Me, Myself and I

Albee's new work (2007) is certainly a highbrow, maybe a little too much actually.  Such an interesting (read, strange) way to convey a message about twins and how they struggle to find their own identities - Create a farcical family, turn up the weird factor, break (read, completely disregard) the 4th wall, and paint the sparse stage mostly gray.  Certainly unique, I'll give him that.

OTTO (Zachary Booth) and otto (Preston Sadleir), as they are named by their crazy mother, (Elizabeth Ashley), are identical (and very cute, by the way) twins.  OTTO decides that otto no longer exists and that he is going to China to become Chinese.  And that is just about all there is to the plot -  A twin who is essentially "acting out" about his identity along with a mother you think is a loony bird and possibly the reason these two kids are so messed up.   Brian Murray, the mother's live-in "crazy doctor" is a bright spot throughout the entire show with his comedic genius, impeccable timing and reaction.

The talent in this show abounds, actually. I expected a lot, and got a fair amount from Ashley and Murray I must say - but the material seemed to tie one if not two hands behind everyones' proverbial backs.  If the story wasn't strange enough, perhaps the continued direct dialogue with the audience is what did whole thing in.

On a final note, I hope I have not made any grammatical errors in this post.  It seems along with the saga of the twins' identities, Albee has issues with bad grammar too.

Secrets of the Trade

I saw tonight what I believe to be the best play of the season and quite possibly one that will remain at the top of my list for a very long time.  Yes, it was that good. Brilliant writing, superb acting, and shrewd, clever directing all rolled up in one!  Primary stages has landed a winner in Jonathan Tolins' new work, Secrets of the Trade by Primary Stages at the 59E59 Theaters.

What makes it so delicious, you ask?  The answer, John Glover, Noah Robbins, Mark Nelson, Amy Aquino, and Bill Brochtrup.  Of course they would just be reading dialogue without director, Matt Shackman who brings this touching coming of age story to life.

Martin Kerner, (Glover) aging Tony award winning (six of 'em) director takes a very young and impressionable Andrew Lipman (Robbins) , a tender, 16 year old Jewish boy with big dreams of a life in the theater under his wing in 1980.  Andy's parents (Aquino and Nelson) are both supportive and cautious.  His mother was a dancer some 20 years ago.  She heard the rumors and whispers about Kerner.  Back then, you either knew... or just heard whispers.

The tender, poignant, and very often funny story unfolds over the next 10 years of Andy's life.  It's a story of parents watching their son grow up, always proud, sometimes jealous, and occasionally sad and  lacking answers themselves.  It's a story of a young boy struggling to come of age, grappling with what a mentor is supposed to provide him, give him, make him into;  It's less of a coming out story - (but it is) and more about what two very different people at such very different points in life can learn from each other.  It's about what's said, and what is not.  We are shown there is something to be learned from both.

Glover is a powerhouse.  He has command of the stage every second he is on - and off.  Robbins is quite possibly the best young talent there is today - a born storyteller, genuine ham, and all around "natural" under the lights.  Aquino's comedic timing is impeccable and Nelson's nervous and humble energy makes him one of the most believable actors around.   Of course, none of this would be possible without several dashes of humor placed at exactly at the right moment, monologues (and wine glass 'dings') delivered as if the actors were investing the very words on stage, and of course, just the right amount of insider jokes and references. But I can't give away the entire story.  It may have been good, but after all, it is a play about the secrets of the the trade.

See it for yourself.  It's worth double the ticket price at least.  I won't tell you what I paid for my ticket.  That, too, is a secret.

Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party

If only Chris Smith's direction was better - this play might be the hot ticket of the season.  Instead, I'm left merely pondering the potential of this soggy mid-western corn dog at the Acorn Theatre.

