All stories by Terry Teachout on BroadwayStars

Friday, April 30, 2021

‘A Picture of Autumn’ Review: The Waning Days of Aristocracy by Terry Teachout

Mint is webcasting “A Picture of Autumn” as part of a series of broadcast-quality archival videos taped at live performances, and the strong impression the play made on me when I first s…

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal at 10:43AM
Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Keep the (Virtual) Crowds Coming - WSJ by Terry Teachout

A case in point is New York’s Mint Theatre Company, a small but distinguished troupe that performs in an 88-seat off-Broadway house. During the past year, the Mint has webcast free broadca…

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal at 09:35AM
Friday, March 5, 2021

‘Bad Dates’ Review: Stumbling Down Memory Lane by Terry Teachout

“Bad Dates” never fails to give great pleasure in the hands of an appealing actor and a solid production team, and Andréa Burns and her George Street colleagues are all that and much, m…

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal at 12:05PM
Monday, February 22, 2021

Just because: Graham Greene talks about The Third Man by Terry Teachout

Graham Greene is interviewed by Jack Mangan in an outtake from a 1950 episode of Ship’s Reporter in which he talks about The Third Man: (This is the latest in a series of arts- and his…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: Graham Greene on facing reality by Terry Teachout

“People don’t like reality. They don’t like common sense. Until age forces it on them.” Graham Greene, Loser Takes All Continue reading Almanac: Graham Greene on facing reality at A…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Friday, February 19, 2021

A pair of saints by Terry Teachout

In today’s Wall Street Journal, I review webcasts of Katie Roche and The Book of Magdalene. Here’s an excerpt. *  *  * One of the few happy surprises of 2020 was the Mint Theater Co…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:02AM

Replay: Fats Waller sings “Ain’t Misbehavin’” by Terry Teachout

Fats Waller sings and plays “Ain’t Misbehavin’” in Stormy Weather, directed by Andrew L. Stone in 1943. The members of the band include Benny Carter on trumpet, Zutty Singleton on d…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: Alexander Hamilton on perfection by Terry Teachout

“I never expect to see a perfect work from imperfect man.” Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 85 Continue reading Almanac: Alexander Hamilton on perfection at About Last Night.

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Thursday, February 18, 2021

‘Katie Roche’ and ‘The Book of Magdalene’ Reviews: A Pair of Saints - WSJ by Terry Teachout

One of the few happy surprises of 2020 was the Mint Theater Company’s announcement that it had built up a private stockpile of broadcast-quality archival videos of its past productions and…

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal at 07:02PM

Almanac: Neil Simon on the dramatic arc of a play by Terry Teachout

“When I was writing three-act plays, a producer told me the curtain should always come down on the beginning of the fourth act. A play should never really come to an end.” Neil Simon, in…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Snapshot: Bill Evans plays “My Foolish Heart” by Terry Teachout

Bill Evans plays “My Foolish Heart” on British TV in 1965, with Chuck Israels on bass and Larry Bunker on drums: (This is the latest in a series of arts- and history-related videos that…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM
Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Lookback: the wider cultural meaning of Don Knotts’ death by Terry Teachout

From 2006: When I was young, everybody I knew watched The Andy Griffith Show. Today there are no TV shows that “everybody” watches, and no movies that everyone has seen. Indeed, the Ame…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: George Herbert on February and March by Terry Teachout

February makes a bridge, and March breaks it. George Herbert, “Jacula Prudentum” Continue reading Almanac: George Herbert on February and March at About Last Night.

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Monday, February 15, 2021

Just because: Miles Davis plays “My Funny Valentine” by Terry Teachout

The Miles Davis Quintet plays “My Funny Valentine” on Italian TV in 1964: (This is the latest in a series of arts- and history-related videos that appear in this space each Monday, Wedn…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: Raymond Carver on love by Terry Teachout

And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so? I did. And what did you want? To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth. Raymond Carver, “Late Fragment” Contin…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Friday, February 12, 2021

The evil men do by Terry Teachout

In today’s Wall Street Journal, I review streaming webcasts of Patrick Page’s All the Devils Are Here and the Lantern Theater Company’s production of Molly Sweeney. Here’s an excerpt…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:02AM

Replay: Laurence Olivier on delivering Shakespearian blank verse by Terry Teachout

Laurence Olivier talks about delivering Shakespearian blank verse in an undated TV clip. Also heard from is John Gielgud: (This is the latest in a series of arts- and history-related videos…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: Thomas Harris on middle age by Terry Teachout

“It seemed to Graham that he had learned nothing in forty years. He had just gotten tired.” Thomas Harris, Red Dragon Continue reading Almanac: Thomas Harris on middle age at About Last…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Thursday, February 11, 2021

Almanac: Terence Rattigan on the difference between plays and novels by Terry Teachout

“Never forget that the spoken word is not twice nor three times, but five times as potent as the written word, so that what would occupy a page in a novel should take up only five lines in…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM

Cataclysm criticism by Terry Teachout

A new episode of Three on the Aisle, the podcast in which Peter Marks, Elisabeth Vincentelli, and I talk about theater in America, is now available on line for listening or downloading. He…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Snapshot: Randy Newman sings “I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today” by Terry Teachout

Randy Newman sings his own “I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today” on the BBC in 1971: (This is the latest in a series of arts- and history-related videos that appear in this space each Monda…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: Tennessee Williams on memory by Terry Teachout

“In memory everything seems to happen to music.” Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie Continue reading Almanac: Tennessee Williams on memory at About Last Night.

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Lookback: on turning sixty-four by Terry Teachout

From 2020: I’ll never again take another first date to Mario’s Deli, invite her to tell me all about herself, and wonder as I listen whether she might possibly be the girl of my dreams. …

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: John Steinbeck on loneliness by Terry Teachout

“I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.” John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men Continue reading Almanac: John Steinbeck on loneliness at About Last Night.

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Monday, February 8, 2021

Just because: Maurizio Pollini plays Mozart by Terry Teachout

Mauricio Pollini, Riccardo Muti, and Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala perform the second movement from Mozart’s C Major Piano Concerto, K. 467: (This is the latest in a series of arts-…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: Gabriel García Márquez on old age by Terry Teachout

“The secret of a good old age is simply an honorable pact with solitude.” Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude (trans. Gregory Rabassa) Continue reading Almanac: Gabri…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Friday, February 5, 2021

In Tampa, a superb Doubt by Terry Teachout

In today’s Wall Street Journal, I review regional webcasts of Doubt and The Niceties. Here’s an excerpt. *  *  * Some plays are so obviously well-suited to socially distanced webcast…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:02AM

Replay: Meryl Streep and Viola Davis in Doubt by Terry Teachout

Meryl Streep and Viola Davis in a scene from the film version of John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt: A Parable, directed by the author: (This is the latest in a series of arts- and history-rela…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: Somerset Maugham on the beauty of courage by Terry Teachout

“I think there is in the heroic courage with which man confronts the irrationality of the world a beauty greater than the beauty of art.” Somerset Maugham, A Writer’s Notebook Continu…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM
Thursday, February 4, 2021

Superb simplicity by Terry Teachout

In today’s Wall Street Journal I pay tribute to Hal Holbrook. Here’s an excerpt. *  *  * Hal Holbrook, who died on Jan. 23 at age 95—his death was announced this week—spent most…

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:01AM

Almanac: Mark Twain on honesty by Terry Teachout

“If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.” Mark Twain, notebook entry, January or February 1894,  Continue reading Almanac: Mark Twain on honesty at About Last Night.

SOURCE: ArtsJournal at 07:00AM

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