Emlyn Travis

Liberation may not be able to answer life's difficult questions, but it knows that it's important to foster these conversations and to come together to try our best to make the world a better place — especially when history often seems hellbent on repeating itself. And, four steps out of the theater, it's clear that messaging has hit its mark when a young woman turns to her friend and brightly declares, "I'm fired up!" Grade: B+

Still, Punch's moving message about the true power of connection and understanding in the wake of unthinkable tragedy is one that is desperately needed these days. Grade: B

Now, they'll get the chance to do just that as the musical returns to its original home — the Winter Garden Theatre — for a six-month-long limited engagement that may not reinvent the material, but is still every bit the dreamy, endlessly endearing experience that fans know and love.

As adaptations of popular, already-established franchises continue to pop up on Broadway, it’s thrilling to see original, truly one-of-a-kind productions like Dead Outlaw rise up to meet them. Eccentric, silly, and moving, the tale of Elmer McCurdy is one that truly needs to be seen to be believed.

Immersive, heartfelt, and exhilarating, First Shadow is a must-see spectacle for the Stranger Things obsessive as much as it is for the theater aficionado who wants to see the medium pushed to new heights.

Combined, John Proctor Is the Villain not only serves as a modern day recontextualization of the original play, but also a laugh-out-loud funny and deeply affecting examination of girlhood, feminism, the #MeToo movement, and the unstoppable power of female friendship. It is pure, heartbreaking perfection.

With such an impressive list of actors, audiences will likely flock to Glengarry Glen Ross simply because they want to see Odenkirk, Burr, McKean, and Culkin knock it out of the park — and that is what they will find in spades. Any further exploration into the play's themes of toxic masculinity, morality, and corruption, however, have been largely left at the wayside in favor of watching these men work. Which, of course, creates a thrilling experience, but also leaves something more to be desired.

Without spoiling anything, Swept Away is a musical that will keep viewers on their toes until its final moments — even if it does rush its ending a smidge. In fact, attendees may find themselves wanting to take in a secondary viewing (after the adrenaline wears off, of course) to catch glimpses of what they missed the first time around; I’m certain that there were subtle cues from each of the actors that I didn't notice in my flurry to catch all of the action. But, be prepared: The powerful performances and message of brotherhood and sacrifice will stick with you long afterward. Steel your heart, grab a lifejacket, and set sail for the Longacre Theatre as soon as possible. Grade: A

While Tammy Faye may try to wrap up its lead's life into a pretty bow by preaching about the importance of loving yourself and forgiveness, its end result, sadly, is a complicated portrait of an equally complicated woman. Grade: C

It's abundantly clear that Shakespeare purists expecting this production to be a timeless tale filled with medieval garb and banquets will find themselves up in arms over Romeo + Juliet's bold choices. But the visceral, teary-eyed reactions that several young audience members in the crowd had during the play is proof enough of how influential it will be for a brand new generation of theatergoers. To quote Perez: "Thank you, William Shakespeare!" Mic drop. Grade: B+

McNeal might ask fascinating questions about a writer’s sense of integrity, the disconnect between generations of writers, and the limits of artificial intelligence within art, but the delivery is so garbled that it is difficult to ascertain what the play is actually trying to say about these complex issues… if anything at all. Grade: C+

While the musical may have its lulls during the second act — and drag some of its overly-exaggerated gags for just a smidge too long at times — it's hard not to find joy in watching Foster silently entertain an entire audience on her own by trying her hand at ye olde Chubby Bunny Challenge. If a jolly, slightly risqué spin on a classic fairytale is what you're looking for, then don't sleep on this revival. B+

Those attending Great Gatsby expecting nothing more than a glitzy, glamorous romp through the Roaring Twenties will find themselves satisfied, but others hoping to find a deeper take on the novel's exploration of the American dream, old money versus new money, and love will find themselves feeling adrift. The Great Gatsby is a great big Broadway extravaganza that may dazzle viewers at first but, much like the green light, perfection remains close, yet just out of reach. C+

While the Emcee adores all of the Kit Kat Club’s endlessly talented ensemble, it’s easy to see why he holds a special fondness for the cabaret’s headliner, Sally Bowles. Rankin is nothing short of spectacular as the ostentatious performer, knowing when turn on her character's charming nature and when to pull back the curtain to reveal a weariness that makes it feel as if life's hardships have been weighing on her shoulders for centuries. Still, when the curtain lifts and the spotlight beams down upon her, Rankin ensures that Sally transforms into an unforgettable star with her coquettish performances of 'Don't Tell Mama' and 'Mein Herr.' However, it's her rendition of 'Maybe This Time,' soft and full of hopeful surrender, that truly makes Sally's eventual arc within the musical that much more affecting.

