Robert Kahn

Now open at the St. James Theatre, 'Bullets Over Broadway' is a zany, old-fashioned spectacle that features the Broadway debut of actor-writer Zach Braff and a marvelous turn from three-time Tony nominee Marin Mazzie as an aging diva...While not without some curious choices, 'Bullets' is certainly the best of the musicals to open on Broadway so far this season, though make note ... it's a new musical with old music...The mark of director-choreographer Stroman...is all over the deliciously escapist piece, which boasts showstoppers and glitzy costumes that would be right at home in a vaudeville revue... What's important here is this: Stroman's brand of showmanship and Allen's unparalleled wit go together, in the end, just like a hot dog and a roll.

All members of the foursome give performances much in keeping with how we've experienced them before: Tomei is spacey, Letts wields defense mechanisms powerful enough to fend off an alien attack, and so on...Eno's ultimately too-indulgent comedy is a gentle reminder that none of us know what we are really facing, and some of us are more acutely aware of that 'unknown' than others. The trouble with 'The Realistic Joneses' is that it's more concerned with making the point over and over, rather than exploring anything new.

Washington has such an easygoing way about him that it seems to transfer by osmosis to the other actors -- we experience this in his first scenes on stage, where he seems to bring his own age down by a half-century, cavorting with son Travis (a very good Bryce Clyde Jenkins, in his Broadway debut) after they one-up Ruth over some small change Travis needs for school. Washington switches just as easily to a man simmering with rage that he can't amply provide for his family. But here's the thing: the actor, 59, plays a character on the cusp of 40 -- that age when we realize we might not accomplish all the things we dreamed of doing in our 20s. From the audience, the discrepancy makes a difference. I spent too much time thinking about how Washington is older than his character, and not enough time enjoying his performance.

With 'Mothers & Sons,' McNally has again crafted a narrative that could not be more particular to time (the present) and location (the progressive Upper West Side). This time, it's a story rooted in optimism, and one that manages to look simultaneously over its shoulder and straight ahead. Daly gives an exquisite performance as a lonely, suicidal woman desperate to imagine a life her son might have led...Together, Daly and Weller have dynamic chemistry, lurching from moments of mutual respect to moments of accusation, and back...I thought 'Mothers & Sons' was fantastic, for how effectively it locks down this unique period of time that is 2014, in New York City, amid the explosive progress of the gay rights movement in the last handful of years. I hope it finds a broad audience. If you're under 30, 'Mothers & Sons' is a history lesson; if you're older, it may feel like the sun on your face.

Who is he? Who is he? He's Ramin Karimloo, and as Jean Valjean, he's the main reason to reacquaint yourself with the 'newly reimagined' revival of 'Les Miserables,' now open at the Imperial Theatre... this 'Les Miz' is Karimloo's story. I was awed by the actor's soaring voice, particularly during the final notes of 'Bring Him Home,' which seem to last blissfully forever. He's captivating and charismatic...Ultimately, the dynamic between his Javert and Karimloo's Valjean feels a bit askew. How could anyone, really, possess the gravitas of this Valjean, and thus seem a suitable rival? Still, Swenson's second act soliloquy, in which he pledges to escape from the world of Jean Valjean, is a high point.

In the case of 'Rocky,' let's begin at the end. The electric final 15 minutes of the new musical based on Sylvester Stallone's small-town Philly boxer, now open at the Winter Garden Theatre, are likely to inspire a heavy outpouring of adjectives: Game-changing. Jaw-dropping. Astounding. All are fair. Preceding the high-voltage conclusion-a round-by-round battle between the idealistic Italian Stallion and world champ Apollo Creed that makes use of the theater space in a quite novel way -is an otherwise-workaday musical buoyed by enough built-in goodwill to lift it up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and beyond.

'All the Way' replays the battles of the Freedom Summer, many neatly drawn between North and South or black and white. But there's so much procedural material rehashed in the cluttered drama it can feel as if you were being smacked upside the head with a Robert Caro volume...Director Bill Rauch, of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival...energizes the material when he can, often with unexpected juxtapositions...'All the Way' probably isn't a play that would make it to Broadway without an enormous draw as the lead--the real threat to LBJ's campaign here is the proselytizing. It's a story for diehard politicos, students of the civil rights movement or those who enjoy the social capital of saying they've seen one of the top TV actors of our generation in a drama that lets him flex serious muscle.

The engaging new musical 'The Bridges of Madison County,' now open at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, left me wondering two things. First: Can Kelli O'Hara do anything? And second: Are we so starved for affection we're willing to give over our hearts to a story that is - sorry, folks! - utterly preposterous? Even after swooning over the book? And sighing over the movie? The answers: Indeed, Kelli O'Hara can do anything, darn near perfectly, including transform herself into a chestnut-haired Italian beauty who, for the better part of two decades, has assumed the role of an Iowa housewife. And, apparently ... yes. We are suckers for a good love story, no matter the form, and even when it's likely we recall the outcome.

