Shari Barrett (she/her)

A provocative show about what makes something sweet or profane in our lives - how the goodness of love and sweetness of sugar may be evident in candy but not in real life as people don't know how to treat each other with love. Sugar's comment that working as a strip club dancer allowed her to examine men in a laboratory of human hearts. Quite eye-opening.... full review

Tanya Thomas is totally and astoundingly brilliant in her solo show about her multicultural upbringing and ongoing life, from the easiest to the most emotionally difficult of situations she describes as the "Freakshow" of her life. As she morphs between more characters than I could count, each one a complete and fascinating character study, Tanya allowed her self-assured persona to shine through, always secure in her stage presence and keeping the audience enchanted from start to finish in this ... full review

The style of this live performance from Kenya, half a world away and the largest economy in East Africa prior to the pandemic, reminded me of "The Art of Facing Fear" in that listening to the actors talk about how their lives have changed during the pandemic, especially how it closed down theatre, which certainly made me feel at one with with them. I too have experienced longing to be with my friends, having fun, being able to get together without wearing masks, and not worrying that no matter ho... full review

This was perhaps the most homoerotic play (or movie) I have ever seen. But what sticks with me is the image of two shattered souls blending as one, a brilliantly artistic muddling of old and young, innocent and evil, guilt and pleasure, as took place between these two prisoners locked in individual cells. Starting from glancing at each other through keyhole images, the two men dance around in each other's minds and bodies (yes, there is full frontal male nudity and suggested masturbation) until ... full review

Solo show director Jessica Lynn Johnson has found another butterfly ready to break out of its cocoon and show the rest of us how to honestly depict their personal journey of self-realization. Veronica Carey definitely opened my eyes to how her gender decision-making process grew out of learning to cross-dress during the pandemic, shut in and watching You Tube videos all day. Her and his journey into acceptance of being non-binary was just the first step into the battle going on inside of how to ... full review

I really enjoyed this solo show about a young woman named Evie Edwards who came to Hollywood during its heyday to make a name for herself in the movies, telling her story from the time she dreamed of being a star as a young girl living in a Hooverville. Speaking to all the unfair practices she encountered along the way, friends who helped and encouraged her, her father whose gambling would seal his fate, and then on to the popularity of the Hollywood Canteen for starlets during WWII, the bosses w... full review

Much like the rags to riches story of The Princess Bride, this hour-long musical tells the tale of a young farm hand who dreams of more, longing to serve as a King's Cavalier who is aided in that quest by the almost-royal Viscountess Alanna (7 cousins would have to die first for her to become Queen). Narrated by a Troubadour whose cleverly constructed musical musings provide the story exposition in the beginning as well as scene breaks while the cast sets up the next location from the various set... full review

WOW! As a former high school theatre arts teacher, I am amazed at the wonderful talent and true-to-life story taking place in this world premiere production. It always amazes me when I am out in public how people are always on their phones and don't speak to each other in real time. And that's not just teens but adults as well. This musical deals with that issue; kids trying to be who they think they want others to see them as rather than being honest about who they really are and their real fee... full review

Durang's characters as so off the wall and larger than life, the direction of these plays has to match the craziness of the stories with a cast that can handle the absurdity of it all. And Kristin Towers-Rowles understands that and keeps the action as hectic as the thoughts going through the characters' minds while the actors enjoy chewing the scenery! This is especially true during "The Actor's Nightmare" when an understudy for Edwin Booth is called upon to take on his role at the last min... full review

This show speaks directly to the woes of current society, be it at home, in the workplace, online, because of the pandemic, lack of good jobs or fair housing, in the news, believing everything you read online, or due to discrimination in all its forms. In each of the scenes, it becomes apparent that everyone is waiting for someone else to fix the problem, and while we all can see them and comment on them, nothing is getting done because we are still "waiting for Lefty" to do something about it. P... full review