THE HANGOVER REPORT – Chris Thile’s personable THE MANHATTAN VARIATIONS champions the city and a good cocktail

On an absolutely gorgeous summer night earlier this week, I had the opportunity of catching Chris Thile’s stab at a solo musical — The Manhattan Variations — at “The Amph” on Little … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Phillip Howze’s unruly SIX CHARACTERS explodes with ideas, harnessing Pirandello and Beckett for its own aims

Over at Lincoln Center Theater’s Claire Tow Theater, you’ll find LCT3’s production of Six Characters by Phillip Howze. A spin on Luigi Pirandello’s 1921 play Six Characters in Search of an … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Working through grief and loss: Doménica Feraud’s SOMEONE SPECTACULAR and John Collins’ IT’S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

This past weekend, I came across a pair of Off-Broadway plays that portrayed characters working through grief and loss — a topic that’s likely to strike a chord in many … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Based on true events, albeit in drastically divergent ways: THE MEETING: THE INTERPRETER and CELLINO V. BARNES

This week, I caught up with a pair of Off-Broadway two-handers that take their lead from true events — albeit in drastically divergent ways. As always, read on for my … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The Kennedy Center stylishly revives Maury Yeston’s NINE headlined by Stephen Pasquale

This past weekend, I took a field trip down to Washington, DC to catch the Kennedy Center’s highly anticipated revival of the Tony Award-winning musical Nine at the Eisenhower Theater. … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The busy new musical EMPIRE chronicles the erection of New York’s most iconic skyscraper

This summer, you’ll be able to find the new musical Empire enjoying an extended commercial Off-Broadway run at New World Stages. Featuring a score and book by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull, … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Speaking their truths: Nora Burns’ DAVID’S FRIEND and Scott Ehrenpreis’ CLOWNS LIKE ME

This past week or so, I’ve had the chance to catch up with a pair of theatrical memoirs that have settled in for summer Off-Broadway runs. Here are my thoughts. … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Ryan Spahn’s intimately and immersively staged INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS juggles genres, mostly successfully

This past week, I had the opportunity to take in Out of the Box Theatrics’ Off-Broadway production of Inspired by True Events by Ryan Spahn. Staged at the former New … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Reframed as a ballroom competition, CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL is an unexpected bounty of joy, nostalgia, and humanity

Last night at the Perelman Performing Arts Center, I finally caught up with Cats: The Jellicle Ball, a ridiculously enjoyable, emotionally potent new “revisal” of the (in)famous dance musical by Andrew … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Irish Rep brings back ON BECKETT, Bill Irwin’s illuminating rumination on Samuel Beckett’s writing

Over in Chelsea, Off-Broadway’s Irish Repertory Theatre has brought back On Beckett — a one man show conceived and performed by Tony-winner and clown extraordinaire Bill Irwin — for a … Continue Reading →