Marc 7104

See it if an interesting play about interesting characters makes you want to venture out to experience live theater.

Don't see it if riveting performances by theater veterans just doesn't interest you into journeying to a theater.

Also OMG! Marin Ireland's BLEW ME AWAY with her performance as the character of Alison. From the moment she stepped on stage, she was 1oo perfect living inside that character and it was scary. It was a scary ride that I refused to get off of because I needed to see it to the end no matter how bitter that end might be. Loved the ensemble of actors that filled out this play. Their collective brilliance made this play interesting and heartbreaking. I loved leaving the theater that evening shattered by the turn of events of the characters up there on stage. Thanks to playwright Abby Rosebrock for a story that we don't usually get to see on stage, but only in our personal lives. I wish that there had been a talk back on that night I saw the play. We the audience could sure have used one. POWERFUL piece of theater. THANK YOU to everyone involved.... Read more Read less

See it if enjoy seeing one actor creating an entire world on a completely blank stage forcing you to use your imagination successfully.

Don't see it if you cannot appreciate the artistry that it takes to create this beautifully brilliant one person play.

Also Sonja Parks vividly portrays the residents of Gibb Street in such a magical way that you forget she is all alone on stage by herself. Brilliant Story telling talent that should not be missed.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of the original Broadway musical.

Don't see it if if your heart doens't belong to the theater.

Also I am such a die hard fan of the musical A Chorus Line that I went all the way out to Brooklyn to see and off-off-off Broadway production of the famed show. To my surprise, I was IMPRESSED with the production and walked away genuinely moved by my experience in the theater that evening. Seeing the show reminded me why I moved to New York over thirty years ago.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy being tortured, really TORTURED!

Don't see it if you have you have ANYTHING better to do other than being tortured for tour and a half hours.

Also Play was AWFUL on many levels!!! It was badly written, badly staged and badly acted - a triple threat, so to speak.... Read more Read less

See it if you find it interesting to have the playwright star in her own play as the lead character.

Don't see it if a story about a Christian Iraqi refugee, born in Mosul but now living in New York who celebrates Christmas just doesn't interest you.

Also My favorite thing about Noura was the set. The set for this play was beautifully designed from ceiling to floor. It is a real work of art. Sat through the whole play wondering what the theater will be doing with the set once the play's run is done.... Read more Read less

See it if you love musical comedy and are a fan of the music of the Go-Gos.

Don't see it if you love GREAT musical comedy and don't like the music of the Go-Gos.

Also LOVED hearing the music of the Go-Gos. Quite clever how the music of the Go_Gos was used to tell the story. At times it really worked and at other times it just didn't work. LOVED Rachel York's performance. Her voice was REALLY suited to those Go-Gos songs. Who would have guessed? Not I. You go girl!!!... Read more Read less

See it if insighttful drama interest you and also if you are a fan of Kerry Washington.

Don't see it if you are a Republican, believe in EXTENDED white privilege, and live in a insulated America.

Also LOVED this 80 minute drama. LOVED the fact that the play was set in real time. Loved the powerfully raw performances by the talented cast!... Read more Read less

See it if theatrical surprise is something you relish in your life.

Don't see it if you aren't open to opening you mind up to the possibility of looking at the world in a very different way

Also ENCHANTING!!!! My evening in the theater was a wonderful surprise gift to myself. I had experienced the playwrights's White Rabbit Red Rabbit, but this was an entirely new experience. I just didn't expect to be touched the way I was. For that I will always be grateful to playwright Nassim Soleimanpour. THANK YOU!!!... Read more Read less

See it if you just had to catch up with Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken 15 years later after seeing them on the TV show American Idol.

Don't see it if you were able to get tickets to any other musical on Broadway.

Also I was DISAPPOINTED from the moment the show began to the moment it ended. Despite the fact that these two singers have lovely voices, they are NOT musical theater performers. The show is billed as a "Christmas Show". It was POORLY constructed as a show. It should have simply been called a Christmas "CONCERT". These two headliners can really sing, despite the fact that their back up singers were often OFF KEY. This was a TERRIBLE CONCEPT and I hope that it is NOT repeated again next Christmas season. WORD!!!... Read more Read less

See it if you wanted to spend some time seeing actor Gordon Clapp act. Yes, I have missed not seeing on the canceled TV show NYPD Blue.

