Sam Eckmann

The Walking Dead Review: “What Happened and What’s Going On” (5×09)
I was aching for an episode featuring the entire group after the break, and must admit I never really latched onto Tyreese. But by the time his inner news radio reached a fever pitch and he told the ghosts to “turn it off”, I was sold.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for those not caught up on “The Walking Dead”

After a long mid-season hiatus, “The Walking Dead” returned with a beautifully disorienting episode. Its structure and story will likely make it one of the most divisive episodes this season.

In the aftermath of the brutal showdown at Grady Memorial Hospital, the episode opens on our group of survivors at a makeshift funeral mourning their recent loss. Flashes of sobbing and digging are intercut with shots of the group’s past failed home sites. New recruit Noah informs Rick that the dearly departed songstress Beth Greene wanted to help him get back to his home, a gated community that was fortified when he last left. With the hope of finding a much needed shelter and extra help, Noah leads Rick, Michonne, Carl, Glenn, and Tyreese to scout the location.

The group quickly discovers that the entire neighborhood has been long ago invaded by a sinister force, with only walkers roaming the area now. After happening upon the breached location in the fence surrounded by dismembered body parts, Michonne desperately pleads with the group to find a place to settle down. “This is what making it looks like now!” she says, knowing too well the effects of spending too much time out in the elements. (Side note: why doesn’t Danai Gurira have an Emmy nomination for this role yet?) They need to find a safe haven and fast.

The episode, like much of the season, hammers home the themes of day to day survival. More specifically, what types of people are built to survive in a brutal landscape where death stalks you at every moment. Tyreese is someone perhaps not built to withstand the “kill or be killed” mantra of this new world. In an interesting bit of back-story, we learn his father forced him to listen to news radio, in order to learn about all the atrocities in the world. After being exposed to the evils of war and genocide, Tyreese used the news reports as a way to separate himself from those problems. But now that he lives in the type of world he always wanted to distance himself from, it has begun to wear him down.

Perhaps that’s why he didn’t notice the young zombie lurking behind him on the trip to Noah’s house. It just took one moment while Noah lamented his dead mother for the walker to attack. It took just one bite for the gentle giant’s fate to be sealed. What followed Tyreese’s walker bite is a dreamlike framing device unlike anything we have seen over the past five seasons.

Director Greg Nicotero is at his absolute best in this episode. As fever takes over, and Tyreese begins to hallucinate, the action switches between disorienting top-down camera angles and fuzzy POV shots. Spirits of the dead flood his vision as Beth, Bob, Lizzie, Mika, Martin, and even the freaking Governor beckon him towards death.

Now normally, having dead characters reappear is a complete cop out. But this time it works beautifully. Tyreese is able to see a part of himself in each of the characters. The Governor chides him for not understanding the cost of living (“The bill must be paid”), Martin reminds him that he couldn’t kill even when baby Judith’s life was in danger, Lizzie and Mika appeal to the kind father within, and Bob disturbingly recites Tyreese’s line from earlier in the episode: “It went the way it had to, the way it was always going to”. Oh, and Beth sings, obviously.

Chad Coleman is one of the lucky actors on the show to go out with a bang. He has never been better, and gets a gripping monologue to prove it. He refuses to give up his humanity, even in death. His declaration to his ghostly antagonists that “people like me can’t live” is perhaps the truest moment the character has ever seen on the show. Perhaps this is where giving Tyreese a big goodbye episode falters.

The character has never been handled well from a writing standpoint. He is unevenly constructed and his actions throughout the past seasons often contradict themselves. It’s a shell of the fully realized comic character. Had this sudden and unfair death occurred to a more beloved survivor, I would have been reeling. But I think it’s safe to say most viewers realized the writer’s painted themselves into a corner with Tyreese. We knew the big softy’s time was up sooner rather than later.

Coleman’s performance combined with some beautiful cinematography makes up for the low impact death. Hands down one of the coolest shots in “Walking Dead” history is when the Governor steps into the foreground and projections of the train track to Terminus slide over him. Equally as awesome is when the camera becomes Tyreese’s POV as his friends battle to save him from surrounding walkers. Nicotero also got one final payoff moment when we realize the opening funeral scene was not for Beth but Tyreese. Gut. Punched.

Overall, this was a great episode that dared to experiment with new forms of storytelling for the series. It did feel a little odd being the mid-season premiere. We still didn’t get to check in with most of the characters after the hospital incident. And at least for me, the death was robbed of impact due to previous mishandling of Tyreese. I really appreciated the artistry, but I hope we return to badass Carol and the rest of the gang next week.

Closing Observations
- Thank heavens we have finally left Georgia! This is actually the first episode of the series to take place outside of that state. As the group deliberates heading to DC in search of safe infrastructure, they make a passing mention of Richmond, Virginia. It would be a safe bet that the Alexandria Safe-Zone is the next major location for the survivors.
- The group passes a sign reading “Wolves not far” and the zombie torsos in the crashed car had “W” carved into their foreheads. Is this foreshadowing a new antagonistic group?
- There was definitely foreshadowing of a certain feared comic book villain with that close-up of Glenn holding the baseball bat. The barbed wire surrounding Shiltwire Estates could also signify his appearance. He has to come across the barbed wire somewhere right?
- I really appreciated the fact that Danai Gurira’s monologue was so fierce it attracted nearby walkers.
- Walker Kill of the Week: Rick just barely manages a headshot on a lady-zombie lunging at Noah. Pieces of rotting flesh and blood fly towards the “Tyreese-cam”. Brilliant.
February 12, 2015
Musical Review: “Honeymoon in Vegas”

I recently took a vacation to Las Vegas only to discover it was not for me. Outside of Cirque du Soleil (which is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen); the smoke filled casinos, confusing slot machines, and overpriced everything wore me down. The trip to Vegas I took when I entered the Nederlander Theatre however, was a vastly different and pleasurable experience. I wish the real world locale entertained me as much as Honeymoon in Vegas.

The charming and funny new tuner from Jason Robert Brown follows the cult comedy film of the same name. Commitment-phobe Jack (Rob McClure) is in a loving relationship with his dream girl Betsy (Brynn O’Malley). They adore their New York life together, except that Betsy is desperate for Jack to finally pop the question. Though he is haunted by his mother’s (Nancy Opel) dying wish for him to remain single, Jack finally musters up the courage and decides a spur of the moment trip to Las Vegas will be the perfect way to tie the knot.

When they arrive at their sin City hotel, a seedy gambler Tommy Korman (Tony Danza) falls instantly for Betty. Tommy rigs a poker game that forces Jack to lose $58,000. As Jack panics, Tommy pitches a deal: allow him a weekend alone with Betsy and the debt is paid. The plot mostly gets even more absurd from there. A trip to Hawaii, talking totems, and a chorus of Elvis impersonators stand in the way as Jack attempts to win back his fiancée.

You may be worrying about how ridiculous that summary sounds. But, director Gary Griffin absolutely nails the madcap tone of the story. He quite refreshingly embraces the old fashioned musical comedy style of the piece. It isn’t afraid to go over the top and the book by Andrew Bergman (adapting his original screenplay) mostly serves that purpose, even if some of the jokes don’t land as they should.

