Oklahoma
Music by Richard Rogers
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Directed by Daniel Fish
Circle in the Square
June 12, 2019 Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
I have never seen a golden age musical go down this plywood covered path before!Wow!When I first entered the stage I thought that Oklahoma was going to be more gimmick than art.The thrust stage was all boarded up in raw plywood – the floor and all the walls.Crockpots of chili were cooking away on long picnic tables where front row audience members were seated.Audience lights were going to be kept up for the majority of the production.I thought this was going to be a long night. Continue reading Oklahoma!→
To Kill a Mockingbird
Written by Aaron Sorkin
Directed by Bartlett Sher
Sam S. Shubert Theatre
June 11, 2019 Production website
💉💉 out of 5.
I am not sure why I went to the theatre to experience this story.It was such a warm, wonderful read, but such a flat, lifeless play.Why did they need to use the stage for this?Isn’t the book enough? I really don’t think that this show would have made any sense to someone who hadn’t read the book (which, gratefully, I am sure is not many).I know it must be difficult to condense something so rich to the stage – but as I said before – then why would you? Continue reading To Kill a Mockingbird→
The Ferryman
Written by Jez Butterworth
Directed by Sam Mendes
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
June 9, 2019 Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.
Ferryman
I love Irish theatre.I love the grit and passion they bring to the story.I love good ghost stories and the Irish know some pretty amazing ghost stories.I love how so many of these Irish tales are about trying to make amends for an often unimaginable harm done in the past or an intense interest in passing family history on to the next generation.This is what makes Irish literature such fun in the theatre. Continue reading The Ferryman→
The Prom
Book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin
Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Longacre Theatre
June 8, 2019 Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
This show is “enough” is the best possible way.It has enough humor, enough dance, enough music, enough laughs, and enough of a message.It is the best time I have had watching a good ol’ musical comedy in years.It is damm near perfect.If felt like the writer of the book and director watched this show very carefully and made sure that everything was in the right portion.I was worried that since it is about “show people” it was all going to be uncomfortably over the top – but, again it was just perfect.The silliness and making fun of itself was just right. Continue reading The Prom→
Hillary and Clinton
Written by Lucas Hnath
Directed by Joe Mantello
Golden Theatre
June 8, 2019 Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Laurie Metcalf rules Broadway in the summer.One year Three Tall Women, one year Doll’s House Part 2, this year Lucas Hnath’s Hillary and Clinton – and a possible next summer with a Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf.And each one just keeps getting better and better.In way of thinking what makes Laurie Metcalf so wonderful on stage is the great ease she brings to her work.You sense no effort on her part.She is not obviously working.She is simply talking, reading and being with her partner – there is no artifice here.
Oklahoma
