Broadway Review

American Idiot Broadway Show Review

2010-04-25T02:12:00.003-04:00

Show Summary
Based on Green Day's Grammy Award-winning album, American Idiot follows the lives of frustrated working class youth struggling to find their place in a society that they feel alienated from.

Broadway Review
As in director Michael Mayer's previous foray into the teenage wasteland, Spring Awakening, American Idiot both looks and sounds spectacular, thanks to an excellent young cast, Green Day's many memorable songs ("When September Ends," "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," etc.), Tom Kitt's fine arrangements, and all-around terrific design elements (including Darrel Maloney's clever video design). However, the loose concept that makes Green Day's American Idiot album feel like a cohesive story is very weak when put up onstage, so the show is better appreciated as a staged concert than as an actual Broadway musical. Even then, it seems that American Idiot would fare better in a smaller concert-friendly venue that would allow the audience to rock along. (Or maybe the show just needs to take a page from Rock of Ages' book and find ways to create a more festive atmosphere.)

Red Broadway Show Revew

2010-04-21T14:21:00.000-04:00

Show Summary
Alfred Molina stars as the legendary abstract painter Mark Rothko in this new play about the artist's struggle with fame, fortune, and the challenge of creating new work.

Broadway Review
John Logan's two-man drama is a thrilling look at the artistic process and also a fascinating biographical sketch of a methodical painter who defied the stereotype of the reckless artist. Those who consider abstract art puzzling will likely find Red quite illuminating, and everybody can appreciate the dynamic performances being given by Molina and by Eddie Redmayne, who plays Rothko's young assistant, a budding artist with a terrifying past.

In the Heights Broadway Show Review

2010-04-16T00:28:00.000-04:00

Show Summary
The vibrant northern Manhattan neighborhood known as Washington Heights comes to thrilling life in this rhythmic and heartfelt Broadway musical about the denizens of a changing community.

Broadway Review
One of the most exciting Broadway musicals of the last several years, the Tony Award-winning sensation In the Heights has an original musical score by Broadway newcomer Lin-Manuel Miranda that includes Latin, hip-hop, and good old-fashioned showtune ballads. With Andy Blankenbuehler's electric choreography and energetic performances by a diverse and talented cast, In the Heights brings the flavor of New York City's streets to the Broadway stage.

Wicked Broadway Show Review

2010-04-13T18:55:00.000-04:00

Show Summary
In this popular Broadway musical based on Gregory Maguire's bestselling novel (a kind of "prequel" to The Wizard of Oz), we learn how Elphaba, a sensitive and misunderstood green-skinned college student in the land of Oz, eventually came to be known as the infamous Wicked Witch of the West.

Broadway Review
This Broadway musical spectacle is especially loved by tweens, who can relate to its tale of a different young woman struggling to fit in, but audiences of all ages appreciate the show's themes about prejudice and friendship, as well as its pop-infused score by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin) featuring songs such as the catchy "Popular" and the soaring "Defying Gravity". If you're thinking of bringing your pre-tweens along to the theater, bear in mind that, as in The Wizard of Oz itself, there are some scary scenes in this story.

Race Broadway Show Review

2010-04-09T23:15:00.000-04:00

Show Summary
A law firm takes on a racially-charged case in this provocative new Broadway play written and directed by playwright David Mamet. James Spader and David Alan Grier play law partners, with Kerry Washington as their young associate and Richard Thomas as the famous client charged with the rape of a black woman.

Broadway Review
Race is an engaging play with a very good cast, and Mamet makes a few interesting observations about the subject matter. But the drama ultimately does little more than serve as an overview of the current state of race relations (as per the cynical Mamet), without actually offering much of anything new on the topic.

A Little Night Music Broadway Show Review

2010-04-05T19:11:00.000-04:00

Show Summary
The air is filled with romance and revelation when friends, family, enemies, and lovers all meet for a weekend in the country in this witty musical by Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim, based on the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night.

Broadway Review
This Trevor Nunn-directed revival of the 1973 Broadway musical (which features Sondheim's best known song, "Send in the Clowns") is a bit too slow and colorless, which is an unwelcome reminder that A Little Night Music has always been a little lacking in warmth. Frustration, elation, jealousy, hurt, and longing are all displayed prominently in this tryst-filled comedy of romantic entanglement, but love barely figures into it. However, the production does feature fine performances by its most heralded stars, Catherine Zeta-Jones (as a glamorous but aging actress) and Angela Lansbury (as her disapproving mother).

God of Carnage Broadway Show Review

2010-04-02T00:19:00.000-04:00

Show Summary
This dark comedy by the French playwright Yasmina Reza (author of the Tony-winning play Art) is about the aftermath of a playground fight between two young boys and what happens when their supposedly grown-up parents meet to talk about it.

