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Linda Hodges - Page 7

Linda Hodges

Linda Hodges is a theatre reviewer and playwright who’s been covering the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area theater scene since 2009. She got her start at Broadway Magazine but soon found her true home at BroadwayWorld where she is the senior theatre critic. Highlights include interviewing Stephen Schwartz, Rupert Holmes, Rita Moreno, Betty Buckley, Melissa Manchester and more. A dedicated theater aficionado, Linda first became involved in the dramatic arts while in college, becoming one of the first “techies” at her school to be voted into Delta Psi Omega, the National Theatre Honor Society. She holds a Master of Theological Studies degree from Pacific School of Religion and maintains that theater, at its best, is a religious experience!




LEARN MORE ABOUT Linda Hodges

First Show:

The Canterbury Tales when I was 13!

Favorite Show:

Wicked

Favorite Stories:

  • Review: WICKED at Orpheum Theatre - I don't have a favorite review (I'll leave that to readers) so I'll focus on my favorite show... My heart still races remembering the night I stepped into the Orpheum Theatre to experience WICKED—the first show I ever reviewed. It felt like stepping into a different world, one that shimmered with secrets and crackled with magic. I was beyond thrilled, barely able to contain my excitement and the tugging emotion that had me nearly tearing up from the very first notes. The air seemed to vibrate with the legacy of the Curran Theatre, where WICKED first cast its spell in 2003, and here I was, so close to the place where it all began. Watching two powerful female leads—Elphaba and Glinda—command the stage was nothing short of mesmerizing. I felt every beat of Elphaba’s journey and her defiant choice "for good" reverberate within me. WICKED isn’t just a show; it’s an anthem of empowerment and courage, as dazzling as it is deeply moving. It struck a chord then, and it still does, leaving me forever enchanted.
  • BWW Reviews: THE BOOK OF MORMON Is Freakin' Awesome -
  • Review: HARPER LEE'S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at Golden Gate Theatre -
  • BWW Review: THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD THRILLS AND DELIGHTS NOW THRU NOV. 11 at 3Below - DROOD holds a special place in my heart...
  • BWW Review: Mask UP! HAMILTON Lights Up the Stage as Live Theatre Returns to Broadway San Jose - Phenomenal show. Right up there with Marvin Hamlisch's A CHORUS LINE. Both changed the trajectory of theatre forever by redefining the rules of musical theater but in starkly different ways. A Chorus Line broke through in the 1970s with raw, unfiltered honesty, spotlighting the personal struggles of dancers—the unsung heroes of Broadway—giving voice to their dreams and sacrifices. It was revolutionary for its gritty realism and portrayal of the artists behind the glitz. Decades later, Hamilton exploded onto the scene, electrifying audiences by blending rap and hip-hop with historical narrative, casting actors of color as Founding Fathers, and transforming the musical into an audacious reimagining of American identity. Both shows expanded the boundaries of musical storytelling, but where A Chorus Line was introspective and self-revealing, Hamilton was expansive, taking on the entire nation’s story with fresh eyes and new voices. Together, they redefined what audiences thought Broadway could be and do.


BWW Reviews: WAR HORSE - Stunning Stage Wizardry at Curran Theatre
BWW Reviews: WAR HORSE - Stunning Stage Wizardry at Curran Theatre
August 11, 2012

Playing now through September 9, 'War Horse' will dazzle you with its stage wizardry even as it brings into bold relief the gut-wrenching horrors that humans and horses alike endured during the war that was supposed to end them all, World War I.

25th Anniversary LES MISERABLES Storms the Stage in San Francisco
25th Anniversary LES MISERABLES Storms the Stage in San Francisco
July 16, 2012

A technically reimagined 'Les Miserables' stormed the stage of San Francisco's Orpheum theatre for its 25th anniversary victory lap, electrifying a wildly enthusiastic audience and keeping them on the edge of their seats for the entire performance.

