THE HANGOVER REPORT – The Met revives Mark Morris’s inspired hybrid staging of Gluck’s ORFEO ED EURIDICE starring Anthony Roth Costanzo

For my final production of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2023/2024 season, I chose to show up for Gluck’s masterpiece Orfeo ed Euridice, the composer’s take on the ubiquitous ancient Greek tale … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – José Rivera’s new play THE HOURS ARE FEMININE articulates the painful process of assimilation

Undoubtedly one of the prominent Puerto Rican playwrights of his generation, José Rivera has had a long and illustrious career in the theater (I still remember first seeing his wild … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Over at Birdland, the legendary KAREN AKERS gives a master class in the art of cabaret

Earlier this week on Memorial Day proper, I had the great pleasure of catching the great Karen Akers perform her cabaret act Water Under the Bridge at Birdland Jazz Club. To say … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – In her glorified cabaret confessional NOBODY CARES, Laura Benanti speaks and sings her truth

Currently over at Off-Broadway’s Minetta Lane Theatre, you’ll be able to catch Laura Benanti in her theatrical memoir Nobody Cares, which has returned to the West Village venue for an … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – In her acclaimed HA HA HA HA HA HA HA, Julia Masli channels her inner extraterrestrial clown-cum-therapist

This past weekend, I was able to catch up with Julia Masli’s Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. A huge hit across the pond both at the Edinburgh Fringe … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Maestro Jaap van Zweden commences his farewell as Music Director of the NY PHILHARMONIC

This week, Maestro Jaap van Zweden commenced his official farewell as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic (he assumed the coveted position just in 2018). Over the course of … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich’s HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES: Gauging culpability through photographs

Pictures are worth a thousand words. These famous words of wisdom have been taken to heart with gusto by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich in their new play Here There … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks kicks off with USUS, T. Adamson’s caustic riff on religious devotion

Over the years, Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks has become an ideal incubator of playwrights, attracting some of the city’s most exciting actors, designers, and directors to support up-and-coming theatrical voices. More … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A recap of recent contemporary operas: Huang Ruo’s AN AMERICAN SOLDIER at PAC NYC and reassessing Kevin Puts’s THE HOURS at The Met

Over the past week or so, I had the opportunity to take in two notable contemporary opera productions, the New York premiere of Huang Ruo’s An American Soldier at the … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A pair of beguiling original musicals open Off-Broadway: Dave Malloy’s THREE HOUSES and Zoe Sarnak’s THE LONELY FEW

Last night, a pair of beguiling new musicals opened Off-Broadway, both of which distinguish themselves for being completely original (i.e., not based on pre-existing books, films, albums, etc.). As per … Continue Reading →