Broadway Review
Reza's latest Broadway show is a very funny but very dark look at marriage and manners. Though the ultimate point of the Tony Award-winning God of Carnage - other than to illustrate that seemingly well-behaved adults can act with as much unthinking cruelty as their children - is unclear, it is still a delight to watch four talented performers throw themselves into hilarious verbal and physical combat with such relish.

The Phantom of the Opera Broadway Show Review

2010-03-29T11:23:00.000-04:00

Show Summary
A disfigured man who lives in secret beneath the famed Paris Opera House becomes obsessed with a beautiful young singer named Christine and "haunts" the owners of the theater until they agree to make her the star of the opera.

Broadway Review
This long-running romantic Broadway musical tends to be especially well-loved by female audiences, but in its 20-year Broadway run Phantom has become immensely popular with viewers of all ages and types. The lush Andrew Lloyd Webber score boasts modern classics such as "Music of the Night," "Think of Me," "The Phantom of the Opera," and "All I Ask of You". Despite the Phantom's penchant for seductive ballads, he is in fact a pretty disturbed guy, so be aware that this often eerie musical does feature such unsavory activities as kidnapping and murder.

Next Fall Broadway Show Review

2010-03-25T01:59:00.003-04:00

Show Summary
This new play about faith, love, and commitment examines the five-year relationship between Adam, an atheist, and Luke, a fundamentalist Christian.

Broadway Review
A mix between a family drama and a romantic comedy, Geoffrey Nauffts' time-shifting play examines the evolution of an unlikely gay couple's relationship. Next Fall deals with some big themes, from euthanasia to the effect that an extreme difference of religion can have on a couple, and it does so in a way that is powerful but not too heady. Although it is not exactly groundbreaking, Next Fall is a smart and funny original play that is ultimately, simply, about the transformative power of love.

The Miracle Worker Broadway Show Review

2010-03-21T23:55:00.002-04:00

Show Summary
William Gibson's dramatic masterpiece tells the true story of how Annie Sullivan (Alison Pill) finally taught deaf-and-blind girl Helen Keller (Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin) how to communicate with the outside world.

Broadway Review
With vital lessons about perseverance, the importance of communication, and learning to see beyond disability, this timeless story is great for students, families, and people of all ages. Breslin, an articulate young actress, has the challenge of taking on a role in which she can only communicate through action and grunting, and she does a wonderful job. She is effectively the antagonist though, as this is really Sullivan's story, and the always-excellent Pill (reasons to be pretty, The Lieutenant of Inishmore) is perfect as the determined teacher, herself once a stubborn little girl yearning to see.

A Behanding in Spokane Broadway Show Review

2010-03-18T01:45:00.003-04:00

Show Summary
Irish playwright Martin McDonagh's latest black comedy is about a man (Christopher Walken) looking for his missing hand, a pair of con artists on the make (Anthony Mackie and Zoe Kazan), and a curious hotel clerk (Sam Rockwell).

Broadway Review
This is McDonagh's first attempt at writing a play about Americans, set in America. Although it still has the scribe's signature touches (unsavory characters, comical violence, and clever dialogue), A Behanding in Spokane is McDonagh Lite. It doesn't have the weight of some of his previous plays, which have dealt ingeniously with subjects like terrorism and torture; nor is it quite as funny as those more substantial works. Mackie and Kazan's characters seem underwritten and overacted, but the moments that Walken and Rockwell are together on stage are pure gold.

Chicago Broadway Show Review

2010-03-14T12:14:00.000-04:00

Show Summary
Blonde bombshell Roxie Hart kills her lover and, as a result of the ensuing media frenzy, she becomes an overnight celebrity in this cynical satire of corruption in the criminal justice system set in 1920s Chicago.

Broadway Review
There is virtually no set in Chicago, so don't go to this particular Broadway musical expecting bright colors and big flashy sets. The appeal of this long-running Broadway revival (which also became an Oscar-winning movie starring Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere) is its sharp sense of humor, the sexy Bob Fosse-style choreography, and those unforgettable jazzy tunes by the songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb ("All That Jazz"). Skimpy costumes, suggestive dancing, and sassy anti-heroines who murder without remorse make this Broadway musical suitable for more mature audiences.

Billy Elliot Broadway Show Review

2010-03-10T13:19:00.000-05:00

Show Summary
Set against the backdrop of a lengthy coal miners' strike that took place in 1980s Northern England, Billy Elliot is about a motherless boy who wants to give up his boxing lessons and learn to be a dancer.

Broadway Review
A musical adaptation of the popular British independent movie of the same name, Billy Elliot has been an enormous hit in London's West End and is now amazing Broadway audiences as well. Lee Hall has written a solid and sometimes pleasantly surprising stage version of his own original screenplay, and together he and legendary singer/songwriter Elton John have created a functional score that is good, though seldom soars. Billy Elliot's greatest strengths are its stars (a few extraordinarily talented young performers who alternate in the title role), director Stephen Daldry's inspired staging, and Peter Darling's electric choreography.