BWW Interviews: VOCA PEOPLE Invade San Francisco June 6 thru June 17
BWW Interviews: VOCA PEOPLE Invade San Francisco June 6 thru June 17
June 5, 2012

VOCA PEOPLE is performed by eight snow-white, ruby-lipped aliens with perfect harmony--there are no musical instruments, no sound effects, only vocals! And they're here in San Francisco June 6 thru June 17 at the Marine's Memorial Theatre.

BWW Reviews: BLACK N BLUE BOYS/BROKEN MEN: Brilliant Portrayal by Dael Orlandersmith Now thru June 24
BWW Reviews: BLACK N BLUE BOYS/BROKEN MEN: Brilliant Portrayal by Dael Orlandersmith Now thru June 24
June 4, 2012

'Black n Blue Boys/Broken Men is truth-telling at its very best...about the very worst.

Julian Sands Stars in A CELEBRATION OF HAROLD PINTER, May 18 and 19
Julian Sands Stars in A CELEBRATION OF HAROLD PINTER, May 18 and 19
May 15, 2012

Julian Sands' warmly rendered readings and reminiscences of a man he much adored make 'A Celebration of Harold Pinter' a must-see event for now and future Pinter and Sands fans alike.

Virago Theatrer's MADAMA BUTTERFLY a Wonderful and Passionate Offering
Virago Theatrer's MADAMA BUTTERFLY a Wonderful and Passionate Offering
April 8, 2012

Virago brings 'Butterfly' to the Rhythmix Cultural Works Theatre (the Alameda venue seats 15), losing nothing of the rich lushness of Puccini's giant work and actually adding to the beauty of the Opera in the intimacy of the setting. Playing now through April 15*, 'Madama Butterfly' is a wonderful and passionate offering.

Berkeley Rep's RED is Stunning - Now thru April 29th
Berkeley Rep's RED is Stunning - Now thru April 29th
March 30, 2012

The visceral and the tactile mix and swirl together with the heady intellectualness of the spoken word in this riveting play, making 'Red' a must-see performance at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

BWW Interviews: ENCHANTINGLY WICKED, An Evening With Stephen Schwartz
BWW Interviews: ENCHANTINGLY WICKED, An Evening With Stephen Schwartz
March 15, 2012

When the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) decided on this season's theme, 'Sensational,' it was simply fitting that they contacted Stephen Schwartz to collaborate with them for a performance of some of the composer and lyricist's most sensational hits.

BWW Interviews BEAUTY AND THE BEAST'S Julia Louise Hosack!
BWW Interviews BEAUTY AND THE BEAST'S Julia Louise Hosack!
February 29, 2012

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Broadway San Jose. This classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes and dazzling production numbers including 'Be Our Guest' and the beloved title song,'Beauty and the Beast,' sung on this tour by Julia Louise Hosack who plays Mrs. Potts.

MAMMA MIA! is Frothy, Bouncy, Romantic Fun - Now thru March 4th!
MAMMA MIA! is Frothy, Bouncy, Romantic Fun - Now thru March 4th!
February 29, 2012

Mamma Mia! won't win any prizes for in-depth, philosophical story-telling, but its delightful mix of frothy, bouncy, romantic fun and disco/pop chart hits by ABBA make it a not-to-be-missed theatrical event.

Berkeley Rep's A DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF Comes Highly Recommended!
Berkeley Rep's A DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF Comes Highly Recommended!
February 26, 2012

Skewered throughout with up-to-the-moment pop culture references and liberally laced with sight gags, jokes and everything but the kitchen sink, 'A Doctor In Spite of Himself' is a must-see dose of depravity that may require you to get stitches due to its propensity to provoke sidesplitting laughter!

BWW Interviews: MAMMA MIA's Alison Ewing
BWW Interviews: MAMMA MIA's Alison Ewing
February 23, 2012

Mamma Mia!is back in the place where it all began - San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre! Broadwayworld's Linda Hodges caught up with actress Alison Ewing, who plays thrice married (and thrice divorced), delicious 'cougar' Tanya in the show.

