VIEWPOINTS – 54 BELOW PREMIERES’s spring season features Jeremy Jordan & Marilyn Maye, who both command the virtual cabaret stage

During the pandemic, the gold standard for the virtual conveyance of cabaret has been Feinstein’s/54 Below’s “54 Below Premieres” series (previous wintertime offerings include Laura Osnes’s Broadway Princess Holiday Concert, … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Dancing in bold new settings: NYCB’s Digital Spring Gala & Omari Wiles’ NEW YORK IS BURNING

As restrictive as the pandemic has been for much of the performing arts, it has also necessitated that artists consider fascinating new possibilities. For example, during the past year, choreographers … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Melancholic puppetry: Justin Perkins’ UNICORN AFTERLIFE & Ralph B. Peña’s VANCOUVER

This week, I took in a pair of puppet theater works – one in-person, the other via on-demand streaming. It’s been a while since I’ve engaged in the art of … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Opera Philadelphia’s magnificent concert production of THE DRAMA OF TOSCA meaningfully truncates Puccini’s warhorse

Last night, I ventured down to Philadelphia to attend the opening night performance of Opera Philadelphia’s concert production of The Drama of Tosca at the Mann Center. The Mann seems … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The youthful BLACK FEMINIST VIDEO GAME throws spaghetti at the wall, and it (mostly) sticks

I recently got the chance to stream Black Feminist Video Game, the latest virtual production from the Civilians. The ever-probing theater company scored a solid hit during the pandemic with … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – TheaterWorks Hartford’s virtual THE SOUND INSIDE brings subtle new energy and cinematic precision to Adam Rapp’s sinuous play

I recently had the chance to stream TheaterWorks Hartford’s virtual production of The Sound Inside by Adam Rapp. It seems odd to be watching a regional mounting of the play … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – ICONS/IDOLS: IN THE PURPLE ROOM is a scrappy but ambitious hybrid of choral drama and immersive installation

This weekend at the New Ohio Theatre, I attended Icons/Idols: In the Purple Room presented by Byzantine Choral Project, a music theater company that champions women’s voices (both cis and … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Happily back in front of a live audience but still a tad rusty: FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE and HAUNT QUEST

Although it’s a thrill to finally start sitting in an actual theater on a more regular basis, sometimes I forget that most performers haven’t had the opportunity to hone their … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Women of hip-hop and musical theater showcase their magnificence: WORD. SOUND. POWER. & Sutton Foster et al. in BRING ME TO LIGHT

Over the past week or so, I had the opportunity of streaming a pair of virtual concerts that – although drastically contrasting – both showcased the magnificence of women. Presented … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Simon Godwin’s elegantly succinct ROMEO AND JULIET for the National is triumphant proof that theater and cinema need not be mutually exclusive

It’s a bit scary to see just how many things director Simon Godwin’s hybrid film/staging of Romeo and Juliet for the National Theatre – which is currently available for viewing … Continue Reading →