Kenn Went to the Theater Again

See it if you would enjoy a highly original, creative approach to a relevant topic

Don't see it if you prefer traditional musicals

Also For me, Octet was thrilling from the beginning. Walking into the theater designed as a church was immediately transforming. The work is not just unique and original it is revelatory. As in A Chorus Line or Colored Girls, each member of the group emerges to tell his or her story all united by a common theme. The personal narrative theme here being a young adult challenged by the pulls and presses of the technology age - at its darkest a world full of addictive possibilities - the "monster". The time and place is right now and for me it seemed perfectly relevant and urgent. There are no live musical instruments to accompany the talented group participants and yet it is a musical of the highest quality. They create their own percussion and the harmonies and blending are by turns mesmerizing and startling. What is expressed via the lyrics is clear, well observed and full of wit and humor. Although I would have welcomed one more upbeat number, it does end on a note of hope.... Read more Read less

See it if you respond well to theater that utilizes symbolism and focuses on existential themes in a non-traditional way

Don't see it if you want a linear narrative, you are easily spooked or you are emotionally raw from mourning or grief in your own life

Also This is a unique theatrical experience that will only be embraced by someone who seeks nontraditional and creative staging of abstract and existential themes. For me, I thought the crow was actually going to be therapeutic in and of itself - probably my fantasy of rescuing someone who is in the quagmire of a grieving process. However, the crow as the grief itself - all encompassing, all powerful, malevolent, destructive and deceptive - worked for me metaphorically. Of course, when the crow comes to nest you can only manage it and keep it from getting too powerful and then eventually you come out the other side - all of which is presented effectively here. Cillian Murphy has the enormous task of being both the grieving widower and the crow and he is fully engaging - poignant as the widower and unsettling and frightening as the crow.... Read more Read less

See it if Shakespeare is your friend; you want to see a creative approach to the work and you are not a purist; Glenda Jackson!

Don't see it if If you have seen enough of King Lear and it does not matter who is playing him and how the production is presented

Also I myself thought for sure I would not spend time with Lear again. Enough. Plummer, McKellen, Jacobi, Langella - c'mon how many times do I need or want to spend time with him? Glenda Jackson - one of my favorite actors - was enough to lure me just one more time. Certainly, she is in command and compelling. She is so tiny though - she felt a bit miscast at the beginning when she was in power. Once exiled, her presentation made more sense. Here is also why I did not mind one more Lear:
*I thought the music, by Philip Glass, was highly effective and moved things along for me
*The cast, as a whole, is excellent - especially Ruth Wilson as Cordelia and the fool - I wanted to go back to the text and re-read just her part so that I could relive her reading.
*Although I was not enthralled by the set at first, I thought it was cool when they all made a mess of things and the lighting was effective
*I liked modernizing the setting and making the political links to the present explicit... Read more Read less

See it if You would enjoy an intense, important meaningful powerful play that unfolds in real time and focuses important issues for our time

Don't see it if The subject matter is not meaningful for you politically or two people working out intense issues in their relationship is not of interest

Also At only 70 or so minutes, this play packs a powerful punch. It is a well crafted work, unfolding in real time, that focuses on an attractive couple who you want to succeed right from the start. There is a conflict that emerges that becomes increasingly intense and brings with it bigger and bigger issues that take the protagonists focus from the microsystem to the macrosystem. I had my own teachable moment as I had been feeling that Genesis was overreacting a bit and she taught me and her partner exactly why that was not the case. This new theater is beautiful and the set is gorgeous (I heard one woman say, why doesn't my apartment look like that?) and the intimate setting is a good match for what unfolds. The actors are terrific and it clearly is an emotional experience for them as it is for us. It also has to be acknowledged that it is rare to see African American actors in a play by an African American woman take center stage. I respect MCC for giving us this opportunity,... Read more Read less

See it if You like dramedy and the challenge of troubled individuals working to be less troubled

Don't see it if Intimate dramas of human struggle, both intrapersonal and interpersonal, does not appeal to you

Also It does feel like I liked this work more than a lot of people. I think the characters are very interesting, intriguing and psychologically complex. There is a lot of intense conflict between most everyone on stage that seems authentic and reasonable to the story that unfolds. There was only one character who I feel out of like with and that was Cherie. I feel as written that she is overwrought and after a time, difficult to have empathy for. The work does swing toward melodrama without crossing the line; however, this one character does become melodramatic and I found that I ceased rooting for her. And certainly you want to be able to root for anyone who is in recovery and struggling. The rest of the characters seem more real and they are all well played. And there is Marin Ireland - a complete enough reason to go to any play. She is the Off Broadway Meryl Streep (she even played her daughter in a movie once). She is terrific and funny and totally engaging right from the top... Read more Read less

See it if A play full of ideas and talk about the psychology of consciousness and the differences between the brain and the mind are of interest

Don't see it if You find Stoppard too talky and the focus of the play on a content level does not interest you because you will hear a lot about it

Also There are some Tom Stoppard plays I really like and some that I do not. I liked this one - a lot. The usual Stoppard dilemma prevails: there is much more head than heart on hand and the characters talk more than they seem to feel - even when they are talking about how they feel. It is a cerebral work and not an emotional one. On that level it is absolutely intriguing and absorbing. I am also a clinical psychologist and I find the subject inherently fascinating to begin with so there was no need for me to work to embrace the content of what everyone is thinking and talking about. I do wonder if that would be true for a lot of people however - I can see the work having limited appeal. It does also help that the pace is tight and the staging is imaginative and should hold your interest throughout. I can see how this would be deadly for some with a bit more length and intermission as well. All of the actors are attractive and fun to be with.... Read more Read less

