Recent Essays

Jonathan Mandell offers his opinions on dviersity in theatre. 

Reading Henry VI, parts one, two and three, I was in awe. Aside from the usual chromosomal explosion that I always get from Shakespeare's verse, I was in awe because I realized that Margaret of Anjou was a berserker!

Chris Garza reviews Theatre Unbound’s Silkworms (a nun play) and takes a look into the director Isabel Nelson's devising process.

So what has the drive to make work in Romania taught me? I learned that art that has nothing to lose makes for theater that is fierce and always has something to say.

Theater for students of color is needed in the University: to speak about these issues and at the same time to break the “Berkeley Bubble” by showing that issues students study about in their classes—including, race, class and gender—have a real impact on campus life.

This week's conversation topic is "Play length & structure: What are the trends, Why, How?" and will be moderated by Shaun Michael @DonShaunMiguel—who like all of our moderators, authors, and content producers—self-selected to peer-produce on this commons-based platform! This hour-long Howl will take place on Thursday, June 12 on hashtag #newplay at 11am PDT (Vancouver) / 1pm CDT (Austin) / 2pm EDT (Toronto) / 18:00 GMT / 7pm BST (London). All chats are archived on HowlRound's Storify page at storify.com/howlround On Thursday, get heard in the conversation by searching for #newplay in Twitter (sort by “all”) and by putting “#newplay” somewhere in your messages. Spread the word!

Hayley Finn writes on the creative partnership between playwright Kira Obolensky and Artistic Director of Ten Thousand Things Michelle Hensley.

Some might point out that Noh lacks the excess of Gothic. There is no visual, aural, or excess of story, but one cannot deny the emotional excesses of the tortured soul, the ecstatic god, the deranged woman. The emotional excess in Noh is so restrained that it feels, somehow, more Gothic than, say, the ravings of a mad scientist.

Who is allowed to draw on cultural tradition in a creative process and still be considered a “contemporary” artist? When does something become “heritage” or “tradition” and what attains status or gains cultural currency? Through this first "Innovate Heritage: Conversations between Arts and Heritage" conference in Berlin, Germany, with nearly forty speakers and artists from over thirty countries, we hope to open dialogue around some of these issues and many more that continue to expand, reconnect and inspire us.

Jonathan Mandell looks at the 2013-2014 Broadway season and the six productions which featured men cross-dressing