You may recall how distressed I am that as Broadway becomes more tourist dependent it also more closely resembles a theme park attraction where productions are geared to be flashy events that a city visitor must see on their vacation to the Big Apple. Indeed more than half the current Broadways venues are tied up … Continue reading Review – SpongeBob SquarePants the Broadway Musical
Playwriting
25% off an Off Broadway play
Going to be in New York during the month of June? See an Off-Broadway show at the Flea Theatre and save 25% off your ticket. Below are some details. It runs from June 6 through June 30 and I will supply other details in the coming weeks. To use your discount us this live link … Continue reading 25% off an Off Broadway play
33% off an upcoming show
Mark your calendars, reserve your tickets and use your discount code! The Players Theatre Short Play and Musical Festival runs from June 7-24. My play TAKE WING runs in the middle week, June 14-17. Take Wing is an award winning short play with a terrific director and cast for this production in its New York … Continue reading 33% off an upcoming show
Review – Happy Birthday, Wanda June
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. has long been one of my favorite novelists. Through my high school and college years his quirky world view thrilled me and I have read Slaughterhouse Five many times. He wrote a play that was made into a movie, neither of which I have seen but were vaguely aware of. The Wheelhouse … Continue reading Review – Happy Birthday, Wanda June
Quick update on TAKE WING
My short play TAKE WING takes the stage at the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village. Mark your calendar. Performances are Thursday, June 14 - Saturday, June 16 at 7 PM and Sunday, June 17 at 3 PM. Shows in the series tend to sell out quickly so buy your tickets now at http://www.shortplaynyc.com. Use the … Continue reading Quick update on TAKE WING
Review – Carousel
Rodgers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL is one of the American Musical Theatre's seminal works and one of my favorite musicals. The current production at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway is a great (if dance heavy) work. They seem to have added extended dance breaks and while talented, the dance sections weigh down the show. In addition … Continue reading Review – Carousel
Review – The Iceman Cometh
Anytime I get the chance to see Eugene O'Neill on stage I am happy. This production of The Iceman Cometh is a terrific production, directed by wonderfully by George C. Wolfe. Amazingly the star turn by Denzel Washington is not a preening look at me self centered STAR guy. The script is the star and … Continue reading Review – The Iceman Cometh
Review – Saint Joan
We are fortunate in New York to have not-for-profits on Broadway to do Bernard Shaw's SAINT JOAN. The size of the cast alone would deter commercial producers as well as an earnest script by a playwright from early last century. Sure you can find this in regional theatre and university, but not on Broadway. I'm … Continue reading Review – Saint Joan
TONY Award Nominations
The 2018 TONY Awards were announced yesterday. With my love of theater and Broadway, I have seen a majority of the nominations but not all. There were no shocks or surprises this year. There were a number of great productions on the boards this season and the TONY Award show on June 10 should be … Continue reading TONY Award Nominations
TAKE WING in the next Players Theater festival
I've just gotten word that my short play TAKE WING has been invited to be part of the Short Play Festival at the Players Theatre in the Village in June - Only in New York edition. There are three weeks of programming and we will find out which slot we will be part of very … Continue reading TAKE WING in the next Players Theater festival
Review – Lobby Hero
First note: Catch this play on Broadway soon as it closes on May 13. The production, performers and playwright all require your attention. Second note: Welcome Second Stage Theatre to Broadway. I have been a fan of your offerings for decades and now that you are bringing living American Playwrights to the Main Stem, I … Continue reading Review – Lobby Hero
Review – Travesties
Tom Stoppard is one of my favorite playwrights. The intellectual twists and turns come pouring at you as from a fire hose. His plays are incredibly crafted, carefully assembled tours de force that are a mental workout that I absolutely love. Travesties was written in the 1970's and sprang from Mr. Stoppard's discoveries that an … Continue reading Review – Travesties
National Talk Like Shakespeare Day
