Sherie Rene Scott

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]

ON THE TOWN WITH CHIP DEFFAA… FROM “THE LAST FIVE YEARS,” TO “TARTUFFE,” TO COHAN, AND MORE…

May 13, 2025

I don’t like the way the new Broadway production of “The Last Five Years” was directed. But that unique Jason Robert Brown musical—long a favorite of mine--still offers rewards aplenty…. And what a wonderful surprise the Sinatra School’s production of “Tartuffe” was—with a show-stealing turn by one Harrison Gan. I’m currently holding auditions for projects. If any newcomer that talented turns up, I’ll be more than satisfied. [more]

ON THE TOWN… with CHIP DEFFAA, February 3, 2018

February 6, 2018

If you’re in the mood for a night of laughter, “The Outsider”—a new comedy by Paul Slade Smith, receiving its East Coast premiere in January and February at the Paper Mill Playhouse--is great good fun. Oh, I’m not claiming it’s profound or a show that you’ll never forget, like “A Chorus Line.” If “A Chorus Line” is like a fine roast-beef dinner, “The Outsider” is more like a hot dog with all the trimmings. But sometimes a hot dog with all the trimmings just hits the spot. [more]

The Front Page

November 14, 2016

Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s "The Front Page" remains the quintessential comedy about the tabloid newspaper racket. Jack O’Brien’s production plays it safe while a more brazen and outrageous style might have obtained more laughs. The current revival with its many recognizable names and faces is still entertaining fun. And it does bring back to the Broadway stage the incomparable Nathan Lane in top form in an unforgettable role. [more]

Whorl Inside a Loop

August 29, 2015

A titanic ensemble of six highly talented actors plays the prisoners as well as multiple roles including females with slight costume changes. Derrick Baskin, Nicholas Christopher, Chris Myers, Ryan Quinn, Daniel J. Watts, and Donald Webber, Jr. all superbly convey the pathos, comedy and humanity of these characters. [more]