The latest offering at the Vineyard Theatre is “Bughouse,” conceived and directed by Martha Clarke, with a script adapted from the writings of Henry Darger, by Beth Henley. For those who are not familiar with the subject matter, Henry Darger was a prolific visual artist and epic novelist. He had a troubled childhood, losing his mother when he was 4…
It has taken a very long time, actually 27 years, but Richard Maltby and David Shire have decided that it was “About Time,” their new musical revue, that completes the trilogy which began with “Starting Here, Starting Now” in 1976, followed by “Closer Than Ever” in 1989. It is about life in its third act, getting older and dealing with…
It has been eleven years since the play “Every Brilliant Thing” penned by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, opened Off Broadway at the intimate 199 seat Barrow Street Theatre in New York. The relatively unknown British comedian, Mr. Donahoe, also performed the solo piece which was based on his experience dealing with his mother’s and his own depression. After several…
Many plays are based on factual events that had a great impact on society during the time they took place and usually make the protagonist the person who was responsible for the course of action. Such is the case of “Marcel on the Train,” penned by Marshall Pailet and Ethan Slater, now playing at Classic Stage Company. The plot revolves…
Life can be compared to a fighting match, where once you step into the ring you are alone. You become a monster defending themselves and fighting for their life, suffering from cuts and bruises but still determined to stay alive and win, not for fortune and fame, but just to survive. The new play “Monsters,” penned and directed by Ngozi…
The recent revival of “Chess “on Broadway comes nearly forty years after its first opening on London’s West End in 1986, with a subsequent move to Broadway after major revisions, in 1988. The Broadway production directed by Trevor Nunn closed after two months recording good attendance, but unfavorable financial returns. This recent incarnation, deftly directed by Michael Mayer, confines the…
The recently opened new Broadway musical “Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York” leans towards the formula of a savvy rom com that is unassuming and charming, thanks to Christiani Pitts and Sam Tutty, who star in this two-hander. They are challenged by the superficial and at times rambling script penned by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, who are…
It is very rare that a revival of a musical is imagined better than the original production and exceptional that its message is more relevant now than when it first opened on Broadway nearly thirty years ago in 1997, garnering four Tony Awards. That is the case for the glorious revival of “Ragtime” with a book penned by Terrence McNally,…
With HBO’s “The Gilded Age” drawing record-breaking viewership, it’s clear America remains fascinated by the elegance, extravagance and traditions of that dazzling era. Now, food writer and historian Becky Libourel Diamond invites readers to savor the holiday season the way society’s elite once did with her new release, “The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook.” Equal parts nostalgic confections, culinary history and…
A new solo show has opened at the Greenwich House Theater, written and performed by Ari’el Stachel, who won the Tony award for best supporting actor in the musical, “The Band’s Visit.” It is not a “coming out” story, but it is about his personal struggle with anxiety and his journey to “figure out” his identity. It started when he…