For many, The Outsiders is a story that not only remains as raw and relatable as when they first read it, but also pushed the very boundaries of young adult fiction with its insightful ruminations on brotherhood, identity, and the cycles of grief and violence. While its musical adaptation may have its squabbles, its heart of gold still remains firmly intact. Grade: B

In 1975,Tommy was adapted into a deliciously delirious film that featured the tagline, “Your senses will never be the same.” Now, The Who's Tommy carries that torch forward in its own radical, one-of-a-kind adventure that truly has to be seen to be believed. See it, feel it — you won't forget it. Grade: B+

Everyone's heard of The Notebook. Whether it’s through reading Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling debut novel or its 2004 blockbuster adaptation starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, most can recall some semblance of Noah and Allie’s whirlwind romance — or, at the very least, their propensity for arguing and dramatic kisses in the rain. Now, The Notebook is leaping off the page and onto the stage in a poignant new musical that is, without a doubt, its finest adaptation yet.

For the last two decades, Barry Manilow and his longtime writing partner Bruce Sussman have worked tirelessly to bring Harmony: A New Musical to Broadway. The show, which opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theater on Nov. 13, chronicles the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, a six-membered German vocal group that rose to popularity in the late 1920s only to be completely erased from history because it featured Jewish members. With Harmony, Manilow and Sussman succeed in shining a light on a moving and timely tale, but the show doesn't truly begin to sing until its second act.

The Ghanaian-American playwright (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play) and director Whitney White (Our Dear Dead Drug Lord) have teamed up with executive producers Taraji P. Henson and LaChanze to paint a brilliant, emotive portrait of a seemingly simple day in the life of the sedulous West African women working at its titular Central Harlem hair braiding shop. As their day progresses, theatergoers will uncover a powerful tale about joy, dreams, societal and familial expectations, community, politics, loss, and sisterhood.

The play is a sensational, feminist twist on a classic British period drama that features knockout performances, melodramatic reveals, and some seriously outrageous one-liners. If home is where the heart is, then The Cottage is where the mind's deepest, darkest, and most salacious secrets go to fight and frolic in the fresh air.

While its main conflict may resolve itself a bit too easily in the end — not unlike its source material — Once Upon a One More Time is a youthful, exuberant take on beloved tales that's more dazzling and polished than Cinderella's glass slipper. Expect to keep on dancin' long after the musical ends. Grade: B+

Although its overall message may be clouded amid the hazy supernatural storyline, Grey House is a bold, original, and unapologetically eerie play that will continue to haunt theatergoers long after they've left the theater. Those who are drawn to its call should definitely pay Grey House a visit — they've been expecting you. Grade: B

More than 60 years after its original Broadway debut, Camelot's overarching message of trying to make the world a better place — even if one should fail along the way — still feels as fresh and resonant as ever. Reinvigorated by Sorkin — who has long painted a dreamy, egalitarian view of politics within his works — and his new book, the musical succeeds in evoking that dream for one brief, shining moment once again.

When onstage together, Ashford and Groban are a force to be reckoned with as they bring the painfully one-sided relationship between their characters to life. Ashford, who often adopts a starry-eyed look whenever Groban is near, is sweet and accepting of all of Todd's glaring red flags — at one point remarking to her murderous partner, 'Surely one's enough for the day, dear?' — while Groban's Todd utilizes her affections for his own violent ends. At times throughout the performance, it almost appeared as if Ashford was gleefully trying to goad Groban into dropping Todd's deadpan demeanor with her outlandish antics. She appeared to succeed once throughout the night — getting Groban to crack a full-bodied laugh during their phenomenal performance of 'A Little Priest' — but by then she was equally laughing too, so the pair simply took a beat before proceeding with their cannibalistic crooning.

Herein lies Bad Cinderella's biggest problem: like its protagonists, it doesn't know what it wants to be. At times, it's an ominous cautionary tale of how the beauty industry — led by the Fairy Godmother (Christina Acosta Robinson), who excitedly waves a syringe instead of a wand — preys on insecurities and coerces others to conform to its unrealistic standards. At others, it's a critique on how fairytale endings don't actually exist, only for the show to culminate in its own highly dramatic happily ever after. And, at its best, it's a hilariously campy romp that doesn't take itself seriously in the slightest.