Major Barbara (The SOB Review) - McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, MN
** (out of ****)
Oh, to be a critic at the New York Post, where I surely would have blared in my headline: "Major Bore-bara."
I realize it's completely unfashionable to dislike or disregard an esteemed work such as
George Bernard Shaw's
Major Barbara. But to be frank, I found the current Guthrie revival directed by
Lisa Peterson tedious and frustrating.
Three hours is a long slog to endure with all its moralizing and pontificating -- although note to Guthrie management: it did not help that all that hot air from the stage made the theatre itself unbearably suffocating. In a play where wealth is portrayed as god, can't you afford a little A/C?
Yes, Shaw points out the underlying hypocrisy that is inherent in many religions, and his points regarding poverty being society's biggest crime are well-taken. The manner in which he depicts how easily and willingly some men sell their souls for wealth is breathtaking and plays well even today when seemingly everyone wants his or her 15 minutes of fame and the fortune that goes along with that.
But his message that wealth is to be revered as the world's real savior is, in my humble estimation, both specious and overly cynical. Additionally, anyone seeking to draw allegories from this work to today's military industrial complex would be overanalyzing the play, which works best when Shaw's exceptional humor shines through.
Fortunately for anyone seeing the show, the cast is strong, led by a luminous
Sarah Agnew in the title role of the Salvation Army soldier with aristocratic roots. She's supported very credibly by
Paul O'Brien as her father Andrew Undershaft -- a man whose religion is his cannon factory.
Sandra Shipley is smart as the delusional Lady Britomart Undershaft, while Jonas Goslow amply provides desperately needed comic relief as the dim-witted Charles Lomax.
Neil Patel's set design -- particularly his visually arresting retro-futuristic munitions factory -- will certainly divert your attention. But just as Peterson's staging of factory workers rolling huge cannon balls up a giant incline turned from stunning to taxing, I was beginning to feel as though I was counting sheep -- all of which left me wishing I were already in bed.
Major Barbara plays through June 17.
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Labels: George Bernard Shaw, Guthrie, Major Barbara, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Play, Revival, The SOB Review
The Ritz: Studio 54 To Transform Into Baths
Talk about coming full circle. The erstwhile den of 70s hedonism --
Studio 54 -- is headed back in a decadent direction this fall as the
Roundabout Theatre Company transforms the space back to the gloryhole days of
The Ritz.
With
Joe Mantello at the helm, this will mark the second revival of
Terrence McNally's 1975 seminal steamy sex farce set in the Big Apple's gay baths --
the first revival, which opened at the onset of the AIDS crisis in May 1983, closed after one regular performance.
Previews for the revival are set to begin September 14, with the opening scheduled for October 11. The comedy will enjoy a limited run through December 2.
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Labels: First Word On New Show, Joe Mantello, Kevin Chamberlin, Play, Revival, Roundabout Theatre, Terrence McNally, The Ritz
Rat Patrol: Coming To A Theatre Near You?
As
you may recall, I've just about had it with rude behavior ruining my theatre experiences. And I know from your responses that I'm not alone.
While technology exists to block transmission of radio signals to cell phones, federal law currently prohibits the practice (Communications Act of 1934, section 333). But
according to a report by WCBS-TV (New York), technology now exists to enable audience members to effectively rat out offensive fellow patrons.
The
Regal Cinemas chain is rolling out its "Regal Guest Response System" in 114 movie theatres across America. The system is described as "a virtual remote control to mute that annoying patron who's ruining your silver screen sanity." According to the news report:
Theatre employees at Battery Park Stadium now handle that duty without patrons missing a second of film. A hand-held pager is given to a random member of the Regal Crown Club Loyalty Program who's attending each movie."If any situation does arise they can just press a button which goes directly to the pager which the manager will have and they'll signal it and they'll go right into the theater and handle the situation," theater manager Heather Dematteis said.
One would think that if the program works, it could very well mutate and spread to live theatrical venues as well faster than that uncontrollable TB strain. The best part is that "Regal Cinema says its never pinpoints the guest reporting the problems."
Is it overkill? Personally, I'm not opposed to the idea, and frankly, it's much easier for the theatre to deal with rude patrons than vigilant (or is that vigilante?) audience members. Sign me up for the device!
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Labels: Broadway, Musical, Play, Regal Cinemas, Theatre Etiquette
Lucrezia Borgia (The SOB Overview) - Prairie Theatre Exchange, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CanadaLast weekend, I journeyed to beautiful Winnipeg where I took in a reading of
Joseph Aragon's
Lucrezia Borgia -- a budding new musical that's only partially complete -- during the
Carol Shields Festival of New Works. Since the festival itself was billed as a showcase for "staged readings of new plays and works in progress," it would hardly be fair to judge what I saw with a formal review.
But I can tell you that this promising original musical offers intrigue aplenty. While only six full tunes have been completed, it offers a new twist on the original "
material girl," who reputedly participated in murders carried out by her father (Pope Alexander XI) and brother (Cesare) and possibly engaged in incest with both of them.
The tuner is described as an exploration of "a side of her that history has chosen to ignore -- one that focuses on her strength, compassion and vitality for life, as well as her constant struggle between the desire to follow her own heart, and her loyalty to her family and the Borgia name."
If the misunderstood nature of Lucrezia Borgia sounds a bit like
Wicked, then perhaps it's no surprise that author
Gregory Maguire used Lucrezia for his inside-out "
Mirror Mirror," which reimagined the tale of Snow White in Renaissance Italy; however, Lucrezia became the personification of the wicked stepmother. In
Lucrezia Borgia, Aragon strives to make Lucrezia a sympathetic, mournful character, despite the fact she has indeed committed murder to preserve her family's prestige, privilege and reign.
While Andrea Houssin's characterization of Lucrezia as a tortured soul feels genuine, Aragon still has plenty of work to do to make this piece flow, particularly in winnowing down the number of paths he wants to pursue. One of the more intriguing elements of the entire work is that far from infallible, its pope is malevolent, corrupt and greedy and certainly didn't practice what he preached -- the allegory to contemporary religion could easily be amplified.
Having been impressed by several key elements of the reading, including the opening number and an entertaining tune centered on a Spanish cow, I'll certainly be tracking this work as it nears completion.
