Shining City
book by Conor McPherson
with Matthew Broderick
directed by Ciaran O’Reilly
Irish Repertory Theatre
June 25, 2016 Production website
💉 out of 5.
I love the wonderful ghost stories of Conor McPherson – but, lordy, I didn’t find much to enjoy here. Matthew Broderick, in the pivotal role , just falls flat for me. I couldn’t figure out if he was a flat and plastic actor content to just be himself for this withdrawn character or whether he was actually working to be flat and plastic – but the result was certainly flat and plastic. Continue reading Shining City→
The Humans (on Broadway)
written by Stephen Karam
directed by Joe Mantello
Helen Hayes Theatre
June 24, 2016 Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
I saw this play in December of 2015 and I loved it and easily gave it 💉💉💉💉💉. It is clearly a masterpiece of suspense and of allowing naturalism to slowly boil until it becomes a chilling piece of expressionism. Continue reading The Humans (on Broadway)→
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
written by Eugene O’Neill
starring Jessica Lange, Gabriel Byrne, Michael Shannon & John Gallagher, Jr.
directed by Jonathan Kent
American Airlines Theatre
June 23, 2016 Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
I have seen Long Day’s Journey Into Night. I mean I have really seen Long Day’s Journey Into Night! One goal I have for my theatre going life is to see the DEFINITIVE production of the classics. To be honest when I read the works of the classics (i.e. Chekhov, O’Neill, Ibsen, Strindberg, even Shakespeare) I often get bored – – and worse yet, when I see bad productions I get mad for the waste of time. I know as a theatre teacher I should relish reading these classics – but, come on, they were never meant to be read; they were meant to be EXPERIENCED. Continue reading Long Day’s Journey Into Night→
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→
Shining City