Don't get me wrong Aaron Loeb's play is a potential future juggernaut but its currently overloaded and slow.  There are too many story lines, too many jokes (albeit funny) that seem to pop out of nowhere.  In one sense it's a solid drama but suddenly becomes a rag tag Saturday night live skit - round and round it went.  Behind all of this is a strong, worthwhile message, but that message is diluted by the constant juggling of the story and focus.  Scene changes are laborious and too long.  The show should be cut to 90 powerfully funny minutes.  The "audience chooses the order of the 3 acts" gimmick takes precious time and is purely academic.  Unless I plan to see it all 6 different ways or do my doctoral dissertation on the show, it's useless to me as an audience member at this performance.

Acting was solid.  It's a diverse cast.  Arnie Burton steals the show as the Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Anton -  as does Stephanie Pope Caffey as Regina/Esmeralda.  Robert Hogan is a stage veteran and doesn't disappoint.  Ben Roberts, a relatively new face (and chest), certainly can play "cute (gay) mid-western boy" quite well too.

Politics, religion, education, gay rights, deception, double crossing, bigotry (oh, i already covered a few of these with politics) and the liberal media - all at once - just to name a few of the subjects covered!  At a few points, I lost track of who was screwing who.  One of my favorite scenes was the argument that ensues between the journalist (Arnie) and the black senator (Regina) when she confronts his turning "gay" into being the new "black".  Very powerful stuff packed into that dialogue.  Very powerful stuff packed into this whole play as a matter of fact.

Maybe I need to see it again?  Or maybe it just needs to be fixed so those who follow me get all they need from one great performance.  David Cote summed it up recently by saying that Broadway was the last place this play needs to be.  It belongs playing in regional theaters in small cities and towns all over America.  That's really where it's needed most.

Trust

A new play by Paul Weitz that puts a dominatrix, her boyfriend, and unhappily married couple center stage.  Wowza!  An all start cast rounds out the production - Zach Braff, Bobby Cannavale, Sutton Foster and Ari Graynor.

Unfortunately, I thought Sutton Foster was mis-cast as Prudence, the dominatrix.  While she was serious, she still seemed too innocent, too sweet, and too - well - mid-western.  I think a much better choice would have been Mary Louise Parker - she does crazy well.  Bobby, Zach and Ari fit nicely in their respective roles - Zach being the main guy, Harry, who is a rich, twisted, and lonely married man.

The presentation seemed like too many vignettes.  Scene changes took a while.  We bounced around a lot.  Not bad overall, just got tired of it after a while.  In the end, a lot of suggestive S&M, but the most flesh we saw was the ever-hot Bobby rip his shirt off in the throws of passion on the couch.  Yum.  The story had 4 lose ends to wrap up and I'm not sure any of them were.  Left you wondering.  In one sense, thought provoking, in another, incomplete.

Love, Loss, and What I Wore

Nora and Delia Ephron have penned a delightful work that focuses on the memories of our lives as seen through the clothes the 5 women on stage have worn at various points in their lives.  It's a reading of sorts - coordinated and choreographed vignettes - not really a play.  It's funny, poignant, and at times may elicit a gasp or a tear.  Taken for what it is - you'll leave with a satisfying smile on your face.

I saw the cast of Jayne Houdyshell, Adriane Lenox, Allison Mack, Kate Mulgrew, and Kristine Nielsen.  Each of them had moments to shine and they all came thru with flying colors - and they really looked like they were having fun on stage.  I presume that each cast plays the characters differently - bringing the subtleties of the individuals to the reading they are performing - so no two casts will produce the same show.  The character on stage right (that's to the left for the audience) who's name is Ginger (Jayne, in this cast) is the main character whose story is woven throughout the other 4 characters' stories - most of which are not connected.  This is an interesting theatrical device used to create a feeling of continuity and story amongst all the other unrelated passages.  A special shout out to Kristine Neilsen - who seemingly had (and nailed) the show stealing reading about the purse).

I love Jayne and Kate - and they were the reason I chose this cast.  But I am going to guess that the underlying stories and memories that Nora and Delia elicit in their words would make just about any talented actress shine.  If this were a move - we'd say "chic-flik".  But I didn't mind.  A smile on your face is just that - a smile.

