2019
December 2019
“Head Over Heels” Merges Pastoral Prose & Pop Music, at NCTC, S.F.
“Copenhagen” Shines with Stellar Acting & Directing, at Indra’s Net, Berkeley
“Becky Nurse of Salem” Brews Shocking Comedy Potion, at Berkeley Rep
“Christmas in Oz” Delights & Dazzles, at East Bay Children’s, Hayward
“A Christmas Carol” Toys with Ghosts & Magic, at Center REP, W.C.
“Vinegar Tom” Packs Powerful Political Punch, at Shotgun, Berkeley
“An Invitation Out” Questions How We Live, at Quantum Dragon, S.F.
“Faith Healer” Explores Memory vs. Reality, at Phoenix Arts, S.F.
“Summer—The Donna Summer Musical” Heats Up Winter, at BroadwaySF
“Harry Potter” Reveals Our Generational Traumas, at The Curran, S.F.
“The Jewelry Box” Overflows with Love & Laughter, at The Marsh, S.F.
“Groundhog Day, the Musical” Echoes Hope & Renewal, at S.F. Playhouse
“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” Rings in the Holidays, at CCCT, El Cerrito
November
“Tale of Despereaux” Delights Our Inner Child, at Berkeley Rep
“Bull in a China Shop” Smashes Women’s Roles, at Aurora, Berkeley
“Hansel & Gretel”—Enchanting, Beautifully Sung Fairy Tale for All, at S.F. Opera
“Mother of the Maid”—Heroic Epic of Mother Love, at MTC, Mill Valley
“Mahabharata”—J Jha Infuses Indian Epic with New Life, at Ubuntu, Oakland
“Cloud 9”–A Sexual Romp in Colonialism, at Custom Made, S.F.
“Living the Shuffle”—A Visionary’s Tale, at The Marsh, Berkeley
“Next to Normal” Enlightens Us on Mental Illness, at BareStage, Berkeley
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Casts Multi-Cultural Spell, at Arabian Shakes, S.F.
“Amaluna” Invokes Tempestuous Female Vision, at Cirque du Soleil, S.F.
“A Year with Frog & Toad” Offers Heartwarming Musical, at BACT, Berkeley
“Gypsy” Builds to a Glittering Crescendo, at BAM, S.F.
“Testmatch” Captures Britain vs. India in Cricket Colonialism, at ACT, S.F.
“From the Ground Up” Celebrates Folklore & Fear, at TheatreFIRST, Berkeley
“Native Gardens”—TV Fare Offers Laughs on Competing Identities, at CenterREP, W.C.
“The Cake” Comes Out Underdone, at NCTC, S.F.
“Stomp” Plays the Heartbeat of Humanity, at ACT, S.F.
“Convoy 31000” Celebrates Women of the French Resistance, at Lunatico, Berkeley
“Driven”—A Filipino Family Races for Life, at Rhino, S.F.
October 2019
“Elevada” Elevates Rom-Com Lovers, at Shotgun, Berkeley
“The Daughters” Reminds Us of Coming Out, Past & Present, at S.F. Playhouse
“Single Black Female” Tackles Sex & Stereotypes, at Lorraine Hansberry, S.F.
“Bright Star” Shines on Young Love & Fancy Fiddling, at CCCT, El Cerrito
“Othello” Explodes! at African American Shakes, S.F.
“Lady Matador’s Hotel” Evokes Latinx Cruelty & Magic, at Central Works, Berkeley
“The Chinese Lady” Compels Us to See Her, at Magic Theatre, S.F.
“The Marriage of Figaro” Sparkles with New Sets & Ideas, at S.F. Opera
“Free for All” Unleashes a Comic “Miss Julie” on Nob Hill, at Cutting Ball, S.F.
“This Side of Crazy”—A Masterpiece of Southern Belle Comedy, at NCTC, S.F.
“Mark Twain’s River of Song” Sails into Our Hearts, at TheatreWorks, Mtn. View
“Long Day’s Journey into Night” Maps A Family’s Dark Addiction, at Ubuntu, Oakland
“White Noise” Amps Up Crisis of Black & White Millennials, at Berkeley Rep
“Dance Nation” Precariously Pirouettes through Puberty, at S.F. Playhouse
“Hot Mikado—Bursting with Energy, at 42nd St. Moon, S.F.
“Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”—A Raucous Good Time, at Custom Made, S.F.