See it if A contemporary perspective on the African American experience is a good match for you

Don't see it if You seek something less polemic and more traditionally structured and presented

Also Eve's Song does suffer somewhat from an identity crisis - satire?, tragedy?, drama?, comedy? - but I guess it can be all of the above and it is my issue to try to force it to check off a specific box. However, it can feel uneven at times - there are scenes that are insightful and engaged and some that do not work as well especially in the context of what came just before it or what follows just after. But as a gestalt, the play represents a perspective and voice that is underrepresented in New York theater. The final plot developments did put everything in a context for me - no matter how middle class, no matter how mannered, no matter how careful - the African American experience is a minefield of danger and how to approach such a sociological reality is a matter of debate, controversy and conflict within the community itself.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy disturbing contemporary dramas that accurately reflect a crisis of our time

Don't see it if You do not want to be upset in general or you will be more dismayed if no resolution or remedy emerges from the narrative

Also I found this work appropriately disturbing and thought provoking. It adroitly captures a social problem and reflects it back to us albeit with no resolution, remedy or hope for the future. Certainly you will cry but is that enough I wonder? I walked away a bit more hopeless (if that is possible) - in part that is because the play does a fine job creating full characters with reasonable, realistic points of view that clash and crash into each other every minute of the play. Even an unsympathetic character or a sympathetic character not at his or her best is understood here in the psychosocial context which helped to create in the first place. In that way, this is a deeply psychological work that respects the nuance of character and the myriad of factors that go into how we behave in any single given moment. I do wish there was a way to feel empowered on this subject rather than simply emotionally drained. Perhaps this would happened if I processed it with a group afterward.... Read more Read less

See it if If you would like a play that has some weight and meaning to it but is not at all too heavy or overbearing

Don't see it if Three people talking about a single point of conflict is not enough dramatic tension for you

Also For me this was an entertaining yet thought provoking work that was neither light nor heavy. It is something of a broadway play crowd pleaser because it is about something meaningful but it remains engaging for a wide audience throughout. My mother and my partner thoroughly enjoyed it as well - that is the kind of mass appeal it has. The idea of what is fact and what is fiction and how are we responsible for representing that is also a timely subject that resonates today for anyone who cares about the news and general issues of communication in our society. There are also three expert leads to take us into the story and conflict here - everyone will either know their work specifically or recognize them. And they are good as you would expect - especially for me, Cherry Jones, who adds another portrait of an interesting and intelligent woman of substance. In fact, there are hints that there is even more in each of the characters but that is not fully explored here.... Read more Read less

See it if You would enjoy a chamber piece that allows a unique voice and perspective to emerge

Don't see it if You want an big production and focus

Also I went to Good Grief because I had seen Ngozi Anyanwu's The Homecoming Queen at the Atlantic and I loved it. The perspective is the same here - a young second generation Nigerian woman looking for meaning and purpose in her life in America. The focus on this work - in the form of a memory play - is on a significant loss that the protagonist experiences at a crucial time in her life. The play becomes a meditation on grief and how it is worked through and how we make sense of it. That is hard to dramatize - just as Didion's Year of Magical Thinking probably worked better as a written memoir rather than a one woman play. The characters are intriguing enough and likable enough that you will care about what they are experiencing but I do not believe it says anything new on the subject. I was more interested in the protagonist in the here and now and her struggle - why exactly did she drop out of college and I wanted to see even more of her relationship with her parents (who I loved).... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy a farce that is well crafted and paced

Don't see it if You would consider this material too trivial

Also I usually don't like these British farcical plays but I loved One Man, Two Guvnors even though I am not sure why so I went to see this. It is not as funny as that work was but this is very entertaining and well put together. It is well paced - and that is even with an unexpected 10 minute technical staging delay. At the core of it all, it is a love story and you definitely root for the pair to make it work. And the main protagonist has integrity and morals and that is nice to see center stage. His dilemma is real and you can empathize with his struggle and his goodness spills over to others as he converts a grifter to a woman who might now embrace the straight and narrow. That is nice to see indeed. The set is elaborate and there is a very creative and unique staging of the snooker game that is at the heart of the last part of the second act. It is all very much alive with good energy and cheer throughout and an underlying message that we could use at this time.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in one's personal relationship to the law or politics

Don't see it if you want a traditional, structured examination of the topic

Also Heidi Schreck, who wears many hats in the theater world, takes us on a journey to her past as a debate champion on the topic of the Constitution. An avocation that ultimately paid for her college education in scholarships. She integrates her own biographical perspective into the story as well as her more contemporary analysis of the topic at hand. I found it engaging, funny and entertaining. There were times that I wanted her to more purposefully take the digressions back to the original conceit. The actor who plays her sidekick, although interesting and appealing, seems especially derailed from the proceedings - tell me how this relates back to the Constitution please? Finally, Ms. Schreck brings out a high school student to debate with her and symbolically pass the gauntlet. This was Thursday Williams in my case. All I can say is Thursday Williams for President. It is the next generation where the hope for all of us rests and it was a positive note to end on.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a Janet McTeer fan (who isn't?) or you would be interested and intrigued by a backstage story of Sarah Bernhardt and Edmond Rostand

