Off Broadway
Roundabout’s The Wanderers Does Exactly That, But Fails to Find its Way to the Core
The loopholes in life are piled up and plastered across the back walls of the Roundabout Theatre Company‘s production of The Wanderers, the new play that just opened at the Laura Pels Theatre off-Broadway. The pages and books that decorate the stage tell two stories that work their way around one another, flipping back and forth until they finally find the connective tissue that loosely binds. It’s a compelling construct that tries its best to hold Anna Ziegler’s ambitious story together but somehow muddles itself in its own high-mindedness and poor formulation. Lines and ideas are put forth by Ziegler (The Last Match), through the distinctive, yet somewhat stereotypical characters, registering interesting pathways regarding culture, religion, and unhappiness, that could be at the core, but are often left in the dust. Sidelined, and discarded, for more showier movie star explorations.
Lucy Freyer, Dave Klasko Photo by Joan Marcus.
The layers are complex and dynamic but as directed by Barry Edelstein (RTC’s All My Sons), the design fails to capture the intent, leaving the play to push through entrances and exits that slow down the wonder it is so desperately trying to script, chapter to chapter. The frustrated modern wife, Sophie, played by Sarah Cooper (“Summering“) delivers the first page, standing in the symbolic arena, designed haphazardly by Marion Williams (PlayMakers’ Into the Woods). Her character sets up a conflict with highlighted determination, that ultimately takes the backseat, and in the end, has little to do with the main outcome, other than pointing out the obvious. Those poetic openings do their job, I guess, pulling us into the pages of the conflict, I just wish the play understood what it really needed to say about these two couples, separated by time and culture, and why a movie star presence is even needed.
The Wanderersis an overly literal play that doesn’t quite know its way around the tabled subject, planting the formulation in an abstract that isn’t quite dramatic enough for the flattened structure. The play wants us to be drawn into the conflicts of these two very different heterosexual couples standing at the brink of conflict and change, and the impulse is there. One of them is a young newlywed Orthodox Jewish couple, Esther and Schmuli, finding their way toward one another even as we watch them grow apart, and the other, Abe and Sophie, is a modern, somewhat non-religious married couple with kids, both highly educated, intellectual, and writers of books, finding their literal world more complex then either seem prepared for. The projected chapter titles, designed by Joey Moro (Broadway’s Skeleton Crew), do little to draw us in, even though they make us believe there will be a point, and the lighting, designed by Kenneth Posner (Broadway’s Beetlejuice) needed a bit more pooling subtlety rather than making all these characters forever walk in to deliver their lines before casually strolling off, well lit and obvious, to alter their pretty costuming by David Israel Reynoso (Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More) for no apparent reason other than the play’s requirements.
The interlocking connection, beyond the fact that both marriages are clearly walking towards trouble almost from the get-go, doesn’t present itself until about halfway through, even though the clues are pretty obviously teased out. But the reasoning for this overlap never seems powerful or deep enough to warrant their existence together. The stories, in their own particular orbit, do offer intrigue, especially in the alteration (and some could say enlightenment) of Esther, played delicately by Lucy Freyer (“Paint“), who desires connection to the modern world, to the concerned amazement of her more traditional new husband, played exquisitely by Dave Klasko (SITP’s King Lear). Their work together is deliciously enticing, especially Klasko in a role that most modern non-Orthodox Jewish audience members would not want to align with, yet he finds humanity and tenderness in his confused collision with his own belief systems. Their story has a soul, and although it’s one we have seen before, particularly well told in the Netflix series “Unorthodox“, the dual emotional complexities register in a way that the rest of the play fails to.
The modern story, even with its twists and turns, stays solidly in territory that feels less tenderly determined. The husband, who is the more accomplished writer, played with determination by Eddie Kaye Thomas (MCC’s The Submission), unpacks ideas poetically, as he becomes entranced by an email and instant messaging exchange with a beautiful movie star, Julia Cheever, played solidly by Katie Holmes (Broadway’s All My Sons). It’s a compelling narrative, although poorly orchestrated on that wide bright stage. Holmes’ movie star character floats in and out, engaging in chatter that is overblown and unreasonable. In a strange way, her sad regular person living an irregular life feels like titillation rather than an inherent need. Yet it gives the playwright opportunities to throw out complexities about fame and creativity that are fascinating, yet somehow unrelatable. And Cooper’s annoyed wife role, unfortunately, standing on the sidelines folding laundry, only finds her space later on, but still manages to never find its weight that the initial poetic monologue hinted at in the very beginning.
