Camelot

Lincoln Center Theater
in ,

4 out of 5 Stars

It has been 30 years since King Arthur, Queen Guenevere, and Sir Lancelot of Camelot fame have graced the Broadway stage, and Bartlett Sher, who has a knack for reviving classic mid-century musicals, took the opportunity to give this production a tune-up. The original Broadway show, with lyrics and book by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, has been refreshed with a new book by acclaimed writer Aaron Sorkin. With those classic songs still intact, the show takes on fresh appeal and snap with the Sher and Sorkin treatment.

What really gets the show moving is the Phillipa Soo treatment. All three major characters are well acted with Andrew Burnap as King Arthur, Jordan Donica as Lancelot, and Soo as Queen Guenevere. Donica has a splendid bass voice and imposing stage presence and Burnap inhabits his role as king with an appealing mix of gravitas and humor. But it is Phillipa Soo who illuminates the stage with her clear, bright soprano, her light-as-a-feather dancing, and her on-the-mark acting skills. We were fortunate to see her as Eliza in Hamilton and as much as we loved her in that role, her appeal and talent as an actor and singer are on full display as Guenevere.

In the past Sher directed revivals we have seen, including South Pacific and My Fair Lady, the staging was lavish but this time the events take place on a cavernous and spare stage. Creative lighting effects set the tone and simple props set the stage. This sparse approach enhances the mystery and ephemeral nature of the Arthur legend. And it allows the gorgeous music floating up from the orchestra pit to truly engulf the viewer. The visual senses are not distracted by an elaborate set; therefore, more room is afforded for auditory appreciation.

Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater makes for a most congenial spot for this delightful and appealing revival. Although the ending leaves you with frustration over the foibles of human nature and the dashed hopes for Camelot, there is a glimmer of promise that today’s youth will find their way to a better tomorrow and that elusive happily-ever-aftering.

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Summer, 1976

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
in ,


4 out of 5 Stars

The title alone of Summer, 1976 sets the stage for the joyful, consuming experience awaiting you at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. For many of us, it is easy to dial back to precisely the time of our lives when this story sets sail. Adding to the delight of this tale is that we theatergoers get to spend this summer afternoon in the company of theater royalty - Jessica Hecht and Laura Linney.

For 90 minutes, the pair volleyed back and forth with their perspectives on the relationship that developed that summer. It is ordinary in that we have all felt or witnessed many of the components of their experiences, yet extraordinary in the cleverness of their storytelling. Many times during the course of this play you will have the “oh, I can see where this is going” moment only to be surprised and delighted by the unexpected twists and turns. It also evokes a time when the unpolished veneer of youth allows us to dream big before adult experiences begin grinding into our reality.

This stage is mostly bare, with the actors providing everything you need to be fully engrossed and dare I say mesmerized. These two actors effortlessly pivot whenever additional characters are needed to fill the required roles. In the end, you will have had a profoundly satisfying experience of what Bob Dylan would describe as “life and life only”. See the show.

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Oklahoma!

Circle in the Square
in ,

4 out of 5 Stars

“Oh, what a beautiful day” indeed in this innovatively updated production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, but this is the 2019 rendering, not the 1943 Broadway debut or 1955 film version. Yes, Oklahoma is still on the verge of becoming a US state, however this territory is now settled with folks dealing with gun violence, bullying, white privilege, law bending, stand your ground, and equality of the sexes – sound familiar? Directed by Daniel Fish, not one word of the script or one note of the music has been changed and yet this is a thoroughly modern production and the issues that trouble today’s society are brought into sharp focus through skilled acting, creative staging, and imaginative lighting.

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The Lifespan of a Fact

Studio 54
in ,

4 out of 5 Stars

What is The Lifespan of a Fact? Our current political landscape brings lots of questions about facts to the forefront. The emergence of real “fake news” (we are not talking about you, New York Times) has truly undermined some of our faith in reality.