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Related Stories:Flitting Around Square Winnipeg (May 25, 2007)
Labels: Canada, Carol Shields Festival of New Works, Gregory Maguire, Joseph Aragon, Lucrezia Borgia, Musical, Reading, Wicked, Winnipeg
Billion Dollar Broadway Baby? Almost.Last year was a banner year for Broadway, particularly considering its record-setting grosses that came in at close to $1 billion.
According to
Playbill, the League of American Theatres and Producers has tallied up the 2006-07 Theatrical Season and found that box office grosses were at $939 million, up from last year's total of $861 million -- a 9.3% increases year over year. Attendance was also up by nearly 300,000 paying customers to 12.311 million theatregoers. Five million tickets were sold to tourists -- and I know at least a couple of them who made their tracks to the Great White Way for the very first time and loved every minute of it.
With several potentially strong blockbusters waiting in the wings for the new 2007-08 Theatrical Season (
Young Frankenstein would surely rank as the most anticipated), Broadway may well be on track to eclipse this year's record-setting pace.
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Labels: American Theatres and Producers, Box Office, Broadway, Live Broadway, Young Frankenstein
Olivier Century
Last week marked the 100th birthday for one of theatre's most estimable actors, the late
Lord Laurence Olivier.
The acclaimed thespian -- who refused to talk to anyone who didn't call him "Larry" -- was born in Dorking, Surrey, England on May 22, 1907. Overall, Olivier performed in over 120 stage roles on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as in close to 60 movies.
At age fifteen, the budding actor made his acting debut at the all-boys All Saints Choir School. Four years later, he joined the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
At only 22 years of age, Olivier made his Broadway debut in
Murder On The Second Floor. The play opened on September 11, 1929 and closed after a mere 45 performances.... right about the time of the infamous stock market crash that triggered the Great Depression.
Olivier made his last appearance on Broadway as Henry II in the 1961 production of
Becket. However, having helmed a total of five Rialto productions, starting with the aforementioned
Romeo And Juliet, Olivier's last direction credit there came in 1980 with the revival of
Filumena that starred his beloved Joan in the title role.
Certainly, no treatise on Olivier would be complete without at least mentioning his renowned work on the London stage -- after all, they don't call the West End version of the Tonys "
Oliviers" for nothing! -- or his body of film work.
Nominated for ten Academy Awards for acting, as well as one for directing, Olivier only received a single Oscar -- for his 1948 portrayal of "
Hamlet" (the same film for which he received the direction nod), but he was later awarded an honorary trophy for his body of work in 1979.
According to his official biography, Olivier became Sir Laurence when he was knighted in 1947. Thirty-three years later, in honor of his "services to the theatre," Sir Laurence was made "Baron Olivier of Brighton" -- that honor allowed him to sit in the United Kingdom's House of the Lords. In 1981, the Queen bestowed the monarchy's most prestigious British Orders of Chivalry, the
Order of Merit, which is awarded for exceptional service to the crown or for the advancement of arts, learning, law and literature -- it is the only Order specifically for artists, scientists and intellectuals.
Although Olivier passed away in 1989, his body of work has made him arguably the most respected actor of the past Century. And as his life and contributions to stage and film are celebrated anew, here's a special toast to the legend and legacy of a man who was happy to be called simply Larry.
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Labels: Broadway, Film, Laurence Olivier
Newman's Own Admission: That's EnoughImmediately before I closed down my computer last Friday, I came across
a story from ABC News reporting that Paul Newman has given up acting. According to the report, the
82 year old actor told "
Good Morning America":
I'm not able to work anymore as an actor at the level I would want to...You start to lose your memory, your confidence, your invention. So that's pretty much a closed book for me....I've been doing it for 50 years. That's enough.
Instead the Academy Award-winning and Tony-nominated legend will devote his time to the
Hole in the Wall Camps he created in 1988; thirteen camps strong, they now rank as the world's largest family of camps for children with serious illnesses and life threatening conditions, including cancer, sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS.
The esteemed actor and philanthropist will also devote time to the
Dressing Room, which is described as a "home-grown" restaurant "designed to reflect the feel of living in the Connecticut countryside and features a fieldstone fireplace, exposed reclaimed barn board walls, and heavy-timber wood columns and beams -- all of which create a warm, updated country setting."
On a personal note, I vividly recall my memorable evening at the
Booth Theatre where I saw him and a superb cast perform in the 2002 revival of
Thornton Wilder's
Our Town. As I was perched in my Row B seat, I was stunned that my knees were literally knocking the stage. Even more astounding was that Paul Newman, as the Stage Manager, was towering right above me throughout much of the performance as he narrated the show's action. It was one of those thrills of live theatre that I'll never forget.
Just last week,
I noted how extremely fortunate I had been this past February to be among the relatively few to enjoy Newman in the Westport Country Playhouse's
Come Be My Love...Love Spoken Here benefit. There, he and his wife
Joanne Woodward -- along with
Joanna Gleason,
Charles Grodin,
Philip Seymour Hoffman,
Eartha Kitt and
Chris Sarandon -- took my breath away with their beautiful and touching megawatt poetry reading.
Newman first caught the public's attention back in 1952 with his appearance on television's "
Tales of Tomorrow" when he appeared as Sergeant Wilson. The following year, he made his Broadway debut as Alan Seymour in
William Inge's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama
Picnic (both Newman and
Eileen Heckart earned Theatre World Awards for their performances) -- he would go on to perform in four more Broadway productions. Of course, movies provided the vehicle that transformed him into an undisputed superstar -- his first film role came in 1954 when he portrayed Basil in "
The Silver Chalice," but it was his portrayal of Brick in "
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" in 1958 that earned him his first of ten Academy Award acting nominations.
While it's with very mixed emotions that I read the news about his withdrawal from acting, bravo to Paul Newman for deciding himself on when to give up the amazing career that he nurtured for more than fifty years. Not only has he entertained us -- and done that extraordinarily well -- but he's also done it with such finesse and grace, often while making us think about important, vital issues.
With the news of his retirement, I'm even more thankful for those rare opportunities I've enjoyed to have seen him perform in person. Just as we should all be thankful that his legacy will live forever on film and DVD, we should be even more grateful that in his retirement, his continued philanthropy could very well become his most enduring and inspiring legacy. If ever there's a question,
that's what becomes a legend most.
