Friday, October 4, 2024

Honor by Wendy Caster

What is honor? That's a particularly relevant question as we head into the election. Is honor reputation? Or is it something between a person and herself? What value does honor have? Do most…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 10:12PM
Saturday, September 21, 2024

American Classical Orchestra 40th Anniversary Concert by Wendy Caster

The American Classical Orchestra (ACO), described by its founder/conductor as "our labor of love," utilizes period instruments to better produce classical pieces as the composers composed th…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 05:12AM
Saturday, September 14, 2024

In Search of Elaina by Wendy Caster

Annette is winning at life. She has just negotiated a major promotion; her boyfriend Charles is attractive, considerate, and wealthy; their major life challenge is whether to stay in the Upp…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 09:06PM
Friday, September 13, 2024

Attorney-Client by Wendy Caster

One is not supposed to focus so much on trees that you miss the forest, right? I get that. But what if they're really big, ugly, focus-grabbing trees? I suspect that Client-Attorney, Alex…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 02:32AM
Thursday, September 12, 2024

The Ask by Wendy Caster

There's a little gem playing at the Wild Project through September 28th. One set, 80 minutes, with terrific and compassionate writing (Matthew Freeman), directing (Jessi D. Hill), and acting…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 08:32PM
Thursday, August 22, 2024

Sondheim: His Life, His Shows, His Legacy (Book Review) by Wendy Caster

On one hand, there could never be too many books about Stephen Sondheim. On the other hand, each book should be able to justify its existence through untold stories (are there any?), a new p…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 06:36PM
Monday, August 12, 2024

Suffs by Wendy Caster

First, how cool is it that Suffs exists, and that it's so good, and that it's been recognized and rewarded? And how sad is it that the show is still timely? But things are changing. The nig…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 11:20PM
Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Illinoise by Wendy Caster

A lovely, if somewhat overlong, dance revue about humans telling stories and being oh-so-human, Illinoise is based on the beautiful songs of Sufjan Stevens and an original story by choreogr…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 06:15PM
Monday, June 24, 2024

The Transport Group: Follies in Concert: by Wendy Caster

The Transport Group's Follies in Concert had all the makings of a magical evening, but for many of us, the magic was intermittent at best. For a fascinating, multifaceted discussion of the …

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 08:24PM
Sunday, June 23, 2024

Breaking the Story by Wendy Caster

Second Stage's Breaking the Story (closing today) has a lot of goals for its 85 minutes: depict the PTSD of a war journalist, discuss the meaning and ethics of journalism, show a woman try…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 08:18PM
Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Tony Awards Show 2024: A Very Satisfying Event by Wendy Caster

Well, this is an opinion piece, so I should perhaps make the subtitle "A Very Satisfying Event for Me." A quick glance around the web reveals that I was not in the majority.  I do, of cours…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 06:02PM
Monday, June 17, 2024

How'd We Do? Tony Predictions 2024 by Wendy Caster

  Seers, we ain’t. (Categories are in the order the awards were given.) Here’s how we did:   Sandra Liz Wendy TOTALS (out of 26) …

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 05:36PM
Thursday, June 13, 2024

Tony Predictions 2024 by Wendy Caster

It's Tony time again. Was this an exciting year on Broadway? Yes! Was it a disappointing year on Broadway? Yes! Same as it ever was. And here we go: (A complete list of nominees is provide…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 04:12AM
Sunday, May 26, 2024

The Orchestra Now: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun by Wendy Caster

The fabulous TON (The Orchestra Now), associated with the master's program at Bard, recently gave the final performance of its 2023-2024 season. The orchestra started with Debussy's "Prelude…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 03:06AM
Tuesday, April 23, 2024

A Little Night Music by Wendy Caster

A lovely production of A Little Night Music is running at Theatre 2020 in Brooklyn Heights thru May 12th. I highly recommend it. The show has some excellent acting and much wonderful singing…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 07:24PM
Wednesday, April 17, 2024

William Grant Still and the Harlem Renaissance by Wendy Caster

The Orchestra Now (TON) regularly presents concerts keyed into exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The most recent, William Grant Still and the Harlem Renaissance, focuses on Stil…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 05:12PM
Saturday, March 30, 2024