Jason Robert Brown contributes the musical’s score and it’s a complete about face from his previous work. Known for introspective scores about love and loss (The Last Five Years, Bridges of Madison County) Brown surprises with an upbeat song and dance collection. The numbers range from winking innuendo wordplay in “Friki Friki”, to toe tapping anthems like the high energy finale. The music is also spiritedly played by an onstage band that shows off their musicianship to some of the loudest applause of the evening.

The best decision the creative team made was casting the impossibly likeable Rob McClure as their neurotic leading man. A Tony nominee for the short lived Chaplin, he oozes charm and sincerity. More importantly he knows how to make those qualities work for laughs. The moment he enters the stage in the opening “I Love Betsy” (with a superb singing voice), you’ll want to root for him the entire way through.

Tony Danza is entertaining, if not outstanding, in his Broadway debut. The actor obviously lacks the vocal chops of a trained singer, which stands out when compared to the cast of talented belters. But Danza has charisma to spare and turns out to be a talented showman. He infuses Tommy with enough sympathy and generosity so as to avoid being a caricature villain. His crooning and ukulele playing on “You Made the Wait Worthwhile” is a tender highlight of the show.

Elsewhere in the cast, Nancy Opel is predictably hysterical as Jack’s mother. As an apparition she pops out of counters, garbage cans and any other object they could fit her into. She’s a master of musical comedy and I only wish I got to see more of her. Similarly underutilized is the strong voiced Brynn O’Malley. She possesses killer comedic timing but doesn’t get much thrown her way in terms of solo numbers. David Josefsberg turns out to be the scene stealer of the supporting cast, pulling double duty as an omniscient lounge singer and showboating Elvis impersonator.

Even though the director has united the team to successfully pull off the show’s tone, the staging can be a bit wonky. Not helping matters is the fairly generic set design by Anna Louizos. She seems to have tons of fun creating the absurd elements of the set, but the rest lacks any ingenuity. And if you begin to wonder how often a character or set piece will enter/exit from the same trap door in the stage, SPOILER ALERT: it’s every time.

Honeymoon in Vegas may not be trying anything daring or new, but it is completely refreshing to see a well crafted musical comedy on Broadway. It is loads of fun, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the bubbly score and charismatic characters are exactly what we need during the cold winter.

Honeymoon in Vegas
Nederlander Theatre
208 West 41st Street, Manhattan
Music & Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown, Book: Andrew Bergman
Directed by: Gary Griffin
Choreography: Denis Jones
Starring: Rob McClure, Tony Danza, Brynn O’Malley, David Josefsberg, and Nancy Opel
Run Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including 1 intermission

February 9, 2015
Play Review: “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”

Tony Nominations are still months away, but I will be extremely surprised if The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is not cited a number of times on nomination morning. If even a small part of you is a theatre fan, this new play at the Barrymore Theatre is essential viewing this season.

An Olivier winning production from the National Theatre in London, Curious Incident is based on the novel by Mark Haddon. The play, adapted by Simon Stephens, follows the same story about a young boy on the autism spectrum. The production opens with this boy, Christopher (Alex Sharp), happening upon a ghastly scene: the neighbor’s beloved dog has been murdered. Impaled by a gardening fork to be exact. Things get more troubled when his father (Ian Barford) informs the boy his mother has died suddenly. Despite insistence that he stay out of other people’s business, Christopher sets out to find the dog’s killer himself.

Christopher’s detective work unearths secrets from his parents and neighbors. The beauty of the story is how he is able to overcome any obstacle he faces with his frequent sensory overloads. Instead, he learns how to use his brilliant mind to not only solve the case, but deal with the harsher realities of the adult world.

In one of the most intriguing bits of stage presentation to hit Broadway in quite some time, the stage itself often represents that very brilliant mind. Scenic designer Bunny Christie has crafted a set consisting of four panels (three walls and a floor) each with a grid like design. The grid and walls constantly spring to life, mimicking the machinations of Christopher’s mind, with assistance by Paule Constable’s lighting design and Finn Ross’ brilliant video projection work. Sometimes, it’s a simple outline of houses as Christopher walks down his street. Other times he is surrounded by a cacophony of numbers or words as sights and sounds bombard him. Oftentimes the effect is at once both glorious and terrifying.

The innovation in the production has director Marianne Elliott and choreographers Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett to thank. This creative team hurls the actors across the stage in an intensely physical production. The staging hovers somewhere between an experimental movement piece and full blown dance. The choreography plays with slowed time, patterns, and using people as props to climb on (and at one point has Christopher literally climbing the walls). It’s all in aide of showcasing how Christopher sees the world.

Ms. Elliott directs each scene honestly and manages to find humor even in the darkest moments. Nothing feels forced here. It’s refreshing that in a production heavy with visual spectacle, the performances are so specific and honest.

Most of the ensemble members get chances to shine as several different colorful characters. Enid Graham does beautiful work as Christopher’s mother. She displays a deep well of emotion and can play brutal and angelic all at once. Ian Barford is tremendous as a father doing his best to care for a child whom he continually struggles to connect with. His balancing act of rage and tenderness towards Christopher provides some of the emotional high points of the story.

It is Alex Sharp who sells the whole thing. The recent Julliard graduate could not have asked for a better start to his career. His portrayal of someone on the spectrum never veers into caricature or imitation. He’s a math genius with a love of computers and space. He screams when anyone touches him. He rifles off lists of statistics and thoughts as we see his mind working one thousand miles per minute. Most importantly he grounds the spectacle in a brutally honest performance.

If there is one aspect where the script falters it is in the second act narrative device. Francesca Faridany portrays a special needs teacher to Christopher. While the talented actress is a welcome addition to the cast, serving as a waypoint between the audience and her student, the second act takes it to a more meta level when she announces they are all just performing in a play based on Christopher’s writing. The shift in tone is too abrupt and sort of unnecessary given the slew of other narrative devices to keep the audience at safe distance.

Minor gripes aside, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is an astounding achievement in storytelling. It’s a prime example of performance and stagecraft syncing up harmoniously for a gripping night at the theatre.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
243 West 47^th Street, Manhattan
Written by: Simon Stevens, based on the novel by: Mark Haddon
Directed by: Marianne Elliott
Starring: Alex Sharp, Francesca Faridany, Ian Barford, Enid Graham, and Helen Carey.
Taylor Trensch plays Christopher on Wednesday evenings and Sunday matinees

January 26, 2015
Play Review: “A Delicate Balance”

“I might very easily, as they say, lose my mind one day” purrs Glenn Close with casual conviction. It’s a humorous, but ultimately unsettling way to open a play. “A Delicate Balance” may not be Edward Albee’s most famous work, but it is likely the hardest to look in the eye.

Glenn Close and John Lithgow star as Agnes and Tobias, the heads of a WASP-ish upper class family. They live a comfortable life as they drink and lounge in their opulent living room (sumptuously designed by Santo Loquasto). A sort of existential crisis of fear has gripped the retirees however. Agnes’ alcoholic sister Claire (Lindsay Duncan) has crashed the party as a permanent guest. Soon the couple’s daughter Julia (Martha Plimpton) comes scurrying home from a fourth failed marriage. And more troubling, two best friends Harry and Edna (Bob Balaban and Clare Higgins) flee their house because of an unknown terror and seek shelter in under Tobias’ roof.