Today's National Day coincides with the anniversary of the Bard's Birth in 1564. Of course we need to Brush Up Your Shakespeare even if you Hate Shakespeare (Name the two musicals!). He is truly the fountainhead of English Playwriting. There is no escaping him in theatre so homage must be paid. However, today's Speak Like … Continue reading National Talk Like Shakespeare Day
Review – Children of a Lesser God
You would think that having seen as many stage productions as I have that by now I would have seen just about everything. Not quite. I did not see earlier mountings or the movie of Children of a Lesser God but I saw the most recent Broadway version last night. Of course I knew about … Continue reading Review – Children of a Lesser God
Review – Once on this Island
Don't miss this joyful expression of love and loss at one of my favorite Broadway venues. Once on the Island is a remounting of a Lynn/Flaherty story taking place in one of the French Antilles. Accordingly the stage is covered in sand and the entire theatre is dressed in poor but vibrant environment of the … Continue reading Review – Once on this Island
Review – Harry Clarke
Every actor and playwright I know should hurry to the Minetta Lane Theatre to see the production of Harry Clarke performed by Billy Crudup before it closes mid-May. Discounts abound and there is no reason to miss this incredible work. Mr. Crudup has long been one of my favorite stage actors and I have just … Continue reading Review – Harry Clarke
My first published play
I had noted earlier that one of my ten minute plays had been selected to be published and represented by http://www.seniortheatre.com. Well, the new catalogue is out and my play "At The Diner With Dad" is in it! So if you want a copy to can order from there and if you want to produce … Continue reading My first published play
World Theatre Day
Today is World Theatre Day, an opportunity to celebrate every facet of this very human storytelling medium. Theatre has defined my life since I caught the bug in high school and so I am featuring a photo of my high school auditorium below. Or at least it feels that long ago. With the inspiration of … Continue reading World Theatre Day
Review – Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Perestroika
I saw the original Broadway production of "Angels in America" in the early 90's. While clearly an important work by a talented playwright at the time I felt it too self-indulgent and wildly unedited as work for the stage. At the same time it was clearly an important work and I was never bored or … Continue reading Review – Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Perestroika
Review – The Band’s Visit
Some people going to a Broadway show simply need to see chandeliers crashing or big brass bands playing to believe they got their money's worth. They should not go to see The Band's Visit currently at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The Band's Visit is a simple story of human longing and desires, living and loving, … Continue reading Review – The Band’s Visit
Review – Escape to Margaritaville
I am always dubious about jukebox musicals and a new one has washed ashore based on songs by Jimmy Buffet at the Marquis Theatre. Scripts for these affairs have to be twisted around the canon being celebrated to fit lyrics never intended to be linked into a storyline and in this case is twisted into … Continue reading Review – Escape to Margaritaville
Review – Farinelli and the King
My only regret about seeing the new play at the Belasco Theatre - Farinelli and the King - is that I didn't see it earlier in its run so that I could give you more time to see it based on my recommendation ( it closes March 25). Playwright Claire van Kampen has written a … Continue reading Review – Farinelli and the King
Review – The Picture of Dorian Gray
While we seldom get to Brooklyn to see theater we make a special trip to see performers who have performed in my plays directed by Pamela. So we were excited to see Sophie Larin in The Picture of Dorian Gray mounted by The Heights Players. Director Cameron McIntosh (no not Cameron Mackintosh, but I'll bet … Continue reading Review – The Picture of Dorian Gray
Review – Amy and the Orphans
A new play by Lindsey Ferrentino offers an interesting evening of theater. It addresses how persons with disabilities (in this case Down Syndrome) were treated back in the 1950's and how many years later siblings try to correct what was casually accepted so many decades ago. It wisely neither excuses institutionalizing children nor condones it … Continue reading Review – Amy and the Orphans
Review – Jerry Springer the Opera
The only times I have seen The Jerry Springer show has been at doctor's offices because it was on daytime TV as I waited for an appointment. I recognized what has become a meme immediately in the Off-Broadway show currently at the Signature Theater courtesy of The New Group. This show is pretty much a … Continue reading Review – Jerry Springer the Opera
