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
Tagged with undermain theatre …
Sanitizing Genocide & Dissing Critics at Undermain
Don’t you love it when theatre companies make stuff up and it unravels on Facebook? Here’s a recent example: Email I received from Undermain’s Press Director Dana Cobb on 3/10, re: press seats for 3/22 opening of We Are Proud to Present…: “Undermain Theatre strives to make as many performances accessible for reviewing press. Due … Continue reading
Len Jenkin’s Reel Fantasy Adventure: Undermain Theatre
Guest review by Equity actor Jason Kane: Undermain Theatre’s long history with playwright Len Jenkin fits very snugly within the company’s body of work, reflecting its respect for lyrical language and magical imagery. Jenkin is a master of language, a good thing. Abraham Zobell’s Home Movie: Final Reel might fade from memory as a cookie-cutter … Continue reading
Strike Two at Undermain Theatre
Would it not seem logical if a theatre company invites a critic to attend its shows that the company would seat that critic in a good seat? A prime location with unobstructed views, where the critic could obtain the fullest, most positive impression of the creative team’s earnest work? With some companies in the North … Continue reading
Diverse, Dynamic, Dramatic Dallas Welcomes the TCG Conference
“It’s death by art,” she grins, ruefully. Referring to her killer arts schedule as Kitchen Dog Theater’s Co-Artistic Director, Tina Parker welcomes Theatre Communications Group’s annual national conference descending this week on Dallas TX in stride. Multi-tasking? No problemo for this canny, creative, ‘wondrous’ woman…. She just opened two major productions at her unique theatre … Continue reading
All In the Biblical Family with Fred & Laura
You’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar, ” scolds an old wives’ tale. Who believes what old wives say, anyway? Performance artists Fred Curchack and Laura Jorgensen take these words to heart and sell the concept convincingly in their irreverent, thought-provoking 2012 stage production “Burying Our Father: A Biblical Debacle”. Now in its southwest … Continue reading
Piling on the Pyre: Fred Curchack & Laura Jorgensen’s “Burying Our Father”
American Airlines enjoys a close personal relationship with nationally celebrated performance artists Fred Curchack and Laura Jorgensen. That’s because this dynamic, creative duo lives and works c.1800 miles apart and spends lots of time commuting between Texas and California so they can perform their unique original plays together. It’s an arrangement that works well for … Continue reading
Kommós for War: Undermain’s “An Iliad” from the Homer
Who was the Greek poet Homer, anyway? Known as the “Homeric question”, there’s speculation about his existence comparable to William Shakespeare’s. Both have spawned a raft of scholarly and semi-sensational writings that assert, “Someone else wrote these works”. Maybe around the 12th or the 7th or 8th century BC, a poet known as Homer, or … Continue reading
Best of 2011: On Stage in North Texas
Reflecting on North Texas’ stage performance in 2011, I take pride in recognizing the region’s senior directors. They bring immense creative vision and studied, practiced, pragmatic understanding of their craft to the arts community. They inspire performers, critics, advocates and patrons, alike, to “keep after it”, even as we have less than a 9% share … Continue reading
Above the Fold: Undermain Theatre, Clearly Engaged
Don’t let her worn jeans tucked into high top cowboy boots fool you. Behind the Odessa native’s soft-spoken down-home demeanor lurks a sophisticated, worldly artist with a comprehensive vision for her company focused taut like a laser beam. Artistic Director Katherine Owens has guided Undermain Theatre through twenty-eight years of imaginative, cutting edge theatre, featuring … Continue reading
criticalrant.com Alexandra Bonifield 