Robert Wilson's Transcedent "Messiah" in Houston & a Powerful "Rent" Revival in Fort Worth

 Last week I had the good fortune of seeing the final performance of Robert Wilson's breathtaking and untraditional take on "MESSIAH" at Houston Grand Opera, which is its only scheduled staging outside of Europe, and the first anywhere since 2024.  

My taste in opera leans heavily toward the avant garde, and my favorite opera to date is the Phillip Glass scored and Robert Wilson staged "Einstein on the Beach."   I am a fan of all other Wilson works I have seen, and his passing last summer was devastating to learn as his staging aesthetic is uniquely singular.

Although I had only learned of the Houston staging of Wilson's "Messiah" a few days before the final performance, I made the drive down Interstate 45 to experience it in person.  My expectations were high, and they were met in every way.  Wilson uses Mozart's rarely performed orchestrations of Handel's "Messiah," which I personally prefer.  Wilson's highly stylized visuals and movement combined with the powerful soloists and choir to create a work of unparalleled and transcedent beauty.  As an audience member I felt like a child with a mountain of wrapped gifts, eager to see what unexpected and unusual stage scene would pop up next as the show progressed.  I wish there had been more advanced marketing of this special work of art outside Houston so that more people throughout Texas and the US would have had a chance to see it.  Hopefully, it will be staged somewhere else in the US in the coming years- if so, don't miss it.

When Circle Theatre in Fort Worth announced that the 1996 Jonathan Larson musical "Rent" would be part of their current season, I felt somewhat dubious that they could successfully pull it off in such a small space.  Much to my surprise, their well cast revival provided me with the most emotionally resonant staging of "Rent" that I have seen since early 1996 when I saw the originally production at New York Theater Workshop, just weeks after Mr. Larson's untimely passing.  Garret Storm's creative staging and a cast that makes each "Rent" character their own rather than try to copy the original actors combine to create a heartfelt production that made this "Rent" feel fresh and current despite its late 20th century setting.  "Rent" has only one more week of Thursday to Saturday performances at the Circle Theatre, but if you can make it to Fort Worth, I recommend seeing it.

Robert Wilson and Jonathan Larson are no longer with us, but this month in guise of the shows noted above, I feel and am deeply grateful for their artistic presence in those they have left behind.

Spring 2026: London & New York Theater Wrap-Up

An early April trip to London, my first such visit in years, provided a good sampling of the very vibrant current UK theater scene.

In one day I saw two shows that were exemplary- Jordon Fein's revelatory production of Sondheim's "INTO THE WOODS" at the Bridge Theatre and Robert Icke's psychologically astute take on Shakespeare's "ROMEO AND JULIET" in the West End.

Having seen countless productions of "Into The Woods" over the years, including the excellent 2022 Broadway revival, I wondered if I needed to see another one.  Jordon Fein's probing excavation of the work, which uniquely explores the dark undercurrents of the first act resulting in more unified overall production, led me to conclude that in fact, this production is a must see for devotees of the show.  While this was not the most beautifully sung rendition of the musical I have seen, it was the most believably sung version I have seen.  The entire cast is great, but special mention has to be made of Kate Fleetwood's mesmerizing performance as the Witch that ends up centering the show.

During the brief course of my visit to London I caught a matinee performance of the youth oriented adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" at Shakespeare's Globe, which was suitably condensed and entertaining.  It served a decent primer for my viewing of Robert Icke's time focused production of "Romeo and Juliet" at the Harold Pinter Theatre (booking through 6/20), which is the finest production of this often mounted play I have seen to date.  Among the many interesting conceits of Icke's work here, is the centering of Juliet such that the play feels like it is told from her mind's perspective, resulting in several scenes being momentarily played to different outcomes.  The other notable directorial invention is having the Montagues speak in British accents with traditional iambic pentameter rhythms, while the Capulets speak in American accents with very untraditional and more contemporary rhythm line deliveries.  The contrast is illuminating.  Noah Jupe's Romeo is excellent, but the biggest surprise for me was deeply considered take on Juliet that Sadie Sink brings to her performance.   Dierctor Icke again proves to be a master of fresh takes on classic works.