Don't see it if you were expecting a polished production with a serious subject matter.

Also I truly feel like I had been majorly TRICKED by the production of Trick or Treat. While this was meant to be a darl comedy, I didn't laugh once. What I did find myself doing was grimicing throughout the entire length of the play. Despite the fact that I really like actor Gordon Clapp, I was surprised to discover that the other actors were PAINFULLY miscast for the roles that they played. In fact, I didn't believe them as siblings or a family unit not even for one minute. BADLY ACTED and NOT FUNNY!!! SKIP this show by all means!!!!... Read more Read less

See it if you find the opportunity to see Tyne Daly and her bother actor Tim Daly an opportunity not to be missed.

Don't see it if you are NOT a fan of playwright Theresa Rebeck. Only a fan of the playwright could love this DARK tale.

Also I became a one man town crier after seeing the 2003 production of Playwright Theresa Rebeck's play Bad Dates. I love the show! In fact, I saw it THREE TIMES. That show made me a fan of the playwrights writing. I have subsequently seen a number of Ms. Rebeck's plays most of which I didn't like with the exception of Omnium Gatherium and Maritius. I only went to see this play to see Tim and Tyne Daly on stage together, however I walked away disappointed by this STRANGELY DARK play. Oh well!... Read more Read less

See it if theater delving into modern day issues interest you.

Don't see it if WHITE PRIVILEGE AND MALE PRIVILEGE are your thing. You will surely find that you are unable to relate to these two characters

Also I was happy to see the MCC Theater company take on the subject matter of playwright Loy A. Webb's play as their first production of their new theater location. It was a BOLD choice for a full production. As one of the few African American men sitting in the audience the evening I saw the play, I found myself squirming in my seat with the stereo- typed black male character, but I LOVED the counter balanced black woman character. I went into the show that evening not knowing ANYTHING about what I was to see and thus I didn't bring in with me a lot of preconceived notions about what I wanted to see up there on that stage. While I may have not liked the characters depicted, the actors - Mandi Masden and McKinley Belcher III - were so fully committed, you wondered if we weren't watching a real relationship disintegrating before out eyes. That's not easy to do. BRAVO!... Read more Read less

See it if interesting theater is something you are passionate about.

Don't see it if you are a TRUMP WORSHIPING MAGA hat wearing CONSERVATIVE Republican as you will not like the message.

Also Delightful story telling! It this doesn't awake you from your notion of democracy, NOTHING will!... Read more Read less

See it if you are jonesing for a fix of Naomi Jones on stage, but know that she doesn’t sing a note in this production.

Don't see it if you are expecting to ride the rollercoaster pictured on the cover of the playbill, because this carnival ride gets stuck on the tracks.

Also Rinne Groff’s 90 minute play about the 1911 fire which burned down the Coney Island Amusement Park sounds like an interesting subject matter for a play, however this production is all smoke and mirrors and no obvious sparks or flames leaving, thus leaving the bare framed wooden stage just a sad barren structure I stared at for 89 minutes of this 90 minute play. Despite the vivid story actress Naomi Jones weaves this thin air story which never blossoms, not even with the interactions of her fellow actors Enver Gjokaj and Chris Waters, whose characters are unlikeable or simply boring. Playing $75.00 to see a play about the burning down of the 1911 Coney Island Amusement park and then never seeing one flame at any point in the play is disappointing to say the least.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of Jason Robert Brown’s talented work.

Don't see it if you were expecting a Jason Robert Brown Musical Review with some tying together theme to it, because that ain’t whacha will be getting.

Also I pride myself on referring to myself as a musical theater fan. Robert Jason Brown is a CREATIVELY TALENTED musical phonon to be reckoned with. I was first introduced to his work in 2002 with the Minetta Lane Theaters production of The Last Five Years. Since then, he has created several Broadway and off Broadway productions which further showcase his musical and lyrical talent. This particular collection of his songs (PREVIOUSLY created from his songbook catalogue) wrangled together under the umbrella title called Songs for a New World didn’t move me in the way I had expected. Despite the RICHLY TALENTED foursome of Shoshana Bean, Colin Donnell, Mykal Kilgore and Solea Pfeiffer, I didn’t feel like I was transported anywhere, but only reminded that Mr. Brown needs to write a show with a completely fleshed out story worthy to be told from beginning to end. WAH WAH WAH!... Read more Read less

See it if and only if you must.

