BRIEF ENCOUNTER EXTENDS RUN

Responding to rave reviews and strong ticket sales, Brief Encounter has extended it's run at St. Ann's Warehouse[38 Water Street dumbo Brooklyn] thru Jan 17th.
This is a magical stage adaptation of Noel Coward's 1945 classic film employing live action with classic film footage, and should be at the top of everyone's must see list.
Theatre magic like this happens all too rarely,and is worth anyone's time,so a word to the wise.DON'T MISS IT.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL. I WILL BE BACK ON JAN.11th.

ELEKTRA A THOUGHT

There is some powerful music by Richard Strauss, and some fabulous performances in Elektra[last night's opera at the Met] but I found this adaptation of a Greek myth a distant and uninvolving work.
The stage direction by David Kneuss is remarkably able, and sets by Jurgen Rose are wonderfully effective, but even with all that is good in this production, I found Elektra to be a remote and unsatisfying work.
At THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE LINCOLN CENTER N. Y.

THE TALES OF HOFFMANN A THOUGHT

It was snowing outside but inside the Met Opera House the mood was sunny and magical. The Tales Of Hoffmann was the attraction and it was wonderful.
It has some of Jaques Offenbach's best music [and that's saying alot] and is beautifully presented.
Bartlett Sher has directed this fairy tale for grownups splendedly,and the performances are all top notch.
The weather may have been stormy, but The Tales Of Hoffmann provided an afternoon of pure sunshine.
at THE METRTROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE LINCOLN CENTER N.Y.C.

MISALLIANCE A THOUGHT

This afternoon I went to a performance of one of Bernard Shaw's early plays Misalliance, and it was given an enthusiastic and stylish production by the excellent off-Broadway Pearl Theatre Company.
It's amazing how much life is left in this almost 100 year old play, and Shaw's comments on sex, love; marriage, and children are remarkably modern and fresh.
The play is staged and acted in high style, and is off-Broadway theatregoing at it's best.
I had a fine afternoon at Misalliance.
At the PEARL THEATRE COMPANY N. Y. CITY CENTER STAGE 2 131 WEST 55th STREET N. Y. C THRU JANUARY 24th.

THE ORPHAN'S HOME CYCLE PT.2 A REVUE

The good news is that nothing has changed. Part two of The Orphans Home Cycle [subtitled The Story Of A Marriage] is just as magical as the first part. This is the continuation of Horton Foote's nine hour cycle of autobiographical plays about his family. This one deals with the courtship and marriage of his wife, and ends with the birth of their first child,and it tells it's story with the same honesty and beauty that was so evident in the first part.
As usual, Michael Wilson's staging is beautifully conceived and his acting company is first rate from top to bottom.
The last episode of this magical saga will be presented next month. As I said before, The Orphan's Home Cycle is essential viewing for the serious theatregoer. If there are still seats to be had, go at once.
At the SIGNATURE THEATRE CO.____PETER NORTON SPACE 555 WEST 42nd STREET N. Y. C.

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC A REVIEW

Let me begin this blog by saying that I was not exactly bowled over by A Little Night Music when I saw the original production in 1973,but in director Trevor Nunn's exquisite bandbox production that won rave notices in London last year,it is now a beautifully conceived and elegently written show.
The book by Hugh Wheeler [suggested by the classic film Smiles Of A Summer Night] is all about finding finding the perfect soulmate and and developing true love at whatever the cost,and it is bright and witty,and Stephen Sondheim's music remains a thing of beauty and his lyrics are among his best.
One of the evening's pleasures is the way the cast blends with their roles. As a touring theatre actress Catherine Zeta-Jones makes a smashing Broadway debut. She looks great, is a wonderful actress, and sings well. As her aging and wise mother,Angela Lansbury is perfectly cast and as usual gives a superb performance, and Alexander Hanson is excellent as the long lost love of the actress, recreating the role he played in London last year.
The staging is exquisite and David Farley's sets and costumes are just right.
I wish they could have used the original orchestrations instead of the skimpy ones they are using now, but this is a small complaint. A Little Night Music is an elegent show exquisitly presented.
At THE WALTER KERR THEATRE 219 WEST 48th STREET N.Y.C.

RACE A REVIEW

David Mamet has always been one of our more prolific playwrights. Weather his plays succeed or not is beside the point, because most of them are distinguished by sharply drawn characters and punchy dialog. Race is his latest work and while it has all the typical Mamet strengths I can't[for the life of me] tell you what it's about.
From what I have read, and what I can figure out the play takes place in a plush law office and concerns three lawyers [two black and one white] who are given a chance to defend a white man accused of committing a crime against a black woman. It's an interesting idea but I am at a loss to explain what goes on. The gimmick is good, the dialog crackels, Mr. Mamet has directed his own play most effectively, and the four member cast is excellent.
James Spader , David Alan Grier, and Kerry Washington are fine as the lawyers and Richard Thomas is effective as the hopeful client,so the play lacks nothing in the acting or staging department.
What the play lacked for me was clear plot development, and the good things in Race didn't make up for the problems it has.
While Race is totally involving, It's cloudy plot development, and emotional coldness make it interesting but unsatisfying theatre.
At THE ETHEL BARRYMORE THEATRE 243 WEST 47th STREET N. Y. C.