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Click here to donate to the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps.Related Stories:SOB's Best of 2006-07: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 23, 2007)
Come Be My Love...Love Spoken Here (The SOB Overview) (February 11, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Come Be My Love...Love Spoken Here, Our Town, Paul Newman, Picnic, Play, retirement, tribute
Charles Nelson Reilly - RIP
While younger audiences would be forgiven for thinking of him as his latter-day caricature of himself from game shows like "
Match Game," I remember him best for his brilliance as a director, including his debut at the helm for
The Belle Of Amherst with the incomparable
Julie Harris.
I saw the one-woman show about poet Emily Dickinson starring one of theatre's most celebrated actresses when it toured Milwaukee's Pabst Theatre sometime around 1980. My recollection is of being in awe of theatrical royalty, yet I was also struck by the fact that here was this man -- of whom I had always thought was just plain silly -- who was now directing such a fine piece of theatre.
It certainly served as one of my earliest, formative theatre experiences that I still fondly remember to this day. Of course, I realize that it was in part because of Charles Nelson Reilly. For more about his contributions to theatre, check out the obituary from
Playbill.
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Labels: Broadway, Charles Nelson Reilly, In Memoriam, Julie Harris, The Belle Of Amherst, Touring Production
Mel Brooks: "It Looks Like The Hilton Theatre"
It looks like the Hilton Theatre. It’s a beautiful theatre where I saw Ragtime and 42nd Street. We just simply need a big place. It used to be called the Ford. It’s on 42nd Street. Strangely enough, The Producers was a very backstage, very hip musical. And you’ve got to know a lot, you’ve got to buy a lot. You have to go along with a great, great Broadway flow.
But Young Frankenstein, it’s kind of like a great Gothic opera, you know, and young people, children love it. I get a lot of letters from 9-year-olds. Would you please sign my “Young Frankenstein" DVD or whatever. It’s amazing that Young Frankenstein, with some hip references, is a very, very family-oriented show. So we’re very lucky to get a 42nd Street theater. There are literally millions of people in New York City, especially in the summerm [sic] and they see the big monster up on the marquee and they say, I want to see that.
The next question, presumably to be answered by someone else, is when will
The Pirate Queen's closing notices be posted?
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Labels: Blogs, Broadway, Film, Mel Brooks, Musical, The Pirate Queen, Young Frankenstein
Not Unlucky: 13 Headed To Broadway
Although this teen musical will undoubtedly seem like a throwback to another era after
Spring Awakening -- which is quite ironic since the former is set in present day Indiana, while the anachronistic
Spring Awakening is set in 19th Century Germany --
13 did capture a fair amount of decent reviews during its original Left Coast run.
Todd Graff directed the Los Angeles staging; however, there's no word yet on a director or theatre. However, the ubiquitous
Bob Boyett is on-board as producer.
The story also indicated that Brown has written songs for another Great White Way hopeful:
Honeymoon in Vegas -- a stage adapatation by
Andrew Bergman of his
1992 film.
Readers will know what a huge fan I am of Brown's
The Last Five Years, as well as his work on
Parade. While the jury is still out on whether
13 can succeed, it is officially near the top of my list of shows I want to see during Broadway's new theatrical season.
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Labels: 13, Broadway, Film, First Word On New Show, Honeymoon In Vegas, Jason Robert Brown, Musical, Parade, Spring Awakening, The Last Five Years
The Night Legally Blonde Wasn't
One of the best things about the Internet and blogs is that you can learn all sorts of great information that "mainstream" news outlets wouldn't ordinarily share.
One of my Daily Blog Reads is the lovely and effervescent Sarah B. at Adventures In
The Endless Pursuit Of Entertainment. I mean, with a name like that, it just has to be entertaining!
During the "Bend And Snap" number, Laura Bell (Bundy)'s wig came off. She picked it up and held it in her hands for a moment before putting it back on. She broke the
fourth wall when she turned to the audience and said, "So much for Legally Blonde." The audience went wild by jumping to their feets and screaming. The music continued, but the cast lost it for at least five minutes. It was my first time to see this on Broadway. Sure, accidents happen but it's up to the cast to continue on. They almost couldn't. The audience ate it up because of course, it makes them even more connected with what's happening on stage -- a once in a lifetime that can never be repeated.
Hold on to your hat, Sarah, because I'm offering you a hat tip of my own. You've helped underscore yet another reason why I flip my wig over the spontaneity of live theatre any day -- including a show I don't care for -- over most stuff on the silver screen.
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Labels: Adventures In The Endless Pursuit Of Entertainment, Blogs, Broadway, Film, Laura Bell Bundy, Legally Blonde, Musical
Flitting Around Square WinnipegThis Memorial Day weekend, I'll be one of approximately
38 million Americans traveling more than 100 miles from home. In fact, I'm traveling so far to the north that I'll be observing our national Holiday in Canada.
My journey will take me directly to that wild Manitoban hotspot of
Winnipeg, where part of my weekend will center (sorry Canadians,
centre) around the
Carol Shields Festival of New Works at the city's
Prairie Theatre Exchange.
Named for the
late Pulitzer Prize-winning author, the festival serves as a showcase for "staged readings of new plays and works in progress." While I missed last evening's gala and won't be attending any of the
free offerings tonight, I hope to take in at least a
couple of tomorrow's free performances.
Among the options I find particularly intriguing for Saturday:
12:00 pm -
Short Shots (Presented by Prairie Theatre Exchange in Prairie Ink Restaurant & Bakery, McNally Robinson, Portage Place) - 10 minute plays commissioned specially for the Festival from local playwrights, including Joseph Aragon, Sharon Bajer, Tricia Cooper, Rick Chafe, James Durham, Jason Neufeld & Ellen Peterson.
2:30 pm -
That Elusive Spark by Janet Munsil (Presented by Prairie Theatre Exchange in the PTE Mainstage Theatre) -
That Elusive Spark explores the magnificence and fragility of the human brain. The play was inspired by the true story of New England construction foreman Phineas Gage who, in 1848, survived a freak blasting accident that drove an four foot iron spike through his skull -- but suffered a complete personality change. The incident changed the course of modern medicine and still serves as a reminder of the enduring and fascinating debate about how the mind works and what it means to be human.
