The writer and star of The Lion, Benjamin Scheuer, enters the stage of the Lynn Redgrave Theatre with a mane of wild, tussled hair. He sits and sings a song about a toy banjo his father made for him. With his pleasant face and the intimate atmosphere, you may think you’re in for a sweet sort…
Spring is often the busiest time of year for Broadway. This spring sees a bevy of new musicals, Off-Broadway transfers, demonic puppets, and British royalty. Performers gracing New York's stages include legends (Chita Rivera), newcomers (Vanessa Hudgens), and mainstays in classic roles (Kelli O'Hara). March also ushers in Tony Awards season. Every show wants to open…
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,…
“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…
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…
“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…
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…
“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”…
When you walk into the Walter Kerr Theatre, home of Best Musical Tony winner A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, you have to do some preparation. You have to suspend your disbelief, let go of your expectations, and open your mind because the 2 hours and 20 minutes ahead will surprise, entertain, and leave…
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…