Loosely based (I presume) on the major journalism scandal of the late 1990s when Stephen Glass, writer at The New Republic, was exposed for not only embellishing quotes and facts in his stories, but for fabricating the stories entirely. This is one of the worst shows I've seen recently. I checked my watch after 40 minutes and was disheartened to see we were not yet halfway through. At 105 minutes with no intermission, you can't help but wonder if they made that choice to avoid an empty theater for Act II.
The musical numbers are actively bad and certainly not memorable. No one in the cast is great at singing, and this was compounded by sound issues throughout. The plot meanders slowly, though not much happens. Ben Levi Ross is Ethan Dobson, and his easy white male privilege is juxtaposed with Hannah Cruz's Robin Martinez, a woman of color who struggles to get published even once. But it's not enough to build an interesting story. And what is Scott Bakula doing here? He plays Conrad O'Brien, an enabler who sees himself in the young Dobson and ignores plenty of warning signs in favor of expertly written prose. In the final scene, dozens of magazine spreads from the set backdrop fall to the floor - and all I could think about was the poor person who has to hang them back up for each show. MCC Theater The incomparable Sutton Foster was born to be Princess Winnifred the Woebegone. I have never watched a more physically exhausting performance, and Foster nails every moment of it. With only 10 days of rehearsal behind her (and while simultaneously learning the part of Mrs. Lovett for her next gig in Sweeney Todd), Foster is truly a marvel of the theater world - and we are so lucky to be able to see her exuberant performances.
And the rest of the cast is nothing to sneeze at either. It's possible there is more talent on stage at this production than any other stage on Broadway right now. Harriet Harris is perfect as Queen Aggravain, Michael Urie is a hilarious effeminate and stunted Prince Dauntless, Nikki Renée Daniels is wonderful as Lady Larken, J. Harrison Ghee shines as the Jester, and Cheyenne Jackson plays the loyal but simpleminded Sir Harry. The list goes on, and on. The result is an evening of raucous laughter that will make your face hurt. Lear deBessonet directs the new concert adaptation by Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the energy - literal movement, and also the patter of lyrics and dialogue - on the stage is palpable. We can only hope a Broadway run is in the future for this wonderful production. Encores! at New York City Center The hilarious romp through the Middle Ages is back on Broadway! The musical improves upon the movie, of course by being a musical, but also by bringing in The Lady of the Lake as a character. Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer steals the show from the male characters (as she's meant to) and can elicit the biggest guffaws from the audience with little more than the raise of an eyebrow. This is a solid revival with a wonderful ensemble cast of knights and dead bodies, physical gags galore, and great costumes and set pieces.
St. James Theatre The amazing Gabby Beans stars as Ana in this play about seeking companionship and happiness even in the worst of circumstances. The play overall was too long, and I was eager to leave the theater after 100 minutes with no intermission. But the more I have thought about the play, the more I appreciate the nuanced way in which the audience is brought into Ana's inner world.
Hagan Oliveras is the sweet, charming, and innocent Jonah who serves as Ana's refuge from her reality. Samuel H. Levine is Danny, the foil to Jonah - he cares about Ana but in a desperate and dangerous way. And John Zdrojeski is the awkward and inquisitive Steven who is enamored with the acclaimed novelist that Ana becomes. The men pop up in the intertwining scenes as we work to figure out what is real and what has been created by Ana, weaving convincing and compelling stories about her own life in order to cope. Laura Pels Theatre, Roundabout It's not often that a play evokes such a wide range of emotions - from laugh-out-loud funny to gasp-out-loud horrifying, this play has it all. Three siblings reunite at their childhood home in Arkansas to organize an estate sale and settle their father's affairs. Each had a different relationship with their father, but no one is prepared to reckon with the truth about the man.
The powerhouse cast, led by Sarah Paulson as Toni (the eldest sibling), is unbelievably good. Graham Campbell plays her wayward son, Corey Stoll (as Bo) and Michael Esper (as Frank) are both convincing brothers, Natalie Gold is excellent as the Jewish sister-in-law, and Elle Fanning contributes key comic relief as the hippie girlfriend/fiancé - she also plays an important role as an outsider to the family drama. The children provide another innocent perspective to the traumatic history of the family. Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Lila Neugebauer, the 2+ hour play is riveting until the last moment. Hayes Theater |
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