Chicago is a Big Show, Too Big for a Small Stage
San Jose Stage’s new production of Chicago is full of great dancing and singing performances, including a great ensemble cast, but...
REVIEWS
Alexandra Beall Garfield
- Feb 3, 2020
- 3 min
The Music of Willesden Lane
TheatreWorks' first show of 2020, The Pianist of Willesden Lane, is a beautiful exploration of love, music and resilience, set against a
Alexandra Garfield
- Dec 29, 2019
- 4 min
Austen for the Holidays
This is a show that you will not want to miss. If you like the story of Pride and Prejudice, any of Jane Austen's other works, Paul Gord
Alexandra Garfield
- Dec 14, 2019
- 4 min
Pure Magic
If you love Harry Potter, you likely already know about the Curran Theater's semi-permanent installation of Harry Potter and the Cursed
Cathleen Beall
- Nov 17, 2019
- 3 min
Back to Saigon
Since its debut in North America over 28 years ago, Miss Saigon continues to delight audiences. The story is based on Puccini’s Madame Butt
Alexandra Garfield
- Oct 9, 2019
- 4 min
Floating Down the Mississippi with Mark Twain
TheatreWorks’ newest show, Mark Twain’s River of Song, is a laid back look at the world depicted in Mark Twain’s novels and memoirs, as nar
Alexandra Garfield
- Sep 5, 2019
- 2 min
Exit Through the Rear Window
Overall, this is a show that I wish I could love. It’s full of great theatercraft and remarkable performances. But at the end of the day, I
Alexandra Garfield
- Aug 20, 2019
- 3 min
Wickedly Wonderful
Definitely go see this show. Honestly, I can’t think of a reason why you wouldn’t want to see Wicked at any opportunity. Stephen Schwartz’s
Alexandra Garfield
- Jul 25, 2019
- 2 min
The Right Words
Funny, heartfelt and painful, The Language Archive speaks to truths that are more complex than any language can describe.
TheatreWorks is
Alexandra Garfield
- Jun 20, 2019
- 2 min
Herd Mentality
It boils down to this—every element of the show (the script, actors, direction, etc.) was executed to perfection, it just didn’t move me. If
Alexandra Garfield
- Jun 15, 2019
- 3 min
Shaping a Century
Smart, moving and unexpectedly hilarious, Archduke tells the story of the three men that assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, arguably spa
Alexandra Garfield
- Jun 8, 2019
- 2 min
Stick it to the Man
There are two things that are critical to the success of any musical comedy: It must be fun and it must be heartfelt. School of Rock – The M
Alexandra Garfield
- May 23, 2019
- 2 min
Tradition!
Fiddler on the Roof is a classic. The story of Tevye, his daughters and his community have been a staple of musical theater since its premie
Alexandra Garfield
- May 12, 2019
- 3 min
Electrifying
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is a rare musical that combines all of the magic of an epic fantasy with the fun of a childre
Alexandra Garfield
- Apr 29, 2019
- 3 min
Thoughtful, Delightful and a Rollicking Good Time
What sets this version of Vanity Fair apart, however, is playwright Kate Hamill’s marvelous retelling of the story, which sheds light on Wil
Alexandra Garfield
- Apr 20, 2019
- 3 min
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
You may not know the names of Richard and Robert Sherman, but you already know their music. From writing classic scores including Mary Poppi
Alexandra Garfield
- Apr 19, 2019
- 2 min
Wish Fulfillment
Like so many of Disney’s stage adaptations of its classic animated movies, Aladdin is a spectacle that will take your breath away. In...
Alexandra Garfield
- Apr 12, 2019
- 2 min
Felder Does it Again!
Clever, heartfelt and moving, Hershey Felder’s newest show tells both his own story, and that of French composer, Claude Debussy. A Paris Lo
Alexandra Garfield
- Jan 31, 2019
- 2 min
Something Funny
Something Rotten tells the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom, playwrights in Elizabethan England attempting to outdo Shakespeare himself. Tryin
Alexandra Garfield
- Jan 22, 2019
- 2 min
Acting Presidential
When you think of the current political news climate, you may not immediately connect it to the 1970s. TheatreWorks’ production of Frost/Nix
Alexandra Garfield
- Dec 8, 2018
- 3 min
Be Found
Dear Evan Hansen is a show about now. About every person who has ever felt lonely or left out or insecure—it’s about all of us. Deftly bring
Alexandra Garfield
- Dec 3, 2018
- 2 min
Everlasting
TheatreWorks’ holiday show this year, Tuck Everlasting, is an emotional roller coaster that will force you to consider the cycle of life and
Alexandra Garfield
- Dec 1, 2018
- 3 min
The Prince is Giving a Ball
Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella is phenomenal. The music is simple yet unforgettable and the story is undeniably classic. Despite the nu
Alexandra Garfield
- Nov 18, 2018
- 2 min
All That Jazz
Chicago is the longest running American musical in Broadway history—and for good reason. Full of great music, a clever story and Bob Fosse’s
Alexandra Garfield
- Nov 17, 2018
- 3 min
High Volta-ge
The glory of the show is in its high-energy acrobatic acts. From bicycle stunts to trampoline daredevilry and stunning aerial acts, Voltadel
Alexandra Garfield
- Nov 7, 2018
- 3 min
Women in Rivers
Men on Boats, now playing at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater, has the unusual distinction of providing neither of the things promised in the title,
Alexandra Garfield
- Oct 30, 2018
- 3 min
Edwin Drood, An Unexpected Delight
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, is an unexpectedly delightful and high-quality production, tucked into a small theater in the heart of downtown
Alexandra Garfield
- Aug 31, 2018
- 2 min
Natural Laughs
Sweet, hilarious and all-too realistic, TheatreWorks’ second play of the season, Native Gardens, is sure to be a smash hit.
