Theater News & Reviews
The latest news in New York City theater. From Broadway to Off-Broadway and beyond, find previews, reviews and commentary here at ZEALnyc.
Review: ‘Agnes’ Brings Dramatic and Meteorological Tensions to 59E59 Theater
By Miles Harter, Contributing Writer, September 14, 2018 Agnes is a compelling play about family, friendship, and connections. Set in a three-bedroom New York City apartment, Agnes presents five millennials sheltering themselves from a major storm. The talented playwright, Catya McMullen, adeptly ...
Review: ‘Collective Rage’ — a Terrific Play in 5 Betties
By Jil Picariello, Theater Editor, September 13, 2018 How many Betties does it take to make a great play? Five, if the new play from the MCC Theater at the Lucille Lortel is any proof. Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties by Jen Silverman, directed by Mike Donohue, is about five women, all named ...
Review: ‘Scraps’ Explores the Pain of Survival
By Jil Picariello, Theater Editor, September 11, 2018 It’s a story we’ve heard so often that we have to fight complacency: a young man is shot and killed by police, for doing nothing more than being black. Which is why a visit to the Flea Theater to see Scraps, a new play by Geraldine Inoa, is ...
Jazz Notes Intel: Farmer-Turned-Maestro David Amram’s Wisdom of the ...
By Dan Ouellette, Senior Editor ZEALnyc, November 7, 2018 At age 87, the curious jazz connoisseur, accomplished classical composer and agriculturist at heart, David Amram stands tall in the wisdom of the arts. Largely underappreciated in jazz circles, he firmly and singularly expresses his passion to encourage arts-minded ...
Jazz Notes Intel: Overcoming Boundaries Chapter — Guitarist Lionel Loueke Journeys ...
By Dan Ouellette, Senior Editor ZEALnyc, October 9, 2018 In jazz, there is a plethora of guitarists, each with a voice on the six strings that rocks with fire or soothes with pastel colors or embellishes with strokes that support the surrounding conversations. Then there’s the ...
Art Break: Engage in the Thrill of Discovery at Galleries ...
By A. E. Colas, Contributing Writer, September 24, 2018 One of the best things about a new season of art shows and exhibitions is that moment when you walk into the room, look around, and say “Wow – this is where I want to be!” If you want ...
Review: New York 'Officially' Meets Jaap with Philharmonic's Season Opening
By Brian Taylor, Contributing Writer, September 22, 2018 The 2018-2019 season, and a new era for the New York Philharmonic, began with a gala concert at David Geffen Hall on Thursday evening. Entitled "New York, Meet Jaap," Jaap van Zweden made his debut with the orchestra as ...
Life In Focus: It's Fairy-Nice at the New York Renaissance ...
By Juliana Crawford, Contributing Photographer, September 20, 2018 [caption id="attachment_60766" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Consulting a Book of Magic and Spells at the Faire; photo: Juliana Crawford.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_60771" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] The Villagers of the Renaissance Faire; photo: Juliana Crawford.[/caption] [...
The First Video Game Opera, 'PermaDeath,' Receives Its World ...
By Doug Hall, Contributing Writer, September 19, 2018 At first glance, the title of Cerise Jacobs’s upcoming world’s first video game opera PermaDeath seems to imply another dark take or tale using the commercial success and wide-spread popularity of the multiplayer video game phenomenon. But ...
Roots of Modern Dance Are Traced through MoMA's Current Exhibit ...
By Sheila Kogan, Contributing Writer, September 18, 2018 The current exhibit at MoMA entitled Judson Dance Theater: The Work is Never Done is an homage to the dance artists who created work at the Judson Church in the 60s and 70s. The dancers and choreographers who created ...
Art Break: The Power of Art Through the Ages at ...
By A. E. Colas, Contributing Writer, September 17, 2018 This week, Art Break is looking at a wide variety of art movements as well as their purpose and meaning. The oldest material on our list comes from The Frick’s exhibition of fifteenth century religious and devotional ...
Review: Film Soundtracks Take Center Stage in NY Philharmonic's Art ...
By Brian Taylor, Contributing Writer, September 14, 2018 If the New York Philharmonic were to program an evening of music by avant-garde Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, I suspect it would be a tough sell. The audience would be limited, and probably dwindle in number as the night ...
Review: 'Agnes' Brings Dramatic and Meteorological Tensions to 59E59 Theater
By Miles Harter, Contributing Writer, September 14, 2018 Agnes is a compelling play about family, friendship, and connections. Set in a three-bedroom New York City apartment, Agnes presents five millennials sheltering themselves from a major storm. The talented playwright, Catya McMullen, adeptly sets up the backstory for ...
ZEALnyc FALL PREVIEW: Theater
ZEALnyc, September 5, 2018 Well it’s that time of year again. For those of us involved in covering the theater scene in New York City, all the signs are in the air (and on the billboards and marquees). The temperatures are “supposed” to begin to fall soon so everything may feel a ...
