Joe Cab

See it if If U go to a 1-person show & the soloist is OUT, run to the boxoffice & re-book or suffer nagging doubts about what you missed. Average show

Don't see it if Skip if U don't like alt-pop music that rarely connects w/ the stories told between songs. If U heard about Young Jun Lee's perfs -long gone

Also BIG SPOILER: Playwright-performer YJL does show LIVE here: https://youngjeanlee.org/work/were-gonna-die/... Read more Read less

See it if Action shifts back & forth in Time, but justifies the backstory. 30-time Broadway veteran Estelle Parsons has a small but key role. See it!

Don't see it if Skip if U like songs to have choruses instead of listening to run-on dramatic monologues. Also if U R looking for more comedy than drama.

Also Great cast, musical writing style is bit repetitive if you like a good chorus to hum as you are leaving the theater. Not sure if this show is uptempo enough for Broadway, but with Estelle Parsons in the cast they have a selling point. There aren't that many musicals Off-Bdwy so go out and support this one, plus once it goes Bdwy the prices go UP-UP-UP!!... Read more Read less

See it if Not for all tastes, but if a Man-in-Drag is what you're looking for then you'll find none better than Charles Busch. Need I say more??

Don't see it if Don't see if you haven't filled up on caffeinated drinks just prior to viewing. Skip if slow but melodramatic pacing makes U sleepy ...

See it if Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) was a movie that travelled beyond the bedroom. Musical-remake suffers from limited staging & lack of nudity

Don't see it if Don't see if U thought the 60's was wilder than a modest pair of tighty-whities (Y R they hugging the bedsheet to their chests in an "orgy"?

Also The movie was Rated R, I give this marital comedy on stage a PG-13 at best. Also in the movie were 3-songs including this memorable tune: "What the World Needs Now Is Love (Sweet Love)" by Hal David and Burt Bacharach. Nothing half so memorable emerges from the writing team of Duncan Sheik & Amanda Green. One of the better songs (there are a few) is "A Little Misbehavior." which kind of sums up adultery for "fun." Also good is "The Wind in your Hair" but they reprise it too many times throughout the show. If you're of "age" U may find infidelity to be funnier than Millennials will so leave the teens at home. Worth a look/listen for the curious, and if U do go, get a seat in the front row & U may end up being on stage IN THE SHOW!! And if U like Jenn Damiano sit House Left, want to hang with the guys go for House Right seating.... Read more Read less

See it if NOT FOR ALL TASTES!! It's only Feb. & I've already seen TWO shows where the actors lip-synced the lines that they or someone else recorded.

Don't see it if Do not go if U are resistant to this new lip-sync trend. Also, some of the content is very graphic with description of violence & torture.

Also SPOILERS: The original show featured the real DANA H. lip-synching her own testimony since she was not a trained actor. Now they've got the luminous Deidre O'Connell playing her role with an amazing feat of physical mimicry. Much of the story revolves around Dana's kidnap & torture by The Cowboy, a main member of the American Nazi Party. Sort of like a Patty Hearst type victim's point-of-view monologue. But is she a reliable narrator? That's for the audience to decide. GO SEE IT!!... Read more Read less

See it if It's back and it'll be gone by Feb. 16th??? Catch it this weekend if you can, funnier than all the shows on the Bway COMBINED!! Amazing cast

Don't see it if Skip if U don't like to laugh, or laughing AT shows U think are perfect only to have to watch them so juicily skewered. Fans of THE FERRYMAN

Also Hadestown, Moulin Rouge, Dear Evan Hansen, Ain't Too Proud, Everything in Yiddish (not just for Fiddler), Oklahoma (the new version), The Prom, etc. etc. Many of the shows are sent up in such a way that you don't have to have seen them to be amused by the spoofing.... Read more Read less

See it if This show's bonus, if U R a fan of TV's "Blue Bloods," is actor Len Cariou starring in both, so co-stars are apt to show up in the audience.

Don't see it if 83-yr old "Harry" is fighting alzheimers & maybe LC (age 81) is a lil too. Lots of yelling & awkwardly recalling his sexual episodes w/ wife

See it if If U braved the EMOJI movie w/ your kids, then know that EMOJILAND is NOTHING like that movie & not kiddie-material either. Techno-dialogue.

