The Children
Written by Lucy Kirkwood
Directed by James Macdonald
Manhattan Theatre Club
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
December 26, 2017
Production website
💉💉 out of 5.

This is my kind of play – certainly that’s what I thought.  I was expecting some combination of a Martin McDonough’s blood and guts kind of a play with a bit of an intellectual warning of the dangers of atomic energy.  Some of that happened.  The idea is so provocative.  What would happen after a nuclear power plant had a problem and poisoned a community?   Who would go back into this danger zone to clean up and try to get the plant back on line – – because we certainly cannot do without that electricity and we certainly cannot explore any other more natural ways of making electricity.  Who should go back and clean up that plant? Continue reading The Children →

Farinelli and the King
Written Claire Van Kampen
Directed by John Dove
Belasco Theatre
December 23, 2017
Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

Mark Rylance rules the world!   AND for this particular production I was gifted with seats right on the stage.  It felt almost like being part of a private audience in some courtly manor.  This was going to be one of my favorite theatre memories in a long list of productions.

Mark Rylance – – There is no way he can be on stage without all eyes being riveted to his work.  It is hard to explain this stage charisma.  The best that I can explain it is that he is SO very present on stage that you really believe he has NO idea what is going to happen in the next moment.  He is like a small child playing in the now and hearing the words coming out of his mouth for the first time.  It is ALL discovery. Continue reading Farinelli and the King →

Hello Dolly!
Book by Michael Stewart
Musical and lyrics by Jerry Herman
Choreographed by Warren Carlyle
Directed by Jerry Zaks
Sam S. Shubert Theatre
June 24, 2017
Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

I have seen Bette Midler in concert in her Las Vegas show, and last night I saw Bette Midler’s Hello Dolly – without Bette Midler.  I think this was the smartest choice to see this musical.  I have heard from my friends the Bette Midler as Dolly Levi was terrific.  She commanded the stage and you couldn’t take your eyes off of her.  I am sure that is true.  But I saw Donna Murphy as Dolly Levi and THAT was perfect for me. Continue reading Hello Dolly! →

Groundhog Day
Book by Danny Rubin
Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin
Directed by Matthew Morris
August Wilson Theatre
June 26, 2017
Production website
💉 💉💉out of 5.

There was more stuff in this show then one could possibly imagine. Circle upon circle was spinning throughout the show.  The actors literally did laps for the two and a half hours all the while singing and dancing around in parkas in NYC in July!  Groundhog Day was so beautiful and magical to watch. I thought to myself that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would have really benefitted from this set designer!   Continue reading Groundhog Day →

Present Laughter
Starring Kevin Kline
Written by Noel Coward
Directed by Moritz Von Stuelpnagel
St. James Theatre
June 21, 2017
Production website
💉💉 out of 5.

Kevin Kline is just so good in this – – but there is just so much of this!  After seeing 1984 last night I was so eager to see a play that behaved itself and delivered some acting and some story.  Present Laughter, I thought – – there’s the remedy.

It was such a beautiful play.  A gorgeous set full of theatrical decadence with doors a plenty and plenty of furniture to poise, pontificate, and pursue a dalliance.  The language of Noel Coward is so rich and so wonderfully sarcastic.  It is so nice to hear a play that has vocabulary that reaches beyond two syllables.   Continue reading Present Laughter →