THEATRE news, REVIEWs,
& interviews
Interview: Andrew Polec of DR. SEUSS’S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! at The Old Globe
Interview with 5-time Grinch, Andrew Polec, about slipping back into Grinch-mode, backstage Whoville traditions, audience antics, and the fan mail (and fan art)!
A MAGICAL HOLIDAY: CHRISTMAS AT THE JOAN at Cygnet Theatre
Cygnet Theatre’s “A Magical Holiday: Christmas at The Joan” is precisely what its title promises: a bright, polished, joy-forward holiday revue that knows its job is to lift spirits, sparkle confidently, and send you back into December humming.
RENT at New Village Arts
New Village Arts’ production of "Rent" understands the heart of the piece, even if some of the sharpest edges are softened.
Interview: Erica Marie Weisz of MISTLETOE MELODIES WITH ERICA MARIE! at Scripps Ranch Theatre And New Village Arts
Interview with Erica Marie Weisz about her new one-woman show “Mistletoe Melodies with Erica Marie!” is a brand-new, stripped-down holiday gem—just Erica, a piano, and a sleigh-full of warmth.
THE WAVERLY GALLERY at Backyard Renaissance
Backyard Renaissance delivers an exquisite reminder: we do not choose when the people we adore begin to fade, but we do get to decide how fiercely we hold them while they do.
TO MY GIRLS at Diversionary Theatre
“To My Girls” has an excellent cast and direction, and what begins as a sun-drenched escape quickly turns into a messy, deeply funny excavation of chosen family, generational baggage, and the versions of ourselves we perform for the people who know us best.
MASTER CLASS at Roustabouts And Scripps Ranch Theatre
"Master Class," running through December 14 in a co-production between The Roustabouts Theatre Company and Scripps Ranch Theatre, revisits Maria Callas in the final chapter of her performing life; when her voice had faded, yet her fervor for her art had not
WORKING GIRL at La Jolla Playhouse
Based on the beloved 1988 film but modernized around the edges, “Working Girl” at the La Jolla Playhouse has big expectations and even bigger hair, but never quite hits the mark.
Interview: Berto Fernández And Giovanny Diaz De Leon of ¡CÓMO EL GRINCH ROBÓ LA NAVIDAD! at The Old Globe
An Interview with Berto Fernández and Giovanny Diaz de Leon, who bring Old Max and Young Max to life ¡Cómo el Grinch robó la Navidad!' a world premiere Spanish language concert adaptation, “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” at The Old Globe.
THE STRANGERS at Chalk Circle Collective
“The Strangers” is the kind of production that invites discussion; some will love its chaos, others may resist it, but Chalk Circle Collective handles its complexity with ambition and clarity.
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at SDSU
The concert version of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s bittersweet musical at San Diego State University offered a sharp, soulful rewind through friendship, ambition, and the cost of success.
ARMS AND THE MAN at Lamb's Players Theatre
“Arms and the Man”, the classic George Bernard Shaw play, is currently skewering the romantic ideals of going to battle or falling in love with wit at Lamb’s Players Theatre through November 16th. Under the sharp and playful direction of Deborah Gilmour Smyth, it turns 19th-century notions of heroism and passion delightfully upside down. It’s brisk, bright, very funny, and may have you craving something chocolate before it’s over.
POE & MORE POE by Write Out Loud at the historic Villa Montezuma
The 1887 Queen Anne Victorian mansion is equal parts Gothic whimsy and jewel-box museum, which sets the perfect stage for“Poe & More Poe”, Write Out Loud’s annual immersion into the master of the macabre.
SUFFS at Broadway San Diego
Direct from Broadway, the Tony Award-winning musical SUFFS charges into San Diego with fire, wit, and a powerhouse cast determined to make history sing again.
Interview: Livvy Marcus of SUFFS at Broadway San Diego
Interview with Livvy Marcus, who was last in San Diego at the Old Globe and now on the new national tour of SUFFS, playing Doris Stevens. SUFFS is playing at Broadway San Diego through Sunday, October 5th.
WE LOVERS at Loud Fridge Theatre Group
“We Lovers” is an imaginative evening that lingers like moonlight long after you leave the clearing. Directed by Kate Rose Reynolds at the Light Box Theatre in Liberty Station.
MANIFEST PUSSY at Diversionary Theatre
Diversionary Theatre’s current show, “Manifest Pussy”, is a wild, warm, and deeply human solo show by Shakina Nayfack full of heart, humor, and revelation.
HUZZAH! at The Old Globe
The Renaissance is alive and well at The Old Globe, where “Huzzah!,” a new musical comedy, transforms a modern Renaissance faire into a comedic battleground for family squabbles, financial woes, and the eternal question of how much authenticity is too much.
ALL THE MEN WHO’VE FRIGHTENED ME at La Jolla Playhouse
“All the Men Who’ve Frightened Me, now in its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse through October 12, probes parenthood, inheritance, and identity with humor and tenderness, though its foundation wobbles.
THORN & PETAL by History Theatre Co at Trinity Theatre
“Thorn and Petal,” Daniel Ian Redman’s new play through History Theatre Co., performed at Trinity Theatre in Mission Valley is an intriguing premise with flashes of humor and heart, though one that still feels like it’s finding its shape.