Brian Scott Lipton — Theater Critic

Still, if you allow yourself to get carried away, you’ll have a delightful time with “Pirates! The Penzance Musical.” And if you bring your own beignets, please eat them after the show.

Still, if you allow yourself to get carried away, you’ll have a delightful time with “Pirates! The Penzance Musical.” And if you bring your own beignets, please eat them after the show.

Still, Floyd Collins is no feel-good entertainment, a rarity in a spring season that has already given us Boop!, Smash, and Operation Mincemeat. But theatergoers seeking more challenging fare are encouraged to dig into Floyd Collins... The sublime Jeremy Jordan is in top form as the overly optimistic Floyd... While film director Billy Wilder was inspired by the ‘media circus,’ Landau and Guettel are more interested in Floyd’s existential dilemma as he realizes he might die, as well as the ever-fracturing relationships above ground that develop during Floyd’s final days.

Just as people may not be who they originally seem, “John Proctor is the Villain” reveals more layers throughout its 100-minute running time as it hurtles to its conclusion. Even if some parts of the play fail to achieve its desired effect, there’s definitely an A for effort on everyone’s part.

This misbegotten, meshugana mess wastes the talent of a top-notch cast and an often-delightful score from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, not to mention 2 ½ hours of your time.

Warren is a marvel, her powerful voice and expert skills as an actress painting a complete portrait of the defiantly happy, defiantly determined and defiantly angry Cathy. She’s properly mournful in the melancholy “Still Hurting”; hilarious in the vaudevillian “A Summer in Ohio”; and cockeyedly optimistic in “I Can Do Better That.” Jonas (likely cast for his formidable name value) is rather too appealing as Jamie; he simply lacks the character’s formidable egotism and neuroticism.

More importantly, though, it’s a solid evening of theater. Yes, perhaps it’s a less-than-dramatic one -- unless you’ve never seen the movie or don’t know your 1950s history -- but it remains eminently watchable as it recounts Murrow’s crusade to take down Wisconsin’s junior senator, Joseph McCarthy, through his news program 'See It Now.'

More importantly, though, it’s a solid evening of theater. Yes, perhaps it’s a less-than-dramatic one -- unless you’ve never seen the movie or don’t know your 1950s history -- but it remains eminently watchable as it recounts Murrow’s crusade to take down Wisconsin’s junior senator, Joseph McCarthy, through his news program 'See It Now.'

Still, one’s viewing pleasure derives largely from the show’s superb five-person cast (three of whom are also its co-creators), whose ability to do quick costume changes and switch genders and characters on a dime – as well as handle the many challenges of Felix Hagan’s accomplished pastiche score -- are truly medal-worthy.

Still, one’s viewing pleasure derives largely from the show’s superb five-person cast (three of whom are also its co-creators), whose ability to do quick costume changes and switch genders and characters on a dime – as well as handle the many challenges of Felix Hagan’s accomplished pastiche score -- are truly medal-worthy.

Jacobs-Jenkins is a fantastic storyteller, and it is possible to walk away from Purpose without considering any of the play’s further implications, simply having relished in his almost unparalleled gifts for dialogue and characterization. (It won’t be a surprise if he ends up with back-to-back Tony Awards.)

For nearly two hours, the Tony Award-winning icon -- surrounded by a superlative supporting cast of four – gets to frequently show off her still-breathtaking belt to tremendous effect. Unfortunately, it’s too often in the service of a generic pop-sounding, lyrically banal score by musical theatre newcomer Kate Diaz, with too many songs that simply reinforce emotions that have already been expressed and do little to advance the barely-there plot. Indeed, no matter how strikingly songs like “Great Escape” or “No Repair” are performed, there’s no number here like “Defying Gravity” or “Over the Moon” that Menzel’s admirers will want to hear for years (or decades) to come. Further, librettist and director Tina Landau’s frustrating, oddly structured book basically dares us to sympathize with Menzel’s self-absorbed, self-pitying character.