4:30 pm -
One Night Stand - Selections of works-in-progress by Michelle Amaya-Torres, Mira Black, Joy Eidse, Hope McIntyre, Cairn Moore, Anne Nesbitt, and special guests. (Presented by Sarasvati Productions in the PTE Colin Jackson Studio Theatre) - Originally conceived by Bonnie Anderson and Lindsay Price in Toronto,
One Night Stand is designed to offer playwrights the opportunity to test out their material for an audience. Excerpts from works in progress will be read by an ensemble of actors and the audience will decide if the work is worth a second date. The line-up features a variety of Manitoba playwrights at various stages in their careers, tackling a broad range of story ideas and topics. Be part of the development process and let your local playwrights know what is hot and what is not!
7:30 pm -
Lucrezia Borgia by Joseph Aragon (Presented by the Canadian Musical Theatre Development Group in the PTE Mainstage) -
Lucrezia Borgia is an original musical that presents a new perspective on the infamous daughter of Pope Alexander XI and her bloody legacy. While the legendary Lucrezia has been portrayed for centuries as a murderous harlot, this musical explores a side of her that history has chosen to ignore -- one that focuses on her strength, compassion and vitality for life, as well as her constant struggle between the desire to follow her own heart, and her loyalty to her family and the Borgia name.
Did I mention that each of these performances are free, offered to the public on a first-come, first served basis?
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Click here for Carol Shields Festival of New Works information.
Labels: Canada, Carol Shields, Carol Shields Festival of New Works, Lucrezia Borgia, Memorial Day, One Night Stand, Short Shots, That Elusive Spark, Winnipeg
Tony Officially Shuts Out LoveMusik, Legally Blonde From the "Why Can't We All Just Get Along" file, this year's
Tony broadcast just can't seem to get a break with decent news coverage. Perhaps it could if players involved didn't air their dirty laundry quite so publicly.
The latest dust-up occurred a couple days ago when the Tony producers nixed a plan to feature song performances from
LoveMusik and
Legally Blonde -- you know, the two viable shows that had been in the running for the coveted also-ran nod in the category of Best Musical until
Mary Poppins claimed it.
According to
New York Post's Michael Riedel, CBS had been pushing the idea to include performances to liven up the show and initially received the green light from the American Theatre Wing's
Howard Sherman. But the broadcast's producers put the kibosh on that for fear that including non-nominated works would open the floodgates to other shows demanding their time on the broadcast.
Arguing for an expansion of tune offerings,
The Playgoer's Garrett Eisler succinctly notes: "Maybe they should...just dazzle us for two hours with great performances." While Tony broadcasts have traditionally been viewed by a narrow slice of Americans, you'd think that Broadway would use the telecast to its advantage by enabling its cherished viewers to see as wide a swath as possible.
On the related topic of the Tonys, you'll now find four new polls in which I ask you to name the featured actors and actresses from both plays and musicals you believe will win the Tony Award on June 10. After voting, feel free to comment on why.
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Related Stories:Tony Box Office Bumps (May 21, 2007)
Tony Award Nominations Announced (May 15, 2007)
Labels: Blogs, Broadway, Legally Blonde, LoveMusik, Mary Poppins, Michael Riedel, Musical, The Playgoer, Tony Awards
Off-Broadway Hit Seeks Greater White Way HeightsPerhaps drawing inspiration from the phenomenal success of
Spring Awakening and its Tony-nominated move from Off-Broadway to the Great White Way, the spicy hot Off-Broadway hit
In the Heights aims to follow a similar trajectory by transferring to Rialto sometime during the new theatrical season.
The musical set in Manhattan's Latino Washington Heights neighborhood includes a score by Obie winner
Lin-Manuel Miranda and book by
Quiara Alegria Hudes. The show will hit Broadway after revisions are made to the existing show that will enjoy its final performance at 37 Arts this July 15.
Looks like this new season is on course to mix it up with continued innovation for the Broadway musical.
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Labels: Broadway, First Word On New Show, In The Heights, Musical, Off-Broadway, Transfer
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Special Theatrical EventsIn addition to all the great (and not so great) musicals and plays I've seen throughout the 2006-07 Theatrical Season, there are a number of concerts, readings and individual performances that defied neatly fitting into categories. Since the Tony Awards define those types of shows as "special theatrical events," I'll do the same.
In my personal "5 Best" list of the greatest special theatrical events of the past year, you'll notice a vast and eclectic array of acclaimed talent. Here's the list:
1 - Barry Humphries & Friends: Back With A Vengeance! (Arts Centre, State Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
Barry Humphries made a triumphant return to his hometown of Melbourne, soundly disproving the theory that you can't go home again. His new production that stretched a quick three hours not only solidly engaged Dame Edna Everage devotees, but provided first-timers with an outstanding introduction to his most beloved character along with two who are primarily known only to Aussies: Les Patterson and Sandy Stone.
Rather than allowing his "gigastar" housewife to call the shots, Humphries was clearly in charge with plenty of biting humor involving the audience. Yet this production also featured the ribald, spitting satire of Humphries' Les Patterson skewering Aussie politicians, along with the poignant subtlety of the "deceased" Sandy Stone, whose watchful eye on his wife from above provided an insight into today's Australian psyche one never quite learns from the Great Dame -- but then, there she was in all of her glory.
Despite the nearly three hours running time, this was one must-see show that I didn't want to end thanks to the ingenious wit and wisdom from one of Australia's true treasures, Barry Humphries. And fortunately, Humphries himself took the final curtain call bow.
Click here for The SOB Review of Barry Humphries: Back With A Vengeance!2 - Come Be My Love...Love Spoken Here (Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT)
Just before Valentine's Day, I was thrilled to be among the relative few fortunate enough to enjoy one of the loveliest, tastiest confections to come along in a long, long time. Bigger than the largest chocolate kiss, this mega-bite Valentine was served up at Connecticut's venerable
Westport Country Playhouse in the form of romantic poetry written by such giants as Maya Angelou, Noël Coward, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Dorothy Parker and William Shakespeare, among others.
