Reviewed by Bel Hernandez Castillo
The Circle, a tragicomic theater production by playwright Stacey Martino Rivera, delivers a deeply emotional, thought-provoking, and often disarmingly funny exploration of family grief, identity, and reconciliation. Directed with sensitivity and imaginative scope by D.W. Jacobs, and featuring original music by Germaine Franco, the production resonates long after the final bow.
Set over one chaotic weekend in Texas, The Circle brings together three generations of the Medinas and Mahoneys families. What unfolds is not merely a family drama but a mirror reflecting America’s fractured emotional and political landscape. Through moments of absurdity, tenderness, and piercing confrontation, the play suggests that truth itself is subjective — that every character holds their own version of reality, each equally valid. In this way, The Circle invites empathy rather than judgment, urging audiences to expand their capacity for understanding rather than retreat into certainty.
This is an introspective work that challenges easy answers. The emotional core of The Circle rests in its insistence that exclusion of any lived truth is itself invalid. Rivera’s writing insists that reconciliation, not punishment, must guide our approach to harm, conflict, and healing — a message that feels particularly urgent in today’s social climate.
The cast delivers uniformly powerful performances, but two stand out for their depth, control, and emotional honesty: Michael Brainard as Bud Ireton and René Rivera as José Medina. Their performances anchor the production, providing a masterclass in restraint and emotional precision. What makes their work especially compelling is the raw authenticity they bring — never overplayed, never forced — allowing moments of vulnerability to emerge naturally and profoundly.
René Rivera, a Lifetime Member of The Actors Studio, brings extraordinary gravitas to José Medina. His distinguished career spans Broadway, Off-Broadway, television, and film, including collaborations with Al Pacino, Kevin Kline, Anne Bogart, and Stephen Berkoff. Here, Rivera channels decades of craft into a performance that is both intimate and commanding.
Michael Brainard’s Bud Ireton is equally compelling — layered, conflicted, and achingly human that demands his voice be heard. Brainard, known for his work in All My Children, Santa Barbara, and numerous film and television projects, creates a character whose emotional evolution feels deeply lived-in and profoundly sincere.
The ensemble is solid across the board. Alma Martinez delivers a deeply moving performance as the dying matriarch Eva Medina, embodying both fragility and fierce emotional presence. Victoria Ratermanis as Molly Medina, Lisa Richards as Maeve Mahoney, and Jeanette Godoy as Mary Padrón each bring nuance and emotional complexity to their roles. Ava Rivera and Luna Rivera, portray Anna Medina at ages sixteen and twelve respectively, offering remarkable emotional maturity and authenticity. Lakin Valdez rounds out the cast with a strong and revealing performance as Ronnie Medina.
Martino Rivera explains that she wrote The Circle as an act of healing — for herself, her family, and ultimately, for a society fractured by polarization. The play’s exploration of racial justice, environmental justice, immigration, restorative justice, and belonging unfolds organically, never feeling didactic.
Director D.W. Jacobs, drawing on decades of work with epic literary traditions — from Dickens to Dante — Jacobs infuses the play with a spiritual and emotional architecture rooted in memory, cyclical time, and transformation.
The Circle is a rare theatrical experience — emotionally raw yet humorously alive. It does not offer easy conclusions. it opens a space for reflection, empathy, and perhaps, transformation.
Verdict:The Circle is powerful, courageous theater — urgent in its themes, exceptional in its performances, and essential viewing for audiences seeking art that challenges, heals, and inspires.
The production is dedicated to the late C. Raul Espinoza, posthumous producer of the play, whose legacy of community engagement and cultural advocacy is deeply felt throughout the evening.
The Circle will continue to play at the Greenway Court Theatre, 544 North Fairfax Avenue (at Melrose Avenue), Hollywood, CA 90036 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. The show will be playing for the remainder of the run on Fridays, February 13 and 20 at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays, February 20 and 28 (a added Bonus performance) at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m., February 15 and 21. Saturday, February 14th, Valentine’s Day, will be dark.
For further information and to buy tickets online, please visit https://greenwaycourttheatre.org Tickets can also be purchased by E-mailing boxoffice@greenwayartsalliance.org or calling the Greenway Court Theatre at 323-655-7679, ext. 4.