THE HANGOVER REPORT – Duncan MacMillan’s LUNGS stealthily mulls over humanity’s environmental endgame vis-à-vis a mundane romance

Somehow, Lungs by Duncan MacMillan (1984; People, Places and Things; The Effect) managed to elude my theatergoing over the last decade. When the play premiered in 2011, it unfortunately flew … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Powerful digital revivals of Brian Friel’s FAITH HEALER and MOLLY SWEENEY reveal a master at work

I recently had the opportunity to stream a pair of exceptionally acted Brian Friel plays, Faith Healer and Molly Sweeney. Experiencing these ravishing – albeit slow-burning – shows back-to-back revealed … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Mark O’Rowe’s expertly-acted THE APPROACH, heavily informed by Pinter, is one of the many Irish plays currently on view

It seems we’re awash in Irish drama these days, the result of a welcome congruence in virtual programming. In my opinion, few pleasures are more satisfying on a winter’s day … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A roundup of the Public Theater’s digital 2021 UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL

This time last year, I was furiously hopping from show to show as I immersed myself in the city’s various “experimental” (for a lack of a better term) performing arts … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – The spirit of the Broadway musical persists in RATATOUILLE: THE TIKTOK MUSICAL and JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY

Although live/in-person theater is becoming an increasingly distant memory, the irrepressible spirit of the Broadway musical persists in other mediums. Here are my thoughts on two of these hybrid endeavors. … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – THE BEST OF 2020: Theater, Music/Cabaret, and Dance

In all respects, 2020 was a stunted year, and few industries was hit harder than the performing arts. Nonetheless, out of the rubble, defiant gems arose – sometimes in the … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Facing adversity, together: Bristol Old Vic’s MESSIAH and the Almeida’s NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS

To close out this decimated year, I chose to stream a pair of somber productions from across the pond – both reflective, clear-eyed monuments to an unprecedented 2020. Nowhere in … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Highly anticipated stage-to-screen adaptations: A searingly acted MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM and a faithfully transcribed THE PROM

December was a big month for major stage-to-screen adaptations. Indeed, much to the delight of locked-down theater fans, the recent weeks saw the Netflix premieres of the highly anticipated film … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: Isaac Gómez’s WALLY WORLD, Mary Zimmerman’s THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER, and 54 Below Premieres SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED

First and foremost, I hope everyone is having a happy, safe, and relaxing holiday (all things considered)! Here are my thoughts on the most recent crop of streaming content. WALLY … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: Riz Ahmed’s ferocious THE LONG GOODBYE, Justin Vivian Bond’s Christmas show at Joe’s Pub, and yet another A CHRISTMAS CAROL

As Christmas draws ever nearer, I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the quantity and quality of the streaming content out there. Here are my latest thoughts. THE LONG GOODBYE: … Continue Reading →