Prince Hal at Breweries Is a Win-Win Proposition
“I highly recommend Scrap Paper Shakespeare's remaining brewery-located performances to parents who are looking for a place to have a drink while doing something productive with their teen or tween children. I was just glad my 13-year-old got some outside-the-book exposure to Shakespeare. Turns out, he thoroughly enjoyed the first act and at times actually explained to me what was going on. “
British Comedic Icon Delighted His Triangle Fans with An Evening with the Late John Cleese
“Death is certainly a taboo enough subject for Cleese's brand of comedy (and that of his Monty Python peers), particularly among older people who don't even want to acknowledge its encroaching inevitability. You would think that such a stereotypically dark theme would doom a comedy show from the start. But, for most of the audience, including my son and me, this couldn't have been farther from the truth.”
PlayMakers Rep's Rendition of Stephen King's Misery Is Perfect Friday the 13th Fare
“Not only are the set, lighting, sound, and costume design top notch; but the characters' inner feelings and thoughts are visible in a way that cannot be accomplished without effectively passionate direction. PlayMakers Rep's presentation of Misery is a team effort, and they makes you a part of that team the minute you walk into the Paul Green Theatre. Adding this to the near-guaranteed thrill of Stephen King's scary storytelling, how can you miss it?”
This Book Is Banned: A Hilarious Picture Book about Censorship and Free Speech
“Let’s face it. Without their caretakers' insistent input, most children do not know that books are being made unavailable to them at their schools. It’s debatable whether adult caretakers who oppose book bans even want them to. But the adult-child combination who reads This Book Is Banned together will have fun discussing the issue of “banning” in the hypothetical, thanks to the busy and engaging illustrations and text that await them.”
The World Premiere of Ona by Keith Burridge Vividly Dramatizes a Forgotten But Still Pertinent Chapter of 19th Century U.S. History
“Ona centers around Martha Washington's personal house slave Ona Judge. I'd never heard of her; and I'm not alone, which is not coincidental. thirty-five American states still censor discussion of slavery in secondary-school classrooms, which inevitably hinders public discussion altogether.”
Clyde's at PlayMakers Rep Puts Its Audience in the Shoes of the Formerly Incarcerated
“The riding momentum behind PlayMakers' production of this iconic play is toward social consciousness and literacy when it comes to addressing the denigrating, disparaging, and (seemingly) hopeless experiences that previously incarcerated people face every day. We nod our heads empathetically when the subject comes up in conversation, but how many of us with no incarceration experience ever put ourselves in their shoes? This is desperately needed, and seeing Clyde's is a good start.”
Always Sisters: A Story of Loss and Love
“Always Sisters is a pertinent tool for both adults and children as they learn to communicate and productively process their feelings together after the loss of a loved one.”
Sound Problems Make Ride the Cyclone a Bumpy Ride
“The highlight of the production is Kayla Petrille's expert portrayal of the doll-like Jane Doe, particularly her piercing, siren-like voice whenever she opens her mouth and especially when she sings. This is no surprise, as Petrille teaches voice lessons full time and has the most performing experience among the actors. “
Into The Forest: For Children With Feelings of Anxiety (Therapeutic Fairy Tales): A Book Review
“a book worth reading with your young child, particularly if they or you are experiencing anxiety. The story is calming and at times beautifully written.”
Lights! Costumes! Magic! Beetlejuice Brings the DPAC Audience to Its Feet!
“The costume and physical appearance of Lydia (Isabella Esler) is delightfully reminiscent of Christina Ricci's wardrobe as Wednesday in the 1991 film adaptation of The Addams Family or the costumes that Winona Rider wore when she played Lydia in Tim Burton's 1988 movie Beetlejuice. Whether speaking or singing, Esler's voice is prominent and clear, with the made-for-stage lilt and vibrato of a pop star.”
#VoiceInMyHead on April 13, 2023:
Those who are not willing to listen are not willing to learn. Walk away. There are plenty of people in this world who you can work with and love. Problem solved. *** Now think about the factions that violently divide this country….
John Frazier Lights Up the PSI Stage as Ladies' Man Garry Essendine in Noël Coward's Present Laughter
Present Laughter, which was written in 1939, but not staged until 1942, due to World War II, opens on a young woman in her dressing robe, waiting in a sitting room for world-loved comic actor Garry Essendine to emerge from his bedroom. Daphne, played in dramatic juvenile fashion by Dani Coan, forgot her latchkey the previous night and had to spend the night in Essendine's "spare room" …
Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill Earns a Standing Ovation at the Durham Performing Arts Center
When the musical debuted in 2018, it became the highest-grossing production at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA, which is no surprise, given that Alanis Morissette's album by the same name is considered one of the most important albums of the '90s and of the alternative rock genre in general, selling 33 million copies, topping the charts in 13 countries, and winning five GRAMMYS, including Album of the Year….
The Justice Theater Project's Performance of Mark St. Germain's Best of Enemies Is Transformative
As a young, Afro-Latina woman, Yamila Monge said that she wants the production to demonstrate appreciation for the difficult trailblazing of the previous generation and their glowing, though generally not well-known, examples of the healing transformation that can occur when even the most heated adversaries agree to work together and listen to one another…
Simple, Proven Self-Care Strategies for Kids
As with other essential disciplines, teaching your child the importance of self care begins with you. You must model healthy habits in your own life and show your child real-life examples of prioritizing them. This is not only good for your child, it’s good for you. With the help of Melissa B. Rooney, we share some simple tips…
The Power of Coffee
Waking up late on a Monday, this #VoiceInMyHead demanded a hearing, yielding this short poem and original song in honor of Coffee.
FrazierTales Collection Volume 2 by Mark and Chris Frazier Continues the Tradition Of Volume 1
Frazier Tales Volume 2 continues the whacky stories and overstimulating illustrations of Mark and Chris Frazier, based on a series of bed time stories Mark told his once three-year-old son. The storylines in Volume 2 mimic those in Volume 1 and, likewise, teach moral lessons based on inclusiveness…
Come From Away at DPAC Tells the True Story of the Stranding of 7000 Airline Passengers in Gander, Newfoundland, After 9/11
I was a little wary about seeing the Durham Performing Arts Center's presentation of Come from Away, playing through Sunday, Jan. 22nd, as part of WRAL Greatest Hits of Broadway at DPAC. This 2013 Sheridan College Canadian Music Theatre Project, 2017 Broadway, and 2019 West End musical, written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, is based on the emergency landing of 38 airplanes (with 7,000 total passengers) in the Newfoundland town of Gander (population: 11,880) after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The Beautiful Attrition of Family Relics
We have forfeited my grandmother’s chair to the cat and are appreciating its beautiful attrition…
FrazierTales Collection Volume 1 by Mark and Chris Frazier is Vivid and Easy-to-read
Today I review Frazier Tales Collection Volume 1, written by Mark and illustrated by Chris Frazier. It’s a hardcover volume of three illustrated children’s stories, so it’s a good value for money. And there are a lot of illustrations, all of them quite detailed and of the quality garnered by Ren and Stimpy or Rocko’s Modern Life, both Nickelodeon series…