The Robber Bridegroom

The pure joy and toe-tappin' excitement over at the Laura Pels Theatre at Roundabout Theater Company is absolutely not to be missed.  Brilliant director, Alex Timbers, brings the the entire kitchen sink of musical theater joy to the stage in a revival of Alfred Uhry and Robert Walodman's  The Robber Bridegroom.

And tap your toes you certainly will.  Helmed by the incredibly hunky and easy-on-the-eyes Steven Pasquale (Jamie Lockhart, The Robber Bridegroom) who himself is a powerhouse of the theatre, this production is triumphantly successful at having fun and entertaining its audience.

Supporting Mr. Pasquale are darkly funny Leslie Kritzer (Salome), the devilishly handsome and talented Andrew Durand (Little Harp), and the beautiful and beguiling Ahna O'Reilly (Rosamund).

When the actors themselves all appear to be having fun, you know the show is going to be a delight.  At one point Mr. Pasquale seemed to be "gotten" by a line from another character and a Carol Burnett moment of trying to conceal the hilarity ensued.  It's a Mississippi tale brought to life 8 glorious times a week.

Theatricality at its highest of heights (kudos Mr. Timbers); Lighting dynamic and creative (Jeff Croiter, Jake DeGroot); and authentic sets (Donyale Werle).  The on-stage Band could not have been a more tightly integrated and absolutely adorable component to the show (Cody Owen Stine, Mike Rosengarden, Ben Lively, Douglas Waterbury-Tieman, Matt Cusack).

For a brief break from the political primary rat-race,  join this cast for a 90 minute ROMP!

Peter and the Starcatcher

It's exciting and magical to see a play off-Broadway in a developmental theatre on a tiny stage with great actors telling a story of wonder and hope that you can just feel in your bones will someday graduate to the Minskoff or the Walter Kerr. Peter and the Starcatcher is one such play and in the immortal words of Mr. Brooks Atkinson, "There is no joy so great as that of reporting that a good play has come to town". Based on a novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson this new play written by Rick Elice and directed by Roger Rees and Alex Timbers (of recent Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson fame) tells one endearing version of just how Peter Pan came to be Peter Pan.

Add to an extremely well crafted and witty script a bevy of incredibly talented actors and you have the makings of a lively and all-around entertaining evening. Just take a look at this cast: Teddy Bergman, Christian Borle, Arnie Burton, Adam Chanler-Berat, Matt D'Amico, Kevin Del Aguila, Brandon Dirden, Carson Elrod, Greg Hildreth, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Karl Kenzler, and David Rossmer. Each and every one of them accomplished young actors - each and every one of them add their own ray of sunshine to this delightful production. And indeed, how refreshing to see such an un-Disney Disney-story told in a slightly gritty, always witty, and adult, intelligent fashion.

You won't need any "star stuff" to fly down to this performance - just hop on the N/R or 6 train downtown to East 4th Street and 2nd Avenue and get a great seat to see this one at the New York Theatre Workshop before the venue moves North and the prices do too!

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

Entertained?  I sure as f*#k was.  Witness to history?  In a way, sort of.  Top notch theatre?  No, not really.  What does this all mean?   Spend the $60 for a ticket and get an irreverent, funny, musical history of the life of our 7th president - Andrew Jackson.  

I don't see this as a Broadway transfer (but crazier things have certainly happened).  Appropriate for the Public Theatre this musical romp was well worth the 90 minutes in the elaborately shabby Newman theatre at the Public.  

From his first words (and first sight - *sigh*) Benjamin Walker (Andrew Jackson) is HOT (dripping with sex, one might say) .  The ensemble cast surrounding him never failed to entertain.  More than a few times - over the top - but I guess that's what I signed up for.  My favorites included Lucas Near-Verbrugghe (Van Buren) and Jeff Hiller (Adams)  - who both almost made me pee in my pants a few times.  Everyone is young.  Everyone is sexy.  It's loud. That's what they are going for.

Spring Awakening meets American Idiot meets Saturday Night Live - - that's my vote and I'm sticking to it.