Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter @ York Theatre Company

Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter is a one woman show that will have you leaving the theatre more thoughtful and educated about the relationship between one of Broadway’s greatest composer and the charming millionaire wife that helped create him.
Stevie Holland who wrote the book with Gary William Friedman, also plays the esteemed Linda Porter with grace and poise, breathing life into this often looked over muse in history. While some of the acting would be better suited for a less intimate gathering, Stevie does a wonderful job. She is obviously very invested in this historical figure and her passion shows so much so that I found myself completely immersed.
Lending a hand was the talented Musical Director, Christopher McGovern on the piano, featuring bassist Danny Weller, and drummer Alex Wyatt. Together, they created the perfect jazz trio. Mixed with Stevie’s throaty jazz vocals, they’re interpretation of Cole Porter’s works brought to mind the speakeasies and parties they were originally played at by the legend himself.
The show features such classics as “In the Still of the Night,” “Love For Sale,” and “Miss Otis Regrets."
Directed by Tony winner Richard Maltby, Jr., the production weaves itself through a narrative exploring the deep love felt between the couple as well as shedding some light on their more complicated relationship.


Love, Linda opened officially at the York Theatre Company on Dec. 12 and has a limited run through Jan. 5th. I suggest getting tickets as soon as possible!
*The York Theatre Company is under the leadership of producing artistic director James Morgan and executive director Andrew Levine.

Photo provided by playbill.com
Review By: Aziza Seven

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A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder @ The Walter Kerr Theatre

In recent seasons, Broadway has seen a lot of musicals based on popular movies or revivals of classics, so when an unfamiliar story comes across, people are bound to take notice. Housed in the beautiful Walter Kerr Theatre, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, a new musical based on Roy Horniman’s 1907 novel, Israel Rank: the Autobiography of a Criminal has something for everyone: comedy, romance, and as the title suggests, homicide.

A Gentlman’s Guide begins with an ensemble of mourners dressed in black warning us that “those with weak constitutions” were better off leaving. We then see an almost play-within-a-play; a smaller, vaudeville-esque stage with lush curtains is the main focus as protagonist Montague Navarro (Bryce Pinkham) narrates his tale. Monty finds out soon after his mother’s death that he is actually a part of the prestigious D'Ysquith family, and is in fact ninth in line to be the Earl of Highhurst. In order to win the attention of the beautiful (yet snobbish) Sibella (Lisa O'Hare), Monty devises a scheme to “off” the remaining D'Ysquiths and claim the title of Earl, and even catches himself falling for the demure Phoebe D'Ysquith (Lauren Worsham). The action is shown in a series of vignettes , helping to create the play within a play motif. Credited as “The D'Ysquith Family,” Jefferson Mays makes an impressive performance as all eight victims. His distinctions between each character were so remarkable, it takes a few deaths to even realize they’re all him. From the effervescently effeminate Henry D'Ysquith to the outrageous drag of Lady Hyacinth D'Ysquith, Mays’ performance needs to be seen. The entire cast, ranging from seasoned veterans and those making Broadway debuts, make up an ensemble that is extremely strong despite its small size. Alexander Dodge’s artfully crafted set, along with Aaron Rhyne’s striking projection design steal the show. And although at times Robert L Freedman and Steven Lutvak’s score felt like it was somewhat repetitive, audiences walk away humming tunes like “Why Are All the D'Ysquiths Dying?” and “Better With a Man.”

Entering the performance, based on advertising and even from the impression of the opening number, I was expecting a very dark, macabre musical. However despite the warning, those with “weak constitutions” needn’t fear: think less Sweeney Todd and more Thoroughly Modern Millie with a taste for blood. A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder could be, dare I say, perfect for a night out with the family: appropriate enough for tween audiences with the right amount of adult themes. It is a delightfully bloody tale that should be taken notice of.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder opened on November 17 and currently plays at the Walter Kerr Theatre.

Photos By: Joan Marcus
Review By: Kelcie Kosberg

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Small Engine Repair @ The Lucille Lortel Theatre

In Small Engine Repair, high school buddies Frank, Swaino and Packie —now past their prime—meet off-hours one night in Frank’s out-of-the-way repair shop under cloudy circumstances that only Frank seems to have a handle on. Enter Chad, a plugged-in preppy college jock, whose arrival ignites a long-simmering resentment that sets this taut, twisty, comic thriller on its breathless course.
John Pollono is not only the playwright but he is Frank, owner of Frank’s Small Engine Repair, and the reason why these three friends come together. As a playwright, Pollono knocks it out of the park. Even though its packed full with f-bombs and other obscenities, those only enhance the true grittiness of the play. As Frank, he is emotionally engaging, thrilling, and a little frighting; he really brings to life his heart breaking story. James Badge Dale portrays Swaino, their horny argent friend. Dale steals the show with his repulsive, hilarious, and very committed performance. James Ransone is innocent, heart warming, and factious as their well equipped friend Packie. These three men worked so well together, it was believable that they could have actually been friends for years. Keegan Allen (“Pretty Little Liars”) plays Chad, preppy college drug dealer. Although Allen is probably the reason for why people are coming to the show, he is certainly not the reason why people are leaving happy. Out of all four of the actors, Allen is unfortunately lackluster, giving a performance that lacks drive and intention.

Worth noting is the intricate set that served as the backdrop for the performance. Richard Hoover clearly outdid himself with this brilliantly constructed, chaotic shop, setting the audience in the garage as easily as if they were there to have their own car parts looked at.
Small Engine Repairs officially opened at the Lucille Lortel Theatre on Wednesday November 20, 2013 and runs a limited engagement production through December 21, 2014.


Photos By: Joan Marcus
Review By: James Russo

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Nothing to Hide @ The Pershing Square Signature Center/Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre

Two of the world’s most gifted sleight-of-hand artists, Derek DelGaudio (2011 & 2012 Close-up Magician of the Year) and Helder Guimarães (2011 & 2012 Parlor Magician of the Year) star in this uniquely unconventional magic show, directed by Emmy Award winner Neil Patrick Harris. Through a series of diverse and engaging vignettes, Nothing to Hide leads the audience on an amazing and memorable journey into a world of pure astonishment.
Helder Guimarães and Derek DelGaudio bring a truly incredible show to New York. With only 52 cards, they do things that seem impossible, but this magic duo asks the audience to keep an open mind and allow them to astound them. Their mind blowing magic mixed with Neil Patrick Harris’s wit and comedic timing, makes this one show that you don’t want to miss.
Nothing to Hide officially opened at the The Pershing Square Signature Center/Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre on Wednesday, November 6th and runs a limited engagement production through January 19th, 2014. This is the most you will ever be entertained with 52 cards!
Photo’s By: Michael Lamont
Review By: James Russo

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Murder for Two @ New World Stages, Stage 5

Why is it that every murder mystery is set in New England? Why does the detective himself always have his own dark secret? Why are there always questions but no answers?
In the intimate space of New World Stages, musical mystery duet Murder For Two keeps us all guessing “whodunit” in a case of the murder of a scandalous novelist who has secrets on everyone in his normally sleepy small town. A simple set, with a bare back wall, two small doors, some “Clue”-esque murder weapons, and a Steinway center stage, becomes the surprise party that quickly develops into the scene of the crime.
Jeff Blumenkrantz, equipped with not much more than a pair of glasses and a raised eyebrow, almost magically transforms into every guest of the party - the main suspects. From suppressed wife Mrs. Whitney, sultry ballerina Barette Lewis, and over achieving niece Steph, Blumenkratz makes each character so distinct that often you forget most of the time he’s talking to himself. As officer (wannabe detective) Marcus, Brett Ryback embodies the spirit of the song-and-dance style of Old Broadway. Ryback gives us a leading man reminiscent of Seymour Krelborn; you want him to pull through because you feel kind of bad for him. Marcus shows off his knowledge in a song on the “Protocol” of being a detective while “accidentally” calling the chief. “You’ve been listening this whole time?” he squeals. “How embarrassing!” Both actors remain onstage for the 90-minute length of the show, with so much energy they could give all those Newsies a run for their money.

What’s most impressive about Murder for Two is how well in-sync everyone is with every detail. Blumenkrantz and Ryback switch off playing piano so seamlessly, even performing an intricate duet with both their eyes shut. Jill BC DuBoff’s sound design employs sound effects timed so well they feel natural. Jason Lyons’ primarily green-and-purple lighting, changes so subtly creating a new scene immediately. The production is so well-rehearsed that it comes off spontaneous, and that’s no easy feat, especially with how often the fourth wall is broken. The audience is addressed as “Lou,” Marcus’ partner. An unsuspecting patron is brought onstage to participate in a death scene. Even better, the actors were able to work through breaking character onstage (then again who wouldn’t find the sultry ballerina playing the piano with her foot hilarious?). It is very apparent this production has been a labor of love, based on how effortless is all comes off. It makes for a better experience as an audience member when it’s clear how much those involved in the production are enjoying themselves. Murder for Two gets it right, because of how self-aware it is; we are allowed to indulge in just how ridiculous musical comedy can get through clever wordplay and snappy dialogue. Mainstream Broadway is satirized (a choir boy names examples of things he’s seen worse than murder, stating “We saw a show called Mamma Mia!”). A dramatic scene ends with “Hatcha! Whoopee! Jazz!” a la Chicago. And in possibly the best anti-cell phone announcement, homage is paid to Patti Lupone’s infamous show-stopping Gypsy meltdown. At one point, a suspect notes that in addition to the murder, “We’ve already seen the slow, painful death of the American Theatre.” On the contrary, Murder for Two is one of the most original pieces I’ve seen in quite some time, ironically, bringing life back into musical theatre. Many of us walked out of the theatre still laughing from a truly entertaining and memorable piece of work. Murder for Two began performances at New World Stages on November 6, and has extended its run from January 5 to March 16.Photo’s By: Joan Marcus
Review By: Kelcie Kosberg

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Becoming Dr. Ruth @ Westside Theatre, Upstairs

Directly following the world premiere at Barrington Stage Company and a sold out run at TheaterWorks, Hartford, Becoming Dr. Ruthgets its New York Premiere Off-Broadway at the Westside Theatre, starring the incredibly loveable Debra Jo Rupp (“That’s 70’s Show”).