To My Arms/Restore (Doug Varone and Dancers and MasterVoices) by Wendy Caster

The recent collaboration between MasterVoices and Doug Varone and Dancers was nothing short of amazing. Brilliant dance, gorgeous singing, thrilling musicians--it was the proverbial feast fo…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 05:24PM
Friday, March 22, 2024

Orson's Shadow by Wendy Caster

Having thoroughly enjoyed the 2005 production of Austin Pendleton's Orson's Shadow, I was looking forward with excitement to the current production, directed by Pendleton, at the Theater for…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 09:02PM
Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Doubt by Wendy Caster

  The current production of John Patrick Shanley's play Doubt (starring Amy Ryan, Liev Shreiber, Zoe Kazan, and Quincy Tyler Bernstine) is not as good as the amazing original production fro…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 02:04AM
Sunday, March 3, 2024

Bliss Street Releases Cast Album by Sandra Mardenfeld

    While theater is an art form with a shelf life — sometimes a show outlives its closing. Such is the story with Bliss Street, an Off-Broadway show at Theater for the New City th…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 07:32PM
Saturday, March 2, 2024

This Is Not a Time of Peace by Wendy Caster

  In Deb Margolin's new play, This Is Not a Time of Peace, directed by Jerry Heymann, Alina's father, Hillel, has become unstuck in time. He "travels" in memory (metaphorically? metaphysica…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 12:48AM
Friday, February 23, 2024

I Love You So Much I Could Die by Wendy Caster

The title I Love You So Much I Could Die hints at a deeply emotional, even fervid, show.  Nope. For reasons that remain obscure to me, I Love You So Much I Could Die extends a great…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 04:02PM
Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Titanic: The Musical by Wendy Caster

Last weekend, the Program in Vocal Performance at NYU Steinhardt presented a musically gorgeous production of Titanic: The Musical. The NYU Broadway Orchestra, led by Ted Sperling and featur…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 06:48PM
Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Here's to the Ladies Review on Talkin' Broadway by Wendy Caster

I reviewed Here's to the Ladies over at Talkin' Broadway: Eddie Shapiro's three books of long-form interviews with musical theatre performers provide a unique, entertaining look at the r…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 02:42AM
Friday, December 22, 2023

A Christmas Carol by Sandra Mardenfeld

The redemption tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, and how he discards his miserly ways after a few spectral visitations has enchanted audiences since Charles Dickens published the novella in 1843. Ju…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 12:02PM
Thursday, December 7, 2023

Three More Reasons to Love New York by Wendy Caster

New York Magazine's annual "Reasons to Love New York" issue came out at just the right time for this review. After three successive evenings experiencing amazing talent and creativity in New…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 12:48AM
Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Broadway Close Up: Party at the Princes' by Wendy Caster

Last night, Broadway Close Up presented yet another lovely night of talented people singing wonderful songs. The evening was devoted to shows that Hal Prince produced and/or directed, which …

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 05:12PM
Tuesday, November 7, 2023

The Frogs by Wendy Caster

The time is the present. The place is Ancient Greece. The fabulous lyrics and music are by the one-and-only Sondheim. The hysterical book is based on Aristophanes' The Frogs, as loosely adap…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 09:02PM
Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Jukebox: The Musical by Wendy Caster

Over the years, the Broadway Close-Up series has featured selections from  musicals-in-development, including discussions with their creators; salutes to established composers and writers o…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 12:13AM
Friday, October 20, 2023

Partnership by Wendy Caster

The fabulous Mint Theater Company is presenting Partnership, the third in their "Meet Miss [Elizabeth] Baker" series. The first, The Price of Thomas Scott (review here), from 1913, movingly…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 02:43AM
Monday, October 2, 2023

Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch by Wendy Caster

It's difficult to decide where to begin discussing the wonders of Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch. The incredibly funny, smart, musical writing; the extrao…

SOURCE: Show Showdown at 08:55PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 15, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 01, 2025: Glengarry Glen Ross
TBA: Titanic