With Glee

This is just what the mid-summer play doctor ordered - fresh, simple, entertaining youth on stage!  With Glee, true to its name (which i believe came before the mega-hit on Fox), is a truly entertaining, not-so-deep evening in the theatre.  Five very different boys take us on a journey to boarding school that is bound to strike a memory or two in just about anyone - who doesn't have memories of childhood they'd rather forget?!

Zach Bandler, Christoper Carlisle, Jason Cook, Dan Lawler, and Max Spitulnik light up the stage with their youthful exuberance and charm.  Each of them deserves (and gets) a moment in the proverbial spotlight.  Greg Horton and Erin Jerozal, the only adults, play all the teachers and all of the parents - with perhaps a wink and nod to the quick-change skills we recently saw so artfully done in The 39 Steps.  Hats (and sweaters) off to them.

Ok - so the plot may not be much.  It's about the kids, their problems, and of course simmering behind the obvious is the social statement about how most parents do a pretty poor job of, well, parenting.  Besides the  oh-so-serious social statement - we find 5 boys whose talents light up the (very small) stage.  Kudos to the actors, director, and choreographer - who had to cram everything onto that postage stamp (including a band!).

I'd love to see this one get some buzz about a Broadway transfer.  Despite the thin plot (which could always be beefed up with the addition of an entire chorus of schoolboys) the show was as refreshing as a margarita on a hot summer day!  Bravo boys.

Viagra Falls

 All these years and I have never been to the Little Shubert Theatre on 42nd Street.  Now I have.  I just wish it were for something a little better.  This production clearly represented a lifetime dream to have a show on Broadway.  I"m not sure who, but their dream did come true - just not to rave reviews.

This is one of those old people shows.  Incontinence jokes, fart jokes, prune juice jokes, and the list goes on and on... and on...  Bernie Kopell and Lou Cutell were funny for all of about 15 minutes.  Then it got monotonous.  We get it already.  Jacqueline Tempest (Teresa Ganzel) had a few good lines too.  Not exactly the show stealing character i thought she would be.  I think the part might have worked better if she had been a zip in, fire off some zingers, and leave.  Instead we got to know her.  Zzzzzzzz.

To me this seemed like really bad episode of the Golden Girls.  You know, one where you are dying to change the channel, but just can't pull away - hoping Blanche will come out with a zinger.  Unfortunately, as amusing as both of the actors are, the zinger never came.

Everyday Rapture

A rare revisit of a show on my part - not by total choice, i might add.  This show had a fairly decent run at Second Stage Theatre last spring during which I paid it a visit.  Due to an "opening" in the Roundabout schedule and a stroke of fairly decent luck the show was granted a run on Broadway.

The story is mostly unchanged from the original - Small town girl with an overly-religious (flavor of the month = Mennonite) upbringing and generally racist/intolerant family wants to be a Broadway star.  Broadway here she comes... Broadway here she is!  Trouble is, the show is not really designed for a large Broadway stage, nor is the story very engaging.  It's basically still  a one woman show with a keyboard, guitar and drum set.  To fill the American Airlines Theatre they turned up the mics and put up lots of colored lights and background set filler.  Eamon Foley (broadwayislove2009@earthlink.net) is still a show stealing cutie.

I doubt this show would have made it to Broadway were it not for Megan Mullally's temper tantrum and subsequent abrupt departure from Lips Together Teeth Apart.  I thought the show was marginally entertaining off-Broadway, but for a repeat run - stay home and plan a trip to the beach this summer instead.

Nunsense

The Cherry Lane Theatre brought back an original after 25 years - Dan Goggin's Nunsense.  I believe I heard somewhere that he did not want to update it.  That was a mistake.  The show is campy enough and now on top of that, it's stale - which leads to uninteresting and boring.

