Waiting for Godot Written by Samuel Beckett Directed by Erin Arbus Theatre for a New Audience December 3, 2023 Production website 💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Waiting for Godot is my absolute favorite play. When asked by my students for all my years of teaching, what was my favorite play? I was always proud to answer, waiting for Godot. I think it is the most perfect play that illustrates the most central core of human experience: waiting. Waiting is something that we all do and actually spend most of our life doing. Waiting for Godot illustrates that perfectly. I must have seen this production over 20 times – – sometimes good – – sometimes bad – – sometimes ugly – – but each time I’ve learned something new about the play . Here in the hands of Michael Shannon and Paul Sparks. I felt I really saw the quintessential version.
The Cottage Written by Sandy Rustin Directed by Jason Alexander The Helen Hayes Theater July 13, 2023 Production website 💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
The Cottage was a simply fabulous evening in the theater. It has been a long time since I have seen a full-fledged farce in New York City. Everything about this show worked. The set was gorgeous and more than gorgeous, it had many fun farcical features that the cast exploited every moment that they could. For example almost every prop on stage became a cigarette lighter – – every single item. The casting was right on point. Eric McCormack and Laura Bell Bundy made for a perfect couple to spar back and forth – – – and every supporting actor down to the very smallest role all made a wonderful contribution to the story.
Grey House Written by Levi Holloway Directed by Joe Mantello Lyceum Theatre July 8, 2023 Production website 💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Grey House is a terrific play. I had the most interesting first moment of a play ever. At what you presume is a realist world with a realistic set, and just as this crazy girl was crossing over to the kitchen, I saw a kitchen drawer open and close by itself. I thought was that an accident on stage because it was so small. Was I the only one who caught it? That made me curious. But the play only got more curiouser and curiouser as it went on. The premise of the play is straightforward. It involves a young couple out on the road, almost missing a deer, and needing to find shelter in a snowstorm. That part is clear. But from there, it’s anyone’s guess.
Lehman Trilogy Written by Stefano Massine Adapted by Ben Power Directed by Sam Mendes Nederlander Theatre January 1, 2022 Production website 💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
This was simply perfect! It was a true story; an important story and told with the utmost economy of language, movement, and scenic support. The story of the Lehman’s is a story of American industry and wealth. The story starts with the great immigration from Europe, takes us through cotton and the anti-bellum South. It leads us through Civil War and its aftermath. Soon after, they create the middleman -the man who has nothing – but makes the connection between the creator and the buyer. It moves us from the fields to the city – New York City – – as the stock market is invented and creates new wealth and the sees the birth of the railroad, television, and even computers – finally addressing the ultimate wealth maker: the ability to convince people to spend money they don’t have on things that they do not need. Perfect wealth! The Lehman brothers also dealt poignantly with the stock market crash of the 29 and the market reset in the 1980’s. All this while telling the story of three very Orthodox Jews who work to maintain their beliefs in a world that constantly challenges faith.
Dana H Written by Lucas Hnayh Directed by Les Waters Lyceum Theatre October 15, 2021 Production website 💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
This play took me on an amazing journey. On its surface, it is a true-life experience of a woman from Florida who works as a chaplain for a hospice. One day she is asked to tend to a prisoner who has tried multiple times to kill himself. As she visits him, she is drawn into his web of charm and threats – – so much so that he is soon able to abduct her and take her on the road with him traveling throughout Florida and neighboring states on a rampage of killings, bombings and fights. And, as member of the Arian Nation there is no shortage of evil to be done. Throughout the story the audience asks how is this man able to keep the woman from escaping. She tries but is often denied protection from police.
