Milo Shapiro

IT DOESN’T SUCK TO BE AVENUE Q AT CORONADO In the right setting, irreverence is so jovial. Perhaps our era of thought-police and political correctness has made it delicious to pervert that which seems simple and pure solely for the sake of entertainment, but musicals such as The Producers and The Book of Mormon are…

THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA The very nature of adoption can leave a child’”and the adult he or she becomes’”filled with questions: Who were you, Mother?   Why did you make this choice?   Do you regret it?   And perhaps most painful to ponder:   Would you be glad to meet me, if you could?   For Jade McCullough…

TRAGIC FOR HIM BUT GOOD FUN FOR US Hot on the heels of the run of Old Jews Telling Jokes, the Lyceum brings us a very different and more personal look at Jewish humor.   Instead of a non-stop set of jokes, comedian and actor Brad Zimmerman’s one-man show is a well-rounded piece.   Part observational humor,…

WHAT, WOULD IT KILL YOU TO HEAR A JEWISH JOKE, I ASK YOU? A German, a Frenchman, and a Jew are crawling across the desert.   The German says, “Mein Gott!   I’m so hot and thirsty and tired.   I must have a beer!”   The Frenchman says, “Mon Dieu!   I’m so hot and thirsty and tired.   I…

A BLINKING YELLOW FOR RED AT THE REP Is a soup can art?   To Matisse, probably not.   To Warhol, clearly yes.   And to everyone else?   Ah, that’s when we start getting into what art really is.   Playwright John Logan’s Red looks deeply at this question from the perspectives of two very different men in 1958….

A LOT OF YOUTHFUL SPRING BUT LITTLE CHARACTER AWAKENING Given harsh themes including child abuse, rape, homosexuality, and suicide, one can easily see why Frank Wedekind’s original German play Spring Awakening  was initially banned when released; these subjects may be par for the course on the nightly news, but it was pretty hot stuff for Germany…

THE FOREIGNER HAS GOOD REASON TO STAY PUT Some theatre is staged to raise our awareness.   Some theatre is designed to tell a story that will move us emotionally.   Some theatre is intended to share a different viewpoint.   All of this is good.   On the other end of the scale, some theatre exists for nothing…

A TWISTED TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE Imagine yourself transported back to 1955:   Forming values in the image of Father Knows Best; solving family problems as cleanly as Ozzie and Harriet; and living in the perfect suburban community with like-minded neighbors.   When compared to our complicated, isolating, 21st-century push-button lives, we may feel a nostalgic longing  to…

A NOURISHING TREE While lacking in emotional engagement, Daniel Beaty’s solo outing exploring the life of actor/singer/activist Paul Robeson undoubtedly entertains, educates, inspires, and leaves the audience with a great deal to talk about. With an international following of his music, stage performances and cinema work, Paul Robeson was one of the best-known black men…

WIT DOESN’T HOLD BACK Years back, Oldsmobile released a new line of sporty, sleek cars with the tagline “This is NOT your father’s Oldsmobile.”   For those who associate Lamb’s Players with lighter fare such as Godspell, Guys and Dolls  and Christmas specials, the powerhouse production of Wit which opened this week proves that this is NOT…

WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLDFISH As a rising star in San Diego’s theater scene, Cygnet put a lot of eggs in one basket in producing Mistakes Were Made. Fortunately, they invested in the right basket with Phil Johnson, whose ability to go broadly comedic and then reel it back in sells this show for all…

COMEDIC CARNAGE  SHARPLY WALKS THE LINE OF TRAGEDY Playwright Yasmina Reza has said, “My plays have always been described as comedy, but I think they’re tragedy.   They are funny tragedy, but they are tragedy.   Maybe it’s a new genre.”   Reza isn’t kidding herself.   Audience members can be spotted gasping, flinching, moaning, and covering their faces during…