Imagine a world where women are free of sexual violence, oppression, and make the same, if not more, money than men. Finally, in a stunning humanistic dark comedy, “The Fairer Sex” presented by Between Us Productions, and written by Sander Gusinow, this women-run reality is featured. Following the aftermath of a rebellion, in which women fought back against men, and…
“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,…
“Theatre without alcohol is a museum piece” once quipped Bertolt Brecht. If that’s the case, Meta-Phy Ed’s “Karaoke Bacchae” belongs as far away from MoMA as humanly possible. A drunk, delirious adaptation for Euripides’s ‘The Bacchae’ set in a Karaoke Bar, writer/director Jesse Freedman delivers an enjoyable, if decidedly incoherent dance theatre piece that’s heavy on fun and glamor. For…
“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…
“There are two kinds of talent, man-made talent and God-given talent. With man-made talent you have to work very hard. With God-given talent, you just touch it up once in a while.” – Pearl Bailey Fame, family, devotion, race, relationships, cabaret, feminism and a voice: “Pearl” a new musical written by CB Murray, and performed at the Midtown International Theatre…
I assume that there are times when audiences just want to go to the theater and see a good old fashioned musical comedy since there is a constant flow of revivals opening on Broadway to satisfy that urge. There is certainly room amongst the cutting edge subject matter and new music genres that keep creeping onto the scene for a…
“10K” Written and directed by Neil LaBute In “10 K” a Man (played with a delicious passive coyness by J.J. Kandel) and a Woman (played with an equally delicious aggressive coyness by Clea Alsip) meet at a suburban (“Whispering Pines”) park and decide (after a good stretch) to jog together. Immediately, both disclose the less-than-satisfying natures of their married-with-children statuses….
I have never felt like a bigger fool than when I wasted two hours and fifteen minutes enduring the new musical “Foolerie” presented as part of NYMF at the PTC Performance Space. To substantiate my point, regarding the reason to persevere, I ran across this quote by Benjamin Franklin: “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain – and most fools…
“After great pain a formal feeling comes–/The nerves sit ceremonious like tombs;/ This is the hour of lead/Remembered if outlived,/As freezing persons recollect the snow–/First chill, then stupor, then the letting go.” (Emily Dickinson, 372) On a visit to Cairo, Egyptian-American Leila (played with a passionate intensity by Alia Attallah) suffered great pain on two occasions. The assault in a…