This is the beauty of this play; what appears ordinary on the surface is anything but, and we find ourselves asking questions, contemplating the various actions the characters are taking which all appear right, yet seem to further deepen the pain, negative consequences.

Stephane Alwyn’s portrayal, both in terms of singing and acting, is a spot on evocation of the style and essence of a debonair leading man of the period.

'Beauty' opens with the lead female sleeping on a couch. She is awakened by dancer Ismael Alvarez, who leers over her. They begin a pas de deux like no other, as she trembles in fear, as this absurdly large man binds her hands and slaps her.

This taut, engrossing masterpiece does not confine itself to the cerebral, with the more inspirational and human interludes taking place in the remaining two sections of the artfully imagined triptych scenic design.

But what makes this Renegade Theatre Experiment production a success is the marvelous cast, anchored by a compelling performance by the luminous Alika Ululani Spencer

At heart, Pete Campbell and Sebastian Justice are not that different. While Justice has an idiosyncratic, intelligent wit that Campbell lacks (which makes justice far more entertaining), neither character gets beyond his own narcissism.

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity is like Max Weber coming back to life, taking on a second career in standup, and deconstructing the sport. It’s the missing chapter from Weber’s classic "Economics and Society," updated through a highly warped filter.

Director Lee Foster, undaunted by the limited confines of a small thrust stage, has produced a triumphant musical experience that is both visionary in scope and a master class in imaginative theatrical staging.

In Chinglish, which opened last night at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, sex, corruption, and even Enron conspire to potentially send Ohio Signage Company into the ground.

A self-styled event planner, Bloom is so colossally unformed and uninformed that it would be easy to dislike her. However, Sarah Moser holds her own, redeems this character, and wins our hearts in spite of ourselves.