All stories by William Oser on BroadwayStars

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Florida "Lend Me a Tenor" by William Oser

Comedy, especially farce, is very difficult to play well, so a production as good as this one�and it is very good�is a treat.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 04:38PM
Wednesday, September 10, 2014

American Stage "The Chosen" by William Oser

Overall, the acting is effective but lacking Yiddishkeit, a strong innate Jewish core. In Asher Lev, also deeply rooted in the same period and religious community, the Jewish identity was al…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:38AM
Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Sarasota "The Sty of the Blind Pig" by William Oser

The direction by Mark Clayton Southers is not showy but such extraordinary ensemble acting does not come out of nowhere. He paces the play well and keeps things in focus.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 02:32PM
Thursday, May 22, 2014

"Hero: The Musical" in Sarasota by William Oser

Asolo Rep is presenting Hero: The Musical, a charming musical with a book and concept by Aaron Thielen and music and lyrics by Michael Mahler.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 04:29PM
Tuesday, April 22, 2014

"Bubbling Brown Sugar" in Sarasota by William Oser

For its season finale, WestCoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) is presenting Bubbling Brown Sugar by Loften Mitchell, a revue that attempts an overview of American black music circa 1920-1940s.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 05:06PM
Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Asolo Rep "The Grapes of Wrath" by William Oser

... it is riveting theater in every way.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 12:33PM
Friday, February 7, 2014

"Two Trains Running" in St. Petersburgh by William Oser

I look forward to an August Wilson Century Cycle plays at American Stage in January of each year. Two Trains Running is the strongest in several years.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 07:56PM
Wednesday, January 22, 2014

West Coast Florida "The Whipping Man" by William Oser

Outstanding acting in service to a provocative play gives Sarasota audiences reason to see The Whipping Man.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 04:57PM
Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Sarasota Spamalot" by William Oser

Florida Studio's production represents its first home grown representation, and it's a darn good one. This is probably the largest production ever attempted by FST, made possible by the beau…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 07:45PM
Wednesday, November 27, 2013

West Coast Black Theater Troupe "Purlie" by William Oser

verything about this production is wonderful and sure to leave audiences singing and dancing as they leave the theater.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 08:02PM
Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Sarasota "Show Boat" by William Oser

Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's bold 1927 musical Show Boat opens the second year of Asolo Rep's five-year survey of The American Character.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 01:51PM
Tuesday, August 20, 2013

"Les Mis�rables" Brandenton, Florida by William Oser

To open a full season at their new Manatee Center for the Performing Arts, Rick Kerby has gone BIG, and is staging the first non-professional full production of Boublil and Schonberg's epic …

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 08:27PM
Friday, August 9, 2013

freFall "Spring Awakening" by William Oser

Everything about this production is exciting, staged in the round on a multi-layered stage with the six musicians grouped in various corners of the auditorium.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 01:21PM
Thursday, July 25, 2013

West Coast Florida "My Name is Asher Lev" by William Oser

When an explosive thought-provoking play is presented in a brilliantly acted production, sparks can be expected to fly. And indeed they do in American Stage's production of My Name is Asher …

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 05:09PM
Thursday, July 4, 2013

Mary Testa in"My Brilliant Divorce" by William Oser

For American audiences the central character has been tweaked into an ex-patriot American married to a Brit, but this conceit is hit and miss.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 10:14AM
Thursday, May 30, 2013

Noah Racey's "Pulse" by William Oser

Written, conceived and choreographed by Noah Racey and directed by Jeff Calhoun, Pulse shows the audience how it feels to be a dancer.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:49AM
Wednesday, April 10, 2013

"Miss Saigon" in Sarasota by William Oser

The Manatee Players have finally opened their new theater, The Manatee Performing Arts Center, for a soft opening, and what better way to do it than with a spectacular production?

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 07:53PM
Thursday, February 28, 2013

"A Funny thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" in Bradenton by William Oser

The Manatee Players say goodbye to the Riverfront Theater after 60 years, heading a few blocks east to a brand new theater that has been almost five years in the making with A Funny Thing Ha…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 04:43PM
Monday, February 25, 2013

Asolo Rep "The Heidi Chronicles" by William Oser

Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles is the third play in the winter repertory at Asolo Rep during its first of a multi-year examination of The American Experience, and an excellent choi…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 05:41PM
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

"The Columnist" in Sarasota by William Oser

Florida Studio Theater is offering the regional premiere of an intriguing if imperfect play, The Columnist by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright David Auburn (Proof).

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 03:36PM
Tuesday, January 22, 2013

"Bravo Broadway" Sarasota Orchestra Pops by William Oser

This program, conducted by Pops conductor Andrew Lane, featured soloists Susan Egan, Doug LaBrecque and Lisa Vroman singing a varied program of new and old favorites.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 10:10PM

"Jitney" West Coast Black Theater Troupe by William Oser

When all of the acting is as good as what is seen here, much credit must go to director, Jim Weaver.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 10:09PM
Thursday, January 10, 2013

West Coast Florida "You Can't Take it With You" by William Oser

Asolo Repertory Theater scores a bullseye with George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's You Can't Take it With You, brilliantly directed by Peter Amster.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 08:14AM
Wednesday, December 19, 2012

"A Doll's House" in Florida by William Oser

For its Christmas outing, American Stage in St. Petersburg is presenting Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House in a modern adaptation by Kelly Lapczynski and T. Scott Wooten.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 06:59PM

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