“Wake up, Abe,” she says, placing ideas in between the lines that haven’t presented themselves quite yet. Ziegler’s writing feels smart, poetic, and recklessly brave, while not really discovering the ropes that bind these two stories together tightly. The play seems to be asking the overly simplified question, “Can we be happy with what we have while we have it?” but fails, in a way, to answer it completely or deeply, beyond the simplistic, disconnected tones of two stories that don’t have a lot to say to one another. And why the movie star? The correspondence has some fleshy bits, but never finds deeper meaning to its internal unhappiness or desire. The two connect, yet it doesn’t feel real, and it certainly isn’t honest in more ways than one. Maybe that is the point, yet I never cared about the two, and the twist (or is it a manipulation?) that comes later, made it feel reasonable that I didn’t. Which I don’t think served the overall cloudy theme. The stories themselves made me curious, but the charm of the play, Abe’s words, and his egotism faded quickly, and as the novel approach came sputtering to an end, The Wanderers remained, looking for the core, but not exactly finding its way.
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, is now playing at New World Stage, 340 West 50th Street, until January 7, 2024 or beyond.
In this caricature you will find James Daly’s Dracula and clockwise: Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Arnie Burtin, Ellen Harvey and Jordan Boatman who make up this amazingly talented cast.
You can read T2C’s mouth watering review here.
Broadway’s blockbuster Wicked, in partnership with National Day Calendar, has announced that October 30 will officially become National Wicked Day, in honor of the hit Broadway musical’s debut at the Gershwin Theatre (245 West 51st Street) on October 30, 2003.
This marks the first time that a Broadway show will have its own official day in the National Day Calendar. With this inclusion, Wicked joins some of the most recognizable National Day celebrations, including National Barbie Day, National Star Trek Day, National Scrabble Day, National Winnie the Pooh Day, and National Teacher Appreciate Day, among others.
Read the official announcement HERE.
Currently Wicked 4th longest-running show in Broadway history, and will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on Broadway this October 30th.
The Broadway production of Wicked currently features Alyssa Fox as Elphaba, McKenzie Kurtz as Glinda, John Dossett as The Wizard, Michele Pawk as Madame Morrible, Jordan Litz as Fiyero, Jake Pedersen as Boq, Kimber Elayne Sprawl as Nessarose, and William Youmans as Doctor Dillamond.
Adam Blackstone
Emmy Award®-winning music director and Grammy Award®-winning writer, Adam Blackstone, joins the creative team as Dance Music Arranger for the revival of The Wiz. The Wiz will launch a national tour on September 23, 2023 in Baltimore, MD before returning to Broadway for a limited engagement in the 2023/24 season.
Adam Blackstone
“Joining The Wiz’s creative team has been a very surreal moment. I remember watching the film on VHS daily for years, wondering how it sounded so incredible, how MJ transformed into the Scarecrow, and the score and orchestrations truly told a story all of its own. Fast forward to today, I get to musically partner with Terence Vaughn and reunite with my brother, super choreographer and creative director JaQuel Knight, and explore our own interpretation for a revival of this masterpiece. I am excited and look forward to this body of work changing lives, just like it did for me in the 80’s!” stated Adam Blackstone.
The cast will include previously announced Wayne Brady to lead the production as the Wiz on Broadway in Spring of 2024, San Francisco (January 16 – February 11, 2024) at the Golden Gate Theatre, and Los Angeles (February 13 – March 3, 2024) at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. Alan Mingo Jr. will star in the role of the Wiz in the following cities of The Wiz National Tour this fall, kicking off with the tour launch in Baltimore, including Cleveland, OH, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, PA, Charlotte, NC, Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, Chicago, IL, Des Moines, IA, Tempe, AZ and San Diego, CA.
The cast will also feature Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, Deborah Cox as Glinda and Melody A. Betts as Aunt Em and Evillene, Kyle Ramar Freeman as the Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson as the Tinman, and Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow. The Wiz ensemble includes Maya Bowles, Shayla Alayre Caldwell, Jay Copeland, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Judith Franklin, George, Collin Heyward, Amber Jackson, Jackson, Jones, Jones, Kindle, Mariah Lyttle, Kareem Marsh, Anthony Murphy, Rae, Matthew Sims Jr, Avilon Trust Tate, Keenan D. Washington, and Timothy Wilson.