BWW Reviews: Virago's A TASTE OF HONEY is Bold and Compelling - Playing Now Thru Feb. 25
BWW Reviews: Virago's A TASTE OF HONEY is Bold and Compelling - Playing Now Thru Feb. 25
February 9, 2012

Virago Theatre Company's A TASTE OF HONEY, playing now through Feb. 25, pays homage to playwright Shelagh Delaney's unflinching honesty with this bold and compelling production that offers a starkly realistic look into the social issues of 1960's England.

BWW Interviews LEGALLY BLONDE's Bailey Hanks!
BWW Interviews LEGALLY BLONDE's Bailey Hanks!
February 4, 2012

Bailey Hanks is blonde. She's Beautiful. And she's here in the bay area reprising her role Elle Woods in the hit musical comedy Legally Blonde, the Musical! Hanks talked with BWW's Linda Hodges about what it was like to be in the MTV spotlight, how she handles the challenges in her life and what scrumptious thing she and Elle have in common - besides being blondes!

BWW Reviews: THE PITMEN PAINTERS Highlights Class Struggle and Art Now Thru Feb. 12th
BWW Reviews: THE PITMEN PAINTERS Highlights Class Struggle and Art Now Thru Feb. 12th
January 24, 2012

Heartfelt, honest and peppered with humor, the TheatreWorks premiere of The Pitmen Painters will leave you with a desire to pick up a paintbrush yourself.

GHOST LIGHT Illuminates a Son's Struggle Now Thru Feb. 19th
GHOST LIGHT Illuminates a Son's Struggle Now Thru Feb. 19th
January 14, 2012

Opening night for "Ghost Light" at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre saw luminaries from the world of politics converging for the production - a play that examines the struggle of a son coming to grips with the death of his father, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, who was assassinated in 1978.

BWW Reviews: CATS at Broadway San Jose - Still Has Staying Power
BWW Reviews: CATS at Broadway San Jose - Still Has Staying Power
December 29, 2011

Frolicking felines took the stage last night in all their graceful glory, bringing the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic CATS to life once again - this time at Broadway San Jose. The fantastical, magical world of London's Jellicle cats, who are gathered together for their yearly Jellicle Ball, still has the power to transfix and delight even now, thirty years after it first opened on Broadway.

BRING IT ON has Lift - Now thru Jan. 7th
BRING IT ON has Lift - Now thru Jan. 7th
December 17, 2011

High school is never easy and, as Truman High's head cheerleader Campbell (the perfectly blonde Taylor Louderman) finds out, it's especially hard when last minute redistricting means you now have to attend inner-city Jackson High where there is no cheerleading! With a book by Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q) and music by Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) and Tom Kitt (Next to Normal), Bring It On: The Musical is bubbly, choreographed and, except for the occasional "biotch" to remind us that it's high school, clean, G-rated fun.

BWW Reviews: Berkeley Rep's THE WILD BRIDE is Bold and Transformative - Now thru Jan 1
BWW Reviews: Berkeley Rep's THE WILD BRIDE is Bold and Transformative - Now thru Jan 1
December 9, 2011

All the way from across the pond, from Cornwall's Kneehigh Theatre to be exact, comes a dark fairy tale brilliantly told, stunningly performed and miraculously conjured up here on the stage of Berkeley Repertory's Roda Theatre. The US premiere of The Wild Bride, playing now through January 1st, is tragically, magically hellish and heavenly all at the same time… and it will disarm you.

BWW Interviews: BRING IT ON's Kate Rockwell Talks with BWW SF!
BWW Interviews: BRING IT ON's Kate Rockwell Talks with BWW SF!
December 12, 2011

Kate Rockwell is blissfully excited about coming to San Francisco as part of the musical comedy cast of 'Bring It On.' She plays Skylar, whom she describes as "the sexy, sassy cheerleader you love to hate." In her interview with BroadwayWorld's Linda Hodges Kate talks about her love of SF and her new show - as well as what it's like to be living her Broadway dreams.



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