Two shows that I went into concerned that they might be too child audience focused for my taste ended up proving themselves to have deep universal appeal- the subversively pro-immigrant and hugely entertaining "PADDINGTON" at the Savoy and the stunningly staged and moving RSC produciton of "MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO" at the Gillian Lynne (booking through August).   I highly recommend both, even to somewhat skeptical adults.

I also was fortunate to catch Director Jordon Fein's production of the rarely performed late Arthur Miller play "BROKEN GLASS" at the Young Vic.  Fein gives the play a propulsive feel that underscores the play's eerie timeliness.  Although the play as written is more melodramatic than ideal, this compelling and finely acted production nevertheless highlights the play's importance in the overall canon of Miller's plays.

My Spring trip to New York revealed an overall disappointing selection of end of season Broadway productions, especially with respect to new musicals.  There are notable exceptions.

For one, "CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL" makes a triumphant transition from downtown to the Broadhurst Theatre and is the one "absolutely don't miss" show of the spring Broadway season in my view.  It is a much needed joy bomb that feels both boldly transgressive yet universally appealing.

I also enjoyed the elegantly directed revival of "PROOF" (booking to July 19) and John Lithgow's blistering performance as author Roald Dahl in "GIANT" (booking to June 28).  I further offer kudos to non-profit Manhattan Theater Club for presenting David Lindsay-Abaire's excellently paced and very funny new play "THE BALSUTERS," which features a talented 10 person cast of theater veterans, including the incomparable comedic master Marylouise Burke.  "The Balusters" is the type of lower key comedic play that deserves to be seen, but which is rarely mounted due to the challenging economics of current commercial Broadway productions.

I had mixed feelings about the remaining productions I recently saw in New York (the "DEATH OF A SALESMAN" revival directed by Joe Montello, the new musical "THE LOST BOYS," the true crime podcast-esqu "KENREX," and the rather nasty at the core "BECKY SHAW" at Second Stage's Hayes Theater).  There were aspects I liked about each of these productions, but not enough to recommend any of them as compared with the other shows noted in the paragraphs above.

One final theater-related recommendation.  Try to seek out the outstanding National Theatre Live's filmed version of Ivo Van Hove's groundbreaking production of Arthur Miller's "All My Sons" with Bryan Cranston, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Paapa Essiedu.  Viewing this film shook me to my core, and for the first time made me appreciate "All My Sons" as an equal companion to Arthur Miller's  seminal "Death of a Salesman," rather than a somewhat lesser work.  I had to find a viewing of this NT Live film in New York, as my area had no scheduled screenings.  I suspect this film will eventually make its way to the National Theatre at Home streaming service, but if you are somewhere where it is being screened in a movie theater I highly recommend that more immersive experience for this prime example of what can be achieved in filming a stage production for the screen.

2025's 10 Best Theatrical Productions

Notwithstanding the existential threats that plague theater (and so many other things) in 2025, a number of worthwhile shows were produced this year.  In terms of quality, 2025 was not a good as last year, but still much better than 2023.  Indeed, I had no problem finding worthy shows to make my top 10 list, plus some very honorable mentions.

There are a few noticeable deficiencies in the below list.  There is not a single new musical that made the top 10 (Note: my #10 below is not really a musical or a play- more akin to a staged song cycle).  In addition, there is only one musical revival.  The very risky economics of staging musicals is evident.  

On the positive side, 5 new plays (Note: Robert Icke's adaptation of "Oedipus" seems best considered a new play) made the list this year, including 3 that were staged on Broadway.  Even though all three were billed as limited runs from the outset, it suggests that some producers were still willing to invest in quality new plays.  