Don't see it if Skip if U don't like zany, wacky characters & prefer your emoticons more realistically portrayed- Really? Tho some of them do get emotional

Also First act is over an hour (so far, saw this in Previews), so hit the bathroom before entering the theater. Plus the toilets are bit on the small side at THE DUKE. They use lasers in the show but mostly pointing up if that's a concern. Music is LOUD throughout so U don't need a hearing device. Other wise an extremely well-cast show with long-time veterans like Queen Lesli, Ann Harada (1-2nd act-song), Max Crumm, Josh Lamon, & Felicia Boswell knocks the walls down with her power-vocals. One note on the stage, it is VERY close to the first 5 rows so if U don't like fierce actors staring deeply in your eyes U might want to get seats beyond the 7th row. This cast means business, and these emoticons EMOTE like nobody's business. See it now or pay $200 later cause it looked Bway-ready last night!!! GO!!!... Read more Read less

See it if 2-handers as a rule benefit from the chemistry between the 2 actors. In this case 1 was a Bdwy debut & the other was a veteran of the B-way!

Don't see it if Well, I must have been too far back or more tired that I thought, cause Mary-Louise Parker's voice hypnotized me & off I went to La-La Land?

Also Maybe drink some coffee or soda w/ caffeine before the show. Also try to get a seat closer to the stage so you will be riveted to the proceedings. There's nothing worse than paying Broadway prices and sleeping through a show :(... Read more Read less

See it if WOW!! Forget those mimes a coupla blocks downtown, this new adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic has all the SNOW U need & dialogue too

Don't see it if If U R a Dickens purist U may have problems w/ some edits&additions. Diversity casting as well as cast interaction w/ audience is a bit much

Also SPOILERS:
What an overstuffed production that will wow some while feel like pandering to purists. 10 min. before the show starts a quartet of musicians take the stage, meanwhile actors infiltrate the audience offering packs of cookies & Clementine oranges. Some of this is entertaining as they begin to throw these items from the stage to deep in the audience (orchestra, mezzanine, & balcony). More musicians appear and actors milling about stage when they recite the title of the story and begin to tell it as written w/ each actor given a bit directly from the Dickens text. When Scrooge (Campbell Scott) appears the ensemble continues to speak like a "chorus" with more of the descriptions from the original story. Then dialogue follows between Scrooge and his office workers. All the expected dismissal of Carolers & Xmas greetings. The thrust stage keeps the audience very involved in the show kept glowing "warm" with dozens of "gas" lamps throughout the theater. See this, U could do worse!... Read more Read less

See it if '9' women take the stage en masse to re-set the play in a Nawlins Mardi Gras, but then fan out into their respective characters. Great sax 2

Don't see it if Don't bother if U R a strict Shakespearean scholar & don't like crossgender casting. Or if U don't like a little actor improv mixed in.

See it if Go see 85 yr old Eileen Atkins for the last time. Or as the play sometimes indicates, perhaps she is Dead already?? Who's dead? All of them?

Don't see it if Don't go if U like to know who is dead & who is alive with certainty. At least they change the make-up in BEETLEJUICE, but here any1 or ALL?

Also Remember the movie the SIXTH SENSE with Bruce Willis (SPOILER ALERT), well no one knew he was dead till the final "twist" of the movie. Here, the script is so vague one, two, or all of the participants could be dead and the play ends without out a twist ... just the two main participants on stage. Living & dead interact together throughout the play so it could have been a haunted house for all we know. Less confusion would have been better ... and more interesting. Noel Coward's BLITHE SPIRIT should be revived to show how it's supposed to be done. Cast-THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM Eileen Atkins as Madeleine
Jonathan Pryce as André
Lucy Cohu [Bway debut] - The Woman
Amanda Drew [Bway debut] as Anne (youngest daughter)
James Hillier [Bway debut] as The Man
Lisa O'Hare as Élise (the daughter)... Read more Read less

See it if They really should have sold the 8-show run as a "package" for fans due to the number of guests that rotated in-and-out each night. Magic!!

Don't see it if If U don't like KC why bother, unless U like 1 of her many guests: CeCe Winans, Chele Wright, Laura Benanti, etc. Also, if U dislike WICKED

Also Guests for Wknd 2:
11/15
CeCe Winans
Ginna Claire Mason (current Glinda? how did she get a Friday night off??)
11/16-mat
Laura Benanti
Jennifer Laura Thompson (2nd Glinda after KC)
11/16-eve
Chele Wright
Laura Woyasz (Glinda 2011)
11/17-Closing night
Shoshana Bean
Stephen Schwartz (Wicked composer
Jessica Vosk (Elphaba 2018)
Amanda Jane Cooper (Glinda 2017)... Read more Read less

See it if I saw the non-musical version of this on Broadway in 2003 w/ Molly RIngwald as Rose. A simple but easy-to-like story set in 1922. Homesick??

