VIEWPOINTS – Chekhov, boldly remixed: Dmitry Krymov’s UNCLE VANYA, SCENES FROM COUNTRY LIFE and Alexander Molochnikov’s SEAGULL: TRUE STORY

Earlier this week, I enjoyed a deliciously improbable doubleheader of Chekhov riffing that included spending the afternoon with Dmitry Krymov’s refocused Uncle Vanya, scenes from country life at La MaMa, … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – New musicals that are throwbacks: York Theatre’s MONTE CRISTO and Maltby & Shire’s trilogy capping revue ABOUT TIME

This spring, theatergoers can essentially travel back in time by attending two new musicals whose respective craft harkens back to musicals of the 1990s and the aughts. As per usual, … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Early Shakespeare and Chekhov, masterfully treated: Red Bull’s visceral TITUS ANDRONICUS and New American Ensemble’s riveting IVANOV

In an intriguing development this spring theater season, you’ll find two largely passed over early works by William Shakespeare and Anton Chekhov receiving masterful treatments Off-Broadway. These would be Red … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Dance roundup: HUBBARD STREET DANCE returns to The Joyce, MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP performs at BAM

The past week saw the return of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago to The Joyce Theater, as well as Mark Morris Dance Group perform at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Here … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – In search of relevance: Deconstructing the classics in Teatro La Plaza’s HAMLET and Peculiar Works Project’s ANTIGONE IN ANALYSIS

Over the past week or so, I was able to take in a pair of productions that searched for relevance in classic warhorses of Western Drama — specifically, Shakespeare’s Hamlet … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Tapping into the universality of domestic discord: Jeena Yi’s JESA and James Caverly & Andrew Morrill’s TRASH

American drama isn’t a stranger to depicting domestic discord, which can be found in many of the works of such playwrights as Eugene O’Neill, Arthur Miller, and Edward Albee. Currently … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Assessing world premiere compositions: THE WEALTH OF NATIONS at NY Phil and SINS & GRACE at MasterVoices

Assessing new compositions — particularly world premieres — is tricky business. Indeed, it usually takes at least two listens to fully grasp the scope and craft of newly-minted handiworks. Given … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Working through grief through song: Taking a look at Ruthie Ann Miles’ PERFECT IMPERFECT and the Bengsons’ MY JOY IS HEAVY

For practitioners of music theater, arguably the best way to process emotional trauma is through their craft, particularly through song and the act of storytelling. This therapeutic exercise was exemplified … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Led by a jaw-dropping Jasmine Amy Rogers, the Encores! revival of LaChiusa’s THE WILD PARTY is drop dead thrilling

Currently over at New York City Center, you’ll find an absolutely drop dead thrilling Encores! revival of The Wild Party. Here’s some background. Somehow way back during the 1999-2000 theater … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE concludes a somewhat truncated spring season anchored by a pair of story ballets

Anchored by a pair of story ballets, American Ballet concluded its somewhat truncated spring season this past weekend at the David H. Koch Theater. I was able to attend two … Continue Reading →