OFF-BROADWAY THEATER REVIEWS

In the second act of Terrence McNally's fact-based drama, Fire and Air, the legendary dance impresario Sergei Diaghilev privately examines the technique of a young dancer he may consider as a successor to his protegee-turned-international star, Vaslav Nijinsky....

In last season's GROUNDHOG DAY, the exceedingly charismatic Andy Karl was given the unenviable task of playing out a romantic comedy as a thoroughly despicable character. Now, in Greg Pierce's Cardinal at Second Stage, Anna Chlumsky's perfectly fine performance is similarly weighed down....

Sentimental stories of adults returning to their childhood homes to face the demons of the past after achieving success far, far away are a staple of popular entertainment, and though Ngozi Anyanwu's engaging contribution to the genre, The Homecoming Queen, adds nothing surprising, the elegant story...

Audiences and critics alike swooned over relatively unknown Leslie Uggams when she made her Broadway debut starring in Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Arthur Laurents and Jule Styne's progressively-minded 1967 Broadway musical HALLELUJAH, BABY!...

The famous Emily Dickinson poem reads, 'Hope is the thing with feathers--that perches on the soul--and sings the tune without words--and never stops--at all.' The idea of hope continuing on after tragedy is the very notion that resonates with the audiences after THE THING WITH FEATHERS by Scott Orga...

Directed by Clint Hromsco and produced by John Lant and Tamra Pica (in association with Write Act Repertory), Frankenstein boasts a book, music and lyrics by Eric B. Sirota, major contributions from Julia Sirota and also the help of Sharon Sudol and Cara London. Now in performances at the St. Luke...

With the past year bringing in a new administration with a new Secretary of Education, the national awareness of how overworked, undercompensated and financially burdened America's public school teachers are has fueled debate within discussions of federal budget restructuring and tax reform....

Balls, an exciting and inventive production, is now being performed at 59E59 Theaters through February 25. Written by Kevin Armento and Bryony Lavery, it is directed by Ianthe Demos and Nick Flint with movement direction by Natalie Lomonet. This is a stunning show that creatively portrays the infamo...

All too often, the word dated is misguidedly used to diminish the impact a play of a bygone era can have on contemporary audiences. Take, for example, the puritanical attitude towards pre-marital sex expressed by many of the characters in English playwright Stanley Houghton's social commentary, H...

As the ground-breaking theatre troupe Split Britches - which they founded with former member Deb Margolin in 1980 - Peggy Shaw and Lois Weaver have been challenging both gender norms and theatrical norms for nearly four decades, ranking them among the respected elders of America's performance art mo...

'The Undertaking' is now being performed at 59E59 Theaters through February 4. Presented by The Civilians, the show is written and directed by Steve Cosson with creative collaboration and psychopomp guidance by Jessica Mitrani. The two-hander explores mortality in a totally inventive way....

It's back! The 'La Bute New Theater Festival' at 59E59 Theaters features the NYC premieres of three short plays, 'Hate Crime' by Neil LaBute, 'Winter Break' by James Haigney, and 'Percentage America' by Carter W. Lewis all of which are superbly directed by John Pierson. Each of the three pieces pres...

Fear not, all you American playgoers whose comprehension skills usually require a few minutes of ear adjustment whenever a production from Britain or Ireland crosses over with its native cast....

Savvy playgoers attending British lip-sync artist Dickie Beau's RE-MEMBER ME at this year's Under The Radar Festival will notice that when a recording of Michael Douglas, playing Broadway director Zach in the film adaptation of A CHORUS LINE, instructs the solo performer to step forward, tell me yo...

That old adage that if men got pregnant, abortion and reproductive health would be fully funded by the federal government gets quite a workout in playwright/director Robert O'Hara's wild gender politics satire MANKIND....

Be careful about expressing your admiration for certain artists during Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen's hard-edged solo play, HOW TO BE A ROCK CRITIC. Though the audience is encouraged to engage in some give and take with Jensen as he impersonates the legendary writer Lester Bangs, fans of Jethro Tul...

Ninety-nine years before television producer Aaron Spelling first invited viewers aboard 'The Love Boat,' Gilbert and Sullivan made good on their promise of shipboard romance with their enduring hit, H.M.S. PINAFORE....

Boris Karloff... Peter Boyle... Shuler Hensley... and Robert Fairchild. One of these things is not like the others....

Sure, HAMLET may be William Shakespeare's dramatic masterpiece, but when pining for some romantic comedy, it's hard to beat Twelfth Night....

A unique and captivating one-man show is now onstage at 59E59 Theaters. 'A Regular Little Houdini' is written and performed by Daniel Llewelyn-Williams, directed by Joshua Richards, with composition by Meg Cox. It combines splendid storytelling and illusion with real historical events....

It may not be as well-known a holiday tradition as seeing the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, but for the fifth straight year, the Summoners Ensemble Theatre's delightful presentation of John Kevin Jones' thoroughly engaging solo performance of A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Merchant's House Museum is...

Just let your senses roam free for a moment and imagine what this feels like: the comfort of a dark room filled with friends and strangers alike, the euphoria of a few drinks clouding the mind, the electricity of trouble brewing in the air as the band takes the stage. Gear your thoughts towards your...

An exhilarating production, Cross That River, is now onstage at 59E59 Theaters through December 31st. The show has a riveting story along with a fabulous score and the finest musical accompaniment. It features direction by Regge Life, composition by Allan Harris, with a book by Allan and Pat Harris....

When we think of a person bound for success, dedicated to personal fulfillment and happiness gained through their craft, one such person who comes to mind is an actor. It is a profession that changes people, to say the least. An actor's drive and dedication towards a unique means of self expression ...

Don't be fooled. That familiar-sounding melody played at the top of Matthew Lombardo's hilariously subversive WHO'S HOLIDAY is not Welcome Christmas, the joyous chorale from the beloved television adaptation of Dr. Seuss' equally beloved How The Grinch Stole Christmas....