The nuns themselves were OK. Sister Mary Amnesia (Jeanne M. Tinker) stole the show. Everyone else was good and seemed talented enough, but given the material - just fell flat. Old jokes, campy songs with outdated lyrics. Maybe 25 years ago people were jumping out of their seats in shock (at least the Catholics should have been!). Today it was more - ehhhh.

I had to go see it so I could say "I saw it", but I wasn't impressed. This one won't be coming to Broadway any time soon. Sister Act has them beat by a mile, I'm sure. It's over in London now. Here's hoping for a transfer of that one.

Rock of Ages

 One pure guilty start to the summer pleasure, coming right up.  Let's just get this out of the way right up front.  This show is so bad, it's delicious!  There is marginal talent on the stage - certainly not much good dancing, plenty of loud 1980's power ballads and anthem like songs we all remember, and plenty of fairly decent, but not breakthrough acting going on.  Frankly, from a pure theater standpoint, it gets a C- at best.  But from the entertainment angle, it's a B+.  A simply enjoyable evening that includes lots of bad hair, fairly decent tunes, a giggin' rock band, a couple of sexy as all hell boys - and on top of that I could have a beer at my seat!

I did at times feel like I should have been at Madison Square Garden - partly because of the aforementioned beer and partly because of the strange non-traditional theatre crowd drawn in for the music.  Many yelled and pumped their pinkies and thumbs in the air and some just talked throughout the show, probably because their girlfriends did not inform them that they were going to a Broadway show rather than a rock concert.

All this aside, I was entertained.  James Carpinello  - hot and dripping with sex.  Kerry Butler (Sherry) finally got to make out with him (since he never made it to the opening night of Xanadu because of his injury!).  I didn't see Constantine Maroulis, but his understudy was darn good.  Fill in the comedy factor with Hertz and his son Franz (um, super funny and sexy and the boy could dance his cute little ass off!).

I've said it a few times this season - the show was good, but is this Broadway?  I think not.  I'd pay to see it at the Beacon Theatre or in this case even the Theatre at Madison Square Garden - I'm not happy that this crap ends up on Broadway!

The Forest

What a satisfying evening in theatre.  The ensemble cast at Classic Stage Company has put on yet another gem.   Headlined by Diane Weist, the entire ensemble was a powerhouse.  The Forest is a play originally by a Russian, Alexander Ostrovsky (think Chekov), which has been adapted by Kathleen Tolan.  It concerns a powerful woman in Russia who has some money, is a little cheap but cares for and raises poor young children from the town.  'Tis the age of arranged marriages, dowries, male dominated business and politics, and many formalities of public life.   It's a romantic comedy of days gone by.

Here we have a young girl who is promised to man whom she does not love.  She loves a boy from the town madly (and secretly) who does not have the dowry to pay to marry her.  There's a poor young man at the estate who is not too smart and can't figure out how to please the mistress of the estate.  The mistress of the estate who is in love with the young boy but for the formalities of life, is afraid to tell him. There are two vagabond actors, one of whom is a long lost relative, a few townspeople and two servants on the estate.

The actors all serve up outstanding performances - from the comedic to the dramatic and you left the theatre with a sense of just having witnessed true professionals delivering the goods.  Bravo!

Bass for Picasso

 I have no problem with actors who have disabilities.  I actually love to see them on stage, disproving stereotypes, taking on the challenge alongside their peers.  At the end, we just decide who did well and who did not.  Who cares about the disability?  Not me.

On the other hand, I don't agree with the idea that a hearing person can't play a deaf character, a seeing person can't play a blind role, etc.  I don't think either should be preferred - or discouraged - just the best person for the cast at that time, that production, and the desired result.  This production of Bass for Picasso was produced by Theater Breaking Through Barriers.  They promote and encourage actors with disabilities to hone their craft.  Bravo!