Don't see it if the 3 names above have no meaning for you

Also The towering Janet McTeer (she is 6 feet, 1 inch) takes center stage here and has a great time. She is commanding and entertaining throughout - was she speaking a bit too quickly and softly in the first act perhaps? As grand as she is, she plays well with others and the supporting cast (Dylan Baker and Jason Butler Harner especially) do work together to create the feel of an ensemble piece. I probably do prefer Ms. McTeer in a more dramatic role (A Dolls House, Mary Stuart, Les Liaisons Dangereuses for example) but it was enlightening to watch her comedic approach and delivery as well. If the play were the only thing here, it would be threadbare and long winded. The play is based on very little although it is fairly elaborately stage and it is long. It is amusing but not overtly funny. The second act has more conflict and suspense than the first and was therefore more involving for me. I was motivated to dig up some more background information about the players involved.... Read more Read less

See it if you seek out serious, well crafted plays that explore unusual and significant subject matter

Don't see it if the time and place do not appeal to you

Also I was up early for a full day of work and I got to the theater that evening with my head more cloudy than I would have wanted it to be but I will be damned if this play did not slap me to attention and intrigue me and fascinate me until the final fade out. I had never heard of the construct of placage so I was open to learning more about this time in American history. Although everything in the play seems exaggerated just short of camp, the historical context is not undermined by the streetwise 21st century manner that the characters throw shade at each other. (This was not the case, for me, with Sugar in Our Wounds where the set up did not match the historical context). This is a gorgeous production in an intimate theater. The story that unravels has equal parts realism, magic and mysticism without losing its focus nor its respect for the time that it is portraying. The cast is uniformly excellent - all women of color (how often does that happen?). Is there an Obie for Ms. Foy?... Read more Read less

See it if This is what it is so you know before: cabaret style presentation of Bertolt Brecht's work - interested? Go

Don't see it if Brecht is not your thing or you are not seeking an introduction to his work

Also I am a Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) devotee - it started when I went to Richard Foreman's 1976 production of Three Penny Opera at Lincoln Center starring Raul Julia and Ellen Greene - never having seen the work and not having any preconceived idea or education as to what I was going to see - oh and I was also 17 years old. It was literally mind blowing and Brecht has been important to me since then - his music, his poetry, his plays, his biography so this cabaret collage of his work is a good fit for me. Apparently, the Potomac Theater Company has been presenting work at the Atlantic Theater for 32 summers now but I have only known about them for several years. They are a talented, committed group - I would see whatever they are performing at this point. I am not sure that anything new comes out of what they have done with the Brecht work they chose to present but it is so well performed and creatively directed and put together and - unfortunately - totally relevant for us today.... Read more Read less

See it if you are open and interested in exploring issues of race in a non-traditional theatrical forum

Don't see it if you like the fourth wall to remain where it is or you have a problem looking at yourself in relation to the issues explored on stage

Also For me, Jackie Sibbie Drury's Fairview is a conceptual play. It is about a concept and everything that happens serves that concept. It is not a play where you can fall into a relationship with the characters but instead a play where you explore an issue and its related constructs in different ways throughout the work. In this way, it is the conceit and its execution that should be held for scrutiny and consideration. Although ambitious and provocative - often in ways more intense that other similarly themed work - the play ultimately did not work for me. My awareness of my white privilege was heightened and I appreciate that and that alone has value. However, based on what transpires in the play, it is the have and have not theme that triumphs there is not a new vision of how to harmoniously blend with each other in our society. Although the status quo is astutely examined here, nothing new emerges and we leave with even less hope than we had going in.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in innovative approaches to storytelling in the theater

Don't see it if you avoid intense, horrifying imagery and themes in your theater diet

Also The real star here is the brilliant theater director - Ivo Van Hove. Sometimes I cannot make time for how demanding his work is - I missed the 4 hour The Fountainhead at BAM but this clocks in at a bit more than half of that. His work is fascinating, demanding, and often thrilling. It is not an intimate work and I understand someone feeling that it is technical and cold. The imagery is sometimes beautiful but also horrifying. It feels like a horror movie with operatic intensity and it is all true. It does make sense to do a bit of homework first: know who the characters are that you are going to meet, be familiar with the SA (Brownshirts) and the Night of the Long Knives and the Reichstag Fire Decree. Of course, what makes this even more chilling is that it is based on truth and there are some parallels with events in today's world that should make some of us anxious about the future - in this sense, a history lesson that acts as a cautionary tale.... Read more Read less

See it if you are following the work of Joshua Harmon - a kind of gay "thinking man's" Neil Simon

Don't see it if The themes of beauty, society, aging and physical attraction are not of high interest to you

Also Joshua Harmon's plays are so different from each other - my personal pick up to now would be the very intriguing Admissions. This work is more stereotypical than edgy and more crude than erotic. The themes are all interesting and relevant but I am not sure that any new ground has been broken here. I did very much like that the underdog character (the "interloper") turns out to be the most sensitive and kind despite our initial impressions of him. In Act One, the characters are borderline insufferable. (Interestingly, even Admissions had a whiny, needy, immature adolescent at the helm). I do not find Idina Menzel an interesting enough actress or personality without her voice as part of her performance. And her character has few redeeming characteristics here even when her hard shell becomes a bit more porous in the final, and perhaps most effective, scene. I found Jack Wetherall to have the most believable and consistently written character and his slow burn is authentic.... Read more Read less

See it if you would like a satire with a modern setting that uses Shakespeare as its template

