"The Inheritance" will close March 15th; "Beetlejuice" eyes the Ethel Barrymore Theatre; "To Kill a Mockingbird" makes history with Madison Square Garden performance; Greg Kinnear is the next Atticus Finch; Tony Yazbeck to direct a Frank Wildhorn’s "The Civil War"; Sophia Anne Caruso abruptly departed “Beetlejuice"; NYTW’s "Three Sisters" will feature an adaption by Clare Barron; Cassie Beck will star in the next segment of the national tour of "What the Constitution Means to Me"; and "Ink" will be adapted for the big screen
All tagged Laurie Metcalf
"American Utopia" will return to Broadway this fall; Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf to lead a Broadway revival of "Death of a Salesman"; Disney to release a filmed version of "Hamilton" on Broadway; Spike Lee to film "American Utopia"; "Sing Street" cast album comes out March 26th; Rebecca Luker reveals she has been diagnosed with ALS; Jeremy Jordan to replace Gideon Glick in "Little Shop of Horrors"; RIP Kevin Conway, Paula Kelly, Lynn Cohen, and Orson Bean
FEATURE: 2020 Spring Season Preview
With the concept of “winter” an increasing memory, here is overview of all that’s coming to New York stages this spring!
FEATURE: Top 10 of the 2010s
As we begin a new decade, I look back at my past decade of theatre-going and pick my top 10 favorite plays and musicals.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick will reunite on stage for the first-ever Broadway revival of Neil Simon's "Plaza Suite"; 2019 Theater Hall of Fame inductees; Angela Lansbury to headline one-night-only benefit staging of "The Importance of Being Earnest"; Ari’el Stachel to star "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" concert at Lincoln Center; Rupert Everett has replaces Eddie Izzard in "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"; Harry Hadden-Paton and James Frain helm North American premiere of "The King’s Speech"; Gwen Verdon documentary "Merely Marvelous" premieres on September 20th; RIP Chris March, Jeff Fenholt, P.J. Barry, and Peter Nichols
REVIEW: The indignity of “Hillary and Clinton”
Lucas Hnath’s “Hillary and Clinton” is a depressing form of inept and backhanded fan fiction, the very existence of which is irredeemably sexist. Putting the marriage and choices of one of the most accomplished and celebrated women in American history on stage for yet more public scrutiny is an indignity no male politician would ever face. Great performances aside, this inaccurate and intrusive play’s existence on Broadway feels irresponsible as a matter of civic integrity.
Jackie Sibblies Drury's "Fairview" wins the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; Laurie Metcalf, Eddie Izzard, Russell Tovey, and Patsy Ferran to star in 2020 Broadway revival of Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"; "Oklahoma!" musical television series in development; 2019-2020 seasons announced at Off-Broadway's Signature Theatre and Playwright's Horizons; "Grease" movie prequel is in the works; Mike Faist will play Riff in “West Side Story" film; Olga Merediz, Gregory Diaz IV, Jimmy Smits join "In the Heights" film; Lila Neugebauer to make film debut; RIP Georgia Engel
FEATURE: Top 10 Shows of 2018
By my count, I’ve attended 246 performances of theatre, dance, music, opera, and cabaret during 2018. Out of a field that large, it’s hard to pick just ten, but nevertheless, here are my top ten favorite shows I saw in New York (including no new musicals and only three Broadway shows!).
Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell - The Musical" will play City Center; "King Lear" will now play the Cort , opening up the Golden for "Hillary and Clinton"; cast announced for FOX's "Rent: Live" telecast; Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child joins "Once on This Island"; the Drama Book Shop will close its 40th Street location at end of January; Broadway League finds younger audience attended 2017–2018 season; trailer for "Latin History for Morons" on Netflix; playwright Ntozake Shange dead at 70
Scott Rudin to produce "Hillary and Clinton" by Lucas Hnath starring Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow; "Girl from the North Country" eyes the Walter Kerr Theatre; "TINA: The Tina Turner Musical" poised for Broadway in fall 2019; Dominique Morisseau named a MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" recipient; "Dear Evan Hansen" to open in London in fall 2019; "The Phantom of the Opera" to launch a new world tour in February; TKTS booths now display prices (vs. percentage discounts) at all locations; French singer Charles Aznavour dead at 94
REVIEW: Albee’s “Three Tall Women” Astonishes
Edward Albee’s 1994 Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece “Three Tall Women” is ferociously compelling under the smart hand of director Joe Mantello, and features a trio of astonishing performances by Glenda Jackson, Laurie Metcalf, and Alison Pill. This limited engagement of a towering work by a towering playwright and featuring three towering performances is not to be missed.
"Hangmen" delayed for Broadway; "The Prom" booked the Cort Theatre; Duncan Sheik and Sara Bareilles collaborating on a new "Alice in Wonderland" musical; MCC Theater announces "Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties"; Nathan Lane teases "Death of a Salesman" revival with Laurie Metcalf; Marilu Henner joins "Gettin' the Band Back Together"; Ben Crawford is the next Phantom; tragedy strikes the community as Tony winner Ruthie Ann Miles is seriously injured and her young daughter killed in a traffic accident; controversy roils "Rocktopia" as it is criticized by Actor's Equity for failing to provide union commensurate wages for its chorus