Linda 9060

See it if a timely drama about challenges faced by an African- American politician whose goal is to be the first black mayor of Pittsburgh.

Don't see it if if you don't like political theatre.

Also August Wilson's compassion and humor shines through in this production. There are some memorable performances. Wayne Dehart was outstanding.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a remake of a traditional Broadway musical updated with more of a feminist twist.

Don't see it if you don't like traditional musicals or are looking for plays with nuanced character development

Also The cast is outstanding. Both Beth Malone and David Aron Damane are excellent in the leading roles and do the best they can with a mediocre script.

Daman's character is the most fully developed.The depiction of Molly leans towards hagiography. She is plucky, spunky, spirited and yet the disconnect between her desire to be a progressive activist and elite socialite is brushed over and barely explored.

Malone and Daman are surrounded by a talented ensemble who do their best to breathe life into
an array of stock characters. Again, singing dancing, and acting are stellar,. However, there are scenes in the second act that are "cringe worthy"; especially Molly's tea party for the women of Denver's social elite.... Read more Read less

See it if If you want to see a classic Irish poem enacted with great skill on stage.

Don't see it if if you don't like one person performances of poems.

Also The production has many strengths. The acting and staging were excellent.
However, it was difficult to follow at times.
Read the poem before you go. I read it afterwards and would have enjoyed the production more if I had read it beforehand... Read more Read less

See it if if you want to see a clever mashup of Godot set in urban ghetto with biblical overtures and an excellent cast.

Don't see it if if you aren't interested in somber plays that deal with racism and police violence against African- American men.

Also Clever concept with some very moving scenes. I felt that it is a work in progress that still needs fine tuning.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a very talented actor inhabit the personas of 4 distinct individuals whose viewpoints represent the polarity in this country

Don't see it if you don't like one man shows or don't want to reflect on the current state of affairs.

See it if if you are interested in an exploration of the impact of fame and mental illness on the family of the scientist who discovered the RH factor

Don't see it if if you don't like nonlinear plots or experimental theater

Also The play provides just a surface portrait of the author's famous grandfather. I wished that that his character was more fully developed. It would have made for a more interesting play.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an unusual and thoughtful take on school shootings. The cast is excellent.

Don't see it if school shootings or gun violence are a trigger or are not topics of interest.

See it if if you enjoy the musical score and want to see a very talented cast.

Don't see it if if you are looking for an outstanding production. This good, not great with many flaws.

Also The over use of video really detracted from the production; especially the dance scenes. Some of the dialogue was quite dated and needed to be revised. Also, some of the sequencing was off. Putting the Officer Krupke number after the killing instead of before it really didn't work... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in a clever mystery that explores the impact of racism in the military during World War II.

Don't see it if you aren't interested in the impact of racism. Although this is set in the 1940's the message is timely and heart wrenching

Also The cast was phenomenal. I saw the 2nd preview and the entire audience was on its feet cheering at the end.... Read more Read less

See it if you have fond memories of the book or want to introduce the story to a young audience.

Don't see it if if you are looking for a sophisticated evening at the theater.

Also They stay fairly close to the original story. The homey theater in the round set adds to the production.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a top-notch mentalist/illusionist and have an enjoyable, entertaining evening out.

Don't see it if if you don't like mentalist/ illusionist or magic show performances.

See it if you want to see a moving drama about the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic on two families in rural Maine.

Don't see it if you aren't interested in plays that deal with drug addiction.

Also The acting was excellent. Mary Barton's performance was especially moving.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a play with an interesting premise, written about an interesting historical period that is in need of serious editing

Don't see it if you want to be enlightened or entertained.

See it if you want to see a contemporary adaptation that is clever, yet at times over the top. Great Acting

Don't see it if if you are a classics purist

See it if you are interested in a character study of an intelligent, yet self-destructive and highly manipulative man in the midst of a midlife crisis

Don't see it if you don't like nudity or sexual simulation on stage

Also Ian Barford gives a great performance. In his interactions with women, the character behaves like an arrogant jerk and Barford makes you cringe.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy traditional broadway-style musicals with some great song and dance routines performed by an excellent cast.

