John Wascavage Archives - TheaterScene.net

John Wascavage

Who is Jimmy Pants?

March 28, 2025

The second in the York Theatre’s Spring New2NY series is "Who Is Jimmy Pants?," an entertaining spoof of bio-jukebox musical, a genre that could use some taking down. Presented concert-style with book-in-hand, as were the York’s Mufti Series, the high-powered cast of nine directed by Stephen Nachamie (Ken Ludwig’s "Dear Jack, Dear Louise") make the rather clichéd material seem better than it is. [more]

I Spy A Spy

July 21, 2019

Cluttered, lively and quaint, the zany musical comedy "I Spy A Spy" is reminiscent of the sort of lightweight material directorial legend George Abbott would have had a go at in the late 1960’s. This show recalls the Abbott efforts "How Now, Dow Jones" and "The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N" that William Goldman analyzed in his classic 1969 behind the scenes account "The Season." Abbott did his best with those disappointments just as the creative team for I Spy A Spy does. [more]