2016 was a rough year on many levels, but in my frontmezzjunkies world, I am feeling very blessed. Through this blog and all of you who read it, I’ve been able to see more theatre then I think I’ve ever seen before. And had the pleasure to hone my writing skills. So I thank you all because many on this list I would not have had the opportunity to witness the amazing had it not been for your attention.
Theatre is truly an amazing entity when it takes us on an emotional journey whether it be sad, beautiful, joyous or all those mixed together. If theatre can do that, it’s pure magic.
So here’s my list of my top 20 theatrical moments of 2016. Starting with #20 and working my way to my #1. In order to garner suspense!
So to everyone involved in these shows, thank you for moving me and entertaining me. You all deserve my applause.
20- The Wolves
“Sarah DeLappe, the playwright, delivers spectacularly on her debut production…This is where DeLappe’s genius is most apparent: in the details and the differences…It’s captivating watching the teens argue, fight, tease, and commune together, wanting to be a uniformed force, but also striving for personal identity, individualization, acceptance, and accomplishment…The team and the play are the true winners here.”
19- Eclipsed
“We know it’s not going to be all sunshine and lollipops. But what I wasn’t prepared for was the playful innocence of the writing and the deep maternal care that we are witness to…Danai Gurira writes dialogue between these young adult women that is both fun, flirtatious, and caring…Beautifully directed with unflinching honesty by Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed makes us painfully aware of the history and the terror of these women’s lives.”
18- The Father
“It’s a smart and powerful piece of writing that is both surprising, funny at times, and deeply moving. Langella does a masterful job with this complex and unique role, holding back nothing, and giving it his all…The rest of the cast do a wonderful job…This MTC production is beautifully crafted, designed with great attention to detail and meaning…The direction of this cast by Doug Hughes is perfection…Unforgettable.”
17- A Life
“It’s as if we are turning the pages of a storybook, much like the glorious set design, flipping from the minutiae of one moment to another. It’s wildly engaging and deeply touching. Everyone in the cast gives us the purity of a life being lived. Pierce is simply outstanding pulling us in, as is Heberlee…I give a great deal of credit to the playwright Bock for crafting such a marvelous and unique story, and presenting it to us with such a surprising and creative vantage point.”
16- Radiant Vermin
“It’s a superbly funny abstract comedy…I was blown away with the final birthday party scene, in full amazement of their ability to give us the rapid-fire delivery of all these characters and moments without missing a beat…My heart was racing when, magically, they stop and revert back to asking us directly, ‘What do we value the most? Property or life?’ And then, they ask us our verdict. My verdict was a standing ovation.”
15- Sell/Buy/Date
“Each one of her many multicultural portrayals is brilliantly detailed in mannerisms, accent, and body language, while also being very real and moving in content…But these characterizations are just the tip of the iceberg in regard to where the true artistry lies is this dazzling new work. Her power and genius is based more on what this assortment of characters are saying…Teaching us through storytelling…Enlightening and engaging us while being entertained.”
14- Plenty
“This dense play, exquisitely directed by Leveaux with precision and style, is still a struggle to unlock…Susan’s slow mental deterioration, brilliantly portrayed by the exceptional Rachel Weisz, mirrors the British post-war disillusionment and depression, and is as exciting as it is devastating…’Plenty’ challenges us to lean in and play close attention as it bounces around the ’40’s, ’50s and ’60s. But as we put the puzzle pieces together, we begin to all feel the weight of Susan’s story.”
13- Bright Star
“what a bright and lovely star it is…That compelling yet emotionally deep twang winds its magic throughout this piece, giving it a strong yet sad quality that’s difficult to explain in any other manner. The music has a laziness like a sweet molasses but a compelling rhythm fueled by the banjo and strengthened by the fiddle…Cusack displays a most glorious voice and inhabits both younger and older versions of herself almost magically…every performance touched my heart…I was fully invested and moved to tears by the end.”
12- The Crucible
“I won’t say a word about Ivo van Hove’s dramatic flair, but it’s very apparent he wanted to excite us visually and dramatically. Many may say it is too much, but I think it works here, once again. His direction and creative storytelling kept me thoroughly engaged and as frustrated as Miller expertly intended…This powerful and superlative cast make an impressive argument, and van Hove’s theatrical flair and intense direction drive this idea home.”
