Interludes

THE STATE OF THE ARTS – November 12, 2014

• By drediman
• November 12, 2014
• No Comments

LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• LITTLE DANCER – Tiler Peck exceeds expectations and dances like a dream in Ahrens and Flaherty’s new musical (currently out-of-town at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC), which is based on Degas’ iconic sculpture. It’s a strong rebound from their dismal work in “Rocky”. The rock-solid cast, which includes Boyd Gaines and Rebecca Luker, is exceptional.
• BARB JUNGR: HARD RAIN – Barb Jungr, with her distinctive voice and piercing interpretations, gave one of the most complete and committed cabaret performances I’ve seen in a long while. Her latest show, “Hard Rain”, features the hard-fought songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.
• GHOST QUARTET – This utterly haunting and passionately performed new music theater piece is the talented Dave Malloy’s follow-up to his invigorating “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”. Although I suspect the show will have a future life (I attended the final performance), I can’t imagine it will ever be quite as atmospheric and immersive as it was at the Bushwick Starr in Brooklyn.
• THE MAGIC FLUTE – The New Victory Theater is unparalleled when it comes to curating theater for children and young adults. Their track record continues with the Isango Ensemble’s joyous version of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”. The endeavor succeeds by energizing the plot while never dumbing down Mozart’s work (the score is played essentially played in its entirety).
• YOU GOT OLDER – One of the pleasant surprises of my fall theatergoing thus far is Clare Barron’s new play “You Got Older” at HERE, courtesy of Page 73 Productions. Barron’s play about a family whose patriarch is suffering from worsening bouts with cancer should be a downer, but it’s often surprising in a visceral way, finding moments of joy in the most unsuspecting scenarios. The perfect cast is led by the always excellent Reed Birney and the fearless Brooke Bloom.

UPCOMING AND HOTLY ANTICIPATED

• THE RIVER – The always in-demand Hugh Jackman returns to Broadway in an unlikely vehicle – Jez Butterworth’s relatively unknown play, “The River” (which premiered in London’s Royal Court Theatre in 2012).
• TAMBURLAINE, PARTS I & II – It’s always a privilege to see Christopher Marlowe plays performed vis-à-vis the ubiquitous plays by William Shakespeare – even lesser known Shakespeare is not necessarily “lesser known” in relative terms. This “Tamburlaine” features the extraordinary actor John Douglas Thompson at the helm.
• STRAIGHT WHITE MEN – I can’t wait to see what the incisive Young Jean Lee has to say in her new play at the Public. The cast includes one of the finest actors currently working in New York, Austin Pendleton.
• THE FLAMES OF PARIS – The Mikhailovsky continues its New York residency with a piece that’s been rarely performed (if ever?) stateside.
• SIDE SHOW – The cult favorite musical returns to Broadway in a version that’s been largely re-tooled. Erin Davie and Emily Padgett take on the roles of the lovelorn Siamese twins made famous by Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner in the original production.