BRIEF ENCOUNTER A REVIEW

Back in 1936 Noel Coward wrote a tender and witty one act play called Still Life which concerned the chance meeting of a doctor and a married woman and their ensuing romance.Ten years later he adapted it into a screenplay called Brief Encounter which was made into a memorable film by director David Lean. Now the story has been beautifully adapted and directed by Emma Rice, and is being given an enthralling production by the same people who presented it in London last year to hats in the air acclaim.
Switching seamlessly between live theatre and film footage,Brief Encounter transports it's audience back to the age of romance and the silver screen, and provides one of the most enchanting evenings that this jaded theatregoer has had in ages. It is so brilliantly conceived, acted, and designed that it sometimes goes beyond greatness and approaches genius,and the use of many of Mr. Coward's old songs [performed live by a talented group of onstage musicians] is a great asset.
Brief Encounter is magical theatre, and essential viewing for serious playgoers.Seldom has any theatre offering been presented with such a joyous theatrically as this is .
So, if possible, don't miss it.
At ST. ANN'S WAREHOUSE 38 WATER STREET dumboBROOKLYN N.Y. Thru Jan. 3rd.only.

THE HEART IS LONELY HUNTER A REVIEW

The need to be accepted in society has always been a favorite subject of novelists and playwrights. Carson McCullers was taken with this subject enough to base her best-selling novel The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter on it, and from this famous novel Rebecca Gilman has written a moving and eloquent play.
It follows the story of a deaf -mute man who moves to a small southern town during the great depression to be near his best friend who has been committed to an insane asylum. His isolation is mirrored by some of the townspeople he meets who are looking for friendship and compassion just as he is.
What could have become a mawkish and sudsy story has become a moving and exalted play due to the love and understanding Ms. Gilman has for her subject, and it has been directed to perfection by Doug Hughes.
The acting company from top to bottom is superb, and the sets by Neil Patel catch the mood of the play perfectly.
This is one of those theatre evenings where every thing goes right, and The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter is a tasteful and moving play done with all the skill and compassion it needs. Go see it.
At THE N. Y. THEATRE WORKSHOP 79 EAST 4th STREET N. Y. C. thru Dec. 20th.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE A REVIEW

In his play A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams wrote what many people consider the great American tragedy, and some consider it his best play. This tale of unbridled passion and the destruction of it's central character was a sensation when it was first done on Broadway in 1947, and became a memorable movie in 1951. It is now being offered by the Sydney Australia Theatre Company in a highly anticipated if uneven and leisurly production.
Most of the anticipation is because the actress Cate Blanchett is appearing in the central role of Blanche Dubois the tragic lead,and she gives a stunning performance in one of the theatre's most demanding roles.
She is backed up by an Australian company of actors who give their all and are mostly effective in their roles.
Liv Ullmann directs the show intellegently if a bit leisurly permitting lags between scenes that swelles the show's running time to almost three and a half hours, but this approach does pay off in the play's shattering final scene,and the use of New Orleans jazz is used most effectivly.
Is this streetcar one for the ages? Maybe not, but it is an effective and emotionally engaging production of a classic American play and one of the better ones that I have seen.
At THE BAM HARVEY THEATRE 651 FULTON STREET BROOKLYN N.Y. Thru December 20th and seats are hard to get, but it's worth trying to get them.

IL TRITTICO A THOUGHT

The Met opera keeps topping itself. Yesterday afternoon it offered a stunning production of Verdi's Il Trittico. This consist of three one act operas presenting seperate but equel overviews of the human condition from a serious and comic view point.
It is staged with stunning expertness by Jack O'Brien and beautifully designed by Douglas W. Schmidt.
The operas are expertly conducted by Stefano Ranzani and the great Met orchestra brings out all the beauty of the three diverse scores.
All in all, another great afternoon at the opera.
AT the METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE LINCOLN CENTER N.Y.C.

JERSEY BOYS REVISITED

Last evening my wife and I saw JERSEY BOYS for the second time and I can tell you that this musical biography of Frankie Vallie and The Four Seasons is in tip top shape. The show has just started it's fifth year on Broadway, and it is as fresh and shiny as it was when we first saw it at the beginning of it's run.
The book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice is as hard hitting as ever and all of those great Four Seasons classic songs sound as if they were written yesterday.
Des MacAnuff's staging and Sergio Trujillo's choreography are opening night fresh and the current cast is up to snuff.
This is so much more than a juke box musical. At the end you really care about these guys, and you are on your feet yelling bravo just as the audience we saw it with last night was.
JERSEY BOYS is my wifes favorite current Broadway show,and even in it's fifth year it is still one of the best evenings you will spend on Broadway. If you haven't seen it go at once. If you have, go again.
At THE AUGUST WILSON THEATRE 245 WEST 52nd STREET N.Y.C.

FELA A REVIEW

I had never heard of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,but he was considered the most famous musician ever to come out of Nigeria.He created new kind of music called Afrobeat ,consisting of pounding rythms from around the world while the lyrics openly attack the dictatorships that ruled Nigeria and Africa at that time. While he was not a top name in this country, Fela the exuberant new musical celebrating his life and music should change all that.
This is a show that introduces a new kind of music to Broadway. It has an infectious beat that makes you want to dance in the aisle, and the lyrics grab and hold the attention all the way thru.
The multi-talented Bill T. Jones has directed the show with a firm hand and his choreography is so fresh, lively, and infectious that I can't see how anyone else can better it this season. The whole show seems to be in constant motion and the highly enthusiastic cast is so talented and alive that you leave the theatre with a smile on your face and a spring in your step.
While it may not be epoch making Fela is so alive and spirit-lifting that it a constant joy. Go see it.
At THE EUGENE O'NEILL THEATRE 230 WEST 49th STREET N.Y.C.

GIRL CRAZY A REVUE

One of New York's treasures is the Encores series`of staged concerts celebrating the American musical. To kick off their fifteenth season this indespensable company is presenting[for this weekend only] the George and Ira Gershwin chestnut, Girl Crazy. This musical[ which dates back to 1930 ] is the kind of thing that Encores does best, and it gives us a chance to hear the classic score the way audiences in 1930 first heard it, and Robert Russell Bennett's original orchestrations sound terrific as played by the great Encores orchestra under the direction of Rob Fisher.
Girl Crazy may not be a classic musical,but the score is choice Gershwin and director Jerry Zaks keeps the action zipping along smoothly.
The whole thing is well cast, the singing and choreography are fine, and this Girl Crazy is a pleasure to see and hear. Thanks to Encores for an enjoyable evening.
At the N.Y. CITY CENTER 131WEST 55th STREET N.Y.C NOV 19th thru NOV 22nd.