Don't see it if you are able to get a ticket to anything other Broadway show.

Also For the record, I have never seen the 1986 film of the same name nor did I see the original 1979 Broadway production. The only thing I knew about the material was that actress Marlee Matlin starred in the film. With that said, even though I had NO EXPECTATIONS for this show, I walked away feeling greatly DISAPPOINTED. I found the material BORING. I fell asleep during the first act. While reaching for her water bottle, my friend who accompanied me, discovered the overhead translations for the deaf character. You see, we were sitting in row O of the orchestra and were not able to see the translations on the stage proscenium. Not seeing the deaf character’s translations had us missing half of the play presentation. Who knew that sitting in the orchestra would turn out to be a real bummer? I sure didn’t. Oh well!... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy a good story with characters unfamiliar to you and yet you discover something interesting about yourself that you never realized.

Don't see it if a smart play about the chance at a better life just doesn’t interest you.

Also Playwright Lucy Thurber’s new play is a non-stop emotional roller coaster ride of a story about being presented with the chance of getting an opportunity at a better life but only at the hands of others who are making those decisions. This tight five character play is jammed packed with topics ranging from class, homophobia, and the future of a better America. Glenn Davis gives a powerful performance as the interview coach. Ato Blankson-Wood and Juan Castano display maturity, well beyond their years, with their emotional charged performances as the two students vying for the scholarships. And rounding out this cast are Leon Addison Brown and Samantha Soule who portray the other two important deciding voices on the scholarship committee. This ensemble of actors tackling this powerful play with tenacity and humor demanded by the material itself is reason enough to invest your time in seeing Transfers. DO NOT MISS SEEING THIS PLAY!!!... Read more Read less

See it if you believe in a world where the freedom of ideas and speech are as important to you as breathing.

Don't see it if you want to continue to live in a world where censorship rules and burying your head in the sand is how you survive.

Also Brian Dykstra has written a brilliant play about free speech, passion, consequences, parenting, believing in yourself and survival and has wrapped it up inside a package which is as interesting and complicated as the juicy contents within. Passionately acted by five of the most talented actors setting foot on stage here in New York City, director Margarett Perry has brought the best out of all five of these actors - Matthew Boston, Bruce Faulk, Elizabeth Meadows Rouse, Jane West, and Wesley T. Jones, whose character leads the charge for the fight for the right to express himself accordingly. If there was only one play you were able to see this season, this would be that play. DO NOT MISS IT!... Read more Read less

See it if you are looking for a play that skims the surface of numerous relevant issues but never gets quite deeper than that.

Don't see it if you are looking for a play that really says something important about the world we live in. It doesn’t stay around long enough to invest in.

Also When the first thing I want to mention about the play is the nice set, it is quite telling about how the play misses its intended mark. Lindsey Ferrentino’s new play begins with a plethora of possibility, but quickly fizzles leaving us in the same place it began. Despite some interesting moments provided by actors Lynda Gravatt, Lucas Papaelias, and Cassie Beck, having the burden of the play’s message resting of the back of 10 year old newcomer actress Ella Kennedy Davis is a real disservice to the young actor and the storyline of the play itself. All I can say is that This Flat Earth leaves me DEFLATED and DISAPPOINTED that I invested 90 minutes of my life on this production.... Read more Read less

See it if you are hungering for some good old fashion story telling by a very talented story teller/actress, being Sharon Washington.

Don't see it if a riveting one person show about a colorful life growing up here in New York City is not your theater forte.

Also Actress Sharon Washington is a force to be reckoned with. From the moment she begins to weave her tale of about her own life, you can’t help being swept up into this joyous celebration of a life story worth reveling in. I found myself smiling so much my face hurt by the end of this 90 minute theatrical adventure. I didn’t know I was “going to church” on the evening I saw the show, but I found myself AMENING to a whole lot of what was going up there on that stage. Sharon told her story of growing up in the St. Agnes Branch of the New York Public Library, embodying her mother, father, grandmother, and an array of other characters from several quirky neighbors to the extended family members of Charleston, South Carolina cousins, each uniquely distinct as the next one. From humor to pathos and back, Feeding The Dragon is a ride worth taking no matter what the price of the ticket. DON’T MISS SEEING THIS BEAUTIFUL PLAY!!!... Read more Read less

See it if your curiosity about Disney’s newest Broadway musical is keeping you up at night.

