Writer
Fern Siegel is a journalist who has written for MediaPost, Huffington Post, The New York Times and BBC Radio. She believes Sondheim and Gershwin make America great.
Tracy Letts, Annette Bening. Photo: Joan Marcus By Fern Siegel “What kind of a person are you? Don’t you live in the world?” an outraged Chris asks his cornered father. Welcome to the complicated arena of ethical anger and public responsibility that is Arthur Miller’s forte. The current revival of All My Sons…
Laurie Metcalf, John Lithgow Photos: Julieta Cervantes Hillary and Clinton By Fern Siegel Hindsight is always 20-20. That’s especially true as history unfolds — and we see the consequences of presidential elections. But before the insidious manipulation of social media or the Mueller Report, the presidential election of 2008 proved a…
Maryann Plunkett and Ciaran O’Reilly Photo: Carol Rosegg Juno and the Paycock By Fern Siegel Politics is a hot topic this season — on and off-Broadway. Revolution — political and familial — is the subject of Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock, the second play in his Dublin trilogy, now at the…
Tiffany Villarin, Megan Hill Photo: Carol Rosegg Do You Feel Anger? By Fern Siegel The title is clearly a rhetorical question, but playwright Mara-Nelson-Greenberg posits it less as a response to abuse, and more to emphasize, however surreal, the wacky mind-set of the abuser. And it’s billed as a comedy. The play,…
Ethan Hawke, Paul Dano Photo: Joan Marcus by Fern Siegel Before we knew the term “toxic masculinity,” Sam Shepard’s 1980 play True West, now in revival at the American Airlines Theatre, reveled in it. The story of two mismatched brothers is a study in menace, sibling rivalry and family despair. It’s like…
Bryan Cranston. Photo: Jan Versweyveld By Fern Siegel Sometimes, the past is prologue. That’s especially true when it comes to the power of media and technology. It can be a force for good or evil, as Howard Beale, the United Broadcasting System’s TV anchor, makes clear in the riveting drama…
Tim Daly and Tyne Daly. Photo: James Leynse Downstairs By Fern Siegel It is an accepted axiom that brutal people often destroy the good. It can result in mental or physical damage, or simply the threat of harm, should you cross them. The legacy of familial violence is the subject of Theresa…
Cast of Gloria. Photo: Joan Marcus By Fern Siegel Gloria Steinem is probably the most recognizable feminist in America. Her impact on politics and culture is profound. So it’s only fitting that her remarkable life be transformed into a play. After all, her story parallels the dramatic fight for women’s rights. The poignant and…
DeWanda Wise, Khris Davis Photo: Ahron R. Foster By Fern Siegel Set in September 1963, Fireflies posits the searing personal sacrifices in the struggle for civil rights. This powerful two-hander, with a stunning performance by DeWanda Wise as Olivia, the wife of a reverend and major civil-rights leader, takes a deep dive…
Todd Almond (center) and company Photo: Joan Marcus By Fern Siegel For many, Bob Dylan is the poet laureate of American longing. His lyrical expressions of yearning, heartbreak and loss have been recast as a moving new musical — Girl From The North Country — at The Public Theater. Set in 1934 in Duluth,…