After years of development and some very high-profile public try-outs (including a Prime Time showcase on the Tony Awards and a PBS special in February), Sting’s new musical The Last Ship has sailed onto the Great White Way. The wait was worth it. Sting’s lyrics are vivid and compelling and his melodies are rich and […]
I’m halfway through the 7th (and final?) Global Cabaret Festival weekend down at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Here are the highlights so far: UPDATE: Read Part 2 HERE. Best Show (so far) The American Pie Songbook I know, I’m the most predictable person in the world, but the songbook show music directed […]
The summer night may smile three times, but it might have smiled a fourth time on The Arlington Friends of the Drama’s 429th production A Little Night Music, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler. The community theatre boasts some wonderful talent on the small stage, and mostly succeeds in orchestrating the […]
I went to my first New Repertory show for a rather obscure song cycle musical, Closer Than Ever. I went into the show not really knowing what to expect from this little ditty. Described as a musical revue, Closer Than Ever unfolds in two acts of strictly musical treats, music by David Shire and lyrics […]
The Lyric Stage Company does Sondheim well. Director Spiro Veloudos speaks Sondheim’s language as if it were his natural tongue, and he does a good job of translating to the stage with the help of his accomplished cast. Except the entire production felt afraid to push the boundaries or explore the nuances of Sondheim’s dense […]
SpeakEasy Stage Company’s Far From Heaven made the My Theatre (Boston) Must See list for many reasons, but the best reason was the all-star cast. Somehow, SpeakEasy, under the steady leadership of Director Scott Edmiston, assembled some of the best talent in Boston for this hopelessly-flawed musical. The production is not flawed, but it’s hard […]
Team Kat Goes on Retreat Playwright/director Kat Sandler’s latest one-act at the Storefront Theatre is a wackier and more wildly comedic entry into her ever-expanding canon of thoughtful, witty work. The story of four interns sent on a camping retreat to compete for a single job at a vague but powerful company, Retreat is a […]
I see so many productions being developed, yet I rarely see a production in development that actually strikes me as one with potential for advancement in New York City. Therefore, I get very excited upon seeing a new musical with a promising premise and a solid musical foundation. That said, the new rock musical Gods […]