The production will include ‘Everybody Rejoice’ music and lyrics by Luther Vandross, as well as the ‘Emerald City Ballet’ with music by Timothy Graphenreed.
The McKittrick Hotel (530 West 27th Street, NYC), home of Sleep No More, announced the opening of Hypnotique – A Late Night Sultry Spectacle. Performances have been extended on Friday and Saturday nights through October 14, 2023. The all-new Hypnotique revue offers a unique after-dark experience that envelops you. Audiences are captivated by spontaneous performances and mesmerizing dancers, accompanied by daring sonic soundscapes in a surreal ambiance in The Club Car.
The cast features Chloé Lexia Worthington, Courtney Sauls, Fabricio Seraphin, Haley Bjorn, Jacob Nahor, Jesseca Scott, Maurice Ivy, Maya Kitayama, Samantha Greenlund, Victoria Edwards, and swings Alex Sturtevant, Cameron Arnold, Kennedy Adams, and Stacey Badgett Jr..
Cocktails inspired by the experience, including the signature Hypnotonique (an electrifying punch made with cucumber-infused vodka, elderflower liqueur, and grapefruit juice), are available from The Club Car’s bar.
Performances are offered on Fridays and Saturdays at 10:30PM. General Admission tickets with standing room are currently priced from $65 per person.
Kevin Del Aguila and the cast Photos by Marc J. Franklin
Two industry readings for Female Troubles, an original musical comedy, will happen next week at Open Jar Studios. Female Troubles is a completely original musical comedy featuring lyrics by two-time Tony Award nominated and Grammy Award nominated songwriter Amanda Green (Mr. Saturday Night, Hands On A Hardbody, Bring It On), music by three-time Emmy Award nominee Curtis Moore (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), book by Emmy Award-winning writers Gabrielle Allan and Jennifer Crittenden (“Veep,” “Arrested Development,” “Seinfeld,” “The Simpsons,” “HouseBroken”) and directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Disney’s Newsies, My Fair Lady, “Schmigadoon,” “Schmicago”).
Lesli Margherita
The cast for the readings will includeKrystina Alabado, Kevin Del Aguila, Amanda Green, Lilli Cooper, Lillias White, Lesli Margherita, Ryann Redmond, Kate Rockwell, Matt Saldivar, Alanna Saunders, Trent Saunders, Jake Swain, Sav Souza, Rachel Stern and Frank Viveros. In Female Troubles, Elinor Benton finds herself surprisingly and undeniably “knocked up” — and, since she’s unmarried and this is 19th century England, she has a very big dilemma. Facing ruin, she and her girlfriends embark on a raucous journey to find the one notorious woman who can help them with their “female troubles.” Their misadventures change the course of each of their lives. This uproarious musical comedy asks the trenchant question “Can you believe this sh*t is still happening in 1810?”
I attended the reading of Love In The Time Of Crazy withbook and lyrics by Peter Kellogg (Outer Critics Winner for Desperate Measures), music by Stephen Weiner (two-time Richard Rodgers Award winner) and David Hancock Turner (orchestrator for Desperate Measures and Penelope), directed by Lauren Molina (Desperate Measures ). The cast stared Philippe Arroyo, Stephen DeRosa, Robin Dunavant, David Merino, Josh Lamon, Roe Hartrampf and Alexis Cofield .
Look for more from this tuneful musical that actually has you leaving humming the songs. The cast was terrific, the direction sublime and the show ready to move.
Love in the Time of Crazy is a riot, but, you know, in a good way.
Gingold Theatrical Group next show is a new production of George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man.
Shanel Baile
The cast of Arms and the Man will feature Shanel Bailey (“Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies”)
Delphi Borich
Delphi Borich (Camelot)
Ben Davis
Ben Davis (New York New York)
Keshav Moodliar
Keshav Moodliar (Queen)
Thomas Jay Ryan (Uncle Vanya)
Evan Zes
Evan Zes (The Kite Runner),
Karen Ziemba
Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba (Prince of Broadway).
Keshav Moodliar, Delphi Borich, Shanel Bailey, Thomas Jay Ryan, Karen Ziemba, Evan Zes and Ben Davis
Understudies for this production are Mazvita Chanakira (Gap Year)
René Thornton Jr (The Tempest)
Matthew Zimmerman
and Matthew Zimmerman (A Midsummer Night’s Dream).
