All stories by Joseph Verlezza on BroadwayStars

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Broadway Review: “West Side Story” at the Broadway Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

This certainly is a controversial production that will cause conversation and possibly disagreement on the way home from the theatre. The question is the verdict. This one humble opinion fee…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 11:56AM
Monday, February 17, 2020

Off-Broadway Review: “Sabbath Girl” at 59E59 Theaters by Joseph Verlezza

Perhaps good old fashioned sentimental romantic comedies that tug at your heartstrings still attract an audience but they also need to be solid and real. ”Sabbath Girl” provides neither …

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 01:11PM
Monday, December 30, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “Sing Street” at New York Theatre Workshop by Joseph Verlezza

The music and lyrics by Mr. Carney and Gary Clark are the spine of this production providing characters with internal structure that is strong and sound always supporting the action. It is a…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 05:47PM
Thursday, December 26, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “Harry Townsend’s Last Stand” at New York City Center Stage II by Joseph Verlezza

There is nothing new to be learned from this particular production about providing comfort for aging parents, but it may be worth a trip to the theatre just to see these two veteran actors t…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 05:30PM
Monday, December 23, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven” at Atlantic Theatre Company’s Linda Gross Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

The epic new work penned by Stephen Adly Guirgis entitled “Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven” refers to the vast array of residents in a transitional shelter for women on the upper W…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 05:35PM
Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: The New Group’s “Cyrano” at the Daryl Roth Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

In the leading role of Cyrano is Peter Dinklage who gives a realistic and sincere portrayal of Cyrano without the familiar accoutrements to accompany his characterization. He is a fine actor…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 11:54AM
Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “The Crucible” at The Connelly Theater by Joseph Verlezza

The cast is fearless, and the ensemble is impeccable never missing a beat or an opportunity to evoke the emotions at the core of their character. The dialogue, movement and lighting appear t…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 02:54PM
Sunday, December 1, 2019

Broadway Review: “A Christmas Carol” at the Lyceum Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

Nearly everyone was filled with a joyous feeling as they watched Scrooge learn what happiness he could bring to his fellowman. As the hand bell choir assembles like a Christmas card vignette…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 05:48PM
Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “The Michaels” at The Public’s LuEsther Hall by Joseph Verlezza

This is a quiet evening that involves discussions and decisions that might change the lives of some of the participants and establishes the characters identities and motives. It explores the…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 10:49AM
Thursday, November 21, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “Einstein’s Dreams” at 59E59 Theaters by Joseph Verlezza

There is no denying that a retrospect on of the life of Albert Einstein and the development of his renowned Theory of Relativity would be compelling and extremely interesting. To present thi…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 02:47PM
Sunday, November 17, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “Fear” at the Lucille Lortel Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

Perhaps the most problematic element in the new play “Fear” by Matt Williams is that it is flooded with too many sources of fear that tend to diminish the fear that might actually be pre…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 06:36PM
Thursday, September 26, 2019

Broadway Review: “Derren Brown – Secret” at the Cort Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

What can be said, is that Mr. Brown is an amazing showman and talented performer. Acts of prestidigitation have enthralled audiences throughout the ages but Mr. Brown has brought this form o…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 03:58PM
Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Theatre News: “The 2019 State of the Theatre Address” by Joseph Verlezza

Yes, unfortunately the state of the theater has become a disaster and it does not look like there is a rescue team on the way to clean up and revert back to a civilized manner. What happened…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 12:06PM
Sunday, August 18, 2019

Broadway Review: “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

Although the new Broadway musical “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” takes place in Paris in 1899, it is without a doubt a “Cabaret” for the 21st Century. It captures the sounds of Lady Gag…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 12:29PM
Friday, June 21, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “Dropping Gumballs on Luke Wilson” at A.R.T./New York Theatre’s Mezzanine Theater by Joseph Verlezza

Director Theresa Rebeck keeps the action moving on the sleek, modern television studio set, created by scenic designers Christopher Swader and Justin Swader, but is undertaking turning a one…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 03:13PM
Thursday, May 2, 2019

Broadway Review: “Tootsie” Grapples with Gender at the Marquis Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

“Tootsie” has arrived and the lights on Broadway, especially those the Marquis theater where the musical is in residence, are shining much brighter because of the energy generated by the…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 01:59PM
Monday, March 25, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “Nantucket Sleigh Ride” in the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center Theater by Joseph Verlezza

The utmost effort of the cast and creative team cannot overcome the pitch and roll of this tumultuous ride that never dives beneath the surface to discover the meaning of the contrived story…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 06:24PM
Friday, March 8, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s “Fiddler on the Roof” at Stage 42 by David Roberts and Joseph Verlezza

Tradition. Culture. Politics. Love. Tevye grapples with these four and more in National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s “Fiddler on the Roof” currently running at Stage 42.