Sadly, I would not expect a repeat performance (aka a Broadway transfer) from the less-than-ideal “revival” now being presented by City Center Encores! Part parable and part spoof of musical theater, the production, directed with a too-heavy hand by Teddy Bergman, takes its seemingly outlandish plot a bit too seriously, robbing the show of some of its much-needed laughs.

Don’t bother! Harrison makes it clear that such actions would merely be performative. Indeed, one can’t really argue that “The Antiquities” is a cautionary tale. There’s no question that artificial intelligence is here to stay; all that’s left for us to discover is whether Harrison’s dire predictions about the future of the human race – and technology’s part in making it happen -- will come true or turn out to be mere figments of the playwright’s vivid imagination.

A glimpse into theatrical history (although clearly a mix of fact and faction), “Kowalski” is a satisfying combination of drama and melodrama, much like many of Williams’ plays.

Yes, the show may be called “Gypsy,” but it’s Rose who is front and center. Luckily, McDonald offers the kind of fully committed, thoroughly thoughtful and often breathtaking performance people will talk about for decades. Don’t miss it!

Meanwhile, the board, for their part, seems far more worried about the financial health of the school than the physical health of their students, or in the case of Suzanne, furthering her own personal agenda. (Hecht’s brilliant delivery of a small monologue explaining her “reasoning” is heartbreaking and slightly terrifying.) But here’s the biggest problem of all: as Covid still looms, the concept of people resisting and refusing vaccines isn’t likely to engender much sympathy in New York theatergoers (many of whom have started to wear masks again). Worse yet, with the prospect of vaccine-denier Robert F. Kennedy Jr. becoming the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services – and asking the FDA to revoke approval of the polio vaccine – the issue no longer feels fit for satire. Ultimately, even in a better production than this one, the day to produce “Eureka Day” has passed.

If truly dark musicals are not your taste, I’d suggesting staying away from “Swept Away.” Others are urged to come sail away on this often-remarkable journey.

Others may see trees of green and red roses too as the show ends. What I see is that “A Wonderful World” is a story that might have been best served by one single vision.

Others may see trees of green and red roses too as the show ends. What I see is that “A Wonderful World” is a story that might have been best served by one single vision.

Gold has shrunk most of the Circle’s playing space into a literal black circle in the center of the floor, designed by the ever-clever collective dots, and which contains one extraordinary surprise – almost as big as the care he brings into creating a truly effective “Romeo & Juliet.”

What bothers me more is not understanding why Ephron would dilute what could be a truly inspiring tale of senior citizens stepping out of their respective comfort zones to take a chance at happiness? As it stands, “Left on Tenth” feels like watching a rom-com with two extremely good-looking middle-aged people.

And these two stars do, to quote the script, have faces. And voices. And presence. A singer of phenomenal power and range, Scherzinger hits and holds the notes written by Andrew Lloyd Webber in a way that can induce gasps (not to mention two mid-show standing ovations at my performance). Better yet, she also brings an incredible intentionality to the song’s lyrics (by Christopher Hampton and Don Black) as if she’s thought for years about the meaning of every single word that comes out of her mouth, especially in her showstoppers “With One Look” and “As If We Never Said Goodbye.”

And these two stars do, to quote the script, have faces. And voices. And presence. A singer of phenomenal power and range, Scherzinger hits and holds the notes written by Andrew Lloyd Webber in a way that can induce gasps (not to mention two mid-show standing ovations at my performance). Better yet, she also brings an incredible intentionality to the song’s lyrics (by Christopher Hampton and Don Black) as if she’s thought for years about the meaning of every single word that comes out of her mouth, especially in her showstoppers “With One Look” and “As If We Never Said Goodbye.”

Most importantly even if we might actually hate her on some level for admitting that she only stays in “posh hotels” now, sleeps with two mattress toppers, and is severely uncomfortable with her current level of fame and wealth (of course, your level of pettiness may vary), one really has to cheer Gadsby for achieving the ability – wanted or not – to live the proverbial dog’s life.