Riverside Theatre opened its first play of 2020 with an intense reminder of the importance of history, civil rights and activism. Jessica Link portrays Susan B. Anthony and Curtis M. Jackson is Fredrick Douglass in this retrospective of their friendship and political lives, which often found them at odds with one another.
theater reviews
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Foundry Performance Laboratory raises stakes with Conor McPherson’s ‘The Seafarer’
I have always subscribed to the philosophy that theater has a responsibility to use the tools at its disposal to expose hypocrisy, contextualize truths and show people who they really are. There is no better way fiction has achieved this goal than with stories that include magic or the supernatural. People are just more honest when they’re making things up.
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Accept the challenge of Riverside Theatre’s ‘Straight White Men’
It is as if the audience is watching the events of the play unfold inside a diorama — a piece of history captured, but a history that is still being played out.
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Remember what the holidays can be with Giving Tree’s ‘Best Christmas Pageant Ever’
Peppered with Christmas songs that are, well, mostly traditional, ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ offers a sweet meditation on inclusivity and what the true holiday spirit is meant to be.
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Wonderfully acted ‘Matilda’ a TCR holiday joy
Theater Cedar Rapids opened Matilda the Musical, based on Roald Dahl’s book Matilda, on Nov. 15 with a high energy number that sets the tone for the whole show. The song, “Miracle,” poses the question: Who is special, and who decides? The choreography (Erin Helm) is outstanding in this number, and that carries throughout the show.
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‘Feast.’ at Riverside is Megan Gogerty at her most visceral and compelling
Somewhere, I read a likening of Feast. to Game of Thrones — which I thought sounded ridiculous. How could a one-woman, live stage show approximate the visual awe of flying dragons, the vast expanse of bloody battle scenes, the echo of hallowed throne rooms? But as usual, I turned out to be the unimaginative fool. You see, I was envisioning
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Theatre Cedar Rapids sinks its teeth into ‘Dracula’
Though the recent resurgence of zombie hordes both on- and off-screen may be giving vampires (in general) a run for their money, no one character has been immortalized as often as Dracula. And if TCR’s ticket sales are any indication, this lone monster and his violent delights still have a powerful hold on our collective imaginations.
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Exploring social contracts in RHCR’s ‘God of Carnage’
Taboos and our oft-unspoken understanding of, and adherence to, them are fascinating. In general, one learns the key points from their parents: not to undress in public, for example. Over time, we start to intuit other social rules that are less clear cut, like not to tell other people how to parent their kids. But life’s best drama comes in the silent, tense moments just before, or after, someone breaks those rules.
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‘Apples in Winter’ an intimate, artful, must-see show
Apples in Winter, by Jennifer Fawcett, opened this weekend at Old Creamery Theatre. This is a show that everyone needs to see. The one-woman show is poignantly enacted by Marquetta Senters. From silent entrance to screaming ending, Senters brings an astounding range of emotions to life during the 90-minute show.
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‘Is There Life After High School’ features lovely performances but faces challenges
Presented by Iowa City Community Theatre, Is There Life After High School? is a musical of carefully woven monologues told from the perspective of adults that both loved and hated high school. This production marks the second time that ICCT has brought the show to the stage. The first was in 1995 as a contest production — Jeff Mead, who was in the band of the 1995 production, returns as director, actor and musical director.
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‘Les Misérables’ — An Iowa City favorite returns to the Hancher stage
‘Les Misérables,’ the epic musical based on Victor Hugo’s expansive 1862 novel, returns to Hancher this week. The play has a long and popular history in Iowa City. Now, after almost 18 years (just shy of Jean Valjean’s 19 year imprisonment for stealing a loaf of bread), ‘Les Miz’ is back.
