THE HANGOVER REPORT – Duncan MacMillan’s LUNGS stealthily mulls over humanity’s environmental endgame vis-à-vis a mundane romance

Somehow, Lungs by Duncan MacMillan (1984; People, Places and Things; The Effect) managed to elude my theatergoing over the last decade. When the play premiered in 2011, it unfortunately flew … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Powerful digital revivals of Brian Friel’s FAITH HEALER and MOLLY SWEENEY reveal a master at work

I recently had the opportunity to stream a pair of exceptionally acted Brian Friel plays, Faith Healer and Molly Sweeney. Experiencing these ravishing – albeit slow-burning – shows back-to-back revealed … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Mark O’Rowe’s expertly-acted THE APPROACH, heavily informed by Pinter, is one of the many Irish plays currently on view

It seems we’re awash in Irish drama these days, the result of a welcome congruence in virtual programming. In my opinion, few pleasures are more satisfying on a winter’s day … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Despite the times, impactful new opera and music theater continue to enrich PROTOTYPE

Those of you who think opera is an antiquated art form with little relevancy should look no further than Prototype, the annual festival celebrating new opera and music theater, which … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A roundup of the Public Theater’s digital 2021 UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL

This time last year, I was furiously hopping from show to show as I immersed myself in the city’s various “experimental” (for a lack of a better term) performing arts … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – The spirit of the Broadway musical persists in RATATOUILLE: THE TIKTOK MUSICAL and JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY

Although live/in-person theater is becoming an increasingly distant memory, the irrepressible spirit of the Broadway musical persists in other mediums. Here are my thoughts on two of these hybrid endeavors. … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – THE BEST OF 2020: Theater, Music/Cabaret, and Dance

In all respects, 2020 was a stunted year, and few industries was hit harder than the performing arts. Nonetheless, out of the rubble, defiant gems arose – sometimes in the … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Facing adversity, together: Bristol Old Vic’s MESSIAH and the Almeida’s NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS

To close out this decimated year, I chose to stream a pair of somber productions from across the pond – both reflective, clear-eyed monuments to an unprecedented 2020. Nowhere in … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – ON POINTE on Disney Plus is an inspiring ode to the capacity of children and young adults to thrive

Yesterday, I binge-watched Disney Plus‘s new documentary series On Pointe, which chronicles a year at the prestigious School of American Ballet (“SAB”). Closely associated with the world renowned New York … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Highly anticipated stage-to-screen adaptations: A searingly acted MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM and a faithfully transcribed THE PROM

December was a big month for major stage-to-screen adaptations. Indeed, much to the delight of locked-down theater fans, the recent weeks saw the Netflix premieres of the highly anticipated film … Continue Reading →