Old Acquaintance

A gem of a play - light and fun - just what's needed as the summer approaches. This old John van Druten play staring Margaret Colin and Harriet Harris couldn't be more enjoyable. Two childhood friends and rivals battle it out on stage over men, relationships, a daughter, a husband, and writing books - all in a very lady-like way. Think Lucy and Ethel, but a bit more serious, and a bit more intelligent.

For those history buffs - this one originally starred Jane Cowl and Peggy Wood on Broadway in 1940 - and then was made into a Warner Bros. movie in 1943 starring Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins (now that's a pair I'd love to have seen!).

Harriet Harris and Margaret Colin have the leading-lady comedic chops to make this one work! Although a bit dated - New York City circa 1940 - the play still conveys the core message - about friendship and rivalry - quite effectively.
If you get the opportunity - check this one out at the Roundabout this summer!

Facing East

A must see. 75 Minutes; 3 Actors; and 1 story based on the Mormon religion and homosexuality. Plan-B Theater Company - Kudos for a marvelous evening of theater.

Charles Lynn Frost, Jayne Luke and Jay Perry - - I believed every word you uttered. Carol Lynn Pearson - your writing is powerful and covertly expository. Your dialogue effortlessly educated the audience as to the whys and wherefores of the Mormon religion which play directly into the emotional conflict on stage.

I never felt i was being taught or preached at, but in reality both were true. Jerry Rapier your direction, the subtle handling of the characters' movements, and dramatic lighting was suburbly planned and executed throughout. In the silence on stage often the sound by Cheryl Ann Cluff enveloped the audience and told its own story.

Two devout Mormon parents attempt to come to grips with the suicide death of their gay son. As if that was not enough to generate emotion - his son's partner shows up at the grave site.

Who really knew this boy? Who's fault is his death? What will God think about each of them at the judgement day?

A Quote from Rabbi Harold Kushner printed in the Playbill sums it up nicely:

~ "Thank you Carol Lynn Pearson, for reminding us that the task of any religion is to teach us whom we're required to love, not whom we're entitled to hate." ~

Boys Just Wanna Have Fun

The cast may come and go, but the story remains the same. Boy meets boy. Boy falls unexpectedly in love with boy. Boy lies to boy and the consequences are not pretty.

This evening of 1980's fluff that takes place mostly at Potions - a gay nightclub on Staten Island. Need I say more? Get the picture?

Campy, fun, irreverent and a perfectly amusing evening of pure entertainment!

Each of the characters is a caricature you'd recognize immediately. A New York City Cop with the accent to prove it; A gorgeous, cocky, jock/playboy with the body to prove it; A big-haired, middle-aged Italian house wife fag-hag with the hair to prove it; Two flaming drag queens with feathers to prove it; A skinny, gay club boy (redundant, i know) with the attitude to prove it; And a supporting cast wearing Izod shirts, tapered jeans, and penny loafers, and ray bans!

For a pretty low budget operation, I'm glad they invested in the "costumes" (what do you mean, my Sergio's are not in style any more?). Plenty of laughs, at least two numbers from the drag queen divas, a full company dance to Thriller,and plenty of 1980's humor along the way.

At it's core - a love story, but anyone approaching or just past 40 will appreciate the humor in the entire production. (pssst...Tom Baran, I'll cook you dinner any time!).

110 In the Shade

For those that do not know (like me), this is the musical version of the play The Rainmaker. Although a bit dated, not stale. Audra McDonald plays Lizzie Curry, the middle aged woman who is too smart, honest, and plain for the likings of most of the men in her era - 1936 in the Texas Panhandle. A con man, Starbuck, comes to town (the rainmaker) in the dead heat of the summer and promises to make it rain (Steve Kazee). But what he does instead is to stir up the emotions and passions in the town and awaken dormant love.

H.C. Curry - Lizzie's caring and doting southern father is played by the delightful John Culum. Her two brothers are played by Chris Butler (Noah) and the incredibly adorable Bobby Steggert (Jimmy).

