Ryan Maxwell

What did our critic think of HESTER STREET at Theater J?

What an odd thing the human mind is! –for it can make false assumptions, construct facile rationalizations, and rely on preconceived notions---as the audience soon finds out through the alternately clever, character-driven, and coiling convolutions of Theater J’s east coast premiere of the play This Much I Know. This is a play that asks questions more than it supplies answers and in that the audience can find sufficient satisfaction.

What did our critic think of MOSES at Theater J? The title character of Michele Lowe's 90 minute, one-man play, full name Moses Schneider, experiences a literal holocaust, not just a signal fire like that of the Biblical Moses. He then experiences a spiritual journey like the hero of Thomas Carlyle's Sartor Resartus (The Tailor, Re-tailored) which takes him through a loss of faith, a period of indifference when he can't quite remember why he is both numb and grief-stricken, to a regaining of the possibility of peace.

How do individuals and communities heal after decades of violence? THE HONEY TRAP, a world premiere presented by Solas Nua, focuses on one night in Belfast during The Troubles and how the events that transpire that night forever change the lives of diametrically opposed young adults.

Out in an arid, underpopulated northeastern Brazil, an unusual but not entirely inconceivable love story plays out, presented as a kind of morality lesson or at least a cautionary tale. 

Superheroes are larger than life, and so is the family at the heart of Jenny Rachel Weiner’s new play, The Chameleon. The story revolves around a series of wrenching decisions for actor Riz, as she’s poised to start filming her breakout role at age 39 in a new superhero franchise.

THE CHOSEN at 1st Stage is a fascinating coming-of-age story of two boys and their fathers, and their extraordinarily different Jewish communities located just “five blocks and a world apart.”

In a stunning US premiere, Stephen Laughton’s beautifully moving 'One Jewish Boy' tells the heartbreaking story of a couple’s relationship, and examines the impact of trauma and the different ways we process it.

Brava, Bravo! For HUBBA HUBBA At Theatre Project: Don't miss the World Premiere! This new show by Alex & Olmsted, internationally acclaimed winners of multiple Jim Henson Award grants, is a pastiche of comedic scenes starring humans, puppets and an invisible fruit fly. Each carries a unique message spotlighting different facets of romantic love.

What did our critic think of GLORIA: A LIFE at Theater J?

Audiences rarely have the opportunity to navigate between the Scylla of relationships and the Charybdis of a wreck at sea, and 4615 Theatre’s effort here, with both paper backs and Life Jacket, is not to be missed.

'Two Jews Walk into a War. . .' manages to only retread oft-explored grounds, and fails to even do so in a unique or particularly insightful way.

'Intimate Apparel' is a fascinating look at an intriguing woman, time period, and world, but the production just didn’t meet the standards Theater J has set for itself over the years.

Theater J's season opener, 'Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story' is both a story about refugees who fall in love and a love story to refugees.

'tempered' isn’t going to cure or remove your rage – it will still be there. But there’s something freeing about leaning into it, about sharing it through music and poetry, that makes carrying it much more bearable.

'Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities' is an intense, but fascinating portrait of community and identity, with a powerhouse creative team on and off the stage.

'Nathan the Wise' handily lives up to the reputation of the two powerhouse theaters behind it. With a beautiful message, a solid cast and creative team, and a spirited atmosphere, 'Nathan the Wise' is one of those productions you want to cheer during the curtain call, then immediately go back and watch it again.

Who says people are not giving back during this pandemic? Local singer/songwriter/actress is doing just that with the release of 'Ghost Light'. It's a song written about the struggles that theatres are having all over the world as the pandemic continues.

August Wilson’s story of seven friends in post-war Pittsburgh may take a while to get started, but don’t let the slow pace or lengthy run time fool you. The play, and Arena’s production, have all the ingredients of great drama - rich characters, powerful writing, and human introspection - and together they simmer and tell a timeless story about race and economic inequality in America.

Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of Toni Stone at Arena Stage, directed by Pam MacKinnon, gives Toni (Santoya Fields) the power to tell her own story — the way she wants to tell it.