Ronnie Reich

The description of Cromwell's interior world, rather than dialogue, drives the book, and the panorama of his experiences lends itself well to the camera on the series. The stage version can feel like a less natural fit, but it still holds rewards for fans...So much must be explained that the play can feel too close to a timeline, with much of its first act spent dealing with exposition...'Part Two: Bring Up the Bodies,' which focuses on the reign of Anne Boleyn and the ascent of Jane Seymour, is far more successful in portraying the political intrigue and its multifaceted characters. Here, we see more of the pull of Miles' Cromwell. His eyes are almost always wide and alert, as if on the lookout for danger, though they sometimes take on a haunted quality as he reflects on painful memories...Henry Nathaniel Parker's King is similarly layered. Although boyish and relatable when in good spirits, he also displays unhinged rage when events turn against him. He is sympathetic in his increasing torment as he wonders why god has cursed him with a line of babies that have failed to thrive and no male heir.

The musical, based on a 1944 novel by Colette, is not Lerner and Loewe's best. But it's lovingly updated in a new Broadway incarnation directed by Eric Schaeffer, with magnificent visuals of Belle Époque Paris, arresting choreography and, yes, a charming performance by leading lady Vanessa Hudgens. Hudgens...makes a commendable Broadway debut as a young woman in the throes of adolescent gawkiness, long limbs flailing as she imitates poses of womanhood...Victoria Clark is in lovely voice and emanates warmth and kindness in the role...Hudgens...deserves credit for pulling off a role that must nearly carry the show...Hudgens gives a generous, if not always naturalistic, performance as she transitions from an irrepressible tomboy to an elegant woman in love. Although her acting occasionally suffers from over-enunciation, she sings well and impressively keeps pace with the show's dancers...She has a fitting match in Cott, who has a lovely light tenor and willingness to go all-out goofy in the song 'Gigi,' where his blinders finally come off.

The story of a teenager who may or may not have a possessed puppet on his arm, Robert Askins' 'Hand to God' is a rare truly communal dramatic experience, with the power to make an audience collectively shake with laughter, gasp in shock and rise to a giddy ovation...But the gleefully profane piece has already proven itself as a hit, and it lives up to its reputation...Boyer, who recently played the Fool in 'King Lear' at the Public Theater, is a virtuosic puppeteer as well as a sensitive actor. He's sympathetic as the broken, painfully shy Jason and spot-on as the tough-talking Tyrone. The wild energy and precision with which he switches between the two personalities is stunning.

he timing is just right to examine the legacy of the 1989 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a woman who dreams of a life without 'either/or': not career or family, not radical feminism or patriarchy - choices she has been expected to make...Pam McKinnon directs the vividly realized first Broadway revival of Wasserstein's chronicle of life in the 60s, 70s and 80s, with Elisabeth Moss of 'Mad Men' as art historian Heidi...As Heidi navigates a rapidly changing culture, Moss is mesmerizing, natural and exceptionally expressive. Her slight stiffness in certain social situations gives way to radiance when she speaks about the artists she champions, and she nails the character's wry humor

Yet in Peter Morgan's play, which is deftly directed by Stephen Daldry and gorgeously designed by Bob Crowley, the subtle transformations are just as compelling as the grand ones, thanks to a consummate performance by the lead actress. This is Mirren's show, and she fully lives up to the expectation created by the buzz from her Olivier Award-winning turn in the West End production of the play in 2013.