Steve Murray

A sensational rape trial with high profile participants, the female accuser’s reputation besmirched, the alleged rapists’ pals piling on the dirt - a he said, she said scenario being played out in the male dominated courts.

Two Trains Running is the seventh work in two-time Pulitzer winning author August Wilsons Pittsburg Cycle and continued his chronicling of the Black experience post migration to the North. Set in Pittsburgh’s once prosperous Hill District, the play focuses on diner owner Memphis Lee, facing the pressures of economic decline caused by segregation, industrial restructuring, and suburbanization in the 1960s. With Wilson’s signature poetic voice and vivid character development, this production, produced by the Tony Award-winning The Acting Company, sparkles with beautiful acting and a spirit of resilience and hopefulness.

The apocalypse just wouldn’t be any fun without the rapier wit ruminations of actor/comic/performance artists David Mills, here in San Francisco for two shows as part of his ‘four-show national tour.’ After decades in London, Mills is back in NYC and his acclimation isn’t as joyous as you’d think. With his silver-tongued signature and very droll manner, he launches into a nightmarish description of a stroll uptown replete with rats, feces, homeless drug addicts and children selling Chicklets. The harangue is intermixed with “Native New Yorker,” a 1977 soul dance hit.

What did our critic think of THE HEART SELLERS at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley?

Solo performances of major works are hot these days -  Isabelle Huppert, Sarah Snook and Andrew Scott have all performed their own solo shows recently. Izzard herself tackled Great Expectations, also directed by Hamlet’s Selina Cadell, and adapted by brother Mark. This Hamlet, trimmed down for a solo performer, is a daunting memory feat and should be lauded just for that point. In Izzard’s very capable hands, she makes Shakespeare’s tragedy more accessible while injecting her style and personality into the 23 characters presented.

What did our critic think of SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS - BROADWAY, OUR WAY at Curran Theatre?

What did our critic think of FAT HAM at SF Playhouse?

The tasty smells of frying onions, garlic, and Indian spices waft throughout the space at Marin Theatre’s Boyer Theatre reconfigured into a party space to celebrate Onam, the Southern Indian harvest festival. The interactive piece has the audience participating as guests surprising Mrs. Krishnan who was only expecting her new boyfriend and her adored son Apu. Set in the backroom of Mrs. K’s grocery store, we’re invited to hear the folklore of Onam, dance to traditional and modern music and become involved in a touch of heartfelt drama.

A.C.T. Artistic Director Pam Mackinnon directs this revival of Itamar Moses and Gaby Alter’s 2013 musical satire of reality TV dating shows, adding a -749-2228uhoo few more songs and fleshing out the character of Jenny to a starring role. The result is a smash hit – refreshing, witty, thoughtful, and very funny. In a world of social media reality, Nobody Loves You focuses a laser eye on what we create about ourselves, how we use that to connect to others, and everyone’s main goal – finding love.

What did our critic think of WILD WITH HAPPY at New Conservatory Theatre Center?

What did our critic think of HAPPY PLEASANT VALLEY: A SENIOR SEX SCANDAL MURDER MYSTERY MUSICAL at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley?

What did our critic think of LILLIAS WHITE: DIVINE SASS, A TRIBUTE TO SARAH VAUGHAN at Feinstein's At The Nikko?

What did our critic think of CLAYBOURNE ELDER: IF THE STARS WERE MINE at Feinstein's At The Nikko?

What did our critic think of WASTE at Marin Theatre?

Conor McPherson’s 2020 revitalized translation of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya was hailed as a breath of fresh air and this production, featuring a stellar performance by Hugh Bonneville in the titular role, feels updated, and more humorous than previous incarnations.  The pace of the drama about the ennui of provincial life, unrequited loves, middle-aged disappointments and regrets is quicker and the humor from the updated language doesn’t detract from Chekhov’s work.

A whacky who-done-it is the subject of Nathan Tylutki’s one-man performance piece currently on the board at New Conservatory for a short run. Playing numerous characters, and including the use of recorded video mixed with the live performance, Tylutki attempts a gumshoe sleuth style ala Thin Man or Mike Hammer films. The show is framed as a podcast titled ‘Shoot Your Shot’ hosted by a bad drag imitation of Jennifer Coolidge (huh?).