11- Noises Off
“This nearly perfect British farce is getting another spectacular revival…This team is perfection, making it all look so easy and seamless. All should be credited with the word, ‘spectacular’…The only complaint I have of this whole shows lies in the portrayal of love and attraction… I can’t say I ever believed in the love or the affairs, I never really saw it, nor felt it…This cast of professionals are spot on perfect, never missing a beat or failing to get the laugh”
“Something about this current production from the get-go, directed with perfection by Benedict Andrews, just swings out and knocks us over…Anderson takes us through an emotional journey that is epic, devastating, and deeply affecting…It’s a majestic and heart-wrenching performance, and not to be missed.”
9-Waitress
“From the first note sung of this beautiful new musical, we know we are in for a mystical and creative piece of musical deliciousness…It’s a beautiful piece of non-classic Broadway songwriting, that floats and swirls like an wonderful aroma. The harmonies and the melodies are just plain delectable…When that timer rang that this inventive pie of a show was done, I can only tell you how delicious it all was.”
“The detail and depth of this dissertation is epic and powerful. To whittle this piece down to a few sentences feels like a disservice to her, and to us…The expanse and detail of the topic is mind blowing and emotional…These powerful messages Smith serves will stay with you long after leaving the theatre. She wakes us up and preaches to us in a way that is subtle and stimulating. Tears will come.”
“I loved every minute of it, and will tell everyone I meet to go see this exciting, crazy musical…Directed and choreographed by Rachel Rockwell with a sharp witty sense of fun and dark sincerity, it’s a marvelously clever set-up, rich in ghoulish bravado and weirdness…This show is a macabre amusement park ride masking as a brilliant musical, one that I hope will find its way to Broadway.”
6-Othello
“Craig gives a wonderfully engaging performance, worthy of the hype and the movie star excitement surrounding this production. The rest of the casting is fascinating and diverse, heaving with masculinity and intensity…In Gold’s creation, this ‘Othello’ powers through, as if on a military charge against the enemy. Its energy is exhilarating. The power lies in the snippets of humanity that weaves their way through.”
5- Sunday in the Park with George
“Gyllenhaal was spectacular in the role. Devastatingly good right from the beginning. Such an impressive performance especially knowing how little rehearsal time they all had, and who knew his voice had that power and range?…Ashford took a bit more convincing at the beginning…But quickly, I was forced to give in to her…Musically gorgeous thanks to Music Director Chris Fenwick, this production succeeds marvelously, even in its simple staging.”
4- Heisenberg
“Stephens is doing what appears to be the thing he is most brilliant at: creating two characters, flawed and difficult, engaging (but sometimes disengaging) in a one-on-one dialogue that is as complex in its emotionality as it is in its simplicity of words…Parker is exceptional in making Georgie so layered that we are instantly taken. And Arndt shows a quiet yet powerful dignity in his depiction of this surprising man…Both Parker and Arndt fit perfectly into the skins of their characters.”
3- She Loves Me
“There is a whole lotta love to be found at Studio 54 these days in the absolutely charming revival of ‘She Loves Me‘…Directed by Ellis is an impeccable supporting cast of pros. There isn’t a sour note in the lot…It’s a beautifully crafted and written show, a bit old-fashioned, but with some surprisingly modern twists and turns…The show reminds us what it is like to fall in love, but beyond that, it reminds me of the beginning of my love affair with theatre in general. ”
Amanda Drew (Anastasia), Jonjo O’Neill (The Brute) and Richard Pyros (Carl) in Unreachable, written and directed by Anthony Neilson @ Royal Court tristram@tristramkenton.com
2- Unreachable
” It’s like a hilarious slap in the face, and in many ways, that is the best description one could give Unreachable, the new play by experimental writer and director Anthony Nielson, starring Dr Who’s Matt Smith…. It was like watching one of those segments from the Carol Burnett Show when Tim Conway could and did crack everyone else up with his improved stories (https://youtu.be/3qqE_WmagjY). O’Neill is on fire, and the rest of the cast tries to keep up with the craziness, and it’s a joy to behold…The play feels like it’s under construction, and in a constant state of flux (and I mean that as a compliment)…what a night of theatre it is. And I wouldn’t want to change a thing, unless he can rewrite it and make it better”
“‘Dear Evan Hansen‘ has not lost any of its power and tension. It soars with an intense beauty that still captures our hearts and plays havoc with it all at the same time…Not much has changed with ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ beyond a tightening of its components. Visually it’s as perfect and awe-inspiring as it was Off-Broadway. Maybe even more so…I’m not sure if I will ever feel completely content with the final moments, but all in all, ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ delivers us a deeply felt rich story.”