Albee is a master of the domestic drama. Though you may be disappointed if you go in looking for a retread of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”. Drinks and barbs are slung back and forth with wild abandon, sure. But there is something a bit more sinister amid the zingers. As Agnes points out, “It’s one of those days where everything is happening underneath”.

Fear becomes a character looming over the entire proceedings. Director Pam McKinnon (who helmed Albees “Virginia Woolf” last season) has highlighted the most uncomfortable themes in the play. When keeping up appearances is all you have to live for, what happens when your composure crumbles or your authority undermined? Agnes refers to the “terror” Harry and Edna bring into their home as a plague. A fear that infects all of their minds and forces the characters to ponder if they will go mad, amount to nothing, or lose the comfort they worked so hard for. So while the play is full of funny bits, it can also be a tough pill to swallow as Agnes examines which people are a “cancer” to her family’s happiness and image.

Glenn Close turns in a much more restrained performance than we are used to as the matriarch of the family. There were certain moments I felt she could have amped it up, but she retains her thrilling ability to command a room with a simple gesture. A sharp glare, furrowed brow, or single word can command or silence any of her family members. Agnes orchestrates all of the proceedings and hardly moves a muscle.

It’s Lindsay Duncan that gives Ms. Close a run for her money. As Claire, Duncan saunters about the room with zero sense of decorum or propriety, constantly on the sidelines offering hilarious commentary as her sister and brother-in-law attempt to keep their house together. Her comedic timing is perfect and any actor who must play drunk should watch Ms. Duncan for a master class. If you’re having trouble with the plays darker elements, you can at least find solace and humor in watching Claire chug martinis and fantasize about having her sister killed.

The pacing suffers occasionally, mostly in scenes with Henry. Bob Balaban is playing up his characters awkwardness. Sometimes it works, but often it saps the energy out of the scene. And in a three act play (yes three!) it takes great effort to recover from lagging pace. Thankfully McKinnon keeps everything moving at a clip.

Not everything comes fully into focus though. There is a side plot about a past affair that gets muddled. And Claire has several prophetic moments which are made too on the nose by an abrupt lighting shift or clumsy tableaux. And John Lithgow and Martha Plimpton are doing great work (they each get their own tremendous monologue to show off their chops), but one can’t help but feel the characters are sometimes more of an idea, and in service to the plays themes, rather than real people to root for.

This is a dense play. I still feel like I need to go back for a second viewing to truly take in everything Albee presents. It also asks the audience (and more precisely: a theatre going, cultured, type of audience) to examine their own lives. As such, A Delicate Balance won’t be to everyone’s tastes. But, with the talented cast and brilliant playwright, you’re bound to find something on the menu to your liking. Even if you can’t quiet digest the whole thing.

A Delicate Balance
John Golden Theatre
252 West 45^th Street, Manhattan
Written by: Edward Albee
Directed by: Pam McKinnon
Starring: Glenn Close, John Lithgow, Lindsay Duncan, Martha Plimpton, Bob Balaban, and Clare Higgins
Run Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes, including 2 intermissions

January 8, 2015
Winter is Coming: A Guide to Broadway’s Dearly Departing

Twas the week before Christmas, each show had a full house…and then January came and wiped them all out. Ok, so that rhyme scheme was rough. But the takeaway is that Broadway is currently enjoying what is usually its most profitable week of the year. Families flock to New York for the holidays, and in the spirit of overspending (budgets be damned! It’s Christmas!), purchase tremendous amounts of tickets with hopes of a few hours of fun in between shopping and relatives.

After the Christmas extravaganza ends, a grim period on Broadway commences, commonly (though not affectionately) called the “January Slaughter”. January and February are tough for every shows’ bottom line. Not many theatergoers are willing to shell out hundreds more dollars after they examine their post-Christmas credit card balance.

Thirteen productions are currently planning to shutter their doors between now and March. The struggling Love Letters didn’t even make it through December before cutting its run short (which completely ruined my plans of seeing Dame Diana “Olenna Tyrell” Rigg on Broadway). Some runs were scheduled to close during the winter, while others were forced due to low ticket sales. With so many shows closing in such a small amount of time, I’ve compiled a list of which final hurrah’s you should make a point to catch, and the cheapest way to get tickets.

What’s Closing?

Closing January 3^th
Cinderella

Closing January 4^th
Pippin
Once
The Real Thing
This is Our Youth
The Illusionists
Side Show

Closing January 18^th
Rock of Ages
Motown: the Musical

Closing February 8th
The River

Closing February 15^th
The Elephant Man

Closing February 22^nd
A Delicate Balance
You Can’t Take it With You

What to See?

CINDERELLA
If you’re a fan of spectacular design, then William Ivey Long’s Tony winning costumes alone are reason to book a trip. The production looks gorgeous from head to toe, and features an updated book thanks to Douglas Carter Beane (Cindy gets to be more than a damsel in distress this time). The cast currently features Keke Palmer (Cinderella), NeNe Leakes (Madame), and Judy Kaye (Fairy Godmother).

Tickets on a budget: Students (…or those who still have student IDs) can take advantage of the Student Rush policy. You can purchase one ticket per ID for $32, when the Box Office opens on the day of the show. Tuesday – Thursday performances only.

PIPPIN
The 2013 Tony winner for Best Revival of a Musical is a great mix of story and spectacle thanks to Diane Paulus’ direction and high flying circus acts choreographed by Gypsy Snyder (of circus troupe Les 7 doigts de le main). The Voice winner Josh Kaufman recently took over the title role. The cast also features Carly Hughes (Leading Player), Charlotte D’Amboise (Fastrada), and Priscilla Lopez (Berthe).

Tickets on a budget: This one offers a General Rush (no age restriction)! A limited number of $37 tickets are available at the Music box theatre, when the box office opens on the day of the show. One ticket per person.

ONCE
This Tony winner, and “little musical that could” is finally ending its very successful run at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. A charming piece that is refreshingly intimate a stripped down compared to most other musicals on Broadway. Each actor plays their own instruments as they sing through a love story based on the hit indie film. You can read our own Karl Delossantos’ rave review here.

Tickets on a budget: General Rush tickets are available when the box office opens on the day of the performance, 2 tickets per person. They will run you $35 Tuesday-Thursday, or $40 Friday-Sunday.

SIDE SHOW
This gorgeously produced revival has proved to be just as tough a sell as its original incarnation. But the story of conjoined Hilton sisters truly won me over, and you can read my take on it here. The best thing about it is its two stars, Erin Davie and Emily Padgett, who belt through the powerful score like two runaway trains. They’ll give you all the feels, and they will certainly be nominated for best actress come Tony Awards time.

Tickets on a budget: General Rush is offered when the box office opens (10a.m.) on the day of the show, to patrons 30 and under. There’s a maximum of two $37 rush tickets per person.

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU
The classic comedy about the most dysfunctional of families holds up remarkably well. This is mostly thanks to the stellar ensemble headed by James Earl Jones, Kristine Nielsen, Rose Byrne, Elizabeth Ashley, and Annaleigh Ashford. For fans of HBO’s “Veep”, Anna Chlumsky will replace Rose Byrne who ends her tenure on January 4^th. Comedies have been taking inspiration from this play for decades, so you owe it to yourself to see the original done right.