Sharpened, but still dubiously crafted, 'Bronx Bombers' is a jock drama that will appeal to any Yankees fanatic, but leave others restless in the bleachers...But most important, the script has been tightened, lending needed clarity to its simple message: The Yankees organization has churned with personal drama since before the days of intrusive media and free agency, but ultimately, the team will thrive and the fans will maintain their bond...There are colorful performances from the committed ensemble, many doing double duty...'Damn Yankees' this is not, but it may keep sports fans distracted until spring training.

Debra Messing, a nice Jewish girl, slides effortlessly into a foursome of otherwise Irish actors in the wistful 'Outside Mullingar,' a new romantic comedy - that is, by the time it resolves an identity crisis - from award-winning writer John Patrick Shanley ('Doubt')...That Messing makes for a fine ensemble actress is hardly astounding...What is surprising is how convincingly she plays an Irishwoman in her Broadway debut...The erratic, or at least elastic nature of the script almost doesn't matter, though, because the dialogue is so colorful (the college-aged victims of an auto wreck are said to be found with a 'badger licking the blood' off their bodies - hey, this is an Irish play) and the acting so sharp, that the 95-minute, intermission-less rom-com, or whatever-this-is, seems to fly by.

'Machinal' is a tough piece of theater. Society drove Ruth - and so, for our purposes, Helen - to kill her husband. To actually be free, Helen has to die. How you ultimately view 'Machinal' depends enormously on your sympathy for Helen and your ability to empathize with her actions. I just didn't like Helen very much, so her death never felt like a terrible loss.

Beautiful' is a must-see if you're a King fan, or you're fascinated by the music business during a potent time when chart hits were coming out of cubicles in places like the Brill Building and 1650 Broadway, where King and husband Gerry Goffin set up shop...With an understated performance, Mueller, seen recently in the Roundabout's 'Drood,' establishes herself among the elite of Broadway leading ladies. The actress, 30, doesn't sound much like King, but she makes each song her own while respecting the original imprint. She has lovely chemistry with Epstein, who you can't help but feel a bit sorry for: he's on his game, but Goffin, who is said to have suffered from manic depression, comes off mostly as a wounded misanthrope.

Beautiful' is a must-see if you're a King fan, or you're fascinated by the music business during a potent time when chart hits were coming out of cubicles in places like the Brill Building and 1650 Broadway, where King and husband Gerry Goffin set up shop...With an understated performance, Mueller, seen recently in the Roundabout's 'Drood,' establishes herself among the elite of Broadway leading ladies. The actress, 30, doesn't sound much like King, but she makes each song her own while respecting the original imprint. She has lovely chemistry with Epstein, who you can't help but feel a bit sorry for: he's on his game, but Goffin, who is said to have suffered from manic depression, comes off mostly as a wounded misanthrope.

“Waiting for Godot,” to my taste the more palatable of the two plays, has the famous wanderers Vladimir (Stewart) and Estragon (McKellen) idling by a barren tree, expecting to meet up with Mr. Godot, who they hope will improve their lot. Beckett’s play is an examination of time, memory and identity, set, we’re told, over consecutive days.

In the staid “No Man’s Land,” Hirst (Stewart), a successful poet, and Spooner (McKellen), a failed one, having met in a London pub, drink into the night in Hirst’s well-appointed home. The overtly homosexual overtones in some productions -- Hirst and Spooner meet in Hampstead Heath, known as a gay-cruising destination -- are not particularly dwelled upon here.

As the Reverend Lord Ezekial D'Ysquith, [Jefferson] Mays is pushed from a church steeple, a bloody scene with Hitchcockian overtones.The murders go on like that, satisfying stand-alone moments that allow Mays to do what he does best: rush backstage, jump into the next costume and play scenes to the hilt. They're delectable schadenfreude. You'll thrill in seeing him bring boundless energy and distinct personalities to his assorted D'Ysquiths of either gender. Pinkham, as well, achieves a tall order, remaining perfectly likable, though his character is committing nefarious acts...If it's escapism you're out for, and you also take pleasure from the suffering of others - after pushing through Times Square to get to a theater during the holidays, you very well may - 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder' has the trappings of a fun, lightweight night out. Like many two-for-one offers, it's a rewarding proposition.

It's next to impossible to experience Billy Crystal's still side-splitting '700 Sundays'without recalling the absurdist characters and hallmark moments of your own youth. The veteran entertainer, a city slicker-turned-awards-show-hosting-juggernaut, has turned the story of his own coming-of-age into such a relatable piece of theater that any one anecdote may start your waterworks flowing, even while you're doubled over in laughter.