The romantic in me wondered what could have been any tastier than
Come Be My Love...Love Spoken Here, which came in a luscious seven course benefit at and for the Westport Country Playhouse. Indeed, the evening’s generous, heaping helpings of amore would have sated practically every kind of lover thanks in large part to its seven stellar cast members, who made each work come alive with humor, humility, lots of humanity and most of all, heart.
Miraculously amassed for this one-time-only event,
Joanna Gleason,
Charles Grodin,
Philip Seymour Hoffman,
Eartha Kitt,
Paul Newman,
Chris Sarandon and
Joanne Woodward offered their own unique, individual voices on the ecstasy and agony that arguably make love life’s ultimate affection. Wow! To call this breathtaking would be a major understatement. With the megawatt cast’s refrains reverberating throughout the theatre, this audience member was left reeling as though Cupid had shot another arrow through his heart.
Click here for The SOB Overview of Come Be My Love...Love Spoken Here.
3 - An American Icon: Kitty Carlisle Hart (El Portal Theatre, North Hollywood, CA)
Eight months prior to her April death, I had one of those truly unique opportunities to see
the doyenne of Broadway society for most of the 20th Century:
Kitty Carlisle Hart, an astonishing film, stage and television figure whom I’d admired from the days of her long stint as a panelist on TV’s “
To Tell the Truth” during my childhood.
In the sold-out
An American Icon, Mrs.
Moss Hart (then nearly 96 years of age) remained sharp as tack, graceful as American theatrical royalty and the epitome of class and sophistication. There she stood, poised on the stage of North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre for more than one hour, regaling the enthusiastic audience with an erudite cross-section of her illustrious, captivating life including vivid recollections of her friendship with a veritable “Who’s Who” of the Great White Way’s Golden Age:
Jerome Kern,
George Gershwin,
Cole Porter,
Kurt Weill,
Richard Rodgers and
Oscar Hammerstein II,
Alan Jay Lerner and
Frederick Lowe, and of course, the great playwright and director whom she’d marry in 1946 until his death in 1961, Moss Hart -- and each fascinating vignette included a song or two.
Perhaps most touching, especially considering that this was one of her final performances, was Mrs. Hart’s rendition of the
Kurt Weill/
Maxwell Anderson classic “September Song.” Kitty Carlisle Hart's descriptions of her personal relationships with the legends who made Broadway such a powerful medium proved a testament to the amazing life she herself led with such style and dignity. I was honored to have one infinitely memorable opportunity to bask in her glow (and even meet her in person when I took the above photo) -- I continue to feel all the richer for the experience.
Click here for The SOB Review of An American Icon: Kitty Carlisle Hart.
4 - Pet Shop Boys (Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN)
Given the unusually high theatrical quotient in last October's amazing, entertaining concert by electronica-pop duo
Pet Shop Boys -- right down to elaborate set, lighting and projection design to choreography, as well as to an intermission during a performance on a stage typically reserved for Broadway productions -- it seems entirely apropos to include their show here.
In this case, through the assistance of three outstanding back-up singers and two breathtaking dancers, their music of the last twenty years came to life. While there's more cheekiness than bite to their lyrics, the Pet Shop Boys delved into fertile political satire with fare like “I’m With Stupid,” which lampooned the unflinchingly blind support of British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the policies of U.S. President George W. Bush through an engaging video backdrop of whirling imagery including the Union Jack, Stars and Stripes and close-up shots of both leaders’ eyes and mouths.
The second act of the Pet Shops Boys’ dazzling concert included a steady stream of some of their biggest hits, including “West End Girls” and “It’s A Sin,” along with anthemic turns on such borrowed hits as “Always On My Mind,” “Where The Streets Have No Name/Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You,” and their rousing finale, “Go West.” Each number was brilliantly staged with eye-popping choreography against a versatile backlit series of white boxes that framed movement with a visually arresting projection design. Because the set, lighting and projection design, as well as choreography, were so innovative, about my only regret with this oh-so theatrical presentation was that there was no Playbill to tell us who was responsible for each component.
Click here for The SOB Review of Pet Shop Boys.
5 - Sandra Bernhard IS Plan B From Outer Space (Rossi's Blue Star Room, Minneapolis, MN)
In
Sandra Bernhard IS Plan B From Outer Space, it wasn't so much not knowing where the Flint, Michigan native was coming from, but it was wondering where she was taking you. Just when you thought she'd whirled you out of orbit, she suddenly came back to the original point with style and finesse. It was quite a ride.
Her voice has certainly come a long, long way from its rather raw beginnings. Most of her music, accompanied by a tight three piece band, served to bookend her nearly non-stop two hour performance, starting with playful R&B takes on a memorable
Jennifer Holliday tune -- along with
Monica and Brandy's "The Boy Is Mine" and a poignant tribute to
Nina Simone -- and concluding with her rocking out to
Guns N' Roses ("Welcome To The Jungle"),
Led Zeppelin ("Whole Lotta Love") and
Prince ("Little Red Corvette").
Along the way, Bernhard easily swayed from the irreverent to the reverential. With riffs on everyone -- from
Madonna and Malawi babies to
Angelina Jolie's adoption addiction to the
Britney Spears/
Paris Hilton/
Lindsay Lohan/
Nicole Richie capers to designer
Tom Ford's new ad campaign to, of course, President George W. Bush -- and everything, including her own study of kabbalah, her
Manolo Blahnik shoes and
Larry King's 50th anniversary party, Bernhard packed it all in with her biting trademark humor. While the title of her act may suggest she's from another planet, Ms. Bernhard thankfully came back down to earth to entertain us once again.
Click here for The SOB Review of Sandra Bernhard: Plan B From Outer Space.What were the best special theatrical events you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
Also, don't forget to vote for the shows you believe will win in each of the four major Tony Award categories: Best Musical, Best Play, Best Revival of a Musical and Best Revival of a Play. You'll find all four polls on the right-hand side of Steve On Broadway.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Labels: An American Icon, Barry Humphries, Come Be My Love...Love Spoken Here, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Pet Shop Boys, Sandra Bernhard IS Plan B From Outer Space, SOB's Best of 2006-07
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals
During the 2006-07 Theatrical Season, I've enjoyed the opportunity to see 16 new musicals.