David Staller
Arms and the Man will be directed by David Staller.
Lindsay Genevieve Fuori (Set Designer)
Lindsay Genevieve Fuori
The production will feature set design by Lindsay Genevieve Fuori
Jamie Roderick (Lighting Designer)
lighting design by Jamie Roderick
Ariel Kregal (Assistnat Costume Designer), Cassie Williams (Hair and Makeup Designer), Tracy Christensen (Costume Designer) and Karine Ivey (Wardrobe Supervisor)
costume design by Tracy Christensen
Julian Evans (Sound Designer)
and sound design by Julian Evans. Prop design is by Emmarose Campbell.
Allie Posner (Production Manager)
Production management is by Allie Posner. Hair design is by Cassie Williams, and Stephanie Yankwitt of tbd Casting Co. is the Casting Director.
Logan Gabrielle Schulman (Assistant to the Director)
Logan Gabrielle Schulman is the Assistant to the Director and Ariel Kregard is the Assistant to the Costume Designer.
April Ann Kline (Production Stage Manager) and Jade Doina (Assistant Stage Manager)
The production stage manager is April Ann Kline and Jade Doina will serve as assistant stage manager.
Pamela Singleton (Gingold Board Chair), David Staller, Greg Santos (Managing Producer) and Sean Bertrand (Managing Producer Associate)
Natalie Kane (Administrative Assistant)
Arms and the Man is one of Shaw’s most popular comedies. The plot follows a hunted soldier who, seeking refuge in a young lady’s boudoir, starts in motion a series of highly engaging and unlikely comedic events. His unusual philosophies about love, war and life in general open up a world of thought she’d never previously entertained–certainly not with her dashing war-hero fiancée who also arrives unexpectedly. This early work of Shaw’s is remarkably pithy.
Fareeda Ahmed, Ethan E. Litwin and Pamela Singleton
The play’s title, Arms and the Man, references the first line of the epic Virgil poem, The Aeneid, in which we’re reminded of how foolish humans can be by fighting each other and struggling against the best of human nature: “Arms and the man I sing, who, forced by fate / And haughty Juno’s unrelenting hate, / Expelled and exiled, left the Trojan shore.”
Arms and the Man will play Theater Two at Theatre Row (410 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036) from October 17 through November 18, 2023. Opening night is set for October 26. The performance schedule is Tuesday–Thursday at 7pm; Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm & 8pm; Sunday at 3pm. Cast and guest-moderated talkbacks will take place after each Sunday performance.
By Dennis W
Vinny Celerio (as Intrusive), Nicole Lamb (as Intrusive), Mia Cherise Hall (as Melinda), Zummy Mohammed (as Intrusive), and Audree Hedequist (as Intrusive) Photos by Thomas Mundell.
Relapse: A New Musical is filling Theatre Row with the sound of music from voices patients in a psychiatric hospital hear only in their heads. The 100-minute production captures the audience and brings them into the foggy, erratic, self-destructive world of this group who have lost their grasp on reality. It’s a difficult feat to write a musical about mental illness and get it right. The approach J. Giachetti takes in the book and lyrics, with music supplied by Louis Josephson, is quite inventive and works. The play takes place in group therapy sessions for four patients. But the music is about what’s going on in the minds of these people as they struggle with their sanity. And there are four more players called, ‘The Intrusive’ (the voices in the patients’ heads) doing whatever they can to keep the people in the group from breaking through to reality.
Bryan is played by Randall Scott Carpenter and this is his Off-Broadway debut. Bryan has an eating disorder and Carpenter captures a man searching for control right down to the nervous tick of shaking his leg. The schizophrenic in the group is Melinda played by Mia Cherise Hall. She has just the right spin on the character’s detachment from reality while still being part of the group.
Audree Hedequist (as Intrusive), Zummy Mohammed (as Intrusive), Becca Suskauer (as Kendra), Nicole Lamb (as Intrusive), and Vinny Celerio (as Intrusive) Photos by Thomas Mundell.
Kendra is played by Becca Suskauer (Pretty Woman, National Tour) making her Off-Broadway debut. Kendra is a sociopath who torched her home and killed her father. Rounding out the cast is Adam played by Jacob Ryan Smith (Lizard Boy, Off-Broadway) who is new to the group. He’s an alcoholic and this is his fourth relapse. All the characters have a singular goal: to get out. They are joined by ‘The Intrusive’ played by Vinny Clear, Audree Hedequist, Nicole Lamb, and Yummy Mohammed. They swarm around the patients blocking their way to progress, as well as, filling the void as a well-voiced chorus.
