Looking for Leroy
Closed 1h 30m
Looking for Leroy
80

Looking for Leroy NYC Reviews and Tickets

80%
(24 Ratings)
Positive
92%
Mixed
4%
Negative
4%
Members say
Intelligent, Great acting, Absorbing, Thought-provoking, Relevant

About the Show

New Federal Theatre and Castillo Theatre presents this world premiere, which explores the legacy of LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka, the celebrated Black dramatist.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (24)

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139 Reviews | 36 Followers
90
Absorbing, Great acting, Great writing, Intelligent, Resonant

See it if you are a fan of Leroy Jones/Amiri Baraka, Black theater, and/or intelligent writing.

Don't see it if you don't want to think and want fluff and endless action. Read more

62 Reviews | 11 Followers
89
Relevant, Intelligent, Absorbing

See it if you like daring plays that address social and political issues

Don't see it if you don't like social and political plays

372 Reviews | 84 Followers
88
Resonant, Intelligent, Clever, Absorbing, Ambitious

See it if Very clever and ambitious way to talk about race, art, and representation, in both a historic and contemporary perspective.

Don't see it if You don't like fast-paced talky plays. There is so much material crammed in here, I think you need to see it twice to get the references. Read more

683 Reviews | 161 Followers
86
Smart, Sharp, Didactic, Funny, Beautifully played

See it if you have any interest in Black American culture or postwar American theater or what can happen when a frisky cub engages an aging lion.

Don't see it if you don't think theater has any business engaging in an educational enterprise. Read more

314 Reviews | 186 Followers
85
Thought-provoking, Resonant, Great writing, Great acting, Absorbing

See it if You’re interested in black history and black art movement; simple but affective production; informative post show talk

Don't see it if You’re not into the theme; you don’t wanna waste time on post-show talk;

66 Reviews | 5 Followers
83
Edgy, Great acting, Absorbing

See it if Absorbing drama with excellent acting

Don't see it if Don.t go if you oppose the black poet activism of the 60's and 70's.

253 Reviews | 13 Followers
82
Great acting, Great staging, Intelligent, Relevant, Thought-provoking

See it if You are a fan of Leroy Jones/Amiri Baraka and are interested in the Black Arts movement. The acting exceptional.

Don't see it if You like fluffy theater and aren’t interested nor care to know more about the Black Arts movement.

50 Reviews | 8 Followers
80
Thought-provoking, Intense, Edgy, Ambitious

See it if You want to learn about the delvopment of black theater and have an interest in learning about Leroy Jones.

Don't see it if You can’t concentrate on listening to complex dialog

Critic Reviews (4)

Front Row Center
March 7th, 2019

"Sitting in the audience for 'Looking for Leroy' felt like I was on a bullet train. Looking out the window there was all this amazing scenery flashing by...This is a play chock full of a life examined and lived to the fullest. It is a history lesson in black theater, a portrait of one of this countries great contributors, a realigning of our moral and ethical compasses. What time is it? IT’S 'LOOKING FOR LEROY' TIME!"
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History News Network
March 4th, 2019

"It is a searing, strident and alarming play about a racial rabble rouser and yet, at the same time, a very deep, warm and rich play about a man looking back on his life and talking about what he did and what he did not do...Director Petronia Paley has done a superb job of taking a tight two men play and working it so that you see a whole nation of trouble and a landscape of characters....'Looking for LeRoy' is an impressive look at a provocative writer and electric speaker."
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N
March 8th, 2019

"Paley's direction deftly moves the play which is a contest of ideas and perceptions between two highly spirited personalities. Inspired by Baraka’s life-long interest in jazz and its syncopated rhythms, she structures the verbal explosions, riffs, and variations of the arguments...Tyler Fauntleroy, as Taj, matches Sullivan’s Baraka in energy, intelligence, and fervor to 'do the right thing.' However, Kim Sullivan imbues Baraka also with vulnerability underneath his bluster."
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Black Star News
March 17th, 2019

“‘Looking for Leroy’, exploring and celebrating the life of Amiri Baraka, dramatically exceeds expectations in delivering an astonishing level of information that satisfies the human hunger for greater knowledge...High talent is everywhere evident in this play...’Looking for Leroy’ brings to life the expansive challenges and brilliant response to those challenges of Amiri Baraka, our ‘Black Fire’ who never wavered in his pursuit of Ma’at, social justice and Truth.”
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