For a comedy that’s about characters carried away by sexual desire, there’s surprisingly little warmth in this “Twelfth Night,” from either Rylance’s otherwise-winning Olivia, who seems to glide across the stage as if on rollers, or Scotsman Liam Brennan’s Duke Orsino, who is falling for his handsome new page boy, Cesario (Barnett, as Viola, in disguise).

Viewers of the Netflix political drama “House of Cards” might detect the influence of Richard III on Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood (Spacey appeared as an energetic Richard III at BAM last year): Richard’s ruthless scheming, shameless manipulation and direct asides to the audience as he confides to us his monstrous plans pretty much set the bar for the cold-blooded quest for political power.

There are gymnastics aplenty, the most memorable coming from Julius 'iGlide' Chisolm, of the dance crew RemoteKontrol, and hip-hop artist Virgil J. Gadson, who does handstands during 'East St. Louis Toodle-oo.' Of the dancers, you'll be particularly taken with Karine Plantadit (a Tony nominee for the Twyla Tharp musical 'Come Fly Away'), who emerges from a coffin and later climbs back atop it during a number that includes the pieces 'The Gal From Joe's' and 'Black and Tan Fantasy.'

A Time to Kill,' also the basis for a memorable film, begins as a horrifying act is perpetrated upon a young black girl carrying groceries to her family. When her father, Carl Lee (here, John Douglas Thompson, excellent) finds out about the rape, he guns down the scoundrels. To keep him off death row, cocky attorney Jake Brigance (Sebastian Arcelus) will have to prove Carl Lee was temporarily insane...Arcelus ('House of Cards'), as the good Southern boy who takes on Carl Lee's case partly out of his own guilt over not preventing the crime, is lost here, almost as if he's just blandly working a table reading...Jake's wife and daughter have been mostly written out of the story; so, too, has a pivotal element of the book that had Ellen Roark's character attacked by the Ku Klux Klan. Indeed, with this script, much of the action has been wrung right out of the story.

How far would you go for family? That's the deceptively complex question posed by 'The Winslow Boy,' a satisfying, very British drama from the Roundabout Theatre Co. now open at the American Airlines Theatre. In the case of the Winslows, an upper-class clan living in London's Kensington district, the answer is: you go until it hurts, and then you go some more...It's a credit to actor Rees that the dated storyline and Masterpiece-esque class distinctions don't come off as exceptionally antiquated...

Norbert Leo Butz, as Edward, is as charismatic as ever in this father-and-son fable, based on Tim Burton's 2003 film about a traveling salesman who tells far-fetched stories...The two-time Tony winner leaps, swaggers and sweats his way through more than two-and-a-half hours of fair-to-middling show tunes with enough visual spice to keep us engaged, if not quite tapping our fingers along in our armrests....Where 'Big Fish' gets stuck in the shallows is with its score, by Andrew Lippa ('The Addams Family'). A brash musical demands you leave the theater wanting to buy the cast recording, or at least humming a song. 'Big Fish' doesn't, though 'Be the Hero,' which bookends the production, is catchy enough, in spite of its been-there-heard-that message: you should 'be the hero of your own story.

[Quinto's] performance, brooding and self-aware, allows you to experience Tom's turmoil: the contradictory knowledge that to save himself, he needs to desert the ones he loves most...Jones, in the months leading up to this opening, left us with the sense she never wanted to play the complex Amanda, but allowed director Tiffany to persuade her. Thank goodness. Her forceful matron is bullying and boisterous, motherly and affectionate, deluded and desperately needy, without ever quite coming off as detached from reality...Keenan-Bolger holds her chin high through every disappointment. Her face remains blank, but she carries the weight of her burdens in hunched shoulders. Laura's low self-esteem drives the action in 'Menagerie,' though by the end of this production, Keenan-Bolger will have you second-guessing just who among the Wingfields is truly the weakest link. Her Laura is frail, but not yet so lost to despair that she is unable to take risks.

There's plenty of heat emanating from David Leveaux's production of 'Romeo and Juliet'...The opening scene, pitting rival cousins Benvolio (Conrad Kemp) and Tybalt (Corey Hawkins) against one another in front of a graffiti-marked wall, could well introduce the contemporary 'West Side Story.' An engine revs offstage, and a helmet-clad rider storms in on a Triumph Scrambler motorcycle. It's an entrance that totally works for Bloom, popular star of 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchises...Rashad, often barefoot, plays Juliet as a portrait of innocence and naivete, with eyes that widen in Bloom's presence...There is chemistry here, though for me it seemed to peak early on...During the famous balcony scene, I confess I began to wonder if this all might just be about hormones. The debonair, at-ease Bloom seems to overpower Rashad from here out. Blame it on the strategic wielding of a sun tattoo on his stomach ... or his nuanced performance.