Bright Swords

This show is great. From the acting by Ryan Vincent Anderson to the writing to the direction, it's top notch. What's brilliant about this production is that you don't need to know anything about it before you walk in the theater - the show takes you on a journey for 60 minutes and exposes you to a new story that very few people will know. Which makes it exciting. ... full review

Bright Swords was AMAZING! Ryan Anderson was flat-out stellar! My only disappointment about this show was that it was the last performance so more people won't get to see it... What a fantastic one-man show! Great writing, directing, and acting! SOOO GOOOD!... full review

Wonderful story that was new history for me. Loved the play itself--very strong, well written. And the performance was fantastic. Congrats to the creative team! ... full review

Heard of Ira Aldridge? It matters not. This show exhumes the 19th century black actor and brings him vividly back to life, telling the story of how he took a fellow thespian's advice when he was 17 and went to England, where he would not face racial prejudice. It's well-acted by Ryan Vincent Anderson, who shifts credibly between Aldridge and a variety of supporting characters, making each unique; Jeffrey Wienckowski's direction is first-rate, highly attentive and never arbitrary. If there's a flaw it's in Rick Creese's script. The show is heavy on exposition, though some of it is by necessity, dealing as it does with a largely forgotten figure; the text is solid for the most part but ventures into the mundane at times.... full review

#SeeItLA - Ryan Vincent Anderson delivers a great performance, shows much versatility in switching from one character to the next, and the script is solid as it is which makes this production a definite #SeeIt. However, it lacks the emotional punch that it could have so easily carried, had the script not left the meat of the story off stage. Instead of putting the character in each scene, and letting us see the emotion and feeling illicited by each circumstance (like almost being illegally sold into slavery), the script is simply a recitation of all of the events in Ira Aldridge's life, with no room left for how each event made him feel. Despite this, Anderson succeeds in infusing genuine feeling wherever he can, but his hands are tied. He i... full review