All stories by Jess on BroadwayStars

Thursday, November 22, 2018

'Dance gave me a way to find a life’: English National Ballet's Isaac Hernández by Iman Amrani, Noah Payne-Frank, Bruno Rinvolucri and Jess Gormley

The 28-year-old lead principal of the English National Ballet talks to the Guardian's Iman Amrani about his plans to make dance a human right in his home country of Mexico and elevate it as …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:32AM
Thursday, November 15, 2018

'There's a lot of power in being young': Hamilton lead actor Jamael Westman on making change - video by Iman Amrani, Jess Gormley, Noah Payne-Frank and Marina Costa

Jamael Westman, the lead actor in the West End production of Hamilton, talks to the Guardian's Iman Amrani backstage at the Victoria Palace Theatre, discussing the power of youth to make cha…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:33AM
Thursday, November 8, 2018

Review: ‘King Kong’ Is the Mess That Roared by Jesse Green and Ben Brantley

The one-ton, 20-foot marionette is impressive, but the $35 million musical he stars in doesn’t even succeed as camp.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:48PM
Sunday, October 7, 2018

Review: There’s a Dark, Golden Haze in This Reclaimed ‘Oklahoma!’ by Jesse Green and Ben Brantley

A stripped-down, communal version of the 1943 musical reveals a great complex work of theater, with chili and cornbread included.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 07:54PM
Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Can Critics Learn to Love the Jukebox Musical? by Jesse Green, Ben Brantley, Elisabeth Vincentelli and Scott Heller

They are often Broadway sensations, but jukebox musicals rarely get good reviews. We invited our critics to stop snarking and tell us what they want.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:48AM
Monday, June 11, 2018

The Best and Worst of the Tony Awards 2018 by Ben Brantley, Jesse Green, Scott Heller and Joshua Barone

A look at the most memorable moments from this year’s ceremony celebrating Broadway.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:48PM
Friday, June 1, 2018

the 25 best american plays: The Ones We Left Behind by Ben Brantley, Jesse Green, Laura Collins-Hughes, Alexis Soloski and Elisabeth Vincentelli

Majority rule (mostly). One play per playwright. How we put together the 25 Plays list, and a bid to remember notable writers and favorite works that missed the cut.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:48AM
Thursday, May 10, 2018

23 Dazzling Portraits of Tony Nominees by Jesse Dittmar, Michael Paulson, Jolie Ruben and Joshua Barone

We invited Broadway’s best to pose for us just 24 hours after they were nominated for theater’s most prestigious award. Needless to say, they were a happy bunch.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:18AM
Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Tony Awards 2018: Who Will Win (and Who Should) by Ben Brantley and Jesse Green

Passionate agreement on best musical, but after that all bets are off.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:18AM

Loving and Hating the Broadway Season: Our Critics Could Have Argued All Night by Ben Brantley, Jesse Green and Scott Heller

Disagreeing on classic musicals, agreeing on “The Band’s Visit,” and worried about a season when revivals outshone new plays.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:18AM
Tuesday, May 1, 2018

In a Slim Season, the Tonys Show Love to Brits, Classics and Sponges by Ben Brantley and Jesse Green

Our chief critics offer reaction to the nominations, which were hard on jukebox musicals and “Frozen” but good to “My Fair Lady” and “Carousel.”

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:36PM
Tuesday, December 5, 2017

The Best Theater of 2017 by Ben Brantley and Jesse Green

Our chief theater critics on their favorites this year, from “Bruce Springsteen on Broadway” to a host of playwrights tackling life’s chaos.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:18PM
Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Hard Truths or Easy Targets? Confronting the Summer of Trump Onstage by Ben Brantley, Jesse Green and Alexis Soloski

Theater has quickly taken on the Trump presidency. Whether what’s onstage can change minds or spark action is open to debate.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 04:06PM
Wednesday, July 12, 2017

When You Switch Up on a (Broadway) Star by Ben Brantley and Jesse Green

One night a week, Donna Murphy takes over the title role in “Hello, Dolly!” from Bette Midler. Alternates, like her, and replacements can help make or break a hit show.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:18PM
Monday, June 26, 2017

Brexit Shorts: The End by Abi Morgan, starring Penelope Wilton – video by Jess Gormley, Noah Payne-Frank, Liese Spencer and Chris Wiegand

‘There’s no coming back from this’ … After 43 years together, Helen is shocked that her husband is leaving Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:36AM

Brexit Shorts: The Pines by Gary Owen, starring Steffan Rhodri – video by Jess Gormley, Noah Payne-Frank, Liese Spencer and Chris Wiegand

‘But if I don’t do this, what else can I do?’ … A Welsh dairy farmer reflects on the real cost of a flat white Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:36AM

