VIEWPOINTS – Potent weekend excursions: Alice Ripley freewheels at GR42 and Bill T. Jones’s AFTERWARDSNESS chronicles the pandemic and BLM through dance

This weekend, I got to two in-person performances – one an intimate cabaret, the other a large-scale dance piece – both of which I found to be downright beguiling. As … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Basking in an eclectic array of joyous outdoor performances via DOWNTOWN LIVE & RESTART STAGES

Coinciding with some spectacular spring weather this May are a pair of outdoor performing arts festivals, each of which have programmed an eclectic array of acts – all free of … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – 54 BELOW PREMIERES’s spring season features Jeremy Jordan & Marilyn Maye, who both command the virtual cabaret stage

During the pandemic, the gold standard for the virtual conveyance of cabaret has been Feinstein’s/54 Below’s “54 Below Premieres” series (previous wintertime offerings include Laura Osnes’s Broadway Princess Holiday Concert, … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Women of hip-hop and musical theater showcase their magnificence: WORD. SOUND. POWER. & Sutton Foster et al. in BRING ME TO LIGHT

Over the past week or so, I had the opportunity of streaming a pair of virtual concerts that – although drastically contrasting – both showcased the magnificence of women. Presented … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – The evolution of the leading man: John Cullum and Michael Longoria salute Broadway in their heartfelt cabaret acts, virtually and in-person

Many of us have been itching to get back into a Broadway theater to experience the thrill of musical theater in all its glory. That day will soon come, but … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The fabulous Lillias White re-opens GR42 and welcomes back in-person cabaret at long last with a rousing, upbeat set

This past weekend marked the first time that performance venues were allowed to present live shows since the pandemic hit. Among the first establishments to participate in this cautious reopening … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A miracle on 23rd Street: Street-side performances at the cell and ChaShaMa whet the appetite for the long-awaited awakening of the performing arts

Last weekend, as I roamed about Chelsea, I encountered a pair of short performances on West 23rd Street that gave me a jolt of excitement. Because of their pent-up, infectious … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Barn Theatre’s THE SECRET SOCIETY OF LEADING LADIES: A rousing curate-your-own-concert powered by divas in the making

One of the benefits of in-person performance is how it demands complete engagement from attendees. Cabaret performances in particular can be intoxicatingly enticing experiences — both literally and figuratively — … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Andy Einhorn and company give a heartfelt salute to Jerry Herman in YOU I LIKE

Last night, glass of wine in hand, I had the pleasure of sitting back and enjoying You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman, Pasadena Playhouse’s entertaining and balanced … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Signature Theatre’s aptly titled SIMPLY SONDHEIM lets the master’s songs speak for themselves

Last night, I capped off my evening curling up with Simply Sondheim, Signature Theatre’s wonderfully performed revue of Stephen Sondheim songs. The virtual production launches Signature’s 5-show digital season, which … Continue Reading →