‘The People Versus Lenny Bruce’– Censorship Wins
By Alix Cohen In the last five years the U.S. has seen a record rise in censorship laws and enforcement mechanisms—particularly targeting education. The number of bills, the proportion ena…
By Alix Cohen In the last five years the U.S. has seen a record rise in censorship laws and enforcement mechanisms—particularly targeting education. The number of bills, the proportion ena…
1936. The Spanish Civil War began. American Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics, undermining Hitler’s claims of Aryan superiority. In England, King Edward VIII abdicate…
On the stairs of a 1911 Pittsburgh boarding house, a young tenant plays the song “Joe Turner’s Blues:” They tell me Joe Turner’s come and gone/They tell me Joe Turner’s come and go…
By Alix Cohen I think I’ve seen all thirteen of Stephen Hanks -produced Blue Wave/Blue Tsunami shows. What became clear again last night, the first of four new evenings, is though donation…
By Alix Cohen Established 1974 in New York City, Talking Band was founded by Paul Zimet, Ellen Maddow, and Tina Shepard—all former members of Joseph Chaikin’s Open Theater. Tonight, both…
By Alix Cohen Former musical-theater actress Donna Rubin and former artistic director of Guild Hall Josh Gladstone have embarked on a third sparkling season bringing popular cabaret artists …
By Alix Cohen The United States government has censored – in part- the following from official documents: vulnerable, entitlement, diversity, transgender, fetus, evidence-based, science-ba…
By Alix Cohen Like the 1975 film, The Rocky Horror Show is a gleefully outrageous, high-energy musical romp. On their way to visit former high school teacher, Dr. Scott- now a government ope…
By Alix Cohen Leni Riefenstahl (1902-2003) was a German actress, photographer and filmmaker best known for the last, making propaganda movies in service of Adolph Hitler. One of the few wome…
By Alix Cohen “He wants me to go in a date?!” Clara Schumann (1819-1896) anxiously and excitedly tells us.* Having not had a man in her life for 17 years, like any widowed or divorced wo…
By Alix Cohen Unable to reach her mother, Susan, for days, Suzanna (Lauren Patten), who has a tendency towards the dramatic, is freaking out. Susan has MS. Despite their antagonistic relatio…
By Alix Cohen The good news is that Beaches remains tender hearted. As book and lyrics are written by the novel’s author, Iris Rainer Dart, the musical retains much of its appeal even with…
By Alix Cohen “Because we don’t know when we will die, we get to think of life as a well…How many times will you watch the moon rise and yet it all seems limitless…” gentle, gruff …
By Alix Cohen Founded by Lee Pope in 1983, The Schoolhouse Theater is Westchester’s longest running professional Equity venue, producing over 100 plays and supporting new works. Operating …
BY Alix Cohen Since 2018, Stephen Hanks, at various times editor, writer, publisher, reviewer, publicity agent, vocalist; always a dedicated political activist, has produced 11 Blue Wave con…
By Alix Cohen "Everybody loves a circus/Until they become the clown/Every weak cog has its purpose… until they been chased from town…" ("Everybody Loves a Circus"- Michele Bettencourt/He…
By Alix Cohen Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O'Reilly concocted Irish Repertory Theatre picturesquely chatting at a kitchen table, rather like Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, except with cred…
By Alix Cohen The work of thirteen Broadway choreographers is here showcased in a series of numbers accompanied by full orchestra. Though singing is less polished, dancing is predominantly t…
By Alix Cohen Donna McKechnie explodes onto the stage, arms shooting out like fireworks. "Everything's Coming Up Roses" (Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim), usually a finale, is here a wake-up son…
By Alix Cohen Adam Gopnik, master of the caffeinated essay (forty years at The New Yorker) and iconoclastic books, navigates culture with fluid elegance and restless curiosity. At the same t…
By Alix Cohen The thespian walks onto a stage empty but for a chair and ghost light. "It still smells like stale coffee and opening night nerves…" He drops his bag breathing in familiar at…
By Alix Cohen Anna (Danielle Ryan), Denise (Kate MacCluggage) and Cora (Carmen M. Herlihy) were at school together and shared rooms. Over the years, life distanced them. Cora, the neediest o…
By Alix Cohen Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the early Romantic era, famous from childhood, known for his melodic elegance and clarity. This i…
By Alix Cohen Billie Dawson (Sally Mayes) has returned to Livingston, Texas to clear out her mama's house after she passed. Her Southern-influenced accent"closer to Louisiana and Arkansas in…
By Alix Cohen "Jason Graae explores his Graae-ness" is an accurate description for this utterly charming, biographical collage of wit, music and storytelling- not just patter. Graae is a pat…