Alexandra Beall GarfieldFeb 14, 20203 minChicago is a Big Show, Too Big for a Small StageSan Jose Stage’s new production of Chicago is full of great dancing and singing performances, including a great ensemble cast, but...
Alexandra Beall GarfieldFeb 3, 20203 minThe Music of Willesden LaneTheatreWorks' first show of 2020, The Pianist of Willesden Lane, is a beautiful exploration of love, music and resilience, set against a
Alexandra GarfieldDec 29, 20194 minAusten for the HolidaysThis 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 GarfieldDec 14, 20194 minPure MagicIf you love Harry Potter, you likely already know about the Curran Theater's semi-permanent installation of Harry Potter and the Cursed
Cathleen BeallNov 17, 20193 minBack to SaigonSince 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 GarfieldOct 9, 20194 minFloating Down the Mississippi with Mark TwainTheatreWorks’ 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 GarfieldSep 5, 20192 minExit Through the Rear WindowOverall, 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 GarfieldAug 20, 20193 minWickedly WonderfulDefinitely 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 GarfieldJul 25, 20192 minThe Right WordsFunny, heartfelt and painful, The Language Archive speaks to truths that are more complex than any language can describe. TheatreWorks is
Alexandra GarfieldJun 20, 20192 minHerd MentalityIt 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 GarfieldJun 15, 20193 minShaping a CenturySmart, moving and unexpectedly hilarious, Archduke tells the story of the three men that assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, arguably spa
Alexandra GarfieldJun 8, 20192 minStick it to the ManThere 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 GarfieldMay 23, 20192 minTradition!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 GarfieldMay 12, 20193 minElectrifyingThe 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 GarfieldApr 29, 20193 minThoughtful, Delightful and a Rollicking Good TimeWhat sets this version of Vanity Fair apart, however, is playwright Kate Hamill’s marvelous retelling of the story, which sheds light on Wil
Alexandra GarfieldApr 20, 20193 minSupercalifragilisticexpialidociousYou may not know the names of Richard and Robert Sherman, but you already know their music. From writing classic scores including Mary Poppi
Alexandra GarfieldApr 19, 20192 minWish FulfillmentLike so many of Disney’s stage adaptations of its classic animated movies, Aladdin is a spectacle that will take your breath away. In...
Alexandra GarfieldApr 12, 20192 minFelder 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 GarfieldJan 31, 20192 minSomething FunnySomething Rotten tells the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom, playwrights in Elizabethan England attempting to outdo Shakespeare himself. Tryin
Alexandra GarfieldJan 22, 20192 minActing PresidentialWhen you think of the current political news climate, you may not immediately connect it to the 1970s. TheatreWorks’ production of Frost/Nix
Alexandra GarfieldDec 8, 20183 minBe FoundDear 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 GarfieldDec 3, 20182 minEverlastingTheatreWorks’ holiday show this year, Tuck Everlasting, is an emotional roller coaster that will force you to consider the cycle of life and
Alexandra GarfieldDec 1, 20183 minThe Prince is Giving a BallRogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella is phenomenal. The music is simple yet unforgettable and the story is undeniably classic. Despite the nu
Alexandra GarfieldNov 18, 20182 minAll That JazzChicago 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 GarfieldNov 17, 20183 minHigh Volta-geThe glory of the show is in its high-energy acrobatic acts. From bicycle stunts to trampoline daredevilry and stunning aerial acts, Voltadel
Alexandra GarfieldNov 7, 20183 minWomen in RiversMen 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 GarfieldOct 30, 20183 minEdwin Drood, An Unexpected DelightThe Mystery of Edwin Drood, is an unexpectedly delightful and high-quality production, tucked into a small theater in the heart of downtown
Alexandra GarfieldAug 31, 20182 minNatural LaughsSweet, hilarious and all-too realistic, TheatreWorks’ second play of the season, Native Gardens, is sure to be a smash hit. Native Gardens
Alexandra GarfieldJul 31, 20182 minA Self-Evident SuccessHold These Truths is surprising and delightful while also delivering a sobering message about our country’s history. The one-man show tells
Alexandra GarfieldJul 22, 20183 minA Splendid Show for the SensesAt 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 GarfieldJun 24, 20182 minBlacklist?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 GarfieldJun 7, 20183 minOh What a NightJersey Boys is one of the most celebrated jukebox musicals, sweeping up four Tony Awards in 2006, including best musical. The show tells the
Alexandra GarfieldMay 24, 20182 minA Perfect ProposalThe 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 GarfieldMay 9, 20184 minEat that PearPear 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 GarfieldMay 8, 20183 minA Delightfully Classic MusicalThere 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 GarfieldMay 4, 20183 minThe Many Faces of WarLyrical, 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 GarfieldApr 20, 20183 minGo-Go to the New Go-Go’s MusicalGet 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 GarfieldApr 18, 20183 minImagining NeverlandFinding Neverland is a lovely show, packed with heart and exhilarating numbers about the power of imagination. It also has almost nothing to
Alexandra GarfieldApr 10, 20183 minBridges of Madison County Finishes StrongThe Bridges of Madison County is a fine show. There are some downsides and some redeeming aspects. Musically and emotionally, it cannot comp
Alexandra GarfieldMar 30, 20183 minFlying Over IceCirque du Soleil's Crystal is beautiful and breathtaking. It will make you cheer, clap and watch in open-mouthed amazement, particularly
Alexandra GarfieldMar 26, 20182 minThe Principals of UncertaintyHow 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 GarfieldMar 18, 20182 minMore Than just Skin and BonesSkeleton Crew is an intimate look at everyday people, which focuses on the specifics of the auto industry during the recession while highlig
Alexandra GarfieldMar 15, 20182 minBizarre but BeautifulLove 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 GarfieldMar 12, 20183 minViet-Going, Going, GoneVietgone 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 GarfieldMar 2, 20184 minTake Flight with WeightlessWeightless, 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 GarfieldFeb 22, 20182 minGetting to Like YouRodgers 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 GarfieldFeb 9, 20182 minA Twisted AnkleJill Vice’s newest one-woman show, A Fatal Step, is an entertaining night out. Vice’s funny characterizations are wonderfully silly and remi
Alexandra GarfieldJan 25, 20182 minBunnies Have a Wedding, People Have a CowSweet, interesting and thought provoking, Alabama Story is exactly the kind of show you want from a small local theater. Now playing at City
Alexandra GarfieldJan 20, 20183 minQuestions, Questions EverywhereHarold 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 GarfieldJan 17, 20182 minOne Man, A Whole Hotel of CharactersDon 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