SAVANNAH BLACK AND BLUE A REVUE

Following your dream and getting what you want out of life can be tough sometimes.Case in point,Savannah Black and Blue, an uneven but entertaining play by Raymond Jones about a spunky,attractive African American girl who wants to be a cop more than anything in the world,and the flack she gets from her husband, family,and friends.
If the plot seems a little underdeveloped at this point,Mr. Jones shows a real talent for snappy dialog, and has created an interesting and believable title character. She is on stage almost all of the play's 80 minute running time and to play her Ciera Payton [an actress new to me] is outstanding. It is a huge part and Ms. Payton has the style, grace, and personal appeal to pull it off and make it seem as easy as pie.
The rest of the acting company is first rate, and make the most out of their sometimes sketchily written roles. Ohene Cornelius is fine as the husband who turns out to be decent after all, and Kimberlyn Crawford brings quiet dignity to the underdeveloped role Savannah's grandmother.The rest of the cast is fine and director Charles Weldon whips the action along with vigor and snap.
The play is presented by the Negro Ensemble Company[a New York legend] and as usual the technical aspects are all first rate.
Savannah Black And Blue is not perfect by any means,but it reveals an interesting and talanted playwright in Mr. Jones and is put on with taste and skill.
THE NEGRO ENSEMBLE COMPANY at SHELTER STUDIOS 244 WEST 54th STREET N.Y.C. Through Nov.22nd. Worth checking out.

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE PT.1 A REVUE

With the arrival of part one of The Orphan's Home Cycle the theatre season takes on a lusture that probably wont be matched any time soon. The late playwright Horton Foote took nine of his autobiographical plays and adapted them into a three part event lasting almost nine hours spread out over three evenings, and the first part[under the sub title The Story Of A Childhood] is beautifully told and stunningly presented.
It covers the author,s lonley childhood in Harrison Texas at the turn of the century, his father's death, and ends with hs move to Houston ten years later.
Director Michael Wilson's staging is stunningly effective and the large cast offers the best example of ensemble playing you are likely to see this or any other season.
With parts two and three coming up over the next two months and the whole cycle scheduled through the spring, The Orphan's Home Cycle is shaping up as the event of the year. This is theatre at it's magical best,memorable and unmissable.
At THE SIGNATURE THEATRE ----PETER NORTON SPACE 555 WEST 42nd STREET N.Y.C., and all seats are only 20 dollars, the best theatre value in N. Y.

IN THE NEXT ROOM A REVIEW

On the theory that there is something good in the worst of things we obediently look for what is good in the wreck of a play called In The Next Room.
Playwright Sarah Rule subtitles her new work The Vibrator Play and it takes place in the 1880s , the beginning of the age of electricity.It is based on the actual medical practice of treating patients with electric vibrators to cure any number of problems[depression and sexual dysfunction are the main ones], but despite a solid premise and a provacitive subject the play is an absolute bust. The plotting is deplorable, the dialog is wooden, and the production is nothing short of disastarous.
The staging by Les Waters is strictly of stock calaber,and the acting company seem most uneasy and sometimes embarased by what they are asked to do.
It is true that nothing goes right all the time, but with In The Next Room The Lincoln Center Theatre has perpetrated a first class disaster. Some days everything goes wrong.
AT The LYCEUM THEATRE 149 WEST 45th STREET N. Y. C.

RAGTIME A REVIEW

When Ragtime was first done almost eleven years ago I fell in love with it. The book was well above average and it had the best score of the decade,unmatched to this day.I also thought that it was top heavy with excesses it did not need. Well those exesses are gone, and thanks to the multi talented director Marcia Milgrom Dodge and her wonderfully talented cast this musical is now the masterpiece it should be.
Terrence McNally's book [based on the bestselling novel by E.L. Doctorow] deals with the plight of three familys upon their arrival in America at the turn of the century, and it has been tweaked and polished into one of the best musical books Broadway has seen in years.
The music by Stephen Flaherty and the lyrics by Lynn Ahrens hold up remarkably well and prove that they are one of the most creative teams working in the theatre today.
The show is performed on a single set with movable props and this brings out all the power of the book and score.
The cast is superb, and an exeptionally good pit orchrsestra conducted by James Moore does the music proud.
By smart trimming and great planning, what was once a distinguished musical has now taken on the luster of a work of art. Ragtime is a memorable musical.
At THE NEIL SIMON THEATRE 250 WEST 52nd STREET N. Y. C.

FROM THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD A THOUGHT

Last night I attended thepremiere of From The House Of The Dead and it was an experience I will not soon forget.
This opera by the Czech composer Leos Janack has a very stong libretto[by the composer] and a fascinating and very well orchestrated score. It is about survival under the most inhumane conditions,and is stunningly staged by Patrice Chereau and conducted with power and enthusiasim by Esa-Pekka Salonen.
From The House Of The Dead may not be for everyone, but for those looking for something a little different this opera offers a fascinating and sometimes powerful look at the human condition and what human cruelty can do to it.
While it is not as emotionaly engaging as it could have been, this opera was worth doing ,and the Met deserves lots of credit for doing it.
At The METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE LINCOLN CENTER N. Y.C.

THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD A THOUGHT

For over 25 years The Pearl Theatre Company has been a major force off Broadway. This year they are performing their season on West 55th street [address listed below] and are offering a solid production of J. M. Synge's classic play The Playboy Of The Western World.
This tale of fiesty females trying to woo the town playboy is a classic of Irish theatre and it is well served in this well directed and solidly acted production.
Good work all around and off Broadway theatregoing of a very high order.
At THE N. Y. CITY CENTER STAGE 2 131WEST 55th STREET N. Y. C. Thru NOV. 22.

