Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: Marat/SadeAugust 1, 2014 | Jeff HudsonIn 1964 an edgy play titled “Marat/Sade" - set in a French insane asylum with the Marquis de Sade as a major character – shook up London audiences. California Stage is marking the 50th anniversary of this radical show by mounting a new production. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: As You Like ItJuly 29, 2014 | Jeff HudsonThe Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is staging the comedy “As You Like It” with a cast of professional actors who interpret the script in a novel way, with a syncopated beat. The unexpected transfer works out surprisingly well, says our Jeff Hudson. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: South PacificJuly 24, 2014 | Jeff HudsonSacramento’s Music Circus is reviving the classic musical “South Pacific,” a show that despite its age remains popular with audiences. This old favorite endures in part because it offers a fascinating confluence of musical styles. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: Davis Shakespeare FestivalJuly 10, 2014 | Jeff HudsonThere’s a new summer theater series in the Sacramento region – the Davis Shakespeare Festival. They’re staging an evergreen Shakespeare comedy, and a small Broadway musical from 1963. Critic Jeff Hudson says this new venture is off to a strong start. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: Maple & VineJuly 3, 2014 | Jeff HudsonIn today's world you can spend all day on the Internet, working online and shopping for anything. But the couple at the center of this new Capital Stage show has unplugged and moved into a secluded community that emulates Middle America, circa 1955. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: A Chorus LineJune 26, 2014 | Jeff HudsonSummer in Sacramento means it’s time for musicals in the round at the Music Circus. This season's opener is the landmark 1975 show “A Chorus Line.” The songs and dancing are impressive, but the show feels less revolutionary than it did decades ago. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: Journey's EndJune 19, 2014 | Jeff HudsonMovies about World War I often include battle scenes with scores of soldiers being cut down by machine guns or poison gas. But this century-old play offers an interior view from within a bunker as soldiers grapple with war. It is as relevant as ever. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: Vanya And Sonia And Masha And SpikeMay 19, 2014 | Jeff HudsonSacramento's B Street Theatre is known for staging frantic comedies at the start of the summer. This year they've picked a script that won last year's Tony Award for best new play. It spoofs Russian literature right along with American movies and TV. Listen /Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: Good PeopleMay 13, 2014 | Jeff HudsonWhen you grow up in a tough neighborhood and become a wealthy professional, are you obligated to return and help the struggling community you left behind? That question underlies “Good People,” a probing play now at Capital Stage. Listen / download audio Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Arts and LifestyleTheatre Review: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumApril 30, 2014 | Jeff HudsonRomans in togas and clever slaves who outwit their masters are the characters in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. It's a Stephen Sondheim musical being remounted now at the Sacramento Theatre Company. Critic Jeff Hudson has a review. Listen / download audio Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.