Don't see it if Although some lines R funny, they come in response to marital duress. Enchantment is in the eye of the beholder & mostly women attended.

Also Although still in previews, I'm not sure the current casting will send audiences thronging to the boxoffice. Currently starring Leah Hocking (10 roles on the Bway, mainly character parts) and tho a delight, the 2003 version contained not only Molly Ringwald (movies include "Pretty in Pink," etc.), but "name" actors like Elizabeth Ashley, Jayne Atkinson,
Michael Cumpsty & Dagmara Dominczyk. With no "names" this musicals life is going to be shortlived & they certainly need to find someone to bring investors to cover wigs, make-up, & costumes alone (not to mention a more paradisical set). I also found Act I to be quite lacking (which in some ways sets up the enchantment to follow), and needs to be shortened or sped up somehow. Even the composer has saved all the really good songs for Act 2, especially the solo's.... Read more Read less

See it if The clock's tickin folks! At the end of FROZEN's 2nd yr on Bdwy it's '2' biggest stars'll be leaving, so don't delay seeing Patti & Caissie!

Don't see it if .. if U R a man who prefers to be seated among same (theater was packed w/ adult women, some kids). If U dislike seeing Special FX on stage.

Also Caissie Levy's voice alone is worth the price of admission, but the night I was there she was OUT & her standby Alyssa Fox knocked "Let If Go" out of the park. Even the ensemble has chops to spare including longtime chorus girl Tracee Beazer & the multi-talented Ryann Redmond. See this before the end of February 2020 if U want to see an outstanding version of the show. Amazing Special FX throughout to dazzle the kiddies, plus enuf kissing to gross out lil boys for days. ;p... Read more Read less

See it if Bella Abzug was a major force for Feminism in the 70's, so it's kind of ironic her story is being told by a MAN (in the 1st person no less)!

Don't see it if Skip if U don't want to hear a feminist rant, tho U could replace Nixon w/ Trump and it would still apply to today. If U hate his voice??

Also If U don't know your NYC political history then U might want to google Bella Abzug, though much of what's said is funny for both men & women. Especially look up the "Willie McGee" trial that Bella was involved with. Also, brush up on your Yiddish (& some German) if U want to get ALL the jokes. Still plenty to laff at for non-Yids. Some weighty political issues are weighed in on, but Peace and Security are 2 things U won't be leaving the theater with. But U will have a belly full of laughs!! GO SEE IT, Harvey's WORTH IT!!... Read more Read less

See it if Derren Brown has a 'Secret' but the only way to 'really' learn it is to attend the show more than once. He has other secrets too ... yours!!

Don't see it if Don't see if you can't keep secrets nor wish to reveal any. Skip if U don't like improv-oriented shows that require audience participation.

See it if 4 women take the stage & then go out of their damn minds to fulfill the rituals of their "Dead Leaders Club." Only for those seeking risks.

Don't see it if Don't see if you are a sensitive person, especially concerning animals or humans. Has some lesbian kissing in too, but the shocks are earned

Also Oh, lastly and somewhat important, there is a long monologue near the end that is spoken ENTIRELY in Spanish. Go to WPtheater.org/Pablo if you want to know what he's saying before the show instead of after which is when they pass out this info as U R leaving.... Read more Read less

See it if There's no good reason 4 this Show to be closing (R Baby Boomers dying?) cause the music of Carole King is timeless -along w/ a funny script

Don't see it if IF U R 2 young for early pop music & rock'n'roll artists like Neil Sedaka, The Drifters, The Chiffons, etc Adultery & mental illness upset U

See it if Went BACK! Got a better seat & had a much better time! The music was great both times, but stay away from House right: blinding onstage lite

Don't see it if If U aren't familiar w/ Jim Steinman's pop-rock power-ballad style of music then U may not enjoy this as much as those raised on it.