Tickets on a budget: Student Rush is available when the Longacre box office opens on the day of the show (Monday-Saturday at 10am, Sunday at noon). Rush tickets are $30 each and limited to one ticket per student ID. Additionally $37 full priced seats are sold in the Balcony.

More Discount Options!
There are certainly other shows I would recommend (A Delicate Balance, The Elephant Man) that currently don’t have a discount program in place. But fear not broke Broadway fans! Here are a few other ways to score reasonably priced tickets.

TKTS
Sure, the lines can be long. But this half price booth can be the best place to score same day seats for a successful show like A Delicate Balance without going into triple digits. While not as cheap as rush or lottery seats, one can generally expect to pay approximately $60-90. TKTS now has an app you can download to see which shows are on sale at the booth, so you can know if the show you want is available before you go. Pro tip: Don’t forget the booths in downtown Brooklyn and the south Street Seaport which have shorter lines.

HIPTIX
Roundabout Theatre has an amazing (and easy to use) discount program for patrons 35 and under. Sign up online and you’ll then have access to $25 tickets for all of Roundabout’s shows, including The Real Thing, Cabaret, and On the 20th Century. You are granted up to two per production, and can even select your own seats online without being charged additional service fees. Sign up here: http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Shows-Events/HipTix.aspx

LINCTIX
Lincoln Center has a similar program for patrons 35 and under. After signing up, you are eligible to purchase a $32 ticket to each of their productions (a small service fee applies online). This currently includes Disgraced, The Oldest Boy, and the upcoming revival of The King and I with Kelli O’Hara. Unfortunately you can only purchase one discounted ticket per person, but they allow you to coordinate with other friends in the program. Sign up here: http://www.lct.org/linctix/

TODAYTIX
Discount tickets in the palm of your hand! TodayTix is a new app that lets you browse Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and purchase discounted tickets from your phone. The one downside is that you can’t select your exact seat location, but I’ve found them to be pretty decent. Some shows, like On the Town, even allow you to enter their ticket lottery on the app. For many shows, you can meet a TodayTix concierge outside of the theatre to pick up your tickets (aka avoiding the long box office line). Use this code at checkout to save $20 on your first order with the app: XJQKU.

December 20, 2014
Freaks Invade Broadway with “Side Show”

“Come look at the freaks” beckon the various oddities from the stage at the St. James Theatre. Given how intoxicating the revival of Side Show proves to be, you may want to take in a second or third look.

The original production of Side Show has become infamous. A flop that barely lasted three months, it went on to become one of the biggest cult hits in the Broadway cannon. Thanks to the cast recording that captured the commanding and star making performances of Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner, theatre nerds everywhere now uphold the musical as some holy entity. It’s a lot to live up to, but the revival is up to the task.

The story is based on the real life tale of Violet (Erin Davie) and Daisy (Emily Padgett) Hilton; conjoined twin vaudeville stars. Before they launched to stardom with the iconic movie “Freaks”, they made ends meet in seedy side shows. It’s in one such show that an Orpheum Circuit agent Terry (Ryan Silverman) and his assistant Buddy (Matthew Hydzik) discover the twins. After viewing one performance, Terry is certain that the Hilton’s are the next big sensation (and his own shot at fame and success).

The duo struggles to set the girls free from the side show and groom them into stars. They run into trouble with a man known only as Sir (a deliciously sinister Robert Joy). Sir is the Hilton’s abusive adopted father and emcee of this particular freak circus, and is determined to hold onto his headliner act. The road to freedom/stardom also gets tricky with their protective friend and stage-hand Jake (David St. Louis), who holds secret yearning for Violet. You can likely surmise that a love triangle becomes a central conflict.

This particular revival has gone through a number of rewrites and tweaking. This includes new songs from the original songwriting team of Bill Russell and Henry Krieger, and a fleshed out book courtesy of director Bill Condon. Most of the updates are designed to help beef up the thinly written supporting roles. There is a fun new vaudeville act for the Hilton sisters and Buddy, to highlight their relationship. Terry has an early number to help establish character motivations.

One of the best decisions Condon made was actually aesthetic. This time around the “freaks” of the side show are presented in all their deformed glory. The costumes and prosthetic work for the likes of the Geek, the Half Man/Half Woman, and the Lizard Man are inspired. Costume designer Paul Tazewell has done a marvelous job at combining seediness with glamour. It’s all quite sumptuous to look at.

It’s unfortunate that for all the revisions, the supporting roles still feel awkward. Character motivations turn on a dime (and often in the same scene). In what feels like under 20 minutes, Buddy insists that he and a certain Hilton are “just friends”, changes his mind and declares that she’s his “other half”, and then a couple of minutes later realizes “oh, I actually don’t love you that way”. Confused? I was. And Terry, despite his new material, still turns villainous almost instantaneously. Luckily Silverman and Hydzik are splendid singers and manage to get by on charm.

As Jake, David St. Louis isn’t quite able to navigate the tragic arc of his unrequited love . It’s quite understandable, since there isn’t much material thrown his way. But, by the time we reach Jake’s signature number “You Should be Loved”, his crumbling emotional state isn’t justified. The number still gets a roaring response thanks to impressive vocal pyrotechnics from St. Louis and glorious lighting by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhower.

If nothing else, the production warrants a visit for its two absurdly talented leads. I know many musicals have yet to even debut, but I’m going to say it anyway: Emily Padgett and Erin Davie give one of the best performances you will see this season. As the Hilton sisters, they work together in perfect harmony. The actresses show how simultaneously dependent they are on one another, yet how opposite the two are at their core. Padgett’s Daisy has Hollywood lights in her eyes and a take-on-the-world attitude (with an impeccable sense of comedic timing). Davie’s Violet is more uncertain of living a life as a “freak”. There is an undercurrent of deep pain throughout her performance as her yearnings to be normal bubble to the surface.

And I haven’t even gotten to the songs. If you’re a fan of the musical, you wont be disappointed with the two famous power ballads. During the act one closer, “Who Will Love me as I Am”, it was all I could do not to jump out of my seat and scream with excitement as the actress’ voices soared through the melody. And with opposite effect, “I Will Never Leave You” left me dumbfounded with my jaw on the floor. The ladies have some serious pipes, and utilize every facet of their voice to tear the songs to shreds. If you miss their performance: you’ll be sorry.

What I realized is that despite the infamous status as a show that closed too early, it is a far from perfect musical. Lyrics are sometimes corny, and the love triangle depends so heavily on thinly sketched supporting players that it all but collapses on itself in the final moments. Even with the updates and new songs, Side Show is flawed. However, in the days after seeing the show I couldn’t get it out of my head. The stunning opening number, Mr. Condon’s energetic staging, the costumes for the freaks, Davie and Padgett’s voices thundering to the rafters as the lights on the bare stage flourish behind them. I am already itching to go back, flaws and all. It truly doesn’t leave you.

Side Show

St James Theatre

246 West 44th St., Manhattan

Book and Lyrics by: Bill Russell, with additional book material by: Bill Condon

Music by: Henry Krieger

Directed by: Bill Condon

Starring: Erin Davie and Emily Padgett, with Matthew Hydzik, Robert Joy, Ryan Silverman, and David St. Louis

Run Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, with one intermission

December 9, 2014
“The Real Thing” Broadway Review

“I’m acting normal! You’re all acting strange”.

