Theatre Review: Blessed Unrest’s Platonov, or a Play with No Name

  Platonov, or A Play with No Name, was Chekhov’s first large-scale drama, with an unabridged running time of about five hours. Chekhov himself never considered the work finished, and yet playwright Laura Wickens manages to reimagine a cohesive 100 minute translation of the play, delicately modernizing the banter while maintaining the unhinged histrionics of the original playwright’s early writing. Wickens’ version catenates the paths of the female characters, paring away the father figures save Platonov himself. “Working with this text was sort of like reviewing Deleted Scenes at the end of a movie and then remaking your own,” says Wickens. “Platonov,

Theater Review: ‘The Boys From Syracuse’ at Theatre Row’s Lion Theatre

This (almost) all male cast of “The Boys From Syracuse” are more effervescent than a fountain of Moët, more energized than the peloton at the Tour de France and more versatile than a bobby pin. They aren’t just reviving an old 1938 George Abbott, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart classic; they seem to be jump starting a Cadillac Sixty Special. So much gorgeous style wrapped up in a sleek vintage frame. Director and choreographer, Jonathan Cerullo has created an exceptional explosion of craft, timing and talent. His staging is inspired. It’s like watching a Broadway hit contained in a cupboard or

Radio Plays in the 21st Century

  Radio Plays in the 21st Century Interview with Cat Parker, Artistic Director of The Articulate Theatre Company Jeff Myhre, Interviewer Before television, there was the "Golden Age of Radio."   Plays on the radio were a major form of entertainment, from kid shows like "Little Orphan Annie" to the "Guiding Light" (yes, the show started on the radio), from "The Shadow" to "The Jack Benny Show." Techonology has rendered the form less popular, but it's still one of my favorite things in the entertainment world. Over the holidays, the Articulate Theatre Company staged "ON AIR/On Stage," its exploration into the world of the radio play. Artistic Director

Under the Radar Festival at the Public Theater and Japan Society

Under the Radar Festival Presented by The Public Theater Antigonon Un Contingente Epico at The Public Theater Mugen Noh Othello at Japan Society Snapshot Review: Vivid and Engaging The Public’s Under the Radar Festival is an annual theatrical feast for New Yorkers and visitors alike to see cutting-edge new works from both the U.S. and abroad, representing 229 companies from 42 countries over the past 14 years. Their international work is always particularly interesting and not likely to be seen in such an accessible way at such affordable prices. The plays featured in this review come from two islands on opposite ends of the world whose

KTW: A Whale of an Odyssey with Daniel Emond

KTW: A Whale of an Odyssey with Daniel Emond Caveat NYC Film Premiere Megan Lohne, Interviewer I had a chance to chat with Daniel Emond, an actor/singer/musician who over the past year has been working on an epic double sided record and musical film Kill The Whale inspired by the classic Melville novel Moby Dick with a pinch of The Beatles and a dash of Beyonce. Previously seen in Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet at A.R.T. and with his bands The Blue Eyed Betty's and Lion & Spaniel at venues all over NYC and beyond, he's a sharp talent to be reckoned with

Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Dmitri Hvorostovsky (1962-2017) An Apprciation Patricia Contino, Author One of the best things about the arts is following an artist’s journey. I first heard Dmitri (“Dima”) Hvorostovsky sing at in person at a 1995 New York Philharmonic concert conducted by Valery Gergiev. They performed Mussorgsky’s “Songs of Dances and Death”, which they recorded the previous year. I was already familiar with the baritone’s persuasively smooth voice – the combination of his 1989 victory at the first Cardiff Singer of the World competition along with his silver hair and black eyes certified a regular spot on WQXR’s playlist – but the song cycle was still

Backstage at Prague-New York Effects #7

Backstage at Prague-New York Effects #7 Talking Humor with Robert Janc, Mirenka Cechova and Quentin Heggs, Jacquelyn Claire, Interviewer Czech Center New York started a project entitled “Prague-New York Effects” two years ago. It’s a transatlantic cultural program that sees an artist from Prague collaborating with an Artist from New York. The artists meet in NYC for a residency that culminates in a performance. The team then travel to Prague to perform there. This is the 7th performance in the series and blends three styles of stand up comedy from ironic storytelling to clown humor to improvisational stand up. For this production

Whipped Cream

'Whipped Cream,' American Ballet Theatre Metropolitan Opera House Snapshot Review: Must See Patricia Contino, Reviewer Applauding the scenery is an accepted theatre tradition. Like the standing ovation, it is now automatic, and institutionalized. Occasionally, downtown venues like HERE and LaMama permit post-curtain looks without touching. The closest one can get at the Metropolitan Opera House are at designated display areas. American Ballet Theatre goers enchanted by Alexi Ratmansky "Whipped Cream" -- the highlight and hit of their 2017 Spring/Summer season -- found designer Mark Ryden\'s cuddly creations for the deliberately off-center ballet on tee shirts, stickers, expensive prints that sold

The Thing With Feathers

The Thing With Feathers The Barrow Group Theatre Snapshot Review: Creepy, Persuasive, Uneven Marc Miller, Reviewer Treacherous business, social media. Is that kind voice at the other end really who he says he is? Is he hiding something? Will a casual online encounter have unexpected consequences? Such everyday 21st century ruminations permeate The Thing with Feathers, Scott Organ’s creepy little drama premiering at the Barrow Group. The title alludes to Emily Dickinson, of course, and Emily Dickinson is where it begins, with Anna (Alexa Shae Niziak), a clever, restless, Internet-savvy teen, chatting remotely about Dickinson’s poetry with Eric (Zachary Booth), her new online friend. He’s

Let Me Cook for You

Let Me Cook for You Theaterlab Snapshot Review: Completely Engaging Jacquelyn Claire, Reviewer Theaterlab presents “Let me cook for you” - an exquisitely intimate dinner party play. Only twelve audience members are given the opportunity to “dine” with Orietta Crispino as she sates your hunger with a masterful memoir. It’s one of those truly unique New York theatrical moments that you want to witness. Orietta is making us dinner. Along with celery, peppers and marinated tofu you’ll get to savor the delicious ingredients of foreign accents, past desires, impossible hungers, horoscopes, myths, numerology and blemished beauty. She carves up her past in bite size

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