TURANDOT A THOUGHT

That grandest of operas [Turandot] is back at the Met and it is magnificent. This is the landmark Franco Zeffirelli production first seen in 1987, and it is a fine example of how great opera can be when it is done right.
It is conducted with verve and enthusiasim by Andris Nelsons in his Met debut and is staged and
designed in the grand manner that has made the Met world famous.
All in all, another memorable afternoon at the opera.
At THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE LINCOLN CENTER N. Y. C.

THE UNDERSTUDY A REVIEW

Theresa Rebeck is a playwright of almost unlimited talent. In her plays Maritus [about greedy stamp collectors] and The Scene [about love and lust Hollywood style] Ms. Rebeck addressed her subjects with biting humor and devestating insight. In her latest play The Understudy this talented playwright is at the top of her game and has delivered a bitingly funny look at the underbelly of the acting world.
It concerns a movie star who gets a part in a Broadway play and the man hired as his understudy. The understudy knows that he will never go on, but he keeps hoping. It takes place at a dress rehearsal run by a talented, bossy stage manager,and deals with the everyday problems of putting on a Broadway show.
Under Scott Ellis's astute staging the cast of three is excellent. In his live acting debut, Mark-Paul Gosselaar is hilarious as the star, Justin Kirk is just a funny as the standby waiting to go on,and Julie White is superb as the stage manager.
Once again Theresa Rebeck is in top form and The Understudy is bitingly funny and devestatingly insightful.
At THE LAURA PELS THEATRE 111 WEST 46th STREET N. Y. C.

NIGHTINGALE A REVIEW

Lynn Redgrave has always been a fine actress and for more than a decade has been giving us most interesting insights`about her famous family in a series of solo shows. Shakespeare For My Father and The Mandrake Root were in depth looks at her famous parents, and they both provided wonderful theatre evenings,but [sad to say] I found her latest solo play Nightingale to be a dissapointment.
This time Ms. Redgrave is talking about the need to create a life for her maternal grandmother, a woman she hardly knew,and [to me] that is the problem with Nightingale.Because she didn't know her well, we never find out why she had this need to make a life for her,and why she was considered to be such a facinating person.
As always, Ms. Redgrave is a master storyteller and and looks as good as ever but her story is not very interesting and after a while becomes boring.
Nightingale is only 75 minutes long but seems longer,and too me this is the problem. Her story just isn't interesting enough to sustain a full evening.
At THE N. Y. CITY CENTER STAGE ONE 131 WEST 55th STREET N. Y. C.

BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS CLOSES PREMATURELY

What started out as an exciting idea came to an unfortunate end when Brighton Beach Memoirs closed on Sunday [Nov. 1st ] after only nine performances cancelling Broadway Bound which was to alternate with it starting in December.
This is a case where the reviews were mostly positive and word of mouth was good to excellent,but people just weren't interested in a gentle autobiographical family play.
This is too bad because I doubt that there will be anything this year as warming and satisfying as David Cromer's fine take on Neil Simon's enchanting play.
This was a case where a most deserving project closed much too soon. Too bad.

FINIAN'S RAINBOW A REVIEW

If the music and dancing were enough this would be a much happier occasion, but there is a book too and time has not been very kind to it. That is the main problem with director/ choreographer Warren Carlyle's in and out revival of Finian's Rainbow. It has it's good points, mainly the still memorable music by Burton Lane and some of Yip Harburg's best lyrics, but the book that Mr Harburg wrote with Fred Saidy really does not hold up very well.
It is a fantasy about an old Irishman who comes to this country with a magic pot of gold which he has filched from a leprechaun and the trouble he get into. It must have been funny and satirical back in 1947 when it was first produced, and I thought it was enchanting in a 1960 Broadway revival, but in 2009 it's edge is gone, and at times it creaks with age.
The show is fine in it's musical sequences and the original orchestrations byRobert Russell Bennett and Don Walker and played by an exellent pit orchestra conducted by Rob Berman give the songs a rich full sound.
The cast is fine as well with Jim Norton and Kate Baldwin especially good as the Irishman and his daughter and Christopher Fitzgerald has fun as the leprechaun.
Every so often Finian's Rainbow does take off and become an enjoyable show,but for the most part this revival is firmly earthbound.
AT THE ST. JAMES THEATRE 246 WEST 44th STREET N. Y. C.

AIDA A BREIF THOUGHT

I attended Aida at the Met yesterday afternoon, and with this performance my belief that no one does grand opera like the Met was confirmed It was beautifully done in every way and conducted expertly by Daniele Gatti. Again, a memorable afternoon at the opera.
At THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE LINCOLN CENTER N. Y. C.

THE NEIL SIMON PLAYS___BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS A REVIEW

What promises to be a very rewarding project is off to a great start with Brighton Beach Memoirs. Neil Simon's 1983 autobiographical memoir about his teenage years in Brooklyn in the late 1930s is being given an exquisite production by director David Cromer,and is superbly acted by a topnotch cast.
With just two Off Broadway shows [the musical Adding Machine and the current classic revival of Our Town] Mr. Cromer has become a major force on the New York theatre scene, and he has brought out all that is warm and endearing in Mr.Simon's wonderfully affectionate tribute to his teen years.
As already mentioned, Mr. Cromer has cast his production expertly. As Mr. Simon's alter ego Noah Robbins makes a smashing Broadway debut and Laurie Metcalf is excellent as his mother and everyone else is superb.
John Lee Beatty's scenery, Jane Greenwood's costumes, and Brian MacDevitt's lighting are as expert as everything else in this exquisitly tasteful production. Neil Simon should be very proud.
Brighton Beach Memoirs will be joined by Broadway Bound [about his start as a writer] on December 10th, and the two shows will alternate perfomances there after. I can't wait.
At THE NEDERLANDER THEATRE 208 WEST 41st STREET N. Y .C.