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 02:58PM
Thursday, March 7, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: Fiasco Theater’s Production of “Merrily We Roll Along” at Laura Pels Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

Director Noah Brady moves the action along at a nice pace and makes the reversal of time clear and entertaining with some clever costume changes but fails to dig deep enough into each of the…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 11:20AM
Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Off-Off-Broadway Review: “The Waiting Game” at 59E59 Theaters by Joseph Verlezza

The play is more about the mechanisms that people use to cope with loss whether it be from death or terminated relationships. The problem here is that we never discover how those people feel…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 10:27AM
Friday, February 8, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “Eddie and Dave” at Atlantic Stage 2 by Joseph Verlezza

The entire cast seems to be having a good time as they move through the antics provided by director Margot Bordelon. The result is somewhat of an overlong television comedy sketch that does …

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 06:49PM
Monday, January 14, 2019

Off-Broadway Review: “I’m Not A Comedian . . . I’m Lenny Bruce” at the Cutting Room by Joseph Verlezza

This one-man show is testament that his stand-up comedy was more abrasive than funny and reinforces the power of words. Mr. Bruce exposed the hypocrisy of humanity in such an unconventional …

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 06:56PM
Friday, December 14, 2018

Broadway Review: “The Ferryman” at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

This is a monumental piece of theater that will stand up to the test of time. It is a thrilling drama of crime and passion that infects a peculiar family which is navigating a contentious, p…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 02:53PM
Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Broadway Review: “The Cher Show” at the Neil Simon Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

There is nothing groundbreaking about this show, but it is good solid entertainment with performances that would be hard to beat. It sheds some light on the journey of a musical icon but als…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 06:37PM
Thursday, December 6, 2018

Off-Broadway Review: “The Hello Girls” at 59E59 Theaters by Joseph Verlezza

There is no doubt that the so called “Hello Girls,” the bilingual operators that were sent to the front line to operate secured switchboards, were invaluable to the Signal Corps units in…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 03:18PM
Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Off-Broadway Review: “Lewsiton/Clarkston” at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater by Joseph Verlezza

Hopefully there will be another extension to the current run in its present state. Playwright Samuel D. Hunter has written a new classic American play, not quite a tragedy, but that being sa…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 05:23PM
Monday, December 3, 2018

Broadway Review: “The New One” at the Cort Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

Most of the humor during this section is heteronormative, almost bordering on self-pity and inclusive only of birthing parents. There is nothing wrong with this choice except for the fact th…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 12:09PM
Friday, November 30, 2018

Broadway Review: “The Prom” at the Longacre Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

Director and Choreographer Casey Nicholaw coaxes laughs and candor out of every scene but knows when to turn the tide to profound passion. As always he fills the stage with powerful, high oc…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 03:42PM

Off-Broadway Review: “Gloria: A Life” at the Daryl Roth Theatre on Union Square by Joseph Verlezza

This is not an ordinary piece of theater but is certainly a relevant dramatic presentation, considering the power of the current Me Too movement. It is not the start of something new but rat…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 10:03AM
Monday, November 26, 2018

Broadway Review: “King Kong” at the Broadway Theatre by Joseph Verlezza

By no means is it perfect but the audience will not even care, as they are swept up by the amazing creature, who is brought to life by the hearts and souls of eleven human handlers, who enab…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 06:06PM
Thursday, October 18, 2018

Off-Broadway Review: “Black Light” at Greenwich House Theater by Joseph Verlezza

Jomama is the performer and alter ego of Daniel Alexander Jones who created the production “Black Light” now playing at Greenwich House Theater after a successful run at Joe’s Pub. She…

SOURCE: Theatre Reviews Limited at 10:50AM

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