This year's list is weighted towards work produced on stages beyond Broadway, again highlighting the economic risks of mounting a Broadway production.  Sadly, those risks are not limited to the main stem as non-profits in New York and beyond are still almost universally struggling.  One can hope that some new models emerge in 2026 that make producing theater a more viable and sustainable venture.

In order of preference my 10 best shows of 2025 were:

1. RAGTIME [Broadway/ Lincoln Center] - eerily timely & even better than it was last year's @ Encores

2. BROTHERS SIZE [The Shed]- astounding acting left me an emotional wreck at the conclusion

3. PURPOSE [Broadway]- addition of Kara Young to the cast made it better than @ Steppenwolf

4. STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE [BAM]- viscerally exciting with the most interesting & unusual Blanche I have seen

5. MEET THE CARTOZIANS [Second Stage]- stylistically bold, beautifully written & very funny

6. LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD [Broadway]- overdue Broadway debut for Samuel Hunter featuring a magnificent performance by Laurie Meltcalf

7. CAROLINE [MCC]- deeply moving exploration of the damage wrought by broken family ties

8. OEDIPUS [BROADWAY]- Robert Icke's masterful adaptation of a centuries old work that plays like a nail biting thriller

9. PRIMARY TRUST [Dallas Theater Center]- emotionally astute staging of '24 Pulitzer winning play

10. ORATORIO FOR LIVING THINGS [Signature Theatre]- wildly original & beautifully sung music cycle that left and indelible imprint on me

Honorable Mentions: REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES [Broadway]; TWELFTH NIGHT [Shakespeare in the Park]; BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB [Broadway]; JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT [Dallas Theater Center]

"Cartozians" & "Oedipus" Shine Brightest In Year End NY Theater

For habitual theatergoers one of the most invigorating experiences is to come across an outstanding and boundary pushing play by a relatively new playwright whose work was previously unknown to you.  I had that very experience while watching Talene Monahan's "MEET THE CARTOZIANS," playing through December 14 at Second Stage's space at the Signature Theatre complex.  "Cartozians" two acts, set in 1924 and 2024 respectively, uses a 1924 federal immigration lawsuit centered on whether Armenians are members of the white race as the jumping off point for thoughtful and layered explorations of socieatal issues, inlcuding race, class and religion, that are as relevant and divisive in 2024 as they were a century earlier.  The first act is largely a family drama with doses of subtle humor and the second act uses the same actors playing different characters in a trenchant and very funny comedy that takes place on the a reality tv show set.

Among the many things to admire about this brilliant play are the way the two very differently styled acts are in conversation with one another, and despite the tricky shift both the play and the production deftly navigate the tonal differences, which is very difficult to do.  Ample credit is due to the precise direction by David Cromer, and the talent and range of the production's six actors, which include Tony winners Andrea Martin and Will Brill.  This play will almost certainly be a very strong contender for the next year's Pulitzer Prize for drama, and is so masterful that I eagerly await Ms. Monahan's next play.

If you want to see how a centuries old play can be adapted into an exciting contemporary drama, you need look no further than Studio 54 where the Robert Icke's adaptation of Sophocles' "OEDIPUS" is running through February 8.  Icke sets his adaptation in a contemporary political campaign and the focus is weighted towards the title character (perfectly played by Mark Strong) as compared with other productions that often focus primarily on the Jocasta character (usually played in this production by Leslie Manville who was out at my performance, but was replaced by her terrific understudy Denise Cormier).  Icke's direction and staging meticulously crafts a thriller like atmosphere for a story that most of the audience already knows the ending, which in itself is a major feat of theatrical imagination.

Bess Wohl can be a hit or miss playwright for me, but the widespread and near universal critical acclaim that greeted the Broadway production of her play "LIBERATION" convinced me to see it.  While I thought it was a good play, the theatrical devices Ms. Wohl repeatedly employs here (fourth wall breaking, ample narration, actors changing characters) created an emotional distance for me such that I was left somewhat unmoved throughout.  I also found some of the dialogue to be unduly glib, another issue that I find in some of Ms. Wohl's other works.  Having said all of that, I appreciate the play's take on gender issues that were current in the 1970's that stubbornly remain current today.

