Bars and Measures

See it if you're interested in music (jazz, classical), sibling bonds, entrapment, Islam, prisons, romance. Strong performances bolster uneven script.

Don't see it if you want a clear take-away. Muddy ending. At times slow, awkward. But enjoyable music/interesting story. Nice set in nice small theater.

See it if You’ve had conflicting feelings about Christian/Muslim relations, government intrusion-especially since 9/11. If you enjoy jazz even better.

Don't see it if You want only rainbows and unicorns in your life. This is a big slice of serious. Entertaining. Well written and acted. Some great music.

Also There’s a lot to like here. Everyone brought their A-game. Not just a well written, well acted show but lighting and costumes and even the bare bones set all serve very well.... Read more Read less

See it if If you want very good staging, acting was also good. A story of 2 brothers/ different religions talking and philosophizing about life & rel.

Don't see it if Islamic rants are not your thing. It takes approach that they are victims which is confusing. If you dont like political shows.

See it if Two brothers try to carry on their relationship through music, but deeper issues of trust & betrayal prevail. Complex realistic themes.

Don't see it if You expect more music. This is an angry play, with a lot of shouting and little humor. I liked the few softer moments.

See it if powerfully illustrates how US prison system mistreats Muslim w controversial political views; actors talented musicians

Don't see it if meandering; story arc predictable; music could be used more effectively/see below

Also Music is used as a central element of the story, serving as the backdrop for the relationship between the younger and older brother. Perhaps this is asking a lot of this vehicle but there is the potential to use the music in a much more targeted way to capture the younger brother's evolving relationship w his jailed brother. For example, the playwright could have shown how (i) the younger brother initially struggles w/does not understand a jazz piece being composed by his jailed brother, (ii) then rejects it associating it w his brother's rage/criminality, and (iii) finally comes to accept & understand it as a reflection of brother's complex personality/yearning to break free from racism/oppression.... Read more Read less

See it if you have the view that"someone" flew into the towers on 9//11. One brother keeps giving reasons why he gave money to a terrorist group.

Don't see it if you believe that there is no excuse for giving money or support to terrorists or if you don't like political rants.

Also I liked the way jazz was used. In the beginning of the play, music brought the 2 brothers together but at the end, music wasn't enough to keep them together.... Read more Read less

See it if Like jazz. Story of 2 bros w musical bond that bridges their religious/world view differences. Interesting POV of an unexplored subject.

Don't see it if Want something light. Need clear dramatic resolution. The script has holes but effective staging throughout keeps it interesting.

See it if You want to see a play that deals with the relationship between two brothers, one of them is incarcerated

Don't see it if You are expecting the music to capture you

Also While I don’t like musicals I do like plays with music in them. I was excited to see this for that reason but was extremely disappointed by the music. It felt like they were not happy with the script so they just tried to force below average jazz music in. I didn’t really understand what I was supposed to feel watching this. One brother was incarcerated and his younger brother was very supportive and would visit him. But then after the trial the younger brother wanted nothing to do with him anymore. It’s as if the younger brother didn’t know what his brother was in jail for? There were way too many holes. I thought the two supporting actors did a good job but I was not a fan of the leads... Read more Read less

See it if Two terrific performances in a small play that really packs a punch.

Don't see it if If you want fluff, this is not for you

Also The play has just been extended.

See it if You want to see a solid and relevant piece of theatre produced by a wonderful company.

Don't see it if You dislike plays about musicians wherein the actors do not have the technical abilities to convincingly play the music.

Also “It’s not the note you play that’s the wrong note – it’s the note you play afterwards that makes it right or wrong.” -Miles Davis

Miles may have been speaking about music but this concept of action and, more importantly reaction, is at the heart of Bars and Measures.

Bars and Measures succeeds as a political piece and as a physiological thriller of sorts. Where it falls short is in its musical endeavors. The original music, composed by Justin Ellington, is definitely serviceable, but doesn't do justice to what should be Bilal's magnum opus.

