http://plays.about.com/ Get the latest headlines from the About.com http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hh http://www.about.com/ 118 20 en-us 2012-02-20T23:20:28Z Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:20:28 +0000 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/21/sam-shepards-plays.htm <p>My first experience with Sam Shepard was actually one of my first experiences with professional theater. It was When I was thirteen years old, my grandfather was a season subscriber at the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://performingarts.about.com/od/Administration/a/Regional-Spotlight-Staying-Epic-At-The-Seattle-Rep.htm">Seattle Repertory Theatre</a>, and because he knew I was interested in the theater, he invited me along one evening. We watched <em>Curse of the Starving Class</em>. I didn't like it then, and I'm not crazy about it now. </p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/21/sam-shepards-plays.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/21/sam-shepards-plays.htm Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:47:50 +0000 2012-02-21T23:47:50Z http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/20/acting-and-cgi-characters.htm <p> Slightly over two years ago, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2010/01/26/motion-capture-is-it-really-acting.htm">I blogged about whether or not motion capture based films</a> such as <em>Avatar</em> and <em>The Polar Express</em> truly counted as acting. Obviously, a great deal of theater-skills are involved in the motion-capture process. Although they are covered in dots and working in front of a giant green-screen, they still give their best possible performance. But how many subtle nuances are lost when the special effects crew do their magic? How many changes in facial expressions are altered or added or just plain deleted? </p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/20/acting-and-cgi-characters.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/20/acting-and-cgi-characters.htm Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:20:28 +0000 2012-02-20T23:20:28Z http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/17/foolish-friday-2.htm <p>My tribute to the great method actors of the 20th century.</p> <p> <img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/plays/1/0/b/-/-/-/stella.JPG" alt="stella!!!!" /> </p> http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/17/foolish-friday-2.htm Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:33:16 +0000 2012-02-17T19:33:16Z http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/17/cynthia-nixon-in-wit.htm <img src="http://www.wadebradford.com/wit2.jpg" alt="cynthia nixon" align="left"/> <p> When HBO premiered its quintessential "girl's night out" comedy series, <a href="http://entertaining.about.com/cs/holidays/a/sexandthecity.htm"><em>Sex and the City</em></a>, not many viewers were aware the theatrical background of the stars, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon. Both women had performed as the same character in early production of Wendy Wasserstein's award winning <a href="http://plays.about.com/b/2012/01/21/the-heidi-chronicles.htm"><em>The Heidi Chronicles</em></a>. Parker hasn't been back to Broadway since the City ended, but Nixon has starred in <a href="http://plays.about.com/b/2010/12/07/down-the-rabbit-hole.htm"><em>Rabbit Hole</em></a> and most recently has been astounding audiences in the heavy-hitting drama <em>Wit</em> by <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2008/04/06/margaret-edsons-wit.htm">Margaret Edson</a>. </p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/17/cynthia-nixon-in-wit.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/17/cynthia-nixon-in-wit.htm Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:29:22 +0000 2012-02-17T19:29:22Z http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/15/review-in-the-heights-in-toronto.htm <p><em>In the Heights</em>, the Latin-jazzy, hip-hop masterpiece won over my soul the moment I heard the soundtrack. Why did it claim the number one spot on my <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2009/12/04/top-ten-musicals-of-the-decade.htm">top-ten list of best musicals of the last decade?</a> Because it is a work of sheer joy, complete with vibrant rap, salsa-tinged lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Unlike a lot of other musicals, this one takes place in our decade; it's exploring the here and now. And despite the fact that there is so much in our daily lives to worry about, <em>In the Heights</em> reminds us to take comfort in our friends, our family, and our home.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/15/review-in-the-heights-in-toronto.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/15/review-in-the-heights-in-toronto.htm Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:38:34 +0000 2012-02-15T23:38:34Z http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/13/fast-fractured-fairy-tales.htm <p> As a writer of children's plays, I am well-versed in modern updates and various revisions of fairy tales. Of all the fractured fairy tales that I have seen and read, <a href="http://plays.about.com/od/plays/a/sondheim.htm"><em> Into the Woods </em> is hands down the best</a>. And now, the Broadway musical of the late 1980s is being adapted into a motion picture. I should be excited. But I am more nervous than excited.Although I am leary about my favorite Stephen Sondheim musical making its way to the big screen, at least the production is in good hands. Director <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://theater.about.com/b/2012/01/11/disney-to-make-new-film-of-sondheims-into-the-woods.htm">Rob Marshall </a>(the man behind Chicago's filmic success) will be helming the project. </p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/13/fast-fractured-fairy-tales.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/13/fast-fractured-fairy-tales.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:07:04 +0000 2012-02-13T17:07:04Z http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/10/foolish-friday-1.htm <p>This is my attempt at making Greek tragedies less tragic.</p> <img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/plays/1/0/a/-/-/-/rex.JPG" alt="oedipus" /> </p><p> Happy Friday, everyone! http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/10/foolish-friday-1.htm Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:57:15 +0000 2012-02-10T13:57:15Z http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/09/nbcs-smash-hit-or-miss.htm <p> So, did you check out Monday's premiere of <a href="http://tvdramas.about.com/od/smash/p/Smash-Synopsis-And-Essential-Information.htm"><em>Smash</em></a>? In case you have been shielding your eyes from commercials and print ads, this is the new NBC show that combines elements of musicals, soap-opera, business drama, along with a splash of <em>Will and Grace</em> thrown in for good measure. The common online buzz has been labeling it <a href="http://plays.about.com/b/2011/01/03/get-your-gleek-on.htm"><em>Glee</em></a> for grown-ups, but aside from its focus on songs and production numbers it is very different than the world of Lima, Ohio. </p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/09/nbcs-smash-hit-or-miss.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/09/nbcs-smash-hit-or-miss.htm Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:02:01 +0000 2012-02-09T01:02:01Z http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/07/arms-and-the-man-by-g-b-shaw.htm <p>What makes a hero? What makes a coward? Is bravery all a matter of perception? The mastermind of irreverence, George Bernard Shaw delves into these questions with his play <em>Arms and the Man</em>, and in the process skewers the social construction of honor and manliness present throughout 19th century Europe.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/07/arms-and-the-man-by-g-b-shaw.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/07/arms-and-the-man-by-g-b-shaw.htm Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:29:19 +0000 2012-02-07T23:29:19Z http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/05/learn-an-accent-for-your-character.htm <p>This month, I have a small but fun role in a stage adaptation of <a href="http://classiclit.about.com/od/littleprincessburnett/a/Little-Princess-Questions-For-Study-And-Discussion.htm"><em>A Little Princess. </em></a> I'm actually playing two characters, and during act one I have an outrageous French accent, a sharp contrast to the slight East Indian accent I maintain during the second half of the show.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/05/learn-an-accent-for-your-character.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://plays.about.com/b/2012/02/05/learn-an-accent-for-your-character.htm Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:49:14 +0000 2012-02-05T12:49:14Z