Caitlin Brody

Released in 1997, Anastasia was a dazzling 94-minute animated movie musical. Twenty years later, it's a fidget-inducing, two-and-a-half-hour Broadway musical, with a production not nearly animated enough to warrant that running time.

One of the best scenes is the finale: an invention of the authors, in which Rubinstein and Arden finally meet for the first time ever while in a green room before a speaking engagement. Years have passed - both women walk a bit slower; Arden carries a cane - and after huffs and puffs, in their own way, the moguls come to an understanding. They compare lipstick application tips, admit to - gasp! - admiring each other's products, and finally sing in unison, questioning whether they helped to free or enslave women.

Sweat features a truly remarkable ensemble and it's a struggle to take your eyes off any one of its layered characters. Far timelier now than when it debuted at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival back in 2015, Sweat offers a heartbreaking glimpse into the domino effect of what happens when life as you know it is pulled out from under you

Shuffle Along...is a refreshing burst of energy, no caffeine necessary...the jazzy musical boasts so much star power, at times it seems unfair to the rest of the Broadway circuit...Enter McDonald as actress Lottie Gee, the Kentucky-bred, headstrong feminist whose dreams of stardom outweigh all four of the show's collaborators combined...There's a reason McDonald has six Tonys and counting: Her honey-like voice captivates, whether she's singing bebop or intentionally trying to outshine an ingenue...Glover's rhythmic tap is the true pulse of Shuffle Along...Clocking in at just shy of three hours, Shuffle Along never feels long -- it's a dazzling production that celebrates art, dreams, and equality. A-