Also Note: I originally saw BOOH from the front row of the Balcony (BAD idea). Spend the extra dough and sit lower down, the sound improves tremendously. And, yes folks, the songs you loved as teen (if you're old enuf) are gloriously brought back to LIFE by a game cast. I also saw a PREVIEW the 1st go round & I have to say the show I saw last night was much improved. If U want to save this music from being buried on Spotify instead of PLAYED LIVE, then GO see it NOW cause this baby closes Sept. 8, 2019!!! Jim Steinman created songs that will last forever, don't miss out on hearing them the way they were meant to be heard -- ON A STAGE w/ a LIVE BAND!!!... Read more Read less

See it if Fans of streaming TV hits like "Fargo" & "BrainDead" should be satisfied w/ Mary Elizabeth Winstead's NY stage debut. But she can do more ..

Don't see it if Don't see if U don't like 2-handers? (2 of the 3 roles are played by 1 actor). Be sure to get the "hearing devices," may lose words #DICTION

See it if In 2001, I saw an outdoor prod. of The Seagull w/. Meryl Streep & Kevin Kline. This indoor version (w/o A/C) is intimate fun, a REAL family!

Don't see it if IF U don't like a lil diversity in casting AND technique (1 guy shouted his lines, another too soft to be heard). If no A/C is an issue.

See it if 20 yrs after its debut, CotSC is still relevant as the scammers go after the unwary (again). Worth seeing for David Warshofsky's perf as dad

Don't see it if If you don't like Sam Shepard plays but are curious, then U could do much worse. If U abhor stage nudity then skip. Gross ref's to animals 2

See it if You might like this if you have a real good seat and a sense of humor that appreciates rhyming verse channeled through the Three Stooges.

Don't see it if Don't C unless some-1 that knows your sense of humor recommends U see it. Beware of "revenge recommendations" that hope U will hate it too.

Also SPOILERS: Grand finale of the show is a chorus line of FIVE male dancers with "remote-control" erections that move to the music. If this doesn't arouse (pun intended) your need to see this then you probably don't need too. Queer humor in the show also includes dead bodies that are de-gassed (fart noises aplenty). Grossout humor (intestines made from strings of wieners) is minimal in the visual sense, but lots of verbal references to gross incidences. Some references to the brutality in Shakespeare's TITUS ANDRONICUS, especially his daughter's rape & subsequent tortures. Overall, a test of sophisticated theater goers appreciation of great acting from the trio, some pointed anti-govt-anti-war rhyming, and too many fart noises for a Broadway show. Not even Monty Python's SPAMALOT went this far, nor should they have. Expect a short run and then it will be soon forgotten. :(... Read more Read less

See it if Foursome (2 couples) takes the stage (at times) & tries to set off sparks with middling results. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" - NOT! :(

Don't see it if Don't see it if U R prudish & don't wish to see various "sex toys" exhibited but rarely used to any comic effect (& NO sexual effect AT ALL)

See it if I saw this 3/4/20 after 2 main cast members departed in Feb (should have done my research?). Show is still intact w/ great voices aplenty!!

Don't see it if Hate Motown? Skip it. Hate shows that let Berry Gordy off the hook? Skip it. Hate jukebox musicals (a la "Beautiful") w/ some backstory ??

Also 1st-HIT: The Way You Do the Things You Do 2:39
Run Away Child, Running Wild 3:29
Gloria 2:00
In the Still of the Night / Speedo 2:48
Shout 4:58
I Want A Love I Can See 2:01
My Girl 3:33
Get Ready 1:41
-->Supremes Medley: You Can't Hurry Love / Come See About Me / Baby Love 2:32
Since I Lost My Baby 4:52
Ain't Too Proud To Beg 1:48
Don't Look Back / You're My 2:11
If I Could Build My Whole World Around You 2:02
If You Don't Know Me By Now 2:10
(I Know) I'm Losing You 3:03
I Wish It Would Rain 2:32
I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) 2:17
I Can't Get Next To You 3:20
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me 2:36
War 1:18
Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) 2:15
Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) 3:12
Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) 1:31
For Once In My Life 2:33
Papa Was A Rollin' Stone (Pt. 1) 1:04
Cloud Nine 3:20
Papa Was A Rollin' Stone (Pt. 2) 4:59
28. What Becomes of the Brokenhearted 3:31
29. I Can't Get Next To You... Read more Read less

See it if I heard a lot of conflicting reviews about this show, but you'll only be offended if you're not a 'guy'. Porn talk is pretty normal for us.

Don't see it if Don't go if U R expecting a "sex show" or nudity. Most of it is talk-talk-talk, but it could offend people that are inexperienced sexually.