I must say that the musical seemed a bit "forced". Music popping up here and there without an overriding consistency and cohesiveness. And visually, i was not always connecting with the idea of family given the mixed race cast. I know I was supposed to look beyond that into the story, the art and music, but it was a constant visual disconnect that I kept coming back to.

Audra also seemed to struggle with her powerhouse classical voice (it is one of the best there is!) juxtaposed against the need for a plain and poor southern accent Lizzie's character required. One of the biggest delights of the evening was indeed her amusing rendition of Raunchy.

Audra is an extremely talented young woman and certainly deserves a Tony nod for this performance, but i just don't think this show is a vehicle for her to win in 2007.

10 Million Miles

Four talented stars from various segments in the arts have been gathered together at the Atlantic Theater Company to tell us a story of "love, family, and the geography of an American Dream."

The story revolves around a road trip taken by two kids (Matthew Morrison - Hairspray and Light in the Piazza and Irene Molloy) in a Toyota pickup from Florida to New York. They stop along the way and meet a potpourri of friends, family and other savory characters - all played brilliantly by Mare Winningham and Skipp Sudduth (NBC's Third Watch - John "Sully" Sullivan).

The songs (music and lyrics by Grammy-nominated singer songwriter Patty Griffin)is mostly pure high energy Rock and Roll with a few powerful love songs and ballads thrown in. Morrison, owned the stage with his powerful voice and sexy bod... and yes, his shirt did indeed come off just once (sigh!). The story and characters are all working class folks with the many troubles you might expect them to have - alcoholism, unwanted pregnancy, coming of age, religion, and war... All this - and who would have thought Mare Winningham had such a knock out voice! If you didn't know better - you'd think it was 11 o'clock when she sang "Making Pies".

Surprises abound on West 20th Street at the Atlantic Theater Company. Check it out!

Stairway to Paradise

A gem of a show to end the Encores! season with. A unique production for the creative group at NY City Center - a review of the "best of the best" songs and scenes from the Vaudeville era. They tell me that the show was written with Kristin Chenoweth in mind - and what a darling she was.

The cast was rounded out with Kevin Chamberlin, Christopher Fitzgerald, Michael Gruber, Shonn Wiley (that uber cute blond boy), Capathia Jenkins and Ruthie Henshall and a great supporting chorus of talented dancers and singers. And you can't ever leave out the spectacular Encores! Orchestra - - never a sour note!! A few stand out performances to note:

Capathia Jenkins - Pack up your Sins and Go to the Devil and My Handyman Ain't Handy No More; Ruthie Henshall - Memories of You and Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye; Shonn Wiley and Jenn Gambatese - Rhode Island is Famous for You; Kendrick Jones - Doin' the New Low-Down.

Although different from the normal production - it still stuck to the mission of Encores! which is to present rarely-heard works of America's most important composers and lyricists.

Be

One Part Stomp, One part Blue Man Group, One Part De La Guarda, and One Part Toxic Audio - - all tossed into one 90 minute show. Visually stunning. Alive with Rhythm. Packed full of emotion and energy. Not much dialogue, as you would expect. But you still leave with the sense that a story was told.

Don't miss this pastiche of color, sound and rhythm at the Union Square Theater! The extremely fit and sexy actors leave the stage dripping with sweat from what you can tell is a labor of love.

The Sublet Experiment

They travel from apartment to apartment putting on a show. The show about subletting actually sublets, sort of. What a clever concept. Seriously - they hold the play in real people's apartments in all the boroughs.

It's a phenomenon that's catching on. Every New Yorker is obsessed with space - renting it, buying it, or as the play's title suggests - subletting it.

This romantic comedy comes with a twist (not to be revealed here). Let's just say that all the intrigue and mystery of a new roommate may not be what it seems.

A young cast aptly spends 90 minutes entertaining you and letting you inside one version of the million reasons someone might consider offering to sublet his apartment - - and the million reasons someone might consider moving into a sublet.

Check it out: http://www.subletexperiment.com

Legally Blonde

This might just be the Best Musical of the Year! Okay, it's a little "light" on the intelligence scale, but it rocked the house! I do still hope that Ms. Ebbersole winds for Best Actress in Grey Gardens - but I have to say - Laura Bell Bundy is going to give her a run for her money!

