Creating a musical based on two Edgar Allen Poe short stories, “How to Write a Blackwood Article” and “A Predicament”, is no easy task given the subject matter and the genre. In this day and age competing with horror films, given the amazing special effects available, trying to frighten, shock or terrify an audience with a stage play, let alone…
A tiny foreign nation, a people’s princess, a gay prince, an arranged marriage, a scandal, a revolution, and a fire that destroys lovers’ hopes and dreams certainly makes interesting material for good old-fashioned musical theater. “Perfect,” the opening number of the new musical “Icon,” is derivative of Kander and Ebb in style and tempo and explodes onto the stage to…
Jaime Lozano’s and Lauren Epsenhart’s new musical from Mexico follows successful entrepreneur Raul’s (Mauricio Martinez) return to his childhood seaside home to visit his ailing grandmother Marina (April Ortiz). The musical begins in the present and, through a series of flashbacks introduces the characters, their conflicts, and how those conflicts brought them and Raul to the present. After seeing his…
“It’s not always the way it is in plays. Not all faggots bump themselves off at the end of the story!” – Michael in “The Boys in the Band” by Mart Crowley (1968) It must be said that it is refreshing to find a young, talented member of the LGBTQ community using their voice to bring awareness to a valid…
“The medium is the message.” – Marshall McLuhan Evangelist preacher Adamenses Huckster (Geoff Davin) is a huckster indeed. Her “redemptive” message seems simple enough: “You can choose to see things differently.” And that is exactly what the revivalist hopes to accomplish in her fifth annual benefit concert, revival, and pot luck dinner for her First Church of Mary, the Repentant…
The New York Musical Festival (NYMF), previously known as The New York Musical Theatre Festival, announced the initial slate of artists participating in NYMF 2016, taking place from July 11 through August 7 in Midtown Manhattan. Tony Award winner and four-time Tony Nominee Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza) will direct NEWTON’S CRADLE, with book, music, and lyrics by…
“Manuel versus the Statue of Liberty” is a powerful new musical that takes considerable risks in exposing the flaws in the United States Immigration System (USCIS). Noemi de la Puente’s engaging book personalizes the “nightmare” of USCIS as a knock-down-drag-out boxing match between a young illegal Manuel (played with a powerful grace by Gil Perez-Abraham) and the Statue of Liberty…
“Single Wide” is a charming musical with an interesting book, a pleasing country-rock score with solid lyrics. The creative writing team of George D. Nelson and Jordan Kamalu has constructed an engaging musical with strong well-rounded characters with authentic and believable conflicts (problems), with an interesting setting, and strong rich themes. The conflicts drive a powerful plot with enough tension…
“Songs For The Fallen,” a new musical, tackles the fascinating life and passionate times of Marie Duplessis, the infamous courtesan of the upper echelon in 19th century Paris. It is being presented as part of NYMF at Theater 3. Although the subject has been depicted in various mediums including the popular film “Moulin Rouge,” this incarnation penned by Sheridan Harbridge,…
“Deep Love” began its journey as a rock concert and that is precisely where its journey should have ended. It is not musical theatre. It could be theatre dance if the dancers told the story in dance with music and text supportive of the movement (not the reverse which is the case in this current incarnation). As it stands, Garrett…