Rift or White Lies

                                                         Matteo Scammell & Jered McLenigan 

InterAct Theatre Company is producing the World Premiere of   Rift or White Lies by Gabriel Jason Dean through April 27, 2025.  A  Wow factor of 10!   Based on the playwright’s true story, this creation gives audience members much to ponder as two brothers, one a progressive novelist and the other a convicted murderer and member of a white supremacist gang interact in a series of meetings in a prison cell.  Actors Jered McLenigan  and Matteo Scammell are both phenomenal while playing the roles of a hardened criminal ( “ I didn’t really do it “) and an English professor/novelist.  What is even more extraordinary is that the actors switch these diametrically opposed roles every other night. Audience members who retain their tickets can come to see the actors in the reverse roles the following evening at a discount rate.   Inside and Outside Brothers refers to Inside and Outside the prison cell.  The  “Outside Brother” ages  over the 26 -year  time span of the play by adding  a wig and changing  his dress.  The  “Inside  Brother” removes the bandages from his head and jaw.  The  “Outside Brother” has the best intentions of repairing a fractured relationship .  The  “Inside Brother”  is a very convincing con-artist.    This is a very unsettling drama as the shared trauma that unites the brothers is revealed over  time.      Q & A with the Artist will be held after the performance on the 19^th and 26th.  Q & A with Seth Rozin, the director, will be held after the 13^th and 20^th performances.

 

 

 

Dream Girls

                                      Gabriella Beckford, Khalifa White & Aveena Sawyer

Dream Girls,  which won 6 Tony awards when it premiered on Broadway in 1981,  is appearing on the Walnut Street Theatre’s main stage through May 4, 2025. It is a dynamic musical inspired by the Supremes.  With over 25  songs in the production’s two acts, it is next to impossible to keep still in your seats while listening to performances of pop, R & B, disco, and other musical genres. And the dancing… Gerry McIntyre is both director and  choreographer of Dream Girls.   The choreography is excellent  throughout the show . It becomes especially notable midway through Act 1 in  the number  “Steppin’ to the Bad Side”.  It is a great number for the men in the cast. The dance moves are eye-catching.  When Effie  White, the lead singer ( Aveena Sawyer), is delegated to a spot in the back line of the Dreamgirls, Deena Jones (Gabrielle Beckford) is happy to replace her. Khalifa White ( Lorrell Robinson ),  just happily sings along, no matter who the lead singer is. Effie is eventually replaced by Michelle (Chali Cooke), but she doesn’t go happily.   Aveena Shaw has an outstanding voice and the ability to project profound grief.  She is a masterful Dream Girl . Dustin Cross has done a phenomenal job with costume design. On three separate occasions actors changed their costumes onstage by a  flip of their shoulders. The audience reacted with applause instantaneously. Kudos also go to lighting designer  Jose Santiago  who uses many lights in a variety of ways. Dream Girls will be an enjoyable trip down memory lane for some and an exciting new adventure for others. Wherever your experience lies, be sure to get your tickets for a performance for this awesome  show. For tickets or more information, visit WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.com or call 215-754-3550.