The Play That Goes Wrong
Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields
Directed by Mark Bell
Lyceum Theatre
June 10, 2017 Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
One of my most favorite guilty pleasures in the theatre is British farce! There is something about such a proper, well-speaking group like the Brits suffer hilariously in front of an audience – – and deliciously suffer they do in this play. In the vain of Michael Frayn’s Noises Off we have the classic comedy about the farce making fun of making farces. It may sound like an inside joke to theatre people, but it was not. EVERYONE sitting around me was laughing from the start to the finish. Continue reading The Play That Goes Wrong→
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→
My short escape to NYC for some theatre is drawing to a close. this was my one last trip before returning home and busting through the last month of teaching theatre – before returning here to spend a summer recharging my batteries. The weather was sweet and cool, outdoor cafes were just beginning to open their doors, energy was building wth the Tonys a few weeks away. It was a grand time to watch some theatre. In June I will be bringing a group of 28 – primarily high schoolers for 10 days to see 14 shows – to introduce them to this magic. This play thing could get to be vey addictive. (duh!)
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→
The Play That Goes Wrong