AFTER MISS JULIE A REVIEW

There's alot of huffing and puffing, but not much heat in After Miss Julie,Patrick Marber's interesting but static take on August Strindberg's classic play Miss Julie.
Mr Marber has reset this tale of a forbidden love and it's consequences from 19th century Sweeden to post World War 2 England on the eve of the Labour Party's victory in 1945. It is still about Miss Julie's flirtation with her father's chauffeur, and their one night of lusty passion,but passion seems totally absent in director Mark Brokaw's frantic but wrongheaded staging.
Sienna Miller and Jonny Lee Miller work hard but don't generate the heat needed to bring this tale to life, and Marin Ireland is good as the chauffeur's intended bride.
After Miss Julie has a good idea and some decent writing,but it needs a much sexier and passionate production than it is getting here. Too bad because everyone works hard, but it is alot of sound and fury adding up to very little.
At THE AMERICAN AIRLINES THEATRE 227 WEST 42nd STREET N. Y C.

MEMPHIS A REVIEW

The time is the 1950s. The place, Memphis Tennesee,the beginning of Rock n Roll. This is the setting of Memphis, and despite some roughness around the edges and a leveling off in the second act, it is a lively and enjoyable show.
Joe DiPietro's book concerns a white backwoods disk Jocky who comes to Memphis with a new kind of music,exploits and falls in love with a talanted black singer, and and becomes accepted in this mostly black area of music.
If the book is uneven there is some lively toe tapping music by David Bryan and fine choreography by Sergio Trujillo.
The cast is generally fine with notable performances by Chad Kimball and Montego Glover as the disk jocky and his singer girl friend. The rest of the cast is spirited and very adept as singers and dancers, and Christopher Ashley's direction keeps things going at a lively clip.
Is Memphis perfect? Not at all, but it is bright, good looking, tuneful, and worth seeing. I might ad that this looks like a real crowd pleaser because the audience I saw it with went crazy over it.
Go and enjoy.
At THE SHUBERT THEATRE 225 WEST 44th N. Y. C .

LET ME DOWN EASY EXTENDED

Anna Deavere Smith's brilliant new one woman show LET ME DOWN EASY has been extended thru December 6th. It is highly recommended and belongs at the top of your must see list.
At the SECOND STAGE THEATRE 305 WEST 43rd STREET N. Y. C.

BYE BYE BIRDIE THEATRE INFO.

Bye Bye Birdie is at the handsomly restored HENRY MILLER'S THEATRE 124 WEST 43rd STREET N. Y. C.

BYE BYE BIRDIE A REVIEW

If ever a musical was tied to an era Bye Bye Birdie is it. In it's day this show [first produced in 1960] was a clever and sometimes funny satire of the teenage obsession with rock and roll and the Elvis Presley craze. Maybe there is a way to make this musical seem fresh and new,but if there is director choreographer Robert Longbottom has not figured it out.
This show still has it's very plesant Charles Strouse/ Lee adams score [their first for Broadway] but Michael Stewart's book now coughs desperately and sometimes quits altogether, and what was once refreshingly current now just seems old hat.
As already mentioned Mr. Longbottom hasn't figured out how to solve the shows problems. He has staged it like a Radio City Christmas show and his dance numbers are strictly Las Vegas kitch.
The casting isn't very happy either. John Stamos and Gina Gershon are no more than fair as the leads and Bill Irwin mugs it up as a father of one of the teenagers. The rest of the cast overplays to the hilt which is not the best way to approach this material, and the sets by Andrew Jackness are very hi tech and not in the period. More 2009 then 1960.
Maybe Bye Bye Birdie could still work, but not in this misguided and flat production. It should have been better.

OLEANNA A REVIEW

Out of one of the theatre's most fertile minds comes Oleanna, and it is a scorcher of a play.David Mamet's stunning riff on sexual harassment and academic correctness was first seen Off Broadway in 1992 and in it's Broadway debut it is being given a razor sharp production by director Doug Hughes and a marvelous cast of two terrific actors.
This play concerns a male college instructor and his female student who sit down in his office to discuss her grades. What starts out as a purely academic relationship quickly becomes a verbally abusive sparring match between teacher and student that at the outset turns violent.
The performances of Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles are first rate and the staging by Doug Hughes brings out all the heat of Mr. Mamet's red hot dialog and situations.
Oleanna is stunning and a most welcome addition to the Broadway scene. It is worth checking out.
At THE GOLDEN THEATRE 252 WEST 45th STREET N. Y. C.

THE ROYAL FAMILY A REVIEW

When The Royal Family opened right after Christmas in 1927 it wasdish hailed as masterpeice of affectionate fun. In it's 1975 revival it was still capital fun in a wonderfully cast and staged production, but in 2009 this George S. Kaufman,Edna Ferber play about a famous theatrical dynasty [modeled after the Barrymore family] shows it's age,and this mostly frantic production doesn't help.
The Royal Family pokes good natured fun at the every day goings on of the Cavendish clan, an acting family. They go about the business of choosing scripts,performing, and stealing kisses from the opposite sex,but the fun seems to be missing from it this time around.
The direction by Doug Hughes is loud and busy but not very impressive and the acting company is for the most part ordinary.The one exception is Rosemary Harris who gives a beautifully shaded performance as the head of the clan. The rest of the cast seems to be overdoing the campy bit,and after a while it becomes rather tiresome.
The Royal Family is still worth looking at, but the humor of it's famous authors is shortchanged in this flat, noisy and unhappy production.
At THE SAMUEL J. FRIEDMAN THEATRE 261 WEST 47th STREET N.Y.C

