Please note: Performers named in these reviews may have left the show after the reviews appear on this website.
Absurd Person Singular
This play should really be called Absurd Persons Plural as each one of our three couples is patently ridiculous as they celebrate three successive Christmas eves taking turns in each ones kitchen. The first party takes place at Sidney and Jane's (Clea Lewis and Alan Ruck), she the obsessive cleaner, he the arrogant, ambitious prig. The second occurs at Geoffrey and Eva's, he the philandering womanizer and she the catatonic would-be-suicide. This is the most hilarious act as Eva (Mireille Enos) spends the evening in futile attempts at killing herself unnoticed by her husband (Sam Robards) and everyone else in the vicinity. The third party at Ronald and Marion's (Paxton Whitehead and Deborah Rush) is less farcial wtih overtures of tragedy as the stuffy banker acknowledges his inability to stop his alcoholic second wife from going down the drain in toto. The three kitchens by John Lee Beatty are perfection as they reveal the dynamics of the couples relationship and their social class while the costumes of Jane Greenwood complement the action to a tee. It's a fun evening in the theater.
Chita Rivera—The Dancer’s Life
Chita Rivera remains the darling of the Broadway stage despite her advancing years which are clearly not discernable during this performance. She dances, she sings, she holds the stage with the ease of a veteran trouper and she entertains us royally. Starting with her early days in Washington D.C. as a child dancer the show runs through her life up to her 2002 Kennedy Center Honor. There is a narrative thread but the focus of the show lies in her various theatrical successes—a la West Side Story, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Rink and so forth as well as her reminescences of the various choreographers that contributed to her well rounded personal style. Thanks to Bob Fosse, Jack Cole, Michael Kidd, Jerome Robbins and Peter Gennaro to mention the most outstanding. The current production is choreographed and directed by Graciela Daniele with book by Terrence McNally. The nine backup dancers are excellent and the cutest new addition to Broadway is Liana Ortiz who portrays the child Chita. All in all an entertaing evening in the theater with the woman who can still perform “All That Jazz” with all the sultry sexiness it requires.
The Color Purple
A show covering 40 years of bustling life and vitality in rural Georgia from 1909 to 1949 has to be loaded with characters, sets, music and what have you to succeed and The Color Purple does all that—starring LaChanze as Celie, our erstwhile heroine who spends most of her life suffering abuse, incest, deprivation and loneliness, Felicia P. Fields as Sofia who fights back with abandon and painful results, Elisabeth Withers-Mendes as the most desired of all females, Shug Avery and Renee Elise Goldsberry as Nettie, the sister who is lost to Celie during most of her life. The men are represented by Kingsley Leggs as the despotic Mister and Brandon Victor Dixon as the more lovable Harpo who gives some dignity and joy to masculinity. Sets are by the ubiquitous John Lee Beatty, Marsha Norman has the huge task of condensing the novel by Alice Walker into appropriate dialogue while Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray supply the lyrics and music which ranges from blues to gospel and then some. Everyone does a marvelous job in recreating a novel chock full of goodies.
The Odd Couple
Oscar and Felix are at it again. The inveterate slob and the prissy neatnik are up to their necks in snappy one liners and comic situations a la Neil Simon's 1965 classic. Oscar (Nathan Lane) is a divorced man living in total disarray in an 8 room apartment where he hosts a weekly poker game while Felix (Matthew Broderick) is a participant in the game who has been suddenly tossed out by his wife of 12 years who is unable to put up with his obsessive-compulsive behavior any longer. Oscar good naturedly invites Felix to move in with him little knowing what neat and tidy chaos will erupt. Nathan Lane is hysterically funny as he disintegrates under Matthew Broderick's driven cleanliness and obtuse affability. There are deserving turns by the 4 poker players (Brad Garrett among them) and the two sisters who live in the apartment above but the evening belongs to our beloved odd couple. John Lee Beatty again contributes an excellent set and Ann Roth the appropriate costumes.
The Woman in White
The Woman In White is an interesting compilation of nouveau technique mixed with Gothic horror. The staging takes place on walls on which are projected scenes of mansions, rooms, railroad stations, asylums and beautiful country scenery. The video projections are glorious when they reflect the environment, somewhat less so when they reflect interiors. The actors walk in and out of these projections, at times successfuly at other times somewhat less so. The plot is a frenzied compendium of deceit, greed, betryal, insanity and all but the kitchen sink. A young tutor (Adam Brazier) comes to Cumberland to teach two sisters (Maria Friedman and Jill Paice) the art of drawing. Before he even arrives at their home he is accosted by a mysterious woman in white who reveals she has a secret which will affect them all. The woman looks amazingly like the younger, prettier sister Laura (Jill Paice) with whom the tutor promptly falls in love. The older sister warns him that Laura is engaged to Sir Percival Glyde and insists the marriage must take place. She apparently has an ulterior motive.Sir Percival has a friend (Count Fosco) who also appears to have an insidious motive as does his compatriot. From then on all kinds of treachery takes place. Maria Friedman is making her NY debut as is Michael Ball. Both are excellent as is the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber although it is not as lush as his previous creations. All in all it is an entertaining evening at the theater.
Lennon
Nine players take turns portraying John, Yoko and everyone else in this production as 3 backdrop curtain screens reveal photos and movies of the events being depicted. It is a novel idea by Don Scardino who conceived, directed and wrote the narrative between the songs that purport to explain John's life from birth to assination, one of the tragedies of our time. Beginning with his birth in Liverpool, scanty upbringing and education, formation of the group known as the Beatles to the trip to India, the drug use, the breakup of one of the most adored rock groups in existence to meeting Yoko and their subsequent political activism, the show romps through the main highlights of his complicated life and complex character without truly offering any insight into this remarkable man other than surface aspects. But the music is enough in itself to make the evening enjoyable and the ending heartbreaking. Credit Jeffrey Klitz and John Miller for their expert musicanship and all nine performers for their energy and vocal talents.
The Light In The Piazza
This charming new musical, set in Florence and Rome in the summer of 1953, is enhanced by the clever, adroit staging of Michael Yeargan and the sumptuous lighting of Christopher Akerlind. Together they place one in the romantic fairyland required by the book Craig Lucas based on the novel by Elizabeth Spencer. The only difficulty is that the music of Adam Guettel only occasionally soars to the melodic lushness essential to the passionate romance of Clara (Kelli O’Hara) and Fabrizio (Matthew Morrison) or the heartbreaknig dilemna of Clara's’mother (Victoria Clark) who must decide whether to reveal the brain injury of her beautiful daughter or let fate take its course. Since Clara speaks only simple Italian and Fabrizio’s English is limited to tour book phrases, it is possible Clara’s limitations may never be revealed. Ah! what a lovely fable! All the singers are excellent including Fabrizio’s extended family and Clara’s father, who remains in America offering dire predictions via the telephone. The entire show is moving and hopeful—perhaps an innocent wish fullfillment of an earlier era.
Glengarry Glenross
Snap! Crackle! Pop! So goes David Mamet's crispy depiction of a 1984 Chicago real estate office and its huckster, semi-desperate salesmen who would cut your throat in a minute to get the all important leads necessary to clinch a sale. Whether in the Chinese restaurant around the corner, or in the main office, these salesmen chatter non-stop in stacatto fashion using scatological terms to excess as they rail against the diffidence of the manager and the lack of gullible clients. Then the office is robbed, the list of promising leads is stolen and the hunt for the thief begins. All the players are excellent with standout performances by Alan Alda as the tired Shelly Levine who can not stop talking about past glories and Liev Schreiber as the current hot-shot, cut-throat schemer Richard Roma who rules the roost in closing deals. Sets by Santo Loquasto, costumes by Laura Bauer, lighting by Kenneth Posner and direction by Joe Mantello make this an evening to remember.
On Golden Pond
Ethel and Norman Thayer, Jr. have returned to their summer home on Golden Pond in Maine for the 48th year. But this year the irascible Norman is even more cantankerous than usual for he is busy covering up his memory loss, eratic heart and occasional confused states. Regardless of his deception Ethel is quite aware of the situation and invites their estranged daughter Chelsea to visit using Norman’s upcoming 80th birthday as an inducement. Chelsea responds by bringing her fiance and his 13 year old son and attempting to close the distance between herself and her father before it is too late. This bare bones outline of the plot does not suffice to illuminate the excellent acting seen on stage. James Earl Jones, with his mellifluous baritone, runs roughshod over his cynical remarks while Leslie Uggams in her more gentle manner portrays Ethel in a gracious and caring manner. Linda Powell, the daughter of Colin Powell, as Chelsea, Peter Francis James as her fiance and Alexander Mitchell as his son all add to the overall quality of this beautifully mounted production.