Don't see it if an out of the box satire is not your thing

Also It has been a long time since I saw as a fine a satire as this - I think it is one of the hardest theatrical forms to pull off. Here is a modern high school setting with aspects of the plot of Richard III and sometimes actual dialogue integrated throughout. Richard, or Dick, is played by Gregg Mozgala who does have cerebral palsy. So Richard III is actually embodied by a differently able bodied actor - I am sure I have never seen that before. And that physical challenge becomes part of understanding the psychology of the character that Mozgala creates here just as it should be when analyzing Will's Richard III. The Apothetae theater company focuses, in part, on integrating actors with physical handicaps into theatrical productions and this is a highly effective application of that mission. The last segment of this genuinely funny and moving work is probably over the top but then again so are most of all of Shakespeare's tragedies.... Read more Read less

See it if you would respond to an intimate piece exploring a topic that is rarely explored or thought about in any medium

Don't see it if you want your historical fiction to be an effective mirror of the time period it is rooted in

Also Sugar in Our Wounds has its heart in the right place but if only it had a brain to match. For me, this was a commendable effort to give voice to a disenfranchised love at a horrific time in American history. It is also noteworthy because it is a topic that popular culture does not touch - same sex relationships in the time of slavery between slaves themselves - I mean when was the last time you saw a play centered on those themes? So it is daring and worthwhile to go there thematically. Where this fell apart for me as a theatrical experience is that I believed the lens that was used to capture these characters was distinctly modern. I have not done scholarly research but a coming out story set in this time period is borderline ridiculous to me and it clouds the good intentions and effort that I originally felt toward the work. I don't believe that this was an option at this time for these characters and it is not responsive to that zeitgeist of that time to suggest otherwise.... Read more Read less

See it if You have not see it ... It was great to see young people in the audience who were not born when the play takes place

Don't see it if Gay characters and how politics impacts them is not of interest to you

Also It was interesting to see this production because I had not seen the play since the original 1993-4 productions. We have come such a long way in so many ways and we have seemed to not move at all in other ways. I do think the work, being so specific rooted in a time and place, is dated and it is a history I think is important for people to know. The dialogue is so engaging in this work - which is good because there is a lot of it. The actors are all so good - I especially found Lee Pace 's portrayal to be moving and hard hitting. I personally did not respond well to Marianne Elliott's staging. I have before - I loved the direction of War Horse and Curious Incident ... but I found the execution of this production to be clunky and awkward. It is a huge stage, in a huge house and I would think that it would be especially difficult to mount an intimate drama here. The sets are not attractive and the neon was not evocative for me. But, bottom line: the play is the thing.... Read more Read less

See it if cross cultural psychological explorations appeal to you

Don't see it if you will not embrace basketball as being the vehicle through which the characters evolve

Also I found this a totally entertaining believable unbelievable story that incorporates the best of historical fiction - fact and fantasy blur to create a new approach and view of the circumstances that have sparked the story to begin with. The Chinese versus American basketball rivalry becomes a literate and compelling setting for all kinds of intriguing cross cultural conflicts. The play also is able to present a sympathetic and sensitive portrayal of a communist everyman and the real struggles he has to endure. This is a rare phenomenon in both theater and literature and this alone is a humane achievement. Of course, it helps that this man is portrayed by the excellent B.D. Wong. The other actors are a bit too broad and exaggerated for their roles and the space they are working within but all of the parts are well written and the conflict remains clear, fresh and focused from beginning to end.... Read more Read less

See it if you like dramatic stories in a sociopolitical context

Don't see it if the topic is going to be too upsetting for you or you do not have an interest in it to begin with

Also Lynn Nottage, playwright, is a major player on the New York theater scene (and I am sure beyond). I would not necessarily know this piece was by her based on its subject and staging but it is another fine piece of work. It is a chamber drama that resonates with sociopolitical and historical significance. It is very creatively staged by veteran Jo Bonney whose work we have seen all over NYC for many years. The entire creative team here supports the "less is more" edict. They do more with a slab of white greasepaint than their Hollywood counterparts do with millions in special effects. At the curtain call, I was actually surprised that there were 4 actors on stage in the play. Of course, I knew it but it honestly did not feel that way as they all play multiple parts effortlessly. The work is less than 90 minutes, there are the 4 actors, the staging is small but creative and yet it felt like a huge production with grand themes portrayed by a cast of many.... Read more Read less

See it if the subject is of interest to you because that is really where the focus is / you enjoy dramatization of family dynamics

Don't see it if you are not intrigued by the subject

Also Admissions is a very interesting and absorbing play and I do find the topic important and interesting - how our education system is a variation of a caste system and how much is determined by these affiliations and who is included in the club and who is excluded. It is fascinating now that we have the downtown "Transfers" and the uptown "Admissions" both giving interlocking views of the same theme. In Transfers the focus is on minority students breaking into the elite circle and in Admissions the focus is on the range of reactions the elite have to that inclusion and how the elite reach ever higher and create the same have/have not system even within themselves. Jessica Hecht is a pivotal character in Admissions and I always enjoy her, she is well suited to her role here. I thought that Ben Edelman was guilty of the sin of overacting which is a shame because his part is very clear, very well written and very interesting and he should calm down and trust the material he has.... Read more Read less

See it if you are up for another staging of the play or certainly if you have never seen it and you like serious drama

Don't see it if Tense, protracted family dramas are not of interest to you; you will be turned off by the period setting