Review: A Revival of Hellman’s Lesser-Known ‘Days to Come’ at the Mint Theatre
By Miles Harter, Contributing Writer, August 27, 2018 Days to Come is a lesser celebrated play by Lillian Hellman (1905-1984), one of the most renowned dramatists and screenwriters of the 20th century. Her works covered wide ranging controversial political and social themes. Hellman first ...
Review: ‘Pretty Woman’ Panders on Broadway
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, August 24, 2018 If you’re wondering whether the new musical version of Pretty Woman contains even a shred of inspiration, look no further than the show’s logo. It’s pretty much just an anonymous version of the movie’s logo, with two people back ...
Life In Focus: ‘PULA! Botswana on Broadway’
By Juliana Crawford, Contributing Photographer, August 23, 2018 PULA! Botswana on Broadway; photo: Juliana Crawford. PULA! Botswana on Broadway; photo: Juliana Crawford. PULA! Botswana on Broadway; photo: Juliana Crawford. PULA! Botswana on Broadway; photo: ...
Review: Could ‘Be More Chill’ Be More Shrill?
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, August 17, 2018 The musical Be More Chill was already a bit of a sensation even before it recently opened Off-Broadway at the Pershing Square Signature Center. The show had its world premiere in Redbank, NJ in 2015 at the Two River Theater, which had ...
Review: The Amiable Schlock of ‘Gettin’ the Band Back Together’
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, August 14, 2018 Sometimes shows come to Broadway that automatically get the online theater wags sharpening their knives. Before a show has even played its first preview, the theaterati start taking bets on when it will close, and polishing off their ...
Review: ‘Moulin Rouge’ Gets a Lavish Pre-Broadway Tryout in Boston
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, August 13, 2018 Before the 1980s, Boston was a major out-of-town stop for plays and musicals before they went to Broadway. The economics of such tryouts have changed drastically, as has the standard model for developing new plays and musicals, and ...
Review: A Young Woman’s Quest for Love and Passion in Off-Broadway’s ‘Beloved’
By Megan Wrappe, Contributing Writer, August 9, 2018 Discovering how life works is what resonates the most in Lisa Langseth’s one-woman show Beloved, starring Ellinor DiLorenzo and directed by Kathy Curtiss. The play begins with the character Katarina rummaging around her grandmother’s ...
Review: ‘Before We’re Gone’ Tackles Big Themes at 13th Street Repertory Theatre
By Diana Mott, Contributing Writer, August 6, 2018 Before We’re Gone ended it’s run at 13th Street Repertory Theatre on August 5 with hopes of moving uptown and, with caveats, it deserves another chance to be seen. It is a small play, made for a small stage in spite of the fact that it ...
Review: ‘On a Clear Day’ Almost Shines at the Irish Rep
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, August 3, 2018 After the disastrous 2011 Broadway revisal of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, it was looking like we might never see that show in New York City again. Peter Parnell’s ridiculous, gender-switching libretto, combined with Michael ...
Review: Off-Broadway Musical ‘This Ain’t No Disco’ Ain’t No Good
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, August 2, 2018 Why do bad musicals happen to good theater companies? That’s a question that I find myself asking quite a bit in the summer, when Manhattan’s numerous nonprofit theaters often trot out their latest musicals in development, hoping ...
Review: ‘Head Over Heels’ Stumbles on Broadway
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, July 27, 2018 The process of creating a jukebox musical involves at least one pivotal decision. You can either use a particular songbook to tell the story of the artists involved, as in the case of Jersey Boys, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and ...
London’s West End Is Bustling With Options This Summer
By Dan Bacalzo, Contributing Writer, July 19, 2018 London is a treasure trove for theatre lovers, with a wide range of exciting new stage offerings, Broadway imports, top-notch revivals, and a rich theatrical history. During my recent visit to the city, I indulged in a bit from each of these ...
Review: ‘Fire in Dreamland’ Is a Smoldering Metaphor
By Miles Harter, Contributing Writer, July 17, 2018 New York City has a rich and fascinating history. Plays that examine this history frequently can be compelling, and Fire in Dreamland perfectly fits the bill. Here, Coney Island provides the backdrop for two historic New York City disasters, most ...
Shakespeare in the Park’s ‘Twelfth Night’ Begins Performances Tonight
ZEALnyc, July 17, 2018 The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park continues its mission by presenting quality theatrical productions to the general public for free (see information for obtaining tickets below). So far this season has brought us a new production of Othello (read ...
Review: ‘Gone Missing’ at Encores! Off-Center — A Moving Tribute to a Missing Creator
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, July 13, 2018 First, a confession, and one that will no doubt brand me as heartless in the eyes of some. I’ve never enjoyed the work of the late Michael Friedman, who died this past September at the age of 41. With due respect for this greatly beloved ...
Review: Mummenschanz Creates Its Own World That Draws the Audience In
By Don Adkins, Managing Editor, July 11, 2018 Mummenschanz, often referred to as “The Musicians of Silence,” has returned to New York City for the first time in four years. Since its founding in Paris over forty years ago (1972), the troupe has toured extensively in both Europe and America, ...