So there you have it, my top 20. Share with me yours, or the ones you think I missed.
And here’s to what 2017 will bring. In the first week I’ll be seeing The Present with Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh, which was my #1 on the shows I’m most excited to see –
For more go to frontmezzjunkies.com
Oscar and Grammy winner Melissa Etheridge’s autobiographical musical My Window is an informative, riveting, raw, intimate and musically thrilling alsmost 3 hours of entertainment. With 22 albums to her name, Etheridge is a female rock goddess and is on par with Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Ann Wilson, Grace Slick, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, Stevie Nicks, Debbie Harry and the incomparable Janis Joplin.
I originally saw this show when it opened at New World Stages almost a year ago and Etheridge’s theatrical solo show has only gotten better and tighter. She invites theatergoers into an exhilarating evening of storytelling and music. Starting with her birth, we learn about her childhood in Kansas, groundbreaking career highlights, coming out, her lovers, the drugs she has taken, her spiritual journey, her wives, her kids, cancer and what makes Melissa who she is. She is charming, revealing, illuminating as she bares her heart & soul to all who attend.
Photo by Jenny Anderson
In between learning about this bluesy warrior are her confessional lyrics, the raspy, smoky vocals and classics numbers like “Like The Way I Do,” “Twisted Off To Paradise,”“I’m the Only One,” “Come to My Window,” “I Want to Come Over”.
Photo by Jenny Anderson
Winning a tiny trophy gave way to winning a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocalist in 1998 and again in 1995. Before that in 1993 Etheridge came out publicly, early on in her career. In 2005 Etheridge took the Grammy stage after having cancer to join in a tribute to Janis Joplin. She appeared hairless. Etheridge also won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2007 for “I Need To Wake Up” for the film “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Photo by Jenny Anderson
It turns out Etheridge has always loved musical theatre, as she treated us to a wonderful rendition of “On Broadway.” She did make her Broadway debut in a weeklong stint as St. Jimmy in Green Day’s American Idiot in 2011, but she doesn’t talk about that.
Melissa Etheridge My Window, is wonderfully is written by Etheridge with additional material by Linda Wallem-Etheridge (“Nurse Jackie” showrunner, “That ’70s Show”). The direction by Amy Tinkham is succent and well done.
Everything about this production is well done from the scenic design by Bruce Rodgers, lighting design by Abigail Rosen Holmes, fabulous projection design by Olivia Sebesky and the sound design by Shannon Salmon, which keeps this show clear and clean.
Kate Owens is hysterical as the Roadie/ Stage Manager. This little girl is a star in the making with her rubber face and facial expressions galore. She adds to this show immensely and I definitely want to see more of what she can do.
This is a must see show for anyone LGBTQIA. The message is positive and life affirming. This is a women who owns her talent, charisma and choices, which makes this a joy to watch.
Photo by Jenny Anderson
Melissa Etheridge My Window: Circle In The Square, 235 West 50th Street. Closes November 19th.
Yesterday we told you how the cast and creative’s met the press
The cast and creatives
In today’s edition hear director Warren Carlyle, Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman describe their show.
The it was a treat as the cast sang 5 songs from the show. Including “Harmony,” Hungarian Rhapsody,” “Where You Go’ and “Stars in the Night.”
Hear The Harmonists Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman and Steven Telsey, along with Chip Zien, Sierra Boggess and Julie Benko.
The hit song of the show will be the gorgeous ballad “Every Single Day” sung by Danny Kornfeld.
Harmony begins previews at the Barrymore Theatre on Wednesday, October 18, ahead of a Monday, November 13 official opening night.
Photo’s by Genevieve Rafter Keddy
G.H. Harding
JESSE L MARTIN — We caught the debut of Jesse L. Martin’s The Irrational Monday night and really enjoyed it. I’ve been aware of Jesse since his role in Broadway’s Rent and he’s really tremendous. He was great on Law & Order as Ed Green (10 years and 9 seasons); and his role on the CW’s The Flash (as Joe West) was simply terrific.
The show, based on the book by Dan Ariely and created by Arika Mittman, certainly reminds one of The Mentalist or Instinct. This first case isn’t wondrous by any means, but Martin’s charisma carries it all through.