For much of the beginning of Roundabout’s revival of “The Real Thing”, this quote by Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Annie holds very true. Director Sam Gold has crafted an uneven, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately rewarding revival of the Tom Stoppard classic.

One of the playwright’s finest plays; “The Real Thing” is an exploration of commitment and how we define fidelity. The excavation of the relationships on display was quite ahead of its time in its initial bow.

We are introduced to two couples. Henry (Ewan McGregor) is a playwright, his wife Charlotte (Cynthia Nixon) the lead in his play. Annie (Gyllenhaal) is a free spirited actress married to Charlotte’s co-star Max (Josh Hamilton). An affair is quickly revealed between Henry and Annie, curiously mimicking the fiction their better halves portray in Henry’s play. The two lovebirds must find out if love born out of betrayal can work, and whether tradition thoughts on monogamy are practical.

“The Real Thing” is arguably Tom Stoppard’s most accessible play. However, Mr. Gold has made a few frustrating choices with this production that do not help in that regard. As per most of Stoppard’s work, there are frequent time and location jumps. But, the decision to stage every scene in the same space makes realizing where and when the scene occurs more confusing than it ever needed to be. In the second act, there are a few simple furniture adjustments and a moving set piece that clearly delineate place. Why similar tactics weren’t used in act one is beyond me.

The two acts truly feel as if two different people directed them. It unfortunately permeates the acting as well. In the confusing first act, the performers seem inclined to overdo everything. Hamilton pushes every line out. As a result I’ve already forgotten most of what he said. Even the mighty Cynthia Nixon is far too affected with each gesture and phrase, sabotaging many of the laughs she’s trying for. For most of the first half you are watching people ACT rather than getting a glimpse into fully nuanced characters.

Fortunately, something magic clicks in act two. This is where Stoppard engages in his signature cerebral back and forth, and perhaps it’s the shift in tone that aids the troupe. Ewan McGegor really shines here. His Henry moves with gusto and surety as he confidently defends his worldviews to Annie, all the while revealing telling insecurities. Gyllenhaal matches him every step of the way, and is able to convey mountains physically, with a character that isn’t the verbal match of her writer sparring partner. Watching them negotiate their relationship is certainly the highlight of the play.

Essentially they all stop acting in act two, as Stoppard moves away from banter and delves into meatier ideas, and begin embodying relatable people. Even Cynthia Nixon gets a scene to redeem herself when Henry comes back to wish their daughter (Madeline Weinstein, in a fun wiser-for her age cameo). The now divorced couple reveal battle scars underneath the pleasantries that should resonate with anyone who fought and lost for love.

I almost forgot one other confusing directorial choice. They sing. For reasons beyond my comprehension, the actors come onto the stage as themselves to sing classic 80’s doo-wop before each act and in-between scenes. They move furniture around David Zinn’s sterile living room set, harmonizing as they prepare the next scene. It adds absolutely nothing to the show, unless you count the collective “Huh?” and hesitant clapping from the audience.

Sam Gold is a smart director, known for taking risks. And we the audience are almost the better for it. Alas, what he threw against the wall this time simply hasn’t stuck. Despite two compelling leads, The Real Thing surrenders too much of its run time to artificiality.

The Real Thing

American Airlines Theatre
Roundabout Theatre Company
227 West 42^nd Street, Manhattan
Written by: Tom Stoppard
Directed by: Sam Gold
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, with Cynthia Nixon, Josh Hamilton, and Madeline Weinstein
Run Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes, with one intermission

November 14, 2014
Broadway Review: “On the Town” Revival

I have been humming Leonard Bernstein songs on repeat since seeing the current revival of On The Town at the Lyric Theatre. It would be impossible not to hum a few bars, even for the most cynical New Yorker, after being whisked along by the snappy and energetic production of this Broadway classic.

On the Town provides a simple plot, with elegant music. Three sailors step off their ship with just 24 hours to take in the big city before returning to the Navy. As many tourists do, they plan on packing every sight the city has to offer into their one day visit. But, first on the list is finding girls. When Gabey (Tony Yazbeck) discovers a picture of the newly crowned “Miss Turnstiles” (aka Ivy, Megan Fairchild) on the subway, he instantly falls for her. His fellow Navy-men Ozzie and Chip (Clyde Alves and Jay Armstrong Johnson) are determined to find their friend his dream girl to lift his spirits.

From the moment the three sailors burst onto the stage, erupting into the famous “New York, New York”, the entire theatre is humming with energy that lasts until the final curtain. Thanks largely to John Rando’s superb direction and knack for comedy; the production is full of buoyant life.

I may be getting ahead of myself by skipping to the actor’s entrances. The magic actually starts the minute the orchestra tunes up. Experiencing a full 28 piece orchestra at a Broadway show is an unfortunate rarity these days. But this orchestra deserves top billing among the lead players for the grand and lush sound they create. This is how Bernstein’s music is meant to be heard.

Not that the performers are anything to scoff at. In the demanding role of Gabey, Tony Yazbeck provides an impressive voice. His rendition of “Lonely Town” is stunning and vulnerable. I was glad he didn’t shy away from the more melancholy moments of the show, and Gabey in particular. In a musical that tries extra hard to put the “broad” in Broadway, Yazbeck is a compelling emotional center.

The supporting characters are all outstanding physical comics with even better voices. As Claire, Elizabeth Stanley shares incredibly manic energy with Mr. Alves, particularly during “Carried Away”. They could both be accurately described as nymphomaniacs and expertly walk the fine line of playing over the top roles without becoming aggravating. Watching Stanley frequently lose her composure in a fit of lust or excitement yields some of the biggest laughs of the evening.

Alysha Umphress delivers an impressive showing as Hildy. Her confident brassy portrayal could easily swallow the puppy-dogged Armstrong Johnson whole, but the two have found great chemistry. Hildy’s signature “I Can Cook Too” stops the show, and her mix of belting and scatting instantly cemented it as my favorite rendition of the number. If we lived in the days when shouting “encore!” actually resulted in a second helping of a song, Ms. Umphress would likely have to perform this one about five times a night.

The choreography by Joshua Bergasse ranges from grand to elegant. While he may sometimes stray from the iconic original dances of Jerome Robbins, Bergasse meets the demands of the cavernous Lyric Theatre. He expertly manages both large ensemble pieces with their many moving parts, as well as intimate moments like the Coney Island Pas de Deux.

It’s in this number that Broadway newcomer Megan Fairchild (principal ballerina of New York City Ballet) gets her time to shine as Ivy. She may have a modest voice compared to her co-stars, but she is an expert technical dancer and her work is thrilling to behold.

My one great complaint with the production is scenic design that just doesn’t work. While the show as a whole oozes warmth and nostalgia, Beowulf Boritt’s set is cold and modern. The harsh blues and modern interpretations of interiors is distracting and pulls the audience out of the experience. Projections of New York City streets (strangely rendered as solid blue geometric shapes) are also used to ill effect, most notably in the infamous cab scene. Umphress and Johnson are impressive enough on their own here, and don’t need crudely rendered projections to make the song work. Perhaps projections could be put to good use in this scene…but not ones that look this cheap.

On The Town may not be a perfectly crafted musical. Betty Comden, Adolph Green, and Leonard Bernstein hastily threw the musical together around dances from Jerome Robbins. As such, some characters fairly one note and some scenes are too long (though the hysterical Jackie Hoffman shows up as a variety of cartoons to provide some energy). But this is a wonderful production of a classic piece of musical theatre. If you want old school song and dance, it doesn’t get much better. A helluva show indeed.

