All stories by Michael Sommers on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

The Shadow of a Gunman: Sean O’Casey’s Seriocomic Saga of Dublin at War by Michael Sommers

★★★★ The Irish Rep kicks off its three-show cycle of the playwright's works with a winning revival The post The Shadow of a Gunman: Sean O’Casey’s Seriocomic Saga of Dubl…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:56PM
Sunday, February 10, 2019

The Light: Black #MeToo Arguments Blaze Away In a Timely New Drama by Michael Sommers

★★★★ Playwright Loy A. Webb, director Logan Vaughn, and two fine actors deliver a hot he said/she said story The post The Light: Black #MeToo Arguments Blaze Away In a Timely New Dr…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:02PM

Mies Julie and The Dance of Death: The First Is Hot, the Second Is Not by Michael Sommers

Classic Stage offers two Strindberg plays in separate productions, one more august than the other The post Mies Julie and The Dance of Death: The First Is Hot, the Second Is Not appeared fir…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:49PM
Wednesday, January 30, 2019

God Said This: A Kentucky Family Being Unhappy in Its Own Way by Michael Sommers

★★★ A gentle new comedy-drama explores mother-daughter-sister relationships The post God Said This: A Kentucky Family Being Unhappy in Its Own Way appeared first on New York Stage Revi…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 12:14PM
Monday, January 28, 2019

Joan: Dealing Out a Disorderly Deck of Triste and Trite Snapshots by Michael Sommers

★★ Stephen Belber's latest drama shuffles through a tiresome heap of cliches The post Joan: Dealing Out a Disorderly Deck of Triste and Trite Snapshots appeared first on New York Stage R…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 11:53AM
Friday, January 25, 2019

The Convent: Modern-Day Women Go Soul Searching in a Medieval Milieu by Michael Sommers

★★ Jessica Dickey's latest play scarcely achieves its intriguing possibilities The post The Convent: Modern-Day Women Go Soul Searching in a Medieval Milieu appeared first on New York St…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 10:36AM
Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Colin Quinn Red State Blue State: Snarking Over America’s States of Disunion by Michael Sommers

★★★ A curmudgeonly humorist stands up to gripe about various aspects of our polarized society The post Colin Quinn Red State Blue State: Snarking Over America’s States of Disunio…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:00PM
Sunday, January 20, 2019

About Alice: Calvin Trillin’s Fond Portrait of the Woman He Loved by Michael Sommers

★★★★ A writer provides a tender account of his wife, who did more than merely face up to cancer The post About Alice: Calvin Trillin’s Fond Portrait of the Woman He Loved appea…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:00PM
Monday, January 14, 2019

LaBute New Theater Festival: A Sharp Playwright Assumes a Gentler Style by Michael Sommers

★★★ A trio of new plays presents a Hitler apologist, a bad date, and one self-absorbed heart-breaker The post LaBute New Theater Festival: A Sharp Playwright Assumes a Gentler Style ap…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:30PM
Monday, January 7, 2019

Blue Ridge: A Tedious Journey Through Underdeveloped Territory by Michael Sommers

★★ Even the typically combustible Marin Ireland can't strike many sparks from a sparsely dramatized story The post Blue Ridge: A Tedious Journey Through Underdeveloped Territory appeared…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 10:00PM
Thursday, January 3, 2019

The Girl with the Alkaline Eyes: Guys and a Dancing Doll of Futuristic Design by Michael Sommers

★★★ The "Be More Chill" choreographer delivers a new dance drama with a vintage story and a modern score The post The Girl with the Alkaline Eyes: Guys and a Dancing Doll of Futuristic…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 04:01PM
Thursday, December 13, 2018

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo: Typically Tutu Funny to Describe by Michael Sommers

★★★★ The Trocks spin back for the holidays as en pointe entertaining as ever The post Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo: Typically Tutu Funny to Describe appeared first on New Yo…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 04:30AM
Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Ruben & Clay’s Christmas Show: American Idols Reunite for the Holidays by Michael Sommers

★★ Former rivals Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken get together to vocalize holiday songs The post Ruben & Clay’s Christmas Show: American Idols Reunite for the Holidays appeared …

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:15PM
Monday, December 10, 2018

Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine: Facing Your Not-So-Fab Origins by Michael Sommers

★★★★ Playwright Lynn Nottage's lighter side is nicely served by Signature Theatre's revival The post Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine: Facing Your Not-So-Fab Origins appear…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:40PM
Sunday, December 9, 2018

Slave Play: Gabbing Too Much About Sexual Dysfunction and Racism by Michael Sommers

★★ Steamy sex scenes evaporate into hot air in newcomer Jeremy O. Harris' debut drama The post Slave Play: Gabbing Too Much About Sexual Dysfunction and Racism appeared first on New Y…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:00PM
Monday, December 3, 2018

The Cher Show: Truly Turning Back Time With a Singular Superstar by Michael Sommers