Steel Magnolias
Set in a beauty parlor in a small town in Louisiana in 1987 this gentle play follows 2 years in the lives of six devotees of the art of looking good. Spiced up with pithy puns and small town bon mots our characters help each other along life's path handling the ridiculous as well as the tragic with aplomb and light humor. Delta Burke is the gutsy beauty shop owner, Lily Rabe her new born again assistant, Frances Sternhagen the past mayor's widow, Marsha Mason the town curmudgeon and Christine Ebersole and Rebecca Grayheart the mother and daughter around whom the action revolves. All perform beautifully with Frances Sternhagen tossing off the most amusing and wry quips. The set design by Anna Louizos is a pleasant approximation of a small town beauty parlor while the costumes of David Murin aid in making this pleasing play by Robert Harling come to life.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
John Lithgow is the sophisticated, urbane con man with the silver hair and impeccable dress, Norbert Leo Butz is the scruffy con man with the sloppy manners and slovenly dress. The older con man (Lithgow) has had the run of the French Riviera, milking the heiress population for all its worth with the assistance of the corrupt French policeman (Gregory Jbara) when the younger one shows up demanding his place in the sun. Although Lithgow is unwilling to teach him he agrees to a bet —the first one to con soap heiress Christine Colgate (Sherie Rene Scott) out of $50,000 will remain on the Riviera while the loser flees to another territory. And then the fun begins. Everyone in this excellent cast is superb including Joanna Gleason as a foolish rich American and Sara Gettelfinger as an Oaklahoma heiress. The sets by David Rockwell are delicious while Gregg Barnes costumes and David Yazbek's music and racy lyrics contribute to an elegant and hilarious evening.
Sweet Charity
This show had all kinds of problems out of town culminating in Christina Applegate having the misfortune of breaking her foot. But this show also has a book by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields so how far wrong can it go? With spunky determination Miss Applegate has healed her foot ahead of schedule and is giving a cheerful, upbeat performance in her Broadway debut. She is Charity Hope Valentine, a dance hall hostess with a knack for picking the wrong men and a wavering belief that she can better her life. She is ably assisted by Denis O'Hare as her inconsistent suiter and Janine LaManna and Kyra DaCosta as her dance hall comrades. Wayne Cilento has added his stamp to the original Bob Fosse choreography while Walter Bobbie has directed with vigor. Any show that has a rousing "Big Spender" and "If My Friends Could See Me Now" can not fail to be a hit.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Ian Fleming, most often associated with James Bond, the famous 007, is also capable of writing fairy tales for children as proved by this play. The star this time is a car that floats, flies, drives, makes noises and rescues innocent people from villians. The story takes place in 1910 in an unrecognizable England where a widowed inventor (Raul Esparza) is making a home for his son (Henry Hodges), daughter (Ellen Marlow) and father (Philip Bosco).
He is not having much success selling candy toys to Lord Scrumptious or winning the hand of his daughter Truly Scrumptious (Erin Dilly) until his children come upon a magical car and beg their father to acquire it. Two villians from Vulgaria, Chip Zien and Robert Sella, are also trying to acquire the car to bring to their leaders, the Baron and Baroness Bomburst (Mark Kudisch and Jan Maxwell). All kinds of accidents occur as our family winds up in Vulgaria, threatened to be eaten or disposed of in various horrendous ways. There is a huge cast of characters, an unending supply of inventions, flying objects and what-nots and a bunch of dogs running around as this ridiculous and charming musical enfolds. Anthony Ward has done a marvelous job with the sets and costumes giving a carnival and circus atmosphere to the proceedings. The audience, especially the children cheered mightily throughout the evening.
A Streetcar Named Desire
It is a hot humid summer in 1947 when Blanche DuBois comes to stay with her sister Stella in a stultifying squalid 2 room apartment in New Orleans. Unbeknowst to Stella and her husband Stanley, Blanche has lost the family plantation as well as her position as a teacher and is now bereft of resources. She remains, however, in touch with her illusions and her romantized version of reality. Her working class brother-in-law Stanley sees only her pretensions and is determined to crush her spirit which he feels has mocked him. Thus the struggle between delicate magic and brute force ensues with everyone losing in the end. Natasha Richardson is superb as Blanche exhibiting both delicate strength and fragility in her descent toward madness. Amy Ryan as Stella and Chris Bauer as Blanche's suitor Mitch are both excellent but John C. Reilly as Stanley exhibits the brute strength required for the role but lacks the exuding sexuality that would make Stella's obsession with him comprehensible. Thus director Edward Hall has eliminated the dynamic necessary to make this play totally whole. The set by Robert Brill is magnificent establishing the ultimate dreariness of the surroundings while the costumes by William Ivey Long do justice to everyone.
