BWW Review: WELCOME TO FEAR CITY at CATF
Though it contains the admirable and relevant racial contemporary message the playwright, Kara Lee Corthron, intended, Welcome to Fear City suffers from a lack of a coherent vision and a dragging pace unsuited to the fast-talking, non-stop world of the 1970's Bronx in which the play is set.
BWW Review: The Bronx is Up " and Dancing to Hip Hop " in CATF's WELCOME TO FEAR CITY
Welcome to Fear City, premiering at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, WV, shambles along amiably, looking as if it has no more greater object than to be a loose black family dramedy set forty years ago. That is, until it dawns on you that the play's ambition is to be nothing less than a snapshot of a time and place where a lot of things happened, and one vitally important thing, hip hop, came into being.
CATF Previews 2017 Season with Shepherdstown Sneak Peek
The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) will host a Shepherdstown Sneak Peek onFriday, March 24th at 8pm at the Frank Center of Shepherd University. The season preview will consist of readings from all six of CATF's 2017 plays. Founder and Producing Director Ed Herendeen will introduce and discuss the upcoming season. This event isfree and open to the public.
BWW Review: CATF PEN/MAN/SHIP is a Dramatic, Dark and Unforgettable Theatrical Voyage
Unlike Anything Goes or some other lighter summer shows set on ships, Christina Anderson's phenomenal new play, pen/man/ship, currently running at the Contemporary American Theater Festival, is a stunningly crafted and unforgettable voyage that confronts modern controversial issues, such as race, religion and gender, in an intriguing historical context.
BWW Review: CATF THE WEDDING GIFT is Visually Stunning, but Difficult to Decipher
At its basic essence, a play tells a story. But when the audience has difficulty understanding the story and the language, the message, no matter how poignant or powerful, is lost. The Wedding Gift, a world premiere play at the Contemporary American Theater Festival, is a visual feast for audience members, but due to the storytelling method, many audience members are unable to understand the imaginative story.
Nafessa Monroe, Vincent Ramirez, Tre' Henley, Damian Thompson, playwright Chisa Hutchinson, Jason Babinsky, Edward O'Blenis, Mikayla Bartholomew, Ciara Monique McMillian, Bianca Laverne Jones, and Tyler John Fauntleroy