With the concept of “winter” an increasing memory, here is overview of all that’s coming to New York stages this spring!
All tagged Vineyard Theatre
"Beetlejuice" to close June 6th, making way for "The Music Man"; "Is This A Room" returns to the Vineyard Theatre; Red Bucket Follies raised $5.6M for BC/EFA; Chip Zien, Caissie Levy, John Cariani, and more join Sharon D. Clarke in "Caroline, or Change"; Adam Chanler-Berat, Tavi Gevinson, and Andy Grotelueschen join Judy Kuhn, Steven Pasquale, Will Swenson, Wesley Taylor, and Brandon Uranowitz in Classic Stage Company’s “Assassins”; "Slave Play" pioneers new ticket gifting program; "Little Shop of Horrors" will record a cast album; Rashidra Scott rounds out the principal cast of "Company"; Tony Goldwyn to step into "The Inheritance"; Samantha Barks to star in London bow of "Frozen"; RIP René Auberjonois, Ron Leibman, Danny Aiello, Richard Easton, and William Luce
FEATURE: Top 10 of 2019
By my count, I’ve attended 234 performances of theatre, dance, music, opera, and cabaret during 2019. Out of a field that large, it’s hard to pick just ten, but nevertheless, here are my top ten (ok, eleven) favorite shows I saw in 2019.
REVIEW: The sublimely surreal satire of “Do You Feel Anger?”
Mara Nelson-Greenberg’s new play “Do You Feel Anger?” at the Vineyard Theatre is a razor-sharp, whip-smart satire of contemporary workplace culture that is the blissful antithesis of complacent theatre-making, this play serves up a highly digestible, surrealist critique of mores around empathy consciousness, sexual harassment, hyper-masculinity, and female agency that is equal parts hilarious and horrifying.
REVIEWS: “Days of Rage” and “Good Grief”
Two world premiere productions of new plays opened Off-Broadway last night, each offering their characters a reflection on their younger selves and their emotional development, conceptions of love, and visions for the future. This is a roundup look at Second Stage’s “Days of Rage” and the Vineyard Theatre’s “Good Grief” (Critic’s Pick!).
REVIEWS: Rounding Out a Very Gay Year with “The Boys in the Band” and “Log Cabin”
Capping an unusually gay year for New York theatre, I take a look at what many consider to be the first gay play (“The Boys in the Band”) and what might be the newest gay play (“Log Cabin”). Catch the former if you can (tickets are scarce and expensive); skip the latter.
"A Bronx Tale" will close August 5th; Glenda Jackson will do "King Lear" on Broadway in Spring 2019; an all female Broadway revival of "Glengarry Glen Ross" is in the works; the Vineyard Theatre announces its 2018-2019 season; Austin Pendleton is directing and starring in "Wars of the Roses: Henry VI & Richard III"; Manhattan Concert Productions will present "The Scarlet Pimpernel"; Liliane Montevecchi and Dame Gillian Lynne have died
REVIEW: “The Beast in the Jungle”
Susan Stroman, John Kander, and David Thompson continue their thirty year collaboration with “The Beast in the Jungle”, a “dance play” inspired by Henry James’ 1903 novella. The dancing and music is beautiful to watch and hear, but the piece is dramatically unfulfilling, its more cryptic source material diminished in the course of fleshing out, crystallizing, and modernizing the story.
REVIEW: Billy Crudup is astonishing in “Harry Clarke”
Billy Crudup is simply captivating and astonishing as he seamlessly summons 15 characters in David Cale’s one-person thriller “Harry Clarke”. At once funny, sexy, and scary, the elements of this crisp production exist in exquisite harmony, balanced and honed by the production team to achieve a memorable and chilling evening at the theatre. You do not want to miss Mr. Crudup’s performance in this superb play.
"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
REVIEWS: "The Amateurs", "At Home at the Zoo", and "Relevance"
A roundup look at three plays that opened recently Off-Broadway. I highly recommend the Vineyard Theatre's striking "The Amateurs" and Signature Theatre's superb "At Home at the Zoo", but suggest skipping MCC Theater's "Relevance".