All stories by Jim Farmer on BroadwayStars

Thursday, May 17, 2018

“Sordid Lives” author Del Shores brings “Six Characters” to Atlanta in one-man show by Jim Farmer

His work tends to resonate everywhere it plays, but Atlanta is especially receptive to the characters brought to life by Del Shores. The playwright, best known for stage, film and television…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 10:07AM
Thursday, May 3, 2018

Essay: Can’t we please just put away our cell phones and enjoy the show? by Jim Farmer

It’s happened — I imagine — to almost everyone who attends theater, film or other kinds of arts events on a regular basis. A patron nearby brings out a cell phone, starts texti…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 12:59PM
Thursday, April 19, 2018

Remembrance: Actress Valerie Payton brought her kindness and joy to every stage by Jim Farmer

She was known for her hugs, her warmth and her charisma, as well as her musical prowess and onstage presence. Valerie Denise Payton, a popular local actress and musician, passed away unexpec…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 11:01AM

The Shuler Awards return for 10th year of celebrating high school musical theater by Jim Farmer

For many of the students participating in this year’s Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards, it will be their first time performing at such a prominent event. Some of them also hope t…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 06:00AM
Thursday, April 12, 2018

Kenny Leon squeezes a new Broadway hit into his schedule before coming home by Jim Farmer

Downtime has never really been part of Kenny Leon’s DNA. He finishes one project and darts off to start another, crisscrossing the country at will, effortlessly making the segue from theat…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 11:01AM
Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Review: “Out of Darkness” is a brilliant, haunting watershed for the Atlanta Opera by Scott Freeman and Jim Farmer

The bold Atlanta Opera world premiere of Out of Darkness: Two Remain debuted Thursday. The story of two Holocaust survivors — one Jewish and one gay — is told with powerful theat…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 12:59PM
Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Review: Horizon’s “Freaky Friday” hits the high notes but doesn’t quite pull together by Jim Farmer

In the 70s it was Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, in the 90s (on TV) it was Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann and in 2003 it was Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. Now a Freaky Friday for a n…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 12:59PM
Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Review: The winner takes it all in Aurora’s fun-packed version of “Mamma Mia!” by Jim Farmer

It may not be profound, but it’s hard to think of a production as eager to please as the jukebox musical Mamma Mia! Based on the hits of ABBA — with a book by Catherine Johnson and m…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 11:01AM
Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Actress extraordinaire Carolyn Cook forges her own unique path in Atlanta theater by Jim Farmer

One day she’s onstage portraying Joan of Arc, then another she has morphed into a Shakespearean character. Sometimes she even tackles multiple roles in the same show such as in Horizon The…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:01PM
Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Review: Topher Payne’s brilliant, farcical “Perfect Arrangement” is sadly relevant by Jim Farmer

At a time when discrimination and witch hunts are increasingly becoming the norm again, Theatrical Outfit’s new Perfect Arrangement feels like a lot more than just snappy entertainment …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 12:59PM
Thursday, February 15, 2018

Review: Alliance’s “The Jungle Book” is ambitious, but misses a real sense of wonder by Jim Farmer

Given its rich source material and the Alliance Theatre’s ability to create stage work that can often appeal to both adults and younger audiences, the company’s new version of The Jungle…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 02:02PM
Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Review: Stage Door hits its stride in a solid revival of William Inge’s classic “Picnic”  by Jim Farmer

His plays aren’t produced with much regularity these days, but novelist and playwright William Inge left behind a tremendous body of work, including Come Back, Little Sheba, Bus Stop (my p…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 02:02PM
Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Review: Often transcendent, second half of “Angels in America” firmly hits its mark by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

ArtsATL theater critics Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer got together recently to discuss thoughts on Part Two of the new Actor’s Express production of Angels in America. Here are their tak…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 10:01AM
Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Review: Aurora’s “Maytag Virgin” charms with its strong characters and sense of place by Jim Farmer

Sweet without being suffocating and smarter and more charming than it sounds on paper, the play Maytag Virgin proves to be a splendid vehicle for its two-person cast. Running through Februar…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 12:59PM

Review: Part one of “Angels in America” jumps off to a strong, though uneven, start by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

Kicking off the 2018 theater year with a bang is the Actor’s Express’ production of Tony Kushner’s much lauded Angels in America, which took home virtually every award (a Tony and a Pu…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 11:01AM
Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Year in Review: 2017 was for playwrights to shine . . . and Serenbe’s “Cabaret,” old chum by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

This was a busy year of theater, with world premieres popping up in every corner and local companies flexing their creative muscles. ArtsATL critics Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer saw most …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 10:59AM
Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Review: Lauren Gunderson’s “Miss Bennet” offers smart and witty take on Jane Austen by Jim Farmer

