The New York Pops with Megan Hilty and Matthew Morrison
Megan Hilty with conductor Steve Reineke and The New York Pops (Photo credit: Richard Termine) [more]
Archive
Simon Says
Three-time Tony nominee Brian Murray returns to the New York stage for the first time in four years as a retired professor of parapsychology who has put aside his own career to foster that of a young psychic from the time he was a teenager who is able to channel a spirit named Simon. However, the play belongs entirely to virile newcomer Anthony J. Goes who plays psychic James. The role is both vocally and physically demanding and he is totally convincing in a play that asks you suspend your disbelief. [more]
Twyla Tharp and Three Dances
From 1976, “Country Dances” represented the post-experimental avant-garde phase after breakout success with her ballets for major dance companies. From 1980, there was “Brahms Paganini,” her entrée into her hybrid style combining her eccentric, seemingly casual movements with the classical ballet vocabulary and from 2016, “Beethoven Opus 130,” virtually a classical ballet with quirky touches. [more]
Liberty: A Monumental New Musical
The production team uses most of the same people who were involved with the show’s 2014 run at Theater 80 St. Marks as well as four of the eight actors. Directing again, Evan Pappas keeps the show moving along, but some of the characterizations are allowed to descend into caricature and the waiting game for the money to be raised becomes a bit wearisome. Shapiro, now two years older, is charming as Liberty and has a sweet voice but it fails to project in this venue. Emma Rosenthal is impassioned as Emma Lazarus, caught between her liberal beliefs and her family’s conservative leanings. [more]
Katdashians! Break the Musical!
Under John Duff’s direction, this energetic group of performers get an A+ for accurately portraying their chosen characters. As KimKat, Carmen Mendoza is as self-centered as can be and let her queen status be known with “The Selfie Song,” while Elliott Brooks’ KhloeKat takes on the role of the black sheep of the family with her hysterical, crude and unfiltered persona shining through. As KrisKat, Bailey Nolan makes her mark as the creator of the litter known from the start and is just as domineering and commanding as you’d expect. Peter Smith, who is a supporting player in the Kardashians’ show, takes on the role of Bruce Jenner/Catlyn and tries to find his place among divas – getting his moment with the catchy, “Bruce Jenner (He's a Man's Man).” [more]
Runaways
The most remarkable thing about the Encores! Off-Center revival of the late Elizabeth Swados’ 1978 musical "Runaways" is that it is as fresh as when it was written almost four decades ago. The concert staging is perfect for this revue like show which deals with youthful alienation and abuse, making it feel extremely contemporary. Credit director Sam Pinkleton and a cast of 25 high-powered multi-racial and multi-ethnic performers, mostly New York City school children from 12 – 19. Among the performers are a deaf actor working in sign language (Ren), two actors who perform in Spanish (Claudia Ramirez and Joshua DeJesus), and a transgendered actress (MJ Rodriguez). It would not be hyperbole to say that among this cast are the stars of tomorrow. [more]
The Lost Ones: A New Musical
Karen Carpenter singing her song, We Have Only Just Begun (to live), sitting on a stool in the afterlife takes the meaning of ill-fated to a whole new level. However, Karen Carpenter, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain singing Karen and Richard Carpenter’s number one hit, Top of the World, brought the house down. The staging of whom sang what verse and when was priceless. And, Greg Schlotthauer’s musical direction is inspired. [more]
HYPERBOLIC! (The Last Spectacle)
It is August 11, 2033, and there’s a wild party happening because the world is ending. That’s the setup of the exuberant one-hour multimedia fantasia "HYPERBOLIC! (The Last Spectacle)." This often very funny and eerie Downtown mash up of the styles of Bob Fosse and Baz Luhrmann is crossed with dashes of enigmatic Sci-Fi and drag queen sensibilities. [more]
Phoenix Rising: Girls and the Secrets We Keep