On the Town
Lyric Theatre
213 West 42^nd Street, Manhattan
Music by: Leonard Bernstein
Book & Lyrics by: Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Directed by: John Rando
Choreography by: Joshua Bergasse
Starring: Tony Yazbeck, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Clyde Alves, Megan Fairchild, Alysha Umphress, Elizabeth Stanley, Phillip Boykin, Stephen DeRosa, and Jackie Hoffman

October 22, 2014
Off-Broadway Review: “Indian Ink”

Two actresses, some fifty years apart, portray sisters. Different time periods and locations weave together through fast paced flowing dialogue. A history lesson of clashing cultures unfolds. I must be at a Tom Stoppard play.

The playwright, famous for works like Arcadia and The Real Thing, has crafted a sweeping narrative across two time periods with Indian Ink, at the Roundabout Theatre Company. The play centers on British poet Flora Crewe (Romola Garai) who travels to India in the late 1920’s for her health. We gain knowledge of her escapades by way of her sister Eleanor (Rosemary Harris) as she discusses Flora’s life with a biographer in 1980’s England.

Flora befriends an Indian painter Nirad Das (Firdous Bamji), whom she poses for. Paintings, poems, and ideas are exchanged between them. Set during the time when India was part of the British Empire, the two artists frequently find themselves navigating questions of art and culture. Did Britain “make” India into a culturally rich territory, or did they already have their own Shakespeare and Monet before colonization?

As Flora’s story unfolds in the past, the biographer (Neal Huff) tries to piece together information in the 80’s from her old letters. As he searches for clues to a potential nude portrait and romance between poet and painter, the play also becomes a story about what is lost to time.

If this all sounds like it’s a lot to digest, that’s because it is. Stoppard covers and even wider swath than usual in this play, and is only sometimes successful at navigating it. The play moves along at a clip, and I never found myself bored or lost. But, the wide array of topics and history he covers results in dialogue that only scratches the surface of the issues presented. Characters will argue and offend over cultural merits of their homeland, yet they will kiss and make up by the end of the scene. The result is a script that is a bit too neat and tidy and I wish it had dug deeper.

The cast is thankfully in top form. Romola Garai, in her Off-Broadway debut has an elegant stage presence that anchors the show. She has warmth to her voice and delivery, and gives a sumptuous quality to a woman who must otherwise abide by all things “proper”.

Rosemary Harris is in fine form (is she capable of being less that stellar?) as Eleanor. She is a woman balancing the spirited girl of her youth, with the conservative aristocratic lady all older British women seem to become. Harris has wonderful chemistry with Bhavesh Patel, as the son of Nirad Das who arrives seeking stories of his father. Their sparring matches over colonialism are entertaining and insightful.

Speaking of Mr. Das, I have never seen Firdous Bamji on stage before, but I hope to again soon. He is intensely vulnerable and enchanting as the humble Indian painter. His specificity and honesty in the aforementioned kiss-and-make-up scenes gives them legitimacy. And there is quite the spark between he and Ms. Garai as their characters grow closer.

Director Carey Perloff deserves credit for keeping the time jumps and complex plot understandable. Lighting designer Robert Wierzel transforms a rather simple set into a gorgeously lush background. And without spoiling anything, I will say they have created a clever and gorgeous final tableau. It accomplishes the daunting task of weaving Stoppard’s many ideas together without the use of words.

Nirad Das mentions the concept of “Rasa” often throughout the play. Rasa he explains, is the essence of a piece of art and the emotion that an artist conjures in the audience. The rasa in Indian Ink would be more apparent if the script dug past the surface of its compelling topics and didn’t keep its characters at arm’s length so often. As it stands, the emotional attachment only appears sporadically.

Indian Ink
Roundabout Theatre Company
Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for the Arts
111 West 46^th Street, Manhattan
Written by: Tom Stoppard
Directed by: Carey Perloff
Starring: Romola Garai, Rosemary Harris, Firdous Bamji, Bhavesh Patel, and Neal Huff
Run Time: 2 Hours and 45 Minutes, with one intermission
Through: November 30, 2014

October 6, 2014
This Is Our Youth Review

When Kenneth Lonergan’s slacker drama first appeared in New York in 1996, it was deemed a revelation. A true eye-opener into the world of early twenty-somethings in a much grittier New York City than we know today. A strange and fascinating thing has happened with the Steppenwolf revival currently playing the Cort Theatre: the play has almost become a period piece.

While the concept of a young adults desperate to flee the nest and forge ahead into adulthood (but having not a clue as to how) will still ring true, This is Our Youth now offers audiences a window into the pre-tech era that seems ages ago. Reagan is president, one must communicate with friends via a phone tethered to the wall, and New York City is a place where drugs and crime haunt even the Upper West Side.

It is this neighborhood which serves as the location for the action. As beautifully designed by Todd Rosenthal, the set presents a cut-out of one small apartment. Behind and all around it, stretch other stark buildings and fire escapes, with windows peering down like ever-watchful eyes. It’s a clever design that both maintains the plays’ intimacy, and serves as a constant reminder of the threat of the City.

The apartment belongs to stoner Dennis (Kieran Culkin). Late in the night, his painfully awkward friend Warren (Michael Cera) comes storming in with a bag of cash and a suitcase of odd knick-knacks. Another bag (of coke) comes into play, as well as the hope of seducing a girl (Tavi Gevinson). These seemingly unrelated elements get the plot moving.

Though you should be warned: I use the word “plot” quite loosely. The main thrust involves Warren stealing cash from his lingerie-dealer Dad, but the play is a character piece through and through. The two friends debate on how to spend the money (drugs and sex are first on their list), but Lonergan’s aim is presenting a slice of life. How do early twenty-somethings in 1982 try to leave their parents nest even if they don’t quite know how to be an independent adult?

The lack of action pushing things forward may put off many theatre-goers, but thanks to Anna D. Shapiro’s tight direction, I was thoroughly captivated throughout. Shapiro, famous for directing firecracker plays like August: Osage County, successfully amps up the humor to find a great balance between light and dark moments. This feat is also in large part due to the three stars (all making their Broadway debuts) who aptly put their characters inner emotional lives on display.

Michael Cera is the big draw, and he mostly doesn’t disappoint. He can often dip into his George Michael shtick from “Arrested Development”, but his awkwardness gets plenty of laughs. There is stiffness to Cera’s body and a tendency to end his lines with the same upward inflection. But, his ungainly mannerisms and tics telegraph that something is “off” with Warren. As the play goes on, and Cera skillfully navigates the troubled emotional arc of the character, he occasionally stumbles upon brilliance. When he finally emerges on the other side of this tumultuous night he is a changed person, and the emotional payoff for the audience is huge. He surprises by digging into darker territory than his film career has previously allowed.

It is Kieran Culkin however, who almost walks away with the show. He is a master at delivering Lonergan’s dialogue with remarkable specificity. The stage is electric when he’s present, and his actions always make it clear that whoever comes through the door is entering into his domain. He can dart about with wild abandon after a toke of a joint, and the next minute fall into a laser focused rage. And he isn’t afraid to let the audience laugh in discomfort at his outrageous moments. The performance is all the more impressive given how cruel and morally loose Dennis can be. Culkin imbues this bully of a man-child with an inner fragility, which comes crashing to the surface in a beautiful act two monologue. I hope to see much more of him on Broadway in the future.