The lyrics by J Giachetti do the job of filling out the characters with titles like Psych 101, Outta Here, Shattered Brain, and What Would You Do. The rock edge to the music by Josephson (Composer, Additional Lyrics, Orchestrations, Julliard) adds to the chaos nicely.
Vinny Celerio (as Intrusive), Nicole Lamb (as Intrusive), Zummy Mohammed (as Intrusive), and Audree Hedequist (as Intrusive) Photos by Thomas Mundell.
Dr. Carlisle and Margot, the nurse, are played respectively by Troy Valjean Rucker (Romeo and Bernadette, Off-Broadway) and Ashley Alexandra (Tootsie – National Tour) who have a kind of antagonistic relationship. Margot is not completely happy with the doctor’s handling of the group and is not shy about speaking out. They also talk about how funding for the group session may be cut off. This is where the plot begins to wander somewhat unnecessarily.
Director and Choreographer Joey McKneely (West Side Story, Broadway) keeps all the characters moving to highlight their stories in the ensemble musical using all of the stage space. The eerie swarming of ‘The Intrusive’ works but as the show progresses their movements become somewhat repetitive.
Randall Scott Carpenter (as Bryan) Photos by Thomas Mundell.
The scenic design by Sheryl Liu (The Memorial, A.R.T.) is adequate, with six blue chairs in a semi-circle as you would expect. It’s easily moved around as needed. Liu, as costume designer, dresses the patients in simple scubs-like tops and pants. Except for Bryan who has a slouching muddy brown cardigan that he uses to his advantage as he nervously rubs it between his fingers hinting at his lack of control and obsessive-compulsive behavior.
This ensemble production of Relapse: A New Musical takes us inside mental illness. The problem comes within the optimistic ending. We really have mostly seen how the characters deal with their specific problems and how the voices in their heads keep holding them back. The doctor says he is moving a patient to the next level facility even though he isn’t ready just to show some progress on paper. Relapse isn’t perfect but it is definitely an evening of entertainment that will give you a lot to talk about when you leave the theater.
Ashley Alexander (as Margot) Photos by Thomas Mundell.
For more go to frontmezzjunkies.com
The new hilarious Off Broadway show Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, officially opened at New World Stages September 18th.
Producers Dane Levins and Drew Desky
Tally Sessions
Gordon Greenberg (Co-Author and Director)
Tally Sessions and Gordon Greenberg
Victoria Deloris (Sound Design)
Steve Rosen (Co-Author)
Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen
Gordon Greenberg, Chess Jakobs and Steve Rosen
Telly Leung and Karen Mason
Karen Mason
Telly Leung
Paul Rolnick and Karen Mason
Julie Halston
Darren Goldstein
Katie Finneran and Darren Goldstein
Katie Finneran and Darren Goldstein
Katie Finneran, Steve Rosen and Darren Goldstein
Katie Finneran
Dominick Laruffa
Brett Ricci
Kaitlyn Boyer
Sean-Michael Wilkinson and Kaitlyn Boyer
Sean-Michael Wilkinson
Rob Denton (Lighting Design)
B.D. Wong and Julie Halston
B.D. Wong
Drew Desky and Dane Levins
Creative Team Victoria Delorio (Music and Sound Design), Tijana Bjelajac (Scenic and Puppet Design), Ashley Rae Callahan (Wig and Hair Design) and Rob Denton (Lighting)
Arnie Burton and Julie Halston
Arnie Burton
Julie Halston, Arnie Burton and Richard Kind
Ellen Harvey
James Daly and Ellen Harvey
James Daly, Ellen Harvey and Arnie Burton
James Daly, Ellen Harvey, Jordan Boatman, Arnie Burton and Andrew Keenan-Bolger
James Daly, Ellen Harvey, Sean-Michael Wilkinson and Jordan Boatman
James Daly, Ellen Harvey, Sean-Michael Wilkinson, Jordan Boatman, Kaitlyn Boyer, Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Arnie Burton
James Daly
Jordan Boatman
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
Gordon Greenberg, Steve Rosen, Drew Desky and Dane Levins
Performances will run through January 7th.
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