While some were decidedly cutting-edge, others took a more traditional approach. Still others sought to transform beloved films into equally adored stage versions, usually (but not always) with limited success.
Overall, there are more than a handful of tuners that I enjoyed enough that they've made my personal "5 Best" list of musicals covering the past twelve months:
1 - Grey Gardens (Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, NY)
If I were a Tony voter,
Grey Gardens would easily be my choice for Best Musical, if not the most sublime show of the year. This unconventional yet completely satisfying tuner is a triumph of the first order.
The incredibly talented
Christine Ebersole has more than proven she's at the height of her career. Her virtuoso performance in
Grey Gardens is one that I'll never forget. Ebersole more than masterfully channels both Edith and Little Edie Bouvier Beales of the funny-if-it-weren’t-so-tragic
seventies documentary of the same name. She luminously inhabits mother Edith in act one and then incredibly suspends any disbelief that you are watching anyone but the real Little Edie in the second act. Right before your eyes, a radiant and breathtaking Ebersole becomes Little Edie.
Thanks to a potent mix of intriguing fact and supposition by
Doug Wright, the musical telling of their story provides plausible answers to the question of how the once mighty could have fallen so far. What makes this theatre of the absurd so intoxicating is not just the flawless execution of replicating key passages of the original film, but also the way Little Edie is continually haunted by the specter of the life she could have had. This musical transforms into a poignant, modern tragedy, where pathetic dismissal gives way to empathy. Credit
Michael Greif's brilliant direction,
Mary Louise Wilson’s powerful Edith and Ebersole’s heartwrenching Little Edie.
Click here for The SOB Review of Grey Gardens.2 - Curtains (Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center, Los Angeles, CA)
Thank goodness for a real honest-to-goodness old-fashioned backstage musical! Complete with stirring overture,
Curtains possesses one show-stopping number after another, invigorating choreography, sharp dialogue, intelligent book and genuinely marvelous cast. This show is exceedingly smart, exceptionally funny and a thrilling theatrical finale for the legendary songwriting team of
John Kander and the late
Fred Ebb. In a word, it’s fun.
Rob Ashford’s brilliant choreography has once again enabled a leading man not typically known for his dancing prowess to shine (see my notes on
Guys and Dolls and
Ewan McGregor), particularly on the lovely dream sequence of “A Tough Act to Follow” that pairs
David Hyde Pierce (playing Lieutenant Frank Cioffi with gusto and comic precision) and the exquisite
Jill Paice. For the rest of
Curtains’ troupe -- including the wonderful
Debra Monk, who consumes the stage with her portrayal of the brash, yet cunning producer/stage mother Carmen Bernstein -- it becomes a breathtaking ride through the unusually large number of rousing and memorable numbers.
This valentine to Broadway certainly is a fitting way to send off two of the Great White Way’s most proficient songwriting duos during the last forty-five years. It all adds up: murder + mayhem + music = must-see!
Click here for The SOB Review of Curtains.3 - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place, Chicago, IL)
OK, by the time I finally took in this wonderful little musical early last summer, it probably could have been called the "26th Annual." No matter, since I completely fell for its charms, even if I spelled it N-O-N-S-T-O-P L-A-U-G-H-T-E-R. This excellent musical gem, complete with superb ensemble, absolutely delights with a little tale of one of those uniquely American displays of educational prowess: the lowly spelling bee.
In
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, director
James Lapine finds surprising depth and heart in each of his spelling bee contestants. With an exquisitely written book by
Rachel Sheinkin (she won a Tony Award in 2005 year for her effort) and blissfully funny score by
William Finn, the audience is treated to an unexpectedly strong set of back stories that set up how each of the kids made it to the competition.
But there's nothing quite like the contest itself, which is moved along by the adults played by James Earl Jones II,
Bill Larkin and
Lucia Spina and includes requisite audience participation. Yet, ultimately this is a struggle among the kids, fabulously portrayed by Eric Roediger, Cristen Paige, Jen Sese,
Derrick Trumbly,
Brad Weinstock and
Christine Werny. The members of this highly-charged ensemble expertly capture the essence of their characters. The result is a fresh, exuberant musical that moves by almost as fast as a spelling bee lightning round.
Click here for The SOB Review of The 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee.4 - Spring Awakening (Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York, NY)
You didn't really think I was
not going to mention this electrifying musical based on a 116 year old German play by
Frank Wedekind, did you? While
Spring Awakening is not exactly your grandfather’s musical, credit
Michael Mayer’s expert direction for enabling this show that grapples with 19th Century German teen angst to motor on at a brisk, riveting pace.
Steven Sater's collaboration with tunesmith
Duncan Sheik on the score is anything but predictable. The songs are about as fresh, smart and downright infectious as anything I’ve seen on Broadway over the past five years (even if the words don't always quite rhyme). The music effectively amplifies every scene and revs up each actor. Chief among them is the sensational
Jonathan Groff as the bad boy with brains Melchior. He holds what the show’s “adults” (
Christine Esterbrook and
Stephen Spinella, both excellent) view as an indecent corrupting influence over mediocre student Moritz played by the breathtaking
John Gallagher, Jr. in a sharp, stunning departure that I believe will earn him a richly deserved Tony.
While the show is anachronistic and a little too self aware of how cool it's striving to be (not to mention that much of
Steven Sater’s storyline on the sexual maturation is telegraphed throughout), ultimately this astounding, astonishing musical is highly entertaining.
Click here for The SOB Review of Spring Awakening.
5 - [title of show] (Vineyard Theatre, New York, NY)
Perhaps it wasn't my absolute favorite musical from the past year, but it should matter that it wasn't my
ninth favorite! With nothing derivative about the wonderful little musical
[title of show], I can honestly say that not since
The Musical Of Musicals-The Musical have I so thoroughly enjoyed such a delightful, decidedly small tuner with an enormous heart (a key element lacking in
Spring Awakening).
The engaging and endearing
Hunter Bell and
Jeff Bowen essentially play themselves -- and true to its premise, they wrote the actual book, music and lyrics, too -- as two friends who embark on writing a musical to enter into the New York Musical Theatre Fest. They succeed in bringing it to life exactly as they wrote it against all odds. Along the way, they invite two female friends -- the effervescent
Heidi Blickenstaff and the "handsome"
Susan Blackwell -- to help shape the show.
