THE HANGOVER REPORT – S. Shakthidharan’s rich family epic COUNTING AND CRACKING takes a panoramic view of a nation’s troubled history

This week at NYU Skirball, I had the chance to experience Belvoir St Theatre and Kurinji’s co-production of Counting and Cracking by S. Shakthidharan. The acclaimed panoramic work arrives in … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Tony-winner Kara Young shines in TABLE 17, Douglas Lyons’ appealing new rom-com play

This weekend, Douglas Lyons’ new play Table 17 opened Off-Broadway courtesy of MCC Theater in Hell’s Kitchen. Headlined by the delectably charismatic Kara Young — a recent and deserved Tony-winner … Continue Reading →

Elizabeth Lail and Zane Phillips in Gage Tarlton's "Pretty Perfect Lives" at The Flea Theater (photo by Marc J. Franklin).

VIEWPOINTS – Cautionary tales for the here and now: PRETTY PERFECT LIVES and LIFELINE THE MUSICAL

This past week at the theater, I had the chance to catch a pair of cautionary tales, both tailor-made for the here and now. Read on for my thoughts on … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Emursive’s latest immersive epic LIFE AND TRUST seductively takes on the Faust legend via the banking industry

This week, I had the opportunity to catch Life And Trust, another large scale immersive theatrical endeavor from Emursive, the folks that brought New York Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More at … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Cary Gitter and Neil Berg’s THE SABBATH GIRL is a gentle rom-com musical that goes down easily

Over at 59E59 Theaters, you’ll find Penguin Rep Theatre’s production of the sweet and heartfelt new musical The Sabbath Girl by Cary Gitter (book, lyrics) and Neil Berg (music, lyrics). Adapted from … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Chris Thile’s personable THE MANHATTAN VARIATIONS champions the city and a good cocktail

On an absolutely gorgeous summer night earlier this week, I had the opportunity of catching Chris Thile’s stab at a solo musical — The Manhattan Variations — at “The Amph” on Little … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Phillip Howze’s unruly SIX CHARACTERS explodes with ideas, harnessing Pirandello and Beckett for its own aims

Over at Lincoln Center Theater’s Claire Tow Theater, you’ll find LCT3’s production of Six Characters by Phillip Howze. A spin on Luigi Pirandello’s 1921 play Six Characters in Search of an … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Working through grief and loss: Doménica Feraud’s SOMEONE SPECTACULAR and John Collins’ IT’S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

This past weekend, I came across a pair of Off-Broadway plays that portrayed characters working through grief and loss — a topic that’s likely to strike a chord in many … Continue Reading →

VIEWPOINTS – Based on true events, albeit in drastically divergent ways: THE MEETING: THE INTERPRETER and CELLINO V. BARNES

This week, I caught up with a pair of Off-Broadway two-handers that take their lead from true events — albeit in drastically divergent ways. As always, read on for my … Continue Reading →

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The Kennedy Center stylishly revives Maury Yeston’s NINE headlined by Stephen Pasquale

This past weekend, I took a field trip down to Washington, DC to catch the Kennedy Center’s highly anticipated revival of the Tony Award-winning musical Nine at the Eisenhower Theater. … Continue Reading →