Rebecca J. Michelson

The New York Pops 43rd Birthday Gala: “Changed for Good: A Celebration of Stephen Schwartz”

April 29, 2026

The New York Pops’ 43rd Birthday Gala honoring Stephen Schwartz did not present itself as a ceremonial evening. It moved with purpose, cleanly built, with no drag between numbers and no need to overstate its significance. Under music director Steven Reineke, the orchestra kept a steady line—bright brass, controlled strings, and arrangements that stayed responsive to the singers rather than imposing weight on them. The result was a program that trusted the material and let the performers meet it directly. What distinguishes this gala is not only the caliber of performance but the structure surrounding it. This is the Pops’ largest fundraiser of the year, and the proceeds are not abstract. They feed directly into PopsEd, the orchestra’s long-running music education arm, which provides in-school instruction, performance opportunities, and access across New York City. That mission was not explained from the stage. It was visible in the room. [more]

Trash

March 19, 2026

James Caverly and Andew Morrill’s Trash is a provocative play about two late 20s deaf roommates who have nothing in common except sharing an apartment. However, what is most intriguing about Trash is that it told in multiple ways. As the main characters are both deaf, they use American Sign Language to communicate. As a concession to hearing audiences, some of the dialogue is projected on three walls facing the audience. Still more unusual, there is a jukebox on stage (played by Chris Ogren) which, when fed with dollar bills, translates the ASL into spoken speech. When the lead characters really want us to know what is being said they use this method. However, this is only used partially. Much of the play is told only in ASL but Caverly and Morrill are so adept (and so dramatic) at it that we often feel like we know exactly what they are saying. They also use white boards which they hold up for all to see for simple statements or questions to the audience which sometimes require answers. [more]

The New York Pops: Everything I Know: Mandy Gonzalez Sings Lin-Manuel Miranda

November 23, 2025

These highlights stood out not because they were big, but because they were grounded. Nothing felt inflated or overworked. Reineke kept the orchestra responsive, and Gonzalez moved through Miranda’s catalog with the ease of someone who knows the material from the inside out — from the early basement-club creativity of "Freestyle Love Supreme" to the cross-platform storytelling that carries him from "In the Heights" to "Encanto" without changing his fingerprint. [more]

Out of Order

July 12, 2025

The idea presented in this prologue is that Holder, after 20 years in his theatrical life, has reached a dead end in his interest in playwriting. He is looking for something to re-energize himself, or he will give it all up and move on to something else. The prologue reader pulls a string, releasing a cascade of 36 folded cards from a box on the ceiling. The claim is that everything that is to transpire is real, and if Holder doesn't complete all of the tasks listed on the cards, he will quit the theater forever. [more]

Clowns Like Me

July 7, 2024

Ehrenpreis’ "Clowns Like Me" is sad, but true, and with the help of writer and director Jason Cannon, the brutally honest tale finds all the humor that’s possible. Within a very few minutes we are introduced to all the tools to discuss an obvious manifestation of his obsessive-compulsive disorder: cleanliness. Out come the goggles, gloves, cleaning rag, spray bottle and his co-stars Swiffer and Dirt Devil in this elaborate Ginger and Fred dance to clean where the average person would see no dirt. [more]

SHOWSTOPPERS! SPECTACULAR COSTUMES FROM STAGE & SCREEN

August 31, 2021

Showstoppers! spotlights the incredible and oftentimes under-recognized costume contributions to the entertainment industry, and pulls back the curtain on the hundreds of costuming experts who create, supply and care for them, and infuse much-needed vitality back into the Theatre District. As guests make their way through the exhibit, they will get to see up close the detail and craftsmanship typically only seen far away on stage or screen. Costume makers and experts will be on-site demonstrating their techniques and skills and interacting with guests, and multimedia elements will provide a rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the process. [more]