September 2019
“Who Killed Sylvia Plath” Summons a Vivid Hallucination, at The Marsh, Berkeley
“Top Girls” Transcends Time & Space for Magnificent Women, at ACT, S.F.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”—Hilarity, Romance, & Magic, at Marin Shakes
“The Great Wave” Exposes Brutal Abductions & Spycraft, at Berkeley Rep
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” Echoes the Changing Tides, at Word for Word, S.F.
“Macbeth” Addresses the Question of the Day, at Cal Shakes, Orinda
“Admissions” Explodes ‘Elite’ Schools with Flair, at Los Altos Stage Co.
“Caroline, or Change”—Exuberant Musical on Black Liberation, at Ray of Light, S.F.
“Billy Budd” Thrills with Tense, Gripping Voices & Drama, at S.F. Opera
“The Humans”—Comedy of the American Nightmare, at Novato Theater Co.
“20/20” Envisions Post-Trump Future, at S.F. Fringe Festival
“Wheels on the Bus” Gets Young Gears Turning, at BACT, Berkeley
“Exit Strategy” Humanizes U.S. Public School Crisis, at Aurora, Berkeley
“Body Awareness” Showcases Psychological Insecurity, at Main Stage West, Sebastopol
“An Ideal Husband” Explores Corruption & Love, at The Pear, Mountain View
“Titus Andronicus” Spotlights Our Present & Future, at Theatre Lunatico, Berkeley
“The Flick” Features Raw Interactions, at Shotgun Players, Berkeley
August 2019
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Refuses to Bow to Whites, at Multi Ethnic Theater, S.F.
“The 39 Steps” Offers Mystery & Magic, at TheatreWorks, Mountain View
“Clean House” Uncovers More than Dust, at Altarena Playhouse, Alameda
“House of Joy” Boasts Indian Spectacle in a Bubble, at Cal Shakes, Orinda
“Magic Man” Conjures Spellbinding Stories, at Boxcar Theatre, S.F.
The Play That Goes Wrong” Delivers Great Guffaws, at SHN Broadway, S.F.
“Treasure Island” Summons All Hands on Deck, in Bay Area Parks
“Cry It Out” Exposes Parenting Inequality, at Just Theater, S.F.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Sings the Blues, at Multi Ethnic Theater, S.F.
“52 Letters” Delivers Anti-Sex Trafficking Ritual, at Ubuntu, Oakland
“A History of World War II”—A Queer Eye on Sharp Nazis, at The Marsh, Berkeley
“At the Illusionist’s Table” Offers Fine Food for the Mind, at Cal Performances
“Witch Hunt” Works Magic, at Those Women, Berkeley
July 2019
“Witch Hunt” Pursues Untold Stories, at Those Women, Berkeley
“Kill Move Paradise” Explodes, Enlightens, at Shotgun Players, Berkeley
“Roan@The Gates”—Snowden on Estrogen, at Central Works, Berkeley
“A Streetcar Named Desire” Burns Up the Tracks, in Brooklyn
“Hairspray” Bedazzles Its Way into Our Hearts, at BAM, S.F.
“Kill Move Paradise” Exposes Minstrelsy & Murder, at Shotgun Players, Berkeley
“Caveman Play”—Lovable Parable on Prehistoric Planning, at Faultline, S.F.
“Cabaret” Soars, Defies, & Challenges, at S.F. Playhouse
“Measure for Measure” Highlights Top Talent, at Marin Shakes
“Year of Magical Thinking” Uses Nature to Avoid Grief, at Aurora, Berkeley
June 2019
“Wink” Hilariously Highlights Our Basic Instincts, at MTC, Mill Valley
“Fahrenheit 451” Blazes, at Quantum Dragon, S.F.
“Fahrenheit 451” Burns Down the House, at Quantum Dragon, S.F.
“The Fit”—A Struggling Stew of Tech Types, at S.F. Playhouse
“Once” Sparks Musical Magic, at 42nd St. Moon, S.F.
“Oedipus El Rey”—A California Twist to Greek Tragedy, at Magic Theatre, S.F.
“Once on this Island”: Musical Revelations of Class vs. Race, at CCCT, El Cerrito
“Gender Shorts” Challenge Patriarchy, at Dragon Theatre, Redwood City
“Rent” Spotlights Young Stars, at SHN Broadway, S.F.
“Rusalka”—Doomed Water Nymph & Prince Delight, at S.F. Opera
“Action Hero” Crashes Comedy Barriers, at Theatre Rhino, S.F
“Archduke” Steals Hearts, at TheatreWorks, Mtn. View
“Next to Normal” Destigmatizes Mental Illness, at Los Altos Stage
“body/politic” Reclaims Femininity, at Nitery, Stanford
“Orlando”—Now a WW II Hospital Drama, at S.F. Opera
“Llama Llama Live!”—Hilarious Mirror of Life, at BACT, Berkeley
“Kiss My Aztec!” Explodes with Color & Music, at Berkeley Rep
“Rhinoceros” Rattles Our Cage, at ACT, S.F.