Don't see it if you don't like traditional musicals

Also The first act was overly long and needed some editing. The second act really flowed. Ruby Rakos was great in the role of Judy Garland. Her rendition of Over the Rainbow was amazing!... Read more Read less

See it if you want to experience a raw, highly original, provocative examination of the impact of the legacy of racism on the subconscious.

Don't see it if if you don't want to deal with these difficult and complex issues

See it if if you want to see a sensitive portrayal of the impact of Alzheimer's from the victim's point of view. The acting was superb.

Don't see it if if you don't like plays that deal with aging and dementia. It's a sad and disturbing play.

Also Jonathan Pryce's stellar performance, lets you see Alzheimer's from the inside out. Like the illness, the play can be confusing. That is the point.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an American classic meaningfully adapted for our troubled times with outstanding performances by a stellar cast.

Don't see it if you are a purist and don't like changes to the original

Also If you have a chance, see Horton Foote's 1962 film adaptation with Gregory Peck, prior to viewing the play. It is interesting to contrast the depiction of the characters, especially
Atticus and Calpurnia... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a minimalist production of a Pinter classic with an excellent cast.

Don't see it if if you don't like Pinter

Also It was all very well done, yet I found the characters difficult to connect with. It was good but not emotionally satisfying... Read more Read less

See it if you if you are interested in theater that deals with issues of love, birth, death, and grief in a realistic and moving manner.

Don't see it if if you are looking for light entertainment or don't enjoy one-person monologues.

Also Each act is a separate one-person monologue. The acting and writing are superb.... Read more Read less

See it if you wanted to see a moving interpretation of Hannah Senesh's WW II diaries.

Don't see it if you aren't interested in this period in history or you don't like one -women plays

See it if you are interested in a feminist critique of the constitution rooted in personal stories that are clever and moving

Don't see it if you are not interested in the constitution or its contemporary relevance

Also The play starts out strong. It is a funny, intelligent and highly personal exploration of the author's emerging critique of the constitution from her high school years as a debater to her reflections as a mature woman in her late 40's.
However, when the play moves away from her story, it becomes more like a TED talk that is preachy at times. While I agreed with what she was saying, this segment of the show wasn't great theater.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in a thoughtful, well-written drama about the mistreatment of gays in Uganda.

Don't see it if you are not interested in plays about gay issues in Africa

Also The cast was excellent. The intimate atmosphere of the Mitzi Newhouse theater was perfect for this production.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in an intelligent, introspective saga of how one woman coped when her life was totally upended.

Don't see it if If you don't like one person shows or are not interested in stories about trauma and resiliency

Also Corman tells her story with a seamless blend of humor and pathos. The acting and writing are moving and from the heart.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an edgy, offbeat, comedic thriller with an excellent cast.

Don't see it if you don't like dark comedy or have difficulty with accents. Some of the characters were hard to understand.

See it if Bob Dylan's music used as the score of a depression era play. Cast is magnificent in their performance and interpretation of his music.

Don't see it if if you are interested in a play with a strong plot line

See it if a period piece that deals with the anger and frustration of British working class in 1950's translated into verbal abuse of women

Don't see it if if are looking to be entertained or don't want to witness or think about abusive dysfunctional relationships

Also I felt that the first act was stronger than the second, in part because the ending seemed out of sync with the characters. I later learned that the ending had been changed. Perhaps the production would have been stronger, if the producers had kept Osborne's ending intact.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an original musical that tackles isolation and loneliness during adolescence. Excellent cast and several memorable songs.

Don't see it if if the issue of teen suicide is a trigger

See it if you like the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and want to see his work performed by an outstanding cast.

Don't see it if if you don't like Webber's work

Also Videos of Webber discussing his work are interspersed between production numbers. They add to the show providing insight, humor and a sense of the man behind the music. This is a Broadway quality production.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a remake of an 1841 farce that is well done and has an excellent cast

Don't see it if you don't like farces or other period pieces that are quite predictable.

See it if you enjoy original explorations of an historical era through a clever interplay of song video and narrative.

Don't see it if If you don't like one person shows or are not interested in the era of the baby boomers

See it if if you are interested in a sad yet moving drama about broken people and broken communities struggling to survive.

Don't see it if if struggles with severe mental illness are a trigger or you don't like long plays.