The general public knows Dr. Ruth Westheimer from her career as a pioneering radio and television sex therapist. Few, however, know the incredible journey that preceded it. From fleeing the Nazis in the Kindertransport and joining the Haganah in Jerusalem as a scout and sniper, to her struggles to succeed as a single mother coming to America, Becoming Dr. Ruth is filled with the humor, honesty and life-affirming spirit of Karola Ruth Siegel, the girl who became “Dr. Ruth”, Americaʼs most famous sex therapist.
The show opens while Dr. Ruth is cleaning her apartment preparing to move out, and instantly breaks the fourth wall by recognizing that fact that two hundred people are sitting in front of her. From there, her story begins as she takes us on her emotional ride through the Holocaust straight to the hilarity of how she became a sex therapist. Debra Jo Rupp portrays the iconic woman and delivers a stunning performance with exemplary passion and honesty. Dr. Ruth would be so proud of the care that Rupp conveys her story. Despite Rupp’s incredible performance, the script drags and the mood lighting doesn’t help the story line. Both of this setbacks are easily over looked due to Rupp’s talent.

Becoming Dr. Ruth officially opened at the upstairs theatre at Westside Theatre,on Tuesday, October 29th and runs a limited engagement through January 12th, 2014. Don’t not miss out on this amazing woman’s journey.
Photos by: Carol Rosegg
Review By: James Russo & Lisa Kosak

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La Soriee @ The Union Square Theater

La Soirée is a raunchy, entertaining show full of eroticism and talent. Set up like a circus act, the audience sits around a circular red stage as the centerpiece. Vaudeville, burlesque, cabaret, and circus are performed for the amusement of the crowd, all executed perfectly.
After debuting in London in 2010, Manhattan is lucky to feature such a tongue-in-cheek show. Presented by Brett Haylock, Mark Rubinstein, and Mick Perrin it features a cast of approximately 25 artists all different and interesting in their own right, but when combined bring such a taste of the exotic and fun to the show. Acts vary from male pole dancers to contortionists, to comedy, and acrobatics. There was not a dull moment.
It has won several awards, including the London Cabaret Award for Best One-Off-Show and its previous show La Clique won an Olivier Award in 2008.
Now in previews at the Union City Theatre, the official opening is October 7, 2013 for a limited engagement. I strongly suggest seeing the show before it goes back to London.











Photos by Seth Walters
Review By: Aziza Seven & James Russo

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A Midsummer Night's Dream @ The Polonsky Shakespeare Center @ The Theatre for New Audience

Julie Taymor makes her return to the New York stage since her family raved, critically acclaimed travesty Spider-Man Turn of the Dark, with the Theater for New Audiences production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream brilliantly conjoins four intertwined stories: the marriage of the Athenian Duke Theseus to the Amazon queen Hippolyta; the warring Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies; the madcap follies of four lovers in a forest; and the comically earnest efforts of a group of working men to stage a love-play for the royal wedding. Lysander loves Hermia, whose father wants her to marry Demetrius. Helena loves Demetrius, who chases the eloping Lysander and Hermia into the woods, pursued by Helena. They are all fair game for mischievous Puck, Oberon’s servant, who scrambles their desires and Titania’s. As the working men press faithfully on with their rehearsals, the otherworldly night of confusion, passion and diligence proves oddly momentous, touching every life to the quick.


There is no doubt about the fact that Julie Taymor had a hand in this extravagant production - technically brilliant, iconic animal work, and stranger than you can believe. Taymor is the only person who can turn Shakespeare’s most magical play into a haunted encounter that will inspire goosebumps. By using an ensemble of children for the spirits, fairies and the forest, she was able to create interactive staging, turning something usually farcical and bright to something dark and bone chilling. The special effect of modernizing and exaggerating the character’s jobs by drawing parallels from the “then” age to the “this” age kept the humor flowing and a lightness to this otherwise dark adaptation of the Bard’s play. Taymor has surely redeemed herself.

Olivier Award winning Kathryn Hunter leads the cast as Puck. Hunter is glorious, fun, and flexible in more ways than one. Dressed in vaudevillian garb, she delivers a performance that is hard to top. David Harewood and Tina Benko, provide a near perfect portrayal of Oberon and Titania. Max Casella is the clear stand out of the cast as he takes on the taxing transforming role of Bottom. Casella is alluring, hysterical and engaging.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream officially opened at the Theater for New Audiences on November 2, 2013 and is running through January 12, 2014. Don’t miss out on this beautifully haunting original interpretation.
Photos by: Josef Astor
Review by: James Russo

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After Midnight @ The Brooks Atkinson Theatre

Ever wondered what it was like to sit in a club, listening to big band jazz and watching skit after skit of rising talent in the heart of New York City in the 1930’s? Well, now you have the chance. After Midnight conceived by Jack Viertel featuring American Idol winner, Fantasia and narrated by “Psych’s” Dulé Hill is a rousing good time created to invoke such a feeling.

The show incorporated so much of what made old Broadway shows spectacular before we had such technological advances that make Spidermanand Wicked spectacular. The music is the jazz collection of Ellington, Mills, Koehler, and Arlen and brings back to mind the time when, while the country was devastated by the Depression, there were still those daring to dream and compose and create.

Highlights of the show include French dancer, Karine Plantadit whose magnificence onstage is indescribable. She communicates perfectly her situation onstage; drawing the audience in to her heartbreak and joy effortlessly. Adriene Lenox delivers comedy with her solos that made my sides ache from laughing so hard. Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Phillip Attimore, and Daniel Watts bring the art of tap back on to Broadway in a glorious way. Their percussion is spot on and inspires. While I’m on the subject of tap, Jared Grimes wowed the audience with his tap number to Duke Ellington’s “Tap Mathematician.” Another performance worth mentioning is the performance given by The Jazz at Lincoln Center All Stars! The orchestra was onstage the entire time and was having a good time which translated in their music. I am so pleased I was able to see such talent.

The only thing that didn’t heighten the show was the performance given by Fantastia. I had expected more from her, but I found her numbers to be rather boring compared to the rest of the show. And while this only an aesthetic critique, I feel it needs to be said, women did not have tattoos in the 1930s and I found hers to be incredibly distracting from the show whenever she was onstage. After Midnight officially opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on November 3, 2013 and is running through March with special guest star K.D. Lang performing from Feb. 11-Mar. 9 and Babyface and Toni Braxton performing Mar.18-30. Here is where you can find tickets: After Midnight on Broadway.




Photos by Matthew Murphy
Review by: Aziza Seven

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Big Fish @ The Neil Simon Theatre

Sometimes, life’s stories can be more extraordinary than any fairytale. Big Fish gives account of the tall-taled days of Edward Bloom (Norbert Leo Butz), a man whose life seems to come out of a story book. Although Will’s(Zachary Unger as the child, and Bobby Steggert as the adult) mother Sandra (Kate Baldwin) and wife Josephine (Krystal Joy Brown) indulge in the truth of Edward’s fanciful tales, Will refuses to believe until he can uncover for himself what is real and what is fantasy. What results is the manifestation of all of Edward’s best memories woven into present day to show us that in fact, “The ones who face their fears lead the most interesting lives.”

Butz is the true definition of a Leading Man. His presence is commanding, and with a velvety voice and ease in dance, you don’t want to take your eyes off of him. Even more impressive was his ability to seamlessly transform his age from an elderly man, to a teenager, to an adult, and back again within a matter of moments; I’m not even sure how old Butz really is he transitioned so well. The same goes for Baldwin. We get to watch Sandra gracefully change from girl to woman, all while being lucky enough to hear her beautiful voice ring out. Bobby Steggert(Older Will) stands his ground with the heart wrenching performance of a son struggling to believe in the man he has looked up to his entire life.
From the very moment the lights came up, the stage is flooded in rich beautiful color; Julian Crouch’s scenic design transforms from a dark forest to a warm, modest household to bright USO show. William Ivey Long’s costume designs could be considered their own characters with dresses becoming swaying trees and crackling campfires, men turning into giants, and women into mermaids. From Ashton, Alabama to Central Park, to the Calloway Circus, each new world is more fantastic than the last. Use of projections made the impossible a reality, and technical aspects including a stage full of daffodils and dancing elephants made it a spectacular. Andrew Lippa’s bright score and Susan Stroman’ s exciting choreography are reminiscent of the classic Golden Age of Broadway with big production numbers (“Be the Hero”) to tear-jerking ballads (“I Don’t Need a Roof”). Together, everything blends to make a fresh, modern take on the classic Musical Theatre structure.
Many will notice that although the story is still from Daniel Wallace’s novel, it is not the same as the Big Fish we know from Tim Burton’s film. On screen, the life of Edward Bloom was much darker and oftentimes more like a fable, whereas onstage it’s closer to a fairytale. In my opinion this was a smart move by John August, who penned both the screenplay and the musical’s book. The bright version of Big Fish for stage is energetic and engaging, which is needed for a piece of musical theatre to be successful. Many shows that come to Broadway now are inspired by films, so oftentimes it can be difficult to stick out and be memorable. Where Big Fish gets it right is its ability to stand as its own piece of theatre, you don’t need to be a fan of the movie to fall in love with the piece on stage.

Big Fish opened October 6 and is now playing at The Neil Simon Theatre.

Review By: Kelcie Kosberg

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The Snow Geese @ Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

The 1900s come alive in Snow Geese, the world premier drama by Sharr White directed by Daniel Sullivan and starring Emmy and Tony award winner Mary Louise Parker.
Recently widowed, Emily Gaesling(Mary Louise Parker), had decided to throw her annual hunting party to honor her eldest son, Duncan(Evan Jonigkeit), on his deployment overseas and her late husband’s memory, despite the fact that his spendthrift ways have left the family buried in debt. She is determined to believe that they are just as well off as they always were, refusing to listen to her younger, more level headed son, Arnold(Brian Cross).
Mary Louise Parker is no stranger to the theatre and has been seen in such shows as Proof, How I Learned to Drive, Angels in America, and of course her award winning television show “Weeds”. Usually dynamic and volatile onstage, I found her performance to be somewhat stilted due to the mannerisms she had adopted for the role. The effect made her less personable and relatable to the audience eliminating any sympathetic feelings for her character.

