Shaggy Dog Story

See it if you want to see a harrowing true story told simply, theatrically, imaginatively and brilliantly,

Don't see it if descriptions of sexual assault is a trigger for you.

Also Playwright Lucas Hnath has never been better. This is a great play, answering the question why women in abusive relationships can't easily escape. Having the brilliant actress Deirdre O'Connell lip-sync to a recording of an interview with Dana is a stroke of genius.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an emerging artist who may easily turn out to be one of the next great playwrights, performing her own piece.

Don't see it if dense, poetic language isn't your thing. (This is a challenging piece, but worth it.)

See it if you're a fan of actor Michael Urie and if you want to catch anything by Bess Wohl, even work that is not her best.

Don't see it if you expect it to be as good as SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS and MAKE BELIEVE. You'll be disappointed.

See it if You like a two-character realistic play performed by fine actors with great chemistry.

Don't see it if You can't stand to see yet another play about putting dad (or mom) into assisted living.

Also The play's not the thing here. How did this ever get produced? It's cliched and has no surprises or dramatic action. But the two actors get their laughs and do their best with weak material, thanks to director Karen Carpenter, who keeps the pace going.... Read more Read less

See it if You like solo comedians like Mike Bribiglia and female insights from women like Hannah Gadsby.

Don't see it if You don't want to hear sexual content, especially from a woman's point of view.

Also Coming from a fine performer with stories to tell, this brave solo piece is funny and makes you think about your own sexual wants, needs and experiences.... Read more Read less

See it if You're curious and like small-cast musicals produced on a tight budget.

Don't see it if You think you're going to love it as much as you remember loving the movie.

Also When the scenery is a character in the story how do you put that story on a stage? The designer tries using projections on umbrellas, a neat concept in thought but fuzzy in execution. If this were a festival show somewhere, with the fringe-like challenges of quick set-up and strike, I might be fine with the simple set. But there is no real coherence here and the staging is pedestrian. The women have fine voices but the director has made obvious choices, as did the writer. As for the men, well, they look almost identical and it was only at curtain call that I realized they had not been playing multiple roles.
I expect more from a show on Theatre Row, especially when the tickets cost as much as a half-price balcony ticket on Broadway.... Read more Read less

See it if You liked "Small Mouth Sounds" and plays that break the mold.

Don't see it if You don't care to see child actors for half of the play.

Also What an exciting and satisfying evening in the theatre. How brave to have forty minutes of scenes with real children. I thought this script and acting and directing was all pretty brilliant and totally engaging.... Read more Read less

See it if You like intimate theatre with good writing and fine acting.

Don't see it if You don't like realism.

Also What a pleasure to see MCC's new space, especially with such a fine production.... Read more Read less

See it if You loved the film and like Broadway musicals no matter what.

Don't see it if You want to be excited.

Also I went with my friend and her two children, both of whom love theatre: a bright 4 year-old and a 12-year old theatre-geek. They loved Frozen but were bored with Anastasia.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a Bedlam fan and will follow them through thick and thin.

Don't see it if You don't know UNCLE VANYA and ROMEO AND JULIET really, really well.

Also Although I've loved Bedlam productions in the past, this one never came together for me. There are brilliant scenes and the actors and direction are solid. A couple of times the mash-up is revelatory, but for the most part I wanted to be watching Bedlam's UNCLE VANYA, or their take on R&J. It's not the disaster their PETER PAN was, but it feels very self-indulgent. Someone who didn't know VANYA well would be completely lost.... Read more Read less

See it if You like the fine acting and production values that EST continues to deliver.

Don't see it if You think plays about war are universal and plays about motherhood are for women.

See it if You like a good shaggy-dog story brilliantly performed.

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

Also This production is getting the longer life it deserves. It's unique, original and totally engaging.... Read more Read less

See it if You like contemporary drama about issues, with wonderful performances.

Don't see it if You don't like a serious play.

Also The acting is the most appealing thing about this production. Deborah Monk, always good, shines in the challenging role of a frequently unlikable sister to a woman with Down's syndrome. The actress playing Amy is quite wonderful, but the play can be confusing. Do we even need the flashback scenes? Worth seeing, worth discussing, and many thanks to the theatre for presenting a play by a female playwright that deals with disabilities.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a Mark Rylance fan.

Don't see it if You prefer contemporary downtown theatre to a classical style theatre.

Also I'm always happy to see Mark Rylance on stage and this production is a great vehicle for him. It's a good story, well-told, with similar staging to the Twelfth Night and Richard III presented in this theatre a few years ago.... Read more Read less

See it if You like adaptations of classic literature.

Don't see it if You prefer musicals or kitchen dramas.

Also Just like Babette's cooking there is great attention to detail in this moving drama.
The direction, set, lights and costume design are thrilling. It's nice to see such a diverse cast with actors playing multiple roles regardless of race, gender, age or body type. I'm recommending it to my friends.... Read more Read less

See it if you like great theatre and want to experience theatre history in the making.

Don't see it if you're put off by the hype and won't admit to liking it even if you do.

