The Public Theater and the Onassis Foundation USA present a six performance concert of “The Gospel at Colonus” in Central Park; this gospel-infused re-telling of Sophocles’ “Oedipus at Colonus” is set at a black Pentecostal service and delivered as a sermon. The concept is genius, the storytelling muddled, and the music a little labored. Nevertheless, it is an experience to be remembered.
In “Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin”, Mr. Felder, a pianist and actor, entertainingly performs a docudrama of legendary composer/lyricist Irving Berlin’s life through song and story. Informative and irresistible, the show does not rely on nostalgia for its success, and Mr. Felder gives a compelling and convincing performance.
"Gettin' the Band Back Together" to close September 16th; "Mrs. Doubtfire" musical in development; "Cats" film to premiere on December 20, 2019; "Queen of New York" music video from “King Kong”; the debate over "jukebox musicals" continues; RIP Paul Taylor and Carole Shelley
National Yiddish Theatre Folksbeine’s “Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish” breathes fresh life into a treasured property from the golden age of musical comedy, forcing audiences to interact anew with what is now one of the most well-known and performed musicals of all time, and providing, in return, a host of vital performances and resonant insights. It is, in short, a revelation. See it, or regret it.
"Ain't Too Proud" books the Imperial; "The Illusionists" returns to the Marquis for the holidays; Laura Benanti to replace Lauren Ambrose in "My Fair Lady"; Cuba Gooding Jr. returns to "Chicago"; "Beetlejuice" announces full cast; "Waitress" headed to London, "Anastasia" to our U.S./world; "The Play that Goes Wrong" recoups; look at "Hello, Dolly!" finances; RIP Neil Simon, Craig Zadan, Barbara Harris, Brian Murray, and Vivian Matalon
The Mint Theater Company resurrects Lillian Hellman’s long-forgotten 1936 play “Days to Come”, which ambitiously—and quite successfully—dramatizes long-simmering personal and social grievances exploding against a backdrop of labor strife in a small Ohio town. Exciting and refreshing, a play easily cast as a period piece is most surprising for how it is not.
Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia mounts a gorgeous, first-class production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s 1994 Tony-winning best musical, “Passion”, featuring striking and beautiful designs, lush instrumentation, a full-voiced ensemble, and notable performances by Natascia Diaz and Claybourne Elder. If you live in the D.C.-metro area, or will be passing through, be sure to check out this rarely seen chamber-sized musical melodrama.
Kerri Russell joining Adam Driver for "Burn This"; Alex Brightman and Sophia Anne Caruso announced for "Beetlejuice"; Jennifer Simard will replace Kerry Butler in "Mean Girls"; Anne Kauffman is the new Artistic Director of City Center's Encores! Off-Center; "The Beast in the Jungle" and "Hundred Days" to release albums; IFC’s "Documentary Now!" series will parody "Company" cast album documentary; 12 most revived plays since 1950
“Pretty Woman: The Musical” features a painfully uninspired new score, a largely Xeroxed script, no romance, and a gaudy and cheap-looking production entirely devoid of emotion or entertainment. Turning this classic 1990 film into a stage musical was a big mistake. Huge.
"Carousel" closing September 16th; “Tootsie” books the Marquis; "Network" to play the Cort; all female revival of "Glengarry Glen Ross" coming to Broadway next May; Michael C. Hall will star in "Thom Pain (Based on Nothing)"; "Pipeline" to play select cinemas; "Once on This Island" wins Equity award for diversity; trans actor Kate Bornstein responds to heckling; list of the most produced high school musicals and plays; producer John Glines dead at 84
“Gettin’ the Band Back Together” is a genuinely funny new guilty pleasure of a musical with a tried-and-true formulaic structure and a host of scrappy, likable characters; the score is unfortunately unremarkable, derivative, and forgettable, but the book, developed through improv rehearsals, is sitcom-light, irreverent, well-beat, and really silly. Others may pile on, but I must admit: I had fun.
“Be More Chill” is a new sci-fi, pop-rock, satirical allegory of a musical for tweens and early teens, and probably not anyone else. Based on a 2004 novel about a high school loser who swallows a pill-sized computer that makes him cool, the show is well-staged and performed, but remains an emotionally disengaging experience. Willed into production re-existence on the strength of its international, online teenage fanbase, expect to be hearing about it for some time to come.
