A recap of the performing arts in a tumultuous year.
THE BEST THEATER IN GREATER BOSTON OF 2020
Performing Arts
BALLET MEETS BURLESQUE, GOES VIRTUAL
This year, Somerville Theatre’s “The Slutcracker" will be told in cinematic form.
“MANIFEST DESTINY’S CHILD” TEARS DOWN AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM
Dennis Trainor Jr.'s virtual theater piece reflects on electoral politics, 2016 race.
WOKE IN PROGRESS
Taking Action for Black Lives in Boston’s Arts Community
COVID-19 AND THEATER EDUCATION
According to Sheridan Thomas, teaching comedic timing is nearly impossible through a computer screen. Thomas, a teacher of acting and directing at Tufts University, is 70 years old and never had to teach online before COVID-19. She had to adjust to tools like Zoom to conduct her comedic Shakespeare class, and lagging WiFi made a mess of the course.
WHEN SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SOCIAL MEDIA HELP ARTISTS EXPAND THEIR REACH
“People are recognizing that we artists live off this to a higher degree, versus the assumption that we do this just for fun.”
BOSTON STAGE ACTORS FACE SETBACKS BUT FIND INSPIRATION DURING PANDEMIC
“I’m concerned for the economic welfare and health of our artists, but I’m not afraid and not nervous about what creativity is actually taking place right now.”
MASS DANCERS STREAM CLASSES ONLINE, OFFER MUCH MORE THAN JUST EXERCISE
While the Afro Flow crew usually attracts around 40-50 attendees at a regular class, after just one week of streaming, they have more than 7,000 views on Facebook alone. Salmon Jones says she's had attendees from as close by as Northeastern, to folks tuning in from Barbados.
BEAUTIFUL DISASTER: THE CHILDREN AT SPEAKEASY STAGE
★★★★★
Here she is, boys! Here she is, world! Here’s Rose!
And in Lucy Kirkwood’s extraordinary play The Children, this Rose shows up out of the blue at the ramshackle seaside cottage ...
LOVE SPENT: THE TREASURER AT THE LYRIC STAGE
★★☆☆☆
In Max Posner’s The Treasurer, a middle-aged man who doesn’t love his mother—and seems to hate himself for it—finds himself in the position of having to take charge ...