See it if You like singer-songwriter style music, if you're looking for something different and if you admire exciting performances and direction.

Don't see it if want a traditional musical or don't believe in romantic love.

See it if you like edgy, Fringe-style plays that bravely discuss relevant topics that are seldom discussed.

Don't see it if you're prudish, homophobic and don't like frank discussions about sex.

Also Some fine actors, especially Will Dagger and Shane Allen, courageously tackle this well-directed, award-winning play. Daniel Reitz doesn't shy away from asking some hard questions -- how far must an artist go to make a living. Are we, as an audience, witnesses, voyeurs, or participants in the character's (and actor's) humiliation?
Kudos to playwright Daniel Reitz for pushing this piece close to the edge. This is not an easy play to sit through, but it's an important one that will stay with you. And I look forward to seeing Dagger and Allen in other work.... Read more Read less

See it if you like to see a talented playwright and committed young actors taking risks with new material...and succeeding.

Don't see it if you expect a mature company. These right-out-of-drama school actors are working hard but they will be even better in five years.

See it if you like exciting theatre that relies on wonderful actors, a good script and smart staging... and Jane Austen!

Don't see it if you prefer big Broadway blockbuster musicals. This is fine theatre, with great attention to detail.

See it if you want to catch a prize-winning play by an emerging playwright.

Don't see it if you don't mind being confused by three different stories being told simutaneously.

See it if You are interested in a thought-provoking evening of two wonderful short plays responding to (and including) Brecht's classic one-act.

Don't see it if you don't like small intimate downtown theatre.

Also Playwright Arlene Hutton knocks it out of the ballpark with the second play of the evening, "Sunset Point," her response to Brecht's "The Jewish Wife," which opens the show. After Brecht's disturbing past and Hutton's comedy/drama present, Kristin Idaszak takes us to the future with an interesting "Self Help in the
Anthropocene."
New Light Theatre Project once again delivers with a fine production, beautifully produced and well-acted. I could quibble with the casting of Uncle Frank from "Home Alone" in the second play, overacting at times and, in my opinion, too old to be believable as the husband-to-be of a charming thirty-five-year-old. The Brecht play seems slower and less exciting than I recall from reading it years ago. But Michael Aguirre's beautiful underplaying compliments Susan Lynsky's detailed performance. Lindsay Brill is a standout in Hutton's fine two-hander and Lucy Lavely brings the last play to energetic life. Kudos to director Jerry Hermann.... Read more Read less

See it if you loved the movie and want to see it live on stage.

Don't see it if you haven't seen the movie. You'll miss some of the jokes and won't appreciate the lines that are so familiar to fans.

See it if You like an intense drama with fine performances.

Don't see it if You don't want to see a play that deals with a school shooting... (but even if you think you don't, as I did, it's so worth it!)

Also The Barrow Group is at the top of their game with this new play. Seth Barrish directs with a clear vision and Barrow Group's finest actors come together in a fine ensemble. Along with leading actor Larry Mitchell, special nods to Brian Rojas and the extraordinary Lee Brock, who should win an Obie for her unbelievable performance. It is intense. People were sniffling the night I was there, but it's a rewarding piece of theatre about a topic I never thought I would want to see presented on stage. After this I want to see more plays at The Barrow Group.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy relevant theatre with top-notch concept, direction and acting.

Don't see it if You want to avoid theatre based on current affairs.

Also An important piece of true testimony, we're on the edge of our seats during this real-life interrogation recreated on the stage. The performances are stunning and the audience was breathing as one. I didn't know this theatre company but will certainly follow them in the future.... Read more Read less

See it if You love Broadway musicals. GO!

Don't see it if You don't like parody.

Also The best Forbidden Broadway incarnation since the original -- "Wokelahoma!"--this tried-and-true formula celebrates and roasts current and recent musicals. Performed by a stunning cast of five (really, were there only five performers?) who are seemingly unstoppable in their brilliant impressions of beloved Broadway stars. A standout is NYC newcomer Immanuel Houston who is a force of talent and a name to watch in the future.
What a privilege to laugh in the theatre again thanks to the always amazing lyrics and direction of Gerard Alessandrini with musical direction and accompaniment by legendary Fred Barton.
Applause and thanks also to cast members Chris Collins-Pisano, Immanuel Houston, Aline Mayagoitia, Jenny Lee Stern and Joshua Turchin. Hoping that Forbidden Broadway the Next Generation continues at the Triad. I know that I'll be back again and again.... Read more Read less

See it if You like stories about time travel.

Don't see it if you want to follow a logical story.

Also With dedicated performances from a talented group of actors, including a very fine Margot White, this should be a more exciting evening of theatre. Sadly the play itself doesn't hold together, with all sorts of logic questions and confusion in the world it lives in. All too the action stops as the script becomes a mouthpiece for the playwright, who also directed this production. Do we need this set, with all the time it takes for actors to move furniture? The actors were terrific and I really wanted to like this play. But what started as a struggle with tech support turns into a time-traveling romance. Perhaps more development and work with a dramaturg and director would have made a script that these hard-working actors deserved.... Read more Read less

See it if You wonder what Neil Simon would have to say if he were writing today.

