2020 ushers in my fifteen-year mark of writing theatre critique, advocacy and arts features in the Texas/Oklahoma region. How tempus does fugit. I saw an array of well wrought, engaging productions throughout the year. The endeavors of young, adventuresome artists encourage me to think that the region has enormous growth potential. Small companies with strict … Continue reading
William Shakespeare was dead for forty-four years before any woman was allowed to perform any role in his plays, proclaims Theatre Unbound, a Minnesota women’s theatre company that mounts live stage productions “conceived and created” exclusively by women. Since 1999 this unique company has given opportunities to 137 female directors, 435 female actors, 109 male … Continue reading
Best of 2017? DFW fosters a diverse, vibrant theatre community with more talent expanding its depth and range every year. Many interesting roles for women in 2017…. Despite the focus on harassment issues and the #MeToo paradigm shift, DFW theatre trends towards more parity in male/female engagement. It’s always easy to recall an array of … Continue reading
RICHARD III The term Machiavellian gets applied to Richard III often, referencing the incarnation of the king William Shakespeare created for a British court focused on dynastic justification. It frequently inspires two kinds of portrayals of the titular character on stage. They are 1) a supremely vile psychopath who rages at the drop of a … Continue reading
In its eight-year tenure, North Texas’ Trinity Shakespeare Festival has presented highly imaginative, visually splendid, superbly cast and textually sound productions of dual works in a short summer repertory season. 2017 ushers in the Festival for its 9th year (June 13 – July 2) with a unique pairing of two of the Bard’s most … Continue reading
Trinity Shakespeare Festival proudly announces its productions for Summer 2017, as it enters its 9th year of audience-pleasing excellence in performance. Richard III and Measure for Measure will run in repertory June 13-July 2, 2017 on the campus of Texas Christian University. AUDITIONS FOR TRINITY SHAKESPEARE 2017 Wednesday and Thursday January 18th and 19th Open … Continue reading
2015 unfolded as a stunner of a thespian year, from classics to new work, dynamic paradigm-shifters to re-invigorated audience favorites, ensemble achievements to compelling solo work. Youth to senior artists. And music? Glorious music! Performance art in our region thrives with energy, respect, initiative and genuine variety. Dedicated, impassioned creative people form the backbone … Continue reading
I am honored to announce that the Trinity Shakespeare Festival, for its 8th season on the Texas Christian University campus, has engaged Stephen Brown-Fried to return to direct the Bard’s beloved comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The Festival runs June 7 through 26, 2016. When asked how he feels about coming back to Fort Worth … Continue reading
Another year of outstanding D/FW thespian endeavor rolls by. Herein I post the decisions arrived at by the Dallas-Fort Worth Theatre Critics Forum after three hours of deliberation, negotiation, advocacy and munching David Novinski’s delicious gluten-free brownies to finish our potluck meal at Martha’s. I’m stoked by the diversity and quality of performance art in … Continue reading
“I operate on the premise that a theatre’s job is to prevent people from leaving their seats before the entertainment is over.” I concur wholeheartedly with Tom Stoppard, who uttered those words in … Continue reading
criticalrant.com Alexandra Bonifield 