Category: Capsule Reviews

by Lulu Diamond

The collaborative genius of Stephen Sondheim and David Ives is evident in every note, every line, and every scene of Here We Are, which opened Off-Broadway on October 22^nd at The Shed. Sondheim’s signature melodic complexity intertwines seamlessly with Ives’ sharp and witty dialogue, creating a narrative that is both heartwarming and intellectually stimulating. Under the expert guidance of director Joe Mantello, the production comes alive with energy and precision, showcasing the immense talent of this all-star cast. Rachel Bay Jones and Bobby Cannavale are in their element, giving performances filled with humor and heart. David Zinn’s scenic design is a true marvel and incorporates some of the most innovative transitions seen in an Off-Broadway theater. Though the show’s score is notably unfinished, Here We Are still delivers an enjoyable evening of entertainment, living up to the legacy of Sondheim.

By Jackson Court

It’s corn! I can’t imagine a more beautiful thing! And Shucked, the new musical from team Robert Horn (Book) and Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally (Music & Lyrics) playing at the Nederlander Theatre, has all the ingredients for a great night at the theater. Directed by Jack O’Brien, Shucked is a comedy that follows Maizy (Caroline Innerbichler) who is on a mission to save her town, Cob County, from impending doom. In search of a cure for the dying corn harvest, Maizy ventures into an unknown world that will change her, and her town forever. The songs are fun but the true standout is Horn’s book which is overflowing with puns, double entendre, word play, and dad jokes. It is clever and fast paced, plowing through the less than dense plot. The cast is full of newcomers and Broadway favorites such as John Behlmann, Grey Henson, and the incomparable Alex Newell, who prompted many to their feet after the show stealing song “Independently Owned”. The silly, and sometimes down right corny humor may not be for everyone, but it should be. Shucked offers something that has been sparse on Broadway as of late… bushels of laughter.

                                                                                                                                                  MARRIAGE NORWEIGAN STYLE

By Dori Campbell

Jamie Lloyd may be the most exciting director to come to Broadway since Ivo Van Hove caused a stir with “A View From the Bridge”….Lloyd’s productions of “Betrayal” and “Cyrano De Bergerac” were revelatory and now with “A Doll’s House” he adds another illuminating credit to his impressive resume.   From the moment you walk into the Hudson Theatre you are thrust into theatricality, for seated onstage in a spare setting is the Nora of this production:  Jessica Chastain.  Eventually her cast members will join here, before the lights dim, and the actual play begins, but the signal is clear:  this will be “A Doll’s House” unlike any previous production of the play.   There are no children in this production, no nanny, no maid and the conclusion which involves a decision by Nora to leave her current existence is new and startling, all of this courtesy of  Amy Herzog’s efficient and smart adaptation of the Ibsen classic.  The play has been streamlined into one act that serves the classic Ibsen text handsomely.   The praiseworthy performances in support of the excellent Ms. Chastain include Arian Moayed, Michael Patrick Thornton, Jesmille Darbouze, Tasha Lawrence and Okieriete Onaodowan.    In a year rich with superlative revivals, including “Top/Dog, Under/Dog”, “Death of a Salesman”, “Between Riverside and Crazy” and “Ohio State Murders”,  we must now include  “A Doll’s House”.

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By Noah Price

Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain has returned to the stage in a beautifully raw new production of A Doll’s House at the Hudson Theatre. Amy Herzog’s new adaptation succeeds in a way that makes the classic feel clear and current, while simultaneously reminding us just how ahead of his time Ibsen was. The wonderful ensemble of actors do all the heavy lifting on an empty stage, with monochromatic costumes and no props. Chastain holds your attention from the moment you walk in the theatre, perched like a sculpture (or doll) upon a chair rotating the stage during preshow. Make no mistake, this is her show from top to bottom. She plays most of the dialogue straight, only allowing herself emotional release towards the middle act. (It runs without intermission). She is locked into this journey and I was staring into her eyes looking for clues as to where she would go next. Nora’s famous exit will have you debating your seatmate. Tony nominee Arian Moayed (Succession) finds subtlety and layers to Torvald. And Michael Patrick Thornton is wonderful and lovable as Dr. Rank. 