Brexit Shorts: Shattered by Maxine Peake, starring Nasser Memarzia – video by Jess Gormley, Noah Payne-Frank, Liese Spencer and Chris Wiegand

‘People are petrified’ … An immigration lawyer in Manchester sees fear – and hope – in his community Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:12AM

Brexit Shorts: Burn by James Graham, starring Joanna Scanlan – video by Jess Gormley, Noah Payne-Frank, Liese Spencer and Chris Wiegand

‘I’m a warrior who’s been waiting for a war’ … Internet troll Carol whips up Brexit fury in Mansfield Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:12AM
Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Review: An Immersive ‘Seeing You’ Sends Its Audience to War by Ben Brantley and Jesse Green

Our chief theater critics went to see the interactive performance piece on the same night, expecting to have vastly different experiences. They didn’t.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:36PM
Thursday, May 11, 2017

Just How Great Was That ‘Comet’? Our Critics Debate the Broadway Season by Ben Brantley and Jesse Green

Our critics debate a varied, and divisive, Broadway season.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 11:12AM
Tuesday, May 2, 2017

2017 Tony Awards: Our Theater Critics Discuss the Nominations by Ben Brantley and Jesse Green

The co-chief theater critics Ben Brantley and Jesse Green, on the nominated plays, musicals and actors.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:06PM
Monday, March 6, 2017

How a German prison is using theatre to de-radicalise young Isis volunteers – video by Jess Gormley and Alex Healey

In the juvenile prison of Wiesbaden in Germany there are more than 300 inmates, including returning Isis fighters from Syria. A pilot project by the German government seeks to reintegrate in…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:06AM
Thursday, December 8, 2016

'Don't look at my feet!': Royal Ballet principal ballerina prepares for Nutcracker – video by Tom Silverstone, Jess Gormley and Irene Baqué

Royal Ballet principal ballerina Lauren Cuthbertson prepares for her opening performance of the classic Christmas production The Nutcracker at London’s Royal Opera House. Alone in the stud…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:06PM
Saturday, August 13, 2016

'Bit daunting, really': the Edinburgh standups reading Chilcot in full – video by Amir Amirani and Jess Gormley

At 2.6m words it’s something of a mouthful, but John Chilcot’s Iraq war report is being tackled by comics at the 2016 fringe in a performance expected to take two weeks. Here, they expla…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:21AM
Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Impressions masterclass with Alistair McGowan and Rory Bremner – video by Stephen Moss, Jess Gormley, Tom Silverstone, Noah Payne-Frank and Kara Fox

Stephen Moss learns the art of impersonation from two masters: Alistair McGowan and Rory Bremner. Will Moss impress his tutors with his Boris Johnson? Can he manage to stretch his words and …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:14AM
Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Zawe Ashton as Jaques in As You Like It: ‘All the world’s a stage’ – video by Dan Susman, Jess Gormley, Pascal Wyse, Liese Spencer, Emma John and Chris Wiegand

To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, we asked leading actors to perform key speeches from his plays. Here, Zawe Ashton speaks Jaques’s lines on the seven ages of man fro…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:36PM
Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Paterson Joseph as Shylock: 'You call me misbeliever' – video by Dan Susman, Jess Gormley, Pascal Wyse, Liese Spencer, Emma John and Chris Wiegand

To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, we asked leading actors to perform key speeches from his plays. Here, Paterson Joseph speaks Shylock’s lines from The Merchant of Ve…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:11AM

Zawe Ashton as Jacques in As You Like It: ‘All the world’s a stage’ – video by Dan Susman, Jess Gormley, Pascal Wyse, Liese Spencer, Emma John and Chris Wiegand

To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, we asked leading actors to perform key speeches from his plays. Here, Zawe Ashton speaks Jacques’s lines on the seven ages of man fr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:10AM

Damian Lewis as Antony in Julius Caesar: 'Friends, Romans, countrymen' – video by Dan Susman, Jess Gormley, Pascal Wyse, Liese Spencer, Emma John and Chris Wiegand

To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, we asked leading actors to perform key speeches from his plays. Here, Damian Lewis performs Antony’s lines from act III, scene 2 of …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:10AM

Laura Carmichael as Portia: 'The quality of mercy' – video by Dan Susman, Jess Gormley, Pascal Wyse, Liese Spencer, Emma John and Chris Wiegand

To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, we asked leading actors to perform key speeches from his plays. Here, Laura Carmichael speaks Portia’s lines from The Merchant of Ve…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:10AM

Riz Ahmed as Edmund in King Lear: 'Now, gods, stand up for bastards' – video by Dan Susman, Jess Gormley, Pascal Wyse, Liese Spencer, Emma John and Chris Wiegand

To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, we asked leading actors to perform key speeches from his plays. Here, Riz Ahmed speaks Edmund’s soliloquy from the start of Act I, S…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:10AM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards