Standing Room Only

October 20, 2022 Stagebuddy.com photo-by-Julieta-Cervantes The true star of the revival of “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson” isn’t Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Brooks or John David Washington. Although the three actors all give fine performances, the true star of the drama is the elaborately carved piano that sits prominently on the stage. “The Piano Lesson” […]

October 20, 2022 Stagebuddy.com  photo by Marc J. Franklin “Keep your eyes on the cards,” instructs the young man on stage as he shifts three playing cards around on a makeshift stand. It’s not so easy as we get lulled by the rhythmic cadence of his voice and his beguiling friendly smile. Would it be […]

October 20, 2022 Stagebuddy.com The word revival suggests a renewal or improvement of something. So each time there’s a Broadway revival, the director tries to change something to encourage ticket sales. The recent hit “The Music Man” offered star power with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster while leaving the music and book pretty much intact. […]

October 14, 2022 Stagebuddy.com photo by Joan Marcus In his most personal work yet, playwright Tom Stoppard tells the story of the Merz family. Somewhat autobiographical, “Leopoldstadt” begins with a tableau of an extended family in Vienna in 1899. It is Christmas time, and, although the head of the family, Grandma Emilia (Betsey Aiden) speaks […]

October 13, 2022 Stagebuddy.com photo credit @ Jeremy Daniel The play “Cost of Living” by Martyna Majok will touch your heart and resonate in your consciousness long after you’ve left the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Deftly directed by Jo Bonney, the 2018 Pulitzer Prize winning play focuses on two couples. In both, a strong-willed character […]

September 12,2022 Stagebuddy.com photo by Matt Murphy / @murphymade When a show moves from a big Broadway stage to an off-Broadway venue, something’s gotta give. Whether it’s the staging, the size of the cast, or the number of musicians. Will the Off-Broadway audience enjoy the same theatrical experience? It’s been almost 10 years since I […]

August 16, 2022 Stagebuddy.com  Photo by Aaron CobbDo you believe that a person can be hypnotized? How about 20 people at the same time on a stage in front of an audience? As long as you believe or, at least, accept the premise for the evening, then you are in for an entertaining evening at […]

August 16, 2022 Stagebuddy.com Often a visit to the theater can be an opportunity for discovery. That’s what happened when I attended a performance of The Butcher Boy at the Irish Repertory Theatre. The musical, based upon the novel by Patrick McCabe features two exciting young talents. Nicholas Barasch is wonderful as Francie Brady, the […]

August 7, 2022 Stagebuddy.com A Fairy Tale Comes Alive Despite its charms, and there are many, the new musical “BetweenThe Lines” at the Tony Kiser Theater is a show in search of a target audience. Based upon a young adult novel by best-selling author Jodi Picoult and her daughter Samantha van Leer, the story tells […]

July 12, 2022 The political genius and violent power of Richard III feel relevant Photo by Joan Marcus Free Shakespeare in the Park is quintessential New York. If you are lucky enough to score the free tickets and it’s a gorgeous evening, theater doesn’t get any better. This summer the Public Theater is offering two […]