Lauren Holly (NCIS) is in it too, thought her one-scene was over and out in a flash.
I hear the third episode of the show is magnificent, so stay tuned. Don Johnson said many years ago that Don Johnson was made for TV … so is Martin!
Will Swenson and Neil Diamond
SWENSON OUT — (per Deadline) Will Swenson will play his final performance as Neil Diamond in Broadway’s A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical on Sunday, Oct. 29, producers announced today.
A replacement for the starring role will be announced at a future date.
“It’s been the thrill of a lifetime to get to stand in Neil’s shoes,” Swenson said in a statement. “It’s been such an incredible honor to get to know Neil, to tell his powerful story, and bring his amazing songs to Broadway audiences every night. I’m immensely proud of the moving, beautiful show we made. I will miss it very much.”
A reason for Swenson’s departure was not disclosed, but his planned departure date suggests a year-long contract coming to a close: He and the bio-musical began previews at the Broadhurst Theatre last Nov. 2 (official opening was Dec. 4).
“Making A Beautiful Noise with Will Swenson was a deep and wonderful experience,” said director Michael Mayer. “The true affection he has for Neil’s work and life is palpable in every aspect of his tremendous performance. I will miss him terribly, of course, but will always treasure our time together, and very much look forward to the next show we do.”
Swenson has been one of Broadway’s go-to leading men since his breakthrough performance in 2009’s Hair, and he has since starred on the New York stage in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Little Miss Sunshine, Waitress and Assassins, among many other shows.
In addition to Swenson, the cast of A Beautiful Noise features a principal cast of Mark Jacoby as the aged Neil Diamond, Robyn Hurder and Shirine Babb.
The musical includes a score of Diamond’s hits, a book by Anthony McCarten, direction by Mayer, and choreography by Steven Hoggett.
He’s pretty tremendous as Diamond. I didn’t see the show straight away, but absolutely loved it when I did. His exit of kind of short notice … but let’s see what happens.
SHORT TAKES — How about those snappy new graphics for NBC’s Today Show. Introduced a week ago, they certainly look more relevant and certainly more fun. They did the same for Nightly News a week ago. Per TVNewser:The network said the decision to unveil a new logo and graphics for Nightly was made as a way of appealing to younger viewers who primarily consume news using digital media. It’s safe to assume is true for Today, the youngest-skewing of the linear morning shows that boasts a robust digital presence. Here’s their whole story:
The Rolling Stones
The next Rolling Stones single, “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” is tremendous. Mick hasn’t sounded this good in years and Lady Gaga is an added treat. Magnificent! Take a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEJd5xtbEPY …
Donnie Kehr
Donnie Kehr and Cori Gardner’s Rockers On Broadway (their 30th edition) is coming up on Monday, October 16 at SONY Hall.
Debbie Gibson
Joining honoree Melissa Etheridge will be KT Tunstall and Debbie Gibson, Simon Kirke, Dan Finnerty and Ty Taylor … Happy Bday Chuck Taylor!
NAMES IN THE NEWS –— Anthony Noto; Tom & Lisa Cuddy; Paul Lester; Ian Harrison; Magda Katz; Pete Townshend; Miko Blanco; Brad LeBeau; Mal Evans; Derek Taylor; Andrew Sandoval; Rick Rubin; Bill Adler; Cory Robbins; Manny Bella; Race Taylor; Scott Shannon; Buddy Blanch; Steve Walter; Benny Harrison; and BELLA!
Broadway
Theatre News: Here We Are, Some Like It Hot, A Beautiful Noise, All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain and The Laramie Project
The curtain rose last tonight on the first performance of the final Stephen Sondheim musical. Here We Are, the new musical from David Ives and Sondheim, is on stage at The Shed’s Griffin Theater (545 W. 30th Street), with an Opening Night on Sunday, October 22, for 15 weeks only.
Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello, the cast of Here We Are will feature Francois Battiste, Tracie Bennett, Bobby Cannavale, Micaela Diamond, Amber Gray, Jin Ha, Rachel Bay Jones, Denis O’Hare, Steven Pasquale, David Hyde Pierce, and Jeremy Shamos. The understudies for Here We Are are Adante Carter, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Bradley Dean, Mehry Eslaminia, Adam Harrington, and Bligh Voth.
Here We Are is inspired by two films, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Exterminating Angel, by Luis Buñuel.
