By AARON KRAUSE WILTON MANORS, FL. — The senator proclaims his vision for America in a sunny, hopeful voice. However, the audience’s reaction is shades darker. In fact, the groans sound like die-hard fans of a beloved home team reacting with pavlovian jeers as soon as they see the arch-nemesis’ uniforms. Of course, the senator…
By AARON KRAUSE CORAL GABLES, Fla. — No doubt, sparks fly quickly and furiously in Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre’s combustible, searing, suspenseful, must-witness production of John Patrick Shanley’s explosive drama, Doubt: A Parable. The 2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play is running through June 9. And we can say, without question, that…
By AARON KRAUSE MIAMI — With Hamilton capturing the theater world’s attention like few shows in recent memory, it can be easy to pass without a glance the marquee of another musical phenomenon that has played on Broadway seemingly forever. Of course, the latter show is The Lion King. It will quietly enter its 22nd year on the Great…
By AARON KRAUSE WEST PALM BEACH — As anyone familiar with John Guare’s The House of Blue Leaves knows, Hollywood songwriter wannabe Artie Shaughnessy poses a question in one of his songs. Specifically, he wonders, “Where is the devil in Evelyn?” Well, here’s another question – where is the darkness in Palm Beach Dramaworks’ production…
By AARON KRAUSE FT. LAUDERDALE — Awww, isn’t it cute how the little monkey with sad, puppy-dog eyes is sucking on a pacifier? It’s just precious! Surely, you can’t miss the image on the cover of Thinking Cap Theatre’s program for its current, impressive production of the odd, yet intriguing and relevant play, Precious Little. But…
By AARON KRAUSE He is entering his 50th and final season as TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s Artistic Director and has garnered many awards for his work with the Bay Area company. And to top off Robert Kelley’s five decades at its helm, one of the longest of any professional regional theater, the founding artistic director recently…
By AARON KRAUSE FT. LAUDERDALE — Dramamine is not one of the products for sale in the theater lobbies where the Broadway musical adaptation of Anastasia plays. But if you are prone to motion sickness or equilibrium disturbances, you may want to consider asking your doctor or pharmacist about taking medication before attending. To be sure, nothing…
By AARON KRAUSE CORAL GABLES, FL. — “They say America is free? What do you know here is free?” The above line is from Paula Vogel’s popular biogaphy play with music, Indecent, now running in a mostly strong, creative production at GableStage on the grounds of the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. The work is about a…
By AARON KRAUSE MIAMI LAKES — Parts of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts’ Superior Donuts are as sweet as a sinful confection in the shop bearing the play’s title. Indeed, these moments will make you grin from ear to ear like the ambitious Franco Wicks, one of the main characters. The scenes, which for the…
By AARON KRAUSE BOCA RATON, FL. — A director mounting an evergreen such as Annie doesn’t have to dig deep to unearth modern relevance. After all, the beloved musical theater classic contains practically every ingredient necessary to keep an audience emotionally invested. And in The Wick Theatre’s current funny, sunny and touching production, director Norb Joerder and…
By AARON KRAUSE MIAMI — The woman of the moment rises. She approaches us with purpose, flashes a welcoming smile and waves warmly and enthusiastically to us. Perhaps the suddenly-skyrocketed wattage resulting from her warmth and brightness tempts us to silently hum the opening lyrics to the iconic title song. Of course, that number is “Hello, Dolly!,”…
By AARON KRAUSE WILTON MANORS, FL. — If Alex More were a real-life struggling actor, you probably wouldn’t want to roll up his sleeves if you cannot stand the sight of injuries. Surely, those limbs would sport huge red marks, or even bruises. After all, if you were More, how could you not want pinches to ensure…
