Craig Anderson Archives - TheaterScene.net

Craig Anderson

Blood, Sweat, and Queers

June 2, 2025

In this Czech play, a 1930s transgender/intersex athlete, long forgotten, is brought back to center stage. Yet one can’t help but be disappointed at how little this play actually has to say about its ostensible subject matter of professional sports, fascism, persecution, transgender and intersex people, or even Zdeněk himself. Excellent directing and compelling performances don’t save a cruel script. Zdeněk never gets his moment to speak. Instead, he rides off into the sunset to be forgotten again. [more]

The Shylock and the Shakespeareans

June 8, 2023

Einhorn has reshaped the dramatic elements of the original play to focus primarily on antisemitism. What he achieves is a show that highlights how the antisemitism of the 16th century is connected to the religious dogma of that period, with aspects of it extending to the present day. Although it is superficially faithful to the themes of the source, it is still a play that deals with the elements of prejudice, justice, love, and societal norms within the context of antisemitism. It is for an audience that enjoys a well-acted, thought-provoking story with a solid point of view. [more]

Doctors Jane and Alexander

February 4, 2020

Additional credit can be given to Simon and Wolkowitz’s performances by the excellent supporting cast and Einhorn’s writing. The script's one weakness appears to be an insistence on providing an overabundance of mind-numbing facts about blood-type science, details which ultimately don’t lend themselves to the overarching tale of one man’s search for value and importance in his dreams, those of his family that came before him, and the question of whether he will leave anything other than a legacy of his children’s memories. [more]