Don't see it if if you are able to get reasonably priced tickets to any of the following musicals: Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, The Band’s Visit, The Book of

Also Frozen isn’t an awful, but I was disappointed. I attended a matinee performance through the benefit of the online ticket lottery. For the low price of $35.00, I sat seven rows from the stage in what can best be described as a partial view seat even though I was NEVER informed - when accepting the ticket - that it was in fact a partial view seat (couldn’t see 20 percent of the stage left side of the stage). The show sticks pretty close to the same storyline of the Disney animated feature with only a few minor changes. Patti Murin and Caissie Levy are well cast as sisters Anna and Elsa. The character of Olaf was well embodied by Greg Hildreth. I specifically loved Adam Jepsen’s performance as Sven the reindeer. By the time the song Let It Go was performed, I was totally ready to “LET GO” of my experience of seeing Frozen the musical. I should have just rented the animated movie and been done with it.... Read more Read less

See it if you are longing to see Debra Monk back on the stage.

Don't see it if if a play about a feisty down syndrome character who is smarter than her two non-down syndrome siblings doesn’t sound interesting.

Also I was great to see actress Debra Mon’s return to the stage. I just wish that her return to the theater would have been in a play where she could have really shown off her acting chops. This play came off like a BAD modernized “I Love Lucy” show with actors Debra Monk and Mark Blum placed in the roles of Lucy and Ethel. In this bad “I Love Lucy”esque play, the actress getting all the laughs was Vanessa Aspillaga in the role of Kathy. Her introduction monologue in the play was truly LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY. Unfortunately the play itself was more of a drama than a comedy. I was specifically uncomfortable when I realized that the actress portraying the down syndrome character actually was a person with down syndrome. What even happened to “ACTING” a specific characters foibles. I was grateful that this production was only ninety minutes long as I would not have been able to bear even one money minute more of it.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of David Rabe’s plays.

Don't see it if sitting through a slow moving play with a running time of two hours and forty five with only one intermission isn’t your idea of a good time

Also Good for Otto has an interesting storyline and cast of unusual characters, but it needs some more time at the hands of playwright David Rabe before it is really ready for proper presentation to audience. Instead of the story focus being specifically on one set of circumstances, it is scattered in MANY different directions, none of which is tied together by the end of the play. With a cast bursting with heavy hitting actors from F. Murrary Abraham to Ed Harris to Mark Linn Baker to Amy Madigan to Rhea Pearlman and CBS on-air-reporter Nancy Giles, Good For Otto, has the potential to acted out the likes to have never been seen before, but to my surprise, it falls silent just when it really needs to roar. To further complete the matter, the two hour and forty-five minute running time screams for a serious editing job to be done on the script as well was on the name of the play as there is no character named of Otto. Thinking of skipping seeing this play and I’d say GOOD FOR YOU!!!... Read more Read less

See it if a modern day take on the struggle of old school vs. new school’s vision of the best path for women is the right one.

Don't see it if a the battle between old school and new school notions of a woman’s place in the world isn’t something you find interesting.

Also JC Lee’s new play Relevance is an interesting leer inside the world of two pro-feminist writers, one from the old school guard and one from the new school guard, each making very valid points as to why their point of view is right and why the other’s isn’t. Actress Jayne Houdyshell leads the cast as the brash character Theresa whose take no prisoners attitude ultimately is her downfall. Pascale Armand is AMAZING in the role of Msemaji who finds herself the target of the Theresa in this clashing of the theory of the future of feminism. In this ever played out battle of old guard vs. new guard, these two characters fight to the death for the principal they both strongly support, that principle being feminism, no matter what price it costs them in the end of their pursuit.... Read more Read less

See it if you are seeking a new theatrical experience that will teach you something you didn’t already know about the world and playwright Eve Ensler.

Don't see it if real world knowledge delivered in a theatrical setting is not your thing.