Doubt
Without a doubt this is truly a literate and engrossing play. John Patrick Shanley is dealing with issues of moral certainty and faith by telling a story of two protagonists, each of whom is asserting a “truth” that is diametrically opposite to the other's vision. Sister Aloysius (Cherry Jones) is a nun of the old school, conservative, rigid and dogmatic in her beliefs, secretly pleased that her students fear her. Father Flynn is a warm, passionate and questioning man, happy to be a friend to his students. A young nun Sister James (Heather Goldenhersh) observes a student behaving in a troublesome manner after an encounter with Father Flynn. Relating her concern to Sister Aloysius she unfortunately sparks a crusade in the older nun who is determined to rid her school of any questionable impropriety. But Father Flynn denies any such behavior and offers a plausible explanation of the encounter. Sister Aloysius does not believe him. She sets out to gather evidence against him, even calling in the boy's mother who does not quite agree with her. And so the struggle continues. Cherry Jones is excellent as the avenging nun, Brian F. O'Byrne is a superb Father Flynn while Heather Goldenhersh and Adriane Lenox round out the cast with believable acuity. John Lee Beatty has created a 1964 Bronx Parochial School of flawless decor and design and Doug Hughes has directed with more surety than doubt.
All Shook Up
Into a square town in the middle of the midwest rides an Elvis-like lothario on his shiny motorcycle ready to inject life into this dull monotony. Of course this is but an excuse for a panopoly of Elvis tunes manuevering into a plot with mistaken identities, Shakespeare sonnets, an uptight mayor, interracial love affairs and so on. Jenn Gambatese as the heroine who pines for the seemingly unavailable hotshot hero, Jonathan Hadary as her lonely father, Sharon Wilkins, as the owner of the only restaurant in town, Cheyenne Jackson as the hero and Leah Hocking as the glamour girl are all in excellent voice. The sets are magnificent, moving effortlessly from one scene to another, but the best movements are the hip-swinging delights of Cheyenne Jackson. The entire cast brought the house down with their enthusiastic interpretations of Elvis Presley's best.
The Pillowman
This play has come to Broadway with accolades of praise from the London press and the advance New York reviews. Yet it is as sadistic a piece of work as you can find with matricide, patricide, fratricide and child murder supplying the dynamics of the plot. It takes place in an interrogation room in police headquarters in a fascistic state where a writer (Billy Crudup) is being questioned about his short stories. It seems they have sparked three child murders that completely follow his plot outlines. Along with the writer is his retarded brother (Michael Stuhlbarg) who is being tortured in another room. The two policemen (Jeff Goldblum and Zeljko Ivanek) take turns at the good cop, bad cop routine while reflecting their own predilections and peccadillos The putative murders are enacted on an upper level of the stage covered by panels when not being viewed. The production enfolds with excellent performances by all concerned, crisp direction by John Crowley, superior staging and lighting by Scott Pask and Brian MacDevitt and supposed black humor by the master of the genre, Martin McDonagh, who may or may not offend the viewer depending on the sensitivities evoked.
The Glass Menagerie
This early memory play by Tennessee Williams remains as ineffably sad and heartbreaking as always. The story line concerns the fading Southern belle of a mother (Jessica Lange) whose constant ruminations about her past glory serve to keep her crippled daughter (Sarah Paulson) in a shy, faltering withdrawn state with only an old Victrola and glass animals for company and her son (Christian Slater) with the poetic nature hopelessly entrapped in a position in a shoe factory. The father has long since abandoned the family. After much pleading the mother persuades the son to bring home a gentleman caller who in her fantasy is to rescue the daughter from her loneliness and provide her with an entrance to a genuine life. Of course this dream remains a dream and thus the tragedy of all three continues. Jessica Lange gives a bravura performance—both irritating and pathetic—as the long suffering Amanda, while Sarah Paulson and Christian Slater are equally as moving as her offspring. Josh Lucas as the gentleman caller adds to the evening with a well rounded turn as the unwitting cause of the final pathos.
Jackie Mason—Freshly Squeezed
Jackie is back —as bombastically funny as ever— with all new material. He struts across the stage examining all varieties of human idiosyncrasies with his customary cutting edge and devastating wit. Topics include politicians, Atkins diet, sex, restaurant behavior, cell phones, hospitals and everything else under the sun. No one is exempt from his rapier wit as he includes President Bush, Arafat, Hillary, Guilliane and Bloomberg in his ruminations. And nothing beats his descripton of a group of women in a restaurant deciding what to order and how to split the check. Go to the Helen Hayes Theater!