Fashion blogger turned actress Tavi Gevinson does her best as Jessica, though the part doesn’t offer her as much to play with as her male co-stars. What she does quite well is create compelling layers to a character that could be otherwise one-note and whiny. Unfortunately though, Jessica’s penchant for arguments has Gevinson relying on yelling a bit too often.

At times, you may feel like you have seen this play before in a more contemporary setting. As a byproduct of the play’s initial success, Lonergan’s format has been copied by numerous playwrights. But, what these copycat plays don’t have is Anna D. Shapiro orchestrating explosive fireworks and humor through a talented young cast, and that makes this production well worth a visit.

This is Our Youth
Cort Theatre.
148 West 48th Street, Manhattan.
By: Kenneth Lonergan
Directed By: Anna D. Shapiro
Starring: Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin, and Tavi Gevinson
Run Time: 2 Hours and 25 minutes, with one intermission

September 13, 2014
Broadway Fall Preview

The 2014-2015 Broadway season is upon us. Sadly the first show to open (Holler If Ya Hear Me) was also the season’s first casualty. But fear not theatre fans: I have a compiled a comprehensive guide to this Fall’s shows on the Great White Way. So whether you see a Broadway show once a year, or you’ve run out of new shows to see: here is every production for the first half of the season to spend your paycheck on.

Please note that Broadway can be a fickle mistress. Some shows may not have been announced yet, and some may be canceled abruptly (Rebecca, anyone?). And before you start asking “where’s Larry David’s new play?” and “What about ‘The King and I’ with Kelli O’Hara?”, those good things are all coming later in the winter or spring.

PLAYS

This Is Our Youth (Revival)
Cort Theatre
Previews: August 18, 2014
Opening: September 11, 2014
Written by: Kenneth Lonergan
Director: Anna D. Shapiro
Starring: Michael Cera with Kieran Culkin and Tavi Gevinson
Why you should be excited: If you have friends in the theatre, one of them has undoubtedly taken an audition monologue from this play. It chronicles 48 hours in the lives of a couple of drugged out, bratty Upper West Side teens. And this particular productions provides three Broadway debuts in one play.

You Can’t Take it With You (Revival)
Longacre Theatre
Previews: August 26, 2014
Opening: September 28^,2014
Written by: George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
Director: Scott Ellis
Starring: James Earl Jones and Kristiene Nielsen, with Rose Byrne, Annaleigh Ashford, and Reg Rogers
Why you should be excited: This oft-revived Broadway staple is presenting the story of the Sycamore family with a multi-racial cast. Personally, I’d pay just to hear Mr. Jones read the newspaper, but getting to watch him with comedic genius Kristine Nielsen in this Kaufman and Hart classic is an extra treat.

The Country House (Original)
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
Previews: September 9, 2014
Opening: October 2, 2014
Written by: Donald Margulies
Director: Daniel Sullivan
Starring: Blythe Danner with Daniel Sunjata, Sarah Steele, and Eric Lange
Why you should be excited: Blythe Danner returns to Manhattan Theatre Club with this Chekhovian-esque comedy by Margulies. The Pulitzer Prizer winner is the voice behind Dinner with Friends and Time Stands Still.

Love Letters (Revival)
Brooks-Atkinson Theatre
Previews: September 13, 2014
Opening: September 18, 2014
Written by: A.R. Gurney
Director: Gregory Mosher
Starring: Brian Dennehy and Mia Farrow
Why you should be excited: Stars! A whole bunch of them. This two character play was famous for its rotating cast of big names and this revival is no exception. Dennehy and Farrow will play until Oct. 10 followed by Carol Burnett & Brian Dennehy (Oct. 11-Nov. 7), Alan Alda & Candice Bergen (Nov. 8-Dec. 5), Stacey Keach & Diana Rigg (Dec. 6-Jan. 9) and Angelica Huston & Martin Sheen (Jan. 10-Feb. 1).

It’s Only a Play (Revival)
Schoenfeld Theatre
Previews: TBA September, 2014
Opening: October 9, 2014
Written by: Terrence McNally
Director: Jack O’Brien
Starring: Nathan Land and Matthew Broderick, with Megan Mullally, Stockard Channing, Rupert Grint, & F. Murray Abraham
Why you should be excited: This play about show business is receiving some contemporary revisions and updates by McNally. Plus, this could give us the stellar re-pairing of Lane and Broderick we’ve all been waiting for. The all-star cast has already sold over $5 million in advance sales, so buy your tickets fast before its sold out.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Original)
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Previews: September 15, 2014
Opening: October 5, 2014
Written by: Simon Stephens
Director: Marianne Elliott
Starring: Alexander Sharp with Taylor Trensch, Francesca Faridany, and Ian Barford
Why you should be excited: This British import won acclaim and practically swept the Olivier awards last year (including the top prize for Best New Play). Its kinetic staging and innovative set design earned comparisons to War Horse. If the new promos are accurate, it promises to be a feast for the eyes.

The Real Thing (Revival)
American Airlines Theatre
Previews: October 2, 2014
Opening: October 30, 2014
Closing: January 4, 2015
Written by: Tom Stoppard
Director: Sam Gold
Starring: Ewan McGregor and Maggie Gyllenhaal with Cynthia Nixon
Why you should be excited: This Roundabout revival boasts the Broadway debut for Ewan McGregor, and in one of Tom Stoppard’s finest dramas no less. Sam Gold has been showcasing his unique directorial voice in a multitude of great projects recently, and his take on this modern classic is eagerly awaited.

The Elephant Man (Revival)
Previews: October 17, 2014
Opening: November 13, 2014
Written by: Bernard Pomerance
Director: Scott Ellis
Starring: Bradley Cooper, with Patricia Clarkson and Alessandro Nivola
Why you should be excited: This Bradley Cooper lead production was previously seen, to rave reviews, at The Williamstown Theatre Festival. The Broadway transfer has been continually pushed back due to scheduling conflicts, so we cant wait for Cooper to finally show us his stage chops (and a good deal of skin) in this dramatic transformation.

A Delicate Balance (Revival)
Golden Theatre
Previews: October 20, 2014
Opening: November 20, 2014
Closing: February 22, 2015
Written by: Edward Albee
Director: Pam McKinnon
Starring: Glenn Close and John Lithgow, with Lindsay Duncan, Bob Balaban, and Martha Plimpton
Why you should be excited: Glenn. Close. Glenn Close is returning to us for the first time since her Tony winning performance in Sunset Boulevard. What, that’s not enough for you? It’s also an incredible Edward Albee script that won the Pulitzer Prize. Just go.

The River (Original)
Circle in the Square Theatre
Previews: October 31, 2014
Opening: November 16, 2015
Closing: January 25, 2015
Written by: Jez Butterworth
Starring: Hugh Jackman with Laura Donnelly and Cush Jumbo
Why you should be excited: You will never get this close to Hugh Jackman again. Set in the intimate Circle in the Square Theatre, Butterworth’s follow-up to Jerusalem promises something “erotic, chilling, and poetic”. Could this role land Jackman Tony number two?