Now - with that out of the way - the play was awful.  An absurd, (and frankly a bit dishonest) comedic romp (occasionally) looking at the gay lifestyle and concepts of family in New York today.   Well - i for one don't know anyone like these characters - none of them.  They were over-the-top and stereotypical.  I presume the theater company was trying to make a point about discrimination and stereotyping - just using another group of people to prove the point through the laughter.  Well, the characters were strange - and frankly, the disabilities the actors had only served to make each of their characters more absurd and in turn the entire play a flop.  There were plenty of funny lines, but I left feeling sad for many of the characters.  Most of them, actually.   I think the choice of the work was a gamble.  One that will not pay off.

This Wide Night

 Two extraordinary women playing two rather ordinary women.  Two contemporary powerhouses, Edie Falco and Alison Pill, take on this two-hander from Naked Angels at the Peter J. Sharp Theatre at Playwrights Horizons.  Probably not a coincidence that artistic director, Jeffrey Nauffts, has a hit play, Next Fall, currently playing on Broadway.   How he has one playing off-Broadway too.

The play was commissioned in England to be delivered to women in prison - to tell them how hard it may be "on the outside" after they are released.  Money doesn't come easily, old habits die hard, and family may  take several forms.

A 90 minute electrifying performance by both women.  While virtually nothing much transpires between the two women the entire show - the message, emotion, and result is incredibly powerful.

White's Lies

A light romp on West 50th Street at the New World Stages with a delightful cast.   It's a bit like a skit on the Tonight Show - a wink and a nod - but delightful nonetheless.  Betty Buckley and Peter Scolari headline the ensemble.   Check it out.  The cast alone is well worth the off-Broadway ticket price.  New favorite funny boy - Jimmy Ray Bennett.

The Kid

This seems to be the break-out season for contemporary gay-themed plays and musicals of all kinds  - The Temperamentals, The Pride, Yank, Next Fall.  Each of them is different - an almost forgotten historical gay movement, a mysteriously time shifting play comparing the 1950's and the 1980's, a musical about a military romance during the war, and a contemporary family shocked from all sides by an accident face each other in a hospital.   One way or another, they all involve important social issues of our today - family, relationships and love.  The Kid is no different.  Dan Savage, sex columnist, wrote a book about his experience of adopting a baby with his partner.  This is their story set to a wonderful score with an eclectic and magnificent ensemble cast.

Christopher Sieber (Dan) and Lucas Steele (Terry) give a tender, romantic, and honest performance  - so honest in fact, that you might think they are an off-stage couple as well (alas, they are not).   The supporting ensemble peppers them with with sage advice, warnings, a splash of humor, and of course lots of great harmonies.   Jill Eikenberry, as Dan's mother, sings a song in Act II that brought tears to my eyes about a mother watching her son grow up and letting him be who he needed to be.   The always adorable Tyler Maynard hammed it up as only he can as Chad and a few other scene stealing characters.  Susan Blackwell usually known for her sardonic wit kept things uncharacteristically serious and real as Anne, the adoption agent.   Ann Harada, as Ruth (and others) had several comedic cameos.

Not only was the musical score divine, the set had a multi-media backdrop where video blurbs and graphic animations were shown.  The final animation clip was a perfect way to end and entirely enjoyable evening of theatre. There's a lot of competition in this market segment this year - but I have a feeling that this won't be the last time we see The Kid on a New York stage.

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity

As advertised - a power-slam of a play!  Wow. Kudos to Kristoffer Diaz.  Wrestling on Broadway - who could guess that it would win a Pulitzer prize!?  Well, although it's subject matter happens to be wrestling - it's about so much more.  Americans, immigrants, money, culture, ignorance, racism, and identity.  That's a whole lot of stuff packed into two hours.

Let me be upfront.  I HATE wrestling.  (If I liked it do you think I'd be writing a Broadway theatre blog?).  But wrestling is a merely the perfect tool to lay out the argument.  And "lay out" is exactly what Ushman Ally, Terrence Archie, Desmin Borges, Christian Litke, and Michael T Weiss do with the material.  Power-Slam.

Want to see what a Pulitzer prize winning play looks like - Proceed immediately to Second Stage Theatre.