Also Because of time constraints I tend to not see things I have seen before - especially if I believe I have seen definitive or very fine versions of a work in the past. So, this was not high on my list but I am glad I bended my own rule because to me this was an excellent staging of a terrific play. It is so sad and tragic and the events so beautifully cascade into a final resolution - it is Shakespearean in emotional heft and the characters are very real and well drawn. I also hesitated because I think Tracy Letts is a great playwright but I do not always enjoy him as an actor but I do think he did a fine job in this part - during the first half of the play he lets you see the troubled man behind the superficial veneer and when he does finally fall apart it does all make sense. And there is Annette Bening - who I first saw on Broadway 33 years ago - she plays Kate with an agitated edge - a much better choice than the vulnerability that Dianne Wiest put forth last time I saw this -... Read more Read less

See it if The geopolitical landscape is of special interest to you; you are well traveled; you seek out alternative, creative theatrical work

Don't see it if You want a linear narrative that conveys a story; one man shows, regardless of how creative and evocative, are not a good match for you

Also Thaddeus (don't you love that first name?) Phillips' take on 17 border crossings is a unique, creative and engrossing piece of theater. I was worried, not being well traveled outside of the typical domestic and international routes, that I would not be aware enough of the borders that Phillips takes us to. However, he gives enough context to put us in the moment without the work becoming, as my friend would say, a social studies class. In fact, I would have liked to have heard even more from him directly about what his impression of the world map is and what he has come to think about borders in general. I can extrapolate and infer and I had my own impressions, but I do think there was room here for Phillips to synthesize these disjointed experiences into a political point of view that I would have been interested in. Although I sometimes am weary of one actor shows, this is creatively staged and it moves quickly and each stop - or crossing - along the way is intriguing.... Read more Read less

See it if You want an opportunity to see Ms. Huppert in an intimate setting; you seek out unconventional plays with a Freudian twist

Don't see it if You seek traditional, linear, literal narratives with typical character development

Also Without Ms. Huppert, this would not have been a positive experience for me. She is so compelling, so interesting, so beautiful and so fully and completely present. She has a thick accent with a deep guttural voice that demands you pay attention. And who would dare not? She does seem drawn to these types of plays and movies: nontraditional narratives that are highly psychosexual in nature. Freud's shadow hangs heavy over the proceedings here as a mother comes to emotionally suffocate her son and turns away from her husband. It is an oedipal triangle revisited and there is a kind of gothic, gruesome fun about it all. The set is vast and vacuous and gives the players far too much room to roam around in. There is no back story provided so you have to accept the entry point that the play presents and assume that there was a series of events that logically led to the break down that unfolds before you.... Read more Read less

See it if The conceptualization of the work is enough to carry through its uneven execution

Don't see it if You are looking for a traditional, linear work where there is a story that will pull you in

Also I was very ambivalent about Jackie Sibblies Drury's play Fairview and I feel similarly about this work. I think as an idea both plays are very intriguing - the concept itself, in both cases, is fascinating but the execution itself did not work for me. In Marys Seacole, the idea of the worlds of the real life Mary Seacole (born 1805) and the present day nursing home worker seamlessly informing each other sounds like an important theatrical opportunity. And although both women have moments individually that are of interest, they do not ever speak to each other, literally or figuratively, in a way that I was yearning for. Mary Seacole in particular loses much of her power for me when she stands on stage pontificating - at these times, I had to work hard to stay present with her as it seemed that she was pushing me away rather than pulling me in. Both women are played by veteran Quincy Tyler Bernstine so they could not be getting more thoughtful consideration than they are here.... Read more Read less

See it if If you have never (like myself) seen a professional production of this work; you are a Sondheim fan

Don't see it if You be annoyed by the time frame moving backward; you might find this too sentimental and dated

Also Although I have listened to several recordings of this work, I had only seen one production which was a student production at F.I.T. back in 1987 or so (and it was good). I have always loved this score - I think the songs are fresh, very witty, creative and most stand alone as examples of fine songwriting. I also really like the book - I think the use of time is ingenious - and I relate to the idea of looking back and thinking about how one gets to a certain moment and the choices that one has made in the past to create the present. I also find it a moving story - wistful, nostalgic, a shade of regret ... But I know this work draws mixed reactions from people and that even Sondheim enthusiasts have ambivalence about it. I flat out embrace it and this is a hard working, energetic, creative ensemble to bring it to life.... Read more Read less

See it if You like witty, biting satire

Don't see it if You want a reverential and traditional play

Also I missed this work when it first premiered so I welcomed the opportunity to check it out now that the Signature was restaging it. Lynn Nottage is one of our finest playwrights and I had not seen this funny and satirical side of her. It is outrageous, over the top, wickedly funny. The protagonist, Undine, begins as rather unlikable and ends as a heroine you are rooting for. I have been thinking about how Undine's backward social mobility slide could be misinterpreted by someone. In the events depicted in the play, Undine only begins to find her "authentic" self when she goes back to her roots - where someone might say she "belongs" - and I worry that this could reinforce a biased stance that would link moving up the social stratification ladder with losing one's authenticity. The other issue I have been thinking about with Undine is that it did take a baby and the love of a good man to get on track - a view that would be too stereotypical based on everything that had proceeded it.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interesting in the psychological impact of being an immigrant

Don't see it if Political themes do not appeal to you or you are not interested in the political and psychological plight of the outsider

Also It looks like I valued this theatrical work more than my cohorts. I think this is a very well written and intriguing journey into the psyche of a refugee with unresolved political and emotional issues. The main protagonist is complex and real and very well played by playwright Heather Raffo. There are a few moments when it veers dangerously close to something more melodramatic but it recovers quickly and comes back to squarely face the issues at hand. The set is unique and serves the story and actors well. Especially in the final beautiful scene which captures that moment just before a truth escapes and everything changes in some way as a consequence of that.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in an intelligent social commentary that is ambitiously staged

