I’ve always loved historical fiction, but it can be a tricky thing to get right.  Photo by Dan Norman Where is the line between taking a fictional account of history too far and hitting just the right balance? Done well, historical fiction can provide an exciting, accessible way to engage

Representation has been an increasingly important theme in arts around the world lately. Uche Iroegbu Whether it’s melanizing the lily white world of superhero universes (here’s looking at you Black Panther) or shaking up the stale genre of rom coms (Crazy Rich Asians ruled the game this summer), groups that

If I could take a billboard out to make the world a better place, it would say something like: stop underestimating children.   Photo by Dan Norman I think we have a tendency to think that just because kids are small sized humans and have limited vocabularies that somehow they’re

Adapting favorite childhood stories to a new medium can be tricky business.   Photo by Rich Ryan The unique mix of nostalgia and ownership that childhood characters breed can wreak all sorts of havoc on an adaptation’s profitability. For example: despite coming from an eternally beloved book series and boasting a

Look around, look around, how lucky we are to be alive right now…   Photo by Joan Marcus I’m sure that, unless you live under the world’s heaviest, largest rock, you’ve heard of the theatrical juggernaut that is Hamilton by now. I’m also sure that you’ve heard Hamilton has finally

When is the last time you saw a show authored by a local playwright?   Photo courtesy of Theater Mu How about a local female playwright? How about a local Hmong female playwright? I’m with you – Theater Mu’s latest world premiere was a first for me too, and if

Have you ever questioned your memories? Let me tell you a story: it’s 2006 and I’m a junior in high school in a small town up north. The school musical is announced and it’s West Side Story. I’m thrilled because it’s one of my favorite shows, ever.pointblank.omg., and I get a

What Unites Us?   Photo by Dan Norman   I’m a huge Dan Rather fan (if you’re not following his news updates on his Facebook page you are seriously missing out – check it out at once!), and one of the common themes in his posts is finding ways to

How much do you know about the Philippines, really?   Photo by Bruce Silcox Did you know it was colonized twice? Did you know that Filipinos share a lot of cultural heritage with Latinx peoples? Did you know that the tribal origins of Filipinos date back more than 6,000 years?

As an immigrant or a refugee, where does your allegiance belong?   Photo by Dan Norman Should you forget where you were born? Should you bide your time until you can return again? Should you try to assimilate where you have moved if you never intended to live there in