Yes, it's based on the movie - need i say more?

The supporting cast is large - and full of bubbles and energy. This is Jerry Mitchell's directorial debut on Broadway - an accomplishment that may not go down in the history books - but he also choreographed the show - and sensational describes that aspect of the show.

One thing this show requires is non-stop action, movement, glitz, pomp, and Broadway show numbers - and that's exactly what we got. Jerry's signature was all over the show. The Greek Chorus girls, (great idea, Jerry) and the usual gratuitous number or two including shirtless boys, high kicks, frivolous costumes, and not one, but two dogs are part of making the show a huge Broadway success!

OMIGOD You Guys!! Don your best pink shirt and slip over to the Palace Theater - - you''ll leave with a smile on your face. If, from nothing else, watching Andy Karl strut his "UPS" self all over the stage. (Unfortunately, he wasn't one of the gratuitous shirtless ones!)

Inherit the Wind

The Scopes Monkey Trial comes to Broadway with two legendary actors on opposite sides of the courtroom. Brian Dennehy and Christopher Plumber take on the legendary courtroom battle based on the trial of a young teacher (Scopes) who wanted to teach Darwin's theory of evolution in an extremely zealous and religious small town.

This staging seemed appropriate for today. The story was more about the ideas and highlights of the extreme views rather than the details of the original courtroom drama. Very relevant even today - - considering the fact that religious extremism surrounds us all over the world and at home even today!

Dennis O'Hare rounded out the stars in his portrayal of E.K Hornbeck, the journalist from Baltimore Maryland who's newspaper hired Henry Drummond to come defend the poor teacher against the slings and arrows of the religious zealot of the time, Matthew Harrison Brady.

What an incredible season on Broadway - after just seeing Angela Landsbury and Marion Seldes to then see Christopher Plummer and Brian Dennehy one-up each other on stage like the old pros they are! They just don't make 'em like they used to. Catch this one while you can. It was relevant 100 years ago, it's relevant today, and will probably be 100 years from now too.

Deuce

Charming. Simply Charming. If you like tennis you'll like this one. If you like Angela Landsbury, you'll like this one. If you like both - it's a match made in heaven - you'll love this one!

Two old tennis players - formerly 5 time repeat doubles champs - meet up at a tennis match today and let us inside their old professional relationship, give us their thoughts on tennis today, and fill in the gaps with a whole bunch of great names from the past. This gab fest is filled with the fiction of the two tennis players wrapped around a whole bunch of real tennis history and the charm and honesty of these two old gals.

100 Minutes - no intermission - it's okay for me - but for Angela, an 80 year old actresses, 8 shows a week - it just proves she is a legend - just like her character on stage! Run don't walk to this one! The chances of seeing a legend like this on stage again is low. And what a treat it turns out to be.

LoveMusik

Roundabout - you are officially off the hook in the category of worst show I have ever seen. Please congratulate the Manhattan Theater Company - for producing a musical (bet they learn from this big mistake) that SUCKS!!

Donna Murphy - Brava! And I'm sorry you had to suffer thru this!

Hal Prince - the jury is out - bad material is hard to work with!

Beowulf Boritt - your sets were great - too bad nothing else was!

Some Men

Terrance McNally's new work is both charming and witty. Played out on stage as a series of vignettes emanating from the the flashbacks, back stories, and thoughts of a group of men at a gay wedding - it chronicles the lives of gay men over the past 80 years. Many of the stories are interconnected (shades of "the chart" from the L-Word). History indeed shows that we indeed have come a long way.

I found one of the most poignant scenes to be the one between the "young kids" of generation Y interviewing the "old guys" in the park for their college journalism project. The old couple seem to look back on their own experiences fondly and with great joy. Of course, in hindsight, a gay teen today would find their experiences very closeted, oppressive, and unimaginable in today's world.

"You mean you could be arrested for being at a gay bar? "Why didn't you protest more"? The questions seem logical if the same things were happening today - but the point being made was that at that time, in that era, it just wasn't what seemed appropriate. The older gay men really remember the good times - the "golden era" they were part of.

