VIEWPOINTS – ROBOTS, SEX VARIANTS, and a FAVORITE SONG: Ethan Lipton, The Civilians, and Francesca D’Uva play with the musical theater form

This weekend, I encountered a trio of one act Off-Broadway musicals that experiment with the musical theater form, pushing the boundaries of the popular genre in disarming ways. As per … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Ravishing country music infiltrates musical theater: J.T. Harding’s MUSIC CITY and the Avett Brothers’ SWEPT AWAY

This fall, a pair of new serious-minded musicals — one under the bright lights of the Great White Way, the other secretively tucked away Off-Broadway in the upstairs performance space … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Third Rail Projects unveils its latest immersive creation TRUE LOVE FOREVER, a soulful ode to modern love

It’s been a while since Third Rail Projects has disarmed New York theatergoers with one of their immersive theatrical experiences. Over a decade ago, the visionary company stunned audiences with … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Michelle Dorrance’s THE NUTCRACKER SUITE charmingly and energetically ushers in the holiday season

Last night, Dorrance Dance opened The Nutcracker Suite, a jazzy, family-friendly tap dance adaptation of the holiday classical ballet staple The Nutcracker. The evening length piece originally premiered at The … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The peppy musical adaptation of DEATH BECOMES HER is elevated by leading ladies Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard

Last night, the new musical Death Becomes Her opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Of course, the show is the musical adaptation of the Robert Zemeckis’s 1992 film of … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Nancy Harris’s heated new play THE BEACON attempts to balance juicy family drama and tense psychological thriller

This week, I finally had the opportunity to catch up with Irish Repertory Theater’s fall offering — Nancy Harris’s heated new play The Beacon, which is enjoying its North American … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – In 300 PAINTINGS, Sam Kissajukian intersects mental health and the arts in a wildly imaginative act of introspection

Last night, Australian comedian Sam Kissajukian’s 300 Paintings opened Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre. The autobiographical solo show arrives in New York after having proved to be a hit at … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Distilled Chekhov in Spanish: Guillermo Cacace’s intimate GAVIOTA gets to the heart of “The Seagull”

Last night at the flexible BAM Fisher space, I attended Gaviota, one of the offerings of this fall’s Next Wave Festival, courtesy of the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Conceived and … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Musing the legacy and enduring popularity of Elevator Repair Service’s legendary production of GATZ

This fall at the Public Theater, Elevator Repair Service has remounted its storied staging of Gatz — allegedly for the final time before retiring the legendary production. I had seen the … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Kirill Petrenko leads the BERLIN PHILHARMONIC in an indisputably masterful reading of Bruckner’s Fifth

On Monday night, I had the great pleasure of catching the mighty Berlin Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. Led by the Philharmonic’s music director — Russian-Austrian conductor Kirill Petrenko — the … Continue Reading →