Also Playwright Eve Ensler has done it again with her latest play. She has taken her cancer diagnosis and her plan of attack to fight the disease and turned it on its head by reminding us that our bodies, no matter whether we are male or female, can withstand whatever the world throws at it if we can conquer the mind and thoughts we think. Mind over body rules this play in a way that I hadn’t even considered before. Thank you Eve for bearing both your body and soul to us and in doing so it makes us aware that we are much more powerful than we give ourselves credit for being. GO SEE THIS POWERFUL PLAY!... Read more Read less

See it if taking a trip back in time to the "gay days" of the 1960's and experience an typical gay party and all its delicious mayhem. Ready? Good!

Don't see it if you have no personal reference, interest, or insight into the gay experience, because this play will blow your socks off - sexually speaking

Also Matt Crowley's play is so RELEVANT today 50 years after it was first produced. This production is BRILLIANT is every aspect. There is not one false note of move in any area. It is brilliantly cast. It is brilliantly directed. The set is amazing! I saw the show four times, each time bringing with me a different friend (both male and female.) They all loved it!!!!!... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in seeing Eddie Falco light the stage on fire in a tour-de-force role you would not expect.

Don't see it if an interesting play about a political woman played with brilliance by Eddie Falco just doens't excite your intellect.

Also OMG! Eddie Falco is BRILLIANT! I have been a fan of her's ever since her Showtime series Nurse Jackie, but this performance reminds you that what she is really good at is acting live on stage. Thank you for that gift to all of us, Eddie!... Read more Read less

See it if you love Cher or anything about the woman- fashion, music, celebrity

Don't see it if the thought of a musical about a powerfully charismatic woman doesn't send tingles down your spine.

Also Stephanie J. Block, Teal Wicks, and Micaela Diamond bring Cher to life that could ONLY be bettered by CHER herself. Jarrod Spector is wonderful as Sonny Bono )even if Bono never even came close to having the muscled body Spector possesses. In closing the Bob Mackie costumes are a FABULOUS. The ensemble cast dance there asses off every night and you wont be disappointed!!!!... Read more Read less

See it if your curiosity about seeing a huge ape on stage gets you.

Don't see it if you are expecting a musical that is as well crafted as the creation of ape itself.

Also To my surprise, I can honestly say that the ensemble cast of King King the Musical is the hardest working cast currently on Broadway. They are doing their best to keep you entertained with the unique choreography they are tasked to deliver. Their dancing is so good, you momentarily forget how EMPTY this Broadway musical actually is. The manipulation of the 20 feet tall 1.2 ton ape is quite masterful, until you begin to focus on the 15 people needed to physically to move King Kong. Oh well!... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy new and interesting plays.

Don't see it if the strange reality of the world is all too much for you.

Also I was on the edge of my seat for the entire play. OMG! This is a mind fuck that you just don't see coming.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy being TORTURED!!!

Don't see it if you have ANYTHING better to do - from including cleaning out old grease traps, mouse traps, or declogging the guest bathroom toilet.

Also This play SHOULD have been FUNNY, but it wasn't. I was sure that I was going to see a play in the same vain as THE SANTALAND DIARIES, but this was wasn't even one ounce as clever as The Santaland Diaries. Speaking as one who love dark humor, while this play was dark, there was NO humor to be found. It was a waste of my time and money and on top of it, the storyline of this play shit all over the Rodolph the Red-Niosed Reindeer story. SHAME ON YOU Jeff Goode!... Read more Read less

See it if you are a little girl of six or seven years old. You'd have to be this young to actually enjoy it.

Don't see it if you loved the 1997 animated film and were interested in comparing the two art forms.

Also I ONLY became interested in seeing the show after my friend Jacqui raved about it. Needless to say, but my standing of Jacqui's theatrical opinion has dropped considerably. It wasn't an awful show, just uninteresting from many different sides. The ONLY slightly memorable song in the show is Once Upon a December, which is repeated three different times. I wished that I could have see Ramin Karimloo and Mary Beth Peil but alas, they had left by the time I finally was able to see the show. Oh well!... Read more Read less

See it if a stirring modern day drama is something that interest you.

Don't see it if a college campus based race drama is uninteresting to you.

Also OMG! This was one of the best dramas I have seen on stage in a long time. It was interesting from beginning to end. It was WELL ACTED and a well written play. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire 90 minutes!!!!! BRAVO!!!... Read more Read less

See it if and only if you are a TRUE FAN of musical theater!

Don't see it if classic musical theater doesn't get you right in the gut.

