A Review of Rumors

by Toni Wilson Wood

For the 100th Season of Waterloo Community Playhouse and Black Hawk Children’s Theatre, there is a play for each decade represented. We are getting down to the end of the season so we are getting closer to the present–Rumors by Neil Simon is the play representing the 1980s. The show does a great job at conveying the decade in question–but I will get to that in a moment. What you really need to know is that this show is funny.

A Review of Rocky Horror

by Toni Wilson Wood

Waterloo – As a Rocky Horror virgin, having only seen bits and pieces of the film version, and knowing it had a reputation for being a perfectly terrible film, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I sure didn’t expect to have so darn much fun with this racy, silly and raunchily hilarious show. My face hurt from smiling and laughing so much during the show.

A Review of A Christmas Story

by Toni Wilson Wood

A Christmas Story was my favorite Christmas movie until 2003 when Elf came out. I would wait with similar glee to a child waiting for Christmas morning for TBS’s annual 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story and watched it several times during that time. Every. Year. To this day, I still have a soft spot for overly winter dressed children who can’t put their arms down, miserable children dressed in horrid bunny costumes, hilariously earnest daydreams about how to get exactly what you want, and leg lamps.

A Review of To Kill a Mockingbird

by Toni Wilson Wood

To Kill a Mockingbird is a great many things to many people–a classic book about racial inequality and injustice, destruction of innocent, and rape, as well as class, courage and compassion. For 9th grade me, it was a book that was boring in the first half and then all came together in the second half to be one of the best books I’ve ever read. The book has so many different threads that run through it, and all of them were important to the end of the book–it just made me wonder how the play would get everything in there. It does, without feeling like it’s skimping on the story and without feeling overly long. The production is well directed, well acted and well designed–and it makes you think.

A Review of Picasso at the Lapin Agile

By Toni Wilson Wood

Waterloo – I am not certain that Charles Stilwell, guest director for this production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile, could have found a better cast for this funny absurd work. Thanks to Steve Martin’s fine writing, the characters were fully drawn and well formed, from the titular character to the female admirer who only had a few lines. Stilwell and company took this excellent bizarre little script about genius and art and how and if the two can intersect and created a world that I certainly didn’t want to leave.

God’s Ear is Looking for Funding

Waterloo – A group of artists in Waterloo are trying to create a theatre experience and are looking for help. Samuel Card, a former UNI theatre student and longtime actor with Waterloo Community Playhouse and Blackhawk Children’s Theatre, is directing God’s Ear, an experimental theatre piece written by Jenny Schwartz. It’s a dramatic piece that reflects the psychological loss of a child. An ensemble of artists explore mental breakdowns, trauma, and grief. They have started a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the show. We talked with Samuel Card to learn more about the project.

A Review of Dead Man’s Cell Phone

By Toni Wilson Wood

Waterloo – I…I’m not sure what to say. Actually there’s a lot I could say, and will, but sitting in the sold out audience of opening night of Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone at the Walker Building just across from Waterloo Community Playhouse…there was just so much to take in. The script is filled with dark humor and touching poetics, and examines life, death, love, lobster bisque, and technology.

A Review of The Man Who Came to Dinner

by Toni Wilson Wood

Waterloo – Ahhh, Christmas. It’s such a magical time of the year, with giant crowds at the stores, people fighting over the latest toy or gadget, all while protesting that we are not keeping Christ in Christmas. It’s a season of joy, with a presidential election coming up next year, and this election’s crop of contenders really spreading goodwill toward men (but only if they are white and Christian). Makes you kind of long for the good old days, when ladies wore hats and gloves and men wore suits and ties, and when Christmas really meant something.

A Review of Little Shop of Horrors

by Toni Wilson Wood

Waterloo – I am not a musicals person. I know that that automatically makes me not a theatre person in some people’s minds (degree in theatre be damned). Oklahoma could continue to sweep down the plains for all I care; I could wash South Pacific right out my hair.

Little Shop of Horrors Opens Friday, Oct 16

*WCP press release*

Waterloo – The Waterloo Community Playhouse is proud to announce the cast for their upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors. The comedy horror musical follows a hapless florist shop worker, Seymour, who raises a plant that develops a taste for human blood. The music is in the style of the early 1960’s including touches of rock and roll, doo-wop and early Motown. Little Shop of Horrors will perform October 16-25. For show dates, times and tickets call (319) 291-4494 or go here