Also The PLAYROOM theater must have been an old strip joint before Actors-Equity took over the building. U have to take an elevator to the 8th fl and there's not much of a lobby area. Bathrooms are surprisingly clean. SPOILERS: As for the show, the most amazing part is THE SET, the entire show takes place in Naval Aircraft Carrier, which already makes the plot suspect, since an avg. sailor "sneaks" a local girl onto the ship without anyone knowing. That is, until the most by-the-book CPO finds them together, threatens prison time for both and then relents. On one condition, when the sailor is on deck the CPO will be with his girl below decks. A sordid deal, but they all agree. Then the major part of the show is the CPO's "training" in both Naval lingo and porn lingo since she doesn't seem to know anything about either. She does shed some clothes at one point, but is never naked or topless. The CPO speaks for about an hour about his carnal plans for the girl but she never gives in. NO RAPE.... Read more Read less

See it if 3 doors in the rear of the stage are your 1st clue that there are 3 stories going on AT THE SAME TIME. This is Mamet cubed, if U can keep up

Don't see it if Don't watch from the front row if U go, & be prepared to wait out awkward silences 2 allow others 2 speak since scenes occur simultaneously.

Also First time seeing actor Carla Gugino on stage (her character is important but spends most of the time standing in place babbling).

The Atlantic stage has been re-furbished since my last decades,-old visit... new water fountain too.🎭

ANATOMY OF A SUICIDE -
Closing date: March 15, 2020 -- Written by Alice Birch -Playwright (Off-Broadway debut)
Lileana Blain-Cruz -Director --

Actor (Main cast) - Role
Carla Gugino - Carol
Celeste Arias - Anna
Gabby Beans - Bonnie
Ava Briglia (tween) -Daisy/Anna/Child
Julian Elijah Martinez - Jamie
Jo Mei - Jo/Laura/Lola

[NOTE: Play is performed 'a la David Mamet' with interwoven dialogue & multiple scenes on stage simultaneously. A suicide is done onstage (but creatively). A LIVE rabbit appears onstage but is not harmed. The 'tween' character engages in some inappropriate behavior.

Overall, a difficult watch the 1st time thru, 2nd sitting might be better (further back from stage - I was in the front row).... Read more Read less

See it if Know this, Molly Brown's episodes w/ the Titanic briefly make up the start & finish of the show. The main story is about Molly & her hubby!!

Don't see it if Skip if U don't like old-fashioned musical revivals. Also the stage seems a bit small for an orchestra pit & U may worry 4 the safety of all

Also 9-piece orchestra sounds glorious in such a small Off-Bdwy theater way out on the LES of Manhattan. Either Uber or be prepared to walk a ways from the subway. Full-cast musical numbers are a real hoot led by Beth Malone, who knew she could do broad comedy after her intimate run in FUN HOME. David Aron Demane proves a real find as Molly's long suffering husband who tries to curb his wife's ambitions but is continually made foolish in front of his man-friends. The ensemble cast is pricelessly cast as saloon girls in the mining town and later as rich, pompous matrons in the burgeoning city of Denver. Lots of humor throughout but if U love Beth Malone this is your MUST-SEE of 2020.... Read more Read less

See it if Game cast needs stage combat training after delivering the most silent slap in stage history. Otherwise, a commendable job in a lil space.

Don't see it if Don't see if you're a feminist & despise women living with a anti-equality guy. Also if the title leads U to imagining violence onstage, not

See it if I never saw the film (or don't remember it) but StephenBelber's script seems more suited to the Stage than the Big Screen so fans might like

Don't see it if If U prefer large cast shows (only 3 here) or grow weary of watchin a director trying to maneuver actors in a tiny space strewn w/ beer cans

Also Know your Playwright Stephen Belber: "Don't Go Gentle" (Lucille Lortel/2012)
"Fault Lines" (Cherry Lane Theater/2008)
"A Small, Melodramatic Story" (Public Theater/2006)
"McReele" (Laura Pels Theater/2005) "The Laramie Project" Union Square Theater/2000/Associate Writer)... Read more Read less

See it if Got a good seat for the Wooster Group's new "experimental" theater piece. Checking that off the "Bucket List."

Don't see it if A play that defies what a play is, actors have pre-recorded their lines that they lip-sync on stage. Video is shown many times throughout.

