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."

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.

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.

Reminder

August Wilson's Fences opens to night at Theatre Cedar Rapids' Lindale location.

I will be eagerly awaiting the reviews.

Today in Theater: March 15

-The Gazette has a piece on "Fences," which opens on March 20 at Theatre Cedar Rapids' Lindale location.