"Phoenix Rising: Girls and the Secrets We Keep" takes place in two worlds: the New York CBGB punk scene of 1985, and a dark, Greek mythological other world of indeterminate time and place. In 1985, a high school social worker by the name of Grace mentors an after-school, trauma therapy session. In the other world, the Archetypal Mother/Storyteller presides over her “damaged souls” and reads from an ancient tome, the “Phoenix Book.” [more]
DELIRIOUS Dances: To Begin the World Over Again
Edisa Weeks’ DELIRIOUS Dances company presented "To Begin the World Over Again," an ultimately hopeful, informal look at American values filtered through the words of Thomas Paine, the Revolutionary War era philosopher and rebel-rouser—sort of an informal, easy-to-get-into Hamilton. [more]
PRISM Quartet Color Theory: Sō Percussion and PARTCH
Over the last several years, PRISM and two colleague chamber groups, Sō Percussion on the one hand and PARTCH on the other, have been engaged in the “Color Theory” project, and presented two separate concerts. Taking as their model early modern visual artists' examination of pigment mixes through the insights of Isaac Newton's discovery of color theory and prisms, the four saxophonists and composers with whom they collaborate have been using “color theory as a framework to explore the spectra that make up instrumental sound.” The results were exhilarating. [more]
Here I Sit, Brokenhearted
Bathroom humor is an art of its own kind, but Seth Panitch’s musical parody "Here I Sit, Brokenhearted: A Bathroom Odyssey" takes this particular blend of humor and exploits it entirely. The moment the stage lights rise to full, marking the beginning of the production, a monstrous flush of a toilet rings through the audience, and that’s about as sophisticated a moment as any to be expected from the rest of the evening. [more]
Out of the Mouths of Babes
At one point stumbling around in a sleep mask and wearing a colorful nightgown, the 88 year-old Estelle Parsons has a field day as the 88 year-old Evelyn, a former journalist for The International Herald Tribune. Ms. Parsons delightfully barrels through the play growling, cursing, and exhibiting vibrant physicality. Being the skillful old pro that she is, Parsons has the technique to tone it down when needed. [more]
On the Verge
As the women find themselves further and further in the future, it is how each reacts and is forever changed that give the play its emotional weight. Two manage to adjust quite well; one not so much. The whirlwind of mid-twentieth century America takes its toll on these intelligent travelers, outwardly in their clothing and inwardly on their attitudes toward life. The paths each takes at the end of "On the Verge"aren’t just theatrically satisfying—having been telegraphed subtly in many ways—but actually quite moving. Suddenly Overmyer, with the decided support of three fine actresses, ably directed by the astute Laura Braza, turns these silly, living cartoons into flesh and blood. And, that is the real journey of On the Verge. [more]
ON THE TOWN with Chip Deffaa …. for July 5th, 2016
I’ve always liked Andrew Keenan-Bolger's work. He was a memorable child actor, playing leads on Broadway in shows like "Beauty and the Beast" and "Seussical," when he was around 13 or 14 years old. I admired his sunny, open-hearted work then. And he's even more successful today (at age 31) as an adult--not every child actor can make such a transition. He conveys the same sort of buoyant spirit on stage now as he did when I first saw him in those shows he did so well as a youth.. (His whole family is talented. He and his sisters, Celia Keenan-Bolger and Maggie Keenan-Bolger, are all making their contributions to the arts.) [more]
WHO AM I
A leggy dark blonde young woman with her hair pulled up, wearing a black skirt, a patterned short gray blouse and high heels walks through the audience and onto the bare black stage. She begins dancing and then is joined by two lovely young female dancers in psychedelic tunics and all three perform Valerie Mae Browne’s beautifully choreographed modern dance accompanied by mellow pulsating electronic music. It’s all something that would not be out of place on a program at The Joyce Theatre. [more]
