Christian Specht Archives - TheaterScene.net

Christian Specht

Night of January 16th

October 16, 2026

Ayn Rand’s trial play "Night of January 16th" may be melodramatic but it is a satisfying film noir for the stage. Originally written as "Penthouse Legend," it was first produced in Los Angeles as "Woman on Trial," then retitled with its current title by its Broadway producer in 1935. Should you know the Hollywood version, it only shares the title and the names of a few of the characters but not a line written by Rand. Its success has partly been due to the fact that the jury is chosen from the audience each night. In the current Ruth Stage revival on Theatre Row, the 15 people who buy tickets in the first row become that night’s jury. As you would expect, there are two different (brief) endings. [more]

Lone Star

December 7, 2023

Probably only David Rabe’s "Sticks and Bones" (part of his Vietnam trilogy that included "The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel" and "Streamers") is as demonstrative as "Lone Star" in its depiction of a soldier’s inability to easily pick up from where he left off upon returning from a tour of duty. For this production, Ruth Stage, in an adaptation by director Joe Rosario and actor Matt de Rogatis, has been given the rights to append the character of Elizabeth to the original "Lone Star" cast. Her character is from a companion McLure play, "Laundry and Bourbon," which has a history of being performed in repertory with "Lone Star." Elizabeth is Roy’s wife, therefore Ray’s sister-in-law. [more]

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

March 11, 2023

While it may have appeared a huge gamble to mount this 'Cat" again, the results are so well worth it. While other productions of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" have been mounted as star vehicles for actors whether they were right for the roles or not, this new Ruth Stage production brings it back to what the playwright originally intended – an incredibly solid ensemble piece. Here we see it as we’ve come to know it – one of the finest American plays of its generation. It is unequivocally a must-see! [more]