“Breaking Cadence” Explores Predatory Military Recruiting
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Opens A Toy Box of Wonders, at Cal Shakes, Orinda
“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” Woos & Wows, at SHN, S.F.
May 2019
“Faceless” Puts ‘War on Terror’ on Trial, at 6th Street, Santa Rosa
“Come Back, Little Sheba” Laments ’50s Love, at Altarena, Alameda
“Kings” Gets Real, at Shotgun Players, Berkeley
“Sister Act: The Musical” Hits Drag Heights, at Theatre Rhino, S.F.
“The View Upstairs” Honors Timeless Love, at NCTC, S.F.
“Romeo & Juliet” Uncovers Modern Meaning, at Ubuntu, Oakland
“American Psycho: The Musical” Is to Die for, at Ray of Light, S.F.
“Pop-Up Magazine” Is You, But Cooler, at Paramount, Oakland
“Who Killed Sylvia Plath” Searches for Insight, at The Marsh, S.F.
“Life Sucks”—A Heartfelt Wrestling Match, at Custom Made, S.F.
“The Good Book” Delivers Fresh Revelations, at Berkeley Rep
“Victorian Ladies” Mix Murder & Laughter, at Central Works, Berkeley
“Territories” Uncovers A Woman’s Secrets, at Arabian Shakes, S.F.
“Mother’s Milk”—A Homecoming, at The Marsh, Berkeley
“Flower Drum Song” in Full Bloom, at Palo Alto Players
“Far, Far Better Things” Foresees Women’s Triumphs, at TheatreFirst, Berkeley
“Weightless” Beautifully Transcends Rock Opera Genre, at A.C.T., S.F.
“Supremacy” Touches Our Hearts & Souls, at Exit Theatre, S.F
“Significant Other” Ridicules Gay Conformity, at S.F. Playhouse
“House of the Spirits”—A Rare, Sensual Treat, at U.C., Berkeley
April, 2019
“House of the Spirits”—A Rare, Sensual Treat, at U.C., Berkeley
“Vanity Fair”—Comedy Exposes Elite Conspiracy, at ACT, S.F.
“Importance of Being Earnest”—Comedy Crushes Elites, at Aurora, Berkeley
“The Little Mermaid”—A Thrilling Dance Drama, at S.F. Ballet
“Charlie & the Chocolate Factory”—Delicious & Magical, at SHN, S.F.
“All the Way”—A Fascinating Look at LBJ, at CCCT, El Cerrito
“The Gentleman Caller” Brings Thrilling Gifts, at NCTC, S.F.
“A Paris Love Story” Illuminates Debussy’s Genius, at TheatreWorks, Mtn. View
“Adiós Mamá Carlota” Mingles Regal Ruler & Ghostly Dreams, at The Stage, San Jose
“Adiós Mamá Carlota” Conjures Deluded Empress, at The Stage, San Jose
“The Diary of Anne Frank”—Life in the Face of Fear, at Center REP, Walnut Creek
“Time Sensitive”—A Poem of Apocalyptic Dread, at Ragged Wing, Oakland
“The Jungle” Wakes US to Global Refugee Crisis, at The Curran, S.F.
“In Old Age” Remodels Past Memories, at Magic Theatre, S.F.
“Down Here Below” Lifts the Tarps of the Homeless, at Ubuntu, Oakland
“Kill the Debbie Downers!” Links Russia, Chaos, & US, at Shotgun, Berkeley
“Helen” Delves into Illusions of Beauty & War, at Yugen, S.F.
“Company” Unites Us in Quest for Love, at Altarena, Alameda
“Press Here, the Musical”—Kids Join Eagerly, at BACT, Berkeley
“Home” Invites Us to People & Parties, at Berkeley Rep
March, 2019
“Urban Retreat” Exposes Minstrelsy of Pop Culture, at Lorraine Hansberry, S.F.
“La Ronde”—Trapped in Amber, at Cutting Ball, S.F.
“Deathtrap” Thrills and Kills, at Theatre Rhinoceros, S.F.
“The Mushroom Cure”—A Raucous, Deep Dive into OCD, at The Marsh, S.F.
“Falsettos” Harmonizes the History of Love, at SHN, S.F.