Don't see it if You saw the film and did not respond positively to it or you want something that is more emotional and less cerebral

Also Network is one of my favorite films and I think the best movie satire ever made and it feels like the script here is almost exactly based on Paddy Chayefsky's screenplay. They are beautiful words - sharp, funny, exciting. The set up is outrageous and full of social commentary - even more relevant today than 30 plus years ago. That test of time certainly says something about the universality and staying power of this work. It is ambitiously, creatively staged as you would expect from Ivo van Hove. It is more of a thinking piece than a feeling piece - it is more a play or work about ideas than it is about emotions. Bryan Cranston is excellent - the mid play breakdown scene is superb - he and the production take their time and the work is more granular and layered than what Finch was allowed to do on screen in the film. I did not believe Sam Goldwyn as the older Max Schumacher - he is just too young, handsome and dynamics. And I afraid there will never be a Diana like Faye Dunaway... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy small plays on big themes with wildly imaginative staging

Don't see it if creative, unusual staging would not intrigue you

Also A play written by a young South Korean playwright is certainly a rarity and the content and point of view of this work is not well tread. We are in South Korea and the two protagonists who are working on establishing an intimate relationship are a newly defected woman from North Korea and a "goose father" - an American who lives in South Korea and earns money to send home to his family in America. That is interesting enough. What really makes this story come to life is the creative and unpredictable staging and direction. There were many times that I was surprised by the dialogue and the twists and turns of the narrative but never did it seem forced and false. The work has a lot of poetry and beauty in it as well. It is quirky and boldly funny but it is also serious and sad at the same time. In fact, ultimately, it certainly is tragic but somehow that does not overshadow the integrity and the verve with which the characters have resiliently attempted to create some happiness.... Read more Read less

See it if You would be able to lose yourself in a long, complicated piece with a dozen main characters

Don't see it if You want a work that is of average length or less and you want to be entertained without any effort on your part

Also What a wonderful piece of serious theater - and it was so gratifying how crowded it was and how many people were hanging on every work and scene. And with good reason. This is an epic work - I can't remember seeing this many people in a drama on Broadway. The story - which you will have to put some effort into unraveling - is fascinating and relevant today. It is beautifully written and performed by a large and varied cast. It felt Shakespearean or like a Greek tragedy to me - the drama is on that level. It is long but never drags or falters. There is a lot of suspense for the viewer as it is clear that the resolution here will not be pretty. The set is amazing - holding almost all of the action of the entire play without being stagnant. The play is so well directed - there is so much going on and yet everything is well placed and paced and you get swept up into this world. And it is a dark, menacing, confounding world to be swept up into.... Read more Read less

See it if Bob Dylan's song catalog is important to you and you want to see a creative work using those songs as it focus

Don't see it if You are sensitive to what can become somewhat melodramatic or you do not appreciate Dylan's music

Also For me, overall, this was a beautiful work with some recoverable misses throughout. There are times that the work flirts with the melodramatic and it pushes too much drama, too fast and too hard. There were times that the narrative felt a bit contrived and hackneyed. And yet ... overall, as a theatrical experience it works. There is, at the center, Dylan's music. His catalog is great and it is put to creative, inventive use here. There were a couple of songs that really sounded new (Idiot Wind for me was one). There were a couple of times that the songs were not performed as well as I would have hoped - maybe some "pitch" problems like they say on the music reality shows and yet - there were times when the songs came together in a way that was nothing short of thrilling whether it be a solo or group performance. The actors - a venerable list of Off Broadway's who who over the decades - were all impressive led perhaps by Mare Winningham who never disappoints.... Read more Read less

See it if You must consider the Joan of Arc story from every angle or you would enjoy an excellent Glenn Close performance

Don't see it if unless either of the two considerations above apply to you

Also I do think the idea of taking a story, even one that we are all familiar with by now, and looking at it from a different point of view, specifically another individual's point of view, is itself a good enough reason to create an artistic work. But I did not believe that this work, although well staged, added anything to this story for me. I do not think that Joan of Arc is understood in any way that is different now that this play exists. Does this play need to exist? I don't think so. I certainly did not mind it and it did get me thinking about the burden that "exceptional" children place on their parents in general. Joan of Arc's mother here does still exist in reaction to and engaged with Joan herself and so Joan is never very far away (I guess how could she be?) so nothing new really emerges here. The play is not the thing here - I think that Ms Close is the thing here. She is terrific and the opportunity to experience her in such an intimate space is not to be minimized.... Read more Read less

See it if you like heavy drama that hits on a myriad of themes or the idea of the simultaneous ASL translation appeals to you

Don't see it if you are going to be too unsettled by the graphic portrayal of addiction

Also I have not seen every play in the Craig Lucas oeuvre but this might be the best that I have seen. I found it deliberately paced and well crafted and liked the ambiguity that he left at the end. It is a heavy drama but I did not find it heavy handed and it is overflowing with ideas, themes, relationships - some might find it overstuffed but I do prefer that to underdeveloped. The power of addiction is given a real, human, visceral, frustrating forum center stage here. The characters are all interestingly neurotic and well played. Harvard Russell is excellent. The play is infused with themes from the book of Job in ways that are creative albeit not always consistently satisfying. The main protagonist - Mr. Russell - is deaf (both in real life and the character he plays) and there is a simultaneous ASL translation with another set of actors on stage. That level of inclusion and respect appeals to me although I would not say it deepened my personal experience of it all.... Read more Read less