Times change. Acceptance abounds. We've definitely come a long way. Some Men reminds just how far even in my own lifetime.

Howard Katz

Alfred Molina holds court on stage at the Laura Pells Theater in what we quickly learn is the extreme downward spiral in his life. Touching, emotional and well performed by Mr. Molina. The supporting cast was average. No stand out performances, mostly due to the lack of material. This play truly centers around the main character. Thankfully Molina shone brightly and gave a stellar performance.

Frost/Nixon

In 2007, you're bound to find more than few people alive that have no or very little knowledge of Richard Nixon, his presidency, and Watergate. I was only 3 at the time, myself. This play focuses on the story of the David Frost/Richard Nixon interviews - the first ones granted by Nixon after his infamous resignation. The Nixon camp assumed that the almost washed up Australian talk show host David Frost would be a pushover and Nixon would use the interviews as a way to get back into the public favor. The Frost camp, as you would imagine, thought the same thing but with respect to David Frost.

Frank Langella portrays Richard Nixon so well that you would think he rose from the grave to play the part himself. Not being as familiar with David Frost, I do think Michael Sheen played him well based on what other people tell me he was like.

As far as the play itself goes - too long! You do not keep an audience in the seats for 2 hours without intermission! Aside from that insult and injury - the play also had far too many filler and back story elements. Yes, we needed to know that back story to both sides, but possibly not as much as we were given.

Maybe this was just my expectation, but I thought we would see more of "the interview". I mean the play is billed as "The Face Off of the Century - Live on Stage" I think if they flipped the balance, the play would naturally build up to this important interview and you would be absorbed in it's progression and the drama could have unfolded within it. Instead, by the time the interview rolled around after 1 Hour and 30 minutes - you were anxious and trying to figure out how much longer this thing was going!

The rest of the cast was marginal - partially because some of the parts were written as marginal characters, but the the other ones were just played by marginal actors i suppose. I felt a vast crevasse between the talent of Frank Langella and everyone else. Or perhaps that was done on purpose? Isn't that how Richard Nixon was in real life - larger than everyone else?

In summary, a superb performance by Frank Langella that was neither matched by the rest of the characters in the play or the actors cast in those roles.

A Moon for the Misbegotten

Kevin Spacey brings A Moon for the Misbegotten from the West End (London) to New York with much pomp and circumstance. He even stars in the production as Jim Tyrone - which for him isn't odd. He performed in 3 other plays at the Old Vic - all the while being the artistic director at said theater.

This play was written by Eugene O'Neill - so expect long winded, sometimes boring, many times exceedingly drawn out, but all the while intelligent dialogue. Colm Meaney plays the drunk Irish father (redundant, i know) exceedingly well. Eve Best, appearing with permission of Actors' Equity, commanded the stage with her booming voice and emotional portrayal of Josie Hogan - the only daughter of 3 children in a poor farming family in 1923 Connecticut.

Kevin Spacey actually appeared to be the weakest link in the ensemble. Overacting at times, and at others - going for the comic relief just a little too much. Sure, his character has quirks, but he actually seemed to break character on several occasions just to go for the one word joke or gesture. At the time you chuckle, but when all is said and done, it really didn't seem what Eugene O'Neill might have imagined in the character. On the other hand - Who Knows? - I don't know Eugene O'Neill either -but he sure did have the knack for writing about drunk, Irish, dysfunctional families (i know, redundant again).

Get a discount ticket for this one and see it. Don't pay full price. It's not worth it. Then again, with all the Ticketmaster fees - even the discount isn't worth it.

Gutenberg! The Musical!

Bud and Doug have a dream - to take their musical to Broadway - a musical about Gutenberg (yes, the guy that invented the printing press). Right now, they don't have any cast, any theater, or any props. They are just going to "read" us the musical to see what we think! And hopefully a Broadway producer (in the audience) will be won over.

With nothing more than a few cardboard boxes and a bunch of baseball hats with the many characters' names written on them - they entertain away. And never once did they mix up the hats and characters (and i never saw them "peak" at the hat stacks to verify the names).

It's a cheesy laugh riot! Bud and Doug pepper the reading with their own life experiences and all sorts of zany songs and antics.