See it if Fine cast puts across the points of the Pulitzer Prize winning play, tho it could've been updated to the next war (or even now). Racism4ever

Don't see it if Whose idea was it 2 do this play in an intimate house WITH MIKES! Especially in a military-oriented show where EVERYONE yells at one another

Also If you are offended by the N-word they only use once or twice even tho this play is based in the Old South. Back in the days before the troops were integrated. Great cast (esp. Blair Underwood) carries it off well. Poor David Alan Grier is loser of a number of altercations and nearly slides off the slick, polished, black stage at least once during the performance. Spare set allows for rapid scene changes and tightens the tension at the same time. Sadly, one actor was either miscast or was allowed to make a poor decision by acting more intelligent than his "character." If you saw the film by dir. Norman Jewison feat. Denzel Washington then U might seek that out online (as "A Soldier's Story") for a fuller expansion of the play. But see the play too, it'll demonstrate the differences a film can add/subtract. One subtraction is the amount of unaccompanied singing the soldiers do to keep their morale up. I don't remember Denzel singing in the movie at all.... Read more Read less

See it if Do you know your Samoan slang? Study the glossary in the program or just sit back absorb the tribal women's stories. Not for all tastes. Go!

Don't see it if If U can't tolerate shows with undecipherable moments, or group chanting w/ minimal percussion back-up. Cast telling stories direct address.

Also Go to this website vup.victoria.ac.nz/wild-dogs-under-my-skirt for script. The more you decipher before entering the theater the more you will understand. High energy singing combined with dramatic story-telling by 6-member cast. One man sits in front row of theater playing a single drum from time-to-time. Cast is uniformly excellent with some amateurish habits. Some over-acting but in keeping with the folktale nature of the show. Worth seeing no matter what your reservations may be. The Rock may be the biggest Samoan star on the planet but these six are worth seeing too. Just GO! #bucketlist... Read more Read less

See it if Edmund Donovan as the mentally disabled son to Judith Ivey (veteran Tony-winning actress) nearly steals the show, but Ivey is in top form!!

Don't see it if Don't C if U don't like 3-act plays that run for hours covering multiple storylines. Don't see if U don't like tragic endings.

Also Odd set involves a separate room being lowered by crane/hoist from above. It's only used twice but really takes you out of the reality of the rest of the play. MUST-SEE for Judith Ivey's mature perf. Diverse cast makes use of Asian-American and Caucasion actors due to the locale's use of a Japanese Relocation Center nearby. Play also touches on the use of Asian laborers & possibe slave-wages. Also of historical note, the play spends most of its time in a mining museum which highlights an earlier mining disaster. Somehow the playwright tries to connect the dots from the past to the present. Did not quite work for me but worth watching, might get better as the run goes along so try for Closing Night tix??... Read more Read less

See it if Playwright Horton Foote loves his characters, so much so that he carries them from play to play. Longtime fans may get it, newbies good luck

Don't see it if Skip if U don't like tragi-comedies where the hero blinded by complacency finds out (2 late) that he's in deeper than he ever could imagine?

Also Broadway theater-goers may want to see this not only for ex-movie star Quinn (he was also 'Stanley' in the 1988 Bdwy "A Streetcar Named Desire"), but longtime female character actor Kristine Nielsen (12-times on the Bway) up close on the Signature stage. Sadly, 5-time Bway vet Harriett D. Foy is relegated to playing the family "maid." If I never see African-Americans as servants again I will be grateful. Even in the slave-trading show AMAZING GRACE she stunned as an African princess. Dated material overall, not sure if this ... ATLANTA story needed to be told at all. Some "hints" of homosexual romance are never fully brought out, and worst of all, the title character appears several times "Off Stage" but never enters?? If U R heavily invested in Foote's works then U may get more from this (last?) one than I did. Cast was first-rate but wasted in my estimation. You've been warned!... Read more Read less

See it if Slice-of-life look at how a person (Chris, etc.) comes into their identity, tho each key moment is shown thru different actors over time.

Don't see it if Don't like multiple actors of different gender, race, cultural bgd playing same character. Dislike having to "find" who is Chris (SAY name)!