Finally, the bouncy, very funny, perfectly cast and expertly paced revival of William Finn's "THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE" playing at New World Stages is a great palate cleanser for our increasingly troubling times.  Danny Mefford's production aims to entertain and that it joyously and consistently does throughout its 1 hour 45 minute running time.

American Identity, the Cosmos & the Costs of Family Dysfunction Explored In the Highlights of NY Fall Theater

By far the most urgent, timely and moving musical currently playing on Broadway is Lincoln Center Theater's astonishing revival of the Ahrens/Flaherty/McNally musical "RAGTIME."  Making her directing debut as LCT's new Artistic Director, Lear deBessonet has assembled a dream team cast anchored by a career-defining performance from Joshua Henry as Colehouse Walker Jr.  Ms. deBessonet has wisely used the best attributes of the Vivian Beaumont's thrust stage and hydraulic lift capabilities to amp up the theatrical staging as compared with her already breathtaking 2024 Encores "Ragtime" rendition that featured the same core cast as the current LCT production.

In its 1998 Broadway debut, "Ragtime" was well cast, but felt overproduced and in search of a cohesive identity, as some elements of the production seemed aimed at a overly patriotic sheen that was not consistent with either E.L. Doctorow's source material novel or McNally's book for the show.  Who knew it would take a vicious and inhumane attack on immigration and diversity by certain powers that be to reveal that the essence and power of this musical is its demonstration that THE primary identity of America is that we are a nation of immigrants and historically disfavored groups that seek and are entitled to the equality dileneated in our nation's founding documents?  Lear deBessonet's production rightfully emphasizes the darker aspects of the American experience depicted in the play, while at the same time hinting at the hope of an optimistic future that can only come from justified defiance in the face of societal injustices.  This production reveals "Ragtime" to be a true and cathartic work of art for our current times.  The show has been extended through June 14, 2026 and should not be missed if you are in New York during its run.

Recent MacArthur Genius Grant winner Heather Christian's genre defying work "ORATORIO FOR LIVING THINGS" was smartly restaged by and is currently running (through Nov. 23) at Signature Theatre.  This one-of-a-kind show defies both easy description and (at times) rational comprehension, but the gorgeously rendered and artfully staged sonic score reveals in layers a musical meditation on time in  micro-cellular, human and cosmic levels.  Okay, that makes little sense, but I assure you that if you attentively experience this show the preceding sentence will make perfect sense.  Admittedly this is not a show for everyone, but for adventuresome theatergoers who have an appreciation for complex music, the experience is transcendent.

On one day I saw Preston Max Allen's new (and now closed) family drama "CAROLINE" and revisted Samuel D. Hunter's excellent Broadway debut "LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD," which I had first seen last year at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre.  I was struck by how much both excellent plays had in common.  Both searingly explore the pain and costs of family dysfunction, substance abuse and being relegated to "accepted" society's margins.  Both plays reduced me to well earned tears through their combination of insightful direction (by "Caroline's" David Cromer and "Litttle Bear's" Joe Mantello), perfectly calibrated naturalistic acting, and very simple yet effective stage designs.  While the running time for each play is just 90 minutes, seeing them both in one day makes for quite an emotional workout.  But to anyone who thinks  challenging American dramas are on life support, I offer both plays as prime examples that thoughtful, engaging works that challenge the mind while engaging the heart are alive and well.

As for the four remaining shows I recently saw, one was weighed down by having too many insufficiently defined characters (Martyna Majok's "QUEENS" at MTC), two failed to overcome their problematic book deficiencies (Broiadway's "CHESS" and NYTW's "SATURDAY CHURCH"), and the final show's engaging performers could not elevate the work beyond its overly familiar and somewhat cliched elements (off-Broadway's "BEAU THE MUSICAL").

