All stories by Bob Verini on BroadwayStars

Thursday, August 10, 2023

The Shark Is Broken: “Jaws” Stars Square Off For Fun And Fishticuffs by Bob Verini

★★★★☆ Behind the scenes of Steven Spielberg's legendary blockbuster, co-authored by (and starring) the son of its most explosive player The post The Shark Is Broken: “Jaws” Sta…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:54PM
Wednesday, July 19, 2023

From London: Football, The National Psyche, and Mark Rylance Too by Bob Verini

Two history-based dramas from The National Theatre: One zings, the other doesn't The post From London: Football, The National Psyche, and Mark Rylance Too appeared first on New York Stage Re…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 10:53AM
Sunday, July 9, 2023

From Stratford, Ontario: The Plays – and the People – Are the Thing by Bob Verini

The Stratford Festival does Canada proud with a range of offerings, including wildly innovative approaches to Shakespeare The post From Stratford, Ontario: The Plays – and the People – A…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 11:00AM
Wednesday, May 10, 2023

From Boston: Taylor Mac Displays a Soulful Change-of-Pace with Joy and Pandemic by Bob Verini

★★★★☆ Taylor Mac surprises with an Ibsenesque take on a long-ago plague parallel to our own The post From Boston: Taylor Mac Displays a Soulful Change-of-Pace with Joy and Pandemic…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 11:20AM
Sunday, March 26, 2023

Sweeney Todd: God, That’s Great by Bob Verini

★★★★★ Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, and "Hamilton" creatives elevate a musical classic to unprecedented heights The post Sweeney Todd: God, That’s Great appeared first on New Y…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:54PM
Thursday, March 16, 2023

Parade: An American Tragedy, Stunningly Musicalized by Bob Verini

★★★★★ Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown examine the historical roots of our national malaise, in this bold, character-driven staging starring Ben Platt The post Parade: An America…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:55PM
Thursday, December 15, 2022

From Connecticut: Christmas in Connecticut, With Tidings of Comfort by Bob Verini

★★★☆☆ Musicalization of the 1945 holiday classic is easy to swallow, like a good eggnog The post From Connecticut: Christmas in Connecticut, With Tidings of Comfort appeared first…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:42AM
Sunday, December 11, 2022

Some Like It Hot: Nobody’s Perfect, But This Comes Close by Bob Verini

★★★★★ A high-octane, audience-pleasing vaudeville, spun out of a cinematic classic, creates a bunch of glittering new stars The post Some Like It Hot: Nobody’s Perfect, But This…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:53PM
Thursday, December 8, 2022

Ohio State Murders: Grabbed by the Throat—By Racism and Memory by Bob Verini

★★★★★ Audra McDonald brilliantly brings to life a masterful examination of bigotry and violence by a 91-year-old Broadway novice The post Ohio State Murders: Grabbed by the Throat�…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 10:23PM
Thursday, November 10, 2022

Kimberly Akimbo: The Sweet Musical Treat We Need Right Now by Bob Verini

★★★★★ David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori transform a quirky black comedy into a tuneful affirmation of life and difference The post Kimberly Akimbo: The Sweet Musical Treat W…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:53PM
Sunday, November 6, 2022

From Boston: Chekhov’s Cherry Orchard in High-Tech Makeover by Bob Verini

★★★☆☆ Ukrainian artist Igor Golyak plays fast and loose with a classic text, to intriguing if mixed results (with Baryshnikov) The post From Boston: Chekhov’s Cherry Orchard in …

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 06:00AM
Friday, November 4, 2022

From Boston: Joe Turner’s Back, Powerful As Ever by Bob Verini

★★★★☆ The renovated Huntington reopens with a full-blooded, full-voiced revival of an August Wilson classic The post From Boston: Joe Turner’s Back, Powerful As Ever appeared fi…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 01:26PM
Wednesday, September 14, 2022

From Boston: Sing Street Soars by Bob Verini

★★★★★ The power of music to empower, powers a rousing theatrical experience The post From Boston: Sing Street Soars appeared first on New York Stage Review.

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 12:35PM
Sunday, September 4, 2022

From Maine: Mr. Holland’s Opus Hits Some Clinkers by Bob Verini

★★☆☆☆ A cinematic salute to an inspiring teacher is musicalized into something less than inspiring The post From Maine: Mr. Holland’s Opus Hits Some Clinkers appeared first on N…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:59AM
Sunday, August 21, 2022

From Massachusetts: Celebrate Everything Passing By, With Sondheim by Bob Verini

★★★★★ Broadway veterans demonstrate stardom's power to make a Sondheim gem glitter ever more brightly The post From Massachusetts: Celebrate Everything Passing By, With Sondheim ap…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:53PM
Friday, July 29, 2022

From Maine: The Nutty Professor, Transformed From Wild To Mild by Bob Verini

★★★☆☆ Jerry Lewis's classic 1963 farce, pleasantly musicalized, has its (buck) teeth pulled The post From Maine: The Nutty Professor, Transformed From Wild To Mild appeared first o…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:57AM
Monday, July 25, 2022