By Aubrey Blaine

*CRITICS CHOICE*

It begins and ends with a narrator, evoking memories of one’s own childhood and one’s relationships with one’s parents.  That narrator is Danny Burstein (Tony Award winner for “Moulin Rouge”) and the parents depicted on the Studio 54 stage are Nathan Lane (3 Time Tony Award winner) and Zoe Wanamaker (4 time Tony Award nominee and 2 time Olivier Award winner).  The play is “Pictures From Home”, adapted by playwright Sharr White from a photo memoir by Larry Sultan and you will want to purchase the book after seeing the play.  But go into the theatre, unaware of the memoir, as most theatregoers will, and you will be surprised, engrossed, haunted by personal memories and recollections that will make you reflective of your past and give you perspective about your present. 

One thing is certain:  you will never feel the same way about grilling hamburgers again with your family.  But even vegetarians will delight in that scene.  There are so many wonderful moments in this play:  funny, truthful, bittersweet, melancholy, and powerful that one hesitates to single any particular one out, but if you don’t relate to this undeniably affecting and mesmerizing production, the loss is yours.  Bartlett Sher, who did such a first-rate staging of “To Kill a Mockingbird”, has integrated the real life of photos of the Sultans with care and precision; he has also extracted a trio of memorable performances.  Nathan Lane is at his best (and they don’t get any better than Lane), balancing the humor and pathos of the paterfamilias with grace and subtlety; Danny Burstein reminds us that he is one of our finest actors and guides us through his journey with impeccable humanity; and Zoë Wanamaker is both crusty and heartfelt as the mother who refuses to take sides, sometimes, between father and son.  Almost every production on Broadway these days receives a standing ovation, but “Pictures From Home” received one of the most genuine standing ovations I can recall, interspersed with cheers and bravos.  Most deserved!

by Noah Price (Chicago)

Based on the 1996 Nicholas Sparks novel and the 2004 Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling film, The Notebook may be one of the most surprisingly successful and genuinely touching musical adaptations in recent history. It tells the story of two lifelong lovers, Allie and Noah, from teenage meeting through the end of their lives, framed through the memories Older Noah must recount to Alzheimer’s patient Allie from the titular notebook. The musical not only elevates the source material, but stands on its own as a uniquely grounded and heartbreakingly beautiful piece of theatre. Ingrid Michaelson has made her debut into musical theatre scoring seamlessly, crafting a luscious, cohesive, soaring soundscape that takes us on the journey of these two lovers.
 

The stellar cast includes Jordan Tyson and John Cordoza (both wonderful new talents as younger Allie and Noah), Joy Woods and Ryan Vasquez (as middle Allie and Noah), and Tony Winner Maryann Plunkett and John Beasley (as older Allie and Noah). The marvelous effect of this structure being that the different aged counterparts can sing simultaneously in each other’s thoughts and memories, creating genuinely heartbreaking moments. Directed by Michael Grief and Schele Williams, The Notebook is ready to be a Broadway hit.

by Sydney Smith

For many musical theater devotees, PARADE exists only in their minds, through the Original Broadway Cast recording.  Now, Leo Frank’s story takes center stage at this New York City Center  gala production led by Tony Award winner Ben Platt and Michaela Diamond.  Anchored by a sensational orchestra (led by the musical’s Tony Award winning composer, Jason Robert Brown), this production, rehearsed in just eight days, confirms stager Michael Arden’s rise as one of the most exciting new artists in the American musical theatre, a capstone for him after his imaginatively reinterpreted productions of “Once On This Island” and “Spring Awakening”.    An impressive ensemble of 30 actors  brings this powerful but sad story to vivid life….  In today’s times, with antisemitism on the rise, the story of a Jew wrongfully convicted in a post-Confederate South, holds an elevated sense of profoundness for the audience. This production of PARADE, which only runs thru the weekend, deserves to be seen.