NEWS: Stage Left (2017-2021)

Thursday, August 19, 2021 - Final Issue

Dear Reader:

I have some personal news and a lot of gratitude to share.

While you may have already suspected it to be the case, I am officially hanging up my hat as a theatre critic and putting my beloved blog, this newsletter, and its podcast on hold indefinitely. I made my decision last fall, but I have waited to share it because I wanted to pair the news with another exciting development. Along with my business partner Jamie DuMont, I am thrilled to announce that I am following a long-harbored dream and launching a second career as a theatrical producer with our production company The Fabulous Invalid.

November 9, 2016 will always be one of the darkest days of my life. After 20 months on the senior staff of Hillary for America, and years spent both supporting and working directly for Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, we faced a gutting defeat. History was hijacked, and, well, we know too well the chaos and pain that followed. On that day, though, amid my shock, anger, fear, and sadness, a small voice popped into my head telling me that while the path of public service I had planned to follow had been abruptly waylaid, I was suddenly free to do anything else I wanted to do with my life. That voice spoke clearly and told me to do something with my other passion: theatre.

I am honored to continue working for Secretary Clinton and remain devoted to supporting her remarkable and singular global impact. Listening to that voice, though, in August 2017--four years ago--I launched Stage Left as a hobby. I knew few people in the theatre industry, and had no formal training as a critic or journalist. I never intended my blog to make any money (and it hasn't!), wasn't sure how long I'd do it, and doubted whether any one would notice or even care what I had to say.

Well, I was wrong. Within weeks I was being invited to review Broadway shows. Quotes from my reviews were being used in advertising and marketing materials -- even on some marquees! -- and I met an amazing community of unheralded, oft-misunderstood, and wonderful people who share my fervent love for the theatre: critics.

Stage Left was a dream come true. I attended hundreds of shows in New York and the region, flexed my critical muscles, and got to think and write at a time when little else made sense. I even started a podcast version just before the pandemic, aimed at elevating younger and underrepresented critics. Much more than a mere hobby, Stage Left became a lifeboat and an invaluable way to nourish my soul. I hope you enjoyed reading my reviews as much as I loved writing all 321 of them. In truth, just knowing that anyone read them at all gave and continues to give me immense joy.

In 2018, I met Jamie DuMont and we launched The Fabulous Invalid Podcast alongside our season one and two co-host Jennifer Simard, and our season one guest co-host Leslie Kritzer. Another dream come true, Jamie and I will wrap production of the podcast on September 8th when we release our 100th episode. If you've missed any of our episodes along the way, check out our archive. I admit I am biased, but I think the show we made is pretty damn good, and am happy to share that we will be back in the future with some special mini-series editions of the podcast based on our upcoming projects.

Speaking of: Jamie and I announced today that we are producing actor, writer, and dancer Mimi Quillin's solo play "Call Fosse at the Minskoff", directed by Michael Berresse. Based on the extraordinary true story of Mimi's experience working with Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon to reconstruct Fosse's choreography for the 1986 Broadway revival of "Sweet Charity", this middle age coming-of-age story offers an intimate look back into the inner sanctum of two of the greatest giants the theatre world has ever known, investigating the life-altering effects of proximity to true greatness, and revealing all the thrills and terrors of walking the high wire on the riskiest platform in entertainment.

Our premiere engagement will be at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, Massachusetts on October 15th and 16th. If you know anyone who might be interested in attending, please do pass along the word (tickets for sale here)! We plan to present the play in New York, and have a couple of other projects brewing that we can't wait to share with you when they are ready.

For now, as I enter this new chapter, I want to indulge in thanking a handful of people who have helped me along the way including Jamie DuMont, Rick Miramontez, Andy Snyder, and everyone at O&M; Dori Berinstein, Alan Seales, and everyone at the Broadway Podcast Network; the good people at Boneau/Bryan-Brown, Polk & Co, Matt Ross Public Relations, and every other hardworking press team in town; my incredible peers who write reviews -- I am in awe of all of them and you should be, too; Secretary Clinton and my dear colleagues in her personal office; my terrific teachers, my fabulous friends, and, of course, my amazing and supportive family.

And above all else, I want to thank you for your support and encouragement of this blog, newsletter, and podcast. It was a true labor of love, and while I am sad to see it end, as Auntie Mame would instruct, I am also thrilled to open a new window and open a new door. Onward!

xoxo,
Rob

P.S. please know that I will forever remain available to offer show recommendations and mini-reviews. Just shoot me an e-mail at Rob@StageLeft.nyc; I may also use this list to share updates from time to time, so stay tuned!