THE HANGOVER REPORT – Robin Frohardt’s immersive THE PLASTIC BAG STORE is a playful but clear-eyed depiction of a bleak future

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to snag a coveted ticket to one of the final performances of The Plastic Bag Store, theater artist Robin Frohardt’s sneakily urgent cautionary … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: Breslin & Foley’s CIRCLE JERK, Claudia Rankine’s NOVEMBER, and Sarah Kane’s CRAVE

This week, I found myself escaping Election Day anxiety by streaming a couple of plays online. Here are my thoughts on them. CIRCLE JERKFake Friends For hilarious but provocative escapism, … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A roundup of recent in-person theatrical experiences: ELECTRIC FEELING MAYBE, TEMPING, GHOUL-A-RAMA, etc.

Happily, creatively rendered in-person theatrical happenings have continued to come out of the woodworks. Here is a roundup of my thoughts on some recent experiences. ELECTRIC FEELING MAYBETarget Margin Theater … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Revisiting the landmark “Warehouse” Shakespeare Trilogy: JULIUS CAESAR, HENRY IV, and THE TEMPEST

This Halloween weekend, I binge-watched the superb film captures of the landmark “Warehouse” Shakespeare Trilogy, which was originally staged by Phyllida LLoyd for the Donmar Warehouse in London. I had … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – THE THIRD DAY’s immersive, durational appendix turns out to be its show-stopping calling card

This week, I delved into the world of HBO’s The Third Day, the brainchild of Felix Barrett (artistic director of marquee immersive theater company Punchdrunk) and Dennis Kelly (writer of … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: The late, great Brian Dennehy in a landmark DEATH OF A SALESMAN, Irish Rep’s A TOUCH OF THE POET, and Woolly Mammoth’s telephonic HUMAN RESOURCES

Here are my thoughts on two recent viewings and one interesting telephone call. DEATH OF A SALESMANGoodman Theatre One of the most impactful and influential experiences in all my theatergoing … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A variety of live, in-person performances continue to trickle in: WARTIME CANTEEN FOR A NEW ERA, RANDOM ACTS, and BLOOD MANOR

In a recent post, I wrote about the slow emergence of in-person performances in the city. Since then, more theater artists have braved the desolate waters that has become the … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: V’s moving docudrama THAT KINDNESS, Anne Washburn’s ambitious but wildly uneven SHIPWRECK, and NYCB’s well-balanced season continues

Autumn in New York typically correlates with a noticeable uptick in the number of offerings available for consumption for performing arts lovers. Although everything is basically virtual these days, the … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: A newly urgent ANGELS IN AMERICA (excerpts) & FAR AWAY; escaping into art in GIVE ME YOUR HAND & ZOO MOTEL

Here are my thoughts on some of last week’s viewings. A pair of classics, newly urgent Caryl Churhill and Tony Kushner are indisputably two of our most visionary playwrights, conjuring … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – In-person theatrical experiences slowly return to New York: CORRESPONDENCES, STATIC APNEA, and VOYEUR: THE WINDOWS OF TOULOUSE-LAUTREC

If you look hard enough, you’ll start to find some encouraging signs of life slowly emerging from the graveyard that has become New York’s once vibrant performing arts scene. Over … Continue Reading →