Also 43 years ago, the musical A Chorus Line was born and it's birth changed musical theater forever. I saw the original productive at least ten times (purchasing a $10 standing room ticket) when I moved to the city back in the fall of 1988. The show was revived on Broadway in 2006, but I didn't enjoy that production the way that I have enjoyed this production. I hadn't realized that A Chorus Line was in a way the story of my desire to desperately be a part of Broadway and didn't realize that fact until I saw this recent production. Just being in the audience on two different nights was FANTASTIC. There was an electricity that was overwhelming. It was like the audience was "having church" with the communion of A Chorus Line. Can I get an AMEN?... Read more Read less

See it if family dysfunction mixed with a cancer patient is something you have been dying (pun intended) too see.

Don't see it if you can get tickets to Network.

See it if experiencing the mastery craft of theater is your thing. This production is WONDERFUL at every turn, especially because of Laura Benanti!!

Don't see it if classic musical theater is not your cup of tea.

See it if you enjoy experiencing the work of Stephen Sondheim being butchered. There are so many chops and edits, you can't help being disappointed.

Don't see it if you were BLOWN AWAY by the 2012 Center Center production headed by Colin Donnell, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Also Please keep in mind that even though I did NOT like the 2015 Fiasco Theater's production of Into The Woods, I came with an open mind to this production. However, from the beginning for the show until the end, I HATED ever CUT/EDIT/CHANGE from the 2012 Center Center production of the same show that I found it hard not to throw the towel in as an audience and life long devotee to the works of Stephen Sondheim and just walk out on the production. Needless to say, but I will NOT be taking in the next Stephen Sondheim masterpiece which the Fiasco Theater company attempts to mount and I don't think you should either, especially is you are a life long devotee to the works of Stephen Sondheim like I am.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy cerebral comedy.

Don't see it if MAGA is your life mantra.

Also Over the years, I have seen several of Quinn's one man show. In particular, I thought his 2010 show - Long Story Short- was EXCELLENT. Since then, I have been using IT as a measuring stick for every show of his that has come after. While Red State Blue State was entertaining, it was NOT as well constructed as Long Story Short and thus I left feeling let down as a devoted audience member. Still, the eighty minute show will make you laugh and that's what a comedy piece is intended to do.... Read more Read less

See it if and only if you never saw the original production on Broadway.

Don't see it if you believe in the old adage, IF IT AIN’T BROKEN, DON’T FIX IT!

Also From 1995 to 2000, the musical known as Smokey Joe’s Café ran on Broadway for over 2000 performances. The show made Broadway royalty out of several performers that originated roles in the show - Brenda Braxton, B. J. Crosby, Pattie D'Arcy Jones, and DeLee Lively. Now, 18 years after the show last played Broadway, this revival comes out of nowhere and danes to make a mark against the history that this show left behind. To add insult to injury, four songs from the original run of the show have been cut and replaced by two lesser know Leiber & Stoller songs. I didn’t like the set, the costumes, nor the new choreography. Even though Alysha Umphress hits home runs with two of the new songs added to this revival, the show reminds me more of a college production rather than a triumphant return to the great white way. SKIP this disappointing production by ALL means necessary.... Read more Read less

See it if you would enjoy a memory play about a 83 year old gay man’s shrouded life.

Don't see it if you are expecting a grandiose gay coming of age pre-Stonewall story.

Also This three character play performed in the basement theater at the Here Arts Center can best be described as a CLUNKY little ditty. While the story is most interesting between the interviewer and the interviewee, the use of the third character is TRITE and only proves to stop the story ever time it reaches a lovely momentum. It’s just not worth your time traveling down to Soho to see this play, which would have worked better as a monologue.... Read more Read less

See it if WEIRD is your thing, because there is PLENTY of WEIRD in this two hour and 45 minute production on a relatively sparse stage.

Don't see it if a WEIRD 2 hour and 45 minute play on a relatively sparse stage that will leave you scratching your head is just not your cup of tea.