Take a chance on these two corn-balls at the Actor's Playhouse. Guaranteed you'll leave smiling.

Blackbird

Jeff Daniels and Allison Pill. Una shows up at the office. Ray is panicked.

What happens for the next 90 minutes will take your emotions on a roller coaster ride. The tension is palpable. The subject matter, unsettling.

David Harrower's play at the MTC is like none other playing on or off Broadway.

Forbidden Broadway - SVU

Not at all what I remembered from about 3 years ago. First of all it's now playing in a certifiable DUMP. Second, it seemed that Gerard Alessendrini was short on two things - funny and money. Barely a few laughs. Tired. Stale. Lackluster.

The performers are certainly talented - but c'mon. The old hag has to die already. It used to be funny. Now it's just sad.

The Year of Magical Thinking

Joan Dideon's memoirs brought to the stage. An intellectually emotional tour-de-force. Vanessa Redgrave bravely conveys the pain and rationalization of the loss of both her husband and daughter.

Despite the hype, i was satisfied, but not overwhelmed by the performance. Yes, Vanessa is brilliant, but it did not seem to be her lack of talent, but the lack of teeth in Joan's work. Sure it was powerful. Sure, Vanessa added so much to it that nobody else could have. But still - I left with a sense of wanting more. Vanessa held back. The work seemed to require it. Joan has never been a playwright before. Screenplays, yes. Live theater, no. I had much higher expectations than Joan's work seemed to be able to deliver.

Prelude to a Kiss

A charming, very intimate performance at the Roundabout. John Mahoney (Frasier's Dad), Annie Parisse (DA Borgia on Law and Order), and Alan Tudyk (shirt off and smokin' hot), charmed the audience in this Craig Lucas play.

In summary - it's the age old story of "Be careful what you wish for". The chemistry between Peter and Rita and the Old Man was remarkable. The lighting and sound and simple set ingeniously complemented and enhanced the words.

It was nice to sit and watch a straightforward play, good actors, and a charming story in a great theater!

Sealed for Freshness

Over at the New World Stages - they're having a Tupperware party every night! The party takes place back in 1968 in a time warp living room full of swanky lamps, a working bar, amber glass ashtrays, shag carpeting, iron railings and brown paneling!! Unfortunately, the best part about the show was the set! Everyone in the audience (yes, unfortunately it was a Saturday night crowd from the suburbs) couldn't stop picking out all the museum pieces that apparently still exist in mom and dad's living room (and talking about it like they were sitting in front of their TV, not at a live theater event!)

I wish more could be said about the play itself... The cast - 5 women from a mid-west suburb - could not be more stereotypical 1968! Bonnie, the host, is upset because her husband who is on his way to bowling night said she didn't look as good as she did 20 years ago (the booze starts flowing after that!); Tracy Ann, the stupid bimbo farm girl from Iowa, had a baby-talk voice that was like nails on a chalk board and after 20 minutes at least 5 people got up and left from the agony of having to listen to her. (I paid $39 for tickets and was going to stick it out to the bitter end no matter how awful it got!); Diane, the Tupperware superstar sales lady, is glamorous on the outside but dead on the inside; and, last, but not least, the "identical opposite" sisters, Jean and Sinclair. Jean is the sister who got all the attention and married rich and Sinclair is the fat, foul mouthed, bitter, booze-hound who has 4 kids and one more on the way (think Roseann Barr).

Now that we have the stage set with this cast of characters - the Tupperware party begins (yes, they really pull out the product and extol its virtues!) and we find out that on the surface all the makeup and polish hides the dirty laundry and ugly truth. Diane's husband didn't die -he left her and she can't have children. Jean's husband is probably cheating on her, Sinclair resents her sister (surprise!) and hates her kids. The ideals are true '60's/'70's with the women questioning if they should have a career or exist to serve their husbands.

It's as if someone sealed away Bonnie's living room in the Tupperware and just opened it up for us all to see today! Unfortunately for us -Tupperware works.