Also So I tried a little harder on the lottery game & scored an "Off-Broadway" ticket (for a change). Actually the 2nd show I've seen by playwright Will Eno (last year's "Thom Paine," a 1-man show starring Michael C. Hall was my 1st). Currently in Previews -- October 29, 2019 Opening date: Nov 21st -- Closing date -- Dec 15th --
Second Stage Theater -- Dir. by Kenny Leon -- Ensemble (many of male/femme characters play a version of the title character: Chris, Christine, Krista, etc.): Hannah Cabell N/A Michael Countryman, Ebony Jo-Ann, Lenne Klingaman, Lizbeth MacKay, Nedra McClyde, Howard W. Overshown, Isabella Russo, Charles Turner, Luis Vega [Note: Will Eno is a love him/hate him but sometimes entertaining writer, give him a try and report back]... Read more Read less

See it if If U find the writings of Gabriel Garcia Marquez a bit daunting then this lively production of ...MACONDO may spur U to try again. Funny too

Don't see it if Skip if characters with impossibly long names bother you, or actors playing multiple characters & switching between solo & group performance

Also If you like lovely ladies, much moreso than usual at the Russian Arts Theater & Studio, then this is a feast for the eyes. The men are a varied lot but bold in their acting choices. In fact, the entire cast makes the most of every moment of the play giving vigorous and entertaining performances. It would be impossible to read the original text that the show is based before it closes in late November, but you would be remiss not to see ...MACONDA now and try the reading later. What a cast, a director's dream!! <3... Read more Read less

See it if Oddest of oddball love triangles featuring an animal collector & his prize possession: A Woman covered head to toe with Hair. Not for all??

Don't see it if Adventurous auds only, especially Beatles fans with ideas about copyright infringement. Bald people may feel jealous of the constructed 1zee

Also There are several scenes inolving the eating of raw animals (stuffed ones with jelly or some such hidden inside to make weak stomachs queasy). Still, if you're tired of the same old seance-female empowerment plays going up around town then this ribald tale might be up your alley. Special kudos to the actor playing the hairy woman (a very hot costume for sure) plus having to eat a lot of gross stuff off the floor.... Read more Read less

See it if I've been making the Off-Off Bdwy rounds (mainly female playwrights) & POWER STRIP is the best of the bunch. Linear story w/ flashbacks. GO!

Don't see it if Don't see if you don't like seeing stories about refugees, paranoia, and romances torpedoed by religious laws & horrifying circumstances.

See it if Welcome to 1975 (do Millennials know who Nixon was). In any case, no1 under age 50 will get the 70's jokes or a Keanu Reeves-clone as McBeth

Don't see it if Skip if U R a Shakespeare purist. Or if U have not recently viewed the film "Scotland,PA." If a boring 1st act isn't worth a lively 2nd act.

Also I don't know if was a directorial concept or what but the singing in the 1st act was almost talking. No held notes, no vibrato. Creatively that might be interesting, but if U R in the audience it not entertaining at all. Luckily the 2nd act picks up and the actors are allowed to sing with all of their God-given talent. So wait out the 1st act, then enjoy the 2nd act. In other words, find a cheap ticket for 1/2 price cause you're only getting 1/2-a-show :( For more deets & a vid (from Act 2) go here: https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/2019-2020-season/scotland-pa/... Read more Read less

See it if If U find negativity funny then this story of a newly divorced misanthrope works ("Guy talk" scenes esp.). Then he turns Casanova ... how??

Don't see it if Don't see if U don't like onstage sex & full-frontal nudity w/ the LIGHTS ON! (This puts Frankie & Johnny to shame). Very anti-Republican 2

See it if It's hard to believe this show opened in 1987 w/ NINE actors. It's since moved around in '7' odd venues & has been whittled down to 5 actors

Don't see it if If U can't get a 'close' seat U may be straining to hear & losing Catherine Russell whenever her character sits down (NOT a raked stage??)

Also Catherine Russell (as Margaret) and Robert Newman (the Detective) have been performing the show for decades (literally) but still keep it fresh for themselves as they slowly age out of the characters. Why the staging hasn't been adjusted for the hordes of senior citizens that turn out for this show probably reflects the many poor reviews on this site. Even a thrust stage would work better than current configuration where one tall person blocks the view of many behind them. Can't tell if it's good or bad cause I couldn't really see or hear anything from ROW P (yikes). Try to land from A-G (you've been warned).... Read more Read less

See it if This One-woman show is worth a 2nd look (1st caught a preview). NY auds force actors to commit, even when playing an autobiographical part!

Don't see it if If U find deplore listening to a woman review her life with 20-20 hindsight, or can't relate to the biography of a Jewish American Princess.

