Author Archives: Christopher Arnott

The Verizon Play Through April 1 at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Written by Lisa Kron. Directed by Nicholas Martin. Original music by Jeanine Tesori. Lisa Kron’s contemporary comedy of communications breakdowns and corporate conspiracies is like a long, weird ramble that cuts out a lot. The comedy is in the chaos, which distorts the … Continue reading »

  My first Humana Festival event: a too-short one-hour seven-panelist discussion of “Critiquing Criticism: (re)imaging the future,” which could just as easily have been called “Extolling Criticism: The future is now.” The idea was that most people, or at least the hundreds of people in the room, still could differentiate between criticism and “reviewing,” or … Continue reading »

I am in Kentucky, for my first experience of the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s annual Humana Festival. The sum of my connections to the Humana, now in its 36th year, are this: • My fine new friend Lou Harry, whom I met on my last cross-country theater jaunt (an NEA fellowship last summer in Los … Continue reading »

Not exactly a theater event, but some of you follow my activities as a punk ukulele player. I’m part of a low-key acoustic coffeehouse performance tonight in honor of the beleaguered Occupy New Haven settlement on New Haven Green. I’ve worked up some new material just for the occasion, and have revived my novel rendition … Continue reading »

Long Wharf Theatre‘s Next Stage program for “early career theater professionals” (namely Long Wharf interns and promising young staffers) has evolved into an opportunity to present regular children’s shows at the theater. The latest, Loren Swortzell’s The Mischief Makers, directed by Kristianna Smith, begins this weekend. Remaining performances are today (Saturday the 24th) at 2 … Continue reading »

Basement Hades: Songs of the Underworld Through March 24 at the Yale Cabaret, 217 Park St., New Haven. (203) 432-1566, www.yalecabaret.org. Created by the ensemble. Text by Justin A. Taylor. Original music by Daniel Schlosberg. Directed by Ethan Heard. Set design by Edward T. Morris. Costume & puppet designer: Martin Schnellinger. Lighting co-designers: Masha Tsimiring … Continue reading »

  Bell, Book & Candle Through April 11 at the Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Dr., New Haven. (203) 787-4282, www.longwharf.org. By John Van Druten. Directed by Darko Tresnjak. Set design by Alexander Dodge. Costume design by Fabio Toblin. Lighting design by Matthew Richards. Sound design by Lindsay Jones. Wig design by Tom Watson. Production … Continue reading »

The Shubert Theater in New Haven announced its 2012-13 season this week. It’s a nice mix of classics (Les Miserables and West Side Story) and newer shows (Shrek, Addams Family, American Idiot), with an alternative, non-literary event (Blue Man Group) thrown in for good measure. Two of the shows—Addams Family and Jersey Boys—have scripts by … Continue reading »

If you thought the Yale Rep had no thrilling announcements left after the one-two-three-four-five-six punch of its 2012-13 season announcement last Friday… well, ust remember that the 2011-12 season ain’t over yet. With Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale now in previews and opening to critics this Thursday, the Rep’s announced who’s in its next show, the … Continue reading »

The Yale Rep has announced its 2012-13 season , and if it was announced two weeks from now I’d assume it was an April Fool’s jest cleverly designed to make me jump for joy and dance in the streets. It’s an exceptional list of projects, all the more exciting for those of us (and I’ll … Continue reading »