A Glorious "Jesus Christ Superstar" at the Hollywood Bowl

Prior to last weekend, I have never been a huge fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber/ Tim Rice 1970s era musical "Jesus Christ Superstar."  For me, like much of ALW's work, "JCS" has a few good songs but the work as a whole lacks a compelling narrative.  

So when it it was announced that "JCS" at the Hollywood Bowl would star Cynthia Erivo as the titular character and Adam Lambert as Judas, I was intrigued but still had reservations.  I bought tickets the moment they went on sale, thinking I could always sell them if I decided not to travel to Los Angeles to attend the show.  In the end, I decided to make a one day trip to LA incentivized by the announced cast and my fondness for memorable Hollywood Bowl concerts of the past.

To my surprise and delight, "JCS" at the Bowl proved to be the best thing I have ever seen at the Bowl, and provided what I am sure will be among my favorite theatrical productions of the year.  The cast, orchestra, direction, sound, staging and lighting were all stellar.  Adam Lambert was perfectly cast as Judas and Phillipa Soo was a pitch perfect Mary Magdalene.  Really, the entire cast was great.  

But what elevated the production way above all other versions of "JCS" I have seen is Cynthia Erivo's astounding performance as Jesus.  I expected her vocal expertise with the score, but nothing prepared me for her masterful acting in a role that, as written, is easily eclipsed by Judas.  In all prior "JCS" productions I have seen, Jesus is largely an enigma and the writing does not give him much room to reveal much of himself.  This is where Ms. Erivo made a world of difference, as her fully inhabited acting revealed multitudes of pain and empathy in between the lines of sung dialogue.  It was a performance that, much like her work as Celie in "The Color Purple," is one of the finest performances I have had the privilege of seeing in person.

After last weekend, I was converted and can now be counted as a full on admirer of the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar." 

A Mixed Bag of Late Spring Broadway Openings

As is the custom, late Spring saw a flurry of openings on Broadway this year.  In contrast to many prior years, I found this year's spring openings somewhat lackluster with a few exceptions.

Probably the biggest welcome surprise for me was "Real Women Have Curves: The Musical."  While not without flaws, and recognizing that this is a very standard musical comedy that often does not veer from many of the tropes of the form, I nevertheless thought the tuneful score, fine cast and funny book combined to make for an extremely entertaining show that earned its enthusiastic audience response.  The understudy for Ana (Elisa Galindez) was on at my performance- she was outstanding and has a beautiful singing voice.  I find it hard to imagine that Tatianna Córdoba would be any better in the role than Ms. Galindez.  Among all the new Broadway musicals I saw this season, this was the show that I most enjoyed.  It should have been Tony nominated for best musical, and I hope it can find an audience. 

I also enjoyed "Dead Outlaw," which opened just before the Tony Award deadline.  The cast and band are great and several of its songs are stunning in their tuneful beauty.  Indeed, I think this show has the best new score among this season's crop.  Of the shows nominated for the best musical Tony, "Dead Outlaw" would be my choice, recognizing that for me this is not a year that yielded a transcendent new Broadway musical.

Another welcome surprise for me was how much I enjoyed the Lincoln Center revival of Adam Guettel's musical "Floyd Collins."  The surprise came from a combination of being underwhelmed by the 1996 premiere off-Broadway by the same director, and the very divided online audience reactions to this production.  While retaining some of the flaws of the work as written (most notable in the muddled character arcs of Floyd's parents), I found this production to be beautifully rendered and engaging.  The success of this revival is in no small way attributable to the powerful and career defining performance by Jeremy Jordan as the titular character.  This is a thoughtful and deliberately paced show that will not likely appeal to theatergoers seeking light entertainment, but those looking for more substance may, like me, lean in and be profoundly moved by this show.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment for me among the late season openings was "John Proctor Is The Villain."  By that, I don't mean it is not a worthwhile production, but in my view it simply does not deserve the hype it has been eliciting.  I did not find the writing to be very incisive or deep.  It raises very serious issues, but fails to address them in a meaningful way, which bothered me.  The production values and pacing are great, but the acting quality was very mixed.  Having said that, I thought Sadie Sink was excellent and gave by far the best performance amongst this cast.  Also on the plus side, it is bringing in a much younger than average audience that seems fully engaged in the show.

