Theatre through Feb. 11, 2024 The post Review: “The Wiz” at BroadwaySF Golden Gate Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Just For Us” with Alex Edelman, at Berkeley Rep's Peets Theatre through January 21, 2024. The post Review: “Just For Us” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky discusses the year in theatre in the Bay Area in 2023, plus a top ten list and two honorable mentions.   Text of the podcast. In the Bay Area, Live theatre companies continued in 2023 to adapt to the post-Covid world. While movie audience sizes seems to be returning to pre-pandemic numbers. live theater remains mostly on life support across the board, mainly because season subscriptions are down by at least a third or maybe more, which means theatergoers are buying tickets on a show by show basis. That makes planning difficult, and it also means artistic directors are less likely to produce shows that are more challenging in favor of audiences pleasers such as musicals, comedies, and most importantly, the warhorses that folks are willing to see over and over again. The great multi-theatre venue, Piano Fight, in the Tenderloin closed its doors in March, leaving a host of younger theatregoers bereft. Bay Area Musicals didn't survive the pandemic, and its successor Landmark Musicals did not get past 2023. Marin Theatre Company, ACT, and the Magic have had truncated seasons, and Cal Shakes chose not to have a season at all. Custom Made is on life support and may never return. But there was still quite a bit of quality theatergoing to be had in the plastic year, and here are ten examples fin no particular order. Clyde's, a former Tony nominee by Lynn Nottage had a sensational production at Berkeley Rep's Peets theatre. As did the creepy and scary Let the Right One in at Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre. Margo Hall was phenomenal in Josephine's Feast over at the Magic, and it doesn't get any better than J. Jha in Gertha Reddy's adaptation of the Mahabharata at Z Space, co-produced by the Oakland Theatre Project. Poor Yella Rednecks, Vietgone II at ACT's Strand Theatre looked at a Vietnamese refugee family in America, and Cambodian Rock Band at ACT focused on the generational aftermath of the Killing Fields and the Cambodian Genocide. Then there was Nollywood Dreams, a screamingly funny look at the Nigerian film industry, and Billy Crudup's brilliant performance in Harry Clarke at Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre. Rounding out the top ten are San Francisco Playhouse's brilliant production of A Chorus Line, and the very weird, funny and horrifying Locusts Have No King at New Conservatory Theatre. A couple of honorary mentions go to Kander and Ebb's brilliant The Scottsboro Boys at 42nd Street Moon, and William Finn's 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at TheatreWorks. The post Bay Area Theatre in 2023: Best of the Year appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Harry Clarke” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre through December 23, 2023. The post Review: “Harry Clarke” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre appeared first on KPFA.