Native Gardens
Alexandra Garfield
- Jul 31, 2018
- 2 min
A Self-Evident Success
Hold These Truths is surprising and delightful while also delivering a sobering message about our country’s history. The one-man show tells
Alexandra Garfield
- Jul 22, 2018
- 3 min
A Splendid Show for the Senses
At its core, A Thousand Splendid Suns is about the resilience of the human spirit and the wonderful bonds between people that can endure des
Alexandra Garfield
- Jun 24, 2018
- 2 min
Blacklist?
FINKS is a deep dive into the thoughts and emotions of New York’s actors, comics, writers, dancers and producers. Although not ideal for so
Alexandra Garfield
- Jun 7, 2018
- 3 min
Oh What a Night
Jersey Boys is one of the most celebrated jukebox musicals, sweeping up four Tony Awards in 2006, including best musical. The show tells the
Alexandra Garfield
- May 24, 2018
- 2 min
A Perfect Proposal
The show is fast paced and fun, with jokes flying so fast you can barely catch them all. But most importantly, the show has a lot of heart.
Alexandra Garfield
- May 9, 2018
- 4 min
Eat that Pear
Pear Slices is a great forum where the Pear Theatre fosters new work and audiences can see a bunch of short plays in one sitting. As someone
Alexandra Garfield
- May 8, 2018
- 3 min
A Delightfully Classic Musical
There is little that can make me happier than a good old-fashioned musical. 42nd Street Moon’s production of Me and My Girl is just that, a
Alexandra Garfield
- May 4, 2018
- 3 min
The Many Faces of War
Lyrical, thought provoking and poignant, the current show from A.C.T. at the Geary Theater is the moving play, Father Comes Home From the Wa
Alexandra Garfield
- Apr 20, 2018
- 3 min
Go-Go to the New Go-Go’s Musical
Get ready to go-go mad for Head Over Heels, the new Go-Go’s musical currently running a pre-Broadway engagement at San Francisco’s Curran Th
Alexandra Garfield
- Apr 18, 2018
- 3 min
Imagining Neverland
Finding Neverland is a lovely show, packed with heart and exhilarating numbers about the power of imagination. It also has almost nothing to
Alexandra Garfield
- Apr 10, 2018
- 3 min
Bridges of Madison County Finishes Strong
The Bridges of Madison County is a fine show. There are some downsides and some redeeming aspects. Musically and emotionally, it cannot comp
Alexandra Garfield
- Mar 30, 2018
- 3 min
Flying Over Ice
Cirque du Soleil's Crystal is beautiful and breathtaking. It will make you cheer, clap and watch in open-mouthed amazement, particularly
Alexandra Garfield
- Mar 26, 2018
- 2 min
The Principals of Uncertainty
How well can you ever truly know someone? That is the question at the core of A.C.T.’s current show, Heisenberg. Overall, it’s a good play.
Alexandra Garfield
- Mar 18, 2018
- 2 min
More Than just Skin and Bones
Skeleton Crew is an intimate look at everyday people, which focuses on the specifics of the auto industry during the recession while highlig
Alexandra Garfield
- Mar 15, 2018
- 2 min
Bizarre but Beautiful
Love Never Dies is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s absurd sequel to his classic musical, The Phantom of the Opera. The plot is ridiculous, it takes pl
Alexandra Garfield
- Mar 12, 2018
- 3 min
Viet-Going, Going, Gone
Vietgone is pretty good, but its unwillingness to delve into its most poignant moments stops the show from being a great one. The show is fu
Alexandra Garfield
- Mar 2, 2018
- 4 min
Take Flight with Weightless
Weightless, is fundamentally different than anything else you’re going to see right now. It’s a rock concert and a touching small-stage prod
Alexandra Garfield
- Feb 22, 2018
- 2 min
Getting to Like You
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic, The King and I, has waltzed into San José and stolen its audience’s hearts. With the world and country se
Alexandra Garfield
- Feb 9, 2018
- 2 min
A Twisted Ankle
Jill Vice’s newest one-woman show, A Fatal Step, is an entertaining night out. Vice’s funny characterizations are wonderfully silly and remi
Alexandra Garfield
- Jan 25, 2018
- 2 min
Bunnies Have a Wedding, People Have a Cow
Sweet, interesting and thought provoking, Alabama Story is exactly the kind of show you want from a small local theater. Now playing at City
Alexandra Garfield
- Jan 20, 2018
- 3 min
Questions, Questions Everywhere
Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party is consistently ranked in the top 100 plays of the 20th century. Often it’s in the top 20. That does not
Alexandra Garfield
- Jan 17, 2018
- 2 min
One Man, A Whole Hotel of Characters
Don Reed’s autobiographical one-man show will have you giggling from the first moment to the last punch line. In a brilliant mix of verbal a