Constantine Maroulis (Photo by Joan Marcus) Rock and Roll Man By Cammy Paglia The excellent Off-Broadway musical Rock and Roll Man tells the devastating tale of legendary Alan Freed (impeccably played by Constantine Maroulis), the innovative DJ destroyed by J. Edgar Hoover (Bob Aria) in a corset and a woman’s wig….
The cast of Dear World at Encores! (Photo: Joan Marcus) Dear World By David Schultz The Encores! Spring season started in earnest with this brief look back on composer Jerry Herman’s rare misstep. This book-troubled tuner had a shockingly brief three month run circa 1969. Coming on the heels of his two blockbuster musicals,…
(l-r) A.J. Shively and Jim Parsons (Photo: Julieta Cervantes) A Man of No Importance By Fern Siegel “You love who you love,” Alfie Byrne, a middle-aged bus conductor in 1963 Dublin explains to a friend. Alfie is making a philosophical statement, but quietly underscores the “love that dare not speak its name.” Yet in his…
Between the Lines Review by Julia Polinsky “Enchanting” is not too strong a word to describe Between the Lines — especially since our heroine takes refuge in books from her overwhelmed, workaholic mother, her absent, detached father, and the general dreariness of life, and in this case, by reading and re-reading a children’s story. Based on a…
Peter Dinklage Blake Jenner photos by Monique Carboni Cyrano – A New Group Musical Starring Peter Dinklage by Arney Rosenblat Outer beauty trumps inner beauty once again in this modern musical adaptation of the 1897 romantic drama of unrequited love – Cyrano de Bergerac written by Edmond Rostand Though intellectually, most people agree…
Jonathan Groff photos by Emilio Madrid-Kuser Little Shop of Horrors By David Schultz Returning to its roots, this joyfully demented revival thrills. Who would have thought that a Grade B flick sci-fi comedy from 1960 directed by Roger Corman could end up as a musical? Composer Alan Menken and librettist -lyricist Howard Ashman sure…
Fifty Million Frenchmen – a showcase of Cole Porter’s hits – is as light and frothy as a French meringue. FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMEN By Rachel Pacelli The York Theatre Company’s Fifty Million Frenchmen is part of their “Musicals in Mufti series”, or “in street clothes”. Having only 40 hours of rehearsal, the sets are bared…
Steve Ross in Love, Noel at Irish Rep Photo by Carol Rosegg Love, Noel: The Songs and Letters of Noel Coward by Deirdre Donovan The ghost of Noel Coward floated into the Irish Repertory Theater this summer and created quite an artistic stir, courtesy of cabaret veterans Steve Ross and KT Sullivan. The two…
LaChanze, Jai’Len Christine Li Josey, Vita E. Cleveland, Elizabeth Teeter and Romelda Teron Benjamin Photo: Ahron R. Foster The Secret Life of Bees By Fern Siegel “Some folks are born on the wrong side of right,” Rosaleen (Saycon Sengbloh) explains to teenage Lily (Elizabeth Teeter), the white daughter of an abusive father….
Mateo Ferro in Working: The Musical at New York City Center Photo: Joan Marcus Working: The Musical by Deirdre Donovan The qualities that have made Studs Terkel’s Working a modern classic are all present in the current revival of Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso’s musical of the same name at New York City Center. The…