LET ME DOWN EASY A REVIEW

With the issue of health care on everyones mind theatre artist and personality Anna Devere Smith has used her considerable skills as a performer and journalist and come up with an extroadanary look at the world of health care in her new show Let Me Down Easy.
Using her expertise as an interviewer, Ms. Smith spoke to people from all walks of life and explores this most important issue from the perspective of both the patient and the practitioner.
Instead of being clinical Ms. Smith examines the human side of her subjects and creates a sometimes remarkable study of how people feel about medical care in this country.
Let Me Down Easy is not light entertainment. It's unflinching take on it's subject may unsettle some people, but Anna Devere Smith is an extroadanarily talented journalist and performer, and her latest one woman show is essential viewing for anyone caring about this most urgent subject.
At THE SECOND STAGE THEATRE 207 WEST 43rd STREET N. Y. C.
Lmited run thru Nov. 8th.

HAMLET A REVIEW

Many people consider Hamlet to be the greatest play ever written in the English language. It demands grand acting and staging, and it gets both in director Michael Grandage's dark and thrilling production.
Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's moodiest characters and one of the most difficult to play properly. In his first Broadway appearence since 1995 Jude Law captures all the swagger and despair needed for this most complex of roles. It is a most accomplished performance,and he is surrounded on all sides by a superb cast.
As already mentioned, Michael Grandage's staging is superb,and Christopher Oram's sparsely effective sets and costumes are just right. They are saying that the evening belongs to Shakespeare and the actors.
I have seen some fine Hamlets in my many years of theatregoing and this one is up there with the best of them. Go see it.
At THE BROADHURST THEATRE 235 West 44th STREET N. Y. C.

BROKE----OLOGY THEATRE INFO.

I forgot to mention in my review that Broke- Ology is playing at
The MITZI NEWHOUSE THEATRE LINCOLN CENTER N. Y. C.

BROKE--OLOGY A REVIEW

How does one deal with an ailing parent? This is the vital issue asked in Broke-Ology, Nathan Louis Jackson's slow starting but promising rookie New York effort.
It deals with a poor Kansas City family, and the two sons who return home to care for their termenally ill father. It asks important questions about loyalty,and the limit that one should go to care for a parent,and if Mr. Jackson dosen't resolve all of his issues, he has written a play that is engrossing, even if it is rough around the edges.
So, even with it's problems, Brook-Ology was worth doing and Mr. Jackson is a playwright worth watching.It's staging and acting are of a very high order,and it is worth seeing.

BROKE_

TOSCA AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA A THOUGHT

I attended director Luc Bondy's new concept of Tosca yesterday afternoon, and weather you agree with his take on it or not[ I didn't] I still thought it beautifully sung, and well conducted by Joseph Colaneri who was filling in for the indesposed James Levine. It didn't deserve the boos from the audience it got on opening night.
Tosca is one of everyone's favorite operas. Go see this nontraditional production and form your own opinion.
At THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE LINCOLN CENTER N. Y. C.

WISHFUL DRINKING A REVIEW

I wish this could be a happier report. I wish I liked Wishful Drinking as much as the highly enthusiastic audience I saw it with did. The truth is that I found Carrie Fisher's solo tell all about her life as a Hollywood princess to be actively annoying. It is'nt Miss Fisher's fault. She works hard and may be an ingratiating story teller to some, but to me her battles with depression,mental illness and other addictions, affairs and breakdowns became more depressing and dispiriting as the evening wore on.
I have never followed the tabloids much and I have always felt that embarrasingly intimate aspects of life should remain personal,and Miss Fisher talks about all of them, but my reaction is mostly,why am I listining to all this?
Again, the audience I saw it with seemed to love it, so what do I know?
At STUDIO 54 254 W. 54th STREET N. Y. C.

SUPERIOR DONUTS A REVIEW

To get right to the point, Superior Donuts is terrific. This new play by Tracy Letts,who wrote the epic Pulitzer Prize winning August,Osage County two years ago, has come up with a supremly entertaining yarn about an owner of a Chicago donut shop who clings to the past and resists change. He hires a bright-eyed youngster who dreams of being a novelest, and they form an unexpected friendship that is lasting and life changing.
Mr. Letts is a playwright who has theatre in his blood. His scenes are meaty and gripping and his characters spring to life onstage.
The play is well directed by Tina Ladau,and the cast,headed by Michael McKean and Jon Michael Hill is perfection.
Superior Donuts is a fine play and Tracy Letts is a major playwrght. Highly reccomended.
At THE MUSIC BOX THEATRE 239 WEST 45th STREET N.Y.C.

A STEADY RAIN A SUPPLEMENT

I should mention that A STEADY RAIN is almost entirly sold out for it's 12 week run, but there are some seats still to be had.
AtThe GERALD SCHOENFELD THEATRE____236 WEST 45th STREET N.Y.C.

A STEADY RAIN A REVIEW

The good news is that Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman are superb in A Steady Rain, and they make Keith Huff's slight but promising play interesting and sometimes affectng theatre.
The play concerns two cops who have known each other since childhood and have had a love hate relationship with each other ever since. Always being passed over for promotions and other things, the two cops share their thoughts with the audience and each other,and become likeable and moving people.
Mr Craig and Mr Jackman are the entire cast and they are a constant joy to watch, and they are well served by John Crowley's very able staging, and Scott Pask's muted sets and costumes and Hugh Vastone's lighting serve their purpose well.
A Steady Rain is playwright Huff's maiden Broadway effort. He is worth watching, and aided by it's two high profile stars, his play is worth seeing.

