Roma Torre

What does emerge is a wonderful character study. Patrick Stewart is a marvel in dumbing down his God-given talents. This Brit playing a mediocre American actor, even manages to mangle Robert's British accent. There’s a poignancy as well when Stewart, through the laughs, reveals the emptiness in Robert’s life. T.R. Knight's role is basically one of second banana but he certainly holds his own especially when the two are botching a scene together.

There’s another dimension to this story that adds to the 'Pitmen' lore. All eight actors in the show hail from the same mining region where the play is set. And they've stayed with it since the play debuted there three years ago. And each of these loyal performers, like their characters, are phenomenal talents. They're also astute critics because they knew they had the makings of a masterpiece on their hands.

The concept relies heavily on audio/visual elements which are ingeniously woven into the production. And when all is said and done what emerges is a beautifully touching piece of theatre. To compare it to the source would be a disservice since creator/director Emma Rice's staging is itself artfully original. What she’s achieved is something of a reconstruction of the Noel Coward work. Rice added songs written by the author, along with puppets, evocative choreography and a giant screen featuring filmed projections, all of which contribute yet another dimension to the story.

Just when it seemed the superlatives couldn't get any more super, 'A Little Night Music' gets Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch; and now “Next To Normal” stars Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, and both shows are better than ever.

'Everyday Rapture' is little changed from the Second Stage production last year off-Broadway. There was concern that it would get swallowed up in the larger American Airlines Theatre. But while less intimate now, under Michael Mayer's solid direction it remains both a witty parody of confessional shows and an earnest showcase for a gifted diva. Scott makes fun of herself as one of Broadway's brightest semi-stars, but her glittering performance proves she is a full-fledged star.

If ever there was a real life modern-day tragedy in the classical sense, the colossal rise and fall of Enron would be it. Yet while the dynamics are certainly there – hubris, larger-than-life characters, tragic flaws – Enron was an energy company! Tragic maybe, but dramatic? Stage worthy? The answer is a resounding yes! It's all in the way you tell it . . . and the telling at the Broadhurst Theatre is riveting.

There’s a prismatic effect to this show. Some will see 'American Idiot' as an elaborate music video for the big stage while others will find it revelatory. As a mother of a 16-year-old, I found it to be a powerful cautionary tale. As a critic, I felt I’d seen it all before and as someone who appreciates superior talent in any form, it’s quite awesome.

Just when you think you know a show inside and out, along comes a revival that opens a new window and suddenly a gust of fresh air turns the whole experience into an unexpected joy. I’ve seen 'La Cage Aux Folles' several times, but this streamlined production beautifully integrates the dramatic elements with the music and the result is as inviting as an April in Paris, or rather, San Tropez.

Conceived by Floyd Mutrux, who wrote the book with Colin Escott, the musical has just enough of a compelling narrative to keep audiences hooked between numbers. The performers impressively flesh out the roles, revealing the early insecurities of the superstars to come.

But in many ways, the show feels wrong. Broadway's instinctive need to entertain seems at odds with the cartoon's low key style. In fact, the last thing you'd expect the tango loving Morticia and Gomez to do is yuk it up for laughs. But that's precisely what's going on for the most part. Andrew Lippa's eclectic score is uneven, featuring a few winning numbers playing on the conceit that normal values are reversed with the Addams' preferring dead things and gloom. But even that's inconsistent as the story inexplicably turns sentimental in spots. Bookwriters Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice of 'Jersey Boys' fame have come up with a plot right out of 'La Cage Aux Folles.' They've aged daughter Wednesday giving her a boyfriend with conservative parents who the kids invite over for dinner, expecting the Addams' to straighten their act. Besides being unoriginal it's uncompelling to boot.

'Red' is an extremely intelligent play of ideas, dealing with such lofty concepts as the purpose of art, cultural trendiness, commerce versus aesthetics and much more. The shifting dynamics in this brutally honest portrait of the artist make for the most intellectually stimulating 90 minutes Broadway has seen in years.

Tharp’s 'book' for 'Come Fly Away,' if you could call it that, isn’t nearly as ambitious. Tied together by the thinnest thread, the disparate songs illustrate basic emotions experienced by four couples in a nightclub setting. Though the individual numbers are thrilling and brilliantly executed, the total experience is less engaging than one would expect.

If “Saturday Night Live” allowed foul language, and Christopher Walken happened to be the guest host one week, I could easily imagine the writers brainstorming the idea for a send-up of a Martin McDonagh play. They'd call it 'A Behanding in Spokane' and it would feature McDonagh's signature elements: violence, body parts, and ghoulish humor. Of course 'Behanding...' is actually McDonagh's latest work to open on Broadway. And while I can't exactly say it's a bad play, it's just not a play at all.

