All tagged Josh Rhodes

REVIEW: Jerry Herman’s “Mack and Mabel” at Encores!

After 46 years away from New York, audiences at City Center finally have a chance to see what Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart’s 1974 flop “Mack and Mabel” is all about thanks to a new Encores! production. The result is bittersweet—both thrilling and sad. Jerry Herman’s score shines, alongside performances by Douglas Sills, Alexandra Socha, Lilli Cooper, and a top-notch ensemble, and the atmosphere of old Hollywood is superbly spun. Still, this is not a musical masterpiece, but a beloved curiosity—a good musical that almost works. Perhaps someday, it might.

REVIEW: Encores! “Grand Hotel, The Musical” is Simply Glorious

“Grand Hotel, The Musical” is a glorious gem from 1989, now presented in a full out, Broadway-quality production with a roster of superb performances that weave an evocative, sumptuous, and highly entertaining visit to 1928 Berlin.  This is arguably the best production Encores! has presented since “Chicago” in 1996, and deserves a Broadway transfer.  See it now so you can say you saw it when!