Mike Schulz and Thomas Alan Taylor in A Steady Rain, photo by Shared Light Photography's Jessica SheridanI want to see Thomas Alan Taylor bomb on stage, and actually fail to portray a role well. This isn't said out of disdain or schadenfreude, but because, to date, I've seen no evidence that he can do any wrong as an actor.

Siara Cooper

Augustana College's Wrestling with Angels & Demons approaches race, ethnicity, and racism from a personal perspective, as six people share their experiences - from first arriving at college to returning to one's homeland - with much humor and grace and very little anger. It's effective at addressing its issues in a nonconfrontational way, thoughtful, and - while dealing with a touchy subject - also quite enjoyable.

Macy Marie Hernandez, Vicki Owoo-Battlet, and director Scott Irelan rehearse Wrestling with Angels & DemonsAugustana College opens its 2010-11 theatre season with the student/faculty collaboration Wrestling with Angels & Demons, and true to its title, the play will find its performers doing a fair share of wrestling. Yet rather than physical (or metaphysical) beings, the production's student actors will actually be grappling with questions: What is democracy? What is the American Dream? And a question that many of us have contemplated this year: Is Rod Blagojevich really blacker than Barack Obama?