Clever dialogue and a terrific score -- along with
Michael Berresse's lovingly precise direction -- kept the 90+ minute show moving at a quick pace that was never dull and largely entertaining, particularly when they dished on some of Broadway's most renowned guilty pleasures or were interrupted via voicemail by some of the Great White Way's most acclaimed female stars (including Christine Ebersole). Best of all, they remained true to themselves and their vision.
Click here for The SOB Review of [title of show].Honorable Mentions:Two musicals I saw over the past year are deserving of special nods. The first is a show that actually opened on Broadway last season (but I finally saw it in September), while the other is perhaps the best musical based on a film that I saw all year. Here are those honorable mentions:
- The Drowsy Chaperone (Marquis Theatre, New York, NY) -- By no means is The Drowsy Chaperone a perfect musical. Bad puns abounded. But thankfully, more often than not, our narrator "Man In Chair" -- deliciously played as the ultimate theatre queen by Bob Martin, who also co-wrote the libretto with Don McKellar, offers up disarming and downright hysterical comments suggesting many of the show's elements are labored or nonsensical. You can't help but think you've been played all along and that the joke is actually on you. (Click here for The SOB Review of The Drowsy Chaperone)
- Priscilla Queen Of The Desert - The Musical (Lyric Theatre, Sydney, NSW, Australia) -- Based on the 1994 film, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert - The Musical is a sexy, silly, sometimes incoherent, über-campy, often tasteless and crude, completely over-the-top musical if there ever was one. Yet it's ultimately irresistible. And with many of the key motion picture elements roundly being eagerly anticipated and cheered upon delivery -- including the infamous ping pong scene -- the musical itself is, well, a ball. Just when you think that the book (by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott) is teetering dangerously close to the brink of excess, you're either suddenly lurching back to some semblance of reality or finding yourself cheerfully going along for the ride wondering just how far into fantasia this tuner will dare to go. (Click here for The SOB Review of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert - The Musical)
What were the best new musicals you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
Also, don't forget to vote for the shows you believe will win in each of the four major Tony Award categories: Best Musical, Best Play, Best Revival of a Musical and Best Revival of a Play. You'll find all four polls on the right-hand side of Steve On Broadway.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Curtains tickets.Click here for Grey Gardens ticket information.Click here for Spring Awakening tickets.Click here for The Drowsy Chaperone tickets on Broadway; here for London.Click here for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ticket information on Broadway, Chicago, Los Angeles and the North American tour.Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays (May 21, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Best New Musicals, Broadway, Curtains, Grey Gardens, SOB's Best of 2006-07, Spring Awakening, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, title of show
Tony Box Office Bumps
With the exception of only four productions, every show on Broadway saw an increase (or held steady with SRO pacing) in box office totals last week.
The biggest gains were reserved for the two top Tony nominated musicals,
Spring Awakening and
Grey Gardens, that saw capacity increases of 21.2% and 15.1%, respectively.
No surprise that the week's biggest loser was
The Pirate Queen, which saw a drop in capacity of 9.2%. That tuner was completely snubbed by the Tony nominating committee last week. Its average ticket price is now under $65.
Despite its nod for Best Musical
, Curtains experienced a slight decline of 0.8%. Two other musicals that had been considered potential nominees for Tony's top prize were the other two shows with a drop in capacity:
LoveMusik (-5.7%)
and
Legally Blonde (-3.9%). The first may have had more to do with uncertainties over
Donna Murphy's
well-publicized absences, which are further threatening her reputation.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Grey Gardens, Spring Awakening, The Pirate Queen, Tony Nominations
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays
Throughout the course of the 2006-07 Theatrical Season, I've enjoyed the opportunity to see a wide variety of new plays -- 21, in fact.
Some of them were original Broadway runs, while others were world premieres, while still others were regional interpretations of major new works. Many dealt with intriguing current issues or historical events, while others simply provided vehicles for stars making their return to the Great White Way.
On the whole, I treated myself to many outstanding and memorable productions. Here's my personal "5 Best" list of the dramas and comedies that had me at the edge of my seat over the past year:
1 - Sonia Flew (Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL)
Steppenwolf's splendid, soaring
Sonia Flew left me
positively chilled by giving me an experience unique among all my visits to this excellent theatre: real tears. And they were my own.
Packing a powerful wallop without being overly sentimental, the
Melinda Lopez drama won on so many levels:
Jessica Thebus' exquisite direction, Stephanie Nelson's gorgeous set design, Stephan Mazurek's haunting projection design and a truly superb cast. Ultimately, Sonia Flew packed its most decisive punch as an engrossing, richly-layered account of redemption. That redemption is realized by Sonia, a Cuban émigré who has made a new life for herself in Minneapolis.
Thanks to Lopez' gifted writing, the story comes full circle to a point that left me in tears. Not only did her words deeply affect me; so did the raw emotions and flawless talent of the impeccable cast --
Sandra Delgado,
Sandra Marquez,
Andrew Perez,
Vilma Silva,
Jeff Still and
Alan Wilder -- all showing incredible range and versatility in handling wildly divergent portrayals of two roles apiece. These fine actors infused their characterizations with just the right amount of emotional heft to be both believable and strangely intoxicating without ever being overwrought.
Click here for The SOB Review of Sonia Flew.2 - The Unmentionables (Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL)
Initially planned as a vehicle to showcase the talents of
Steppenwolf ensemble members
John Mahoney,
Laurie Metcalf and
K. Todd Freeman,
The Unmentionables was certainly worth mentioning even without them. Playwright
Bruce Norris' compelling brilliance was woven throughout his compelling tale, which enjoyed its world premiere last summer at Chicago's Steppenwolf.
Like so much of Norris' previous work, things are never exactly what they seem. His very humorous yet explosive play forced the audience to look in the mirror he so deftly held up to them, with a dare to look closely at themselves, confront prejudices and ponder how they'd behave in the midst of panic or crisis. The play's many twists were expertly helmed by Anna D. Shapiro, particularly in the layered dialogue that exposes the sanctimonious frauds Norris believes all too many Americans are.