See it if gender politics is a theme that you respond to in the theater and a playful poke at it all is tolerable

Don't see it if you want a believable, serious examination of gender politics

Also I am not sure that I have ever heard or read the word "pussy" so many times in one 90 minute period and I am not sure I am a better man for having now had this experience. Although every moment, while you are in the theater, is fun the play itself does not hold up to scrutiny. This play would have had something real to say and would have even been considered edgy in 1973. Unfortunately, the play is set in the present and that renders it all unbelievable. The women are cool and even the one I found a bit over the top and supercilious redeemed herself at the end. I love the idea that the characters evolved while I was watching them although the journey did not make sense, socioculturally or psychologically once the magic of the theatah evaporated. I am not sure where that collective rage was. It was more like collective whining and kvetching to me. In fact, for the all the talk about lions, I felt I was spending time with pussy ... cats.... Read more Read less

See it if A serious play with a nonlinear narrative appeals to you and you are comfortable with the patience and attention required

Don't see it if You would be bothered by the lack of temporal sequence and the fact that the main character is played by six different actresses

Also For me, I have never responded well to Tracy Letts as an actor - I always find him distant and arrogant. And yet as a playwright, I find his work intimate and daring. This excellent play, coming not long after the beautiful The Man From Nebraska, is huge in scope while not losing the immediacy and importance of small moments. In that way it is like and is about life itself. In fact, what the disjointed narrative miraculously achieves is the realization of the intergenerational circularity of life. The play allows us to see a moment in time in one's life - sometimes a small moment and sometimes one of major significance - as rooted concomitantly in the past, the present and the future. A cautionary tale as well in that we could jump to all kinds of conclusions about Mary's personality and disposition based on the here and now but without the context of her life, our assessments are biased and unfounded. We all do this and we limit our understanding of each other because of it.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in this specific musical or you are a musical theater fan - especially when performed in an intimate setting

Don't see it if you are not interested in simply staged, intimate musical theater presentation

Also I had never seen On A Clear Day on stage and that is what influenced me to attend this production. For me, it is what you would expect: light, fun, entertaining - a good summer evening night out. The chorus is exceptionally good - each member is interesting and talented and they play an important role throughout the production. Melissa Errico is Daisy and she is funny and has a lovely singing voice. Stephen Bogardus is the doctor - it is a bigger role than I had thought it would be and he is restrained and intense at the same time - I have enjoyed watching him work for decades. Experiencing the stage production did make me think about the film version - a lot. The screenwriter (Alan Jay Lerner) and director (Vincent Minnelli) of the film On A Clear Day made good decisions about adjustments to the settings, the plot and the relationship between Daisy and her doctor. I also more clearly realized what a fine job La Streisand did as Daisy all those years ago.... Read more Read less

See it if If a clinical presentation of extreme psychopathology as a case study would be of some interest

Don't see it if The above does not speak to you - I am not sure there is any reason to see it

Also Cyprus Avenue is such an extreme disappointment because what it begins with and what it chooses to end with are so at odds with each other. We have, to begin with, an interesting character study of a man who might be so blinded by his politics that it is literally making him mentally ill. The political backdrop is the conflict in Northern Ireland between unionists and the republican party - a long, fascinating history that provides ample fodder as the political backdrop - especially as Gerry Adams has just announced that he is going to retire and Martin McGuinness passed away last year. So lots to think about with this. And then the play loses control and makes the protagonist a violent paranoid schizophrenic. The play becomes an unbelievable clinical portrait while the politics are lost and the potential for exploring that is then gone. And it is irresponsible: why is it the unionist who loses his mind? It feels like political grandstanding to plant all the pathology on one ideology... Read more Read less

See it if offbeat, nonlinear narratives about unusual subjects are of interest to you

Don't see it if you want something more traditional both in subject and presentation

Also It looks like I enjoyed this work more than most of my Showscore peers. For me, this was a unique, creative and unusual love story that effectively integrated its on going themes of the continuum of destruction to recovery to rebirth. This is happening on the outside as Coney Island recovers from Hurricane Sandy and it is happening on the inside as Kate breaks down and rebuilds who she is in the world. At the core it is a stormy love story and the depiction of how the ultimate disappointment and loss of love can itself still be therapeutic. The actors have a believable, relaxed chemistry with each other and I enjoyed watching them come together, clash and brake apart. Rebecca Naomi Jones has a central role here and there is a lot on her shoulders and she carries it well. She is beautiful and engaging and she easily elicits are empathy as she evolves from chrysalis to butterfly.... Read more Read less

See it if explorations of gender politics and its application to the LBGTQ are of interest to you

Don't see it if this topic is not of interest to you or you do not enjoy a nonconventional presentation

Also For me, this was a funny, interesting and edgy exploration of gender politics via the LGBTQ. There were parts that were very creative and imaginative that I found intriguing and involving. There were a couple of times that I did not believe the stance or interaction between the characters and it felt somewhat false and I was very aware of that. However, I was always interested in what was going to happen next and where the play was going conceptually. The direction and the rhythm of the play seemed inconsistent as well. There were times when there was a bit too long of a fade between scenes and it pushed me away from the action inexplicably. It also let the scenes in question drop off rather than pop out. There were some fascinating questions brought up and I thought they could be explored and analyzed further within the context of the play itself. Occasional false notes or not, the actors all work well together and present the bonds of long term friendship convincingly.... Read more Read less

