THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jason Robert Brown’s early-career SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD is triumphantly rediscovered via Encores! Off-Center

On this sweltering afternoon in the city, I had the privilege of catching a revival of Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World at New York City Center. The production – the first entry … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Carey Mulligan’s extraordinary performance lifts Dennis Kelly’s GIRLS AND BOYS to the realm of Greek tragedy

This week, the Royal Court production of Girls and Boys by Dennis Kelly opened at Off-Broadway’s Minetta Lane Theatre. The primary reason for the transfer is to give those of us on this … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Will Arbery’s PLANO closes Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks in style and introduces an exciting new voice

Last night, I caught the final entry of Summerworks, Clubbed Thumb’s consistently excellent summer festival of new works. Happily but not surprisingly, Will Arbery’s surreal comedy Plano closes out the … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – John Doyle’s distilled revival of CARMEN JONES is emotionally unbridled, as led by a searing Anika Noni Rose

Passions run high in John Doyle’s distilled, emotionally unbridled production of Carmen Jones, which opened last night Off-Broadway at Classic Stage Company. The staging marks a rare revival of this … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jordan Harrison’s LGBT-centric comedy LOG CABIN crams a lot it in, by why not?

Last night, Jordan Harrison’s Log Cabin opened Off-Broadway, just in time to coincide with New York Pride. Mr. Harrison has emerged as one of the vital voices in American playwriting. His previous … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – POLICE COPS IN SPACE & YOGIEBOGEYBOX: Proving that derivative theater can be thrillingly original

For years now, a number of fans of commercial Broadway theater have been vocal about mourning the demise of the completely original musical (with Dear Evan Hansen being a recent shining … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Charles Mee’s slight, fractured FIRST LOVE disappoints on several fronts

Thespianism was designed for the young. The life of a struggling actor is not an easy one; it’s financially unpredictable, and health benefits often times elude stage practitioners. Therefore, whenever … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Nick Cave’s immersive THE LET GO asks us to jubilantly dance off our chains

Despite the continued sell-out success of Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More and Third Rail Project’s Then She Fell, there’s been a relative dearth of notable immersive performances in New York of late. It’s with this in … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jessica Walker’s Suzy Solidor bio-play ALL I WANT IS ONE NIGHT is tastefully erotic, intimately musical

Last night, I caught Jessica Walker’s latest musical portrait All I Want Is One Night at 59E59 Theaters. The show – one of the final offerings of this year’s Brits Off Broadway festival … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Mike Lew’s TEENAGE DICK is “Mean Girls” meets “Richard III”, and it’s an entertaining summer diversion

This week, Teenage Dick, Mike Lew’s very loose updating of Shakespeare’s Richard III, opened at the Public Theater, in a production by Ma-Yi Theater Company. The play re-imagines the Bard’s … Continue Reading →