Ilana Walder-Biesanz
Ilana is an Associate Product Manager at Yahoo! and a freelance theater and opera critic. She holds a B.S. in Engineering from Olin College and an M.Phil. in European Literature from the University of Cambridge. She currently reviews for Stark Insider, Bachtrack, and San Francisco Classical Voice.
Colette Uncensored will leave you wanting more
In The Marsh’s small San Francisco theater, watching Lorri Holt speak as Colette is like having a conversation with the most interesting person you...
Broadway Review: ‘Wicked’ defies gravity, as usual
The national tour of Wicked couldn’t possibly be less than fabulous. Stephen Schwartz’s score combines the infuriatingly catchy with the beautifully lyrical. His clever...
Theatre Rhinoceros adopts an uneven play
Tanya Barfield’s The Call is nominally a play about adoption. As such, the premise (an exploration of a couple’s excitement and doubts about adopting...
Bold and Bizarre: The Unfortunates at ACT
Three a cappella group members walk into the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It’s not the start of a joke; it’s the birth of a musical....
A mesmerizing mermaid tale at Cutting Ball Theater
Ilana Walder-Biesanz reviews the World Premiere of a new play by Katharine Sherman about Ondine, a water sprite.
Forever Tango is dance without drama
I have a confession to make: I don’t know anything about Argentine Tango. So when I write about Luis Bravo’s Forever Tango, I can...
A Christmas Carol cheers and inspires at the ACT
A Christmas Carol is the story of a withered soul reawakened through imagination. The miserly Scrooge must discover what matters in life. Even if...
Murder and musical comedy are a winning combination in Gentleman’s Guide
Clever writing and an outstanding cast make this new musical comedy a feel-good hit, all the murders notwithstanding.
A monster builder, a master play
A talented cast at Berkeley's Aurora Theatre Company holds the show together through all its twists and turns.
New plays at the Olympians festival hold water
30 new plays by 31 local writers make for imaginative evening of theater.