Reviews
RENT (Diversionary)
“What truly distinguishes this production, however, is the direction… Barber and Clark strip away some of the musical theatre slickness and replace it with something messier and more emotionally raw.” – ErinMarie Reiter, BroadwayWorld
“Coleman Ray Clark makes an audacious San Diego directing debut with “The Strangers,” creating a shape-shifting theaterscape that’s at times haunting, funny, disturbing, visually dazzling and filled with surprises.” – Pam Kragen, San Diego Tribune
“Beautifully directed by Coleman Ray Clark, his staging has a shape-shifting fluidity. Scenes slip unexpectedly from humor to horror, from intimacy to alienation. Clark embraces the instability of Peña’s world, creating a production that feels alive and constantly shifting.” – ErinMarie Reiter, BroadwayWorld
“Coleman Ray Clark’s direction has these vignettes flow and manage the rhythm and style of the characters, from soft-spoken to passionate and vocal.” – Alejandra Enciso, From Another Zero
THE STRANGERS (Chalk Circle Collective)
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (Backyard Renaissance)
“This handsomely appointed production holds nothing back in the monstrousness of its characters. But it does infuse more, much-welcomed humor into the story than I remember seeing in previous San Diego productions.” – Pam Kragen, San Diego Tribune
“Clark and Gercke give Albee’s exhaustive narrative lots of room while aptly emphasizing its most timely blasts and blow-ups.” – David Coddon, Stage West
“The cast… under the direction of Coleman Ray Clark, are phenomenal, each mastering a number of characters within Papa’s lengthy script.” – David Bernabo, Medium
PAPA (New Hazlett Theater)
News
“Diversionary Theatre planning a fresh and high-tech take on ‘Rent’” (San Diego Union Tribune)
“‘The Strangers’ takes a fresh look at today’s American towns” (San Diego Union Tribune)
“In ‘Viral Monologues,’ Theater Mutates Into Online Deliverance” (New York Times)
“Instant Artifacts of a Disconnected Time (and Lots of Hugh Dancy)” (NY Times Critic’s Notebook)
Watch Coleman in “Working in the Theatre: The 24 Hour Plays Viral Monologues” (American Theatre Wing)
“PROFILE | Coleman Ray Clark has turned childhood dreams of the stage into successful career” (NW Arkansas Democrat Gazette)
“NWA native Coleman Ray Clark to direct thrilling musical “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” in Springdale” (Fayetteville Flyer)
“The future of theater: Young creators find ways to move forward” (NW Arkansas Democrat Gazette)