Also Judith Ivey and Edmond Donovan give phenomenal performances. There are several beautifully written and moving scenes, however, the third act needed pruning and fine-tuning.
Despite the play's flaws, Ivey and Donovan"s moving portrayals make for a memorable evening.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an original take on a classic myth by a talented, enthusiastic cast in an intimate setting.

Don't see it if you are a classics purist.

See it if you want to see a moving show about a man's use of banjo music to help him overcome his battle with cancer.

Don't see it if you don't like one-person shows, banjo music or if cancer is a trigger.

See it if you want to see offbeat Australian cabaret that deals with millennial angst surrounding efforts to promote social change.

Don't see it if you aren't interested in an Australian take on global issues facing millennials; especially issues relating to climate change

Also The content of the cabaret was uneven.
Several of the numbers were clever and funny; others were trite. Overall, the show holds promise... Read more Read less

See it if a sophisticated character study revealed through the interactions of Bernie Madoff and the poet survivor of the Holocaust who he swindled

Don't see it if you are looking for light entertainment or don't like philosophical plays

See it if you want to see a well written historical drama about Hannah Arendt's 1933 arrest and encounter with her jailor that speaks to our times.

Don't see it if if you are not interested in plays about that period.

See it if you are interested in philosophy and the lives and ideas of two of its greatest practitioners.

Don't see it if If you aren't interested in philosophy or history or are looking for something light.

See it if you want to see a beautifully written, dark, yet engrossing, play with superb acting

Don't see it if if you are looking for an upbeat play or if' issues surrounding a cancer diagnosis are a trigger.

Also Mary Lousie Parker should receive a Tony nomination for her performance.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in a heartfelt tale of a white youth's growing awareness of race and privilege, as a result of his incarceration.

Don't see it if if you don't like one-person shows.

Also Connor Chase Stewart is excellent in a performance that is difficult to carry off.... Read more Read less

See it if you like historical drama and are interested in the LBJ presidency during the turbulent 1960s.

Don't see it if you don't like historical drama or aren't interested in this period.

Also The play is primarily a character study of LBJ in the final years of his career. Brian Cox does a good job demonstrating his complexity as a man and a politician.
The play packs in a good deal of history in 2 hours and 45 minutes. I saw it in previews and felt that the second act was overly long and in need of editing.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a clever and at times hilarious, satire centered around the vaccination debate in a Berkley, California private school

Don't see it if if you aren't interested in a play that pokes fun at human pretensions, yet examines what lies beneath in a sympathetic manner.

See it if you are interested in a nuanced, moving, thought-provoking drama about the Israeli -Palestinian conflict with a great cast.

Don't see it if you don't want to see a play in Spanish with English subtitles

See it if you want to see a funny, entertaining Broadway production with great performances by an outstanding cast.

Don't see it if you don't enjoy light musical comedy

Also If you can see the film before you see the play. It is interesting to see how Horn adapted the play for 2019; especially the women's roles.

Also, Santino Fontana Tony Award-winning performance should not be missed. He is amazing!... Read more Read less

See it if if you want to see a moving adaptation of an American classic, set in the 1930s, that deals with the impact of racism.

Don't see it if if you aren't interested in theater that examines the ways that racism can destroy lives.

Also Galen Ryan Kane is outstanding in the role of Bigger Thomas. The minimalist set and lighting help to create a sense of despair that permeates this work... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a light, entertaining, sit-com with Rita Rudner

Don't see it if if you are looking for thought-provoking theater

Also The first act is really funny. Rita Rudner delivers some great one-liners. However, the play loses its punch in the second act and at times is corny and trite. It would be better as a one-act play.... Read more Read less

See it if a clever reimagining of a classic American musical with an outstanding cast.

Don't see it if if you are looking for something akin to the original.

See it if you are interested in a true story about the darker side of advertising told with humor and ire.

Don't see it if if you are looking for a glossy broadway type production

See it if you want to see a truly outstanding cast tackle an unusual and off-beat production

Don't see it if you are offended by raunchy humor

Also If you aren't familiar with Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, read it or read a detailed plot summary on the web before you see the play. There are numerous references throughout "the sequel" and you'll miss a lot of the humor if you don't have a basic understanding of what came before.... Read more Read less