Worse yet, when the piece is played live by Roderick Lawrence's Eric it is reduced to a simplistic and elementary version of itself. Shabazz Green, likewise, is not a trained bassist and so eschews, save for a few notes, ever playing the bass.

The script is very good, and the drama tense. I think with a very musically capable cast that Bars and Measures would be an extremely moving piece of theatre.... Read more Read less

See it if you like complex life stories based on real life events; enjoy musical components blended into the script;

Don't see it if you get upset by themes involving prisons or Islam; or only enjoy upbeat themes as this play can be heart-breaking at times.

Also All four actors were very talented. Shabazz Green and Roderick Lawrence played their roles as brothers, one in jail, and one attending Juillliard, convincingly.

There were moments of magic when they created music together; and it was a joy to hear Salma Shaw sing.

The fourth actor, Abraham Makany, also played his roles flawlessly.

This production was absorbing, intense, true to life, heart-breaking, charming at times, and profoundly realistic, sad, and relevant.

There was a talk-back afterwards which I always enjoy. It is at this point that I found out that this play is based on real life circumstances.

I saw this play at urbanStages in NYC in Oct 2019.... Read more Read less

See it if This show powerfully touches on music, criminal justice, race and religious conflict and really makes you think while holding your interest.

Don't see it if If only light breezy entertainment holds your interest, maybe you should pass on this one, but you'll be missing a strong experience

See it if Powerful & timely drama on the topic religious bigotry against Islam. Playwright shares the lives of 2 close gifted brothers & Jazz.

Don't see it if You feel uncomfortable about Islam, this is not your play

See it if Nice contrast of brothers drifting apart, yet still bonded by a common love of music. Venue feels like meeting an old friend.

Don't see it if Mentally exhausted by yet more Muslim characters and their complicated relationships to the US. Tip of the iceberg. My patience is waning.

Also My expectations were greatly exceeded. I liked the early banter and later conflict between the brothers. But surprisingly, this is the rare show where supporting actors threaten to eclipse the main ones. I was fascinated by the constantly changing Abe Makany as the guard, a reporter, an FBI plant, et al. Salma Shaw was just as versatile, as well as simply being one of the most attractive actresses in town. Play offered them amazing opportunities, which they seized. The set was terrific. I discovered in the Q & A that the floor was chosen to resemble piano keys, which I completely overlooked. The lighting was fantastic; I loved the eighteen overheads. The second best show I have ever seen at US, worthy of its extension.... Read more Read less

See it if So Entranced by the music, that took me a while to be involved in nuanced story. Well written, excellent acting-particularly brothers

Don't see it if Want simple singular story and clear bad guys ( although there are some here).

See it if you like jazz, & would like show on 2 brothers' testy relationship, 1 Muslim, charged w/ terrorism. Great set.

Don't see it if you're sick of theater laced with political rants & lies, or know anything about Islamic ideology & its basic commitment to violent jihad.

Also A large percentage of alleged post-9/11 attacks on Muslims, later exposed as hoaxes, were committed to deceive, collect insurance, etc.

Most media failed to correct their egregious errors, several apparently repeated here.

This gave the Council on Islamic American Relations (CAIR) ugly license to push its lie that Muslims are the biggest targets of hate in America. CAIR still falsifies claims & presents proven hoaxes as if they'd been real hate attacks.

As a journalist in the field, I knew all this before; alas, the play attempts to reinforce & validate CAIR's lies, & from audience reactions, unfortunately it succeeds.

Based on the case of admitted terrorist Tarik Shah, whose older brother Antoine Dowdell frequently visited during his 14 years in jail.

Playwright changed names & much more. Here, elder brother converts to Islam in prison, & younger Christian resents elder's criminal ways.

Great acting (& set) don't fix sloppy text & lie-promoting propaganda. A terrible shame.... Read more Read less

See it if family,religion are not just an empty sound for you. If you were/are in a similar situation and want to be devoted to your relatives

Don't see it if Dislike music, prison talks, all Muslim whatsoever, black box theatre,small lobby, etc,etc

See it if you appreciate "based-on-a-true-story" scenarios involving two brothers; you dig music as a metaphor (esp. in regards to classical and jazz)

Don't see it if you're fairly socially aware and looking to deepen your knowledge of the prison-industrial complex or our country's rampant Islamophobia.

