VIEWPOINTS – Three immersive Off-Broadway musicals with unique reasons to sing: SLAM FRANK at the Orpheum, SOON at St. Luke’s, and BEYOND THE STARDUST at The Flea

Thus far this fall, you’ll be able be able to experience three new Off-Broadway musicals that have compelling — albeit very different — reasons to burst into song. Together, they … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – New Off-Broadway plays with distressed points of view: Joshua Owen’s HUMAN THINGS and Katie Cappiello’s THE BODY OF MARY

Over the past week, I encountered a pair of new Off-Broadway plays with distressed points of view, together indicating the fraught state of our collective psyche during these uncertain times. … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jocelyn Bioh’s SCHOOL GIRLS arrives on Broadway, brighter and more sobering than ever

After nearly a decade — including two successful Off-Broadway runs (courtesy of MCC Theater) and a number of regional productions — Mean Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play by … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Led by the singular David Greenspan, Tom Stoppard’s THE INVENTION OF LOVE is revived with passion and intelligence

This weekend, The Map’s intimate revival of Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love wraps up performances at TheaterLab (luckily, I was able to catch the sold out production earlier this … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Semi-staged reunion concerts with a purpose: Legacies at San Juan Hill brings new meaning to SHUFFLE ALONG, commemorating 9/11 via COME FROM AWAY

This September, I was able to take in a pair of semi-staged reunion concerts that throbbed with purpose. Here are my thoughts on Legacies of San Juan Hill Festival’s starry … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Suspending downward spirals through the empathetic act of transformation: Sarah Jones’s AMERICA, WHO HURT YOU? and Jacob Ming-Trent’s HOW SHAKESPEARE SAVED MY LIFE

Then there’s a pair of autobiographical solo shows that suspend psychological downward spirals — at least temporarily — through the empathetic act of transformation and storytelling. These would be Sarah … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Chekhov and Molière, relevantly revived: Simon Stone’s wide-angle THE CHERRY ORCHARD at the Armory, Molière in the Park’s free DON JUAN in Prospect Park

As the theater season kicks into full gear, here’s a look back at a pair of notable productions of Chekhov and Molière warhorses that bridged the gap between the summer … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Absurdity, expertly rendered, in Arlekin Players’ Ionesco adaptation DELIRIUM and Hell in a Handbag’s QUEEN FOR A DAY

Absurdity and a spontaneous sense of play have always been some of live theater’s most alluring calling cards. Even more so than other art forms, conjured chaos in performance spaces … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Bringing communities together through theatrical public spectacle: Participating in PUBLIC RECORD and RETURN OF THE BUFFALO

In recent weeks, I participated in a couple of public theatrical spectacles that brought New York communities together in wonderfully meaningful ways. Here are my thoughts on Public Record at … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Legendary downtown drag queens relive past glories, gloriously: TAYLOR MAC at the Delacorte, JOEY ARIAS at HERE

Over the past week or so, I had the great privilege of basking in the presence of a pair of legendary downtown drag queens, both of whom have returned to … Continue Reading →