Spotlight
Stories that deserve your attention
Representation Matters: Why Hedwig Should Be Played by a Trans Woman
“Why am I starting a discussion about Hedwig and the Angry Inch with an academic look into the nature of trans-misogyny? Because I believe this text is one that discusses the trans feminine experience, and that the character of Hedwig should be portrayed by a transgender woman.”
Marcy Park Should Always Be Played by Asian Performers
"Her character song is an uptempo lament about the stress that is associated with the pressure from immigrant parents for their child to succeed. The race of the character might be changed with the actor but any intelligent audience member would be able to read the coding right away."
“Tea Party Review: Theatre Should Be Above A Regressive Portrayal of Trans People in 2024”
"This play was not written for trans people. It was written by, and for, cis people to laugh at this parody, this caricature of transness, confident in the knowledge that no trans person would ever see it."
'Fauci and Kramer': I attended a play about the pandemic, I was the only one masked.
“Ultimately, ‘Fauci and Kramer’ now playing at the First Look Buffalo Theatre Company, showcases how activism, while important and necessary, can easily be misdirected towards the incorrect targets.”
'Back to the Future' and the Evolution of Musical Theatre
“The art being overwhelmingly produced of late is no longer being treated or viewed as art, but as content.”
How to Live in Society
“There are moments in the musical, How to Dance in Ohio, where the parents of the autistic characters worry aloud about the future of their children after they pass on. To me, this was probably the most important moment of the entire show, and the story that was being shared.”
'The Music Man' Revival's Misapplication of Modernization
“Half-hearted attempts to make something safe, simply dilute the meaning and intention of the texts. These pieces were products of their time, and there should be a certain amount of critical evaluation of them. Sanding off the rough edges in effect removes the means of critiquing the texts as written in their original contexts and as a modern theatregoer. Audiences definitely deserve better.”