One-act play "So Damned Heavenly Bound" misses the emotional punch

So Damned Heavenly Bound
The Elephant Theatre
Through Sept. 10
1 paw

When a 20-minute one-act play is set in the aftermath of a father’s death, there is a significant amount of emotional baggage to shove into a small time frame.

“So Damned Heavenly Bound,” the first play of a double feature at The Elephant Theatre which also included “You Make Me Physically Ill”, attempts to solve that issue by foregoing details about the father’s death and placing the emotional burden on four women, three of the man’s daughters and one his granddaughters.

The daughters, Liz (Malesa Farris), and Peggy (Sundee Martineau), as well as Liz’s daughter Lisa (Angela Poncetta), have spent the whole afternoon and evening preparing for the following day’s funeral.

Paul Shoulberg's new play, "Tweaked," examines the complex issues of meth addiction through three characters' personal stories

Tweaked
Meta Theatre
Through Aug. 21
3.5 paws

Addiction isn’t a problem that gets solved in an hour and a half.

This is why “Tweaked,” the new play by Paul Shoulberg, succeeds best in not attempting to propose a cure within its given time frame, but in allowing for an examination of the issues that stem from its continuation.

Endangered Series: _New NBC reality singing competition 'The Voice' lacks blind objectivity_

For many of us, superficiality has been inescapable since preschool. The reality singing competition “The Voice” is like going through the first week of classes without anyone paying attention to what you’re wearing.