Brian Sands

The Crucible at Big Couch through August 14 In the past 23 years, there’s been two Broadway revivals of Arthur Miller’s modern classic The Crucible yet, to the best of my knowledge, no productions by local companies, and possibly even longer than that (university and high school productions notwithstanding). I’m not sure why that’s the case (the large cast it requires, its … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards August 9, 2025

A Midsummer Night's Dream at Tulane’s Lupin Theater through July 27 A mere two years after The NOLA Project Gave us a most magical Dream in City Park, To the Tulane Shakespeare Festival’s current Dream, I must object Not just because its stage, when Fairies dwell upon it, is often too, too dark, But, rather, because it tells us nothing terribly new, Its cast members unable … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards July 25, 2025

Critics’ Choice Gay Appreciation Award On behalf of Tony Leggio and myself, I am pleased to announce the nominees for the Critics’ Choice Award that will be presented as part of the 35th Gay Appreciation Awards (GAA). They are: Alice by Heart presented by Loyola University, Department of Theatre Arts and Dance Anything Goes produced by Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards July 9, 2025

Critic’s Notebook Summer Lyric Theatre (SLT) presented a near perfect production of A Chorus Line at Tulane’s Dixon Hall recently (June 19-22); it probably would’ve been perfect had not some of the mylar on the panels standing in for rehearsal hall mirrors gotten distractingly scrunched up (at least at the performance I attended; I trust that was corrected for the rest of … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards June 27, 2025

The Imaginary Invalid at Tulane’s Lupin Theater through June 22 Want to go see a doctor or two especially when they're likely to be a quack? Of course not! Unless, that is, they're on stage at Tulane’s Lupin Theater for the New Orleans Shakespeare Festival’s (NOSF) production of The Imaginary Invalid. In fact, there's not even any need for insurance to ensure a grand … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards June 20, 2025

Clown Bar 2 at The AllWays Lounge through June 6 If you’re looking for a romantic clown comedy murder mystery musical--and who isn’t these days?!--head to The Twilight Room at The AllWays Lounge for The NOLA Project’s production of Adam Szymkowicz’s Clown Bar 2. It’s a follow-up to the playwright’s Clown Bar, which NOLA Project produced 10 years ago, and, rather than try … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards June 6, 2025

Tiny Beautiful Things at Loyola's Marquette Theater through May 25 Dear Sugar – As you may know, Crescent City Stage is presenting Nia (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) Vardalos’ adaptation of “your” book Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar (written, of course, under your real name of Cheryl Strayed) at Loyola University's Marquette Theater through May … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards May 16, 2025

Doubt at Le Petit Theatre through May 18 After seeing its original off-Broadway production in January 2005, I wrote, “John Patrick Shanley provided gripping theater with his best play to date. In Doubt, a nun tries to determine whether a priest at her school has molested a young boy. If this Manhattan Theater Club production moves to Broadway, as is rumored, don’t miss … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards May 9, 2025

Orpheus Descending at Loyola’s Marquette Theatre Watching The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans’ recent production of Orpheus Descending at the Marquette Theatre on Loyola University’s campus, I couldn’t help wondering why it has never been turned into an opera. Its poetic monologues could serve as arias, both lyrical and dramatic. Duets among the leads … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards April 24, 2025