Transferring after an exceptionally well-received run at the National Theatre in London, Tony Kushner’s epic drama exploring the intersection of AIDS, politics, religion, faith and social commentary in New York City in the 1980s, Angels in America, has not been seen on a Broadway stage since it closed in 1994.* Yet the current revival feels as […]
We live in a time of burgeoning awareness of the importance of diversity in our cultural storytelling. Productions like Hamilton, movies like Black Panther, and Oscar speeches championing ‘inclusion riders’ all serve as bellwethers for proof of the commercial success and cultural value of racial and sexual diversity. And yet, as much attention is rightfully being […]
I realize that The Lion King musical is a terribly high creative bar to reach twice, but Disney fails again and again to reinterpret its cartoon source material into worthwhile theatrical productions. Perhaps it is the allure of guaranteed ticket sales from a fiercely loyal fan base. Perhaps it is the incorrect assumption that a beloved animated […]
Four-person plays with two couples typically include a few familiar elements: Jealousy. An affair. Unspoken conflict. A past relationship between characters no longer romantically involved. And of course, there’s usually a catalyst that brings all the issues to the surface. But what makes Donald Margulies’s masterful Time Stands Still so unique is that, while it incorporates all the […]
With Broadway ticket prices being what they are, it’s easy to despair and give up on the prospect of seeing quality musical theatre in New York without giving up and arm and a leg. “Musicals Tonight!” attempts to ease that fear by providing quality productions (on 42nd Street no less, at the Lion Theatre) without the […]
It has been asked, “Will this increasingly digital & virtual age lead to the ultimate death of live performance?” It’s a “video killed the radio star” kind of question, and the insatiable rise of streamable content implicitly makes theater (or concerts, sporting events, or any live performance for that matter) look increasingly antiquated. The survival […]
Little League: A Smart Play Little League, written by Jack Spagnola, is a quirky play that mostly takes place in the stands of a little league field. It is a lighthearted exploration of the lives of four protagonists whose problems do not extend too far beyond childhood pet emergencies or pre-college breakups. But it is a touching […]
A Case For Magic Robert Malissa has heard the skeptics and the critics. He knows that there are people who come to his shows determined to confirm him in their minds as a fraud and dismiss “magic” as both frivolous & dishonest. Mr. Malissa knows that many people scoff at the idea of magic as […]