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The Waverly Gallery

Golden Theatre
in ,

4 out of 5 Stars

As some baby boomers begin to dwindle off into the twilight realm of dementia, the individual stories of mental decline have become so numerous. One might confuse the The Waverly Gallery as just another tale of this journey into mental oblivion. The real story in this well written, well-acted production is the performance of the main actor, Elaine May, and supportive family members.

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My Fair Lady

Beaumont Theater - Lincoln Center
in ,

4 out of 5 Stars

Let’s get this straight; we’re talking about a Broadway production of My Fair Lady staged at Lincoln Center, directed by Bartlett Sher, featuring the original 1956 orchestration with a full orchestra. If the avid theatergoer finds this anything other than an extraordinary theatrical outing, perhaps you’ve picked the wrong field of entertainment. My Fair Lady is woven into the very foundation of so many Baby Boomers who grew up in a household with an appreciation for musical theater.

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The Little Foxes

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
in ,

4 out of 5 Stars

Lillian Hellman’s play, The Little Foxes (Tony Award nomination – Best Revival), was first performed on Broadway in 1939 but it remains a thoroughly modern play with themes that are relevant today.  Grab the arms of your seat and be prepared for heaping doses of greed, sibling rivalry, scheming, manipulation, exploitation of the community, self-aggrandizement, domestic abuse, racial bias, parent/child clashes, and more greed.

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Macbeth

The Connelly Theater
in ,

4 out of 5 Stars

Let’s start at the beginning - Shakespeare is Shakespeare.  The very word may set off a visceral reaction in theatergoers.  A Shakespeare performance will never be an easy stroll in the park (unless of course you're there to see Shakespeare in the Park).  Preconceptions aside, this is a mesmerizing show from start to finish. 

Throughout the performance, I couldn’t help but think how much William Shakespeare himself would have been wildly entertained by this production of Macbeth. From the direction by Rory McGregor, set design by Margaux Maeght, lightening design by Cha See and Ted Boyce-Smith, sound design by Rowan Spencer, and acting performances by the entire cast, this production rings the bell in all categories. 

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Yen

MCC Theater at The Lucille Lortel Theatre
in ,

4 out of 5 Stars

Imagine finding yourself in the cockpit of a 747 at 30,000 feet without the faintest clue of how to fly an airplane.  Navigating through this predicament is metaphorically identical to the situation our main characters find themselves in Yen, a bold new play written by Anna Jordan and directed by Trip Cullman, as they reside in their decrepit flat on the fringes of British society. To say our characters don’t know how to operate the controls is an understatement; they don’t know what the controls look like or that control is even possible.  Bobby and Hench are 14 and 16-year-old half-brothers who, for all intents and purposes, have been abandoned by their alcoholic mother.  They have gone completely feral.  The boys only taste of control is at the touch pad of their video games. It is clear to see early on that this is a voyage that is on a collision course.

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The Band's Visit

Atlantic Theater Company
in ,

4 out of 5 stars

The trouble all started because Arabic has no "p" sound, and regularly replaces it with "b".  The Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra from Egypt is scheduled to perform at an Arab cultural center in Petah Tikva in Israel.  Alas, the aforementioned miscommunication lands the band in Beit Hatikva, a fictional town in the middle of the Israeli desert. This tiny town has no hotel and very few places to eat. But this town does have interesting characters who find this band’s predicament a welcome diversion to life in Beit Hatikva with a “B” . . . boring, beige and bland.  The fact that all these characters are Egyptian and Israeli brings instant color to the landscape.

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Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

Imperial Theatre
in ,

4 out of 5 stars

That the world is a stage is well demonstrated in this exhilarating production of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. The Imperial Theater has been transformed for this show in a way that brings the performers into the audience and the audience onto the stage.  There is a continuum flowing between the orchestra, stage, and mezzanine. The fourth wall is not broken, it is removed entirely.

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