RIOULT Dance New York 2016
The New York City premiere of “Polymorphous” to Bach was a coolly elegant work that featured ever shifting black and white projections (by Brian Clifford Beasley) matched by the witty leotards by Karen Young which were white in front and black on the back. The video also featured reverse shadow images surreally mirroring the dancers as they plied the light jumps, gentle partnering and beautifully arching steps. The most balletic work on the program, “Polymorphous” used one of Rioult’s frequently used technique of working one pair of dancers in contrast to the other. In this case, the four dancers—Brian Flynn, Ms. Haines, Jere Hunt and Sara Elizabeth Seger—created two different pools of emotions—one quietly amorous, the other darker. “Polymorphous,” with its careful, quiet craftsmanship, was a kind of choreographic palate cleanser between the heated “Dream Suite” and the four “Duets Sacred & Profane” which followed. [more]
Michael C. Bernardi: An Actor and His Legacy
I’ve always felt my father (Herschel) very present in my life, and I think because in a lot of ways he left behind a pretty wonderful legacy--and there were a lot of people who adored him--I grew up with a lot of different people telling me stories of how great he was. And so I think I always had such a positive vision of him that I always felt like he was looking out for me. [more]
Romeo & Juliet (2016)
The Wheelhouse Theater Company presents this fast-paced and faithful version of the romantic classic. Co-directors Jeff Wise and Matt Harrington have inventively pared down William Shakespeare’s enduringly resonant tragic play to 90 minutes. Mr. Wise and Mr. Harrington’s staging is visually compelling with a number of clever touches. Mortal wounds are indicating with the unfortunates tossing red rose petals. Juliet delivers a speech as a stand-up comedy routine with recorded audience laughter heard. That there’s no actual balcony doesn’t really matter as that famous scene is so finely blocked and performed. [more]
Florencia en el Amazonas
This production had two brilliant design/directoral conceits that worked hand in glove with the musical elements to tell the story. The first involved twelve dancers from Ballet Hispanico’s BHdos all in white body suits from head to toe, undulating virtually continuously down stage in front of the ship, representing the river and its secrets. With indefatigably choreographed by Nicholas Villeneuve and breathtakingly lit by Barry Steele, they, indeed, became a living part of the scenery, even interacting with the characters on the ship. [more]
Himself and Nora
James Joyce most always put himself first, according to Jonathan Brielle, who wrote the book, music and lyrics for "Himself and Nora," (subtitled “The Greatest Love Story Never Told”), Minetta Lane Theatre’s new Off-Broadway musical. Brielle explores the narcissistic and codependent 37-year relationship between James Joyce and Nora Barnacle (who later became Joyce’s wife). For a purported love story that defined a genius and mesmerized Joyce enthusiasts for ages, the two-act musical is lightweight with minimal literary biographical details. [more]
STET
Rolling Stone magazine’s 2014 controversial article "A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice at UVA" about an alleged rape at a University of Virginia fraternity house seemingly has inspired the author of this play, Kim Davies. Ms. Davies has taken many of the facts of that story and woven them into this fictionalized narrative that falls short of being compelling. [more]
Legendary Actress and Singer Rita McKenzie on a Career That Has Taken a Jersey Girl All Over the World
Growing up in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, Rita McKenzie never imagined the places that her career would take her. Traveling all over the world with "Ethel Merman’s Broadway," McKenzie has shared the life and career of an international superstar with audiences from different cultures and backgrounds who continue to honor her legacy. Along the way, McKenzie has also made discoveries about herself and her desire to always keep growing and learning in an ever-changing world. [more]
One Timeless Drama. Two Timeless Legends. Together Onscreen for the First Time.