From Massachusetts: Most Happy In Concert, Most Dispiriting In Execution by Bob Verini

★☆☆☆☆ A glum expressionistic concert does a classic Frank Loesser score, and the audience, no favors The post From Massachusetts: Most Happy In Concert, Most Dispiriting In Executi…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:44AM
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

From Massachusetts: Barrington Bounces Back with Warhol & Waller by Bob Verini

A provocative new play, and a grand musical revival, prove that the Pittsfield-based Barrington Stage is alive and well The post From Massachusetts: Barrington Bounces Back with Warhol &…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 10:37AM
Tuesday, May 3, 2022

From Boston: The Inheritance Hands Gay History Over to Regional Theater, Triumphantly by Bob Verini

★★★★★ The first U.S. regional production reframes Matthew López's Olivier & Tony-winner as an intimate epic The post From Boston: The Inheritance Hands Gay History Over to Reg…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 10:10AM
Saturday, April 30, 2022

From Boston: Our Daughters Like Pillars Offers Family Friction, Northeast of Osage County by Bob Verini

★★★☆☆ A long, smartly-written dysfunctional-family drama that feels somewhat longer than necessary The post From Boston: Our Daughters Like Pillars Offers Family Friction, Northeas…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 10:00AM
Tuesday, April 26, 2022

A Strange Loop: The I’s Have It in a Remarkable Musical Achievement by Bob Verini

★★★★☆ A one-of-a-kind musical creator unravels the very strands of human identity The post A Strange Loop: The I’s Have It in a Remarkable Musical Achievement appeared first on N…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:51PM
Monday, April 25, 2022

The Skin of Our Teeth: We Will Survive by Bob Verini

★★★★★ Thornton Wilder's epic, and epically funny, American classic is reborn in a brilliant new staging The post The Skin of Our Teeth: We Will Survive appeared first on New York S…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:54PM
Sunday, April 24, 2022

Funny Girl: Fanny Is Funny But ‘Funny’ Is Flat by Bob Verini

★★☆☆☆ Beanie Feldstein gives us a different take on the long-ago legend, but the rest is the same old fast shuffle The post Funny Girl: Fanny Is Funny But ‘Funny’ Is Flat appea…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:53PM
Monday, April 4, 2022

Take Me Out: A Solid Three-Bagger by Bob Verini

★★★★☆ An entertaining revival of Richard Greenberg's award winner about baseball and identity sacrifices some edge The post Take Me Out: A Solid Three-Bagger appeared first on New…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 09:55PM
Sunday, October 31, 2021

The Woman in Black: A Satisfying Victorian Creepshow by Bob Verini

★★★☆☆ Susan Hill's cozy ghost story gets a cozy mounting in a cozy pub The post The Woman in Black: A Satisfying Victorian Creepshow appeared first on New York Stage Review.

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:09PM
Saturday, October 2, 2021

From Massachusetts: Ayodele Casel Chasing Magic (And Catching It) by Bob Verini

★★★★☆ A gifted dancer-choreographer taps into mood and meaning with a stunning troupe of artists The post From Massachusetts: Ayodele Casel Chasing Magic (And Catching It) appeared…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 05:00PM
Monday, August 23, 2021

From Massachusetts: Sister Sorry, Regrets Only by Bob Verini

★★☆☆☆ Sorry to say, an intriguing true story is fictionalized into something less than intriguing The post From Massachusetts: Sister Sorry, Regrets Only appeared first on New York…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 12:00PM
Sunday, August 1, 2021

From Boston: The Tempest, A Perfect Storm and a Perfect John Douglas Thompson by Bob Verini

★★★★★ Shakespeare's all-powerful sorcerer Prospero, driven near-mad, learns the power of redemption on Boston Common The post From Boston: The Tempest, A Perfect Storm and a Perfec…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:41PM
Thursday, April 8, 2021

John Cullum, An Accidental Star: Stardom No Accident by Bob Verini

★★★★☆ Legendary veteran of Broadway's Golden Age shares his career highs, though not the lows The post John Cullum, An Accidental Star: Stardom No Accident appeared first on New Yo…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:59PM
Monday, March 22, 2021

Middletown: Those Were the Days? Really? by Bob Verini

★★★☆☆ Dan Cleary’s salute to post-WWII Americana is sweet, sentimental, safe—and shallow The post Middletown: Those Were the Days? Really? appeared first on New York Stage Revi…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 07:58PM
Saturday, January 2, 2021

Ratatouille: The Rat In The Hat Strikes Back by Bob Verini

★★★★☆ The Tik Tok generation cooks up a streaming tribute to a Pixar classic of their youth The post Ratatouille: The Rat In The Hat Strikes Back appeared first on New York Stage R…

SOURCE: New York Stage Review at 08:26AM