Review: A Crowd-Pleasing ‘Songs for a New World’ Opens Encores! Off-Center Season
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, June 29, 2018 There’s something about Jason Robert Brown that inspires an almost cult-like devotion. Although none of his shows thus far has achieved genuine blockbuster status, there’s something about his works (in particular Parade, The Last Five ...
Review: ‘Carmen Jones’ Pulls Its Punches at CSC
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, June 28, 2018 We don’t get many chances to see Carmen Jones, Oscar Hammerstein’s 1944 modernized version of George Bizet’s 1875 opera, Carmen. The original production of Carmen Jones ran for 15 months, considerable for its time, but hasn’t been ...
Review: ‘Conflict’ — A Vintage Play Ringing True With Relevance for Today at the Mint
By Miles Harter, Contributing Writer, June 22, 2018 Theatergoers who want to see top notch productions of rarely seen plays should check out the offerings of The Mint Theater Company. The Mint’s mission is to find older plays, often not produced for decades, and present them to a new audience. ...
Review: The Royal Family of Broadway Strains to Please at Barrington Stage
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, June 19, 2018 A new musical by William Finn is always worth seeking out, wherever it happens to be playing. Finn has a knack for crafting quirky shows about peculiar people, but in a very endearing way. From the cadre of lovable neurotics in Falsettos ...
Review: ‘Othello’ Proves Lies Conquer Love
By Jil Picariello, Theater Editor, June 19, 2018 After last summer’s uproariously trumped-up and absurdly controversial Julius Caesar and the magical elder fairyland of Midsummer Night’s Dream, the first production of the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park season seems relatively tame. ...
‘Carmen Jones’ Is Back — And She’s Still Smokin’ Hot at Classic Stage
By Helaine Feldman, Contributing Writer, June 13, 2018 ‘Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?’ She’s still the fictional character in a popular series of mystery video games that have been around since 1985. A question for 2018 might be: Where in the world is Carmen Jones? ...
TODAY: Composer Charles Strouse Celebrates His 90th Birthday
By Don Adkins, Managing Editor, June 7, 2018 The headline could read “Home Town Boy Makes Good.” Ninety years ago today Charles Strouse was born in New York City and would go on to become one of the most iconic musical theater composers of the last half century. If we are to believe ...
Review: Dollars and Sense Diverge in ‘Dan Cody’s Yacht’ at MTC
By Justin Sharon, Contributing Writer, June 7, 2018 The Great Gatsby sold so poorly in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s lifetime that his last royalty check amounted to a decidedly unlucky $13.13. The author was living anything but large when he died, with crates of his derided Jazz Age chronicle ...
A Student Day at ‘Hamilton’
By Don Adkins, Managing Editor, May 31, 2018 As the mega-hit Hamilton approaches its third year anniversary since opening on Broadway (after its sold-out run at the Public Theater), we took the opportunity of checking in on the production to see yet another side of how its success has been ...
Insider Tips for Getting Tickets to Shakespeare in the Park
ZEALnyc, May 29, 2018 The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park is one of the best theater deals in town, because as its title states: it’s FREE! This season will bring a new production of Othello, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and will bring back the 2016 Public Works’ ...
Review: An Indeterminate ‘Beast in the Jungle’ at the Vineyard Theatre
By Sheila Kogan, Contributing Writer, May 29, 2018 The Vineyard Theatre is a small, comfortable Off-Broadway theater with a reputation for encouraging daring, creative experimentation. Among its successes is Avenue Q, which moved to Broadway and after a hiatus is now running again Off-Broadway, ...
Review: A Roughly Hewn ‘Jagged Little Pill’ at the A.R.T.
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, May 25, 2018 As we face the ineluctable barrage of jukebox musicals, a number of things become clear. They don’t automatically need to be awful, as we’ve seen with Jersey Boys and Beautiful. But they generally are awful, in particular the recent ...
Review: The Coastal Cohorts Bring a Carolina Breeze to the Big Apple
By Megan Wrappe, Contributing Writer, May 22, 2018 Many say that New York City is the greatest city in the world, and for some maybe it is. But if you haven’t traveled below the Mason-Dixon line, you may not know what you’re missing. As someone who grew up smack dab in the middle of North ...
Review: ‘Me and My Girl’ Underwhelms at Encores!
By Christopher Caggiano, Contributing Writer, May 16, 2018 In the 1980s, the landscape for Broadway musicals was bleak. As the decade wore on, American musicals were fewer and fewer in number, to the point where, in a number of seasons, there weren’t enough new musicals to fill out the ...
Review: Stunning Lyricism in CSC’s ‘Summer and Smoke’
By Miles Harter, Contributing Writer, May 4, 2018 Summer and Smoke is a somewhat lesser-known work by the brilliant Tennessee Williams, but it also deserves nearly as much critical acclaim. The play is now being presented by Classic Stage Company, together with Transport Group. The current ...