Company

                                           Derrick Davis, Judy McLane & Britney Coleman

 There is a brilliant play on stage at the Forrest Theatre through December 10, 2023. It is the smashing success of the revival of Sondheim and Furth’s  Company , presented by the Kimmel Cultural Campus and the Shubert Organization.  Britney Coleman (Bobbie) leads an outstanding ensemble cast. Spectacular vignettes feature Bobbie’s friends celebrating her 35^th birthday party. Exceedingly funny, Bobbie’s friends express their various marital plights in song. Several numbers received uproarious applause from the audience, most notably  Matt Rodin's (Jamie's) rendition of "Getting Married Today" and  Judy McLane's (Joanne's) rendition of  "Ladies Who Lunch." The set designs are simplistic yet glorious thanks to Tony Award set designer  Bunny Christie.  Bobbie’s singing against a backdrop of a thunderstorm is phenomenal, thanks to  Set Designer Neil Austin and Sound Designer Ian Dickenson, both  Tony Award nominees. Company is a marvelous compilation of Sondheim’s songs with an extremely accomplished cast. For more information or tickets, call 212-239-6200, visitwww.telecharge.com or visit in person at the Forrest Theater box office 1114 Walnut Street.

Crumbs from the Table of Joy

                                           Morgan Charece Hall & Brett Ashley Robinson

Lynn Nottage’s Crumbs from the Table of Joy will be playing at the Lantern Theater Company at St. Stephen’s Theater through December 10, 2023.  It is an exquisite memory piece.  Morgan Charéce Hall, portraying Ernestine Crump, Godfrey’s older daughter, narrates the play as she steps in and out of the drama. Her performance is exceptional as she weaves the story of her father (Walter DeShields) moving up north to follow the teachings of Father Divine in Philadelphia and her Aunt Lily’s (Brett Ashley Robinson) free-thinking communist ways. ( It is debatable who steals more scenes- Ms. Hall or Ms. Robinson .) Ernestine and her sister are often mocked at school for their poverty as evidenced in their hand-made clothes, but discrimination becomes more intense once their father marries  a white woman.  Lynne Nottage weaves many themes throughout this masterpiece.  It is sometimes funny, quite often serious, but always breathtaking. For more information or tickets, call 215-829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org.

 

Elephant in the Room

                                                                      Priyanka Shetty

Akuka Theatre, located in the Louis Bluver Theatre at The Drake, has extended the run of The Elephant in the Room through November 19th. Written and performed by Priyanka Shetty, this one act play, set in the dressing room of a theatre, explores the paths the playwright has traveled to reach the point of her performing in front of her parents who have traveled from India. I found The Elephant in the Room mesmerizing. Priyanka’s performance is bold as she illustrates two sides of arguments with her mother; has the door slammed in her face during auditions when she reaches America; has arguments with her “aunties”; and pleas with her brother to take her side and not side with her parents about having her freedoms. Her slight change of costume keeps the pace of the piece moving. Tales of rascism and near despair  are replaced by hope and  determination. She frequently speaks to the audience and the  audience members laugh in appreciation of her travails. Priyanka tells her truth in this, her first foray into playwrighting and does so exceedingly well.

Selling Kabul

                                                               Raz Ayer & Awesta Zarif

InterAct Theatre Company is producing the regional premiere of Selling Kabul  by Sylvia Khoury through November 19, 2023, in the Proscenium Theatre at the Drake, 302 S. Hicks. Street. This 95-minute drama is perhaps purposely slow-paced. It dramatically reveals the pressures placed upon all of the characters    Afiya, portrayed  by Awesta Zarif,  has her nerves on edge any time her brother, Taroon, portrayed by Raz Ayar, speaks above a whisper or appears near a window. She has been hiding him for months while he awaits a promised visa from the U.S. for help in translating. When he receives news that his wife has just had a baby the situation becomes even more fraught as he is determined to leave and see his wife and newborn son. A neighbor’s visit  (Leyla- portrayed by Lois Abdelmalek) only complicates matters. Tensions are high throughout this piece and  the audience is a bit traumatized as the play reaches its conclusion. Selling Kabul is extremely powerful and while not for the faint of heart, it demands to be seen by a wide audience. For more information or tickets, visit www.InterAct.org.