THE HANGOVER REPORT – Dimitris Papaioannou’s imagery intense TRANSVERSE ORIENTATION evokes myth and religion in a parade wondrous tableaus

Last night, Dimitris Papaioannou’s large-scale production of Transverse Orientation opened at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House for a weeklong run as part of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s ongoing … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Led by Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, New York City Center’s vital, full scale revival of PARADE comes alive with forceful intent

Last week, New York City Center’s gala revival of Parade embarked on a limited weeklong run. The show was originally the brainchild of legendary Broadway director Hal Prince, who tapped … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – A trio of Off-Broadway shows that play with form: Jacob Perkins’ THE GOLD ROOM, SITI Company’s WAR OF THE WORLDS, and Dead Centre’s CHEKHOV’S FIRST PLAY

Blink and you might miss them. Amidst a very busy fall theater season, I was able to catch a trio of Off-Broadway shows that played with theatrical form to fascinating … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – In Primary Stages’ production of PEERLESS, playwright Jiehae Park cleverly mashes “Macbeth” with “Heathers”

This past weekend, I also attended a performance of Primary Stages’ Off-Broadway production of peerless by Jiehae Park at 59E59 Theaters. Based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the play is a clever … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jim Parsons is affectingly restrained in John Doyle’s intimate revival of Ahrens and Flaherty’s A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE

Last night, Classic Stage Company’s highly anticipated 20th anniversary revival of Lynn Ahrens (lyrics), Stephen Flaherty (music), and the late Terrance Mcnally’s (book) A Man of No Importance opened Off-Broadway … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Thomas Ostermeier’s German-language HAMLET impulsively plays up the madness, shifting the focus of the Bard’s play

The Brooklyn Academy of Music scored an impressive coup this past week by simultaneously presenting both Ivo van Hove’s Dutch stage adaptation of A Little Life and Thomas Ostermeier’s audacious … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The Birneys gorgeously bring Joseph Dougherty’s haunting two-hander CHESTER BAILEY to life

On the heels, of attending the superb revival of Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog, I found myself in the audience of another affecting two-hander – this time Off-Broadway – by way of … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – David Hare’s wordy STRAIGHT LINE CRAZY starring Ralph Fiennes presents a well-balanced portrait of Robert Moses

Last night, David Hare’s Straight Line Crazy opened at The Shed in Hudson Yards. The production originated in London at the Bridge Theatre, where it proved to be a hot … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Robert O’Hara’s grim, deliberately-acted dissection of A RAISIN IN THE SUN opens at the Public Theater

Last night, The Public Theater’s revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun opened Off-Broadway at the Newman Theater. A fascinating companion piece to Elevator Repair Service’s historically-culled production … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Melis Aker’s HOUND DOG predictably explores the perils of cross cultural identity

Earlier this week, Melis Aker’s Hound Dog opened Off-Broadway at Greenwich House courtesy of Ars Nova and PlayCo, a pair of theater companies well versed in incubating and presenting up-and-coming … Continue Reading →