All stories by Jan Simpson on BroadwayStars

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Dethroning "Farinelli and the King" by Jan Simpson

Is Mark Rylance the greatest actor of our time? Over the course of a three-decade career, he's won three Tonys, two Oliviers and an Oscar. Last year, the Queen knighted him for his service t…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 08:31AM[SHARE]

Stagecraft: Robert O'Hara, Mankind by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway.   Guest: Robe…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 05:55AM[SHARE]
Saturday, December 30, 2017

Some of My Favorite Theater Things in 2017 by Jan Simpson

As usual, I'm late to the party of 10 Bests Lists. All the others began going up the moment Christmas trees started sprouting on New York City street corners. But my tardiness matters even l…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:06AM[SHARE]
Saturday, December 23, 2017

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas... by Jan Simpson

...a belated Happy Chanukah, a tardy Good Winter Solstice, a slightly premature Joyous Kwaanza and the all-pervasive hope that however you celebrate it, your holiday season will sparkle with…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 11:24AM[SHARE]
Saturday, December 16, 2017

Turning on the Ghost Light, Again by Jan Simpson

It's been a month since I've turned on the ghost light that theaters use when they're empty and that I use to signal that there will be no regular post today. And I'm not happy about doing i…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 10:33AM[SHARE]

Stagecraft: Seth Zvi Rosenfeld, Downtown Race Riot by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: Seth Zvi Rosen…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 05:55AM[SHARE]
Saturday, December 9, 2017

How I Got Stranded by "Once on This Island" by Jan Simpson

It's no fun being a party-pooper. But that's the role I find myself in when it comes to the revival of Once on This Island, the Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flahaerty musical that opened this wee…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 12:06PM[SHARE]

Stagecraft: Sarah Gancher, Hundred Days by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: Sarah Gancher …

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 09:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, December 2, 2017

"School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play" Scores High Grades Across the Board by Jan Simpson

The actress Jocelyn Bioh was a total delight in such shows as An Octoroon, Men on Boats and Everybody, bringing an extra zip to every line she spoke. So I figured a play Bioh wrote might be …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 11:24AM[SHARE]

Stagecraft: David Cale, Author of Harry Clarke by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: David Cale Dav…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 06:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, November 25, 2017

Too Pooped to Turn on the Ghost Light by Jan Simpson

No post today. And I'm too pooped to even turn on the ghost light that usually indicates I'm taking a break. Here's why: Over the past week, I've:'taped my first episode of TheatreTalk …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 01:06PM[SHARE]

Stagecraft: Rajiv Joseph, Author of Describe the Night by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: Rajiv Joseph R…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 05:55AM[SHARE]
Saturday, November 18, 2017

"The Portuguese Kid" is Totally Juvenile by Jan Simpson

Nobody bats a thousand. It's unfair of us theater lovers to expect our favorite writers and directors to knock one out of the park (last sports metaphor, I promise) each time they come up wi…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 10:48AM[SHARE]
Thursday, November 16, 2017

Stagecraft: Sarah DeLappe, Author of The Wolves by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: Sarah DeLappe …

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 04:22PM[SHARE]
Saturday, November 11, 2017

"People, Places & Things" is a Good Thing by Jan Simpson

The story that British playwright Duncan Macmillan tells in People, Places & Things isn't new. But the brilliant way in which this tale about a woman's struggles with alcoholism and addi…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:06AM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 5, 2017

Stagecraft: Itamar Moses, book writer of "The Band's Visit" by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: Itamar Moses I…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 06:00PM[SHARE]
Saturday, November 4, 2017

"After the Blast" Finds Uplift in a Dystopia by Jan Simpson

In these challenging times, a play that makes a convincing argument for why it's important to continue on despite overwhelming odds is especially welcomed. And that's exactly what LCT3's pro…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 10:12AM[SHARE]
Saturday, October 28, 2017

"The Home Place" is Underfurnished by Jan Simpson

All the comments I overhead at the Irish Repertory Theatre Company's revival of Brian Friel's The Home Place seemed to be about the set. Decorated with prettily painted flats and lots o…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:04AM[SHARE]
Friday, October 27, 2017

Stagecraft: Steve Dietz, author of "Lonely Planet" by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: Steve Dietz…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 02:44PM[SHARE]
Saturday, October 21, 2017

Moments Linger in "Time and the Conways" by Jan Simpson

The word sentimental has become one of the deepest insults you can hurl at a play. But I don't mind a bit of sentimentality if it's done well. And although the Roundabout Theatre Company's r…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 10:18AM[SHARE]
Friday, October 20, 2017

Stagecraft: Anna Ziegler, author of "The Last Match" by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: Anna Ziegle…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 04:07PM[SHARE]
Saturday, October 14, 2017

Stagecraft: Max Posner, author of "The Treasurer" by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: Max Posner …

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 12:00PM[SHARE]

"Tiny Beautiful Things" is Too Small for Me by Jan Simpson

Sometimes you need to just follow your gut when it comes to deciding whether or not to see a show.  My gut told me Tiny Beautiful Things wouldn't be for me. But I wanted …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:12AM[SHARE]
Saturday, October 7, 2017

The Latest News About "Broadway & Me" by Jan Simpson

Regular readers may have noticed that I haven't been posting as often as I usually do. But that doesn't mean I haven't been seeing shows and having thoughts about them. In fact, I seem to be…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 03:54PM[SHARE]

Stagecraft: Jireh Breon Holder, author of "Too Heavy for Your Pocket" by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Guest: JIRÉH B…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 09:37AM[SHARE]
Saturday, September 30, 2017

"Charm" Celebrates Gender Fluidity by Jan Simpson

It's hard not to be charmed by Charm, the new play about a 67-year-old transgender woman who offers etiquette lessons to underprivileged and gender-fluid youths. For everyone associated with…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 10:18AM[SHARE]
Saturday, September 23, 2017

"The Violin" Plays an Old-Fashioned Tune by Jan Simpson

The instrument that gives The Violin its title is what the film director Alfred Hitchcock used to call a MacGuffin, a plot device to provide some momentum for what in this play, which opened…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 10:12AM[SHARE]
Saturday, September 16, 2017

"For Peter Pan on her 70th birthday" is a Gift for Theater Lovers Ready to Grow Up by Jan Simpson

Ever since a friend died earlier this summer at the relatively young age of 62, I've been preoccupied with death. So For Peter Pan on her 70th birthday, Sarah Ruhl's warm-hearted meditation …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 10:18AM[SHARE]
Saturday, September 9, 2017

A Female-Focused Fall Theater Preview by Jan Simpson

Experience has taught me that I'm a terrible prognosticator. So many of the shows I get all worked up about at the beginning of a theater season end up disappointing me. And then shows that …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:48AM[SHARE]
Saturday, September 2, 2017

A Labor Day Salute to Drama Teachers by Jan Simpson

Monday is Labor Day, which for some folks means that the summer is winding down, for others that the school year is starting up and for us theater lovers that a new season is just around the…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:24AM[SHARE]
Saturday, August 26, 2017

The "Prince of Broadway" is Too Stately by Jan Simpson

Whether you walk out of Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre feeling as though you got you money's worth after seeing Prince of Broadway is going to depend on what you go into…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:24PM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off