★★★★ It takes three performers to portray the one-and-only Cher in a wildly entertaining jukebox show The post The Cher Show: Truly Turning Back Time With a Singular Superstar appear…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:40PM
Thursday, November 29, 2018

The Dead, 1904: Dubliner Sisters Invite You to an Immersive Christmas Dinner by Michael Sommers

★★★★ Melissa Gilbert is among the guests attending a holiday dinner drawn from a famous James Joyce story The post The Dead, 1904: Dubliner Sisters Invite You to an Immersive Christm…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:00PM
Sunday, November 18, 2018

Downstairs: Tyne Daly and Tim Daly Tackle Kin Beyond Their Typical Ken by Michael Sommers

★★★ Theresa Rebeck's new semi-thriller digs some dark secrets from out of a cellar The post Downstairs: Tyne Daly and Tim Daly Tackle Kin Beyond Their Typical Ken appeared first on New…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:41PM

All Is Calm: A Poignant Music-Theater Account of WWI’s Christmas Truce by Michael Sommers

★★★★ A handsomely sung musical documentary relates an inspiring wartime miracle The post All Is Calm: A Poignant Music-Theater Account of WWI’s Christmas Truce appeared first …

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:40PM
Thursday, November 15, 2018

The Prom: Plenty of Showbiz Gagging Over Some Serious Issues by Michael Sommers

★★ Several Sardi's caricatures confront serious issues in a slick but kinda crass new musical The post The Prom: Plenty of Showbiz Gagging Over Some Serious Issues appeared first on New …

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:20PM
Monday, November 12, 2018

The Other Josh Cohen: See a Loser Be a Winner By Doing the Right Thing by Michael Sommers

★★★★ A schlub loses everything but later gains true love in a little, New York-y musical The post The Other Josh Cohen: See a Loser Be a Winner By Doing the Right Thing appeared firs…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:30PM
Sunday, November 11, 2018

Thom Pain (based on nothing): Some Existential Rambles With Michael C. Hall by Michael Sommers

★★★★ Signature Theatre smartly revives Will Eno's significantly meandering monodrama The post Thom Pain (based on nothing): Some Existential Rambles With Michael C. Hall appeared fi…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:27PM
Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Eve’s Song: How Black Women’s Lives Don’t Always Matter in America by Michael Sommers

★★★ The Public Theater premieres the threnody of a blameless woman's destruction The post Eve’s Song: How Black Women’s Lives Don’t Always Matter in America appeared …

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:55PM
Monday, November 5, 2018

The Thanksgiving Play: Knocking the Stuffing Out of White Liberal Correctness by Michael Sommers

★★★ Playwrights Horizons premieres a satirical comedy that's tasty but underdone The post The Thanksgiving Play: Knocking the Stuffing Out of White Liberal Correctness appeared first o…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:05PM
Sunday, November 4, 2018

Waiting for Godot: Whiling Away a Few Fine Hours With an Irish Didi and Gogo by Michael Sommers

★★★★ The Druid company infuses Samuel Beckett's bleak drama with a wonderful sense of life The post Waiting for Godot: Whiling Away a Few Fine Hours With an Irish Didi and Gogo appea…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 03:30PM
Sunday, October 28, 2018

Big Apple Circus: A Lean, Keen, Family Show (and More) to its Core by Michael Sommers

★★★★ Kids will get a kick out of the 41st edition while their elders will see some nice sights, too The post Big Apple Circus: A Lean, Keen, Family Show (and More) to its Core appear…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:00PM

Daniel’s Husband: A New Drama Cautions Same-Sex Couples to Tie the Knot by Michael Sommers

★★★ Good acting breathes life into a comedy that unexpectedly turns sorrowful The post Daniel’s Husband: A New Drama Cautions Same-Sex Couples to Tie the Knot appeared first on N…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:30PM
Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Come From Away: Get a Gander at Strangers Being Kind to Each Other by Michael Sommers

★★★★★ Long-Run Lookback: An expertly staged docu-musical remains a truly heartwarming experience The post Come From Away: Get a Gander at Strangers Being Kind to Each Other appeare…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 11:38PM
Thursday, October 11, 2018

Midnight at the Never Get: A Moody Cabaret About the Man That Got Away by Michael Sommers

★★★ A gay romance from the 1960s glimmers within a little musical bubble The post Midnight at the Never Get: A Moody Cabaret About the Man That Got Away appeared first on New York Stag…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:01PM
Monday, October 8, 2018

The Winning Side: What’s Love Got to Do With Wernher Von Braun? by Michael Sommers

★★ A mash-up of fact and fiction shows that writing plays can be harder than rocket science The post The Winning Side: What’s Love Got to Do With Wernher Von Braun? appeared first …

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:00PM
Thursday, October 4, 2018

The Bacchae: Euripides’ Classical Tragicomedy of Wine, Women, and Wrong by Michael Sommers

★★★ Anne Bogart stages a 2,400 year-old Greek drama with a few modern notes The post The Bacchae: Euripides’ Classical Tragicomedy of Wine, Women, and Wrong appeared first on New…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 02:30PM