Thursday, May 1, 2025

2025 Tony Nominations: ‘Buena Vista Social Club,’ ‘Death Becomes Her,’ ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Lead With 10 Each by Clarence Moye

Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, and Maybe Happy Ending all lead the 2025 Tony Award nominations with 10 nominations each. We’ll have commentary coming very soon, but here’s…

SOURCE: The Contending at 09:42AM
Wednesday, April 30, 2025

‘BOOP! The Musical’ Leads Drama Desk Nominations with 11 by Joey Moser

(Wednesday April 30, 2025) – Nominations for the 69th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced today on Spectrum News NY1 by stage and screen star Norm Lewis, Spectrum News NY1 “On…

SOURCE: The Contending at 01:54PM
Tuesday, April 29, 2025

2025 Tony Awards Nom Predictions, Preferences: A New Broadway Golden Age Is Upon Us by Frank J. Avella

In doing some geeky Tony Award rabbit hole research. It became clear that we are, happily, in a new golden age on Broadway where there are an abundance of fabulous shows, performances and te…

SOURCE: The Contending at 08:22PM
Friday, April 25, 2025

‘Death Becomes Her’ Leads 2025 Outer Critics Circle Nominations by Joey Moser

(NEW YORK, NY – FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2025) The Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town, national, and digital news publications, h…

SOURCE: The Contending at 11:33AM
Thursday, April 24, 2025

‘BOOP! The Musical:’ A Chat With 2025 Tony Contender Ainsley Melham [VIDEO] by Frank J. Avella

Australian-born musical theater actor extraordinaire Ainsley Melham is quite the sensation this season as Dwayne, the baby-blue-eyed, Jazz-loving beau of Jasmine Amy Roger’s titular charac…

SOURCE: The Contending at 10:00AM
Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Tonys 2025: The Broadway Battle For Best Actress In A Musical Begins by Frank J. Avella

2025 has become one of the most fabulously fierce and competitive years for lead female awards contenders. First we had an Oscar race where no less than four truly worthy performances (Nicol…

SOURCE: The Contending at 02:05PM
Monday, April 21, 2025

‘John Proctor Is The Villain:’ Electrifying, Essential New Play by Kimberly Bellflower by Frank J. Avella

It is not going where I think it’s going! It is not going where I think it’s going! Oh God, I think it’s going where I think it’s going! This was my near-breathless reaction to exper…

SOURCE: The Contending at 09:45AM
Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Jennifer Simard: Broadway Diva Kills In ‘Death Becomes Her’ [VIDEO] by Frank J. Avella

Broadway Diva Jennifer Simard has been killing it on Broadway for almost two decades. Note: I use the word “diva” in the best, most fabulous definition of that word. She’s currently wo…

SOURCE: The Contending at 09:04PM
Monday, April 14, 2025

‘BOOP! The Musical:’ Betty Comes To Spectacular, Technicolor Life in Dazzling New Production by Frank J. Avella

Certain misguided critics (and that one in particular) are gushing over a monumental mess of a musical, loosely based on a TV series, that just hit Broadway — with a thud. Yet some of thos…

SOURCE: The Contending at 01:40PM
Wednesday, April 9, 2025

‘Old Friends:’ A Nostalgic Revisit Of The Masterful Work Of Musical Theater Legend Stephen Sondheim by Frank J. Avella

Your feelings about the new Sondheim revue, Old Friends, will probably depend on your familiarity with the composer-lyricist’s work as well as whether you enjoy songs sung out of context. …

SOURCE: The Contending at 01:45PM
Tuesday, April 1, 2025

‘Ghosts:’ A Haunting And Emotionally Devastating Ibsen Revival by Frank J. Avella

I haven’t been emotionally slayed at the theater in quite a while. And I can shamefully state that Ghosts is a Henrik Ibsen play I was not completely familiar with. In terms of the Norwegi…

SOURCE: The Contending at 10:00AM
Monday, March 31, 2025

‘Purpose,’ Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Riveting New Play Boasts Trio Of Fab Female Performances by Frank J. Avella

One of the many great joys in watching Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ sometimes searing, always riveting new Broadway play, Purpose, is the trio of female performances. Not to take away anything …

SOURCE: The Contending at 10:00AM
Friday, March 28, 2025

A Sensational Sarah Snook In A ‘Picture of Dorian Gray’ For The Digital Age by Frank J. Avella

Strangely, I thought about Luigi Mangione after seeing Sarah Snook’s theatrical tour de force, The Picture of Dorian Gray, at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway–Okay, not really about him…

SOURCE: The Contending at 01:28PM
Tuesday, March 25, 2025

‘Operation Mincemeat:’ Madcap WW2 Musical Madness by Frank J. Avella

Operation Mincemeat presents one of the most bizarre premises for a musical, and certainly a wholly odd choice of subject matter for a comedy. Blend the two together and add a British sensib…

SOURCE: The Contending at 02:03PM
Sunday, January 12, 2025

Audra McDonald Triumphs In Mostly Captivating Revival Of ‘Gypsy’ by Frank J. Avella

Stephen Sondheim is my musical theatre god. My top 3 favorite shows of all time are Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd. That said… I’ve never agreed with the…

SOURCE: The Contending at 01:10PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre