Stage Write

The Golem of Havana is set in the 1950s as the people of Cuba waver on the brink of the revolution. A young Jewish girl named Rebecca is growing up in her father's tailor shop, oblivious to the turmoil around her. She writes stories of a superhero, the golem; the fabled protector she’s grown up hearing stories of from her European mother. When their maid’s son, a rebel fighter, turns up the family must make a decision that will determine their future in this volatile world.   The premise echoes one that’s repeated too often throughout history. It’s a story of oppression and rebellion, strength in resistance and the tough moral choices that go hand-in-hand. It reminds me of Anne Frank's story and Les Miserables and dozens of others. Persecution is the same no matter what political face it wears.   Maria, the family’s maid, is played by Teneh B. C. Karimu. She gives a powerful performance as a mother in search her child. Eric Olson, who has already proved his singing ...

Sometimes you see a show that just makes your mind hum for days. Clybourne Park, on stage now at the Phoenix Theatre, is one of those rare shows. The Pulitzer-Prize-winning play is a continuation of Lorraine Hansberry's classic “A Raisin in the Sun.” Her play tells the story of an African-American family that has the opportunity to move into all-white neighborhood in a nicer part of town. It was ground-breaking and controversial when it was first published and performed in 1959. Clybourne Park continues that story; its first act introduces us to Bev and Russ, the white family in the process of selling their home to the family featured in Raisin in the Sun. Bev is a ‘50s housewife overflowing with false cheerfulness. Her husband finds himself withdrawing from society after they tragically lose their son. Their neighbors are in a tizzy when they discover a “colored” family will be moving in and everyone’s true feelings on the subject come out. The second act picks up 5...