Craig Lucas Deconstructs Dickens with Spectacle & Spirits by Jenyth Jo & Barry David Horwitz We know the story: Dickens contrasts Scrooge, a miserly, old, rich man with Tiny Tim, a poor, doomed child. “A Christmas Carol” entertains us with mystery, magic, and hope that Scrooge will share his wealth. But hs transformation remains…
Julie Taymor’s Playful Parade of Animals, Ancestors Still Thrills by Barry David Horwitz The colors, the lights, the beautiful animals walking with acrobatic grace, the moving grasslands—they are gliding down the aisles. Rhinos, elephants, giraffes, and cheetahs lope along onstage with their distinctive gaits—miracles of puppetry and acrobatics. Still magnificent after 26 years, many…
Millennial Notes Qui Nguyen Honors Both Tradition & Pop Culture by Hamilton Nguyen Using neon-lit sets, rap music, and country lingo, “Poor Yella Rednecks: Vietgone 2” tells the story of Vietnamese immigrants in Arkansas in the 70s. Playwright Qui Nguyen, a character in his own play, envisions his family’s immigrant story without the sugar-coating….
Millennial Notes Yngvild Aspeli Creates a Beautifully Dark Epic by Beau McGlasson Melville’s Moby Dick: a ship captain descends into madness, pursues a massive white whale, and encounters the darkness of the human spirit. At the Public Theater’s “Under the Radar” Festival, Plexus Polaire, a French-Norwegian company, delivers their version of “Moby Dick.” It’s…