All stories by FRANK SCHECK on BroadwayStars

Sunday, October 28, 2012

There’s nothing magical in this witches’ brew by Frank Scheck

‘Let me say right off I’m a witch,” the title character declares at the start of “Sowa’s Red Gravy,” and thank goodness she does, because it’s the only clear moment of Diane Ri…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:37PM

Puppets get ‘Mojo’ workin’ by Frank Scheck

It’s such a pleasure watching the central character of “Mojo” blossom from precocious tyke to rebellious teen that you’ll barely notice she’s a puppet. But a puppet she is, and she…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:37PM
Thursday, October 25, 2012

A ‘House’ ready for foreclosure by Frank Scheck

Here’s the bad thing about experimental theater: It’s experimental, which means there’s a big possibility it will fail. Case in point: The Transport Group’s production of “House fo…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:19AM
Monday, October 22, 2012

A Page from her mother’s life by Frank Scheck

Angelica Page waited a long time to do “Turning Page,” her solo show about her actress mother. Twenty-five years, in fact. “There’s not been one book written about her, no documentar…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:11AM

Diamond-infused tale sparks laughs by Frank Scheck

As the title suggests, there’s more than one Josh Cohen in “The Other Josh Cohen.” The good news is that both are very funny. Longtime collaborators and friends David Rossmer and Stev…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:11AM
Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Poetic justice for Harold Pinter by Frank Scheck

‘A Celebration of Harold Pinter” is richly deserved, and not for the reasons you might expect. This one-man show by British actor Julian Sands, in his New York stage debut, deals only wi…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:29AM
Tuesday, October 16, 2012

‘Falling’ rises to the occasion by Frank Scheck

Never mind that tinkly piano score you’ll hear at the start of “Falling.” Far from receiving a mawkish, “Hallmark Hall of Fame” treatment, Deanna Jent’s play is harrowing stuff. …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:33AM

‘Spring,’ once awoken, now goes back to sleep by Frank Scheck

For a play about sexually confused, 19th-century German teens — one involving masturbation, homosexuality, masochism, rape, abortion and suicide — Frank Wedekind’s “Spring’s Awaken…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:33AM
Saturday, October 13, 2012

Street kids take flight by Frank Scheck

The young audiences gasping at “Urban” probably have no idea they’re watching a depiction of life on the mean streets of Cali, Colombia. No matter: As Circolombia’s show at the New V…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:03AM
Friday, October 12, 2012

Review: Cyrano de Bergerac by Frank Scheck

Did Broadway really need another revival of Edmond Rostand’s 1987 romantic classic Cyrano de Bergerac a mere five years after the highly successful production starring Kevin Kline and …

SOURCE: Scheck on the Arts at 08:04AM
Thursday, October 11, 2012

Still mad as hell by Frank Scheck

The years haven’t exactly mellowed Lewis Black. But why would they? If they had, he wouldn’t have an act. He gets angry so we don’t have to. In “Running on Empty,” which kicked off…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:05AM
Monday, October 8, 2012

At home with Alice & Co. by Frank Scheck

You’ll discover what it feels like to disappear down a rabbit hole at “Then She Fell,” the fiendishly clever immersive theater piece inspired by the life and writings of “Alice in Wo…

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Good tunes, twee story by Frank Scheck

‘the Old Man and the Old Moon” is a hauntingly beautiful production, filled with ingenious lighting effects, lovely shadow puppetry and an accomplished and original folk music score.So w…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:49PM

2 one-acts equal only 1 great reason to watch by Frank Scheck

As the title suggests, there’s a gimmick behind “AdA (Author Directing Author),” an evening of one-acts by rising Italian playwright Marco Calvani and the ubiquitous Neil LaBute: Each …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:00AM
Friday, October 5, 2012

Review: Grace by Frank Scheck

A fine cast acts their hearts out in Grace, Craig Wright’s drama now receiving its Broadway premiere. While this play about the collision between an Evangelical Christian couple and a …