THE N. Y.THEATRE SCENE 50 YEARS AGO 1959___1960 PG.2

The season for musicals was a good one. Fiorello,The Sound Of Music, and Bye Bye Birdie were the big hits, and Take Me Along was a most pleasant affair with a wonderful cast headed by Jackie Gleason, Walter Pidgeon, Eileen Herlie and Robert Morse.
The Girls Against The Boys was a loud, dull revue that even the talents of Bert Lahr and Nancy Walker could'nt save, and Saratoga and Greenwillow both offered some fine music by Harold A rlen and Frank Loesser respectivly, but were otherwise uneven and sometimes dull.
Christine, Happy Town and Beg, Borrow, Or Steal were as bad as can be, but the delightful Once Upon A Mattress moved uptown from Second Ave. and was just as good in it's new surroundings as it was downtown.
Off Broadway produced three musicals that are worth mentioning. The Fantasticks and Little Mary Sunshine became long running hits and Ernest In Love was a delightful adaptation of The Importance Of Being Ernest.
Finally, The Billy Barnes Revue, At The Drop Of A Hat, and A Thurber Carnival all proved that the revue format was alive and well and popular.
So, for an incurable theatre maniac, it was quite a season.

THE N. Y.THEATRE SCENE 50 YEARS AGO 1959_____1960

As we head into the 2009_2010 theatre season I thought it would be fun to look back at the N. Y. theatre scene of 50 years ago. I was in my third year of high school and was not the greatest student in school. I always had a passion for Broadway and even reviewed Broadway for the school paper. This is what I remember.
It was a great year on Broadway with some fine dramas,including The Miracle Worker,The Gang's All Here, The Tenth Man,Five Finger Exercise,and The andersonville Trial. The Gang's All Here was not a hit, but this play about Warren G. Harding's ascent to The White House, and the scandal that destroyed him was exciting theatre and in my opinion, one of the season's best plays.
Lillian Hellman came back to Broadway with Toys In The Attic, and Caligula was a powerful work with a stunning performance by Kenneth Haigh in the title role. The Best Man was a sharp political drama, and Duel Of Angels and The Fighting Cock lent a bit of elegance to the season, but Silent Night, Lonely Night was a dour work that even fine acting by Barbara Bel Geddes and Henry Fonda could not save.
THE MUSICALS ARE ON THE NEXT BLOG.

AFTERMATH A REVIEW

With Aftermath, playwrights Jessica Blank and Eric Jensen are writing in the style of documentary theatre, and have come up with a powerful account of the Iraq war from the perspective of every day citizens and how their lives changed forever the day the Americans arrived in their country.
By interviewing a crossection of working class Iraqi people, the playwrights have written a devestating play about what it means to be invaded by an outside power, and the way their lives changed. Seldom has a play explored the feelings of the common man the way this one does, and it's unflinching honesty make this play something to see.
The play is very well staged by co-author Jessica Blank, and acted with uncommon skill by a superb cast.
Aftermath only runs till Oct.4. It is worth checking out.
AT THE N. Y. THEATRE WORKSHOP----79 EAST 4TH STREET--N. Y. C.

THE N.Y. THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 ODDS AND ENDS P. G. 2

If I were asked to select the two most memorable theatre evenings I had all season, I would have to pick the unmissable off broadway production of the classic OUR TOWN. This became a sensational hit and continues to affect all who see it deeply. This is a don't miss event.
My number two pick is the memorable production of Anton Chekhov's THE CHERRY ORCHARD in a wonderful new version by TOM STOPPARD. This is what theatre should be and seldom is.
Quite a season on the whole.

THE N. Y.THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 ODDS AND ENDS PG. 1

Worth mentioning.
The off broadway Signature Theatre Company devoted their entire season to the historic Negro Ensemble Company by offering three of their best plays. Excellent productions of THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, and HOME were offered at the low price of twenty dollars a ticket.
The Collegiate Chorale presented a concert version of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin's 1945 musical, THE FIREBRAND OF FLORENCE and it was a joy to hear this beautiful score performed with Mr. Weill;s original orchestrations.
TO BE CONTINUED

THE N. Y. THEATRE SCENE 2OO8 2009 ODDS AND ENDS PG. 1

THE N. Y. THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 SPECIAL EVENTS

In her dynamic show LIZA'S AT THE PALACE, Liza Minelli proved that she is still king of the hill,and one of the great entertainers of our time.
Will Ferrell came to town with his uproarious YOUR WELCOME AMERICA___A FINAL NIGHT WITH GEORGE W. BUSH. With the help of four talented actors Mr. Ferrell skewered our former president and provided one of the season's few real sources of laughter.
As for the rest, SLAVA'S SNOWSHOW, SOUL OF SHAOLIN, and CIRQE DREAMS were shows that appealed to their special audiences.

THE N. Y. THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 ENCORES Pg. 1

The popular Encores series of musicals in concert at the N. Y. City Center was it's usual delightful self, and if DAMN YANKEES and MUSIC IN THE AIR were not quite worthy of the care that was lavished on them, FINIAN'S RAINBOW and ON THE TOWN were wonderful, and well worth seeing again.

THE N. Y. THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 THE REVIVALS PG. 4

The musical revivals were a mixed blessing. HAIR was given a lively and high spirited production that made this 1968 show seem fresh as ever. WEST SIDE STORY had it's good points but was hurt by casting errors in some major roles. GUYS AND DOLLS was given such an underpowered and poorly staged production that this greatest of all musicals seemed tame indeed, and PAL JOEY was another example of a classic show being hurt by needless book revisions and severe casting errors.

THE N.Y. THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 THE REVIVALS PG. 3

AMERICAN BUFFALO, THE AMERICAN PLAN, and ACCENT ON YOUTH were all victims of uneven acting and spotty direction. The season hit rock bottom with the off broadway production of Eugene o'neill's trilogy MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA. It was so badly acted, directed and designed that this still vigorous 1931 play seemed deadly dull, and became the big walkout show of the season.
TO BE CONTINUED.

