BWW Review: Portland Players Does Justice to Arthur Miller's THE CRUCIBLE
Choosing to mount Arthur Miller's enduring classic, The Crucible, can be tricky business. The timeless masterpiece is a well-known, beloved staple of the stage and literature, though its very familiarity often makes it difficult to bring any new insights to the piece. Nonetheless, Portland Players takes on that challenge and manages to mount a stirring, fresh account of Miller's tragedy.
BWW Reviews: Portland Players Gives Sensitive Reading of BOYS NEXT DOOR
Portland Players has mounted a sensitive and thought-provoking production of Tom Griffin's 1988 play, Boys Next Door, about four colorful residents of a group communal home and their social worker. Griffin's work deals perceptively and sympathetically with the limitations and hopes of his characters, their skewed realities and their often hilarious interactions. In the person of Jack, the burned-out, yet compassionate counselor, the playwright is able to help the audience gain insight into the world of these mentally challenged adults and to appreciate their humanity.