Come From Away
Book, Music and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Directed by Christopher Ashley
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
June 17, 2017
Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

There are not enough words to tell you how wonderful this show is!  It is fun to experience; it sounds great; it is energetic; the cast is passionate about what they are doing, and you leave the theatre feeling so so good!  NYC has always had trouble tying to tell the story of 9/11 in the theatre.  Either the story becomes so political that it becomes more of a speech that leaves you cold – – or the 9/11 plays become so maudlin and so lost in the anger and sadness that all you want to do is weep.   9/11 stories were either about the head and they neglected the heart – or they were focused on the heart and they had nothing to say to your head.

Come From Away is the perfect blend. Continue reading Come From Away →

Oslo
Written by J.T. Rogers
Directed by Bartlett Sher
Lincoln Center Theater at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre
June 16, 2017
Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

This play took me to school in the most wonderful way.  I knew the play was a dramatization of a true meeting between the Israelis and the PLO in Norway that was responsible for a first real, although brief, truce between these long time enemies.  The history is vital for our country to understand – especially since we keep sticking our nose into the business often to the detriment of the peace. Continue reading Oslo →

Indecent
Written by Paula Vogel
Directed by Rebecca Taichman
Cort Theatre
June 14, 2017
Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.

The visuals in Indecent were simply stunning.  It really was a textbook for directors.  From the moment we came in and saw a line of actors already on stage – – obviously Jews saddled with luggage on their high and left – we knew we were headed on a journey that wasn’t going to be easy!  Indecent is such an important part of history in both its exploration of censorship and Yiddish theatre – particularly in America. Continue reading Indecent →

Sweat
Written by Lynn Nottage
Directed by Kate Whoriskey
Studio 54
June 14, 2017
Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

Who actually are those people that voted for Trump as the President of the United States?  Who are those people?  Ironically in the liberal bastion that is New York we are given an answer.  Sweat focus on a small union-working collection of people in the heartland of the country. Their jobs are dependent on the manufacturing industry that is being so damaged by the NAFTA agreement that became such a contentious piece of legislation in the recent national election.   Continue reading Sweat →

Doll’s House Part 2
Written by Lucas Hnath
Starring Laurie Metcalf, Chris Cooper, Jayne Houdyshell, and Condola Rashad
Directed by Sam Gold
Golden Theatre
June 13, 2017
Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

This my readers THIS is a play!  90 minutes has never flown faster.  I was grabbed by my collar and whisked away and thrown out in the street later in numb silence to figure out what the f*** just happened.

I teach the good ‘ol Ibsen Dolls House every year to sophomores.  28 years of sophomores have walked through this story with me.  It bored some – – but the majority were really captivated by the blackmail and the sweet little skylark standing up and kicking some Torvald ass.  But what happened after the mighty door slam?  What happened to a woman who just gave it all up – – husband, children and station in society?  Where did she go?  What did she do? Continue reading Doll’s House Part 2 →