THE N. Y. THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 REVIVALS PG 2

In addition to this exeptional GODOT production there were topflight revivals of ALL MY SONS, JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE, BLITHE SPIRIT, and THE NORMAN CONQUESTS. EXIT THE KING was clear to some,and confusing to others, THE SEAGULL arrived with an accomplished cast and spotty direction,and MARY STUART had two dynamic star performances in an otherwise uneven and unsatisfying production. EQUUS lacked the power and exitement of the original production, and SPEED THE PLOW made front page news when one of it's stars left after only playing his role for little more than a month.DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS lost it's fire and passion in a misconcieved and sexless production,and STREAMERS seemed rather dated even in it's well acted and directed production.
TO BE CONTINUED.

THE N.Y. THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 REVIVALS PG 1

More than half of the season under review was made up of revivals. Since most of them were first rate or at least acceptable I have decided to hit upon what I consider the highlights of a very busy revival season.
Topping the list is the stunning production of WAITING FOR GODOT which made this classic tragicomedy as clear as it ever will be,and for the first time it became a big popular success.
TO BE CONTINUED

THE N. Y. THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 THE MUSICALS

TITLE OF SHOW____A show about putting on a show.While it is intelligent and cute as all get out, most of it's jokes and references were over the heads of most audiences. This is another show that should have stayed off broadway.

HAPPINESS_____A musical about a group of people on a stalled subway train recalling the happiest moment of their lives. It was a show that wanted to be loved desperatly, but ended up being heavy and rather dull.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES____One of the worlds great stories was turned into as dull and witless a musical as broadway had seen in years. It also had some of the worse orchestrations to be heard in a broadway show in recent memory.

ROAD SHOW______This show about the ruthless but smart Mizner brothers was one the seasons great disapointments. It had weak material, and was not well staged. A dull evening indeed.

THE N. Y. THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 THE MUSICALS

13____This musical about the problems of becoming a teenager is hurt by severe book problems and scenes of questionable taste.Too bad because the show has above average songs and a stagefull of talented teens. An almost, but not quite.

THE STORY OF MY LIFE____All about the value of true friendship, this show is chock full of good things and has the best of intentions. It's a real shame that it had to be done on a street that it didn't have a chance on.Off broadway would have been far more welcoming.

THE N.Y.THEATRE SCENE 2008 2009 THE MUSICALS Pg2

9 TO 5____The 1980 movie about hanky panky in the workplace is now a big splashy musical with a perky score and an uneven book. Pretty fair entertainment, but probably not good enough.

ROCK OF AGES____A most enjoyable salute to the heavy metal bands of the 80s. Loud, sometimes tasteless, but on the whole, lots of fun.

THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES_____A joyous tribute to the girl groups of the 50s featuring music of the period and fabulous performances by a cast of four.

WHITE CHRISTMAS____If you are in the mood for schmaltz , this holiday musical version of the 1954 classic movie should make you happy. Has great Irving Berlin songs and super dance numbers.This show will return for a limited run in November.

THE N.Y. THEATER SCENE 2008__2009___THE MUSICALS PG.1

BILLY ELLIOT___All about an English lad who wants to be a ballet dancer,and succeeds in spite of his coal miner father's oppisition. This musical was the big prize winner this year ,and was deserving of all the acclaim it got.It proves that anything is possible if you try.Brilliantly staged and acted by all.

NEXT TO NORMAL____This musical deals with the effects of mental illness on a close knit family.Told with unflinching honesty and helped greatly by some fine music. This was one of the season's notable events.

SHREK__THE MUSICAL___The lovable ogre turned into a lively and uplifting musical.The book has lots of heart, and the score is alright too.It shows that beauty is more than skin deep and love always wins out.

The N.Y. THEATER SCENE 2008__2009 pg.3

IRENA,S VOW___Da n Gordons Ernest But Dissapointing Play About A Polish Catholic Housekeeper Forced To Work For A German Major,And Risks Her Life Hiding 12 Jewish Refugees In His Basement During The Occupation Of Poland.Well Meaning But Mawkish.

SATURN RETURNS____A Promising First Play By Noah Haidle Concerning Three Periods In The Life Of One Man. Uneven But Facinating.

IMPRESSIONISM____How Art Is Viewed By Different People.Michael Jacob,s Play Was The Season,s Most Bewildering As To It,s Purpose Or Being. A Cloudy Evening Indeed.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE____Nick Whitby,s Adaptation Of The 1940s Movie Was One Of The Season,s Most Inept Plays.To Bad Because There Were Some Good Comic Ideas,And Some Funny Actors.

The New York Theater Scene----2008--2009-Pt. 2

PLAYS___RUINED Lynn Nottage,s Explosive Drama About Human Survival DuringThe War In The Congo.Superbly Directed By Kate Whoriskey.By Far The Play Of The Year.

GOD OF CARNAGE ___Yasmina Reza,s Alternatly Funny And Shattering Look At Two CouplesTrying To solve Conflicts Between Their Respective Sons.Superb StagingBy Matthew Warchus .

DIVIDING THE ESTATE____The Late Horton Foot,s Beautifully Constructed Play About Family Infighting Over A Piece Of Real Estate.Superb Performances By Everyone.

REASONS TO BE PRETTY___Neil LaBute,s Scathingly Honest Look At America;s Obsession With It,s looks.

33 VARIATIONS_____Moises Kaufman,s Uneven Look At A Termanally Ill Musicologist Trying To Solve Beethoven,s Last Mystery. A Depressing ,And Spotty Evening.

To Be Continued.

The NY Theatre SEASON 2008-2009 Part 1

It was a good and bountiful season with 43 Broadway openings.
A number of them were first rate and most were acceptable. There was nothing genuinely ghastly unless you want to include the off broadway revival of Morning Becomes Electra which I think I do.