Brian Cross made his confident Broadway debut as the younger Gaesling brother. His chemistry with his older brother made them a strong familial duo with Evan Jonigkeit proving to be a great example of a leading actor of our generation. While Cross’s love story with the maid, Victorya(Jessica Love) a Central European refugee from a once prominent family, created empathy.
Worth mentioning, is Victoria Clark’s performance as the discreetly intervening sister, Clarissa, and her immigrant husband Max(Danny Burnstein), who despite being an American citizen for thirty years has been ostracized due to growing German hostility stemmed from the war. Heartwarming, engaging, and truly stunning are just a few words that come to mind to describe Clark and Burnstrein. Their story is heartbreaking and poignant.
Jonigkeit’s exuberance over “fixing” the problems overseas are sharply contrasted with Cross’s accounts of the rising casualties and Victorya’s personal accounts of hardship bringing to mind the harsh realities of war. The audience can’t help but draw a parallel between World War I and the modern day conflicts in the Middle East creating a drama worth talking about long after the curtain goes down.
The set designed by Tony award winner John Lee Beatty, was simply stunning. The set would rotate to create different dimensions throughout the play. I felt completely immersed into their world. Japhy Weideman, the lighting designer, made the set come alive and set the mood perfectly.


Snow Geese is playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre and is only running through December 15th, so get your tickets now.

Photos by: Joan Marcus
Review By: James Russo & Sarah Brown

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A Time to Kill @ The John Golden Theatre

When I walk out of a theatre, I enjoy listening to the conversations from the audience. A good play is one that inspires, evokes emotion, and compels - “A Time to Kill,” missed the mark.

Written by Rupert Holmes and directed by Ethan McSweeney, the play is the stage adaptation of John Grisham’s famous courtroom drama, that takes place in a deep southern county in Mississippi during the early 1980’s. Racing through rape, murder, the KKK’s destructive rituals, and courtroom politics, I was curiously disappointed by a lack of urgency in the play. McSweeney had all the resources to create a show that compelled and shocked an audience with the truth of the South’s no so distant history, and instead other than a persistent use of the “n” word, there was nothing provocative about the performance and nothing to show the audience that civil rights had been “granted” just ten years before and some areas were still chafing from the fact that they could no longer legally treat other humans as inferior.
Truthful performances given by Sebastian Arcelus(Jake Brigance), Tom Skerritt(Lucien Wilbanks), and Patrick Page(Rufus Buckley) make it worth seeing. Disappointed that John Douglas Thompson(Carl Lee Hailey) only seemed to have two volumes and no chemistry with onstage wife, Tonya Pinkins(Gwen Hailey), while supposedly, peppy, whip-smart, Bostonian law student, Ashley Williams(Ellen Roark) had no Boston accent, and seemingly only one stage cue – to half-heartedly seduce Jake Brigance.
The three women lacked any of the Southern traditional female qualities that help create empathy, while the women who were instrumental in Grisham’s novel, Jake’s wife and daughter, and Carl Lee’s daughter, were demoted to a telephone call and projection. A mistake, as they would have brought depth to their male counterparts. How could an audience react to seeing a broken, ten year old girl onstage? I can guarantee it would bring the urgency that was lacking but essential to creating empathy for Carl Lee.

A revolving stage and gorgeous projections make scene changes pass smoothly, while also giving background to the area, the plot, and the dramatic moments. For such a horrible, awful subject, there were no tears and far too much laughter from the audience provided by unnecessary one liners in the script. To me, that defeats the purpose of performing a culturally traumatic drama such as this. A Time to Kill fell short.
A Time To Kill opened October 20th , 2013 at Broadway’s Golden Theatre.

Review By: Aziza Seven

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A Night with Janis Joplin @ The Lyceum Theatre

A Night with Janis Joplin is a musical journey celebrating one of the most influential female rock in roll artists of all time – Janis Joplin. Her biggest musical influences – trailblazers Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta, Nina Simone and Bessie Smith, make guest appearances to further explore what it means to be a female icon in a then male dominated world.
Like a comet that burns far too brightly to last, Janis Joplin (Mary Bridget Davies) exploded onto the music scene in 1967 and, almost overnight, became the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The unmistakable voice filled with raw emotion and tinged with Southern Comfort made her a must-see headliner from Monterey to Woodstock. It would take a woman filled with the same gumption to pull off such a performance and while Mary Bridget Davies can sing and act like Janis, her stage presence was lacking. Mary Bridget Davies is reprising her role as Janis Joplin on Broadway, having previously taken the country by storm with her critically acclaimed performance.
It seems a shame that a woman with a voice like Mary’s, was what looked like banned to the corner of the stage to tell her story. Out of all the hits, I found the song selection disappointing. Redeemable moments were Mary’s performance “Another Little Piece of My Heart,” and her duet with Aretha Franklin that closed Act I. Despite the promising cast and Mary’s voice, this stage adaptation doesn’t compare to a concert given by the Queen herself, but it’s a close second!

The choreography done by Patricia Wilcox(Motown) lacks the creative flare that it could have been, but the set and lighting design done by Justin Townsend (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) more than makes up for it. Townsend’s designs put the audience in a glorified warehouse while the lighting sets the mood for a rock concert worth attending.

A Night with Janis Joplin opened October 10, 2013 at Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre.
If you are a true Janis Joplin fan, then this show is definitely worth seeing.

Review By: James Russo

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The Glass Menagerie @ The Booth Theatre

Tennessee Williams’s ‘The Glass Menagerie’ returns to Broadway under the direction of John Tiffany. Amanda Wingfield (two-time Tony® Award winner Cherry Jones) is a Southern belle past her prime, living with two grown children in a small apartment in St. Louis. Amanda dreams of a better life for her shy and crippled daughter Laura (two-time Tony Award nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger), so she pushes her son Tom (Zachary Quinto, Angels in America), to find a “gentleman caller” for the girl. However, the arrival of the gentleman caller (Brian J. Smith, The Columnist) sends shockwaves through the family and causes cracks to form in the delicate fantasies that have kept them going.

This brave new interpretation of this Tennessee William’s classic is being portrayed by a truly, beautiful, thoughtful and inspiring cast. Cherry Jones(Amanda) plays the very protective, stubborn mother. Both overbearing and warm, Jones’ talent is indescribable and a must-see. Celia Keenan-Bolger(Laura) is the crippled daughter tackling the burden of being a completely able bodied actress playing a physically challenged role. If I hadn’t known she wasn’t disabled, I would never have known so great is her immersion into the role. She was full of grace and confidence which really made her shine through. Zachary Quinto(Tom) is making his Broadway debut and delivers the performance of a lifetime, leaving the audience speechless. Lastly, Brian J. Smith(Gentleman Caller) is all the things a good romancer is supposed to be, charming, alluring, and charismatic.
The technical aspects of this show only enhance the performances. Bob Crowley designs both the set and the costumes. The set is three platforms, displaying a minimalistic apartment surrounded by a dark abyss, perfect to keep the audience engaged in the action on stage, without being distracted by pointless decoration. Natasha Katz has once again delivers a beautiful elegant mood that’s perfect for this show.

The Glass Menagerie opened September 26, 2013 at Broadway’s Booth Theater (45th Street) and runs a strictly limited run through Jan 05, 2014, so get your tickets soon!
Review By: James Russo & Lisa Kosak

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Cinderella @ The Broadway Theatre

“The Glass Slippers are so back!” Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella adaptation makes its Broadway debut and offers a new romantic twist on the ultimate rags to riches makeover story. The musical mixes fresh comedy with the fairy tale’s well-loved classic elements - the pumpkin, glass slipper, masked ball and more. In addition to musical numbers from the original score - including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible,” “Ten Minutes Ago” and “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?” -This Cinderella will include several new songs from the Rodgers & Hammerstein duo.

This huge production is led by two-time Tony nominee Laura Osnes. As Ella, Osnes is the perfect fairytale princess; she brings a rare elegance to the stage that makes the audience fall in love with her immediately. Santino Fontana plays the tortured Prince Topher. Handsome, lovable, and sweet, he is everything young girls have grown up wishing for in a man. The audience can’t help but feel that Osnes and Fontana belong together.
Joining the cast is Rebecca Luker, replacing Victoria Clack as Crazy Marie/Fairy Godmother. Luker brings wisdom, magic, and illusions; she is flawless, faultless, and completely deserving of her character’s “crazy.” The exemplary Ann Harada, Marla Mindelle, and Harriet Harris bring a big twist to the well-known step-sisters and stepmother. Harada is quirky and hilarious and steals the show with her song “Stepsisters Lament,” while Mindelle is nerdy, heartwarming and adorable. Harris is the ultimate villain, charging onstage with wit, sass and just enough nastiness to make an audience root for Cinderella’s dreams to come true at the expense her ugly step-mother.

With a show this big, there needs to be a top notch production staff, as a group they need to be able to create magic onstage. The set design was done by Anna Louizos, consisting of moving trees, secret doors, and giant picturesque set pieces. Tony Award winner William Ivey Long is responsible for the ingenious designs that turn Cinderella’s dress from rags to riches and Crazy Marie into the Fairy Godmother with a mere flick of the wrist. Kenneth Posner’s light design ties all the technical aspects together with perfect mood lighting, making this production a truly stunning piece to watch.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella opened on Broadway on February 21, 2013 at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway). This is a great show for the whole family, so grab the kids and waltz over to the Broadway Theatre for a truly magical evening that will leave you believing in the power of wishing.
Review By: James Russo

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Mr. Burns, a post-electric play @ Playwrights Horizons