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.

The Burnt Part Boys

What a thrill to see a new show that really blows you away.  This is a joint production between Playwrights Horizons and The Vineyard Theatre.  It's been in development for about a year on various stages and this stop on 42nd Street is a true winner.

Pete (Al Calderone) runs away with his best buddy Dusty (Noah Galvin) to try and preserve the memory of his father who was killed in a mine explosion (hence the title, the Burnt Part... of the mine).  Chet his older brother (Andrew Durand) and his best buddy Jake (Charlie Brady) chase after them.  The story is a powerful ode to family and memory, growing up, chasing a dream, and a fight to "get out" vs the need to "stay".   The power behind this show is the music - one strong ballad after another and a cast that can fill the theatre from the front row to the very last.  Kudos to the entire creative team - Mariana Elder (book), Chris Miller (music), and Nathan Tysen (lyrics)  The creative direction (Joe Calarco) and use of the stage, ramps, and aisles during the performance drew you in even closer to the story.

Run, Don't Walk.  This one has Broadway transfer potential.

A Behanding in Spokane

This was possibly one of the worst plays I have ever seen.  While there may have been a lot of talent assembled on stage, the material was offensive - homophobic and racist.  Yes, it was a black comedy, but I highly doubt the fat white tourists all sitting in the audience realized it as they were laughing at the jokes.  

La Cage Aux Folles

Yet another revival of this Jerry Herman classic.  It seems only yesterday I saw this one (twice even) at the Marriott Marquis.  (For the record it was 2004).   For a show that had its original run in 1983, this one has done quite well in both New York and London.

This time around, however, is different - less glitz, glamor, sequins and stardust - and more family, love, and character.  This time around we have Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge as Georges and Albin.  Les Cagelles, as they always are, put on a hot, dazzling  performance - emphasis on HOT .  Anyone sitting up close can see the bulging muscles these "ladies" clearly spend time working on (oh my!).   An interesting choice this time around is for Jared De Jesus to play the role of the Jacob, the houseboy.  He's certainly adorable, but I thought maybe he was a bit over the top - too much - trying to hard - more like a Saturday night live skit than a Broadway show.  This, of course, is not his fault, and probably falls squarely on the director, Terry Johnson.

Overall, I think most people agree, the story is timeless - love and family take many forms and shapes - a message that still has a long journey ahead.

Collected Stories

A charming and poignant evening in the theatre.  Seeing Lavin on a Broadway stage is a pleasure.  The role of Ruth Steiner was one she was born to play.  She brought an ethnic and comedic touch that few others could bring.   Sarah Paulson turned in a transformative performance - going from a shy, insecure undergrad to a successful award winning published author.

The dilemma presented in this story is one argued through the ages - Who owns a story?  Who has the right to tell it?   Ruth and Lisa wove a complex relationship - one of teacher and pupil and another as surrogate mother and daughter.  Playwright Donald Margulies prods the audience to take sides, makes you ask yourself where to draw the line.  He presents both sides of the story but it's highly likely you'll walk out of the theatre with an opinion on one side or the other.

Who's side will you take?

Enron

It may have been a smashing success in London, but here in New York, a bit "closer to home" as they say, it probably won't fare as well.  The Brits probably enjoy laughing at our moments of weakness just a bit more than we do.  A monumental undertaking by playwright Lucy Prebble, Enron attempts (and quite frankly succeeds) at telling the story of Jeffrey Skilling and his downfall at the Company we all know as Enron.

As the play unfolded, she (and the actors) all did a remarkable job at keeping in "interesting".  Lighting, music, dance numbers, and sophisticated digital looking sets all contributed to the "wall street" atmosphere.  Norbert Leo Butz nailed Skilling.  Gregory Itzin and Stephen Kunken as Kenneth Lay and Andy Fastow both turned in remarkable performances.  Marin Mazzie was superb as one of the few fictional (or more correctly stated, composite) characters.