The cast was absolutely superb. But let me single out
Amy Morton (shown above to the right of Shannon Cochran) for offering one of the most memorable performances of the past year as the ditzy wife of a shady American businessman. Morton once again demonstrated just how incredibly versatile and funny she can be with her boozy, sex-deprived wife who simply can't keep quiet (think of the airline passenger from hell who just won't shut up) -- this is the best performance I've seen from her since she portayed Nurse Ratched on Broadway in Steppenwolf's
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest back in 2001.
Click here to see The SOB Review of The Unmentionables.3 - The Year Of Magical Thinking (Booth Theatre, New York, NY)
When finally seeing the transformation of author
Joan Didion's critically-acclaimed 2005 book "
The Year Of Magical Thinking" to its
Broadway stage incarnation, I had already made the conscious decision not to read her work in advance. I wanted to enjoy the play for what it is. The result: I was absolutely stunned, not only by the breadth of the heartbreaking virtuoso performance by
Vanessa Redgrave, but also by the very exacting and deliberate words Didion herself chose to tell her story to a wider audience.
Coping with the death of a loved one is certainly never easy, but in a beautifully subtle, almost poetic sense, Didion through Redgrave walks herself and her audience through the inevitable phases of denial and acceptance, along with the will to persevere -- at first for the sake of keeping hope alive for the dearly departed, but then to maintain one's own solitary sanity. I was awestruck by how intoxicating Didion's words were flawlessly delivered by Redgrave, along with the wellspring of heartfelt emotion shown when the acceptance phase finally takes hold, as well as the realization when it does.
No small wonder that Didion is so circumspect in deliberately cautioning her newfound audience that this indeed could happen to them. In fact, since Redgrave as Didion so gracefully girds the audience with what is unmistakably a gentle and compassionate embrace, I believe she should be praised for sharing her insights on her tremendous losses. She's certainly earned that right.
Click here for The SOB Review of The Year Of Magical Thinking.4 - The History Boys (Broadhurst Theatre, New York, NY)
Yes, I realize that
Alan Bennett's Tony Award-winning Best Play
The History Boys was a hit from last season; however, it wasn't until this past fall that I finally had the opportunity to see the show. I did so during its last weekend on Broadway.
While the subplot -- concerning the predation by teacher Hector (
Richard Griffiths) of his exceptionally gifted and intelligent students -- often overtook the primary plotline of his care in preparing them for their pursuit of Cambridge and Oxford admissions (I saw the play the day
after the infamous Mark Foley page episode erupted into the headlines), I found myself mesmerized by the highly fascinating and utterly funny performance.
Nicholas Hytner's direction was both fast-paced and jarring, moving swiftly from scene to scene, interspersed with
Ben Taylor's fascinating video sequences that continued telling the story outside the classroom as
Bob Crowley's effective, efficient set design is quickly changed. Ultimately, this is an ensemble piece with some extraordinarily talented actors, young and old. While Tony Awards were bestowed upon Griffiths and
Frances de la Tour, it's the sensitive, perfect breakthrough performance by
Samuel Barnett (pictured) as outwardly gay student Posner that ranks among the most affecting I saw over the past year.
Click here to see The SOB Review of The History Boys.5 - Radio Golf (Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL)
Before it landed on Broadway, I caught playwright
August Wilson's powerful and gripping final drama
Radio Golf with much of the same creative team and cast behind the
Cort Theatre production.
As moved as I was by the incredible performances, I couldn't help but wonder whether Wilson ever succeeded in reconciling his own mainstream, critical success with the vehement antipathy his protagonists express toward African Americans who willingly play ball with the "white establishment." Set in the nineties,
Radio Golf certainly charts the great strides blacks have made, but Wilson also seeks to expose how many have sold out to whites to the detriment of their own people.
Almost everything about this production was top-notch, from
Kenny Leon's direction to
David Gallo's outstanding set design that was completely evocative of a neighborhood neglected by time and lack of capital. But I reserve special praise for the brilliant cast.
Hassan El-Amin, who didn't make the journey to Broadway, provided a spectacularly nuanced performance as the would-be mayor, easily maneuvering from the early euphoria of assured success to an explosive finish. Yet it's the impassioned performances by both
Anthony Chisholm -- a Wilson staple -- and
John Earl Jelks that deserve special recognition for the moral compass they provided (and the actors have received Tony nominations for their performances in the Broadway production).
Click here for The SOB Review of Radio Golf.Honorable Mentions:As mentioned above, I had the opportunity to see many outstanding productions during the course of the past year. The following two productions merit special honorable mention:
- Edgardo Mine (McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, MN) -- Alfred Uhry's riveting and vitally important play Edgardo Mine examined the real-life 19th Century struggle between the Catholic Church and Jewish parents whose gravely ill son had been baptized without their knowledge. Under the expert direction of Mark Lamos, Edgardo Mine had me seriously struggling to determine where love and devotion end and evil and demonization begin. (Click here to see The SOB Review of Edgardo Mine)
- Frost/Nixon (Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, New York, NY) -- Frost/Nixon’s finest moments are derived directly from the interviews between talk show host David Frost and disgraced U.S. President Richard Nixon, and that’s when the production shifts into high gear. It’s during these passages that Frank Langella (Nixon) and Michael Sheen (Frost) really shine. Just as Langella is breathtaking as his Nixon steamrollers over Frost in the early interview stages, you can’t help but be awed by how Sheen’s Frost cowers like a punch drunk fighter not knowing what hit him. Notwithstanding the flaws in Peter Morgan’s overall script, the two actors deliver two of the most riveting performances of the year. (Click here to see The SOB Review of Frost/Nixon)
What were the best new plays you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
Also, don't forget to vote for the shows you believe will win in each of the four major Tony Award categories: Best Musical, Best Play, Best Revival of a Musical and Best Revival of a Play. You'll find all four polls on the right-hand side of Steve On Broadway.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Frost/Nixon tickets.Click here for Radio Golf tickets. Click here for The Year Of Magical Thinking tickets.Related Stories: SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Best New Plays, Edgardo Mine, Frost/Nixon, Play, Radio Golf, SOB's Best of 2006-07, Sonia Flew, The History Boys, The Unmentionables, The Year Of Magical Thinking
