All tagged Slave Play
On the first episode of “Stage Left: The Podcast”, anchor Rob Russo is joined by Casey Mink, senior staff writer at Backstage, and Ayanna Prescod, theatre critic and founder of OurBKSocial, for a roundtable conversation about three top shows of the fall season: “Slave Play”, “Our Dear Dead Drug Lord”, and “Jagged Little Pill”.
"Beetlejuice" to close June 6th, making way for "The Music Man"; "Is This A Room" returns to the Vineyard Theatre; Red Bucket Follies raised $5.6M for BC/EFA; Chip Zien, Caissie Levy, John Cariani, and more join Sharon D. Clarke in "Caroline, or Change"; Adam Chanler-Berat, Tavi Gevinson, and Andy Grotelueschen join Judy Kuhn, Steven Pasquale, Will Swenson, Wesley Taylor, and Brandon Uranowitz in Classic Stage Company’s “Assassins”; "Slave Play" pioneers new ticket gifting program; "Little Shop of Horrors" will record a cast album; Rashidra Scott rounds out the principal cast of "Company"; Tony Goldwyn to step into "The Inheritance"; Samantha Barks to star in London bow of "Frozen"; RIP René Auberjonois, Ron Leibman, Danny Aiello, Richard Easton, and William Luce
By my count, I’ve attended 234 performances of theatre, dance, music, opera, and cabaret during 2019. Out of a field that large, it’s hard to pick just ten, but nevertheless, here are my top ten (ok, eleven) favorite shows I saw in 2019.
"Little Shop of Horrors" extends to March with Gideon Glick; "Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation" to play the York Theatre Company; Johnny Depp producing another Michael Jackson-themed musical in LA; Beth Leavel and Taylor Iman Jones to star in Broadway-bound musical "The Devil Wears Prada"; Jordan Fisher is Broadway’s next Evan Hansen; "Soft Power" will get a cast album; Jo Ellen Pellman will star as Emma in the Netflix film adaptation of "The Prom"; Camille A. Brown joins “Aida” development lab; cast of "Hangmen" announced; "Hustlers" musical might be in the works; RIP Marion McClinton, Valerie Taylor-Barnes, and John Simon
"MJ The Musical" will play Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre; Martin Scorsese's new film, "The Irishman", will screen at Broadway's Belasco Theatre; TimeOut's Helen Shaw is the new theater critic for New York Magazine/Vulture; "Slave Play" extends by two weeks; "A Christmas Carol" and “Evita” casting announcements; Joe Mantello to receive prestigious “Mr. Abbott” Award; Kerry Washington joins “The Prom" movie; "A Night with Janis Joplin" will screen; "The Life of Pi" might be headed to Broadway in 2021; Kathleen Marshall tapped to direct and choreograph "Sideways" musical; RIP Bruce Anthony Davis
Following a sold-out run downtown, Jeremy O. Harris’ “Slave Play” is now on Broadway. At once hysterical and alarming, this trenchant satire of white fragility, identity politics, racism, psychotherapy, and a certain brand of its crunchy practitioners is a conversation piece to top them all. Thoughtfully written, constructed, and executed; thought-provoking, relevant, and a herald of what can be, “Slave Play” is a must-see of the season.
"American Buffalo" with Laurence Fishburn and Sam Rockwell will play on Broadway this spring; "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" books the Booth Theatre; Kristin Chenoweth’s concert "For the Girls" to play the Nederlander in November; New York Magazine/Vulture theatre critic Sara Holdren steps down; "The Great Society" to host voter registrations; Bob Marley musical in the works; RIP Phyllis Newman, Betty Corwin, and Artie Gaffin
The city that never sleeps also boasts a theatre scene that never sleeps. With the summer now behind us, this is an overview of all that’s coming to New York stages this fall (spoiler alert: it’s a lot).
"Frankie and Johnny" closing a month early; "Beautiful" will close on October 27th and "Waitress" will close on January 5th; Jeremy O. Harris' "Slave Play" will play a 17 week run at the Golden Theatre; Robert Schenkkan's "The Great Society" will play a 12 week run at Broadway's Vivian Beaumont Theatre; starry productions of "Little Shop of Horrors" slated for Off-Broadway and Pasadena Playhouse; cast announced for Ivo van Hove's upcoming "West Side Story"; "Fairview" extends to August 11th; "What the Constitution Means to Me" recoups; Jack Viertel will retire as artistic director of the annual Encores! at City Center; Paul McCartney has written a musical adaptation of "It's a Wonderful Life"; RIPHugh Southern, former executive director of TDF and co-conceiver of the TKTS booth in 1973
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
Jeremy O. Harris’s scintillating debut play, “Slave Play” at New York Theatre Workshop, is not what you think it is, packing twists, some heavy satire, graphic sexuality, and an important discourse on race, gender, and sexuality in contemporary America. To write about it is to spoil its surprises, but this sold out run will no doubt inspire future productions.
By my count, I’ve attended 246 performances of theatre, dance, music, opera, and cabaret during 2018. Out of a field that large, it’s hard to pick just ten, but nevertheless, here are my top ten favorite shows I saw in New York (including no new musicals and only three Broadway shows!).