If you’re like most people, you’re reliant on your technology. Going even an hour without your smart phone feels like an eternity. If you miss the latest episode of Breaking Bad, there’s nothing to talking to your coworkers about come Monday morning. Imagine if our technology-based society was suddenly left without electricity, the precious power we rely on so heavily. Set in a not-too-far-away Post Apocalyptic America, “Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play,” which opened September 15, gives an insight on just who we’ve become, as well as what we could be.
Act One shows the immediate aftermath of Nuclear Power Plants shutting down, leaving no power, and a large part of the population killed by excess radioactivity. We meet a small group of strangers, survivors who have come together to find lost love ones. To keep themselves entertained, they are retelling the “Cape Feare” episode of The Simpsons. It’s not a perfect reenactment, with Matt (played by Matthew Maher) drawing blanks and spitting out “Oh I know this is really funny!” but nevertheless, spirits are kept up. That is, until another survivor arrives. At this point it is hard to tell if anyone is an ally or an enemy. Act Two fast forwards to seven years later, still no power, but society seems to have gone on. Troupes of re-enactors battle for the best “episodes” of beloved, long missed shows. Remembered lines have become a commodity, and live “commercials” try to get us to remember how much we miss drinking Diet Coke, taking hot baths, and listening to Britney Spears (as troupe member Susannah [Susannah Flood] states, ‘We have an opportunity to provide meaning’). A sudden, fatal stand-off brings us to intermission.
At this point, I wasn’t quite sure what I was watching; the first two acts are very vague in explaining relationships, and what exactly has happened to lead up to this point. It wasn’t until an older woman sitting in front of me turned around and we began to have a conversation (she asked I didn’t use her name) that things began to make sense. She pointed to her husband next to her and told me, “We grew up through World War II, so we’ve seen exactly how people have changed over the last few decades. People have become so glued to their devices they’ve forgotten about true beauty. The smell of the trees, the sound of leaves crunching under our feet. Now it’s only the superfluous stuff that matters. I’ll walk onto an elevator, and say 'Good morning!’ to the people on there. They all then pull out their headphones and give me confused looks because to them I didn’t say anything important.” At that moment, Mr. Burns’ message became painfully clear to me. Have we become so invested in the “superfluous stuff” that we’ve gotten so out of touch with the beauty in simplicity? Or basic human interaction? Even as I spoke to her, I felt the need to check my iPhone and see if I had any new Facebook notifications or if any celebrities had tweeted anything interesting, even though I was in the middle of one of the most insightful conversations I’d had in quite some time.
Act Three brings us even farther into the future, 75 years to be exact. Electricity seems to exist, but only by means of man-powered generators, so it is still very limited. The Simpsons are still being re-enacted, however it’s not the family you and I are familiar with now. Masked performers give us an almost tribal music-based rendition of that same “Cape Feare” episode. Based only on the memories of past actors, the once comedic cartoon has become twisted into a dark piece of performance art, laced with bits of pop culture from the past (including Eminem, The Flintstones melody, and the haunting theme of the Halloween movies). Bart Simpson (Quincy Tyler Bernstine) has become a young hero, singing ballads about overcoming obstacles and avenging the death of his parents. Mr. Burns (Sam Breslin Wright) is now an evil villain with a poison touch, along with doting sidekicks Itchy and Scratchy (Flood and Maher, respectively). After the villain is slain and the hero lives to see another day, the company remove their masks to end their show with a song about “being a true American.”
As the lights came back up, I said good bye to the woman in front of me, gathered my things, and walked back into reality to see the swarms of New Yorkers with their eyes fixed onto their phones and tablets. What would happen if all of this was suddenly taken away from us? What would remain? If Mr. Burns, and my intermission companion have any indication, it’s human interaction and our ability to create art. To be able to convey our emotions through music, and in turn inspire others. Who knows? In 75 years, people may be singing Britney Spears’ songs like we do with Frank Sinatra now.
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play is produced by Playwrights Horizons and runs through October 20.
Review By: Kelcie Kosberg

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The Machine @ Park Avenue Armory

The U.S. premiere of British playwright Matt Charman’s new play, The Machine, takes over Park Avenue Armory’s vast Wade Thompson Drill Hall September 4-18. The play, a co-commission of Park Avenue Armory, Donmar Warehouse, and the Manchester International Festival, depicts the headline-grabbing 1997 New York chess tournament between Grandmaster Garry Kasparov and Deep Blue, a super-computer developed by technology giant IBM. An epic battle between a human genius and a state-of-the-art machine, The Machine will be staged the Armory’s 55,000-square-foot drill hall as a sports event complete with a 4-sided arena; a giant, electronic scoreboard; and video cameras capturing and broadcasting the action on a jumbotron.

In 1997, Garry Kasparov, the world’s greatest chess player, arrived in New York City for the biggest match of his life. His opponent wasn’t a fellow Grandmaster, but a faceless super-computer, Deep Blue, built by tech-giant IBM and masterminded by Dr. Feng-Hsiung Hsu. The man versus machine match was conceived as a publicity stunt by IBM in a bid to raise its profile and its stock price. An international celebrity and the undisputed master of his art, Kasparov came to America for freedom and glory. What he didn’t expect to confront was the lifelong dedication of another young genius, Deep Blue’s wunderkind inventor Doctor Hsu. What followed was one of the most compelling stories of our time—a collision of human brilliance, foibles, greed, and artificial intelligence. Under the direction of the Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Josie Rourke, the cast features Hadley Fraser as Garry Kasparov, Francesca Annis as Garry’s mother, Clara, and Kenneth Lee as Dr. Hsu.
The production is a truly unique experience and to have it in the Park Armory was just incredible. Set in the round, the audience sat through intense technical elements, impressive and mind bending material and impeccable acting. This production will really get you thinking!


The Machine runs at Park Avenue Armory September 18, 2013. Do not miss out of this amazing experience.

Review By: James Russo

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Soul Doctor @ The Circle in the Square Theater

The new Broadway musical Soul Doctor is an exhilarating musical journey through the triumphs and tribulations of a cultural phenomenon. It tells the fascinating story of the father of popular Jewish music, Shlomo Carlebach, and his unlikely friendship with Nina Simone. A modern-day troubadour, Shlomo ignited the spirit of millions around the world with his soul-stirring melodies, trans formative storytelling and boundless love. After his escape from Nazi Germany, the young Rabbi befriended the legendary jazz singer Nina Simone who introduced him to soul and gospel music. With the high Priestess of Souls  as his inspiration, Shlomo created a joyous new sound with melodies that fused his roots with American popular music. With his meteoric rise as a “Rock Star Rabbi, he struggled to harmonize his traditional beliefs with the "free love” generation of the 1960s. Today, his uplifting music and message help to define America most defiant era.

Soul Doctor is the first inspiring celebration to hit the stage since Hair in 2009. Leading the cast is Eric Anderson fresh out of Kinky Boots, Anderson is back to the role the won him the 2013 Drama Desk Nomination before the Broadway transfer. Anderson perfectly embodied Shlomo and delivered a stunning performance but unfortunately his singing was not leading man material, the audience was looking for something a little more demanding. Amber Iman, who is making her Broadway Debut, steals the light for Anderson in her role of Nina. Iman brings such warmth and sass to stage and steal focus whenever she is onstage. Soul Doctor is a true ensemble piece with killer movement and constant audience interaction, it was hard not to love this show!


The award-winning design team for Soul Doctor includes scenic design by Neil Patel ([title of show]), costume design by Maggie Morgan), lighting design by Jeff Croiter (Newsies) and sound design by John Shivers (Kinky Boots) and David Patridge. Orchestrations and additional arrangements are by Steve Margoshes, music supervision and arrangements are by Brian Koonin and music direction and arrangements are by Seth Farber.

Soul Doctor has music by Shlomo Carlebach, book and direction by Daniel S. Wise, lyrics by David Schechter and choreography by Benoit-Swan Pouffer, the acclaimed former artistic director of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. Circle in the Square Theatre is located at 1633 Broadway, entrance on 50thStreet between Broadway and 8th Avenue. Dont miss this celebration of a true legend!

Review By: James Russo

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First Date @ The Longacre Theatre

Everyone has experienced a first date and all the experiences that come with them. First Date is a musical that Austin Winsberg(“Gossip Girl”), Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (Secondhand Lions, Twice Charmed) throws all the most awkward first date experiences together with hilarity and song, including your gay best friend, perfect sister, past ex’s and even your therapist, buzzing around Aaron and Casey heads.

When tightly wound Aaron (Zachary Levi) is set up with serial-dater Casey (Krysta Rodriguez) a quick drink at a busy New York restaurant turns into a hilarious, high-stakes dinner. As the date unfolds in real time, the couple quickly finds they are not alone on this date as Casey and Aaron’s inner critics take on a life of their own when other restaurant patrons and the wait staff get into the act. Dinner is served with sides of Google background checks, fake emergency phone calls, supportive best friends, manipulative exes and protective parents, who sing and dance them through ice-breakers, appetizers and potential conversational land mines. FIRST DATE is Broadway’s new hysterical and hopeful new musical about the chances we take to find love.

Leading the cast are ridiculously talented actors, Zachary Levi (“Tangled”) as Aaron and Kyrsta Rodriguez (Addams Family) as Casey. Zachary Levi is pure comedic gold, he knocks this role out of the park. He is quirky, funny and just god damn adorable. Levi wins the hearts of the audience the second he walks on to the stage, no doubt he was born for Broadway. Kyrsta Rodriguez is the prefect ying to Levi’s yang. Although Miss Rodriguez clearly has a type, Wednesday in Addams Family, and Ana from ‘Smash", she brings something different to this role that allows the audience to separate her from those other parts. Rodriguez doesn't get a “ Bring Down The House” number in this show, but she didn't need one because her songs were on point and comedic timing was impeccable. These two are surround by the perfect ensemble featuring Sara Chase (“Arrested Development," The Toxic Avenger), Kristoffer Cusick (Wicked, Rent), Blake Hammond (Sister Act, Billy Elliot), Kate Loprest (”Boardwalk Empire,“ Hairspray) andBryce Ryness (Hair, Leap of Faith). These five individuals each bring something different and special to the show making the show go from nearly perfect to PERFECT!

FIRST DATE began performances Tuesday, July 9, 2013, and opened Thursday, August 8, 2013, at Broadway's Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). This show has something for everyone and it would be a mistake it you happened to miss it.

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Love's Labour's Lost: The Musical @ The Delcorte Theater

The Public Theater produces new plays, musicals, productions of Shakespeare, and other classics in its headquarters on Lafayette Street (the former Astor library, which opened as The Public Theater in 1967 with the world premiere of the musical Hair) and at the Delacorte Theater, its permanent summertime home of free Shakespeare in the Park each summer. This summer on Shakespeare in the Parks 51st Anniversary, Public Theater brings the community Love’s Labour’s Lost: A New Musical written by the same team that brought to life Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.

Romance, revelry and enchanting music ignite in this contemporary yet lovingly faithful musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy. Smart, sexy, outrageous and irreverent, it’s a madcap celebration of true love and coming of age. Adapted from the play by William Shakespeare. The King and his best buds decide at their five-year college reunion to swear off the joys of women. But when four cute, clever girls from their past show up, they’re forced to reconsider all of that nonsense! This new musicals take one of Shakespeare’s funniest plays and turns it into a modern day musical set on a college campus at a 10 year reunion.

This cast is packed full of a young energetic cast. The boys, Daniel Breaker (Shrek), Colin Donnell (Anything Goes), Bryan Pinkham (Ghost: The Musical), Lucas Near-Verbrugghe (Bloody Bloody..), are love sick and adorable as they try to deny their love for the girls. This is shown as each guy gets his own show stealing number ultimately making complete fools of themselves, leaving the audience in stitches. The girls, Patti Murin (Lysistrata Jones), Maria Thayer, Kimiko Glenn, and Audrey Lynn Weston had a harder job of selling their performances because they each didn't get lucky enough to get their own show stopping number, luckily the four of them have indescribable comedic timing and a was able to capture the audience with side spiting dialogue. Ensemble shout out goes to Jeff Hiller, he steals this show just as he did in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, with his small side lines that have the audience crying in laughter.

