Theater Review: Danville Village Theatre Presents Jon Robin Baitz’s Other Desert Cities

From l. to r.: Silda (Sally Hogarty), Trip (Micah Watterson), Brooke (Emily Keyishian), Lyman (Christian Phillips), and Polly (Christine Macomber). Photo by Marian Bliss, 2018.

Writer Brooke Wyeth (Emily Keyishian) has come home after a long hiatus to reveal her new novel to her family. Settled in Palm Springs, with conservative values, the Wyeths harbor a plethora of family secrets. It’s all water under the bridge as they go through the motions of their daily lives, secluded in an affluent neighborhood where they appear indestructible. Brooke’s novel threatens to shatter this peaceful image. And so the drama unfolds, as each member fights to keep their secrets under wraps. Continue reading “Theater Review: Danville Village Theatre Presents Jon Robin Baitz’s Other Desert Cities

Theater Review: Town of Danville Presents Charming Musical Comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

From l. to r.: the contestants of Putnam’s annual spelling bee: Hayley Kennen (Barfee), Alex Borja (Leaf Coneybear), Zach Marshall (Chip), Kirsten Torkildson (Marcy Park), Micaela Gorman (Logainne), Emily Shea (Olive), and Shauna Shoptaw (Principal Rona Lisa Peretti)

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is exactly what it is, a Spelling Bee. And as it sounds, it’s a ridiculous evening full of quirky characters and hilarious musical numbers. We follow the journey of six young hopefuls as they navigate the pitfalls of puberty and the actualization of their expectations from the Bee. Continue reading “Theater Review: Town of Danville Presents Charming Musical Comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee