977 stories by "Michael Portantiere"
How versatile a performer is Christine Ebersole? Let's count the ways. Many people first became aware of her from her work as a sketch comedian on Saturday Night Live. On Broadway, she has p…
"I don't think I've ever admitted that I was over 50!" Coming from almost any other 81-year-old, that sentence might be taken with huge skepticism. But when Mitzi Gaynor says it, you know sh…
Sparkle!, a starry holiday concert masterminded by Scott Nevins, brought gladness and cheer to the audience that assembled at XL Cabaret on Monday, December 17 for the one-night-only event. …
Sparkle!, a starry holiday concert masterminded by Scott Nevins, brought gladness and cheer to the audience that assembled at XL Cabaret on Monday, December 17 for this one-night-only event.…
The 24th annual Gypsy of the Year competition, held at the New Amsterdam Theatre, raised $3,902,608 to support the good works of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This year's event culminat…
The 24th annual Gypsy of the Year competition, held at the New Amsterdam Theatre, raised $3,902,608 to support the good works of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This year's event culminat…
The great composer Alan Menken was honored by Encompass New Opera Theatre on Sunday, October 21 at the National Arts Club in a celebration that featured memorable performances of his songs, …
There's a musical about cats, and there's a musical about frogs, so why not one about bedbugs? True, New Yorkers who went through a big bedbug scare a just a few years ago may not feel there…
Fade Out - Fade In has a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, music by the great Jule Styne, and the original production was directed by George Abbott and starred Carol Burnett.…
The musical Fade Out - Fade In has a hilarious libretto by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, a terrific score with both music and lyrics by Jule Styne, and the original production was directed …
One of the several excellent reasons why you should see Gayby, a new indie film written and directed by Jonathan Lisecki, is that most of the actors involved are young New York theater veter…
There's a paradox surrounding Frank Wedekind's 1891 play Spring Awakening (or Spring's Awakening, depending on the translation) and its latter-day musical version, a paradox that also exists…
There's a paradox surrounding Frank Wedekind's 1891 play Spring's Awakening (or Spring Awakening, depending on the translation) and its latter-day musical version, a paradox that also exists…
As you may have heard, Barbra Streisand will soon return to the borough of her birth, Brooklyn, to give two concerts in the brand new Barclays Center. If you're a big Barbra fan but you can'…
I'm one of those people who look askance at musicals built around pre-existing songs, but many of us who feel that way are happy to give a pass to Marry Me a Little. Originally staged Off-Br…
The late, great tenor Mario Lanza is most famous for almost single-handedly popularizing opera for a mass audience of Americans in the 1950s through his glorious singing in a series of big-b…
The late, great tenor Mario Lanza is most famous for almost single-handedly popularizing opera for a mass audience of Americans in the 1950s through his glorious singing in a series of big-b…
Debra Barsha composed the music for Radiant Baby, one of the best musicals you've probably never heard of. For whatever reasons, the show was not a critical success in its 2003 world premier…
One might say that Marilyn Maye is having a glorious renaissance, except that there really haven't been any dark ages in this lady's career. Famous as one of Johnny Carson's all-time favorit…
Max von Essen has been duly praised for his performance as Magaldi in the Broadway revival of Evita, but many theatergoers may be unaware that he is also the understudy for the marathon lead…
Everyone of a certain age has his/her own favorite mid-20th century pop singers, based on all sorts of qualities including voice, style, phrasing, and repertoire. But in terms of sheer vocal…
Over the decades, Judy Garland has been channelled by any number of performers and impersonators, including some biological females. Several of these people have offered skillful and respect…
Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella is one of my all-time favorite musicals, but the show has never been tremendously popular with the general public, and I think that's mostly because of b…
Located at the tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown is considered by many to be the birthplace of the modern American theater, having served as an artistic home for such playwrights as Eugene O'Nei…
As of this writing, cast albums of most of the recently ended season’s new musicals, revivals, and “revisals” have been or are very soon to be released. So, for the benefit…