At Least It's Pink

Yes, a trasy little show... well, more like a cabaret act. Cute story - definately not for the kiddies. The potty mouthed Bridgett Everett is on stage working the crowd while Kenny Mellman is behind the piano (Herb, of Kiki and Herb). His music and lyrics are hysterical (and orriginal) and Bridget's performance seems as fun to give as it is to watch. I did feel a bit "tricked" when the two audience members who were being picked on turned out to be part of the show at the end!

It's playing over at the ARS Nova on 10th and 54th. Take a trip over. Besides - the bar is open during the show (and the bartender is pretty cute too).

Our Leading Lady

One minute you're laughing - the next minute President Lincoln is shot! This play has a little of everything - perhaps to its own detriment.

Kate Mulgrew plays the powerful and accomplished Laura Keene who shows up at the Ford Theater in Washington DC to take charge of a "rag-tag" theater company with the ulterior motive of actually taking over the theater itself. She plans to earn this privilege by filling the house and bringing prestige back to the theater on the opening night. And with President and Mrs. Lincoln in attendance how could anything go wrong?! (Well, you know the rest)

Maxwell Caulfield, Barbara Bryne, and Kristine Nielsen comprise the major players in the theater troupe. Their characters all have marginal talent and are nothing "big". Throw in a young (and very cute) stage manager learning the ropes in the theater, who seems to have an inappropriately ultra religious upbringing (along with a closeted curiosity for men) and you have all the ingredients for some laughs and some serious drama.

The back story of how President and Mrs. Lincoln came to be at the theater that night is a clever idea and the use of this historic event as the fabric for the story being told is a credit to Charles Busch's overall creative talents.

With all those ingredients I didn't feel that either was done so well. The laughs were more chuckles... and the drama didn't exactly evoke tears. Overall the show was longer than it needed to be, but not uncomfortably so. On the bright side, the rotating stage proscenium was clever and the classical piano music at the scene changes was brilliant.

Talk Radio

Liev Schreiber powers through the callers with an intensity like that of a genuine late night radio shock jock. The show is basically 90 minutes of his character, Barry Champlain on the radio taking calls, telling it like he sees it, turning up the heat and asking provocative questions on the eve of a deal that will take his local Ohio radio show national. What develops is the juxtaposition of Champlain's character on the radio versus real life - and the struggle to draw a clear line between the two.

Make no mistake, the show is scripted. The callers are all off-stage and are not a variable part of the show. One of my favorite entertainers - Christine Pedi - creates many of the voices. Actually there are 5 callers and they run the gamut of voices and personalities. On stage, there is a small supporting cast, including Stephanie March (ADA Alexandra Cabott - Law and Order SVU).

There was certainly an intensity to the performance - staged as if in a studio - with working microphones, hence the "deep radio voice" is broadcast to the audience as if we were actually listening to the radio.

The show, written by Eric Bogosian (SubUrbia, Law and Order CI) 20 years ago, doesn't seem to "shock" as much as it probably did 20 years ago. Today we're all used to Howard Stren and the likes. Yet there is a timeless story buried beneath the surface - the story about how Hollywood and the Media can make a star out of a character and how that real person and life behind the character can transform - or be transformed - by the circumstances.

My mother used to tell me not to believe everything I read. I'd consider extending that to everything you hear, too.

Curtains

This Kander & Ebb - Rupert Holmes musical is a gem. It may not be as flashy-dashy as Drowsy Chaperone - but it does one thing well - it entertains.

The show numbers are big and bold - lots of high kicks and toes-a-tappin' during the many rousing full cast numbers. What more would you expect from a "show within a show"? The basic plot goes something like this... A (pretty bad) show is being rehearsed and there are a few murders (yes, one might expect Jessica Fletcher to show up!). The investigation traps the entire cast, crew, producers, and director inside the theater. While the mystery unravels - the police lieutenant lives out his fantasy by "improving" the many numbers and scenes ultimately making it a success (and solves the murder mystery too!).

One can't help but also detect ever so slight references to songs and shows of days gone by... is KansasLand a spoof of OKLAHOMA!? Do we see the budding romance of the lieutenant and a cast member get played out in a fantasy dance ballet that resembles a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers number? Does Show People have it's roots in Annie Get Your Gun? Probably so - and there are probably more that this theater novice just didn't pick up on!

