689 stories by "Wendy Caster"
Anton Chekhov considered The Cherry Orchard to be a comedy. Its first director, Stanislavski, believed it was a tragedy. Since its first production over a hundred years ago, directors have b…
[spoilers below]I'm not exactly sure what Thomas Higgins is trying to say in his intriguing play Wild Animals You Should Know (currently at the Lucille Lortel Theatre). He's clearly interest…
Once upon a time, it was considered risky for performers to play homosexual characters because people might think that they were homosexual. Once upon a time, homosexual characters were path…
Why would King Lear do something as foolish as give up his kingdom? What if he were secretly aware that he has early signs of dementia? Sam Waterston seems at first to take this approa…
There are few things as purely joyful as watching an excellent version of a superb show. The New York University Tisch Drama Stageworks production of Violet fits that description perfectly, …
The CD of the Sweet Bye and Bye is a complete and total treat. The people at the invaluable PS Classics have not only presented us with the world premiere recording of a musical by Vernon Du…
Michael John LaChiusa is unique among musical writers. He often writes the book and the lyrics and the music for his shows, and his interests are wide and varied: perception, fame, sex, lack…
Is it fair to have high expectations of a preview? Medium expectations? Any expectations? What if the preview ticket is full priced? Discounted?Previews live in a gray area, particularly in …
As I traveled to the Clurman Theatre to see the Keen Company's revival of Lanford Wilson's Lemon Sky, I took a mental tour through other Wilson plays I've seen: Hot L Baltimore, Balm in Gile…
Where do I start? Okay, here's where I start:The record-breaking performance of A Chorus Line. This review/description by Frank Rich will tell you why. I get goosebumps just reading about it…
Some of the Show Showdowners, myself included, are going to answer this question. We'd love to hear your answers too. Just click on "comments" below. Thanks!
Photo: Steven MenendezThe four musicians are elegant and graceful. The bass player is cool and contained. The piano and drum players banter with the singer. The trumpet player may be her lov…
There's no way I could limit myself to one "star in the making." New York theatre is just too full of riches. I did however manage to limit myself to seven. Lemp and KautzSarah Lemp and Jame…
Laila Robins, J. Smith-Cameron and Maryann PlunkettPhoto by Joan MarcusWhile watching Richard Nelson's Sweet and Sad at the Public Theatre, I found myself thinking of how much I admire Tony …
The "him" that Kate Baldwin loves is the amazing Sheldon Harnick, lyricist of such classic shows as She Loves Me, Fiddler on the Roof, and The Apple Tree, and honored guest on this CD. And w…
One of the best things about seeing a musical Off-Off-Broadway is hearing unmiked voices--when you can hear them. Unfortunately, only some of the cast members in the Sweet&Tart-Art of Wa…
Ryan Worsing, Charlotte d'Amboise, and Michael Cusumano (Photo: Jeremy Daniel)
With its 6138th performance on August 22, Chicago became the fourth longest running show in Broadway history.&n…
Gershwin Hotel
After watching the Amoralist production of HotelMotel, a pair of one-acts on site at the Gershwin Hotel, I was left with two questions. For Pink Knees on Pale Skin, written a…
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Cheyenne JacksonPhoto: Kerry LongIf you are at all interested in musical theatre you must see One Night Stand, a documentary about four short musicals that are written,…
Katharine Houghton, Loren Dunn, Robert EliPhoto: Ben HiderOn YouTube you can find faux coming attractions that morph famous films into different genres. The Dark Knight becomes a Pixar carto…
Jessica Delbridge and Allison Hirschlag(Photo: Eli Sands)In Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Shakespeare meets Beckett and a good time is had by all--except Rosencrantz …
Death Takes a Holiday is a lovely, old-fashioned musical, with an inviting score by Maury Yeston (which sounds somewhat like his Titanic). The frequently charming book by Thomas Meehan and&n…
Jessica Hecht (photo: T. Charles Erickson) Jessica Hecht has everything an actress could need to be a brilliant Blanche DuBois: talent, sensitivity, compassion, and intelligence. That's why …
The magic of Zarkana begins as soon as you enter the gorgeous lobby at Radio City Music Hall. It may take a moment to notice amid the hubbub of the crowd, but there's a white-faced muscular …
[spoilers below] Sol is in trouble. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot write anymore. He can drink. He can make a mess. He can whine. He can speak with great eloquence. He can have a ner…