Also WTF! I could not stop saying or thinking WTF after sitting (in some of the most UNCOMFORTABLE theater seats in the tri-state area) for 2 hour and 45 minute -watching some and dozing off through other moments - of playwright Caryl Churchill’s Light Shining in Buckinghamshire. WTF was New York Theater Workshop thinking when they decided to do this production. Churchill, known for dramatizing abuses of power, surely created a real water torture of a play whether it was her intention or not. WTF! Set around the year 1646, the play is about protest, about Levellers, Ranters and a moment when England almost reinvented itself. (NOTE: I only discovered these details when I read someone else’s review of the play.) All in all, it was uncomfortable wading through the shenanigans being presented on stage (with microphones in hand), sitting in those uncomfortable theater seats for as long as I was subjected to do so, and wondering when this whole bad nightmare of an experience would end. WTF!!!... Read more Read less

See it if you want to have a wonderful experience attending a musical story about people on the other side of the other side of the world.

Don't see it if a quirky funny heart-warming musical about two different groups of people finding out how more alike than different they are bores you.

Also In quoting the lyrics of one of the songs, my evening in the theater experiencing The Band’s Visit was like “honey in my ear and spice in my mouth”. CONFESSION: I have been avoiding this project since December of 2016 and my only reason why was because I didn’t think the show would be interesting. Oh how WRONG I have been for the last 16 months!!! From the moment the overture began, I welcomed the theatrical experience with open arms. Composer David Yazbek has written some of the more emotionally stirring music and lyrics that I have ever experienced sitting inside a theater. To my surprise, his music and lyrics filled my heart in a way I didn’t know it had been empty. The TALENTED cast of actors inhabiting this musical are lead by the sensual Katrina Lenk and steadfast Dariush Kashani. The perfect cast for the most perfect telling of this unusual story. DO NOT MISS SEEING THIS SHOW.... Read more Read less

See it if a well written dramatic play about a family of immigrants living in London who are grappling with the effects of Islamophobia.

Don't see it if you are not open to experiencing a well written play about a family of Muslims.

Also Hammaad Chaudry’s new play, An Ordinary Muslim, is one of the best plays I have seen in years. Actor Sanjit De Silva portrays the main character’s downfall with such passion, you can’t help having your heart crushed by the end of the play. This collection of actors who make up the cast in this production give moving portrayals of the tortured lives of the characters they inhabit. You believe everything that happens on that stage thanks to the nurturing hand of director Jo Bonney. The drama of the play is only heightened by the masterful set design of Neil Patel that sets just the right tone of each scene with a set that breaks apart and floats back together in place like a masterfully created jigsaw puzzle. I have five words for you – DON’T MISS SEEING THIS PLAY.... Read more Read less

See it if you are hungering for a comedy (written with modern day voice) set in the 18th century containing a low brow vaudevillian sensibility.

Don't see it if if a comedy set the 18th century about crafty, self-made colonial American capitalist doesn’t first appeal to your innate curiosity, SKIP IT

Also Bruce Norris’s new play is about as far a departure as the playwright could possible get from the worlds he created in his 2011 Pulitzer Prize/2012 Tony Award play, Clybourne Park. (Note: I have NEVER been a fan of Bruce Norris, not as an actor nor a playwright. I purchased the ticket to the play because actress Harriet Harris was in this production.) Having the F word fall out of the mouth of a character in a play set in the 18th century was surprisingly off-putting, being that I was sure that the word was not being used in that context back then. (Note: Its origin is obscure but is usually considered to be first attested to around 1475.) I stand corrected. While the premise of the play was interesting –supposed bastard child of George Washington was hidden away to be raised in secret – it quickly falls dull, even though the beginning of the second act is TOTALLY unique, original, and fun. One interesting scene in this 2 1/2 hour play isn’t worth your time nor money.... Read more Read less

See it if a well written, acted and imaginatively envisioned play is what makes you get up out of your home and come to the theater.

Don't see it if you think a interesting play about the ivory trade doesn’t affect your life in any way, shape, or form. You surprisingly would be wrong.

Also This talented cast of four actors play 10 different characters with the only female cast member, Ito Aghayere, playing several significant male characters. Actor Sahr Ngaijh embodies the title character Mlima, the bull elephant, who’s sought after ivory tusks prove to bring him an early death. Kevin Mambo and Jojo Gonzales embody a number of greedy and ruthless characters who hunt, trade, and traffic the valuable ivory tusks from one end of the world to the other. What is specifically unique about this play is the elimination of the route of the ivory tusks from the elephant to the final destination of the living room of the wealthy buyer. Director Jo Boney has masterfully presided over this seamlessly moving tale of greed at the expense of the life of such a beautiful soulful animal. Seeing this play will make you think about our world in a very different way just having been in the audience of a performance. TRUE DAT!... Read more Read less

See it if you are feeling nostalgic to see that 1989 tony award winning musical.

