Chosen by Their Moment: Hecht, Cantor, and Rose
How three American showbiz figures reclaimed their Jewishness in a time of crisis and redefined it in the popular imagination.
Opinion
‘What the Constitution Means to Me’ Is Setting a Theatrical Precedent
Women and people of color, along with artistic originality, should not be considered commercial risks.
Black, Queer, and Here
In a post-‘Moonlight’ world, writers like Michael R. Jackson and Jeremy O. Harris are making the case for LGBTQ stories that go beyond the gay white experience.
Arts Journalism for 2019: Lead With Questions, Not Opinions
What did I learn at this year’s TCG National Conference? Criticism and journalism may be facing a crisis, but I can be part of the solution.
In ‘Fairview,’ the Light of Truth and Its Reflection
If people of color were able to speak freely in a theatrical space, what would we say? Jackie Sibblies Drury’s play offers a compelling answer.
In Colorado, Seeing New Plays Before They’re Born
Last week at the Colorado New Play Festival in Steamboat Springs, work by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and Jill Sobule, among others, searched for its sound and form.
‘King Lear’ Minus the Monarch, Plus Mom
Samantha Shay’s stripped-down, fem-focused take on the tragedy inspires low-tech awe—and starts a raucous argument.
The Translator’s Glance
Moving work from one language to another is an art unto itself, and adapting it for the stage only adds layers of challenge and meaning.
Qui Nguyen Is Telling the Story of Asian America
How ‘Vietgone’ and ‘Poor Yella Rednecks’ subverts the Asian-as-foreigner trope to tell a distinctly American story.
The Gender Problem ‘Tootsie’ Can’t Dress Up
The new musical’s creators think they’ve upended the material’s sexist tropes; apparently they don’t see that ‘man in a dress’ jokes are inherently transphobic.