friends – San Diego Story

‘Volume’ Lacks Insight, But Don’t Miss the Spectacle

By Martin Jones Westlin | August 9, 2017 |

The canvas that was the 1990s started out blindingly white and died a murky, bloodstained mess. ‘Pump Up the Volume: a ’90s Palooza,’ San Diego Musical Theatre’s salute to the era, doesn’t quite know why that’s so — but as a spectacle in and of itself, you could do a lot worse.

The monarch never arrives, but SD Rep’s ‘Butterflies’ is commendable

By Martin Jones Westlin | January 13, 2014 |

San Diego Repertory Theatre is giving “In the Time of the Butterflies,” the story of four sisters’ valiant fight against Dominican Republic strongman Rafael Trujillo’s bloody regime, its English-language world premiere through Jan. 26. Curiously, the entry is missing a lot about its flesh-and-blood antagonist — but a highly developed culture of ensemble carries the performances in this commendable piece about a brutal reign the West can’t afford to forget.