SOURCE: Scheck on the Arts at 06:30AM
Thursday, October 4, 2012

All puffed up and nowhere to go by Frank Scheck

‘Whenever we talk about the theater, we’re talking about love,” Lynn Fontanne declares in Jeffrey Hatcher’s “Ten Chimneys,” about the actress and her onstage and offstage love, A…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:14AM
Monday, October 1, 2012

In love with middle-aged lust by Frank Scheck

Irish playwright Brian Friel has never been at a loss for words. And neither is Mag (Justine Salata), the 17-year-old who chatters on and on in “Lovers,” now getting its first major prod…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:22AM
Thursday, September 27, 2012

An Enemy of the People: Theater Review by Frank Scheck

Ibsen's classic about a small town doctor who attempts to warn the citizenry about the local spa's contaminated waters. read more

SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter at 10:00PM
Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Peppy familiar tunes foster pluck of the Irish by Frank Scheck

‘hard Times” is that rare musical where you walk in humming the tunes. In fact, it’s got to be the most tuneful show you’ll ever see about the 1863 Civil War draft riots, thanks to i…

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Monday, September 24, 2012

Powerful echoes of genocide by Frank Scheck

The raucous teenagers onstage seem perfectly normal at first. They’re playing an exuberant game of soccer, laughing and joking and at one point stopping to dance to a Beyoncé song. One is…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:33AM
Friday, September 21, 2012

Cross-dresser’s show a drag by Frank Scheck

Look up “acquired taste” in the dictionary and you’ll probably find a picture of Dina Martina. The drag-queen performer and Provincetown, Mass., fixture returned to New York recently f…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:43PM

Review: If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet by Frank Scheck

Uneasily blending an examination into the global effects of climate change with dysfunctional family drama, British playwright Nick Payne’s dark comedy If There Is I Haven’t Foun…

SOURCE: Scheck on the Arts at 06:24AM
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Get a new ‘Job’ by Frank Scheck

‘Why do the righteous suffer?” That question’s at the heart of the Old Testament’s Book of Job — one that will feel newly relevant to theatergoers who sit through “Job,” Thomas…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:59PM
Monday, September 17, 2012

Anderson Twins make sweet music by Frank Scheck

The Anderson Twins don’t really play the fabulous Dor-seys in “The Anderson Twins Play the Fabulous Dorseys!,” but never mind. This musical tribute from one pair of swinging musical si…

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Friday, September 14, 2012

These ‘Eyes’ we’ve seen before – and better by Frank Scheck

If press releases are to be believed, no Bulgarian play has ever received a major New York City production until now. And if the Bug Company’s “The Eyes of Others” is any indication, …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:31AM
Thursday, September 13, 2012

‘One’ isn’t the loneliest number at solo-show fest by Frank Scheck

You can’t throw a rock in this town without hitting a solo performer. But this hasn’t stopped the All for One Theater Festival from showcasing even more. Kicking off tomorrow, the festiv…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 01:39AM
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

This office comedy just does not work by Frank Scheck

Watching “The Why Overhead,” it’s hard not to imagine its playwright in some actual, dead-end office job, taking notes about his co-workers with the hope of one day putting it all onst…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:11PM
Monday, September 10, 2012

Chaplin: Theater Review by Frank Scheck

The ambitious new Broadway bio-musical depicts the life and career of the legendary screen star. read more

SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter at 04:13PM

Dressed to kill by Frank Scheck

NO, the women pictured above won’t be strutting the runways this Fashion Week. They’re the subjects of “Sicks,” a play by Clay Edmonds —whose day job is director of merchandising f…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:38AM
Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Meth addict’s tale doesn’t crystallize as theater by Frank Scheck

Imagine a Narcotics Anonymous meeting at which the speaker suddenly breaks into song and dance. This should give you a pretty good feel for “Methtacular!” — a confessional solo show ab…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:36PM
Thursday, August 30, 2012

‘Tender Napalm’ drops a bomb by Frank Scheck

‘i could squeeze a bullet between those lips.” “I could get a spoon and prise it in your eye sockets.” “I could squeeze a grenade up there.” Such are among the not-so-tender decl…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:20AM