Don't see it if You're tired of millennials and their tropes and trends.

Also While this show has good production values -- with a great use of projections -- the title leads us to believe it will be far edgier than it is. Although we laugh at their clever one-liners we never really care about the shallow characters or their problems. Maybe that's the point?... Read more Read less

See it if You liked "Jerusalem" and like big dramas.

Don't see it if You'll be offended by Irish tropes - drinking, singing, dancing, and talking about fairies. (Based on his partner's family, I'm told)

See it if you need a reminder that there is good in the world and that we can still laugh in the theatre. Enjoy a completely entertaining evening.

Don't see it if you can't leave your cynicism at the door and if you don't care for good-natured comedy.

Also POPCORN FALLS is so good and so much fun that it's easy to overlook the craftsmanship in the writing, directing and acting. Sometimes we just want to laugh. Sometimes we want to see a play with a big heart about people trying to do their best. POPCORN FALLS gives us a great evening of entertainment, but inside this comedy are important issues, too: big business over small town, people dealing with divorce and addiction, politics. Beautifully designed and lit, with charming music design, Christian Borle shows himself to be a brilliant director, guiding his two fine actors through the journeys of over a dozen characters with quick changes of posture rather than costumes. The script is a stunning achievement with a clever ending, a new classic comedy that will have a long life in the American theatre. It's just what we need right now, an 80-minute gentle escape that makes us laugh and leaves us smiling.... Read more Read less

See it if You like strong performances that don't hold back, top-notch set and smart direction.

Don't see it if You don't want to see a play dealing with older characters.

Also Director Sarah Norris has done an outstanding job assembling all the elements. A smart but tricky play, she brings out all the humor and pathos in this wild ride. The cast is strong and could have gotten out of hand with a lesser leader, but everyone is in the same play, stylistically, and by the end we know and care about these people.... Read more Read less

See it if You like bold interpretations of classic plays.

Don't see it if You don't like high concept theatre or prefer intimate kitchen drama.

Also Exciting director-driven theatre! But why change the ending of this well-known play. Where is the powerful conclusion from the original where a woman destroys her mate? This ending is merely sad and I wanted to ask the director WHY?... Read more Read less

See it if You are a Harry Potter fan, but also if you just like good theatre.

Don't see it if You are expecting a musical.

Also Brilliantly directed, what is so exciting about this production is that the "magic" harkens back to tricks that could be done in Victorian times. It will run for a long time, because it won't be dated by technology. This is not only a special event, but a great time in the theatre.... Read more Read less

See it if You like strong realistic acting, imaginative set design and sharp direction in an intimate venue.

Don't see it if You don't like going to a black-box theatre to see a two-character play about politics and American history.

Also This Pulitzer-nominated play holds up and is even more powerful in today's political climate. It's a quiet play that sneaks up on your, but by the end you care very, very much about these two men and have a keener understanding of the challenges of negotiation and the need for smart dedicated diplomats. I saw the powerful original on Broadway and the lovely revival at Keene Company. This one not only holds up but gives new insights without changing a line.... Read more Read less

See it if you like British plays like "Abigail's Party"

Don't see it if you don't want to have to think a little and just want to be purely entertained

See it if you like deconstructed classics, the more confusing the better

Don't see it if if you're a Bedlam fan and are hoping this will live up to their earlier success

Also a failed effort

See it if You like British theatre and comedy with a punch in the gut. Fine acting, directing and design with great attention to detail.

Don't see it if You don't like Mike Leigh films or if you prefer splashy and expensive B'way shows.

Also Wow. Broadway quality performances, great set and costume design in an intimate space; this production packs a wallop, especially for its $25 price.... Read more Read less

See it if you missed the original "Moose Murders," you want to see a train wreck, and you can appreciate a very game Ilene Kristen doing her best.

Don't see it if you can't overlook the problems with the script and the musical arrangements and just have fun

Also As another person said, "Vanity" is an apt name for this production, with music, book and lyrics written by the same person. The cheesy synthesized orchestrations don't help and the underscoring adds to the feeling that this is meant to be high camp. The cast is totally committed -- how do they keep straight faces? -- especially the wonderful Ilene Kristen and Brandon Haagenson, who is a name to watch in the future.
I laughed so hard I was crying. An Irish cabana boy doing a jig in flip flops? Clichéd choreography? Surely this is a spoof. But what is the writer trying to mock? The book is a dramaturgical mess where dates don't track and characters change objectives on a dime. I hear they cut thirty minutes during rehearsals. Thank goodness. Losing another thirty might have given this piece a tension that would move it into Charles Busch territory and be fun for real.... Read more Read less

See it if historical irony is your cup of tea & you like seeing a talented female ensemble in a fascinating script, well directed and choreographed.

Don't see it if you don't want to see a play where women play male characters or if you want realism. This is highly theatrical, wonderfully so.