Also Lois plays several roles, including her mother (comical), father, past loves, and close friends but none of these other characters are expanded upon. Sadly, impersonation is not one of Lois stronger suits, this play cries out for a FULL casting of all the rules. To her credit, even tho in over her head, Lois is a charmer and makes us want to listen to her travails in the romance dept. More about naivete than bawdiness, but if U want to suck in NYC auds you better deliver the DIRT too (by the shovelful). Do the audience a favor and reclaim the doctor's notes from your therapy sessions, then if it gets interesting you can construct a new, psychologically deeper play. Good first try, but it's gotta be much better to get to Broadway. There's a lot of great character actors that would love to play opposite you, & you'd have a stronger show with not so much pressure on L-O-I-S!!... Read more Read less

See it if 4get the 2-minute sex scene at the top of the show, this is a funny 2-hander that'll bring back memories of all your previous 1-nite-stands

Don't see it if You are a big prude (15 sec. of Michael's butt and a similar left-boob look at Audra's). Some F-bombs. Don't find low-class romance funny.

Also Playwright Terrence McNally has a real 'ear' for the way regular people talk & think. Hits the mark a number of times for big laffs, even while using gimmicks like 'running gags'. Worth a look, with #metoo and nudity-phobias this one may never come back to Broadway again. And if these two ever become big movie stars you'll never be able to get in to see them at these prices (lots of discounts, check online).... Read more Read less

See it if Athletic young cast set adrift in a spacy play that uses 1 set, some astronaut costumes, video, & music to hold the flimsy script together.

Don't see it if If you've seen the advertising, then know that "sizzling romp" are the last 2 words U would use to describe this play. If U hated 2001, well

See it if Never thought I'd see a MAAN that would top Kenneth Branagh's film version, but this one does it & adds a R&B groove too! LAFF FEST to boot!

Don't see it if If U R a Shakespearean purist U may object 2 song additions/substitutions as well as a few modern day additions to the characters. Go anyway

Also Note: I went to the 1st Preview and the weather was perfect, so try to avoid getting caught by surprise shower by updating your weather app for Central Park. Not sure if the show will be able to re-capture the "high energy" of this 1st-ever showing, but if they do keep it going you are in for a SURPRISE or two and a REAL TREAT overall. Support Diversity and U will be richly rewarded!!... Read more Read less

See it if Well, the top reason to see this revival is the perfect cast of '4'. In 1987 show John Malkovich won DD & Joan Allen got the Tony. Repeat!!!

Don't see it if Very talky show, monologues become rants quickly. Easy to 'hear' but not always easy to 'understand' due to the rapid-fire speaking.

Also Excellent casting. I first saw this off Broadway with Edward Norton as 'Pale'. Sadly the thin-framed, six foot tall Norton was unable to get his performance up to the scale of a PALE/John Malkovich (who always seems to look like he's 10 ft. tall on stage). Adam Driver (6'-2" & heavy set -the current 'Pale') has the size differential that puts the relationship into sharp physical focus and it was wonderful to see Driver & Keri Russell going toe-to-toe (her Bway debut to boot). Lots of laffs in this one due in part to Lanford Wilson's keen observations of the way roommates & couples talk to each other. Plus both Driver & Russell have great chemistry and comic timing. I was really glad I caught this play again, the casting makes a BIG difference.... Read more Read less

See it if One-man show that is somewhat immersive with the actor (of TV's Dexter) talking and not talking to the audience. A bit repetitive (shorten?)

Don't see it if If you are uncomfortable with a performer wandering into the audience but does it more than once. If you don't like jokes that are repeated.

See it if Blending Shakespeare with original music has been a hit/miss endeavour in years past, but this version is more hit than miss. Bway vets help

Don't see it if IF U like your Shakespeare PURE then this may not be 1 for you. But if U are willing to listen to the Bard's words musicalized then play on!

Also Some sample song excerpts:
Viola: "The Man I got to be" (becomes Cesario)
Feste (to Sir Tony Belch): "You're My Favorite ... Pain in the Ass" -repeated with other characters.
Viola solo: "Disguise" (playing both sides as a woman in love inside & man desired by Olivia on the outside)
The majority of the songs are tied in with the plot and performed by Tony winners Shuler Hensley (OKLAHOMA), Nikki M. James (BOOK OF MORMON) and others. Andrew W. Kober is a funny MALVOLIO with a song that becomes a running gag. Keep mind open, expectations low, & drink a-plenty in honor of Sir Toby and you will enjoy a-plenty!!... Read more Read less