“Sojourn” Takes Us to Unexpected Places, at Pear, Mountain View
“Black Eagles” Soars, at African American Shakes, S.F.
“American Hero” Transforms Corporate into Co-op, at Custom Made, S.F.
“The Great Leap” Scores a Big Win, at ACT, S.F.
“Actually” Asks the Rape Question Head-On, at Aurora, Berkeley
“The Who & the What” Incites Family Intifada, at Marin Theatre Co.
“Marie and Rosetta” Break Barriers in Music & Life, at TheatreWorks, Palo Alto
“Sleeping Beauty” Is Back, Lovelier Than Ever, at S.F. Ballet
“Fiorello!” Blooms to a Lively Beat, at 42nd Street Moon, S.F.
“Transfers” Sensitively Spotlights Education Inequality, at Crowded Fire, S.F.
“Brooklyn Bridge” Builds Family from Strangers, at Town Hall, Lafayette
“Her Portmanteau” Carries Secret Joy & Longing, at ACT, S.F.
February, 2019
“Wonderland”—Down the Rabbit Hole, at Central Works, Berkeley
“Hamilton” Gives Voices to American Descendants, at SHN, S.F.
“Humble Boy” Charms & Delights, at CCCT, El Cerrito
“Every Day Alice”—A Welcome Addition to Wonderland, at PianoFight, S.F.
“Hello, Dolly!” Dazzles Eyes, Ears, Heart, at SHN, S.F.
“After Miss Julie”─A Fiery Collision of Class & Sex, at Main Stage West, Sebastopol
“Last Sermon of Sister Imani” Ignites Black Renaissance, at TheatreFirst, Berkeley
“Violet”—A Musical Journey to Self-Love, at BAM, S.F.
“Hamilton” Flies from Puerto Rico to SHN, San Francisco
“Fuddy Meers” Shines Brightly, at B8 Theatre, Concord
“Snowblind”—Breathtaking View of Love & Fate, Impeccably Danced, at S.F. Ballet
“I, Too, Sing America” Melds Lyrics, Diversity, Joy, at BATCO, S.F.
“A White Girl’s Guide to International Terrorism”—Spunky Teenage Dreams, at S.F. Playhouse
“Mother Courage” Trades Sympathy for Spectacle, at Ubuntu, Oakland
“Honky”—A Comic Roller-Coaster Ride, at Role Players, Danville
“She Persisted, the Musical”—Trailblazing Women Inspire Kids, at BACT, Berkeley
“Poetics 2”–Fun, Spirited Satire, at PianoFight, S.F.
“Late Company” Comes with A Hatchet to Bury, at NCTC, S.F.
“Communicating Doors”: Comical Crime Thriller, at Center Rep, Walnut Creek
“Creditors”: A Brilliant Conspiracy of Vengeance, at Aurora, Berkeley
“Seascape” Celebrates Familiar, Alien Worlds, at ACT, S.F.
“Peg+Cat Live!” Delivers Musical Blast, at BACT, Castro Valley
“Metamorphoses” Enchants, at Berkeley Rep
“Late Company” Unravels Gay Bullying, at NCTC, S.F.
January 2019
“Spending the End of the World on Ok Cupid” Reconnects Us, at Pear Theatre, Mountain View
“King of the Yees”—Worthy of A Crown, at S.F. Playhouse
“Border People”—Touching, Timely Portraits of US, at The Marsh, S.F.
“Loot”—A Hoot! at Novato Theater Company
“Don Quixote” Soars, Wonderfully Danced, Staged, at San Francisco Ballet
“When We Were Young and Unafraid”—Smart & Relevant, at Custom Made, S.F.
“How I Learned What I Learned”: A Lesson in First-Rate Theater, at Marin Theatre Co.
“Do’s & Don’ts of Time Travel” Ignites Dreams, at Quantum Dragon, S.F.
“Tenderloin Tour” Ferries Us to Gritty Truths, at Cutting Ball, S.F.
“Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name?” Rules! at The Marsh, S.F.
“The North Pool” Pulls Us In, at Bread & Butter, S.F.
“Hand to God” Grabs Us by the Funny Bone, at Altarena Playhouse, Alameda
“Paradise Square” Celebrates Song & Dance in Civil War Manhattan, at Berkeley Rep
“Come from Away”—Finds New Land in Our Hearts, at SHN, S.F
“Skin of Our Teeth” Taunts US, Terrifically, at Actors Ensemble, Berkeley
“Arcadia”—A Lively & Witty Mystery, at Shotgun Players, Berkeley