That former Atlantan Lauren Gunderson has become the most produced playwright in the country is no fluke or accident. Her work is smart and accessible, with female characters who refuse to f…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 11:01AM
Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Review: Sychronicity’s “Heidi” offers a fun and nostalgia-filled holiday trip to the Alps  by Jim Farmer

One of the most popular and beloved books of all time — Johanna Spyri’s Heidi — has been the basis for countless television and film adaptations, but a stage version doesn’t …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 10:59AM
Friday, December 1, 2017

Local theater icon and Georgia Ensemble cofounder Bob Farley known for generosity by Jim Farmer

Less than a month after he and his wife Anita accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Suzi Bass Awards, Georgia Ensemble Theatre cofounder Robert (Bob) J. Farley passed away unexpecte…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 02:21PM
Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Live from New York, it’s Atlanta’s Michael Stiggers; plus, what’s hot on Broadway by Jim Farmer

Michael Stiggers never saw himself pursuing a professional career in acting, much less living in the Big Apple with a Broadway stint under his belt. But now he’s doing just that. Performin…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 12:59PM
Friday, November 10, 2017

Remembrance: Rebecca Ranson, activist and visionary figure in Atlanta theater by Jim Farmer

Hers was a distinctive voice, as well as one that was passionate and ground-breaking. The Atlanta theater community lost a visionary figure in September when Rebecca Ranson passed away at th…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 02:01PM
Tuesday, November 7, 2017

News: Aurora’s “Madison County,” WABE’s Lois Reitzes receive Suzi Bass Awards by Jim Farmer

When the Suzi Bass Awards — recognizing excellence in local theater — were handed out last night, the evening’s big winner was Aurora Theatre’s The Bridges of Madison County,…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:59PM
Friday, November 3, 2017

Preview: Roswell’s Jay Hunter Morris sets sail in Atlanta Opera’s “Flying Dutchman” by Jim Farmer

As The Flying Dutchman bows this week as part of The Atlanta Opera’s new main-stage season, it’s something of a homecoming not just for its director (Tomer Zvulun, also the company’s …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 08:59AM
Thursday, October 26, 2017

Review: Actress Mary Lynn Owen steals the show as Bubbie in the Alliance Theatre’s “Crossing Delancey” by Jim Farmer

She’s not the central figure in the romantic comedy Crossing Delancey, but the character of Bubbie is often the scene-stealing heart of the play. And when the role is taken on by the wonde…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 11:00AM
Thursday, September 28, 2017

Review: “The Christians” bravely examines faith with moments that never quite catch fire by Jim Farmer

As he does every Sunday, Pastor Paul (Brian Kurlander) walks to the pulpit in his church and begins a sermon, as the 14-person choir behinds him sits attentively and absorbs the message, as …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 09:02AM
Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Review: Alliance serves up empty calories as it takes to the road with “Shakespeare in Love” by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

Shakespeare in Love, the Oscar-winning 1998 film, has lately been turned into a play, and it’s currently making the rounds at a number of regional theaters around the country. A new produc…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 10:59AM
Friday, September 15, 2017

Bob Farley, an icon of local theater, reflects on his 25 years at Roswell’s Georgia Ensemble by Jim Farmer

As he was putting together his 25th season of programming for Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Robert Farley — the artistic director and cofounder of the Roswell-based company — came to…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 02:02PM
Thursday, August 31, 2017

Preview: The 2017–18 theater season sees Alliance on the move, politically relevant dramas by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

The fall is the most exciting time of year for Atlanta theater, and this fall has the added edge of the Alliance Theatre’s nomadic season while its main theater space undergoes a complete …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 09:02AM
Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Review: Lyric’s “My Fair Lady” gets to the church on time but plays it a bit on the safe side by Jim Farmer

In staging the classic My Fair Lady, Atlanta Lyric Theatre and director Scott Seidl have made some wise decisions — the best of which is casting Galen Crawley as its titular character.…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 12:02PM
Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Review: Lauren Gunderson’s “Ada” at Essential easily one of the treats of the summer season by Jim Farmer

She’s well past the point of being just the pride and joy of Decatur and the Atlanta theater community. Lauren Gunderson is now the most produced playwright in the country. Although her wo…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 11:02AM
Friday, July 28, 2017

Preview: Atlanta Musical Theatre Festival set to kick off its second year with three productions by Jim Farmer

The irony didn’t escape him. When local actor Benjamin Davis was working as an associate producer for The Last Time We Were Here — a musical written and performed by Atlanta artists …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:01PM

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