The musical Chess premiered in London in 1986 and then on Broadway two years later. Despite its gorgeous score with music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA) and Tim Rice, audiences weren’t enamored of the story. They didn’t flo …Read more
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) He’s the son of the groom he has never met. She’s the sister of the much-younger bride. Together they are the main characters in Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York,) a charming new musical by Jim …Read more
Rolling Thunder :A Rock Journey How do you describe the horrors of war to an audience through the music of its time? Australian journalist and writer Bryce Hallett undertook the difficult task of conveying the hardships, senselessness and destruction …Read more
I rarely go to see a show without having a good sense of what it’s about. Yet that’s exactly what happened recently when I saw the revival of “Heathers The Musical” at New World Stages. I expected a “Mean Girls” where the underdogs win out against th …Read more
It’s December 17, 1957, and we are in the audience for the taping of the last Nat King Cole show. Cole was the first African-American to host a variety show and it was groundbreaking. Although the show had some local sponsors like Rheingold Beer, it …Read more
“Old Friends” is the perfect musical for lovers of Stephen Sondheim music. The show is a tribute to Sondheim who died in 2021, leaving behind an unparalleled musical legacy. There are more than 40 numbers in the show and even if you aren’t already of …Read more
Sometimes I attend a show with preconceived ideas, having heard or read about it. However, I knew nothing about “Real Women Have Curves,” never having read Josefina Lopez ‘ novel or seen the 2002 movie. What a pleasant experience! Despite a few serio …Read more
Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman I am unabashedly a Jonathan Groff fan and enjoyed his work in “Spring Awakening,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and “Hamilton.” I even watched him in a straight role as an FBI agent, pro …Read more
Floyd Collins “Truth is stranger than fiction” goes the old expression, and some of the most intriguing stories come directly from the headlines. In the early 1920’s many men explored the Kentucky caves, hoping to attract tourists to pay to visit the …Read more
If you are expecting one of your favorite TV shows, complete with its competitive divas and love stories in the new version of SMASH at the Imperial Theatre, you might be disappointed since the Broadway version is very different. The 2012 TV show whi …Read more