DeGrandi & Turner Humanize Misunderstood Legend by Corey Finnegan We all contain multitudes. But Joan Crawford contained more multitudes than most. As such, “Joan Crawford Superstar” needs not one but two actors to portray the screen icon: Isabel DeGrandi as ambitious Young Joan, and Donna Turner as wizened Old Joan, as she reflects on…
Jon Robin Baitz’s Satire Shines in Vivid Vision of Family & Country by Barry David Horwitz Just beyond Palm Springs, a freeway sign points to “Other Desert Cities”—where meth labs, addicts, and homeless folk live just up the highway. But in Palm Springs in 2004, old Republicans in pants suits and tennis shorts are…
Eric Reyes Loo Serves Heartbreak, Tortas, & Revelation in 90 Minutes by Isa S. Chu In the world premiere of “Simple Mexican Pleasures,” playwright Eric Reyes Loo serves up a vibrant, heartfelt, and funny journey of self-discovery—wrapped in masa, dipped in memory, and garnished with just the right dash of magic. Directed with spark…
Patricia Milton Strips the Veneer from Precious Antiques by Teri Piccolo & Tracy Allen First produced in Berkeley in 2018, “Bamboozled,” a fantastic comedy-mystery by local playwright Patricia Milton, comes to life with wit and humor under the direction of Terrence Tyrie Ivory. Four skillful actors portray sassy, driven women in a tale of…