The Purple Lights of Joppa, Illinois
written and directed by Adam Rapp
Atlantic Theatre Company
June 22, 2016 Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5
This is one brutal little play. From the beginning of the play that finds a man meticulously picking up unseen specks from a carpet to the end in which that same man stares at his torchiere light – afraid that it will move. The premise is rather simple. A man has just been released from a psychiatric correctional institute to return home and plan for a special meeting. Soon the door rings and two teenage girls enter – – danger, danger – we know something bad is going to happen. Continue reading The Purple Lights of Joppa, Illinois→
Fully Committed
written by Becky Mode
starring Jesse Tyler Ferguson
directed by Jason Moore
Lyceum Theatre
June 22, 2016 Production website 💉💉 out of 5.
First I need to apologize for having never seen Modern Family so I have never see Mr. Ferguson’s uptight Mitchell. Often when I go to theatre in NYC, I am reminded how LITTLE TV I actually watch. It’s not that I am “above” TV; I simply do not have the habit.
As the show started, I had a few fears. One: I saw this huge, complicated set placing us in the basement of the ultra-popular restaurant in question. I worried that this set might get in the way of the play, and that I might actually long to see the play in its home at the Vineyard Theatre years ago. I was right. This set just seemed to swallow the actor rather then bring him to the forefront. Continue reading Fully Committed→
Waitress
book by Jessie Nelson
music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles
directed by Diane Paulus
Brooks Atkinson Theatre
June 21, 2016 Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
I was just a breath away of standing up on my seat and giving a single song a standing ovation. Jessie Mueller simply hits the signature song, “She Used to be Mine” out of the ballpark. That one song alone was worth the ticket price. Not sense the original Dreamgirls have I felt so compelled to give a song a standing ovation. Continue reading Waitress→
School of Rock
book by Julian Fellowes
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
directed by Laurance Connor
Winter Garden Theatre
June 20, 2016 Production website
💉💉 out of 5.
I knew it was going to be loud. I knew that lights were going to bounce out and blind you. I knew that the audience was going to be full of tourists that would be flashing their cell phones, chomping their gum, and and doing live-time commentary on the show as it played out. I knew that the stage was going to have lots and lots of cute kids. I mean seriously cute kids. I mean where in the world did they grow these cute kids? I knew that the electric guitar was going to be the selling point of the evening. And I went. Continue reading School of Rock→
Skeleton Crew
by Dominique Morisseau
directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Atlantic Theatre Company
June 19, 2016 Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
This story took me to a world I have never been. It introduced me to an occupation I had never considered – to a city I would never want to live in – to a group of people that I would never think twice about and likely judge and dismiss – to struggles that I will likely never face – – and here I was lapping up each and every moment. I was sitting in my seat through the entire production KNOWING exactly where this story was going – and being WRONG each and every time. Continue reading Skeleton Crew→
The Purple Lights of Joppa, Illinois
