Author Archives

University administrator and teacher by day, theater and arts critic by night.

AVA Giargiari 2023 Vocal Competition—DF Reviews for Parterre Box

Another year, another strong group of AVA artists give us careers to look forward to.

A beautiful, funny, disquieting study by an artist whose mastery of understatement is nonpareil.

If only good intentions were good theater!

Wanna feel old? Hair, “The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical,” has its 56th birthday this month.

Despite some stunning stage images, this adaptation of The Pianist remains stubbornly literary and often inert.

The writers of the Box and James’s friends are saddened to announce the death of the inimitable founder of Parterre Box.

Director Terry Nolen’s second production of this Sondheim work is an intriguingly different take on the piece.

Unholy Wars is most an opera when it is, with “Lascia ch’io pianga,” actually an opera.

In sum: not a perfect Simon Boccanegra—is there such a thing?—but a grand and often great one.

In 90 minutes, Rene Orth’s riveting work gives us everything we could want in a new opera.