Titanique book by Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, and Tye Blue Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements by Nicholas Connell Directed by Tye Blue Daryl Roth Theatre April 9, 2024 Production website 💉 out of 5.
This piece was a TRUE let down! I came to the piece with high expectations and a handful of excellent recommendations from theatre friends and critics. Basically, Titanique is a spoof of the James Cameron movie in which Celine Dion re-writes the story with her as a participant and she sets out to poke fun at all of the classic scenes from the movie. It really could have been a workable premise for a fun evening but . . .
First off the talent, music, and orchestration and the writing of the piece most ironically felt like cruise ship entertainment and not legitimate New York Theatre. This piece belonged on a cruise ship or at an amusement park or comedy club and not in a New York theatre. It just lacked that air of sophistication. I also felt that the music of Celine Dion just doesn’t lend itself easily to doing irreverent even raunchy comedy. Name the last Celine Dion song that you can think of that would work to sing while slinging a small dildo about? See my point?
Days of Wine and Roses Book by Craig Lucas Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel Choreography by Sergio Trujillo & Karl Puno Garcia Directed by Michael Greig Atlantic Theatre Company July 9, 2023 Production website 💉 out of 5.
Days of Wine and Roses was truly a disappointment. It is so crazy to think that with the star-studded pairing of Brian d’Arcy James and Kelli O’Hara could produce something so lame. First off, I think the story is too dated to be presented. The dynamics of addiction, and how you can’t change anyone and the advent of Alcoholics Anonymous just seems to be from old, old news – and nothing new is brought to the conversation.. What necessitate the retelling of the story? On top of that, the show had just terrible music. I always think that it’s a bad sign when you leave the theater and are not humming at least one song as you go. I can’t imagine the cast album!
55 Shades of Gay
Written by Jetron Neziraj
Directed by Leigh Silverman
Qendra Multimedia (Kosovo)
La Mama Theatre Workshop
March 15, 2019 Production website
💉 out of 5.
55 Shades of Gay has the very best of intentions.It sets out to be a burlesque production about LGBT politics in the Balkans. At its best, it is is an irreverent and satirical in look at the world the LGBT experience, systemic corruption, crippling unemployment, and crumbling infrastructure in Kosovo.
Shame or the Doomsday Machine
Written by Crystal Field
Directed by Mark Marcante
Theatre for the New City
August 5, 2018 Production website
💉 out of 5.
Here is where we are with this production. We entered the Theatre for the New City on 10th Street, and then were directed out back to the street where all was blocked off and a portable stage was erected. Music was blaring, sun barreling down, kids were running around screaming – my ideal theatre setting. This was not going to be a good show, I get it, by almost any standard. The performers were lost – some seem totally unprepared as they were just offstage discussing their lines, movements, exits/entrances and on and on. Performers were spending more time socializing with the audience then focusing on the stage. Non-professional, community generated, we’ll-take-everyone-who-shows-up kind of theatre. Continue reading Shame or the Doomsday Machine→
The Secret Life of Humans
Written and Directed by
David Byrne and Kate Stanley
59E59 Theatre
June 10, 2018 Production website
💉 out of 5.
Where are we going as a human race?Are things getting better, or are we walking to our own destruction?It sort of depends on the day and what section of the news you open first.The Secret Life of Humans is a transplant from the Edinburgh Festival last summer. The play covers a huge range of topics from a very collegiate lecture on the origin of man and the weary steps he has taken forward to the nonsense of a Tinder date that leads into a scavenger hunt over the “undisclosed work of un-named scientist working for the British government during World War 2.” Continue reading The Secret Life of Humans→
