The Manhattan Theatre Club is introducing playwright Lucy Kirkwood to our shores in a transfer of the successful British production of her play The Children in their Broadway space The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. This is one of those reviews I hate to write. The performers Francesca Annis, Ron Cook and Deborah Findlay are terrific. … Continue reading Review – THE CHILDREN on Broadway
Theatre
Review – JUNK on Broadway
The Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center has become my go to place to have complicated concepts explained in riveting theater pieces. On my last visit I was thrilled by J.T. Roger's play OSLO which captivated me as it led me through the now doomed negotiations toward the two state solution between Israel and Palestine. … Continue reading Review – JUNK on Broadway
Review – Who’s Holiday
If you wonder what became of Cindy Lou Who, There is something that you simply must do. Save all of your pennies so you can pay to see the new comedy "Who's Holiday!" Not a surprise that the estate of Seuss the creator doesn't want you to see the show at Westside Theatre.* While the … Continue reading Review – Who’s Holiday
Review – The Parisian Woman
Uma Thurman is a luminous presence on stage who draws your interest without fail and without limit. She is an amazing performer who should return to Broadway on a regular basis. Sorry, that's all the good news. I had looked forward to this production because the playwright is Beau Willimon. He is the originator of … Continue reading Review – The Parisian Woman
Meanwhile in Lobster Village
I am going to be pretty busy this weekend and if you are in New York City I hope you can stop by Polaris North to see the show listed below. Grant Machan is a talented playwright who is showcasing three short plays on a related theme. I will be doing lights and sound for … Continue reading Meanwhile in Lobster Village
The Diamond as Big as the Ritz
This is not a review. Recently I saw an "industry reading" of a work in progress. It is a musical based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald novella. I had seen early drafts in reading group as the writing team developed the work and it was thrilling to see it being presented in one piece to … Continue reading The Diamond as Big as the Ritz
Review – Home for the Holidays
Two caveats for this review: I do not watch TV reality singing contests at all and so have no idea who these people are (old-timer Danny Aiello was a minor part of the evening and the only face I recognized). The other is that I saw the first preview and the sound mix was not … Continue reading Review – Home for the Holidays
Review – M. Butterfly
When David Henry Hwang's play M. BUTTERFLY opened in 1988 I did not see the original production. Several years later a group of actors, including myself, participated in a reading and discussion where I then lived in Florida. We were all enchanted by the work and the script has been one of my favorites ever … Continue reading Review – M. Butterfly
Review – OFFICE HOUR
The Public Theater is currently presenting a fascinating play by Julia Cho, OFFICE HOUR, which is inspired but flawed. It begins with two teachers warning another about a troubled student she is about to get in her class. The student has exhibited anti-social behavior and written violent diatribes for class assignments. The fear is that … Continue reading Review – OFFICE HOUR
Review – The Last Match
Been seeing my fair share of Roundabout shows recently. They are featuring THE LAST MATCH by Anna Ziegler at their Laura Pel stage. It is an interesting concept, following a tennis match in nearly real time between an aging tennis legend and an up and coming new star. Without rackets or balls they do a … Continue reading Review – The Last Match
Review – Time and the Conways
"There is a great devil in the universe and we call it time." One of the defining lines from the Roundabout Theatre's Broadway production of TIME AND THE CONWAYS. Sometimes I can be a lazy theater goer. Back in 1994 I saw a production of AN INSPECTOR CALLS by J.B. Priestly on Broadway. One of … Continue reading Review – Time and the Conways
My scripts in 2017
As 2017 winds down, time to take stock of how my scripts have done this year. While there is still a chance more will be accepted this year, less chance of any performances, readings or recognitions. Seven different scripts received a performance, reading or recognition this year and were featured in nine different productions and … Continue reading My scripts in 2017
Review – Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train
Signature Theatre is having quite a season remounting important American plays and re-introducing playwrights. I was thrilled to see their productions of Susan-Lori Parks' Red Letter Plays and they continue their streak with this seminal play by Stephen Adly Guirgis. The playwright has created a compelling work of the prison system and the burdens of … Continue reading Review – Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train
Review – Red Roses, Green Gold
What a fabulous show. The show at the Minetta Lane Theater has a trite, hackneyed and contrived plot that provides the perfect excuse to play Grateful Dead music live and boy, is it worth it. Grateful Dead music should be experienced live. The songs are primarily from two of their greatest albums, American Dream and … Continue reading Review – Red Roses, Green Gold
Your final chance to see Plays & Prestidigitation #9
Today at 3 PM is the final performance of Plays & Prestidigitation #9 - The FRIGHT Edition. If you haven't already seen it get to http://www.polarisnorth.org for more info and if you've already seen it - come see it again! This has been such a magical weekend and I have to thank the whole team … Continue reading Your final chance to see Plays & Prestidigitation #9
Come to see P&P #9!
