Friday, July 11, 2025
Review by Ron Fassler . . . When the film Heathers opened nationwide in March of 1989, George H. W. Bush had recently begun what would be his single term as President, Madonna’s “Like …
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 01:03PMThursday, July 10, 2025
By Ron Fassler . . . Having worked in the theatre for the past 50 years, Frank Verlizzo is one of the highest-ranking members of an elite circle. As the designer of more than 300 posters, hi…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 12:22PMTuesday, July 8, 2025
By Ron Fassler . . . For those in the know, eighteen-year-old Charles Kirsch has been producing podcasts devoted to Broadway since the age of twelve. His “Backstage Babble,” named for …
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 05:12PMFriday, July 4, 2025
The 1969 marquee for “1776” in its original production at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers).July 4, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler.
This is a re-worki…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 02:33PMThursday, July 3, 2025
By Ron Fassler . . . When Laurence Luckinbill made his Broadway debut in 1963 as a replacement in Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons he was twenty-nine years old and had already endur…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 05:41PMSunday, June 29, 2025
Frank Loesser (1910–1969).June 29, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
One hundred fifteen years ago today, composer-lyricist Frank Loesser was born on the Upper West Side o…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 01:00PMThursday, June 26, 2025
Review by Alex Eichholz . . . With Emmanuelle Mattana’s new play Trophy Boys, Danya Taymor once again cements herself as a whisperer for the Gen Z voice in theatre. Fresh off the directi…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 11:18AMTuesday, June 24, 2025
Advertisement for the one-night only “Hello, Dolly” in Concert at Carnegie Hall.June 24, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler.
Last night at Carnegie Hall, those in attend…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 06:47PMFriday, June 20, 2025
By Ron Fassler . . . Actor-Director Brandon J. Dirden has made something of a home for himself at Red Bank’s Two River Theatre over the past decade or so. A New Jersey resident himself, he…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 01:03PMThursday, June 19, 2025
Review by Ron Fassler . . . The first glimpse that this was going to be a special night at 54 Below honoring the 50th anniversary of the original production of Chicago was that everyone wa…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 07:05PMWednesday, June 18, 2025
Review by Ron Fassler . . . “I’m booked and blessed,” shouted Stephanie Pope in a joyous moment during her autobiographical show at 54 Below Tuesday night. Having taken a self-impo…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 12:39PMTuesday, June 17, 2025
Review by Alex Eichholz . . . With no background reading on its subject matter or any expectations, Jordan Tannahill’s new play Prince Faggot, which opened tonight at Playwrights Horizons…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:06PMFriday, June 13, 2025
Review by Samuel L. Leiter . . . No, Jean Smart, the star of Call Me Izzy, now at Broadway’s Studio 54, does not portray a Borough Park yeshivah boy in this one-woman play. The Izzy she p…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:15AMThursday, June 12, 2025
Paul Deo Jr as Bertram and Anique Clements as Helena in “All’s Well That Ends Well.”June 12, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
This piece ran yesterday on the Theater…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:52AMWednesday, June 11, 2025
Review by Ron Fassler . . . The recently closed Broadway production of Othello, which starred Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, had been charging the record-breaking top ticket price o…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 04:52PMTuesday, June 10, 2025
Review by Ron Fassler . . . If someone was in the mood this week on June 9th to celebrate Cole Porter’s birthdate, then if they headed to West 44th Street in Manhattan, their wish would ha…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 11:06PMMonday, June 9, 2025
Photo taken from my seat in the Front Mezzanine at Radio City Music Hall last night.June 9, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler.
The Tony Awards have been broadcast on nation…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 03:49PMTuesday, June 3, 2025
Review by Ron Fassler . . . For more than forty years, playwright Donald Margulies has been delighting audiences with thought-provoking plays on a range of subjects and issues. The recipient…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:01PMMonday, June 2, 2025
By Ron Fassler . . . Satirical comedy has been around a long time (Plautus, anybody?) which often means contemporizing Golden Oldies is essential so we can be in on the jokes. Of late, playw…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:01PMThursday, May 22, 2025
Performing in a cabaret setting can be accomplished successfully in a variety of ways. With someone like Marilyn Maye, who’s put in the hours and is still going strong at ninety-seven, you…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 03:07PMTuesday, May 20, 2025
By Ron Fassler . . . For someone who has put themselves front and center entertaining audiences for nearly fifty years, the question “Who is Richard Skipper?” still has an air of mystery…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:27AMFriday, May 16, 2025
Charles Strouse (1928–2026).May 16, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Composer Charles Strouse died yesterday at the age of ninety-six, just shy of his ninety-seventh birt…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:29AMSaturday, May 3, 2025
Review by Ron Fassler . . . For more than a few years now, scenic design on Broadway has been obsessed with video projections. And it’s here to stay, too. Sometimes the effects are tacky, …
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 01:37PMFriday, May 2, 2025
Interview by Ron Fassler . . . Though Ann Kittredge is well known as a consummate cabaret singer, she is also a lifelong performing artist who has performed on Broadway and Off-Broadway, …
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 04:06PMThursday, May 1, 2025
“Buena Vista Social Club” has reason to celebrate with its ten Tony nominations announced today.May 1, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
It’s always a thrill for me to…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 01:27PMMonday, April 28, 2025
Review by Ron Fassler . . . On the wings of angels comes The Billy Stritch Trio for a six-performance engagement at Birdland Jazz Club. Joined by Michael O’Brien on bass and Eric Halvorson…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 06:26PMReview by Ron Fassler . . . At the age of twelve, I began weekly sojourns into Manhattan from my home on Long Island with the mission of seeing every Broadway show possible. Keeping strict r…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 12:15PMSunday, April 27, 2025
Review by Ron Fassler . . . With the Tony Awards deadline fast upon us, two final shows are slipping in under the wire, Dead Outlaw and Real Women Have Curves, both opening tonight (I’l…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 09:49PMFriday, April 25, 2025
A pensive Al Pacino, circa the 1970’s, his most defined decade as an actor.April 25, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
I’ve written about him before, but there’s alwa…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:50AMThursday, April 24, 2025
By Ron Fassler . . . Having made her Broadway debut at the age of eight as a replacement in the title role of Matlida at the Shubert Theatre, actress Fina Strazza has returned to the nei…
SOURCE: Theater Pizzazz at 01:20PMTuesday, April 22, 2025
Donna McKechnie onstage at 54 Below in her new Sondheim show.April 22, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
In her current three-performance engagement at 54 Below, the amazin…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 04:50PM 