Love’s Labour’s Lost runs at the Delcorte theater until August 18, 2013. Tickets are free and the show is great, so don't miss out.

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Let It Be @ The St. James Theatre

If you always wanted to see the Beatles but thought you missed your opportunity, Broadway has the show for you: “Let It Be.” “Let It Be” is basically a concert performance of all your favorite Beatles songs including, “Strawberry Fields Forever”,” Revolution”, “Yesterday”, “Day Tripper”, “Here comes the Sun”, and of course “Let it Be.” The show is being performed at the St. James Theatre on W. 44ST Street in NYC. Let It Be provides the audience with its very own versions of John, Paul, George, and Ringo. The show takes you on a journey throughout the years with the Beatles. The stars of the show perform the songs as if they were performing at a concert; playing songs from each album the Beatles had. The “venue” changes with some different backdrops and pieces as we move through the years. After each set, the curtain comes down and we get a little history of what era it is and occasionally a Beatle explaining the music they are playing. We got to go from the beginning “Mop Top”, to “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, to “Abbey Road”, to their famous concert at Shea Stadium. The show ended with the fan favorite “Hey Jude” which had the audience up out of their seats singing along
Although this production has a ton of similarities to the 2010 Broadway hit Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, the tech is was separates the two productions. Rain tried to appear as the Beatles in the time of their fame, making it appear as if they were using technology from that time. But Let It Be brings a legendary band to the stage using the technology of the twenty first century. Jason Lyons lights make the audience feel as if they were in a rock concert of today and Duncan McLean’s video projections helped set the different time periods that the Beatles lived through.
The show was incredibly entertaining. The audience was a mix of old and new fans alike, but one thing was certain: everyone was enjoying themselves. You could see the audience really get into the music and start to dance in their seats. The performers were good at playing the famous songs and were pretty good at singing them. They each acted the part of whoever they were playing quite well. At times the audience acted like it was the height of Beatlemania all over again.

If you love Beatles music, and a good time, Let It Be is a must see.

Review By: James Russo

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Forever Tango @ The Walter Kerr Theater

Forever Tango opens July 14th at the Walter Kerr Theatre for a limited ten week engagement. The show debuted at the Walter Kerr in 1997 and has now returned to add a little spice to the Broadway world. A two hour show that features spectacular partnered dance, gorgeous music, and 5 time Grammy winner Gilbert Santa Rosa delights audiences.
Directed and created by Luis Bravo(Malambo), this dance show captivates the emotional sense of the human psyche as the dancers reveal the inner workings of their souls through one of the most sensual forms of ballroom dance – the tango. Eight couples are featured while the headliners, Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Dancing with the Stars) show their skill with a dance in Act 1 and Act 2 and guest singer, Gilbert Santa Rosa shares his music.
Although, I do not speak Spanish and therefore could not understand a word being sung, I could not only enjoy the performance as a musician, but also understand the feeling of that which was being sung. Love and heartbreak are universal languages after all.
Juan Horvath(Tango Significo) and his partner Victora Galoto (Love Liza and Sweet Charity) thrill with technical footwork and gravity defying tricks while Natalia Turelli and Ariel Manzanares reveal the lighter side of tango with comedic relief and the use of flirtation. The group dances are a joy to watch and you can really tell the amount of trust and dedication to the art that these dancers possess.
Get to the Walter Kerr Theatre; enjoy the spiciness of Latin dance done as only the best can do it. The show runs until September 15th and will have Luis Enriquez joining as a guest singer for a limited time starting July 30th.

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Reasons To Be Happy @ The Lucille Lortel Theatre

“Reasons To Be Happy” closed at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher St) this afternoon after extending its run, which began on May 16, 2013. The MCC world premier, which was written and directed by MCC playwright-in-residence Neil LaBute comes as a sort of sequel, companion piece to LaBute’s 2009 Tony Award Nominee for Best Play, “Reasons To Be Pretty”. If you know the story of “Reasons To Be Pretty”, you’ll find bursts of similarities and references to the show during “Reasons To Be Happy”, however, thankfully to many you don’t need to know the first to understand the second; you would just view them as two completely different entities.


“Reasons To Be Happy” is set in ‘the outlying suburbs, not too long ago’. It’s the story of four friends, turned lovers, turned enemies, who are just trying to live their lives right. It’s a classic telling of the love triangle, and how these young adults futures didn’t unfold as they had planned because of it. The show opens with Greg, played by Josh Hamilton (Dead Accounts, Dark Skies) running into his ex-girlfriend Steph, played by Jenna Fisher (The Office, Blades of Glory) in the parking lot of a Trader Joe’s. Steph is now married to someone else, but clearly hasn’t moved on enough. Who can blame her though, when Greg is now dating Steph’s ex-best friend, Carly, played by Leslie Bibb (Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Talladega Nights). Carly has a three-year-old daughter Jennifer (who’s never seen in the show) with friend of the group Kent, played by Fred Weller (Glengarry Glen Ross, The Shape of Things). Kent is not around a lot in Jennifer’s life and some would even argue that Greg is becoming more of a father figure to her than her own dad. Carly works as a security guard and Kent often works stocking her rather bland break room (one of the two sets in the show), causing them to frequently and awkwardly run into each other. To make matters worse, Greg often drops Carly off as well as picks her up from work, forcing him to run into Kent too. After the run in at Trader Joe’s, Steph reaches out to Greg with an apology, and the two begin to reconcile. Steph suggests they give their relationship one last try, complete with the willingness to leave her current husband. Greg agrees there is something still there and starts seeing both girls simultaneously. He agreed to break up with Carly until she reveals she’s pregnant with his baby. Now Greg has to decide which of the two ex-best friends he would rather be with in this terribly sticky situation, all while tolerating a jealous Kent whom he still sort of connects with just to increase the testosterone in his dramatic life.
It’s no surprise “Reasons To Be Happy” opened to rave reviews; Neil LaBute is known for other successful ‘modern’ plays such as “Fat Pig” and “The Shape of Things”, so given his immense talent for writing and directing as well as his all-star cast and the success of “Reasons To Be Pretty”, “Reasons To Be Happy” was everything audiences had hoped it would be. It runs roughly 2 hours 15 minutes with an intermission and it’s got a great, chill vibe with modern lighting and scene changes accompanied by alternative rock hits such as “Come As You Are” by Nirvana. When the scenes aren’t taking place in Carly’s break room, a lot of ambiance is created simply with lighting, props such as benches or flowers, and sound cues like children running on a soccer field. You don’t need to be a theatre junkie to appreciate that so much is done with so little. Complete with a lot of profanity, “Reasons To Be Happy” sure gave audiences a good laugh.
What is comes down to be that “Reasons To Be Happy” is relatable to virtually anyone who saw it. Everyone at one point in their life has to make vital decisions, and ultimately everyone is going to chase what makes them happy. “Reasons To Be Happy” is worth seeing at any future chance, and definitely worth reading in the mean time!

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Buyer & Cellar @ The Barrow Street Theater

Buyer & Cellar transfers back off Broadway after its sold out run at Rattlesnake Playwrights Theater. Starring in this one man show is Michael Urie who plays Alex More, the mall attendant of Barbara Streisand basement. Michael Urie and Buyer & Cellar were the recipient of the 2013 Drama Desk, Clarence Derwent, and Off-Broadway Alliance awards. After its run at Rattlesnake, producers decided this critically acclaimed story was not done being told and it transferred to Barrow Street Theater for an extra long extended run.

Buyer & Cellar is an outrageous comedy about the price of fame, the cost of things, and the oddest of odd jobs. Alex More has a story to tell. A struggling actor in L.A., Alex takes a job working in the Malibu basement of a beloved megastar. One day, the Lady Herself comes downstairs to play. It feels like real bonding in the basement, but will their relationship ever make it upstairs?

Michael Urie (How to Succeed..) portrays Alex Moore who tells the story of his employment with big well known Barbara Streisand. Urie is outrageously funny, extremely charismatic and an impressive story teller. He has the ability to draw the audience in, have them close to tears and then have them laughing hysterically in a matter of seconds. Truly a genius performance and the best one man show to hit NYC in years.

Buyers & Cellar is playing at the Barrow Street Theater Through August 28, 2013.

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Potted Potter @ The Little Shubert Theater

Potted Potter is a re-telling of all seven Harry Potter books in only 70 minutes. The two actors, Dan and Jeff, quickly perform each book, summarizing the major points of each novel, getting sillier as they go along. They used awful wigs, “cheap” set pieces, and make-shift props all because Jeff apparently spent the budget, which was supposed to go to getting 20 actors, on an amazing fire-breathing dragon for the fourth novel. Of course, that turns out to be a tiny dragon puppet, infuriating Dan. The telling of the first 3 books was a bit slow, but still quite amusing.
The performance picked up when a game of Quidditch was started with the audience. The game helped get the audience into the silly spirit of the show. The audience was split in to two sides: Slytherin and Gryffindor. One kid from each side was picked to the Seeker and would have to catch the “Golden Snitch”, who turned out to be Dan, one of the performers dressed in a ridiculous golden outfit. The little girl from Slytherin really got into her role and grabbed Dan by his costume, refusing to let go, somehow spinning him around, and eventually tackling him to the ground! It was by the far the best moment of the whole show. It certainly caught the performers off guard and they lost it. The rest of the show flew by with some really funny moments.
After they finally make it through five books they realize they only have about ten minutes left to tell the audience about the last two books of the series. So the two of them break out into the song “I Will Survive”, quickly spiting out the important battles explains who dies and who survives in the end out the series, quite hilarious.
Potted Potter was charming and fun: a must see for anyone with children or anyone who is a fan of the books. Don’t expect anything serious; it is light-hearted and relatively informal, a very silly but amusing performance. Potted Potter is playing at the Little Shubert Theater through the summer until September 1, 2013.