Veteran film icons Academy Award® nominee Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings franchise, The Hobbit franchise, X-Men franchise) and Academy Award® winner Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, Thor franchise, Mission Impossible II) star together for the first time ever in the captivating BBC production of the STARZ Original movie, The Dresser, arriving on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment and Digital HD from Starz Digital July 12. [more]
C4: Choral Composer/Conductor Collective: Organic – New Works for Choir and Organ
C4 has always been driven by certain core values and goals; the particular repertoire “cornerstones” being emphasized this season, as indicated in the concert's program notes, were important but infrequently performed works, beauty, and the nurturing of new composers' voices. This concert contained all these features in both recent works and four premieres. [more]
The Healing
Samuel D. Hunter’s latest play, "The Healing," is a commission by Theater Breaking Through Barriers, dedicated to advancing the work of performers with disabilities. Not surprisingly, the play gives roles to six disabled actors out of the seven characters in the play, and they acquit themselves well. This story of a reunion of childhood friends in their thirties who have gathered for the funeral of one of their members is made very real by the acting of the cast. The problem with the play is that it appears so tentative and low-key that the explosion we keep waiting for never happens. Under the direction of Stella Powell-Jones, the healing of the title is so subtle that the play could be said to be anti-theatrical. [more]
Othello (American Sephardi Federation)
The American Sephardi Federation’s production of a greatly compressed "Othello" at the beautiful Center for Jewish History. This was the third of a series of three shows staged to showcase the talents of David Serero. He’s a Moroccan Sephardic Jewish performer who has charm and charisma. [more]
Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All that Followed
"Shuffle Along..." follows the travails and triumphs of the creators of the 1921 David that fought what was at first a losing battle against the Goliath of the Broadway powers-that-be. The quartet that put the show together on a long road tour were libretto creators F.E. Miller (Brian Stokes Mitchell whose charisma and mind-boggling professionalism makes his character the safe harbor) and his partner, Aubrey Lyles (Arbender Robinson, brilliantly taking on the part usually played by Billy Porter); composer, Noble Sissle (Joshua Henry, giving a quietly dignified performance as an artist whose disappointment in America takes him to Africa) and lyricist, Eubie Blake (Brandon Victor Dixon, the more effervescent and demanding of the two songwriters). [more]
No-No Boy
Chris Doi winningly conveys Ichiro’s anguish and holds attention as this leading character with his emotional performance. The personable Glenn Kubota is deeply gentle as Pa, and Mr. Kubota performs a beautiful movement piece with his hands fluttering as birds during a storytelling segment. As Ma, Karen Tsen Lee poignantly descends deeper into her delusions with histrionic expertise that Japan won the war and is marvelously engaging during her fable-like recitations. [more]
I’ll Say She Is
Only a 30 page treatment and five songs remained from the original show by the Johnstone brothers, writer Will B. and composer Tom. Diamond has written new lyrics for music by Tom Johnston and his brother Alexander as well as using songs from other shows written by Tom and Will. He has rearranged the plot, left out some sequences, and reduced the number of characters. The show at the Connelly Theater is not so much a revival as a homage to Marx Brothers musicals. [more]
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center of New York City
Ms. Feiffer’s rudimentary characters communicate by the sledgehammer approach to comedy. Until the mawkish finale there is a barrage of zingers, one-liners and vulgarisms. If a theatrical awards body had a category that honored the most abundant use of the word “fuck,” this play would be a major contender for such an honor. [more]
Hero’s Welcome
Now having its American premiere in repertory with "Confusions," one of Ayckbourn’s earliest plays, with the same actors in both, the production which is directed by the author is from the Stephen Joseph Theater, Scarborough, where most of the author’s plays have had their world premieres. This is a powerful and engrossing study of friendship, love, jealousy, competition and betrayal. [more]
Blankets and Bedtime: 3 Restless Plays
"Blankets and Bedtime: 3 Restless Plays" is produced by the theater company A Pixie Theory and is presented as part of The Planet Connections Festivity.The stated theme of the three plays is “the extremes people will go to in the name of self-preservation.” Erik Champney succeeds at dramatizing this concern and also demonstrates that he is a talented and imaginative playwright. [more]