If you are in New York today, come see Plays & Prestidigitation #9: The Fright Edition at 245 West 29th Street, Fourth Floor at 7:00 PM tonight (Saturday). Check out http://www.polarisnorth.org for details! Kudos to everyone who recognized this is not the correct show image - just checking to see if you are paying attention! … Continue reading Come to see P&P #9!
Opening Night for Plays and Prestidigitation #9 – The Fright Edition
If you are in New York I hope you will join us for our show at Polaris North Studio on 29th Street tonight and this weekend. It combines short plays and magical interludes. It will be a little scary, a little macabre, and lots of fun. There are several brand new short works and the … Continue reading Opening Night for Plays and Prestidigitation #9 – The Fright Edition
Review: The Portuguese Kid
Manhattan Theatre Club is presenting John Patrick Shanley's new play at their off-Broadway space at City Center. The efforts of the cast are notable, especially Jason Alexander and Sherie Rene Scott who work hard and keep the play surging forward. Unfortunately the script is a reminiscent of a TV sitcom that reaches hard and out … Continue reading Review: The Portuguese Kid
Players Theatre Boo! Short Play Festival
Recently I saw a performance of the Boo! Short Play Festival at The Players Theatre in Greenwich Village. It was an interesting batch of plays in a seasonal festival. A little uneven and somewhat odd selections for a "scary" festival. I really went to take in the efforts of several Polaris North members putting together … Continue reading Players Theatre Boo! Short Play Festival
A visit from my niece
Technically she wasn't visiting me, she was visiting New York City. I understand that. Before I moved to this town I did the same thing. She rode the bus with a young friend from the Mary Baldwin University Theater Department just to see The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. They were in town less … Continue reading A visit from my niece
Lessons in the Patriarchy
A lot going on lately in relations between the sexes. Harvey Weinstein, Roger Ailes, Donald Trump, and so much more. Lots of public and private figures learning lessons and sharing tales and fessing up. Much weighing in on social norms and what must change. I found it in a much smaller forum looking for images … Continue reading Lessons in the Patriarchy
Time Travel for Writers
As a playwright I am always obsessed with language. What a character in a certain situation, certain environment, certain time period would or could say. Not every reader is fact checking what I write, but an off tune word or phrase can take an audience out of the moment and is one of the biggest … Continue reading Time Travel for Writers
Review: MY SWOLLEN FEET
The 2017 NY Summerfest included a short play by Carrie Robbins, a theater costumer with extensive credits on and Off Broadway. Directed by Paul Dobie it featured the significant talents of Amanda Rose, Tony Naumovski, Thomas Leverton and David Modello. I have worked with Tony previously and he has always been extremely talented. I was … Continue reading Review: MY SWOLLEN FEET
Review: WAR PAINT on Broadway
Right off the bat I must tell you that I was skeptical of how much I would like WAR PAINT. After all it was about 20th Century make up tycoons and their business battles. Luckily it was better than I expected. I entered and won a lottery ticket contest and plunged in. The score, music, … Continue reading Review: WAR PAINT on Broadway
Plays and Prestidigitation #9 – The Fright Edition
If you are in New York City two weeks from today, I hope you will join me for Plays and Prestidigitation #9 - The Fright Edition. This is an occasional series I present at Polaris North, a co-operative of theater artists at 245 W 29th Street. We perform a group of short plays interspersed with … Continue reading Plays and Prestidigitation #9 – The Fright Edition
Walter Thinnes 
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