-Rob Cline has a review of "An Enemy of the People" on CorridorBuzz.com.
-Still nothing on either that or "Arms and the Man" from Let's Get Excited About Iowa Theater! hero Monica Reida.
And the worker at Panera that always struck me as nice is back. I won't say his name.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
A Very Thoughtful Weekend of Theater
So I did something really brilliant and commuted between Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids/Iowa City this weekend to see three plays. This was "brilliant" because it snowed. And there was some sleet, I think.
Anyway, "An Enemy of the People" at Dreamwell is very good. But it's Ibsen, so that helps.
The two plays that were done at CSPS (which are not running anymore), "Cedar Rapids Famous" and "My Father's Imaginary Friend" were also very good. New plays, with puppets. Yay!
And finally, I saw "Fences" at Theatre Cedar Rapids. The reviews did it no justice, I think, but that's me.
I'm bouncing between seeing "Medusa Rising" at Riverside or "Arms and the Man" at the Waterloo Community Playhouse. I want to be bold and see the new play, but the other is Shaw.
It's not helping that there hasn't been a review put up on "Fragments" yet. Which either tells me that Monica Reida doesn't feel like reviewing it (which would shock me), or she didn't see it.
Plus I'm a bit cautious because the last incredible thing I saw at WCP was "Into the Woods", which wasn't directed by Charles Stillwill.
So, go see "Medusa Rising" and "An Enemy of the People."
Anyway, "An Enemy of the People" at Dreamwell is very good. But it's Ibsen, so that helps.
The two plays that were done at CSPS (which are not running anymore), "Cedar Rapids Famous" and "My Father's Imaginary Friend" were also very good. New plays, with puppets. Yay!
And finally, I saw "Fences" at Theatre Cedar Rapids. The reviews did it no justice, I think, but that's me.
I'm bouncing between seeing "Medusa Rising" at Riverside or "Arms and the Man" at the Waterloo Community Playhouse. I want to be bold and see the new play, but the other is Shaw.
It's not helping that there hasn't been a review put up on "Fragments" yet. Which either tells me that Monica Reida doesn't feel like reviewing it (which would shock me), or she didn't see it.
Plus I'm a bit cautious because the last incredible thing I saw at WCP was "Into the Woods", which wasn't directed by Charles Stillwill.
So, go see "Medusa Rising" and "An Enemy of the People."
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Today in Theater: March 25
-Corridorbuzz.com has an article on Dreamwell's 2009 season.
-Iowa Theatre Blog has a post about Dreamwell's "An Enemy of the People", which opens on Friday in Iowa City.
-Iowa Theatre Blog has a post about Dreamwell's "An Enemy of the People", which opens on Friday in Iowa City.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Today in Theater: March 24
-Monica at "Fragments" has a list of all of the plays in Eastern Iowa remaining between now and July 2009.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Quote of the Week
This has nothing to do with theater, but it's amusing.
-"On Facebook" by Monica Reida [Fragments]
"I could care less about how OMG U LIKE A GUY BUT WTF? UR 2 AFRAID 2 TALK TO HIM. (It pained me to type that sentence.)"
-"On Facebook" by Monica Reida [Fragments]
Today in Theater: March 22
I'm kinda sucking at this. Sorry.
-CorridorBuzz.com had a preview of "Fences" on their website Thursday.
-There were reviews of "Fences" in today's Gazette and on the Iowa Theatre Blog (see previous post).
-And the Iowa Theatre Blog has a behind the scenes video of "Fences."
It's a very "Fences"-centric weekend of blogging. But that just opened, so that's why.
-CorridorBuzz.com had a preview of "Fences" on their website Thursday.
-There were reviews of "Fences" in today's Gazette and on the Iowa Theatre Blog (see previous post).
-And the Iowa Theatre Blog has a behind the scenes video of "Fences."
It's a very "Fences"-centric weekend of blogging. But that just opened, so that's why.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Reviews of "Fences" at Theatre Cedar Rapids
Rob Cline gives it a very positive review in the Gazette praising the performances, the writing, but pointing out that there are some spots where the show slows down.
On the Iowa Theatre Blog, James Trainor gives it a positive review, but points out that the set is a rather large and the actors stumble in some points.
Also on the Iowa Theatre Blog, Monica Reida (yes, that Monica Reida, who is the blogger at Fragments according to the bio) gives the show a rave and doesn't point out any faults.
What all three critics agree on is that Vershawn Ashanti Young is great as Gabriel, it is not a play that you have to be Black to understand, and that August Wilson wrote a great play.
Some interesting things: Trainor discusses TCR's outreach program that asked what the play's subject meant to area children and mentions some technical difficulties with the lights, while Cline and Reida don't.
They're all interesting, very different reviews. But I know what I'm spending my money to go see this weekend.
On the Iowa Theatre Blog, James Trainor gives it a positive review, but points out that the set is a rather large and the actors stumble in some points.
Also on the Iowa Theatre Blog, Monica Reida (yes, that Monica Reida, who is the blogger at Fragments according to the bio) gives the show a rave and doesn't point out any faults.
