VIEWPOINTS – A look back at some of the performing arts festivals that never failed to challenge, enrich (and frustrate) me

For me, one of the most exciting aspects of attending live performance is the prospect of being exposed to new forms of expression, combinations, and perspectives. In the city, no … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – A pair of closing performances displays the highs and lows of dance

Yesterday afternoon at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater, I was lucky enough to squeeze in the final performance of New York City Ballet’s much admired (and rightfully so) version … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – The recent crop of new musicals proves the elusiveness of the art form

When developing a new musical, some sort of alchemy and luck are invariably involved. That’s because there really is no set formula when it comes to creating an artistically and/or … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – This fall, a trio of delicious adaptations were a hit with audiences (including myself)

Theater, like most art forms, is heavily influenced by what has come before. Some really iconic shows quickly come to mind: West Side Story (based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet), … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jordan Harrison’s MARJORIE PRIME quietly and compellingly picks up where OUR TOWN left off

There’s a wonderful scene in the third act of Thonton Wilder’s Our Town in which Emily, recently deceased, chooses to revisit a day in her childhood. She’s frustrated and saddened … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Pacino crashes and burns in Mamet’s disappointing CHINA DOLL

I recently had a chance to catch David Mamet’s hollow new two-hander China Doll starring the legendary Al Pacino – who plays a successful, scrappy businessman who finds himself in … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Musical revivals that have something new to say

Over the last few months, I had a chance to catch a quartet of revisionist musical revivals that made me sit up and pay attention to material I thought I … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Children and Art, or Theater during the Holidays

There is something completely disarming about how children respond to the spell cast by live performance. This is particularly evident during the holiday season – the time of year families … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Mark Gerrard’s hilarious STEVE breaks free from the past

We are officially living in a post-Larry Kramer world, as evidenced by two currently running gay-themed Off-Broadway plays that, on the surface, uncannily deal with the same issues. In addition … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Women at Work: A tale of ten playwrights

Earlier in the fall I had raved about Washington, D.C.’s unprecedented and altogether triumphant Women’s Voices Theater Festival. All the while, I was also keeping close tabs on new works … Continue Reading →