THEATRE news, REVIEWs,
& interviews
A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER at North Coast Repertory Theatre
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.
KARAOKE DREAMS at Blindspot Collective
“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: Playwright Dian Schaffhauser Talks LESBIANS OF SAN DIEGO, A HERSTORY IN TWO ACTS
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
Interview: Couples Take the Lead in A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER at North Coast Repertory Theatre
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: Robert L. Freedman & Jean Kauffman discuss ”A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER”
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.
MATILDA at San Diego Musical 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 is Comedic Theatrical Mayhem at The Old Globe
“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.
ANASTASIA at Moonlight Stage
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: Blake McCarty on the Joy, Chaos, & Heart Behind KARAOKE DREAMS at Blindspot Collective
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.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at Backyard Renaissance
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.
THE JANEIAD at The Old Globe
In “The Janeiad,' at The Old Globe through July 13th, playwright Anna Ziegler blends myth, memory, and modern grief into a lyrical meditation on loss and the fragile myths we build to survive it.
Interview: Ismenia Medes And Gabriel Brown on ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL at The Old Globe
Interview with Ismenia Mendes and Gabriel Brown about playing Shakespeare’s most complicated almost-couple in “All’s Well That Ends Well”, currently playing at The Old Globe’s outdoor Festival Stage through July 6th.
MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL at Broadway San Diego
If you want to be dazzled, spun around in a whirlwind of rhinestones, remixes, and romance, then step right up and see “Moulin Rouge: The Musical!”! The touring production currently lighting up Broadway San Diego through July 6th is a wild, over-the-top celebration of spectacle, with a supremely talented ensemble at its heart.
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL at The Old Globe
The Old Globe gives “All’s Well That Ends Well” the royal treatment with glam costumes and a game cast, but that only goes so far in distracting from the lack of romance in this romantic comedy.
Interview: Joy Yvonne Jones Discusses the Juneteenth Black Arts Festival by San Diego Black Artist Collective
Interview with Joy Yvonne Jones, the co-founder of the San Diego Black Artist Collective and a driving force behind the Juneteenth Black Arts Festival, June 19 - 22nd. In this interview, Jones discusses what it means to build a festival rooted in Black joy, legacy, and liberation, as well as what’s in store for this year’s powerful programming.
INDIAN PRINCESSES at La Jolla Playhouse
“Indian Princesses' delves into subjects like identity, communication, and father-daughter relationships, all with humor, heart, and a touch of YMCA-sanctioned cultural appropriation, premiering at La Jolla Playhouse through July 6th.
OKLAHOMA! at Cygnet Theatre is Classic Musical Theatre with a Modern Kick
Director Sean Murray brings a fresh twist to this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic with a spirited, skillful blend of the classic and the contemporary. There is toe-tapping joy with frontier tension in a land where romance is risky, rivalries are real, and the possibilities rise "as high as an elephant's eye."
Interview: Ariella Kvashny on playing Laurey, Love and Independence in OKLAHOMA! at Cygnet Theatre
Interview with Ariella Kvashny on playing Laurey in Cygnet's 'Oklahoma!' and shares what it’s like stepping into this iconic role, blending old and new in the show’s revival, and what it means to be part of Cygnet’s final production before their big move.
THE BOOK OF MORMON at Broadway San Diego
“The Book of Mormon” has landed in San Diego again. This irreverent juggernaut of musical comedy remains equal parts send-up and strangely sincere love letter to the power of belief (no matter how embellished).
BIRTHDAY CANDLES at North Coast Repertory Theatre
“Birthday Candles”, now playing at North Coast Repertory Theatre, is a curious mix because existentialism and birthday cake are not a combo I usually crave. Yet thanks to a charming cast and a moving central performance by Margot White, this blend of humor, heartache, and hope is something richer than expected.