In heeding the advice mentor Lester Bangs gives young music journalist William Miller, the following comments will be “honest and unmerciful.” Fans of the movie “Almost Famous” released twenty-two years ago may have mixed feelings about the musical stage version now playing on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. On the one hand, book writer Cameron Crowe has religiously…
Some may say that Arthur Miller’s play “Death of a Salesman” may be the greatest play of the 20th century and there is evidence that supports that claim. It premiered on Broadway in 1949, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the TONY award for Best Play. The fifth Broadway revival is now playing at The Hudson Theatre starring Wendell…
Sometimes there is no reason to try and improve or change something which would adhere to the adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Adjusting, tweaking, or trying to improve things when they already work well, can spell disaster. By altering the original parts or embellishing the simplicity of the original, it may in fact complicate or confuse the…
In the current 20th anniversary production of “Topdog/Underdog,” Suzan Lori-Parks reminds the audience that when one does not receive unconditional and nonjudgmental love and chooses to disconnect from one’s cultural and family histories, things can and will go terribly wrong. From the first scene of the play currently running at the John Golden Theatre, it is evident that there is…
Applause Books is proud to announce the November 2022 release of Magic to Do (192 pages • 978-1-4930-6435-9• Hardback) by Elysa Gardner. In Magic to Do, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of Pippin’s opening, two-time Pulitzer Prize jury member Elysa Gardner turns her attention to this innovative show, the musical retelling of the story of Prince Pippin, son of Charlemagne,…
“Cost of living indexes are meant to compare the expenses an average person can expect to incur to acquire food, shelter, transportation, energy, clothing, education, healthcare, childcare, and entertainment in different regions.” – Investopedia The folks in Martyna Majok’s “Cost of Living,” currently running at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, are not “average people” and they experience the…
The box office for the critically lauded and wildly popular new musical, Kimberly Akimbo, will open on Wednesday, September 7 at 10 a.m. at the Booth Theatre (222 West 45th Street). The Booth Theatre box office will be open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm. After opening to rave reviews last fall, Kimberly Akimbo will begin previews on Broadway…
Tony and Grammy-nominated multi-platinum recording artist Josh Groban and Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford will both return to Broadway this spring in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, directed by Thomas Kail. Featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Hugh Wheeler, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will begin performances on February…
The most recent revival of the 1987 Broadway musical “Into the Woods” featuring music and lyrics from the late, great Stephen Sondheim is now making its triumphant return, playing at the St. James Theatre. It is without a doubt a fitting tribute to this musical theatre giant. Director Lear deBessonet has assembled an unrivaled cast of astute actors, who are…
The Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers and national publications, is pleased to announce the winners of the 71st Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards, honoring the 2021-2022 Broadway and Off-Broadway season. The Broadway play The Lehman Trilogy leads the pack with six wins, including Outstanding New Broadway Play, followed by…