Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
August 1, 2019
Dual Critics, Feature, On Stage, St. Augustine, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW St. Augustine’s has opened the Florida debut of Fun Home, a moving, heart-gripping musical (July 26 – August 25, 2019), on the Matuza Mainstage. The story has an unusual origin: it was adapted from a graphic true-life memoir written and illustrated by American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, titled “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic.” The book, which took over seven years to complete, was well-received after publication in 2006; both Time Magazine and the New York Times listed it as one of the best books of the year. The musical adaptation, developed through a number of readings and …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
April 30, 2019
Dual Critics, Feature, Jacksonville Beach, On Stage, The Beaches, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
A DUAL CRITICS PLAYERS BY THE SEA THEATRE REVIEW Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party opened on April 26th, 2019, at opened. It runs through May 18th. The theatre is located at 106 6th Street North in . For reservations call 904-249-0289 or visit playersbythesea.org. The play, with book, music and lyrics by (who wrote music and lyrics for The Addams Family) offers a trip back to the 1920s, the days of flappers, jazz, illegal hooch, and reckless disregard for societal conventions. The original story, a book-length poem, was written in 1926 by Joseph Moncure March, who previously worked as the managing editor …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
April 24, 2019
Downtown, Dual Critics, Feature, On Stage, The Elbow, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
A DUAL CRITICS 5 & DIME THEATRE REVIEW REVIEW The 5 & Dime, Jacksonville’s Downtown theatre company, opened Small Mouth Sounds on April 19th, which remains on stage through May 5th, 2019. The theatre is located at 112 East Adams Street; additional information is available on the company’s Facebook page. For reservations, call (904) 637-5100 or visit www.The5andDime.org. The theatre, founded in 2011, has staged many exceptional shows. Small Mouth Sounds is one of the most unusual in content and staging. The play was written by Bess Whol, a graduate of Harvard and the Yale School of Drama. Check out her internet …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
February 26, 2019
Downtown, Dual Critics, Feature, The Elbow, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
A Dual Critics Review The 5 & Dime, Jacksonville’s theatre company, has opened Sam Shepard’s “The God of Hell,” which remains onstage through March 10, 2019. Of note, the theatre is now celebrating a third year at its permanent location at 112 East Adams Street. Additional information is available on the company’s Facebook page. For reservations, call (904) 637-5100 or visit www.The5andDime.org. The late Sam Shepard (1943 – 2017) was both an accomplished actor and acclaimed playwright. His “Buried Child” won a Pulitzer Prize. He wrote “The God of Hell” in 2004 in based on his view of the political …
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Liza Mitchell
February 8, 2019
Comedy, Downtown, Feature, Neighborhoods, On Stage, The Elbow
For comedians, the best rule of thumb is to write what you know. For Lizz Winstead, her work is shaped by her perceptions, her experiences, and her role as a woman. She established Lady Parts Justice League to give women a louder voice and create a community for change. Laugh Lounge presents Lady Parts Justice League’s “You Should Smile More! And Other Man-Spirational Things” February 10th at , starring Winstead, co-creator of “The Daily Show” and featuring both Joyelle Johnson, of “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” and Jaye McBride, known for her work at the New York Comedy Festival. A …
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Liza Mitchell
October 5, 2018
Downtown, Feature, Neighborhoods, On Stage, The Elbow, Theatre
By the playwright’s own admission, the plot of his one-man show “Buyer & Cellar” rests on the “preposterous” premise of a young struggling actor who finds a job in Barbra Streisand’s Malibu basement. In the 5 & Dime’s staging of Jonathan Tollins’ delightfully campy play, lead flexes his funny bone as Alex, who imagines himself working in Streisand’s underground mall with elaborate storefront displays of the star’s dolls, costumes and even a functioning candy store. “Buyer & Cellar” opens October 5th at the (www.the5anddime.org). “Part of it is true and part of it isn’t. The part about the guy working …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
September 24, 2018
Atlantic Beach, Dual Critics, Feature, On Stage, The Beaches, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
We attended the festive debut of the brand new home of the at 544 Atlantic Boulevard in , Florida on Friday, September 22, 2018. The theatre was founded by a number of years ago and named the Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre; their new name reflects their more expansive audience. Their new home is located in the Neptune Beach Plaza; excellent parking and pre-show dining opportunities are within walking distance. We were greeted with smiles by ABET’s Managing Artistic Director Ceila Frank and ABET board members. The opening show for the venue and the new season is “James and the Giant …
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Liza Mitchell
February 14, 2018
Feature, On Stage, Theatre
The exploration of female insanity traces a dark path through times when women were often institutionalized for mental illness. Ribbons of tragedy and unimaginable suffering are entwined in their history, but there are also unexpected threads of hope woven into the individual stories. Playwright Lisa Dillman offers a fascinating portrayal of the elusive nature of madness and the resulting separation it can bring in The Walls, opening February 16th at . Directed by Bradley Akers, the production runs through March 4th. Centered around a group of women and their families in three different time periods, the play studies the exploration …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
August 16, 2017
Downtown, Dual Critics, Feature, On Stage, The Elbow, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
5 & DIME THEATRE COMPANY DUAL CRITICS REVIEW Jacksonville’s 5 & Dime Theatre opened the Florida premiere of African-American playwright ’s thought provoking drama “The Call” on August 11, 2017. The production will be on stage at their downtown theater at 112 Adams Street through August 27th. For reservations and additional information, visit www.the5anddime.org. During this first season in their new home, has staged an impressive program of new works seen for the first time in this city. The schedule for the rest of the year with “Evil Dead, The Musical” (October 13-28) and “HIR” (December 1-17), promises more of …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
April 26, 2017
Downtown, Dual Critics, Feature, On Stage, The Elbow, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
5 & DIME THEATRE REVIEW A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW BY DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM The opened its very first musical in their new location at 122 Adams Street. The company and sponsors Rob & Donna Banks opened the Florida premier of the dynamic musical “A New Brain” on April 21, on stage until May 7, 2017. We wonder if anyone has written a book about where composers and playwrights find their subjects. If yes, the story of “,” which debuted in 1998, certainly would be included in that book. When composer experienced dizziness and partial paralysis in 1992 (the …
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