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Criticism

Here, you’ll find content about the art and practice of theatre criticism. Many pieces grapple with questions of how to diversify the field, making it more accessible for young people, queer folx, and critics of color. This section also contains all the pieces of criticism in the Journal, which we call “NewCrits.” NewCrits analyze productions and go beyond “thumbs up, thumbs down” reviews, placing the work(s) in question in a larger, broader context—whether that’s the context of the time or place it’s done in, the artists’ body of work, or its genre. Are you interested in writing a NewCrit? Check out our guidelines and best practices!

The Latest

Essay
Black Survival and Cyclical Fate in Hang Time
by Ciaran Short
4 June 2026
Essay
On a Theatrical Pilgrimage to See Carolina Bianchi and Cara de Cavalo's Chapter II: The Brotherhood
by Amanda L. Andrei
6 April 2026
Essay
How The Last Country Amplifies Stories of Immigration and Belonging in South Africa
by Tonderai Chiyindiko
4 February 2026
Photo from the play Edge.
Essay
14 May 2013

Allison Vanouse profiles Near Death, a performance art presentation at Boston's Cyclorama.

Still from A Lady and A Woman.
Essay
7 May 2013

Lily Janiak talks about Theatre Rhino’s A Lady and A Woman and examines her role as a theatre critic.

Essay
30 April 2013

Chris Garza discusses Intermedia Arts and Freestyle Theatre’s recent production about the politics of skin in the United States, which makes the audience question the validity in saying the US is a “post-racial” society.

Photo from the play Geek!
Essay
25 April 2013

Crystal Skillman’s play Geek is everything that is wonderful about geek theatre, an Off-Broadway subgenre that has become increasingly mainstream over the last ten years.

Two performers sitting on-stage in Cry Old Kingdom.
Essay
23 April 2013

Jeff Augustin’s Cry Old Kingdom takes place in Haiti, 1964 during François "Papa Doc" Duvalier's reigme. Dani Snyder-Young reviews the 2013 Humana Festival production with an eye towards its theme of sacrifice, and the actor-audience power dynamic.

Essay
20 April 2013

P. Carl introduces the New Crit Critics, and reflects on their place on HowlRound.

A woman looking up on stage, with several other actors doing the same elsewhere on-stage in The Great Big Also.
Essay
5 April 2013

Lily Janiak takes a look at San Franisco-based Mugwumpin’s The Great Big Also as it explores the new frontier: what that meant to the first American settlers, and what the frontier means now.

Essay
5 April 2013

John Longenbaugh reflects on balancing his career as a theatre critic with being an artist

The New York Times logo.
Essay
5 April 2013

This first set of notes from the NYT Critic Watch projects disects the focus of reviews and if the readers actually agree with them

Essay
4 April 2013

Rebecca Haithcoat draws parallels between Hip-hop and theatre and why the public finds hip-hop more accessible

Reese's Pieces spilling out of the box.
Essay

Following the Trail of Good Ideas

3 April 2013

A career as a theatre critic may not be directly linked to accolades and acclaim. Jason Zinoman meditates on the nuanced benefits of critically thinking about art full-time.

A cartoon newspaper.
Essay

Why Journalism’s Demise Is Bad for Theater

3 April 2013

John More talks about why the fall of the newspaper intudusty is bad news for the theatre community

Essay
2 April 2013

If critics evaluate theatre in consideration of who’s the primary audience and the function of the piece, theatre has the potential of bettering itself from criticism.

A portrait of Wendy Rosenfield.
Essay
1 April 2013

Wendy Rosenfield explores the idea of theatre critics, not as artists, but as recorders that theatre matters.

The Twitter logo.
Essay

Theater Criticism and Journalism

1 April 2013

This week's Howl is going to tackle the topic of theatre criticism and journalism

The Muppet characters Statler and Waldorf leaning over the railing of a theater box.
Essay
31 March 2013

Rob Weinert-Kendt shares insight into the motivations and complications of taking on a career of as a theatre critic.

Poster for New American Plays festival.
Essay
30 March 2013

Engine31 is a team of twelve journalists striving to serve the artists of Humana Festival by reporting through a pop-up newsroom.

An exclamation point and a question mark written on top of one another.
Essay

Building a Culture of Constructive Critique From the Ground Up

9 February 2013

Holler helps young artist create spaces to discuss what is constructive criticism and how to give it.

Essay
30 January 2013

A call to bring the art of criticism to HowlRound, utilizing respectful dialogue to foster more in-depth conversations about the theatre we work hard to make.

The New York Times logo.
Essay

An Update

15 September 2012

An update from NYTCriticWatch as we go through the survey responses

The letter H stylized as Howlround's original logo.
Essay

Criticism

23 July 2012

Tomorrow's Weekly Howl will focus on the state of criticism in the theater, spurred on by Sherri Kronfeld's recent article, the many comments its garnered, Rob Weinert-Kendt's response.

Portrait of Sherri Kronfeld.
Essay
23 July 2012

Sherri Kronfeld asks why theater critics are more often than not theater practitioners, and argues for more inclusion of these hybrid theater maker/critics in the theater criticism scene.

The set for Futurity.
Essay

On The Lisps’ Futurity: A Musical

12 July 2012

James J. Hodge examins our societys relation to the future through the lens of the new musical Futurity by the Lisps.

Portrait of Matthew Gutschick.
Essay
2 July 2012

Matthew Gushick explains the necessity of having a sense of play in creating any kind of theater, and how it is the vital key in creating ultimate captivation in an auidence.

The Twitter logo.
Essay
3 April 2012

Highlights from the Weekly Howl conversation on social media's impact on arts criticism.

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