BWW Review: DR. RIDE'S AMERICAN BEACH HOUSE is an Out of This World, Feel-Good, Euphoric Knockout at Jobsite Theater
In 1983, Sally Ride, or as proclaimed in the play, “She should be called Dr. Ride,” an Astrophysicist became the first and youngest American woman in Space aboard the Orbiter Challenger. Liza Birkenmeier’s play is not about Sally Ride, even though her name is mentioned throughout the 85 minutes. However, under the veil of the ’80s in St. Louis, Missouri we meet four women living out their lives and by a matter of opinion telling stories that boldly go where none of them have gone before so to speak. At its heart, Birkenmeier’s script is compelling, enlightening, and stunning from top to bottom, a true marvel of live theatre. In her script, we get to meet characters that are not as often displayed on-stage, and that is what makes this show so endearing. Being that this show is set in the 80’s smartphones, and other things like social media, don’t exist yet; which renders the compelling humanity shown throughout the script. It’s a breath of fresh air as we learn of these women, and how they may or may not enjoy their current way of life, and yet so different in a matter of opinions and lifestyle they are all one and the same.
BWW Previews: ON JUNETEENTH, FREE READING OF POLAR BEARS, BLACK BOYS, & PRAIRIE FRINGED ORCHIDS BY Stageworks Theatre, Jobsite Theater, And Rory Lawrence Productions
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. In response to the civil uprising, a reaction to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others before them, Jobsite Theater and Stageworks Theatre have teamed up with Rory Lawrence Productions. They will join a national presentation of the Juneteenth Justice Theatre Project, a nationwide movement by American theater companies striving to 'change the world, one play at a time.'
Tampa Theaters Join Forces For Juneteenth Theater Justice Project
In the American theater we are guided by the principle that we can a?oechange the world, one play at a time.a?? What if it was also one day at a time with the same play? On Friday, Juneteenth, (June 19th), theatre communities around the country will provide their response to the current moment a?" the civil uprising that has come as a reaction to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others before them.
BWW Review: Family Matters, Matters Of The Heart, And Deep Southern Pride Extends No Matter How Far You May Go With MORNINGSIDE at Stageworks Theatre
Topher Payne's witty, smart, and sharply fine-tuned work Morningside gives an ingenious glimpse into the lives of eight women some friends, but mostly family. Grounded deep in Southern Pride, heartfelt lessons, and the idea that above all family is what matters most proves to be the heart of this side-splitting a?oemother of all baby showers.a?? In 2015 Topher Payne was interviewed for Backstage Magazine where he described his writing style by saying, a?oeIf you can make someone laugh, they listen. And they lean in and they want to hear more. And once you have that level of engagement, then you can start layering in a message that you want them to take away. You can do that in film. You can do that in a book. But the act of being in the same room with the storyteller is just fundamentally different. It lands differently.a?? The cast, crew and entire company making up the ensemble of Morningside should be exceptionally proud of the work that was shown onstage; for the a?oeMother of all Baby Showers,a?? turned out to be one of the finest displays of ensemble acting to come from one company of outstanding actresses. Everyone in the audience and the Tampa theatre community respectively didn't quite know but over the course of two-hours found this to not be the show they wanted but to be the show they needed.
Photo Flash: Jobsite Theater Presents Lucy Kirkwood's HEDDA
Jobsite Theater has broken all-time sales records with three of the first four plays in their 20th Anniversary Season, ensuring that this will be their best season to date in every category. The resident theater company of the Straz Center now turns their eyes to Lucy Kirkwood's Hedda, a gripping modern-day adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, on stage in a North American professional premiere May 10 - Jun. 2, 2019.
Photo Flash: Jobsite Theatre presents Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST
On a distant island a woman waits. Robbed of her position, power, and wealth her enemies have left her in isolation. But this is no ordinary woman, nor an ordinary island. She is a magician, able to control the very elements and bend nature to her will. When the vessel carrying those who wronged her appears in the distance, she creates a vast magical storm to bring them to her then they awake finding themselves in a place where nothing is as it seems.