West Side Story Broadway Show Review

2010-03-05T12:52:00.000-05:00

Show Summary
West Side Story transports William Shakespeare's timeless romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet to the streets of Manhattan in the 1950s. Instead of warring Montague and Capulet families, there are warring gangs of teenagers, the Jets and the Sharks. Instead of young lovers Romeo and Juliet, we have Tony and Maria, two teens who are torn between ethnic loyalty and their intense love for each other. The Broadway musical's beloved score includes such songs as "Tonight," "Maria," "Somewhere," and "Something's Coming."

Broadway Review
This exciting new production of the Golden Age favorite features an energetic young cast and faithfully re-creates Jerome Robbins' iconic choreography and Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's extraordinary score. The production is directed by the show's scribe, Arthur Laurents, who has also added a twist (and some extra authenticity) by having the Sharks speak and sometimes sing in their native Spanish tongue.

South Pacific Broadway Show Review

2010-03-01T13:18:00.001-05:00

Show Summary
Set during World War II, this classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical is about a United States Navy nurse named Nellie Forbush, who finds love with handsome French plantation owner Emile de Becque while stationed on an island out in the South Pacific.

Broadway Review
A glorious production that does justice to one of the most beloved musicals of the Golden Age of Broadway, Lincoln Center Theatre's South Pacific revival deals with important themes like love, war, loyalty, and intolerance - and it does so with memorable songs such as "Some Enchanted Evening," "Younger Than Springtime," and "There's Nothing Like a Dame".

Memphis Broadway Show Review

2010-02-25T02:08:00.000-05:00

Show Summary
Inspired by the true story of a 1950s rock 'n' roll deejay, Memphis tells the story of the man who brought black music to white listeners in the segregated South.

Broadway Review
Broadway regular Chad Kimball finally gets the breakout role he deserves as Huey Calhoun, a guy who is going nowhere until his love of "race music" - combined with his brash style and quick wit - makes him the most popular radio personality in town. Both his big ego and his dogged refusal to acknowledge the barriers of a racist society threaten his relationship with a talented black singer (Montego Glover). Though David Bryan's score is not as strong as the real rock 'n' roll and blues music of that era, it is enjoyable and includes some standout songs; Joe DiPietro's script, with the exception of a few predictable and cheesy moments, is generally smart, funny, and well-constructed; Christopher Ashley's direction is superb. Overall this is a wonderful new Broadway musical with a good look, a hot band, an engaging story, and a fantastic cast of performers to bring it to life.

Hair Broadway Show Review

2010-02-20T09:24:00.000-05:00

Show Summary
Led by charismatic hippie Berger, a group of spirited and idealistic youths enjoy lives of free love and pacifism in New York City's bohemian East Village. But eventually "the tribe" must face the harsh reality of the Vietnam War draft.

Broadway Review
Even the most jaded theatergoers can't help but dig classic tunes like "Age of Aquarius," "Good Morning Starshine," "Easy To Be Hard," "Hair," and "Let the Sunshine In" in this sensitively directed, well-choreographed, and Tony Award-winning production of the 1967 classic musical. Although many of Hair's other songs are less-than-classic, and the humor can be pretty sophomoric at times, the energetic show certainly resonates emotionally. And the Baby Boomers will go crazy for it - especially the part where the audience is invited to jump up onstage and dance with the cast at the end of the show!

Mary Poppins Broadway Show Review

2010-02-16T01:23:00.000-05:00

Show Summary
A very unusual nanny (who just so happens to be practically perfect in every way) helps two rambunctious children connect with their distracted and distant parents - and she shows them a bit of magic along the way. Disney's Mary Poppins, now a Broadway musical, is based on the beloved P.L. Travers stories and the classic Disney movie of the same name.

Broadway Review
Fans of the books will be happy to see that this live action Broadway adaptation of Mary Poppins includes characters and adventures that the popular Disney film left out. Fans of the movie, on the other hand, may miss its simplicity (as well as a few of the songs). But everybody is sure to appreciate the wonderful cast and impressive sets. Be aware that there are a few darker moments in the show that might scare smaller children.

Time Stands Still Broadway Show Review

2010-02-12T02:25:00.003-05:00

Show Summary
Sarah, a photographer, and her partner of several years, James, a journalist, have traveled the world documenting the tragedies of war. But following an injurious accident, the couple must face the challenge of settling down to a more conventional life back in the U.S.