Here We Are will include choreography by Sam Pinkleton, set design and costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Tom Gibbons, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, musical supervision and additional arrangements by Alexander Gemignani, hair & make-up design by Wigmaker Associates, and casting by The Telsey Office.
Tickets are on sale on TheShed.org.
For each performance, a limited number of $25 tickets will be available via a weekly lottery, which will open for entries on the TodayTix app each Sunday at 12:01 AM for the coming week’s performances and will close at 12:00 PM on the day before each performance. Winners will be notified by push notification and email between 1 – 4 PM on the day before their selected show, and will have 30 minutes to claim their tickets in the app. Entrants may request 1 or 2 tickets, and entry is free and open to all.
Via TodayTix’s mobile rush program, a limited number of $40 same-day rush tickets will be available for that day’s performance of Here We Are at 9:00 AM each day on a first-come, first-served basis. Users can download the app and “unlock” rush tickets by sharing the program on social media ahead of their desired performance day.
The most award-winning musical of the 2022-2023 season, Some Like It Hot, will play for 13 more weeks through Saturday, December 30, 2023, at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) before launching a national tour and West End production.
Awarded Best Musical by The Drama League, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle, Some Like It Hot received over 20+ major awards throughout the 2022-2023 season, including four Tony Awards for Best Lead Actor in a Musical (J. Harrison Ghee), Best Choreography (Casey Nicholaw), Best Orchestrations (Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter) and Best Costumes in a Musical (Gregg Barnes). J. Harrison Ghee made history as the first non-binary performer to take home the Tony Award in their category.
A national tour will launch in September 2024 and a West End production will follow in 2025, produced by The Shubert Organization and Neil Meron in partnership with Ambassador Theatre Group.
At the time of the final performance, the production will have played the Shubert Theatre for over a year, for a total of 483 performances.
Will Swenson and the cast. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.
Will Swenson, who is electrifying audiences with his star turn in A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical, will play his final performance as ‘Neil Diamond – Then’ at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) on Sunday, October 29. Casting for the role of ‘Neil Diamond – Then’ will be announced at a future date.
The unofficial commencement of “spooky season” takes place this Friday, September 29, when Tony Award® Nominee and Grammy Award® Winner Patrick Page returns to the New York stage in All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain, a new work created and performed by Mr. Page, based on the villains of William Shakespeare. Directed by Simon Godwin, the solo show will play the DR2 Theatre (103 E 15th Street) beginning Friday, September 29, with an Opening Night set for Monday, October 16, for 14 weeks only.
Tickets are now available at allthedevilsplay.com, Telecharge or by visiting the DR2 Theatre box office (103 E 15th Street).
Julie White
Julie White and Brandon Uranowitz will join Ato Blankson-Wood in a staged benefit reading of The Laramie Project. Moises Kaufman and the Members of Tectonic Theatre Project’s The Laramie Project, will bedirected by Dustin Wills (Wolf Play, Wet Brain). The event, which will raise funds to support the work of The Trevor Project, will take place on Monday, October 16th at 7:00 PM at Peter Norton Symphony Space, and is being produced by District Productions. Additional casting is soon to be announced. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/vp-the-laramie-project-a-benefit-staged-reading
Harmony, has been in rehearsals for 3 weeks and yesterday morning, they meet the press.
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow, wrote the original music.
Bruce Sussman
Bruce Sussman, who wrote the book and lyrics
Warren Carlyle
Warren Carlyle
director/choreographer Warren Carlyle
Ken Davenport
and producer Ken Davenport started the show off to a harmonious roll. Harmony begins previews Wednesday, October 18, ahead of a Monday, November 13 official opening night.
Many of the cast are making their Broadway debuts with Harmony, including 5 of the 6 actors playing the Harmonists.
The Harmonists, along with Chip Zien finished out the morning with a performance of the song “Stars in the Night.”
Chip Zien
The production also stars performers Sierra Boggess and Julie Benko.
Sierra Boggess
Julie Benko
Tomorrow meet the men of Harmony
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Broadway3 days agoBarry Manilow’s and Bruce Sussman’s Harmony Meets The Press
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Broadway2 days ago
Barry Manilow’s and Bruce Sussman’s Harmony Meets The Press Part 2
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Broadway2 days ago
Theatre News: Here We Are, Some Like It Hot, A Beautiful Noise, All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain and The Laramie Project
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