Don't see it if if you were expecting the same level of depth of performance of that 1989 Broadway production, as you will be disappointed.

Also I had the good fortune to see the original Broadway production back in 1989. I liked it, but didn’t love it. Seeing this Encores production made me long for the powerful 1989 performances of David Carroll, Michael Jeter, Jane Krakowski, Karen Akers, and Liliane Montevecchi. Seeing this rival production made me remember the Belly laughing FUNNY GUT PUNCHES thrown by the 1989 production of Forbidden Broadway at the said Broadway musical!!! This current production was well staged, but lacked something which I just can’t put my finger on. This production’s tango dancing couple was AMAZING, but this condensed production itself was EEH – not BAD, just not wonderful, and missing something. What? I have no idea!... Read more Read less

See it if a quaint story about making a special connection with someone makes you feel good about life.

Don't see it if experiencing a play about later life romance blossoming make your heart turn cold.

Also The Keen Company’s production of A. R. Gurney’s play 1993 play Later Life proved to be a charming evening in the theater. Laurence Lau leads the four cast play in the title character role of Austin. He brings everything that is right and good in the world to the role. Actress Barbara Garrick brings a great deal of moxie to the character role of Ruth with the exception of her voice, which was GRATING to the ear BEYOND belief. The four member cast is rounded out by Liam Craig and Jodie Markell who SPLENDIDLY portray all the other male and female party guests with great comic flair. I enjoyed the play, but would have loved it even more if lead actress’s voice were more pleasing to the ear then it was.... Read more Read less

See it if watching a mash-up a several different episodes of The Jerry Springer Show MUSICALIZED has always been a fantasy of yours.

Don't see it if the shenanigans of trash TV talk shows doesn’t ring your theatrical bell.

Also Jerry Springer –The Opera is a unique creation, but I am not convinced that it belongs in the hallowed halls alongside such off-Broadway musical creations as In the Heights, Avenue Q, nor The Band’s Visit, all of which made the move from off-Broadway to the great white way. Even with Broadway veterans Terrance Mann and Will Swenson in the leading roles of Jerry Springer and Satan, creating onstage magic together, this musical cannot escape that fact that it runs long on cheap gags and short on real depth of story or musical bravado. I left the show feeling gypped. I expected a “steak dinner with all the timings” experience of a performance, but instead was served spam on a plate without even one condiment to make the experience more palatable.... Read more Read less

See it if you are feeling nostalgic for a vaudeville revue that your grandparents used to tell you about.

Don't see it if a hodgepodge of musical numbers from old Broadway musicals that should NEVER be revived isn’t your cup of tea.

Also Hey Look Me Over is a musical review that showed up DOA, dead on arrival and should have NEVER been revived. It reminded me of a scene in one of those old Judy Garland/ Mickey Rooney movies when they gather their high school friends to put on a show. This production was much less successful than any one featured in those old movies. There is a saying that goes, “Let Sleeping Dogs Lay”. WHY did Encores tarnish its wonderful track record by “creating” such a LAME DUCK of a show featuring musical numbers from shows that weren’t even the stop stopping musical numbers from said shows. DISAPPOINTING!!!... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy badly written two-characters plays with a storyline so ridiculous that the TV show Scandal wouldn’t even touch it.

Don't see it if if you have ANYTHING better to do than to waste 90 minutes of your time sitting in an uncomfortable seat, feeling trapped and full of regret

Also The description of Playwright Cindy Lou Johnson’s new play’s description sounded interesting enough on paper that I bought a ticket. However, sitting in the theater watching it unfold just goes to show you that NOT every good idea can be developed into something that holds ones interest, especially for 90 minutes. Unlike a lot of my theater going friends, I am a fan of two and three character plays. I love the idea of throwing two people, who seemingly have nothing in common, together in a room and making a story happen. This play does that, but it’s almost as if the actors are hap-hazzardly making up the story and the dialogue as they awkwardly move about the stage. I felt that I was the witness to a horrible accident that was painful to watch. It was as interesting as watching paint dry is for 80 minutes of this 90 minute play. One doesn’t play the price of a ticket to be interested for only ten minutes, does none?... Read more Read less