Here I take a look at “The Michaels” and “Dr. Ride’s American Beach House”, two Off-Broadway plays of very different substance that trade in the same, refreshing approach of eschewing bombast and declaration for delicacy and introspection.
All in Review
REVIEW: Adrienne Warren’s star turn in “TINA: The Tina Turner Musical”
Adrienne Warren gives a spell-binding, jaw-dropping, star turn in “TINA: The Tina Turner Musical”. There’s nothing earth-shattering about the show’s conception, construction, or execution—but not much that offends, either. “TINA”, among the best of its sub-genre of bio-musicals, is a rather unremarkable musical as far as the form is concerned but a terrific entertainment that tells a good story and does it well. See it for Adrienne Warren’s transcendent performance.
REVIEW: “A Chorus Line” at Signature Theatre is one singular sensation!
A sensational new production of “A Chorus Line” at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia makes a compelling case for experimenting beyond the container of Michael Bennett’s iconic original. A well-cast ensemble of triple threats breathes new life and new energy into “one of the best musicals ever”, and reclaim the magic that made the show such a milestone in the first place. This production is a must-see for any D.C.-area theatre fans.
REVIEW: “Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation”
After a five year hiatus, the Broadway parody revue “Forbidden Broadway” is back with a new edition that makes fun of Broadway shows, actors, and personalities through sketches that satirize the form. Mostly funny, this iteration is undercut by a tinge of bitterness and resentment toward shifting cultural mores and trends on Broadway. But, in the end, it’s still the same scrappy, low-budget comedy revue that’s been playing, off and on, since 1982.
REVIEWS: “The Great Society”, “The Height of the Storm”, and “The Rose Tattoo”
Here I give an overview of a trilogy of “the” plays that opened on Broadway over the past month: “The Great Society”, “The Height of the Storm” at Manhattan Theatre Club, and “The Rose Tattoo” at the Roundabout Theatre Company.
REVIEW: The heartbreak of democracy in “Soft Power”
“Soft Power”, David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori’s dramaturgically breathtaking new musical-within-a-play, experiments with form while rendering a sort of reverse version of “The King and I”. The resulting satire of American culture and politics brims with an unpretentious intelligence and an unexpectedly penetrating sense of patriotism. If democracy will break your heart, “Soft Power” can mend it.
REVIEW: “Killing An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe”
Actor John Kevin Jones performs four of Edgar Allan Poe’s greatest and best-known works in “Killing An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe” at Merchant’s House Museum; the historic and spooky setting is perfect for this ghoulishly good evening of literature coming to life.
REVIEW: Confronting Race, Gender, Sex, and History in “Slave Play” on Broadway
Following a sold-out run downtown, Jeremy O. Harris’ “Slave Play” is now on Broadway. At once hysterical and alarming, this trenchant satire of white fragility, identity politics, racism, psychotherapy, and a certain brand of its crunchy practitioners is a conversation piece to top them all. Thoughtfully written, constructed, and executed; thought-provoking, relevant, and a herald of what can be, “Slave Play” is a must-see of the season.
REVIEW: Ross Golan’s “The Wrong Man” at MCC Theater
Joshua Henry stars in “The Wrong Man”, a buoyantly rendered original new noir musical about a man falsely accused of murder that is the brain child of multi-platinum pop music singer, songwriter, and producer Ross Golan. A narrative song-cycle set in an intimate, concert-like atmosphere, this musical gets rhythmically rote, and suffers for a lack of specificity, but is nevertheless saved by a great score, fluid choreography, and Mr. Henry’s titanic performance.
REVIEW: Confronting the past in “jazz singer”
In “jazz singer” a group of artists grapple with making a piece of theatre about the film “The Jazz Singer” by examining its roots in Jewish mythology, wrestling with its use of blackface, exploring vital themes of assimilation, appropriation, and atonement, and questioning its legacy. While the piece substantively evinces the feel of a work still in progress, the production design is impeccable and unimpeachable, and its mission is achieved.
REVIEW: A Lin-Manuel Miranda-less “Freestyle Love Supreme”
“Freestyle Love Supreme” is an abundantly joyful and amusing freestyle, improvisational, hip-hop comedy show created by Thomas Kail, Anthony Veneziale, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. A pricey enterprise given that it is, fundamentally, an improv show, lovers of wordplay will take great pleasure in the clever and witty rhymes that the rotating cast of rappers and beatboxers come up with on the spot based on audience suggestions, and cynics will see a well-marketed cash grab.
REVIEW: Jaclyn Backhaus’ hilarious new comedy: “Wives”
Wives”, Jaclyn Backhaus’ smartly satiric and forthrightly feminist play, deconstructs the way in which women are “supposed” to behave, think, and feel about each other, and retells three historical episodes typically told through the male gaze, but this time from the perspective of the “wives”. The result is hilarious and poignant.