Richard Nelson's latest play,
How Shakespeare Won the West, proves to be little more than a plodding history lesson about a troupe of actors who strike out for California in 1848, in hopes of skimming off some gold dust. While director Jonathan Moscone has assembled a generally competent ensemble, Nelson is so intent on sketching a group perspective that the actors are afforded little chance to dig deep.

Like the typical company of the day, Nelson's ragtag troupe is composed of archetypes, including the matinee idol who tends to tipple (Chris Henry Coffey), the designated "funny" guy (Joe Tapper, who gives no evidence of said attribute), the closeted homosexual (Jeremiah Kissel, greedily m[...]