It's goofy and silly and fun all around. I might say that while David Hyde Pierce (the lieutenant) loves the stage and is a great comedic actor - he's not much of a singer or dancer. Debra Monk plays one of the show's producers and I have to say - You can hear a little Ethel Merman in her. She commands the stage with her character's powerful personality and biting wit. Edward Hibbert - as old as he is - simply steals the show as the stuffy, witty and cantankerous director. And you can never mistake the voice of Ernie Sabella - bellowing all the way off stage for his enterance. Yes, even the orchestra conductor has dialogue and a song to sing!
Yes, a bit campy. Yes a bit "old fashioned". Yes, not the "best" show you've ever seen - - but the supporting cast brings the house down with each company number. I did see it at its first preview so maybe they'll tighten up the show, cut some dialogue, and contain the energy. If they can keep you tapping from 8:07 to 10:15 after opening night they might have a pretty good run of it.

Journey's End

At first glance, it may seem that the Belasco Theater forgot to pay the electric bill. But upon closer inspection, you realize that Hugh Dancy, Boyd Gaines, Jefferson Mays, and Stark Sands need absolutely no lighting except for the candles to make them shine on stage.

The intentionally dim stage has been transformed into an underground bunker in Quentin, France during WWI in 1918. It's a tense 3 act play that takes you deep into the topic of what war can do to a person's psyche, how friendships change, and what the words honor, bravery, and loyalty really mean.

Let's just say, this play is going no where happy. The incredible sound system in the theater provides the backdrop of war - guns, shells, and loud, very realistic explosions. No surprises here. I saw the 4th performance of this show in previews and I left in awe. The acting is outstanding and the chemistry is superb.

Run - don't walk - to this one - but when you arrive - Sit. Enjoy. Absorb.

Follies

Encores! pulls off another Sondheim classic - Follies. As always, it's a partially staged "books-in-hand" production at the cavernous City Center for 6 shows only.

The star-studded cast lead by Victor Garber, Victoria Clark, Donna Murphy, Michael McGrath, and Christine Baranski laid all their 40 year old "dirty laundry" on stage for all to enjoy. As the story goes, these guys and gals were all show-folk for Dimitri Weismann (a rival to Ziegfeld) 40 or so years ago and are all back for a reunion at the theater they all used to perform in for one last night since the theater is being torn down to become a parking lot. The supporting cast of reunion-comers , no slouches in their own right, includes Joanne Worley (Laugh-In), Phillip Bosco (Broadway Legend), Yvonne Constant (International/French Cabaret Star), Mimi Hines (Broadway: Funny Girl, Sugar Babies, Hello Dolly, Nunsense, Pippen to name a few), Anne Rogers (Broadway: The Boyfriend, My Fair Lady, 42nd Street and more) and Robert Fitch (over 27 Broadway shows and counting).


Not to be left off the list of those who deserve rave reviews is the "dual cast" of the younger versions of each of these "old-folk". The show weaves in scenes and flashbacks from the past alongside the current dialogue to give the audience a sense of "what really happened". That young cast was powerful, talented, and energetic - much as you would assume these folks all were in the days gone by. They truly provided the "oomph" behind the tap dance numbers and the effortless grace in the dance numbers.

Christine Baranski who played Carlotta Campion sang the signature number I'm Still Here. She hit every line of dialogue with aplomb and left us laughing every time - but her vocal skills need a bit of work. Victoria Clark and Donna Murphy stole the show as the leading ladies. Both have an incredible command of the stage and flawless vocal abilities.

Victor Garber - Wow! For some reason i never expect and always enjoy the vocal powerhouse he is. And let's not forget Mimi Hines who sang the famous Broadway Baby. She knocked our socks off. And Joanne Worley - the ageless funny-gal - she powered thru Who's that Woman - and all but got a standing ovation.

It's not perfect, it's got a few flubs and scant scenery. But with a hit like this one and stars like this one and, of course, the Encores! Orchestra - how could it be anything but an entertaining evening? Sorry, I think it's mostly sold out - but for 5 more shows - it's still here!