Standing Room Only

Theislandnow:November 21,2018 Do you remember your high school prom? Our biggest problems were what to wear and where to have the after-prom party; however, for some students, the memories of prom are fraught with drama. In Mississippi in 2010, when a lesbian student wanted to bring her same-sex friend to the prom, the community resisted […]

Theater review: By The Island Now – November 16, 2018 (Photo by Matthew Murphy) By Elyse Trevers When the 2000 pound robot is on stage at The Broadway Theatre, the new musical “King Kong” is spectacular. In fact, if I could only write about “him,” this review would be glowing. Unfortunately, Kong is not always […]

Dive into the all-too-familiar issues that teenagers face in the new musical Photos by Maria Baranova Queens Courier   Tuesday, September 25, 2018 3:00 PM BY ELYSE TREVERS There’s an indescribable feeling of excitement in a theater where the show’s already a hit. The audience at the Pershing Square Signature Center had that vibe.  During […]

Does ‘Pretty Woman’ Work as a Musical? Stagebuddy  September 19, 2018 The clothes are the same, most of the dialogue is the same and of course, the story arc is the same — so why doesn’t Pretty Woman: The Musical have the same appeal as the 1990 movie starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere? For […]

Edie Falco Transforms into Political Force Polly Noonan Stagebuddy October 21,2018 Polly is brash and unstoppable. More significantly, she is totally loyal and true, both to the Democratic Party and to her candidate, long-term mayor Erastus Corning II.  And as portrayed by the incomparable Edie Falco, she becomes a true force to be reckoned with. Set […]

Can This Small Town Save Itself Through the Power of Theater? Stagebuddy October 22,2018 Sometimes the charm of Off-Broadway theater is in doing a lot with a little.  Often, the simpler it is, the more charming it is.  There is virtually no scenery in Popcorn Falls, the new two-man show at The Davenport Theatre.  When […]

Stagebuddy July 31, 2018 Photo credit: Joan Marcus Long before there was the jukebox musical, there was the musical revue, and few songwriters have as many fabulous songs worthy of a musical revue than Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. The show Smokey Joe’s Cafe, featuring 39 of their songs, opened in 1995, running for 2,036 […]

  Photos: Joan Marcus Queens Courier Saturday, August 25, 2018 Hearing the opening dialogue of the new show “Head Over Heels” directed by Michael Mayer, you’d swear you’re watching a Shakespearean play. However, the new jukebox musical featuring the music of the ‘80s girl group, The Go-Gos, actually is an adaptation of “The Arcadia,” a […]

The Story of the Jewish Immigrant Who Wrote ‘White Christmas’ and ‘God Bless America’ Stagebuddy September 6, 2018 Isn’t it ironic that a Jewish immigrant from Belarus wrote “White Christmas,” one of the most beloved Christmas songs, as well as one of the most patriotic American songs, “God Bless America?” For these musical contributions and […]

Is Idina Menzel’s New Play a Success? For some of us theatergoers, actress-singer Idina Menzel can do no wrong. From Rent to Wicked to Frozen, and even TV’s Glee, she has thrilled viewers with her vocal and acting skills. Now starring in Joshua Harmon’s latest play, Skintight, she portrays Jodi Isaac, a middle-aged lawyer whose philandering […]