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2013 Tony Awards

Best Musical
Bring It On: The Musical
A Christmas Story, The Musical
*Kinky Boots
Matilda The Musical
Best Revival of a Musical
Annie
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
*Pippin
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Carolee Carmello, Scandalous
Valisia LeKae, Motown The Musical
*Patina Miller, Pippin
Laura Osnes, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Laurie Metcalf, The Other Place
Amy Morton, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Kristine Nielsen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Holland Taylor, Ann
*Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy
Nathan Lane, The Nance
*Tracy Letts, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
David Hyde Pierce, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tom Sturridge, Orphans
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Bertie Carvel, Matilda The Musical
Santino Fontana, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Rob McClure, Chaplin
*Billy Porter, Kinky Boots
Stark Sands, Kinky Boots
Best Lighting Design of a Play
*Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Lucky Guy
Donald Holder, Golden Boy
Jennifer Tipton, The Testament of Mary
Japhy Weideman, The Nance
Best Revival of a Play
Golden Boy
Orphans
The Trip to Bountiful
*Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kenneth Posner, Kinky Boots
Kenneth Posner, Pippin
Kenneth Posner, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
*Hugh Vanstone, Matilda The Musical
Best PlayThe Assembled Parties
Author: Richard GreenbergLucky Guy
Author: Nora EphronThe Testament of Mary
Author: Colm Toíbín*Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Author: Christopher Durang
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford, Kinky Boots
Victoria Clark, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
*Andrea Martin, Pippin
Keala Settle, Hands on a HardbodyLauren Ward, Matilda The Musical
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
*Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Anna Louizos, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Scott Pask, Pippin
David Rockwell, Kinky Boots
Best Scenic Design of a Play
*John Lee Beatty, The Nance
Santo Loquasto, The Assembled Parties
David Rockwell, Lucky Guy
Michael Yeargan, Golden Boy
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the TheatreA Christmas Story, The Musical
Music and Lyrics: Benj Pasek and Justin PaulHands on a Hardbody
Music: Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green
Lyrics: Amanda Green*Kinky Boots
Music & Lyrics: Cyndi LauperMatilda The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin
Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Bring It On: The Musical
Peter Darling, Matilda The Musical
*Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Chet Walker, Pippin
Best Direction of a Play
*Pam MacKinnon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Nicholas Martin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Bartlett Sher, Golden Boy
George C. Wolfe, Lucky Guy
Best Direction of a Musical
Scott Ellis, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
*Diane Paulus, Pippin
Matthew Warchus, Matilda The Musical
Best Book of a MusicalA Christmas Story, The Musical, Joseph RobinetteKinky Boots, Harvey Fierstein*Matilda The Musical, Dennis KellyRodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Douglas Carter Beane
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Charl Brown, Motown The Musical
Keith Carradine, Hands on a Hardbody
Will Chase, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
*Gabriel Ebert, Matilda The Musical
Terrence Mann, Pippin
Best Sound Design of a Play
John Gromada, The Trip to Bountiful
Mel Mercier, The Testament of Mary
*Leon Rothenberg, The Nance
Peter John Still and Marc Salzberg, Golden Boy
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Carrie Coon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Shalita Grant, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Judith Ivey, The Heiress
*Judith Light, The Assembled Parties
Condola Rashad, The Trip to Bountiful
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm, Pippin
Peter Hylenski, Motown The Musical
*John Shivers, Kinky Boots
Nevin Steinberg, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Best Orchestrations
Chris Nightingale, Matilda The Musical
*Stephen Oremus, Kinky Boots
Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook, Motown The Musical
Danny Troob, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Kinky Boots
Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Dominique Lemieux, Pippin
*William Ivey Long, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Best Costume Design of a Play
Soutra Gilmour, Cyrano de Bergerac
*Ann Roth, The Nance
Albert Wolsky, The Heiress
Catherine Zuber, Golden Boy
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Danny Burstein, Golden Boy
Richard Kind, The Big Knife
Billy Magnussen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tony Shalhoub, Golden Boy
*Courtney B. Vance, Lucky Guy

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Annie @ The Palace Theatre

The most classic rag to riches story comes back to Broadway after 13 years. Everyone’s favorite spunky little red head is back and stealing heart just like she always did. Leading this amazing Broadway cast is the towering and beautiful Jane Lynch.
A spunky orphan girl finds a home with a New York millionaire during the Depression, but must dodge the clutches of her evil orphanage mistress, in Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan’s musical based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip.
Tonight the audience had the pleasure of seeing miss Crawford’s understudy, Taylor Richardson. Richardson usually plays Duffy, one of Annie’s fellow orphans, but tonight she step front and center. This girl must be fearless, getting up in front of an audience and preforming songs she usually watches every night and pulling them off with promise and poise. Jane Lynch (“Glee”) finally shines on Broadway in a part that has just been screaming waiting for her to step into it. Lynch is evil, cunning and truly scary knock out as she towers over orphan stand out, the adorable Emily Rosenfeld, Molly. Anthony Warlow is making his Broadway debut as Daddy Warbucks, and he preforms with an elegance and charm that makes the audience fall that much more with the Warbucks and Annie couple. Unfortunately this cast isn’t all great seeing as the most fun number, Easy Street is hardly any fun when Clarke Thorell as Rooster Hannigan and J. Elaine Marcos as Lily St. Regisare preforming it; its barely heard and they dancing is all over the place.Not to worry though, Marcos and Thorell arent the only thing that is a damper on this show. The lack luster set design by
David Korinsbrings a new meaning to a story book, as he turns everything into an actual book. But thank god for Donald Holders lighting who makes Korins sets and the actors look stunning.
This Annie revival directed by the famous James Lapine runs at the Palace Theater in Time Square. Jane Lynch as Miss Hannigan isn’t something you are are gonna want to miss.

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Around the World in 80 Days @ The New Theater at 45th Street

The French classic by Jules Verne has been warped and transformed many a time, and yet Mark Brown‘s comedic play takes this well-known story on a new journey. Advertised as “a fun frolic & fantastic update of the visionary classic”, the New Theater at 45thStreet offers a production that is packed with astral wonders and prime laughs.
The ensemble cast of 5 acquires the task of portraying 39 different characters from this legendary book. Shirine Babb, Jimmy Ray Bennet, John Gregario, and Stephen Guarino, with Bryce Ryness as Phileas Fogg force one to admire the art of characterization. Lead by director Rachel Klein, the vibe was sharp, tight, and exact with a commedia dell arte sense. Comic timing was precise and thank god for that. Klein is quoted saying, “This production seeks to uphold Verne’s ability to awaken childlike wonder, to spark our imaginations, and peek into our futures -”. As it was, the production did in fact hold up the imagination of its audience to incredibly high levels.
With such a performance on stage, one would expect the set to live up to the world that Jules Verne’s imagination has set us in. Robert Andrew Kovach’s design brings this Nineteenth Century “around the world” experience to life. Featuring a panoramic mural spreading throughout the walls of the theatre and a giant projection screen shaped as a clock that is used in a most creative manner throughout the show, Kovach gives the audience just enough to look at without overwhelming them. With surprising secret compartments and the trick of pulling an elephant out of thin air, this set is as much a character as the actors themselves. Kate Freer’s projection design created magical transitions that left audience members transfixed, Ben Kato’s accent with lighting was sublime, and associate costume designer Kae Burke, with director Rachel Klein doubling as costume designer, gave a new meaning to the phrase “It’s all in the details,” creating pieces that were divine.
The combination of this crazy, comedic cast and the creatively talented production team behind them make for a night of good theatre. Go see it and get swept away in a production that will have you laughing for hours afterward.
In one word: Charming.

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Murder Ballad @ Union Square Theatre

Back after its extremely successful run at Manhattan Theater Club, critically acclaimed Murder Ballad, finds its way downtown to the completely redesigned Union Square Theater where it holds an extended run thru the summer.
A love triangle gone wrong, Murder Ballad centers on Sara, an Upper West Sider who seems to have it all, but whose downtown past lingers enticingly and dangerously in front of her. This sexy, explosive new musical explores the complications of love, the compromises we make, and the betrayals that can ultimately undo us.


Three of the original cast members are reprising their original roles and Caissie Levy (Ghost: The Musical) replaces Karen Olivo in the role of Sara. Levy doesn't missed a beat, she brought strong emotion and the powerhouse voice that audiences have come to expect from her. Rebecca Naomi Jones (American Idiot) plays the Narrator, and she brings a creepy yet fun quality to this dark show. She was on stage the entire time and she really kept the audiences attention. Will Swenson (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) portrays bad boy Tom, the once lover of Sara. Swenson acts the hell out of this role, but his voice type didn't seem to fit the show. Lastly, John Ellison Conlee (The Full Monty) played Michael, Sara’s current husband. Conlee bring a soothing warmth to the show and makes the audience fall in love with him.

Taking residence at Union Square Theater, this theatrical experience has completely alter the performing space to fit this show. Mark Wendland puts the audience smack dab in the middle of a bar, and turned this once proscenium space theater into a Theater in the Round. Audience members are encouraged to go an buy drinks for the bar where later the central action takes place. The lighting by Ben Stanton was so well controlled and full of color. Unfortunately as great as the space was, it seemed too big, which made this extremely intimate show, significantly less intimate.



Murder Balled plays at the Union Square Theater until September 29th, 2013. This unique theater experience is not one to miss, so get a tickets, grab a beer and enjoy the trip.

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Spandex The Musical @ The 777 Theatre

Feel the burn! Spandex: A New Musical for All Sizes brings the all of the energy, fast-paced music, and teased hair of competitive Aerobics of the late 80’s to the New York stage. Inspired by the viral YouTube video of the 1987 Crystal Light National Aerobics Championship, hosted by Alan Thicke, Spandextells the story of how the empowerment of a good aerobic workout can bring a shy housewife out of her shell, a former star back in the lime light, or even spark a romance.
Tucked away in the Off Broadway 777 Theatre, Spandex is a hidden gem of musical comedy. Julian Blackmore and Daniel F. Levin’s score is reminiscent of the infectious tunes of the late 1980’s (days after seeing it, I still have the melody of the title song running through my head). The band, made of only three members, sat above the stage and became a part of the company themselves. From catchy pop tunes (“I Could Get Used to This”) to tear-jerking ballads (“Now That You’re Gone”), I found myself wanting to get up and dance along with the cast and wishing I had this soundtrack to take to the gym with me.
Lis Piccoli’s choreography blends intricate aerobic steps with dance to create something of a spectacle onstage (I’m looking at you, Circle Wheel of Push-ups), and it doesn’t hurt that the cast are some of the strongest dancer-athletes I’ve seen in a long time. From start to finish, the cast succeeds in not only landing every step, but hitting every note at the same time, which is quite an impressive feat, considering that almost every song included jumps, leaps, lifts, or squats. Stand out performers include Sims Lamason as Aerobic Queen Lorraine (who boasts a life of a former gymnast herself), Jaquez Sims as Fitness Guru Trip Allen, and Paige Sommerer as the hilariously ambiguous Deacon Doekstra (I’m sorry– Derk-stra). With most of the cast making their New York debuts, I can’t wait to see what each and every one of these young performers’ careers have in store.
However, for how remarkable the talent aspects were, the production values itself fell as flat as your hair the day you run out of Aqua Net. For the amount of sponsors the show boasts, most notably Crunch Gym, I was hoping to see visuals that matched the content. The stage was painted half brown, half black, with a movable set of lockers with a bare-wood backing. A minimalist set is fine, but I would have liked to see the bright neons of the costumes matched on the set so as to create a world of The 1987 Crystal Light National Aerobics Championship, hosted by Alan Thicke for an audience to go to. This makes this hidden gem of musical comedy more of a diamond-in-the-rough.