Sondheim being Sondheim, you know that anything he writes is going to be intelligent, sophisticated, witty and lyrical, often self-consciously so. That's all there in the revival of his 1973 musical 'A Little Night Music,' directed by Trevor Nunn whose acclaimed London production made the trip across the pond. As modern musicals go, it's considered by many the gold standard and this production turns out to be beautiful and deeply resonant, hitting every note with stunning honesty.

Everyone in 'Race' breathes the same polluted morality that surround just about every other Mamet character. Jack Lawson and his partner Henry Brown are successful defense lawyers. And true to the stereotype they are as cynical and calculating as they come. So cynical in fact, these guys are beyond racism. They're prejudiced against everyone, or so it seems. They're trying to determine whether to take the case of a wealthy white man accused of raping a young black woman. Their newly hired associate also happens to be a young black woman which should be a tip off to anyone familiar with Mamet's writing. The play is as much about sexism as racism. In fact, despite the title, Mamet seems far more eager to steer this play into the murky waters of misogyny. As badly behaved as the men can be, beware the Mamet women.

Despite a bigger budget and some reshaping, the show is still too long and challenging for many of those with more traditional tastes. But 'Fela!' speaks to Broadway’s next generation, whose embrace of the work gives hope for the theater’s future.

The book by Joe DiPietro is missing a strong climax and the end feels tacked on. That aside, 'Memphis' is so loaded with talent, it almost seems pointless to criticize. The music by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan with an assist from DiPietro on lyrics is full of the kind of soul Huey sings about. Whether it's R&B, gospel or rock and roll, the songs recall the hits of the era. And Sergio Trujillo adds a powerful visual stimulus with some dazzling choreography.

Next to so much else that's crooning on Broadway these days, you have to applaud the unique artistry that went into 'Next To Normal.' It's not perfect. And while delving into the rabbit hole of mental illness you may find the material somewhat familiar, the treatment is altogether original. 'Next To Normal' is that rare musical that touches your heart and gets under your skin.

This jukebox musical featuring vintage rock tunes from the likes of Twisted Sister and Bon Jovi is sure to turn off some theater purists. But it's so cleverly staged and impressively performed that it's an irresistible, offbeat trip of a show that hits all the right notes.

Not quite a fully realized play, it's an extended situation comedy featuring two couples meeting to discuss a playground fight between their 11-year-old sons. It seems one of the little boys whacked the other with a stick causing him to lose two teeth. At first, the interaction is civil but there are tensions in the air. It doesn't take long before emotions erupt. And look out. Besides being exceptionally funny, there are several shocking moments in this play that are bound to take you by complete surprise.

Laurents injected added realism by having the Sharks speak in their native Spanish much of the time. And Lin Manuel Miranda of 'In the Heights' fame had the task of translating two very familiar songs, 'I Feel Pretty' and 'A Boy Like That' into 'Siento Hermosa' and 'Un Hombre Asi.' The result is very effective and certainly deepens the characters. The problem is the renewed focus on gritty realism forces more scrutiny on the rest of the elements. The gang members are hardly threatening at all.

Described as a dense epic fantasy, 'Wicked,' based on a novel, is an intricate work. It tells the story of Elphaba, the bright but neglected young girl born with green skin who is good and kind. How she turns into the wicked witch is a long, winding road filled with bizarre characters and strange plot twists. The problem with the show's book, by Winnie Holzman, is that it has to cover so much ground in a connect-the-dots fashion that we're deprived of the necessary depth and character development to make us really care about Elphaba or her unlikely friend Galinda, who later becomes Glinda the good witch. Director Joe Mantello handles the intimate scenes well, but he's not quite as successful moving the traffic on Eugene Lee's dark, mechanical set. The ensemble numbers are indistinguishable. The special effects were impressive but a show of this caliber needed more. Stephen Schwartz, the composer behind 'Godspell' and 'Pippin,' has written some lovely music, particularly his ballads for the witches, but the score is uneven and the beautiful melodies that marked his earlier works are disappointingly absent here.

Mamma Mia defies scrutiny. If you attempt to analyze this mega hit from London, it'll fall apart. It's hokey, implausible and silly. The Abba music, despite its popularity, is mediocre and many are likely to think: What's the big deal?... Audiences should come prepared to check their cynicism at the door and become dancing queens, boogying giddily into the night.