What all three critics agree on is that Vershawn Ashanti Young is great as Gabriel, it is not a play that you have to be Black to understand, and that August Wilson wrote a great play.
Some interesting things: Trainor discusses TCR's outreach program that asked what the play's subject meant to area children and mentions some technical difficulties with the lights, while Cline and Reida don't.
They're all interesting, very different reviews. But I know what I'm spending my money to go see this weekend.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Reminder
August Wilson's Fences opens to night at Theatre Cedar Rapids' Lindale location.
I will be eagerly awaiting the reviews.
I will be eagerly awaiting the reviews.
What the Courier Cut from Monica Reida's Letter
Remember yesterday how I said that it seemed as though Monica Reida's letter stopped abruptly?
That's because it did. They cut out a huge chunk of her letter.
I received an email today from Reida, who was nice enough to give me the rest of her letter.
You got that, right? The Gazette has better critics than the Courier.
But, to most of us, that isn't too shocking.
That's because it did. They cut out a huge chunk of her letter.
I received an email today from Reida, who was nice enough to give me the rest of her letter.
If you look at theater reviews all over the nation, including in the Gazette in Cedar Rapids, critics understand the concept I've stated at the beginning. In the Gazette's Eric Clark's review of "Lost in Younkers" at Theatre Cedar Rapids he made it very evident that he thought the show was excellent and a must-see throughout the review, specifically focusing on one actor's performance. This is not something that is exclusive to critics in New York City. Read a paper in Chicago, St. Louis, pretty much everywhere and you'll see this.
If the newspaper that's located an hour away has critics that can do this, why can't the Waterloo Courier have their critics do the same?
You got that, right? The Gazette has better critics than the Courier.
But, to most of us, that isn't too shocking.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Today in Theater: March 19
-I managed to miss this, but the Iowa Theatre Blog has a review of "The Foreigner" at ICCT.
-In today's Waterloo Courier, Monica Reida says that their critics can't write good reviews. Translation: She says what we've all been thinking.
I can't help but wonder, does the Courier edit letters to the editor? Because it stops abruptly after she criticizes George Day's review of "Importance of Being Earnest."
Regardless, it's awesome.
-In today's Waterloo Courier, Monica Reida says that their critics can't write good reviews. Translation: She says what we've all been thinking.
I can't help but wonder, does the Courier edit letters to the editor? Because it stops abruptly after she criticizes George Day's review of "Importance of Being Earnest."
Regardless, it's awesome.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Slow News Week?
The Iowa Theatre Blog has nothing so far.
And Fragments? Monica is blogging about television. She blogged about the premiere of "Kings" and her dad's opinion of "Kings" and "Gossip Girl."
She had a great list of overrated musicals on her blog, but she took it down.
If you want to read them, click on the side link. It's got nothing to do with theater, so I'm not liking them
But her getting excited about Ian McShane making breakfast is slightly funny and I had to look up who Charles Isherwood is. He was on "Gossip Girl" last night.
And Fragments? Monica is blogging about television. She blogged about the premiere of "Kings" and her dad's opinion of "Kings" and "Gossip Girl."
She had a great list of overrated musicals on her blog, but she took it down.
If you want to read them, click on the side link. It's got nothing to do with theater, so I'm not liking them
But her getting excited about Ian McShane making breakfast is slightly funny and I had to look up who Charles Isherwood is. He was on "Gossip Girl" last night.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Curious Case of CFCT and Theater Reviews
Cedar Falls Community Theatre has a nice, swanky website up. It really is nice and I'm hoping they finally get to the online ticketing thing.
They have a page on "The Importance of Being Earnest," which I did not see because I read the savaging of it on "Fragments." Anyway, there is a quote on the post from George Day's review (which "Fragments" also tore apart).
Note the dot-dot-dots.
Why is there no quote from the "Fragments" review? Is the Oster Regent not aware of the reviews on "Fragments"? I mean, if they can use dot-dot-dots on the Courier's review, couldn't they have done that with Monica's review? They could have at least thrown in "Merritt gives an excellent powerhouse performance as Lady Bracknell." Those that don't read the reviews on "Fragments" or are familiar with "The Importance of Being Earnest" might have gone and bought tickets just to see that performance.
I'm thinking they're not aware of the reviews on "Fragments."
They have a page on "The Importance of Being Earnest," which I did not see because I read the savaging of it on "Fragments." Anyway, there is a quote on the post from George Day's review (which "Fragments" also tore apart).
Note the dot-dot-dots.
Why is there no quote from the "Fragments" review? Is the Oster Regent not aware of the reviews on "Fragments"? I mean, if they can use dot-dot-dots on the Courier's review, couldn't they have done that with Monica's review? They could have at least thrown in "Merritt gives an excellent powerhouse performance as Lady Bracknell." Those that don't read the reviews on "Fragments" or are familiar with "The Importance of Being Earnest" might have gone and bought tickets just to see that performance.