All in all, Spandex: a New Musical for All Sizes is a hilarious and original piece of musical theatre and deserves to be brought to a wider audience.

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Pippin @ The Music Box Theatre

Just over 40 years after its original run, Pippin makes a colorful return to Broadway for 2013, with a fresh new look. Set in a circus tent, the production takes a magical new twist to the classic musical. With illusions, tricks, stunts, and acrobatics throughout the show, it is an experience that feels both relevant and modern. This new production pays homage to its roots, with choreographer Chet Walker (a cast member of the 1972 production) recreating Fosse’s original choreography. However it still feels fresh, current, and original with the addition of circus director Gypsy Snider’s phenomenal visual feats. The Players are made of equal parts dancers and acrobats, so there is always something incredible and beautiful to look at onstage. It wouldn’t be Pippin without the signature “Fosse style” of dance, which now almost looks like it was made to go alongside trapeze artists and contortionists. "The Manson Trio,“ one of Fosse’s most well known pieces of choreography, is recreated in its entirety, but now instead using male dancers behind the Leading Player. Every single moment contains outstanding visuals, with Players performing amazing acts unlike those seen on the Broadway stage before. Trapeze work, Aerial Silks, lifts, and flips are woven into the classic choreography to create beautiful imagery for the stage.
Pippin’s main cast, made of both Broadway Mainstays and Newcomers, are what brings the production together as a whole. Matthew James Thomas(Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) is an extremely likable Pippin. He brings a humble quirkiness to the character that makes one fall in love with him almost immediately, and his pop-style vocals give an unique twist to Stephen Schwartz’s score. He is just awkward enough that it is endearing, stumbling and stammering his way through the first act, and the audience bursts into cheers once Thomas reveals serious dance skills early in Act Two. Although it is not a new concept, Patina Miller(Sister Act) shines as the Leader Player, a role usually portrayed by a man. She commands the stages from the moment the words "Join us” leave her lips at the top of the show. Miller’s ease onstage is reminiscent of Ben Vereen’s portrayal, with a graceful feminine twist as the circus’ Ringmaster. She makes the perfect opposite to Thomas; the two work off of one another to create moments that are both humorous and intriguing, especially in the Act Two opener “On the Right Track.” Husband-and-Wife Broadway veteran team Terrence Mann(Beauty and the Beast) and Christine d'Amboise(Carrie) portray King and Queen duo Charles and Fastrada. Mann brings wit to the usually dry role, and d'Amboise’s dancing is captivating. Andrea Martin(Young Frankenstein) as Berthe is the stand out of the veteran cast; she steals the show during her song “No Time at All,” bringing both some laughs as well as few surprises (which you need to see to believe!).
What this revival achieves, and what sets it apart from most other productions, is that it has successfully made the entire show both enjoyable and entertaining. Songs that are usually not as favored by audiences, like “Extraordinary” are now show-stoppers. "Morning Glow,“ the Act One Finale, is more powerful than ever before. Each new song outdoes the last, which is no easy task. From the colorful set and costumes, to the strength of its cast, to Schwartz’s classic score, Pippin is a production that is meant to be seen by all audiences, both young and old. It is a spectacle, to say the very least. Pippin is the kind of production that will make young audiences fall in love with live theatre, as well as remind seasoned theatergoers why they fell in love so long ago.

Review By: Kelcie Kosberg

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Richard III: Born With Teeth @ The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theater

Shakespeare’s plays have been done all over New York and the world for as long as anyone can remember. Tired of the same old Shakespeare productions?The 15th-century English monarch Richard III is back in vogue after the discovery of his bones in a British parking lot last year. Epic Theatre Ensemble presents Richard III: Born With Teeth, a contemporary take on William Shakespeare’s Richard III, at the Pershing Square Signature Center.
The overall cast was made up of about ten actors playing a grand total of about thirty roles. James Wallert (Othello Off-Broadway) leads the cast as the title role of Richard III, the revenge seeking and crippled villain. Wallert sends shivers down the audience’s spine every time he is hatching one of his devious plans although there was no way to that he was crippled until he took off his shirt, which is the driving forces of a lot of Richard’s motives. Melissa Friedman (Much Ado About Nothing Off-Broadway) as Elizabeth, overall Friedman was very boring to watch and her scenes and monologues were very daunting to sit through. Lanna Joffrey (Measure for Measure at the Public) played the haunting peanut gallery Margaret. Something that was interesting about this production is that they brought Margaret into it and made her presence more then known. In the play previous to this one Margaret dies and leaves a curse and so her constant presence and flashbacks really made the action on stage really stand out. Joffrey took the stage and made sure the audience knew she was there with stealing attention, very haunting and creepy. Carra Paterson (Wit) played the lovely Lady Anne. Paterson had the audience rooting for her during the scene when Richard is hitting on her but she also had the audience feeling bad for her when everything turns around on her.
Talk about theater on a budget and there was no way to hide it, but this team worked with what they had and it payed off. Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams did the set design, The set was a very pale grey consisting of some levels and two columns, making it easy for the locations and movement easy for the actors. Cat Tate Starmer did the very interesting light design. This contemporary interpretation relied heavily on the drastic light changes to pass time along with intense rock music from Ron Russell’s intense sound design. Ron Russell also directed this interpretation and might have missed the bar ever so slightly with these design choice. Because of the fast changes and awkward movement, it made the play very hard to follow at some points.
So if you are looking for something new and dont want to sit through another same old long Shakespeare play check out Richard III: Born With Teeth, a contemporary take on William Shakespeare’s Richard III, plays at the Pershing Square Signature Center until May 4th.

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Orphans @ The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre

“Orphans” was written in 1983 by Lyle Kessler, who grew up in Philadelphia and left when he was around 20 to pursue a career in acting, then branched out to write plays and screenplays, including a film version of “Orphans.” The play has been widely performed -– Philadelphia Theatre Company was an early producer, a few years after its initial staging in Los Angeles – but it has never appeared on Broadway until now.
Two orphaned brothers are living in a decrepit North Philadelphia row house. Treat, the eldest, supports his damaged younger sibling by petty thievery, and makes the house a virtual prison for the seemingly simple-minded Phillip. One night he kidnaps a rich older man, Harold, who turns out to have his own motives and becomes the father figure the boys have always yearned for.
In being such a small cast, this play needs three strong actors to really get into this rather confusing and intense play. Unfortuntly when casting, they missed the mark in more than one occasion. Alec Baldwin (TV’s 30 Rock) played Harold, an ex-orphan who happened to find his own way and started a good life for himself and in the end becoming very wealthy. Its clear as to why Baldwin wanted to take on this role, it because its no different or challenging from any character that anyone has ever seen him play, which resulted in an extremely boring performance and some of the worst drunk acting to ever hit stage. Ben Foster played Treat, a violent and headstrong orphan who is taking care of his little brother Philip and Harold tries to help. Foster tries really hard to be frighting and intimidating but it was hard to believe that he had any kind of murderous bone in his body.After watching Baldwins and Fosters performance together, it was clear that maybe the director and producers replaced the wrong actor. Thank God for Tom Sturridge who portrayed Philip, Treats younger brother who has special needs and doesn’t ever leave the house. Sturridge’s performance was fun yet had warm heart felt notes behind it, clearly you don’t have to be a big name to be good.


Pretty much the full design team from Tony Award willing play Good People comes back together to get this production of the ground, unfortunately this time it was a swing and a miss. Daniel Sullivan(Good People) directed, and man was the action uncleared and unjustified, the space was used well but only because he had Tom Sturridge’s jumping around everywhere. Also he didnt even have them use the most interesting part of Jon Lee Beatty’s(Good People) set which was the up stairs bedrooms, as soon as the curtain went up the audience was wondering whats going to happen up there? Well don’t get your hopes up because its nothing. Between Beatty’s set and Pat Philips (Good People) light’s, this production had nothing visually pleasing to look at. A shame.
ORPHANS is playing in a limited run through June 30, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, on 45th Street near Eighth Avenue, New York City.

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Jeykll and Hyde @ The Marquis Theatre

Although its’ initial Broadway run in 1997 lasted three and a half years, the pop-rock adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic horror tale received reviews nothing less than mediocre. Unfortunately, this production is not much better.

The American Idol winner, Constantine Maroulis, brings star power to the lead roles of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and delivers a confident and sometimes passionate performance. Marouslis handles Mr. Wildhorn’s score with the intensity that builds as the show progresses to its tragic end. On the other hand, his less than perfect English accent and acting detract from his performance. The Grammy Award winning R&B artist, Deborah Cox is worthy of the standing ovations she received. Beautiful to look at as the ill-fated prostitute, Lucy, she provides the audience with some of the show’s most powerful moments. Her dark and lustrous voice enables her to provide the emotion and intensity her role requires. Teal Wicks, combines power and grace, vocally and visually to deliver a beautiful performance as the innocent fiancée of Dr. Jekyll.

Set and costume designer, Tobin Ost and light designer, Jeff Croiter provide the audience with costumes reminiscent of the Victorian Era, and sets yet memorable are amateurish, something more like one would see at a community theater.


Despite its cult following, the 2012 revival of Jekyll and Hyde, hits the mark on some levels but misses on others. The tale of a young scientist trying to separate good and evil by experimenting on himself, while visually stimulating and well casted, lacks the power and thrills to be a smash. But despite its good qualities this interatation should have stayed on tour, it was in no way Broadway material.

