Loretta Greco

Tonye Patano, left, and Lise Bruneau appear in American Conservatory Theater’s “Sweat.” (Courtesy Kevin Berne)

ACT’s ‘Sweat’ compassionately deconstructs American Dream

“Three generations of loyalty to the same company,” says Stan (Rod Gnapp),…

 

A family from the Philippines living in San Francisco is the subject of Magic Theatre’s premiere “The Gangster of Love.” (Courtesy Jennifer Reiley)

Epic immigrant story loses focus in Magic’s ‘Gangster of Love’

The most interesting character in “The Gangster of Love,” Jessica Hagedorn’s Magic…

 

Julia McNeal is excellent in the first play of Magic Theatre’s premiere “The Eva Trilogy.” (Courtesy Jennifer Reiley)

Solo performance illuminates Magic’s ‘Eva Trilogy’

“Eden,” the beautiful, poetic first play in Barbara Hammond’s “The Eva Trilogy,”…

 

Andrew Pastides and Jessi Campbell are excellent in Magic Theatre’s “Fool for Love.” (Courtesy Jennifer Reiley)

Magic starts golden season with searing Shepard

“I don’t love you. I don’t need you. I don’t want you,”…

Andrew Pastides and Jessi Campbell are excellent in Magic Theatre’s “Fool for Love.” (Courtesy Jennifer Reiley)
From left, James Wagner, Allison Jean White, Rebecca Watson and Rod Gnapp make up the excellent ensemble cast in “The Realistic Joneses” at American Conservatory Theater. (Courtesy Kevin Berne)

ACT’s ‘Realistic Joneses’ looks at life on many levels

Playwright Will Eno has a brilliant way of manipulating language to probe…

From left, James Wagner, Allison Jean White, Rebecca Watson and Rod Gnapp make up the excellent ensemble cast in “The Realistic Joneses” at American Conservatory Theater. (Courtesy Kevin Berne)
Christine Jamlig plays a woman who finds her father (Ogie Zulueta) dead in Magic Theatre’s “Dogeaters.” (Courtesy Jennifer Reiley)

Marcos era doesn’t come into focus in ‘Dogeaters’

Enough happens in Jessica Hagedorn’s 1998 drama “Dogeaters,” now in a revised…

Christine Jamlig plays a woman who finds her father (Ogie Zulueta) dead in Magic Theatre’s “Dogeaters.” (Courtesy Jennifer Reiley)
Katharine Chin, left, and Jessi Campbell appear in Magic Theatre’s engaging production of “Fred’s Diner.“ (Courtesy Jennifer Reiley)

Denizens of ‘Fred’s Diner’ are wonderfully human

In “Fred’s Diner,” each of the three women working long hours in…

Katharine Chin, left, and Jessi Campbell appear in Magic Theatre’s engaging production of “Fred’s Diner.“ (Courtesy Jennifer Reiley)
Foreground, from left, Tristan Cunningham and Sean San Jose appear in California Shakespeare Theater’s “Life Is a Dream.” (Courtesy Kevin Berne)

Spain’s dramatic Golden Age comes to light in Cal Shakes’ ‘Dream’

The California Shakespeare Theater has built its reputation on works by its…

Foreground, from left, Tristan Cunningham and Sean San Jose appear in California Shakespeare Theater’s “Life Is a Dream.” (Courtesy Kevin Berne)
Courtesy PhotoSarah Nina Hayon and Sean San Jose are excellent as a troubled pair seemingly missing a baby in Magic Theatre’s “Se Llama Cristina.”

‘Se Llama Cristina’ is poetic, profane

At the beginning of San Francisco-based playwright Octavio Solis’ riveting new drama,…

Courtesy PhotoSarah Nina Hayon and Sean San Jose are excellent as a troubled pair seemingly missing a baby in Magic Theatre’s “Se Llama Cristina.”
Courtesy PhotoCaptivating: Henny Russell gives a nuanced performance as a research scientist in Magic Theatre’s beguiling production of “The Other Place.”

Mystery, intrigue in Magic Theatre’s ‘Other Place’

As Sharr White’s intense, compact new play, “The Other Place,” proceeds, mysteries…

Courtesy PhotoCaptivating: Henny Russell gives a nuanced performance as a research scientist in Magic Theatre’s beguiling production of “The Other Place.”
They’ve got issues: Rod Gnapp and Denise Cormier play a couple recently reunited after a long separation in Magic Theatre’s premiere of “Annapurna.” (Courtesy photo)They’ve got issues: Rod Gnapp and Denise Cormier play a couple recently reunited after a long separation in Magic Theatre’s premiere of “Annapurna.” (Courtesy photo)

Magic Theatre premieres Shar White’s ‘Annapurna’

In “Annapurna,” New York playwright Sharr White’s world premiere at the Magic…

They’ve got issues: Rod Gnapp and Denise Cormier play a couple recently reunited after a long separation in Magic Theatre’s premiere of “Annapurna.” (Courtesy photo)They’ve got issues: Rod Gnapp and Denise Cormier play a couple recently reunited after a long separation in Magic Theatre’s premiere of “Annapurna.” (Courtesy photo)