Milo Shapiro

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…

CREATIONISM VS. EVOLUTION; RELEVANCE VS. TIMELESSNESS Dubbed “The Trial of the Century” (with rhetorical apologies to O.J.), the actual 1925 trial that inspired Inherit the Wind marks a milestone in the American legal system:   The first time science vs. religion found its way to the public courthouse.   The Scopes trial (named after defendant John Scopes,…