Also Memorable Quote: "How do you pray for your enemy with broken hands?"

See it if You want to see a drama about the love of music 2 African American brothers share, & the politics and religion that separates them

Don't see it if You want to see a comedy or musical, not interested in jazz, politics and religion or easily offended by profanity

See it if you like plays featuring jazz, brotherhood, and the experience of Muslims in the criminal justice system.

Don't see it if you're expecting a full-on musical or even just a play with music. The jazz scenes are sumptuous, but not enough if that's all you want.

Also It's an unusual combination of topics, but indeed this play is based on a true story. The script nicely led me to think one way and then later another way about the guilt or innocence of one of the brothers. It made me think about the way Muslims are judged in post-9/11 America... AND it made me think about the tough job of law enforcement to differentiate between truly dangerous extremists and innocent religious practitioners.

The portrayal of the brothers here is engaging and powerful. The scenes featuring jazz are sumptuous but left me wanting more.

In the end I enjoyed the play because it introduced humanity to a subject that I wasn't close enough to before. But it also left me wanting more clarity to the situation.... Read more Read less

See it if into a show about Jazz, Islam and brotherly dynamics

Don't see it if hmmm... I thought this ultimately has a niche appeal

Also The best part was the wonderfully-naturalistic acting and lovely casual singing of Jazz and a bit of Opera. Also - themes associated with the black population that I do not often see in the theater.

This work is based on true situations, which does not make this "a play" yet as it kinda has no point, except for the vague "life is complicated." For example - there are 2 passionate speeches, about discrimination and religion, and both are not persuasive consider the speaker. Why make points and have them be weak? This seemed not a reflection of life but myopia of the playwright.

See this for the acting. The play, for me, was half-baked.... Read more Read less

See it if Ulike jazz&complex relation betwee 2 bros:one,a Christian, classical pianist living in freedom&the other,a Muslim jazz playerliving in jail*

Don't see it if Uninterested in multicultural plays outside your own niche;you expect a documentary, do not go.It is a PLAY w partially fictionalized story.

Also *Well written, acted and directed.
As the script indicates, the play is
"loosely based on true events":about Tarick Shah, a Bronx jazz musician who, accused of helping Al Queda, pled guilty
in 2007, remaining in jail until last year.
However,in the play,Tarick insists in his
innocence and tells his brother that he was framed. Yet, 'Bars & Measures' is also
about the bonds of family and how individuals/groups can always find a
common ground-example:Music- despite
strong differences.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a well-written, beautifully acted show about tough questions about life in contemporary (post 9/11) America.

Don't see it if You don't want to see a play that deals with justice, terrorism, race, and religion.

Also Bars and Measures is a powerful, well-written show with two phenomenal leads (Shabazz Green and Roderick Lawrence) whose (a cappella) singing is as strong as their acting.

Loosely based on a true story about a jazz musician who converts to Islam (which he sees as the "true" black religion" just as jazz is the "true" black music) and gets caught in an FBI sting, the story is as much about the relationship between the two brothers as it is about charges, prison conditions, and the trial.

As the positive review in the NYT points out, the love story is the weak link (it might have worked were she credible as a Muslim convert).

Unlike much political theater, which is didactic or worse, preachy, Bars and Measures is a fresh, subtle play. The character drives the message, not the other way around.

And Urban Stages has never looked so good. New pendant lighting is terrific.

GO SEE Bars and Measures (2 more weeks). It's serious but not depressing and clocks in at 85 minutes... Read more Read less

See it if A wonderful exploration of feelings fears family and profound interactions expressed in word and music. We take this journey together

Don't see it if This is excellent intelligent theater which invites the audience to think and question Maybe you’d prefer something lighter and fun?

See it if Unusual combination of music and words, ideas and feelings

Don't see it if you dont like jazz or issue plays