Photo by Beth Thorpe The New Black Fest’s commission of six monologues from six black playwrights addresses the timely topic of police violence and racism against Black men. While Ferguson and Michael Brown are referenced directly, the play echoes with…

Alexander Iziliaev Tom Stoppard describes the title characters of his 1966 Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead as “passing the time in a place without any visible character,” but in Blanka Zizka’s Wilma Theater revival, the place is Matt Saunders’ incomprehensible,…

Paola Nogueras Catrina Ganey and Curtiss Cook Jr. in ‘brownsville song’ by PTC. Though it premiered at last year’s Humana Festival of New American Plays, Kimber Lee’s brownsville song (b-side for tray) feels like it was written for right now. Ferguson,…

Dave Sarrafian Egopo Classic Theater presents ‘The Hairy Ape.’ Two of EgoPo Classic Theater’s three “American Giants” productions have been rarely produced, almost forgotten plays: first, Tennessee Williams’ brilliantly staged early comedy Stairs to the Roof, and now Eugene O’Neill’s…

Kendall Whitehouse John Zak as Bottom and Eleni Deloupolous as Titania in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ With all the Shakespeare playing on area stages — Hamlet at the Wilma, Macbeth at the Arden, and the Lantern’s Taming of the Shrew…

HE TOLD HER TO CALM DOWN: Joanna Liao as Katherine and J Hernandez as Petruchio in Lantern Theater Company’s production of ‘The Taming of the Shrew.’ Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew — shrew not as in small burrowing rodent, but cantankerous woman — challenges…

I’m not a big mystery or crime fan, but I gobble up every new novel by Philadelphia writer Duane Swierczynski (a former City Paper editor, though I never worked with him directly or even met him) because they guarantee a…

Kate Raines at Plate 3 Photography Ru Pujara in “Rashomon” Rashomon, Luna Theater Company director Gregory Scott Campbell admits in his program note, is a re-imagining of an adaptation of an adaptation that starts with Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 film version…

Johanna Austin STRANGE BEDFELLOWS: Kevin Meehan and Taysha Canales in Azuka Theatre’s ‘Moon Cave.’ Azuka Theatre Company’s 33rd production and 14th world premiere is also Philadelphia playwright Douglas Williams’ first professional production, and he couldn’t ask for better. Director Kevin…