The End of Longing
Written by Matthew Perry
Directed by Linda Posner
Lucille Lortel Theatre
June 15, 2017
Production website
💉 out of 5.

There is nothing more uncomfortable then being trapped in a small space with a die hard alcoholic.  Nothing they say has any meaning. Nothing they say is funny.  They make you uncomfortable.  They are narcissistic.  They go no where.  They mean nothing – and most of all – the next morning your left with a headache and a desire to resurrect those lost hours.

This play is bad.  Bad acting, bad story, bad delivery, and dreadful cliches.  Clearly this play was written by a TV star because no scene could develop or sustain itself beyond eight or so minutes.  Time that would be better spent on the commercial break.

You certainly do not care about these people.  You do not take a journey.  Truly you just get to spend time with a drunk convincing you he’s worth the 95 minutes.  He is not.

In & Of Itself
Written and Performed by Derek Delgaudio
Directed by Frank Oz
Daryl Roth Theatre
June 11, 2017
Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.

Who doesn’t like a magic show?  I love magic shows.  I have never considered them legitimate theatre but I was open to the idea.  From the moment I walked into the theatre, I knew this was going to be an  entirely new experience in the theatre.  In the lobby, we were presented with a huge peg board that was titled, “I Am . . .”  There were hundreds of options.  Some were fun: “I am a hot mess.”  Some were accurate: “I am a pilot.”  See were emotionally evocative: “I am an unkept promise.”  You were asked to pick one – any one.  I personally chose the humorous angle and picked “I am a sugar daddy.” Continue reading In & Of Itself →

The Boy Who Danced on Air
Book and LyRosser
Choreography by Nejla Yatkin
Music Direction by David Gardos
Directed by Tony Speciale
Abingdon Theatre Company
June 9, 2017
Production website
💉💉 out of 5.

And now a song and dance musical essentially about pedophilia.  How’s that for a crowd pleaser?  I am starting my theatre extravaganza a day before my group with a musical probably best done without my gang of students. The Boy Who Danced in the Air is a musical (imagine that) based on the practice of bacha bazi — “boy play” in the Dari language of Afghanistan — is an “ancient tradition where wealthy men buy boys from poorer families” and “train them to dance.” “So the sexual abuse, which the show does not ignore, is seen in the context of historical precedent and local culture, much as those who defend it ask us to see genital cutting.” Imagine that musical . . . This one I’m seeing by myself. Continue reading The Boy Who Danced On Air →

Daniel’s Husband
Written by Michael McKeever
Directed by Joe Brancato
Primary Stages
April 15, 2017
Production website
💉💉 out of 5.

I have figured out that the problem with gay plays is not a problem with the plays but is more a problem with me.  There was a time in my twenties that I would have gone to see ANY production with ANYONE as long as it included a gay character.  I was so fascinated to be with “my people” and see the stories that we could tell.  I loved to watch men in these stories hold hands, snuggle, and dream together – – much less kiss.  Being a gay play was more than enough to win my patronage! Continue reading Daniel’s Husband →

Gently Down the Stream
Written by Martin Sherman
Directed by Sean Mathias
Public Theatre
April 15, 2017
Production website
💉💉 out of 5.

I wanted to like this play.  I really wanted to like thus play,  It had everything going for it:  the writer, Martin Sherman and the wonderful Harvey Fierstein.  But I did not like this play.  It just never took off and then it became way too predictable and way to driven by monologues that just didn’t matter to me.   Continue reading Gently Down the Stream →