‘Manifest Destiny’s Child’ – or True Confessions of a Regretful 2016 Jill Stein Supporter

October 24, 2020 michaelhobanLeave a comment

*Dennis Trainor Jr in “Manifest Destiny’s Child*“

‘Manifest Destiny’s Child’ — Written and performed by Dennis Trainor, Jr.; Directed by Jeff Wise and Dennis Trainor; Presented by Acronym TV. Tickets are “pay what you will” with a $5 minimum, and can be purchasedhere: https://acronymtv.simpletix.com/e/60194. Manifest Destiny’s Child will stream on-demand October 24st — November 8th, 2020 here: https://acronymtv.org/mdc

by Shelley A. Sackett

‘Manifest Destiny’s Child’ is a dramatization of Dennis Trainor, Jr.’s true story about his personal involvement in all things social justice, from protesting at Standing Rock and Occupy Wall Street to his hosting and writing the nationally syndicated news and politics show Acronym TV to, ultimately, becoming Communications Director of Dr. Jill Stein’s ill-fated third party run for President in 2016.

Created as a memoir at Boston’s creative writing space, Grub Street, Trainor decided to morph the piece into a one-man show. While he and director Jeff Wise wisely interspliced actual footage from the protests and Stein’s campaigns, that footage spotlights Trainor, either as participant or interviewer. Coupled with the remainder of the 63-minutes that focuses on Trainor as a talking head either in emotive full face or — annoyingly — in static profile, that’s a LOT of on-screen Trainor, his Robert Downey, Jr./Matthew Perry appeal notwithstanding.

Gloucester Stage Company Serves Up Full-Bodied Blues in ‘Paradise Blue’

October 9, 2020 Henry HarveyLeave a comment

‘Paradise Blue’ — Written by Dominique Morisseau; Directed by Jackie Davis; Produced by Gloucester Stage Company at Oneline/Virtual Space, as part of its 2020 Never Dark Series. Streaming online October 1-4 at https://gloucesterstage.com/battle-not-begun/

By Shelley A. Sackett

There’s a raw poetic cadence to the dazzling dialogue of playwright Dominique Morisseau’s final play in her trilogy set in Detroit across decades. It’s 1949, and the downtown Blackbottom entertainment district is home to many black-owned jazz clubs, including the Paradise Club. Director Jackie Davis sets the tone immediately. Against an opening montage of black and white period photos and a pained, bone-melting trumpet solo, we hear a single gunshot. This film noir trope is a perfect entrance into ‘Paradise Blue’ and an introduction to the complicated passions that drive its five characters.

THT Rep Takes On COVID with (Live) ‘Edgar Allan Poe Double Header’

October 2, 2020October 2, 2020 michaelhobanLeave a comment

by Mike Hoban

‘Edgar Allan Poe Double Header’ – Written by Edgar Alan Poe. Directed by Olivia D’Ambrosio Scanlon. Presented by The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts at the BrickBox Theater in the Jean McDonough Arts Center, 20 Franklin St., Worcester 01608 through October 25.

“You fancy me mad.”

That phrase is taken from “The Telltale Heart”, the chilling short story which makes up the first half of The Hanover Theatre Repertory’s (THT Rep) much-appreciated Edgar Allan Poe Double Header, serving as the de facto opening line of the show’s first preview. But it could just have easily have been spoken by attendees of the performance to friends and family who may have questioned the sanity of those who dared to go back to live theater.