haydn haring

Stephen Belber's TAPE is not for the faint of heart. It's gritty and unyielding and raw, but what makes the story exciting is the way that each characters secrets are revealed over the course of the whole play. The language employed is not delicate- it is very human, which allows the reality of the events described to retain a very strong grip.

There are hidden agendas, passionate poets and scandalous undergarments galore in Charleston Stage Company's production of THE UNDERPANTS, running now through March 22! Originally titled 'Die Hose' and written by Carl Sternheim in the early 20th Century, this version has been adapted by funny-man Steve Martin for a modern audience. At first I was disenchanted by the title, but considering that we aren't talking about our 21st century ideas of lingerie and that the 'pants' in question are more like pantaloons, I was able to move on from that.

I don't usually enjoy sitting through bleak plays. I prefer to be uplifted by the end. Woolfe Street Playhouse's production of BLOOD AND GIFTS by JT Rogers is not uplifting, but somehow kept me glued in my seat and somberly invested for its duration. A violently charged drama, the story takes place during the conflict over Afghanistan in the 1980's, involving the US, Great Britain, Soviet Russia, Pakistan and Iran. Seeing a story of such political relevance acted out live, offered a truly chilling experience, like seeing events on the news happening in real time.

It won't stop raining. Whenever I'm at Woolfe Street, we stand outside, rain or shine and talk. Before a show, on breaks, during intermission and after. We usually discuss the play in question, whether it is a performance or rehearsal. Most of us have worked together. If we haven't worked together, then we've seen each other perform. And we're all local. We're talking about more theatre. There's something ancient about it, especially when its raining. That area of downtown Charleston reminds me a lot of London- kind of industrial- with the cold and the smell of rain. Whenever I'm there (or in any theater really) I feel like I'm a part of something lasting, something bigger than myself. Sierra- the stage manager- usually calls us inside and so it goes. Anyway, its familiar. And its raining.

What If? Productions presents chilling musical THRILL ME: THE LEOPOLD AND LOEB STORY in Threshold Repertory's intimate black box theater in downtown Charleston.

Weekly rundown of theatrical events in Charleston, SC