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.

Continue reading Hillary and Clinton →

Be More Chill
Music and Lyrics by Joe Iconis
Book by Joe Tracz
Directed by Stephen Brackett
Lyceum Theatre
June 7,  2019
Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.

I made a big mistake in planning this trip with teenagers.  I had thought that the most obvious of shows to take them to – the one that they are obviously jamming to on YouTube would be Be More Chill.  I had thought that there wouldn’t be much for me in this production – but I was happy to “take one for the team.” Continue reading Be More Chill →