291 stories by "Elyse Trevers"
The revision of "Uncle Vanya" at Lincoln Center is notable for two reasons. One is that it has been modernized by Heidi Schreck ("What the Constitution Means to Me") making it more relatable…
As we approach Mother's Day, it was fitting that two of the plays I saw this week had mothers as central characters, and they could not have been more different. "Mary Jane" is loving, self-…
Fans of "The Crown" written by Peter Morgan may flock to see "Patriots," his new Broadway play but they will discover a very different historical drama. However, the trip is worth it to see …
One problem with revivals is that creatives often feel a need to change things up. So they might use a different time, setting, storyline and sometimes even remove music. The recent revival …
Few film actors can easily transition from film to the stage with live audiences and no do-overs. Yet Rachel McAdams makes a splendid Broadway debut in the revival of Amy Herzog's play "Mary…
In 2002, Long Island Reads initiated a program designed to bring together readers in Nassau and Suffolk Counties to discuss a Long Island-related book. Unsurprisingly, the first book was the…
Years ago, I taught the book The Outsiders to classes of teenagers. My students were intrigued by the two warring gangs separated by economic circumstances: the Socs, wealthy kids in madras …
Adaptations are common in theater and often popular shows are revised and modified to reach different audiences. Shakespeare is a favorite source of material."Hamlet" inspired "Fat Ham" and …
"The Who's Tommy" The music from "The Who's Tommy" is part of the fabric of my life. I grew up singing it, hearing it and loving it. Snatches of songs immediately evoke images and remind me …
I was 14 years old when i went to the circus for the first time. I don't recollect any of the acts, but I can remember the sideshow and even bought a souvenir 'giant' size ring. Overall, I r…
It's good to know that classical theater continues to be relevant. Although "An Enemy of the People" by Henrik Ibsen was written in 1882, it feels pertinent today, and as I sat in the Circle…
Creating a musical from a successful book and movie is a mixed bag. The upside is that the material already has thousands of loyal fans. At the same time, it attracts audiences with expectat…
If you ever watched "The Office" (and is there anyone who hasn't?) you know Holly Flax, the HR person who becomes Michael's girlfriend. Played by Amy Ryan, she is always smiling, optimistic …
The latest musical by Jason Robert Brown about working and fact-checking is set at a famous New York magazine in the late 1990's before the term "fake news" became so popular. Those of us wh…
There's a scene in a dark version of Cinderella where the stepsisters, anxious to make the glass slipper fit, cut off their own toes. They will do anything they can to cram their feet in " w…
Who is Jonah? Is he the awkward, bumbling sweet young man infatuated with Ana (Gabby Beans) or is he symbolic of something more? During the first part of the Roundabout Theatre Company's pro…
Towards the end of "A Prayer for The French Republic," the latest play by Josh Harmon, Grandpa Pierre (played by Richard Masur) asks his family "Why do they hate us?" Then follows a lengthy …
Every family has its baggage but the Layayette family seems to have more than most. Secrets, resentment, and anger all surface with the death of the patriarch of the family as the three sibl…
It's the 1950's, and the Cuban revolution is heating up outside, but the music inside the Buena Vista Social Club is even hotter. While the social club is defunct, the Cuban music remains. T…
I saw three shows during my busman's holiday in London over Martin Luther King weekend. Of the three, the most 'English' was Operation Mincemeat, an uproarious musical satire based upon an a…
How does a musical that is quintessentially New York distinguish itself in London? Especially when it is a classic show that premiered in 1950. How can it be mounted to make it unique and ap…
On the recent three day MLK weekend, I took a busman's holiday, flew to London and attended several shows. The first one I saw was The Motive and the Cue, presented by the National Theatre. …
Should you talk to your plants? Science shows that the sound of a human voice helps them grow. It's also therapeutic for the gardener. In "The Gardens of Anuncia" at Lincoln Center Theater, …
Who was Johannes Gutenberg? We all know him as the inventor of the printing press which enabled more people to learn how to read.In the musical "Gutenberg," playwrights Doug (Andrew Rannells…
When we become part of an audience, we bring more than our physical selves to the theater. We bring our experiences, our attitudes and even our prejudices. When I attended the matinee of "Ho…
