Jo-Jo Steine

'Bright Star,' by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell is billed as 'an uplifting musical journey.' The story sprawls over decades, steeped in the history and culture of the American south, accompanied by the most beautiful, toe-tapping, heart-breaking folk music you've ever heard. A story rooted in family, tradition, and home deserves a venue as homey as The Firehouse Theatre.

'The Manufactured Myth of Eveline Flynn' at Theatre Three is a crazy fever dream of a story to begin with, so a wild opening performance seems somehow fitting.

Ravenscroft will delight anyone looking for a simple, fun way to spend an evening or an afternoon.

'In the Next Room' centers around Doctor and Mrs. Givings, an upper-middle-class late 19th century family. Doctor Givings specializes in treating hysteria, a malady which we now know to be a bunch of baloney, but which apparently plagued a large percentage of women in that era.

I have to admit, when I first saw that WaterTower Theatre's season touted a modern adaptation of A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen, I was wary. Modernizing a classic is a risk whose success depends largely on motive. If done as a conscious and careful choice, it can deepen an audience's understanding of the piece. If done haphazardly, perhaps to cover an inadequate budget or a director's cursory understanding of the original text, it may have some fun modern elements, but they will likely be distracting rather than illuminating. Thankfully, WaterTower offers a sophisticated and enlightening modernization. Director and adapter Joanie Schultz modernizes the language and keeps the design firmly rooted in history. The choice to adapt does not hide a lack of understanding on Schultz's part - it in fact shows a true depth of understanding and familiarity with the text. It certainly does not disguise an insufficient budget; elaborate and historically correct fashions created by Melissa Panzarello and Amy Poe, in conjunction with a marvelous set designed by Chelsea M. Warren, convincingly portray the wealth of the late 17th century family at the heart of the drama. And if Schultz feared the audience might not understand? Rather than putting a band aid on that fear with some flashy modern props, she digs into the root of the misunderstanding, the translation from old Norwegian into modern English.

LITTLE WOMEN at The Firehouse Theatre in Farmers Branch is a nuanced and timely production. Watch the actresses shine under the guidance of a female directing team!

Going on tour sounded like something reserved for a handful of pop stars to me, so I was intimidated. Turns out, it wasn't a glamorous jet-setting adventure, but an incredible learning opportunity for an actress just out of college.

Young actors often have to take any job they can get, no matter how challenging or unusual. If you treat these odd jobs as learning opportunities, you will eventually recognize the unique value of each one.