"The Cher Show”, "King Kong", and "Pretty Woman" will close on August 18th; West End “Betrayal” headed to Broadway; MCP to present concert of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”; Neil Diamond and Liberace musicals in development; casting announced for “The Prom” film, “Hercules” in the park, “Road Show” at City Center”, and “Scotland, PA” at Roundabout; West End’s “Present Laughter” and gender-swapped “Company” rumored for Broadway; “Waitress” becomes longest running show at the Brooks Atkinson; RIP Martin Charnin, William F. Brown, and Sid Ramin
NOTES: Jason Robert Brown and Stephen Sondheim in concert at Town Hall
Two weeks ago, I attended what might long rank among the most magical and special concerts I will ever have the privilege to see: Jason Robert Brown in concert with Stephen Sondheim, featuring Katrina Lenk, special guests Shoshana Bean, Joshua Henry, and Rob McClure, and a cameo from Lin-Manuel Miranda
REVIEW: City Center Encores! Off-Center presents “Working”
the annual Encores! Off-Center summer season kicks off with a newly re-conceptualized, site-specific production of Stephen Schwartz’s 1978 flop “Working” that interpolates a series of new monologues based on interviews with facilities staff at New York City Center; an admirable concept that makes for a touching tribute to these workers, the effect blunts the power of the show and cuts short its escalating emotional resonance. A suite of uneven performances and an oversized venue also hamper the effort.
New Tony nominators announced; "Hillary and Clinton" closes a month early; “The Prom” and “Be More Chill” to close August 11th; Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Freestyle Love Supreme" books the Booth, "Deren Brown: Secret" books the Cort, "Girl from the North Country" books the Belasco, Tracy Letts' "The Minutes" will arrive on Broadway in February, and Jeremy O. Harris’ “Slave Play” rumored for Broadway; Netflix film adaptation of August Wilson's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" to star Viola Davis; Richard Kind joins “Kiss Me, Kate”; check out Joel Grey’s latest book of photography; Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford to bring their "Sunday in the Park with George" to the West End
REVIEWS: Charting new musical frontiers with “A Strange Loop” and “Octet”
Two new Off-Broadway musicals that are marquee productions of the summer experiment with form and content in exciting ways that portend well for the future of the art form. Unique for musicals, both are also the product of a single author. Here I take a look at Michael R. Jackson’s “A Strange Loop” at Playwrights Horizons andDave Malloy’s “Octet” at Signature Theatre.
REVIEW: Everett Quinton in Charles Ludlam’s “Galas”
For the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprisings and in celebration of World Pride, the Theatre at St. John’s presents the first-ever revival of Charles Ludlam’s 1983 play “Galas: A Modern Tragedy”, a broadly comical travesty of the life of iconic opera singer Maria Callas. Downtown staple Everett Quinton (Ludlam’s partner) plays the titular role in a production that harkens back to a time when the West Village was the center of queer underground theatre.
"Hadestown" and "The Ferryman" take home the top prizes at the Tony Awards; "Gary: A Sequel to Titus Adronicus" closes several weeks ahead of schedule; Dave Chapelle books the Lunt Fontanne; Ed Harris to replace Jeff Daniels in "To Kill a Mockingbird"; "Ain't Too Proud" will launch a national tour in 2020; "Xanadu" tour with Ginger Minj and Jinkx Monsoonwill planned; Lin-Manuel Miranda to have cameo in forthcoming "In the Heights" film adaptation; plans for the Times Square Theatre; John Mellencamp musical is in development
REVIEWS: “Ink” and “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune”
Here I take a look at critic’s pick “Ink”, the last play of the 2018-2019 Broadway season, and “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune”, the first play of the 2019-2020 Broadway season.
FEATURE: 2019 Tony Awards Recap
Here’s a look at the winners of the 73rd Annual Tony Awards, and my takeaways from Broadway’s biggest night.
"The Prom" and "The Ferryman" took home the top prizes of the Drama Desk Awards; "The Inheritance" will play Broadway starting in September; the Public Theater announces its 2019-2020 season; Carolee Carmello will replace Betty Buckley in the national tour of "Hello, Dolly!"; Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jesse Williams will star in Second Stage's revival of "Take Me Out"; Lincoln Center Theater will present an opera treatment of Lynn Nottage's "Intimate Apparel"; "What the Constitution Means to Me" will tour to 22 cities across America; the 2020 Encores! series at City Center will feature presentations of "Mack and Mabel", "Love Life", and "Thoroughly Modern Millie"; the "Mrs. Doubtfire" musical will premiere in Seattle; a new national tour of "Hairspray" may be in the works for 2020; RIP “Pippin” bookwriter Roger Hirson
REVIEW: “Beetlejuice” is a ghoulishly good time
“Beetlejuice”, the last new musical of the 2018-2019 Broadway season, is a ghoulishly good time that pays loving homage to the mythology of the movie while fundamentally reorienting the story and lending it an unexpected punch of pathos amid its crass and crude mania. Gorgeously designed with a Tim Burton aesthetic, and featuring a relentless series of bawdy jokes and entertaining songs, this hyperactive musical comedy might not meet the elevated aesthetic standards of some, but I had a blast.
REVIEWS: “Continuity”, “Dying City”, and “Nomad Hotel”
A roundup look at three plays that recently opened at three of Off-Broadway’s best non-profit theatre companies: “Continuity” at Manhattan Theatre Club, “Dying City” at Second Stage Theater, and “Nomad Motel” at Atlantic Theater Company.