By Arney Rosenblat Call Me Madam holds the unique status during City Center’s diamond jubilee year of being a revival of a beloved revival which highlighted the second season of Encores1 and “put the series on the map.” The 1950’s musical itself, Call Me Madam, also brings with it a unique history,…
Christopher Sutton Photos Andrew Evan Cohen by Deirdre Donovan Peter Filichia’s God Shows Up is a heaven-sent comedy that gives us a fresh perspective on God in the new millennial. Directed by Christopher Scott, and with a terrific acting ensemble, it’s a drama that theatergoers of all religions—or no religion—can enjoy….
M. Martine Allard, Ron Lucas, Anita Welch, Tony Perry, Amy Jo Phillips photo by Pia Hasa Ain’t Misbehavin’ The Fats Waller Musical Show by Julia Polinsky Ain’t Misbehavin’: say those words, and Fats Waller’s oversize personality and terrific songs leap to mind. The African-American stride pianist, hamming it up in his derby hat,…
Ashleigh Pearce (center) balances above the audience as company member Jacob Randell (left) assists her from below. Photo Credit: Maike Schulz Gravity and Other Myths: A Simple Space By R Pikser A Simple Space is the second production of the group Gravity and Other Myths. We can only hope the first production,…
Betty and the Belrays by Julia Polinsky William Electric Black’s Betty and the Belrays takes place in Detroit, in 1963. The Motown sound is hot and getting hotter – on black radio stations. Betty Belarosky, (Paulina Breeze), a perky blonde teen with a serious love for the music of black girl groups…
E – Photographed by Solwazi Afi Olusola- R. Pikser Why do we go to see dance or to listen to music? One reason is to admire the skill of those who do what we cannot do: We go to witness others being alive, so that we, too, may partake of their vitality. But…
Richard Topol and Cassie Beck photos by Joan Marcus by Deirdre Donovan Misogynist? Madman? Genius? The Swedish-writer August Strindberg was all of these, and then some. Born on January 22, 1849 on the islet of Riddarholmen in Stockholm, Strindberg became—in the admiring words of Eugene O’Neil—the “most modern of moderns” when it…
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…
Jessica Fontana, Ann Harada, Lilli Cooper, Santino Fontana, Vishal Vaidya by Julia Polinsky Lyrics & Lyricists at the 92nd Street Y has long been the gold standard for celebrations of the American songbook. They’re lovely anthology shows: a couple of hours of superb (mostly) songs, sung by terrific (mostly) singers, backed by…
Photo by Bjorn Bolinder Review by Julia Polinsky Broken Box Mime Theater has crafted an evening of terrific stories out of nothing but their bodies, their mime-mask faces, and a couple of boxes. Even if the prospect of an evening of mime, mime, and more mime makes you cringe, give it a chance and go…