Constellations (Original)
Samuel J Friedman Theatre
Previews: December 16, 2014
Opening: January 13, 2015
Written by: Nick Payne
Director: Michael Longhurst
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal
Why you should be excited: While the story of a bee-keeper and a scientist finding romance and discussing quantum mechanics might sound out there, its original incarnation in London won raves. This marks Gyllenhaal’s Broadway debut and reunites him with the writer/director team behind his Off-Broadway outing “If There Is I Haven’t Found it Yet”.

MUSICALS

On The Town (Revival)
Lyric Theatre
Previews: September 20, 2014
Opening: October 16, 2014
Music: Leonard Bernstein, Book and Lyrics: Betty Comden & Adolph Green
Director: John Rando
Starring: Tony Yazbeck, Jay Armstrong Johnson, and Clive Alves with Jackie Hoffman
Why you should be excited: “New York, New York It’s A Helluva Town” is all you need to start tapping your feet and get excited for this classic song and dance show. Based on the Barrington Stage production, this musical is perfect for those who prefer dancing sailors and long for the Golden Age of Broadway.

The Last Ship (Original)
Neil Simon Theatre
Previews: September 30, 2014
Opening: October 26, 2014
Music and Lyrics: Sting, Book: John Logan and Brian Yorkey
Director: Joe Mantello
Starring: Michael Esper with Rachel Tucker, Fred Applegate, Aaron Lazar, and Jimmy Nail
Why you should be excited: Don’t let the Tony performance fool you. Sting is not in this musical. But he did write the hauntingly beautiful score about the downfall of an Irish fishing town. It’s also an entirely original musical (i.e. not based on a movie or book) and how often does that happen nowadays?

Side Show (Revival)
St. James Theatre
Previews: October 28, 2014
Opening: November 17, 2014
Music: Henry Krieger, Book and Lyrics: Bill Russell
Director: Bill Condon
Starring: Erin Davie and Emily Padgett
Why you should be excited: Straight from the Kennedy Center with its two stars in tow, this gorgeous musical will finally find a second life in New York. The show was a bit of a misfire when it originally opened, but several revisions and re-writes have been implemented for this revival. If you enjoy seriously talented people belting face to beautiful power ballads, please give this show all your money.

Honeymoon in Vegas (Original)
Nederlander Theatre
Previews: November 18, 2014
Opening: January 15, 2015
Music and Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown, Book: Andrew Bergman
Director: Gary Griffin
Starring: Rob McClure, Tony Danza, and Brynn O’Malley, with Nancy Opel
Why you should be excited: After the criminally overlooked Bridges of Madison County, Jason Robert Brown could finally have a hit on his hands. The Pre-Broadway engagement drummed up stellar word of mouth for the fun musical score. It follows the plot of the 1992 movie about a man with an intense fear of settling down who crosses paths with a mafia man from Vegas.

August 26, 2014
“Holler If Ya Hear Me” Review: Broadway Preaches a Ghetto Gospel

“They got a n**ga shedding tears/ reminiscin’ on my past fears/Cause shit was hectic for me last year”.   And so marks the beginning of the 2014-2015 Broadway season. As opening lyrics go, it’s about as far from “The hills are alive, with the sound of music” as one can go. And that is precisely what the ambitious, if flawed, Holler If Ya Hear Me intends.

The first sign that this production is willing to buck tradition greets the audience upon entering the Palace Theatre: Close to 600 seats have been removed from the massive orchestra section. This accommodates an extended stage and stadium seating stretching to the mezzanine. The design pitches the audience into the action onstage.   Those skeptical of this concept should have no fear. It is actually one of the best decisions director Kenny Leon brings to the show, which is a tad too intimate for the house it occupies.

The songs (and poetry) by Tupac Shakur however, are lyrically rich and hard hitting enough to energize the large crowd. Purist fans will appreciate that the creative team has not shied away from the language or tone of the music in the least. This jukebox musical is not for Baby Boomers, and the show makes no apologies or concessions in this regard.

In a musical crafted from the themes in the late rapper’s work it is no surprise the story centers on a tragic tale of drugs and violence. The musical opens with John (powerful spoken word artist Saul Williams) returning to city life after a stint in prison. Jail time has spurred him to leave behind the world of drug dealing and instead search for honest work at his friends’ auto shop. Our other central figure is Vertus (Christopher Jackson), who has taken up dealing while John was behind bars. During this time Vertus has also won over John’s once girlfriend Corrine (Saycon Sengbloh, in strong voice). The neighborhood is quickly thrown into chaos and despair when an (un-seen) gang shoots down Vertus’ brother Benny. Our protagonists gather their neighborhood friends and arm themselves with determination and guns to avenge their fallen friend.

This is where the trouble starts, for both the characters and the audience. Benny has spoken perhaps two lines in one crowded scene before his off-stage demise. Yet this death is what thrusts the plot into motion. It took me a good ten minutes to figure out who this Benny was that everyone was so upset about. It wasn’t until his mother (a vastly underutilized Tonya Pinkins) emerged in tears, that I realized he was her son and Vertus’ brother. It’s rather difficult for the audience to invest in a character we don’t know and a conflict that unfolds mostly off-stage.

The book by Todd Kreidler is largely at fault here. It takes the basic themes of Shakur’s lyrics as inspiration for its inner city story, but fails to expand on them with any originality. The result is a rather heavy handed, paint-by-numbers message about the unending cycle of violence in poor, black neighborhoods. Should the group take on the typical “eye for an eye” mentality, or rise above the gang warfare that plagues their surroundings? Character development is also frequently sabotaged in an effort to shoehorn popular songs onto the stage.

Luckily the vocally robust cast is adept at interpreting Shakur’s rhymes. The smooth voiced Jackson manages to be compelling throughout. Saul Williams is a force of nature when he spits Shakur’s signature lyrics, particularly in the fiery showstopper “Me Against the World”. And even though her character is largely in the play just so “Unconditional Love” can make an appearance, Sengbloh belts the song like it’s her last day on Earth. I wish the story knew what to do with Tonya Pinkins’ mother figure, as the Tony winner lends a much needed dose of gravitas to the proceedings.

Tony winning director Kenny Leon has shown tremendous skill helming straight plays on the Great White Way. But, his first foray into a musical seems less sure-footed. Some musical numbers inspire awe and thunderous applause. The act one closer (and title song) is a tremendous showcase of ferocity for Saul Williams and the ensemble, with invigorating stage movement. On the flip side, many other moments have no life or stakes in the stage direction. An odd dichotomy emerges between staging that is either truly inspired or mostly forgettable.

A similar problem is found in the choreography by Wayne Cilento. While expertly performed by talented dancers who are clearly having a blast, it frequently fails to direct the audience’s eyes to where the main action is happening.   There is also a turn table, because…I’m not really sure. Luckily, the lighting design (Mike Baldassari) and projections (Zachary Borovary) are gorgeous and well implemented to aid the storytelling.

Ultimately, Holler if Ya Hear Me feels like something that needed more time to develop. There is promise of a truly great musical in here. But as it stands, for every flash of brilliance or innovation, there is another of confusion. I applaud the producers and creative team for bringing a rap musical to Broadway and remaining true to the source material. If only the book matched the passion of Tupac’s music.

July 8, 2014