THEATRE | POP CULTURE | MENTORSHIP | WHO AM I
Theatre
“Karaoke Dreams”, the immersive new musical by Blindspot Collective, is a vibrant, heartfelt production that invites you into a working bar filled with real drinks, real snacks, and real emotions all set to an epic, cross-genre soundtrack.
Interview with playwright Dian Schaffhauser about creating the world premiere play “Lesbians of San Diego, A Herstory in Two Acts,” premieres July 31 and runs through August 10th
Two married couples take center stage—on and off—in North Coast Rep’s 'A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.' Director Noelle Marion and her husband, Andrew Polec (playing Monty), along with the ensemble's married duo, Shinah and Andrew Hey, share how love, collaboration, and a little comedic chaos fuel this fast-paced, multi-role musical.
Interview with Robert L. Freedman & Jean Kauffman about their respective roles in the show, how the musical came to life, and what it means to navigate love, art, and occasional murder together. ”A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” is playing through August 17th at North Coast Repertory Theatre.
San Diego Musical Theatre’s “Roald Dahl's Matilda: The Musical,' running through August 10, is a mischievous and magical triumph that captures the sharp wit and subversive heart of Roald Dahl’s beloved book.
“Noises Off”, playing at The Old Globe through August 10, is a gloriously chaotic revival directed by Gordon Greenberg, an affectionate, expertly timed, and utterly ridiculous homage to the disaster-prone world of live theatre.
Moonlight Stage Productions’ “Anastasia” offers a glittery train ride through royal rumors, sweeping ballads, and animated-movie nostalgia, with just a few detours into brooding Soviet angst.
Interview with 'Karaoke Dreams' creator and director Blake McCarty about this world-premiere musical that transforms a karaoke bar into a confessional, a party, and a place to belong.
Backyard Renaissance’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” isn’t just a drama; it’s a ghost story. Director Rob Lutfy leans into the spectral energy of Tennessee Williams’ New Orleans, conjuring a version of the classic that feels both timeless and supernatural.
Pop Culture
Interview with Author, playwright, and educator John Wells III ahead of this Friday’s Diversity in Fantasy panel at San Diego Comic-Con.
Michael James Scott is back for his third turn as co-host of the epic opening night event alongside Her Universe founder and Star Wars icon Ashley Eckstein. Here, he talks about all things Her Universe, from what makes this fashion show unlike anything else at San Diego Comic-Con, to how the new HypeFriend! podcast with Ashley Eckstein aims to spark a “friendship revolution.”
Interview with composer Christopher Linnertz about creating ROGERS: THE MUSICAL for TV, then to the stage, and wanting to make Marvel and theatre fans both happy with the result.
THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK brings Star Wars-inspired sexy, nerdy fun to San Diego through April 30th. This burlesque brings comedy, pop culture, humor, and the art of the strip tease to the stage for an incredibly entertaining time.
Interview with 'Quantum Leap''s Raymond Lee about taking on this series reboot, how he gets into character, and how doing theatre helped him prepare for this role..
Interview with Mason Alexander Park, who plays Ian Wright, from the new 'Quantum Leap' to talk about theatre, playing this character, representation, and what the next dream career opportunity might be.
Theatre fans and pop culture have always had a passionate fan base overlap, and nowhere can that be seen and celebrated more than this Comic Con weekend! Fenix Theatre Collaborative not only brings PUFFS to stage this weekend through Aug 13th but to correspond with Comic Con this weekend some alumni from the original PUFFS cast will be at the Saturday, July 22nd show!
Director Rhiannon McAfee talks about PUFFS: OR SEVEN INCREASINGLY EVENTFUL YEARS AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL OF MAGIC AND MAGIC, what she loves about this show, her talented cast, and showing the world of Hogwarts to stage with a distinctly Hufflepuff perspective. PUFFS is playing at the Tenth Street theatre July 14th - August 13th.
Jennifer Connelly talks about "Snowpiercer' "I think all of the characters find themselves in a very extreme situation and find themselves doing things they never thought possible."
Mentorship
The art of writing about and critiquing theatre arts is one that is a crucial part of the arts conversation.
Being able to facilitate conversations about art, amplify the arts in public discussion, and offer thoughtful critiques and reviews of productions is a honed skill in all formats - writing, audio, or video. I am committed to working with anyone interested in learning and/or refining their skills to help grow the future of arts journalism into a more inclusive, and progressive landscape.
If you’re interested, please contact me here.
Who Am I?
ErinMarie Reiter is a feature writer and critic who specializes in theatre and pop culture.
She has been involved onstage and off since she was young and has written about theatre for over a decade on multiple sites. She is also the President of the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle. ErinMarie works in entertainment production travel and has worked on many Broadway shows, as well as theatre, movies, and tv shows worldwide.
North Coast Repertory Theatre closes its season with “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” the bloodthirsty Broadway hit that turns serial killing into an elegant and humorous art form.