Lincoln Center Theatre presents Richard Greenberg's new drama about a writer and the special student who reawakens his artistic impulses. Starring Josh Radnor ('How I Met Your Mother') and Elizabeth Reaser ('Twilight'). More…
Levittown, 1967. It’s the first night of an adult-ed Creative Writing course in a classroom at the local high school. The teacher, Aaron Port (Radnor), lives in Greenwich Village and reverse commutes once a week on the Long Island Rail Road’s Babylon line to Wantagh. His students are a mixed bag: Frieda Cohen, Anna Cantor, and Midge Braverman, housewives all, embrace each other on arrival. The two men in the class, Jack Hassenpflug and Marc Adams, keep mostly to themselves. One final student, Joan Dellamond, rushes in late. She is a housewife, but not like the others. Maybe this class will bring her, and Aaron, something that neither quite expects. Playwright Richard Greenberg is the author of numerous Broadway plays including 'Eastern Standard' and the Tony-winning 'Take Me Out.'
See it if you are a fan of Graff's. There is some mystery and it has some funny vignettes. It's cute.
Don't see it if writing meanders aimlessly in the first act to have some cute ex-machina sense made out of it at the very end. Acting is severely uneven.
Also The chemistry between the main characters is virtually non-existent. T... Read more Read less
See it if It's entertaining enough, w/ some amusing and funny moments. Randy Graff is superb and steals every moment she has - a total joy to watch.
Don't see it if The pacing at times tends to drag. One of the actors was either miscast or poorly directed and unfortunately the show suffers because of it
See it if You want to see great acting in a well-crafted, character play. You enjoy slice-of-life dramas.
Don't see it if You want a play with a lot of action or that has a big event.
See it if You want to see excellent acting in a play taking place in Long Island in 1967.
Don't see it if You'd prefer to see a musical. This is an entertaining play but quiet at times and serious. Lots of laughs too though!
Also The play takes place in Levittown, Long Island in 1967 in an adult ed ... Read more Read less
See it if Top notch actors playing students in the adult writing class in Long Island. See their quirks & how they get along with each other.
Don't see it if Last 30 minutes has "dream sequence" alternate ending which is confusing and meanders. Cut the last 30 minutes. Show runs 2 hours 20 min.
See it if you like Jewish stereotypes you may have known as a kid; funny one liners; a story that goes nowhere, even on the Babylon Line.
Don't see it if you want an interesting, well edited play; you want all your actors to be well directed; you prefer the audience around you to stay awake.
Also I am usually a big fan of Richard Greenberg. In this case, I found the... Read more Read less
See it if You are a huge Richard Greenberg fan. You are a huge fan of any of the actors. You enjoy plays set on L.I.
Don't see it if Slow-moving dramadies are not your thing. You want to feel that the play has given you something interesting and/or unusual to talk about.
See it if A cast of fine actors keep this afloat. It's helpful if you know Long Island and the late '60's, but it's solid, funny, some parts great.
Don't see it if Don't want to work a little hard to have it make sense. You have to be willing to listen and forgive some stereotypes. One false ending.
See it if you are interested in suburban lives and who is taking night school writing classes to pass the time; Josh Radnor is the teacher.
Don't see it if you do not care about suburbia and their trivial problems;you have never ridden on the LIRR;stereotypes bother you
Also This play has a lot of cliches in it. It mentions a lot of stereotypes... Read more Read less
See it if you grew up on Long Island and enjoy reliving the experience; you are interested in catty women and their picking at each other.
Don't see it if none of the above interests you; you can put up with one actress who is clearly wrong for the part and has an annoying voice.
Also Amusing portrayal of the Long Island accents and Levittown in the '60'... Read more Read less
See it if LI hausfraus and neighborhood weirdos in a creative writing class with Radnor as flummoxed teacher The result is unexpected and satisfying.
Don't see it if First act is pretty slow. Reaser is mystifying. Oberholtzer makes the most of 3 small parts. Graff, Halston, Corman & Wood are hilarious
See it if A nostalgic look back at a certain place in time from Long Island. Randy Graffand Frank Wood steal the show. Funny.
Don't see it if If you're not familiar with LI in the '60s, you might not get the references. I found Elizabeth Reaser annoying.
See it if enjoy funny repartee from a seasoned playwright delivered by a well directed cast
Don't see it if you don't care for trite references to literature delivered by a cast telling a fable
See it if You don't mind being able to figure the plot points early, want some decent acting, and to laugh- I was pleasantly surprised to laugh often
Don't see it if You want depth, for a story to slowly reveal, or a profound experience
See it if you like Richard Greenberg's writing, but this piece is more unevenly written usual. Josh Radnor nice performance. Randy Graff's wonderful.
Don't see it if you want to see Elizabeth Reaser acting like she's a Tennessee William's vamp. Doesn't work for the character or the play.
Also I was excited to see this show. I'm a fan of the writer, but this is m... Read more Read less
See it if You are a fan of Richard Greenberg -- don't miss the self-homage in act II. Julie Halston and Randy Graff are the real stars here.
Don't see it if You need real meat on the bones of your theatrical experience.
See it if You want to experience a very original and creative play by the talented Richard Greenberg. Excellent cast and performances,esp.Reaser&Graff
Don't see it if You prefer straight forward,step by step plots.It is a quirky and unusual play and may not be for everyone's tastes
See it if you like long winded plays about nothing. A night school writing class where the participants care more about gossiping about each other
Don't see it if you want to see an exciting, well crafted play with a great story and riveting acting.
See it if You like Richard Greenberg. You appreciate Julie Halston. You wonder about life in a community like Levittown. Surprise circular ending.
Don't see it if You have to pay full price. You appreciate more high minded theater.
See it if Strangely lyrical but formless exploration into the lives of Levittown conformists set in an adult ed class;ambitious but falls short
Don't see it if You don't appreciate what Levittown meant in 1967 & can't work through a great ensemble cast dealing with material that doesn't always work
See it if You like Greenberg's work and have the patience for his less than excellent writing. Interesting character development and wonderful cast.
Don't see it if Jewish stereotypes offend you. Poorly resolved story lines frustrate you.
See it if The suburban middle class gathering setup belies the rich character studies created by Greenberg and imaginative staging by Kinney
Don't see it if <spoiler> there is a line that suggests a link to another Greenberg play - the thought of a trilogy took me out for 1 minute
See it if You don't mind side characters overshadowing leads since Graff and Halston were the standouts of the show. Or you're a Greenberg completist.
Don't see it if You're looking for interesting set design because everything is pretty stagnant and the story doesn't live up to the writing or acting.
See it if you enjoy good writing, interesting situations and characters, and an unpredictable plot line, even if the play is too long.
Don't see it if you are allergic to actresses who substitute mannerisms for truthful human behavior. Just one can undermine everyone else's work!
See it if You like plays where nothing really happens, the cast is excellent.
Don't see it if It gave me a sense of half (the three women friends) of the cast being bullied by the other half. I found the second half moved faster.
Also Josh Radnor and Elizabeth Reasoner were very good.