The trouble is - they wove a complex tale.  There was no hero to route for.  While your senses were being bombarded with business terms, facts, figures, and jargon - the story simply lacked anyone or anything redeeming in the end.  My personal feeling is that they could have "created" (i.e. taken literary license) a "whistle blower" (which, in reality would not have been that difficult as the real story had the makings of one anyway).

Overall - I (an accountant by trade) loved it, understood it, and appreciated what they had to say.  I am guessing that as brilliant as the storytelling efforts were, most people walked out of the theatre confused or angry at a time when the economy is once again in the toilet - hence resurfacing old thoughts of anger, resentment, and ill will towards corporate America in general.  At a minimum, some might wonder if Ben Brantley's mutual funds took a nose-dive the day before he reviewed it.

Looking for Billy Haines

This play, another in what appears to be an extensive offerings of gay story-lines in the 2010 season, is not one of the better offerings.  While the cast was mostly cute and the tap dancing top notch (and surprising), the storyline was a bit contrived (some might say silly) and the choice of Jason Gaffney as the lead (Jamie Hollis) is odd.  While he's adorable and clearly a talented tap dancer - acting does not seem his forte.  Joseph Cullinane (Billy Haines) on the other hand proved himself to be Fred-Astaire-like and extremely graceful.

Truth be told, i left at intermission (as did several others).  Act I was simply too long, listening to the meek and childlike voice of Billy tell his story just bored me.  Were it not for some of the supporting cast and the incredible tap dancing, I'm not sure I would have lasted as long.   I'm sure everyone in this cast deserves a some applause, but the collection of talents seemed mis-aligned with the story.

The Common Air

A true off-off Broadway experience to be had down at 45 Bleaker Theatre.  This show is off-beat, clever, and intriguing to say the least.  It's a play by Alex Lyras and Robert McCaskill - performed solely by Alex Lyras - A true one man, multi-character show.

Each character is connected to an unseen character in each scene.  That unseen character becomes the character in the next - and as such - a diverse, meandering story develops as the story forwardly unfolds character by character.  Much of the play revolves around the airport - a ride to it, waiting in it, and coming home from it.  The only surprising, but quite dramatic element, was the climax of the last scene.  It seemed a bit out of the context of the rest of the play.  In the vernacular of the airport, it seemed like we had a very bumpy landing at the wrong airport.   While poignant, the last scene threw the entire play off course.  I left feeling i had been duped into something a bit more than i bargained for.

The Temperamentals

Okay, I'll admit it.  I went to see this show because of that adorable, boyish, young hunk, Michael Urie.  But I left with much, much more - An entire history lesson on the gay rights movement pre-stonewall.  The entire cast was magnificent - funny, awkward, serious, shy, and.. well... gay... all at the same time.

Playing at New World Stages, this play should not be missed by anyone - it's affordable, accessible, and consider it a bonus that you get to see Michael Urie up close and personal.

Promises, Promises

A long time in coming, the first Broadway revival of a 1960's classic.  A Neil Simon book, Burt Bacharah music and Hal David lyrics - how could you go wrong putting this one on?  Well, let me tell you - mis-cast the leads and don't update the book.

It's not like Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth are not capable, they certainly are.  It's not like Rob Ashford is not a talented director, he most certainly is.  The problem is that we've picked "stars" to lead the show instead of the right talent.  Mr. Hayes is a comedic genius - not necessarily a singer - (although i must admit he's got a pretty decent set of pipes).  Kristin Chenoweth could possibly be one of the brightest stars on Broadway, but the role of Fran Kublick - questionable.

The dancers, the sets and lighting are all fantastic.  And if there's one person who steals this show out from under everyone - it's Katie Finneran.  With no more than 20 minutes on stage the entire time, she walks off to a virtual standing ovation right in the middle of the show.  Go figure.

Because this show is such a good romp and a light hearted love story - it's certainly worth seeing and the cast is certainly talented even if mis-cast.  I suspect despite the mixed and luke warm reviews, this one will last a short while.