VIEWPOINTS – Opera companies turn to other mediums to persist the art form: SOLDIER SONGS & THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER

Apart from filming opera productions in empty auditoriums for streaming consumption (which was the case with Opéra-Comique’s buoyant recent production of Titon et l’Aurore directed by master puppeteer Basil Twist), … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Despite the times, impactful new opera and music theater continue to enrich PROTOTYPE

Those of you who think opera is an antiquated art form with little relevancy should look no further than Prototype, the annual festival celebrating new opera and music theater, which … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A roundup of the Public Theater’s digital 2021 UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL

This time last year, I was furiously hopping from show to show as I immersed myself in the city’s various “experimental” (for a lack of a better term) performing arts … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – THE BEST OF 2020: Theater, Music/Cabaret, and Dance

In all respects, 2020 was a stunted year, and few industries was hit harder than the performing arts. Nonetheless, out of the rubble, defiant gems arose – sometimes in the … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Facing adversity, together: Bristol Old Vic’s MESSIAH and the Almeida’s NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS

To close out this decimated year, I chose to stream a pair of somber productions from across the pond – both reflective, clear-eyed monuments to an unprecedented 2020. Nowhere in … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: Isaac Gómez’s WALLY WORLD, Mary Zimmerman’s THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER, and 54 Below Premieres SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED

First and foremost, I hope everyone is having a happy, safe, and relaxing holiday (all things considered)! Here are my thoughts on the most recent crop of streaming content. WALLY … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – DON’T TELL MAMA keeps the flame alive on Restaurant Row

Last week, I mourned the loss (again) of most of live and in-person entertainment in New York, scant as it was. This sad circumstance was almost completely dictated by the … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: Riz Ahmed’s ferocious THE LONG GOODBYE, Justin Vivian Bond’s Christmas show at Joe’s Pub, and yet another A CHRISTMAS CAROL

As Christmas draws ever nearer, I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the quantity and quality of the streaming content out there. Here are my latest thoughts. THE LONG GOODBYE: … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Streaming Diary: Wholesome holiday entertainment via NORM LEWIS’s Christmas show, the Old Vic’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and Irish Rep’s MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS

For those of you seeking more traditional, wholesome holiday entertainment, I recommend that you check out the recently-viewed virtual Christmas treats below. NORM LEWIS: CHRISTMASTIME IS HERE!Feinstein’s/54 BelowOn-demand through December … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A round-up of in-person cabaret (while it lasted): BILLY STRITCH, NATALIE DOUGLAS, and PAIGE TURNER

It was fun while it lasted. The last few weeks allowed some semblance of in-person cabaret to return in the guise of “incidental music” for diners. However, the governor put … Continue Reading →