See it if LBGT themes are of interest in general or you want to experience the zeitgeist of 1968 for gay men in the city

Don't see it if You will be too offended by a perspective from another time or these themes in general are of no interest to you

Also Almost 50 years to the date that it first premiered, The Boys in the Band are back and for the first time on Broadway. I read the play in a high school English class and I saw the film, which I found flat and sad, but I never saw this work on stage. It is, of course, a dated work but it makes you cheer how extraordinarily far the gay urban community has come in a generation. It is also heartening to think that the self-hatred on display here would not be the norm for the next generation choosing to live in an urban environment and working at their craft. The play is the embodiment of the "it is not the homosexual who is perverse but the society that he is forced to live in" perspective but it is sad and disquieting nonetheless. The boys in this band are alive and well albeit emotionally tortured. They are an engaging group, each well played and I was interested in the back story for each and everyone of them. You can see the potential for growth and redemption in each character.... Read more Read less

See it if musical theater is your thing

Don't see it if Small scale productions, regardless of quality, do not appeal to you

Also The 75th anniversary of the creation of Carmen Jones brings the first revival of the work to New York since it first was produced in 1943. John Doyle, in his usual minimalist style directs this creative and engaging production. 8 actors, a small band, lights and customs and props you would find in a garage, come together to create an always engaging, often thrilling production. You know it is going to end badly but the journey is tense and involving none the less. The music is recognizable to most of us and it works well in a theater rather than an opera house. Every single member of the ensemble is terrific. I heard some complaining after about how they were miked but I think it allowed them to be reserved and subtle at times in a way that would have been lost without that amplification and certainly lost in a bigger house. I would suggest alterations to Carmen's smashing red dress though - give her a bit more room in the back, make it shorter and add a black ruffle at the hem... Read more Read less

See it if You are following the prolific and talented Dominique Morisseau's work

Don't see it if Stylized, dramatic slow burns are not your thing

Also Although not my favorite Dominique Morisseau play - note the phenomenal Skeleton Crew and Pipeline as her best for me - this is a highly stylized, dramatic and intense work that is fully engaging and absorbing. I love Jazz music so that as a background worked for me. The work is so stylized and set up that is a bit predictable. Interestingly, the narrative and the scenes unfold in a way that is the opposite of the improvisation and spontaneity that characterize jazz itself. The one unexpected surprise is undermined by a foreshadowing pantomime so that even that act is somewhat expected. What makes the play work is that it is so evocative that you are transported to another place and time. The characters are well developed and presented and even though they are predictable from the start, their motivation and focus is clear and authentic throughout. The actors are excellent and work together seamlessly creating an ensemble that could not be improved on.... Read more Read less

See it if you must see everything Ms. Lois Smith does (and who would question you on that?) or end of life family dramas are your genre

Don't see it if you do not fall into either of the two categories above

Also I am a geriatric psychologist and I love messy family dramas so I thought the play and I were made for each other. I was wrong and unfortunately at nearly 3 hours in length, this was not always a comfortable first date.
The play is at its best when the neurotic figures who inhabit it deliciously smash into each other again and again. Although midway through the 2nd act, when it is clear there is not going to any kind of resolution or insight, it does get monotonous. A slice of life drama that sits at the end of life is certainly a worthy topic in our gray America and so many of us Baby Boomers can relate to the challenge of caring for aging parents. There are times when the characters do seem to come close to beginning to relate to each other in a new way but most every avenue for this emerges as a dead end (no pun intended). And we have one of the most ineffective social workers in theater history - please tell me he was not based on your personal experience Ms. Thorne.... Read more Read less

See it if you like intimate musicals on serious topics

Don't see it if big musical productions define what you want from a musical or if you believe serious topics don't fit into a musical context

Also I fell deep in like with Miss You Like Hell. Sometimes it feels a bit thin, a bit predictable, a bit too precious and then it comes back from that line and performs at its best as an intimate, warm, thoughtful, creative and important work. Two interesting, multilayered women are the leads and one teeters on the precipice of deportation. Not what you get from most American musicals. I was thoroughly engrossed in the journey that ensued as the stakes got higher and the characters more fully developed at each step. The work is important because it puts a human face on the disenfranchised. The psychosocial stress that emerges from being undocumented - and the ripple effect that has on all you care about that person as well - is a worthwhile topic whether in musical or dramatic form. Gizel Jiminez and Daphne Rubin-Vega, as daughter and mother, are real and effective and it is easy to root for them and care about what happens to them both in the moment and the grand scheme as well.... Read more Read less

See it if you respond to intense, dramatic staging of serious work

Don't see it if individual suffering and psychological turmoil are too upsetting to you

Also I came late to the game with Yerma - deciding to see it when it extended a bit. I found it to be a highly creative interpretation of Lorca's Yerma that was as scary and unsettling as a thriller would be. The psychological disintegration of the main character (Yerma and her referred to as "her") was fascinating - comparing the first image of her and the last is a startling way of appreciating the dissent and how the actor Billie Piper portrayed it. I could have used more insight from the other important characters as to why they believed she had gotten so obsessively and self destructively driven. The set is intriguing but I did find all the glass to be off putting - I was wondering if it could have been used metaphorically - a higher and higher wall as she continued to lose her grip on reality perhaps? I found the fade outs long (although I understood the need for set changes) and they broke the rhythm a bit for me. And Brendan Cowell is as good as Ms. Piper - not one false move.... Read more Read less