Broadway Review
Donald Margulies's new play Time Stands Still is a well-written and well-acted drama (the stellar cast is headed by Laura Linney and Brian d'Arcy James) that examines a couple as they try to adjust to the unadventurous life and to each other in this ordinary context. Most of the questions that Margulies poses - In a world full of pain, is it okay for us to find happiness for ourselves? Is it morally acceptable for a photojournalist to only document tragedy and not intervene to help the injured? - have been asked in similar dramas, so the subject doesn't exactly feel novel, but Time Stands Still does provide a very engaging and emotional evening in the theater.

Rock of Ages Broadway Show Review

2010-02-06T13:03:00.000-05:00

Show Summary
Former American Idol contestant Constantine Maroulis stars as a would-be rocker who arrives on L.A.'s Sunset Strip with dreams of fame and glory, but instead finds heartbreak and hard times in this Broadway tribute to the era of hard rockin' hair bands.

Broadway Review
From the little lighter-shaped flashlights they hand you when you enter the theater to the drinks being served during the show, the Broadway musical Rock of Ages has the feel of an awesome rock concert. Oh, yeah, and then there's the music. If you lived through the '80s (and cherish great memories of listening to the radio or watching MTV during those years), then you'll be grinning like an idiot and desperate to sing along as the energetic cast belts out melodic rock favorites like Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive," Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again," and Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is". Sure, the show's story and dialogue is pretty silly (sometimes deliciously, sometimes cringingly), but when they start singing "Don't Stop Believing," you're sure to be waving your lighter in the air with everyone else.

Present Laughter Broadway Show Review

2010-02-02T01:14:00.003-05:00

Show Summary
In this classic Noel Coward comedy, Victor Garber stars as a self-absorbed actor whose life is turned chaotic by the arrival of a number of troublesome characters (including a crazy playwright, a cheating producer, and his own ex-wife) to his London apartment.

Broadway Review
This Roundabout Theatre Company production is a solidly enjoyable revival of Noel Coward's witty 1939 send-up of showbiz folks. Garber is good (if not quite perfect) in the lead role originally played by Coward himself, and Brooks Ashmanskas is the audience favorite, playing a mincing playwright who is as mad as a hatter.

A View From the Bridge Broadway Show Review

2010-01-27T00:08:00.003-05:00

Show Summary
In this tragic drama by Arthur Miller, a hard-working Brooklyn man finds that his developing obsession with his wife's niece leads to his downfall.

Broadway Review
Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson (in her Broadway debut) star as Eddie Carbone and the orphaned niece that Eddie and his wife have raised in this excellent revival, and both give award-worthy performances. They are supported by an equally fine cast, including Jessica Hecht as Eddie's wife, Morgan Spector and Corey Stoll as the illegal immigrant relatives whose arrival at the Carbone household sets the tragedy in motion, and Michael Cristofer as the neighborhood lawyer who narrates the tale. They just don't make plays like this anymore, and Miller's writing is so good that he invests these working class characters' 1950s Brooklyn-based story with all the poetry and drama of a great Greek tragedy.

Mamma Mia Broadway Show Review

2010-01-20T01:19:00.000-05:00

Show Summary
Set in the beautiful Greek isles, the Broadway musical Mamma Mia incorporates nearly two dozen songs by international pop sensation ABBA into its lively story about soon-to-wed Sophie, her free-spirited single mother Donna, and three men from Donna's past -- one of whom, Sophie hopes to discover, is her father.

Broadway Review
Mamma Mia has become a global smash since its 1999 London debut, and its biggest fans are usually the middle-aged crowd who fondly remember the disco days of ABBA. Women in particular enjoy watching fun-loving Donna and her two wacky best friends reminiscing about the wild days of their youth, when they were in a singing trio. Since the show's plot is a bit thin and the tone decidedly silly, the upbeat musical Mamma Mia is best appreciated as a big Broadway-style ABBA concert.

The Lion King Broadway Show Review

2010-01-16T01:11:00.000-05:00

Show Summary
Based on the beloved animated Disney movie of the same name, Disney's The Lion King tells the tale of a young cub who flees his home after being convinced by his scheming uncle that he was responsible for his father Mufasa's death.

Broadway Show Review
Though some aspects of this Broadway musical adaptation of the original film still seem a bit too cartoonish, the African-inspired music composed specifically for the show and director/designer Julie Taymor's breathtaking puppetry and gorgeous stage effects make The Lion King Disney's most innovative stage show so far.

Jersey Boys Broadway Show Review

2010-01-11T20:28:00.000-05:00

Show Summary
This thrilling biographical Broadway musical tells the amazing story of how a group of tough young guys from New Jersey became the internationally known hit-making pop group Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Broadway Review
Jersey Boys is a both a smartly-written drama about four men chasing after -- and grappling with the pitfalls of -- fame, and an unforgettable concert rolled into one terrific Broadway show. Fabulously sung and staged versions of all the Frankie Valli/Four Seasons hits are here, including "Walk Like a Man," "Oh What a Night," "Sherry," and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You".