I'm thinking they're not aware of the reviews on "Fragments."
Today in Theater: March 15
-The Gazette has a piece on "Fences," which opens on March 20 at Theatre Cedar Rapids' Lindale location.
Friday, March 13, 2009
What's Going On a the Tiger Hi-Line?
Up until February, the school newspaper for Cedar Falls High School, the Tiger Hi-Line, was published by the Waterloo Courier and distributed throughout Cedar Falls. The funny thing about this was that the Tiger Hi-Line is a better newspaper than the Waterloo Courier.
Anyway, the Courier no longer publishes them and so I have to rely on the website, which isn't always updated regularly.
This week's Hi-Line had three things in their entertainment section. One is a review of the Jonas Brother's 3D extravaganza (did I mention that it's a High School newspaper?), another is an article on coffee shops that's inappropriately titled (it looks at all of them, not just the Lamppost. And who the hell goes to the Lamppost other than uppity teenagers? And, Mr. Wente, it's Panera Bread, not Panera's Bread. And what ever happened to that tall guy with the weird name? Do I just not go into Panera at the righ time?) and the third one is Monica Reida being her usual awesome self. ("...You might find that you'll love New York, not just heart it.")
If you look at the PDF version, Monica Reida's article appears before Wente's and the review of something no one really cares about. (Don't most teenagers not care about the Jonas Brothers?) If you look at the online version, Reida's article is listed last.
Who puts this together? Show some love for Monica Reida. Her awesomely snooty and sophisticated articles (she wrote a column about school web blocks that started off with "Like a good journalist, I always research my articles before writing them." and a column on Proposition 8 that was so well written I cried.) are the reason why I still read the Hi-Line. Well, that and Vincent Stigliani.
Anyway, the Courier no longer publishes them and so I have to rely on the website, which isn't always updated regularly.
This week's Hi-Line had three things in their entertainment section. One is a review of the Jonas Brother's 3D extravaganza (did I mention that it's a High School newspaper?), another is an article on coffee shops that's inappropriately titled (it looks at all of them, not just the Lamppost. And who the hell goes to the Lamppost other than uppity teenagers? And, Mr. Wente, it's Panera Bread, not Panera's Bread. And what ever happened to that tall guy with the weird name? Do I just not go into Panera at the righ time?) and the third one is Monica Reida being her usual awesome self. ("...You might find that you'll love New York, not just heart it.")
If you look at the PDF version, Monica Reida's article appears before Wente's and the review of something no one really cares about. (Don't most teenagers not care about the Jonas Brothers?) If you look at the online version, Reida's article is listed last.
Who puts this together? Show some love for Monica Reida. Her awesomely snooty and sophisticated articles (she wrote a column about school web blocks that started off with "Like a good journalist, I always research my articles before writing them." and a column on Proposition 8 that was so well written I cried.) are the reason why I still read the Hi-Line. Well, that and Vincent Stigliani.
Today in Theater: March 13
-The Iowa Theatre Blog has a review of "The Musical Comedy Murder's of 1940."
-Monica at "Fragments" talks about how she went to do a portion of "Thom Pain (based on nothing)" for speech team her sophomore year of high school and was told that it was "too dark and complex." Personally, I'm not sure what's the best part of this post: her stating that "The Pillowman" is not a happy play, her talking about wanting to do "My Humps" to get even with her coach, or the fact that there is a poem called "My Girlfriend's in Love With Holden Caulfield."
-Monica at "Fragments" talks about how she went to do a portion of "Thom Pain (based on nothing)" for speech team her sophomore year of high school and was told that it was "too dark and complex." Personally, I'm not sure what's the best part of this post: her stating that "The Pillowman" is not a happy play, her talking about wanting to do "My Humps" to get even with her coach, or the fact that there is a poem called "My Girlfriend's in Love With Holden Caulfield."
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Today in Theater: March 12
-Iowa Theatre Blog reminds us that Mount Vernon/Lisbon Community Theatre's production of "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940" opens tonight and Iowa City Community Theatre's production of "The Foreigner" opens tomorrow night.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Today in Blogging
Monica at "Fragments" talks about a friend of hers thinking that she panned "The Velveteen Rabbit" at the Black Hawk Children's Theatre, which she actually raved about. Also, people finally discovered her blog thanks to her raving about "Guys and Dolls" at Cedar Falls High School. That's sad. Her blog is hilarious and ridiculously intelligent.
According to the Iowa Theatre Blog, "Hair" at Theatre Cedar Rapids announced their cast.
Why I'm Doing This
We're missing good coverage of Iowa Theater, especially in Waterloo and Cedar Falls. The only coverage on that seems to be the Courier and the blog Fragments. And Fragments dominates the Courier.
I'll talk about it and what goes on with the Courier, the Gazette, CorridorBuzz.com, the Iowa Theater Blog and Fragments. And when the Cedar Falls Tiger Hi-Line (who named that school newspaper?) covers it, which will probably be done by Monica Reida.
Let's see how this goes.
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