The Christmas break is over – extended it though I did. Time has come to laminate all of my Playbill covers into “the collection.” Now it’s school books instead of tickets. But, I got what I came for: a whole lot of inspiration, education, and a big dollop of humility. Also – a side dish of gratitude. I’ll be back in March for a week my myself – then in June I am bringing a group of 25 for 10 days to see 13 shows. I need to start shopping those tickets. Till then please follow my rehearsal and teaching blog at www.theatreclasssaddict.com
The Babylon Line
Written by Richard Greenberg Directed by Terry Kinney
Lincoln Center: Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre
January 5, 2017 Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.
I walked into the theatre and saw the tell-tale chalky blackboard, pictures of presidents, encyclopedias, student desks and musky muskiness. I was back in fifth grade at Central School. Only this play wasn’t about going back to 5th grade. It was a classroom that was being used in the night time for an adult education class in writing. A wanna-be writer from the city was making the perilous journey by train (hence, the Babylon Line) to the suburbs of Long Island to share his love of writing with a group of misfit adults a bit chagrined that the class they WANTED – the class on flower arranging or such was filled to capacity. Continue reading The Babylon Line→
The Front Page
Written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur Directed by Jack O’Brien
Broadhurst Theatre
January 4, 2017 Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.
I think that I could just leave the theatre right now and nobody would know that I have gone. This is the feeling I had for the first hour or two of Front Page. After seeing so many shows that worked to bridge the distance between the actor and the audience, it was a shock to see a good ol’ fashioned realistic play where that fourth wall was truly being respected. To be honest it felt like I was watching really good TV. Continue reading The Front Page→
Oh, Hello on Broadway
Written by Nick Kroll and John Mulaney Directed by Alex Timbers
Lyceum Theatre
January 4, 2017 Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
I came to the theatre with so much prejudice. I came expecting precious little. I came hating the title of the play, the artwork of the poster and even the overly amateurishness of the costumes. I knew these guys were hits on YouTube (although, my fault, I had never heard of them). I knew it was going to be a lot of Jewish jokes (obviously) and New York jokes (obviously, obvious). I was so dead wrong. Continue reading Oh, Hello on Broadway→
Gorey, The Secret Life of Edward Gorey
Written and Directed by Travis Russ
Life Jacket Theatre Company
January 4, 2017 Production website
💉💉 out of 5.
This play was a bit of mystery to me. Gorey was one of those plays that I purposely chose NOT to research and NOT toread any biography on Edward Gorey’s life. I wanted to come to the play as a blank canvas. – – This is where I got lost. Continue reading Gorey, The Secret Life of Edward Gorey→
The Christmas break is over – extended it though I did. Time has come to laminate all of my Playbill covers into “the collection.” Now it’s school books instead of tickets. But, I got what I came for: a whole lot of inspiration, education, and a big dollop of humility. Also – a side dish of gratitude. I’ll be back in March for a week my myself – then in June I am bringing a group of 25 for 10 days to see 13 shows. I need to start shopping those tickets. Till then please follow my rehearsal and teaching blog at www.theatreclasssaddict.com