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Motown The Musical @ The Lunt-Fontanne Theater

If you are going to do the classics, you had better do them right. So when portraying the golden age of Motown, who better to bring the songs that shaped a generation to Broadway then Berry Gordy himself? For decades Gordy brought music into the world that gave its fans hope in a time when it seemed as though nothing would ever be the same. Through the blessings of a talented cast, crew, and some of the greatest inspiration in music, Gordy with the help of director Charles Randolph-Wright (Love/Life) bring the spirit of Motown back to a world that is desperate for true music.
As the greats come back for Motown’s 25th year anniversary the character of Berry Gordy, played by Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple) takes the audience all the way back to Hitsville, U.S.A. Back when Smokey Robinson wasn’t a household name, the Temptations hadn’t recorded “My Girl” and the “No-hit” Supremes were fresh out of high school. In a truly inspirational and jaw dropping production all the classics come out to play; Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Marvelettes, The Jackson 5 – you name them, they were there. The audience sang along to every song, clapped every time a new character was introduced, the energy was charged, and one couldn’t help being transported back in time.
Brandon Victor Dixon is not only a wonder to watch, but a wonder to listen to. He is the soul of the show, the peak of a talented cast and the perfect partner for Valisia LeKae (The Book of Mormon), who played Diana Ross. LeKae was charming, enticing, and embraced the soul of the great Diana quite beautifully. Charl Brown (Jersey Boys), who played a heart-warming Smokey Robinson, was incredibly funny and a true joy to watch. Then of course the spirited Bryan Terrell Clark, who is making his Broadway debut in Motown the Musical, lent the ever radical and always changing view of the infamous Marvin Gaye. And naturally what would Motown be without the Jackson 5? Led by Raymond Luke, Jr., the group left the audience in awe with every song performed exactly as the original group had done. Luke brought the magic of the late, great King of Pop to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and that ladies and gentleman was an amazing sight.
Go see it, and take it all in; the lights, the costumes, the set, the music. Go see how a generation was formed, and how Berry Gordy’s music changed the world. Notice how there is not one actor who does not embody their character; there is not one dull moment, not one dance step out of time, not one wrong note. This is Motown; you are part of the family, part of the history, and part of the love.

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F#%king Up Everything @ The Elektra Theatre

Every feel like you just cant do anything right? Kind of like nothing ever goes right for you? Kind of like you’re…….Fucking up Everything? Well, David Eric Davis and Sam Forman feel like that, so much that they wrote an enitre musical about how a group of people not only fuck up their own lives but also the people around them. F#%cking Up Everything is playing at the Elektra Theatre in the middle of Time Scare.
F#@king Up Everything is a rock musical comedy with heart. Set in today’s Brooklyn indie music scene, it is an old-fashioned boy-meets-girl love story for the 21st Century. When these hipsters aren’t true to who they are, they fuck up everything. Especially love. And no one fucks up more than children’s puppeteer Christian Mohammed Schwartzelberg when he meets singer-songwriter Juliana, the girl of his dreams.
This cast is full of extreme and ridiculous undiscovered talent that this theater is barely able to keep together. Lisa Birnbaum plays the sex driven music producer with high standards and tight cloths. Birnbaum doesn’t make her appearance until about half way through the show but when she does, she arrives with great stamina and destroys the stage with her anthem “Fuck-It List”. Dawn Cantwell (Dogfight) plays the cute, quirky, hipster-geek Ivy. Cantwell steals the audiences heart as she struggles with feelings for her best friend Jake and he actual boyfriend Tony. Katherine Cozumel plays the free-spirited, hippie Juliana. Cozumel making her New York debut and fresh out of collage holds her own with in the new high energy show, simply wonderful. Max Crumm(Grease) makes his return to the New York stage as leading man Christen the awkward puppeteer nerd. Crumm is hysterical and just the perfect about of socially awkward. Jason Gotay (Bring It On: The Musical) plays Jake, the hot bad boy and best friends with nerd boy Christen. Gotay starts off the musical with a bang singing the title song, “Fucking Up Everything”, and keeps up that outrageous energy throughout the entire performance. Rounding out the cast is Douglas Widick as Tony and George Salazar (Godspell) as Drummer. Widick and Salazar provide a secret love story that takes the audience by surprise, adorable.
Jen Wineman is responsible for making this ridiculous show look good. Being the Director and Choreography of this production, she would be to blame if anything went wrong or didn’t look right; but she took this strange rock musical by storm and knocked it out of the park. Deb O did the set design, and she had to face a whole new string of problems, such as how to make it appear as if they were in different places in such a small theater. O sure enough was able to pull it off by having things open and moving a car seat around for a change of scenery, without actually changing anything on stage. Joel E. Silver (Hair) did the light design, and he kept it nice and simple which let the material of this over the top musical stand out.
So if in the city and feeling ambitious head over to the Elektra Theatre and don’t miss out on the Indie Rock Musical, Located in the middle of Time Scare, NYC’s year round haunted house.

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Honkey @ Urban Stages

WARNING: If Easily Offended Please Keep Clear Of Urban Stage’s HONKEY!

In a matter of a hundred and five minutes Greg Kalleres manages to fit every racial slur and offensive comment into his new comedy Honkey(does the title give anything away?). Truly nothing goes unexplored and no boundary is left uncrossed as the audience is witness to a story of how to use racial profiling to sell basketball shoes. Multiple character story lines intertwine in the aftermath of a murder of a young black man that was inspired by a sneaker add put forth by Sky Shoes.
The show surrounds around racism and the idea that everyone is a racist; if you think you are one - you are, if you think you’re not one - you are. No one is safe from this train of thought – quite literally everyone in this show is a racist. And to add to the ridiculous nature of this play, if everyone is a racist then there must be a “cure”.
LADIES AND GENTLEMAN – Introducing DRISCOTOL – the miracle “cure” to racism. But watch out, there are side effects.
The show starts out with an advertisement for the new SkyMax 16 basketball shoes. A shout out goes to Catie Hevner (Triassic Parq) for the projections that provided an interesting look to the show; using a simple set and relying on these projections to really set the scenes. As we come into the shows “corporate America”, we are introduced to Thomas, played by Anthony Gaskins (A Little Journey), the designer of the shoes in the commercial. Gaskins was enjoyable to watch with a decent sense of comedic timing, yet in his portrayal of this character he would at times present a “black man voice” during which his diction became loose and any point being made was lost to the audience. We are also introduced to Davis, the CEO/former CEO of Sky Shoes, played by Phillip Callen (Hard Times: An American Musical). Davis, when faced with his own racism seems at ease with it (anything to sell a shoe), but as the play progresses Callen becomes progressively more uncomfortable with the black members of the cast. Callen’s character has his funny moments and provides a laugh in these awkward situations.

As the play moves forward we find Peter, the writer of the SkyMax16 commercial and his fiancé Andie, played by Dave Droxler (The Man Who Laughs) and Danielle Faitelson (No Fear Shakespeare’s Richard III). Both actors add to the plays ridiculous and offensive track quite nicely. Peter, who is dealing with “white guilt”, begins to see a therapist and starts to unravel under the pressures of racism – making his path not always clear, but very funny, while Andie, whose dialogue is a times confused but provides a ditzy, naïve humor, begins to have an affair with Thomas.
And then of course there is the therapist Emilia, played by Arie Bianca Thompson. Described as a black girl embracing her whiteness, Thompson at first seems surrounded by this world without actually being invested in it. However as the play progresses we find that she is in fact one of the biggest racists in the show. And how does she deal with this? Driscotol of course!

Dr. Driscoll, played by Scott Barrow (33 Variations), has found the cure to racism in his magic pill Driscotol, which Thompson’s, Callen’s, and Droxler’s characters all begin taking. Probably the shining moments in this play are the hallucinations that ensue as a side-effect of this drug. In terms of Callen, Davis is subjected to judgment by Frederick Douglas, although apparently Davis feels that it is appropriate to have Mr. Douglas speak in “gangster” terms. Douglas becomes the stereotypical gangster. This interaction is extremely offensive, but that stops no one from laughing. And then of course what would a play about racism and basketball shoes be without Abraham Lincoln? Think I’m kidding, I’m not. This gloriously ridiculous show not only provides one historical figure but two. And just to add a cherry onto this sundae it appears that Mr. Kalleres decided if Fredrick Douglas was going to be a gangster, Abraham Lincoln was going to be a pervert because it’s an obvious choice.
All in all this show was hysterical and truly enjoyable to watch. However if the point was to get across some higher purpose of equality or serious message of racism then they need to try again.

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Breakfast at Tiffany’s @ Cort Theater

Sometimes, it is not always best if the guy gets the girl. Richard Greenberg’s adaptation of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s shows a young writer’s struggle, Fred, to overcome his seemingly hopeless love for his magnetic neighbor, Holly Golighty. This production is quite artistically dynamic, and does a wonderful job of telling a classic story.
When most people think Breakfast at Tiffany’s, they immediately think of the image of Audrey Hepburn wearing sunglasses in the 1961 movie. This production was based on Truman Capote’s novella, which tells a slightly different story. Many of the iconic scenes, like the scene in which Holly talks about the cat not having a name, are in the play. It is important however for audience members to remember that it is going to be different and not to expect a line by line reenactment of the film version.
With that said, different is not always a bad thing, especially in the case of this production. One of the most successful aspects of this show was the scenic design, done by Derek McLane. The apartments and the bar were both had very intricate and realistic design, but the truly impressive part was how the set was changed. Large panels were moved across stage with images of buildings projected on them, making the characters seem as though they were moving through the city. Projection designer Wendell K Harrington deserves a lot of credit nfor this as well, as the projections fit the style of the show very well, and the building projections had a very 50s feel to them.
Another area of the show that was very strong was the acting. Corey Michael Smith makes his Broadway debut in this play as Fred, and it almost certainly will not be his last performance on the great white way. Fred is a young writer trying to find his way through the city, and Smith does a wonderful job of finding the innocence of the character and his inability to catch up to the city life as fast as he should be in the beginning of the play. He is easy to relate to, and his love for Holly can be very sad at times. As the protagonist of this play, Smith does a great job of guiding the audience through the story, and his narrations do a great deal to clarify a story that could be a little confusing without him guiding the way.
Playing opposite of Smith was actress Emilia Clarke (HBO’s Game of Thrones), who played Holly Golightly. Clarke’s performance was spot on. She was just Hepburnish enough to keep the avid movie fans in the audience happy, and was also able to find her own ways to make the character of Holly as loveable and completely magnetic as she needs to be for this story to work.
Probably the most famous member of this ensemble is George Wendt of Cheers fame, who played the character of bartender Joe Bell. Joe Bell is the voice of reason Fred’s life, and Wendt does a very good job trying to steer Fred in the right direction. There is a strong sincerity in his performance, it shows a different side of him than that which fans of Cheers are used to.
Although the play is quite different than the movie, it is most assuredly a play that is worth going to New York to see. It is a touching love story, and audiences of almost any age will be able to take something away from this play.

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