There were very few late season off-Broadway openings this year, and the only one I saw on my recent NY visit was the new musical "Goddess" at the Public.  I will only say that this was ultimately a show I wish I had not seen.  Enough said.

Considering the entire 2024-25 Broadway season, there were only two Broadway shows that excited me to an extent that I was drawn to multiple viewings to recapture their magic- Jamie Lloyd's breathtaking revival of "Sunset Boulevard" and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' exquisite new family drama "Purpose."  I have seen the former twice and the latter three times, and I have plans to see both again before they are scheduled to close this summer.  If you have not seen either yet, I encourage you to do so if you are in New York City before they close in July.

“Streetcar” & “Purpose” Invigorate NY Spring Theater

Tennessee Williams’ classic plays seem to be particularly well suited to creative reimaginings by talented directors.  Among those directors who have worked theatrical magic reviving Williams’ plays are Sam Mendes, John Tiffany, Sam Gold and Benedict Andrews.  After seeing the latest revival of Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, I must add director Rebecca Frecknall to that list, as her “Streetcar” production is a masterpiece.

Frecknall’s vision, which is amply supported by the text, illustrates the deeply corrosive effects of toxic masculinity run amok, an especially timely topic given the troubling current state of our nation and world. Paul Mescal’s Stanley expertly embodies this toxicity, but Frecknall’s unexpected weapon here is Patsy Ferran’s revelatory performance as Blanche.  Ferran arrives on stage haunted by her own past misguided invocation of society’s masculinity expectations, making her especially vulnerable to Stanley’s bullying rantings which extract a visible toll on her Blanche.  The result is the most empathetic and devastating portrayal of Blanche I have seen.  By the end I was in tears but simultaneously in awe of the unified performances and stagecraft in service of the play’s themes.  Sadly, this short run ends on April 6, and to date I have not heard of plans to film a pro shot to preserve the magic of this revival.

The other current standout production of the NY spring theater season is Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins’ outstanding new play “Purpose” at the Hayes Theater through July 6.  I had seen and loved this play at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre last summer, but Mr. Jacobs-Jenkins’ expert revisions and a few cast changes have strengthened this funny and smartly provocative family drama, such that it now plays like an instant American classic.  The acting is across the board sublime, and singling out any of the great performances from the ensemble cast would be disservice.  I have my fingers crossed that this play will win Mr. Jacobs-Jenkins a long overdue Pulitzer Prize.

Samuel D. Hunter’s now closed new play “Grangeville” at Signature Theatre was smaller in scope then his last few plays, but Hunter’s finely tuned writing and terrific performances by its two actors made for yet another compelling and moving work from this prolific playwright.

Silly British humor is not typically my jam, which lowered my expectations for the British import musical “Operation Mincemeat” now playing on Broadway.  However, I was pleasantly surprised at the extent to which I enjoyed this show, which had more wit and heart then I had envisioned.  The show currently features the original cast from London, which includes several of the show’s creators, and if you are inclined to see this show I recommend doing so before the outstanding original cast members depart.

“The Picture of Dorian Gray,” is another import now on Broadway, this one from Australia via London.  It is essentially a one person show with Sarah Snook playing all of the characters either live or via creative uses of live and pre-recorded video.  For most of the play’s first hour I was impressed with the creative melding of video into a live stage show, but eventually I found much of the video content supplanted rather than complemented what was happening on stage.  By the end of its 2 hour length I was getting restless and felt largely numbed.  Ms. Snook gives a largely fine performance, but I wonder if many of the audience accolades that she garners are for her endurance and hard work, as opposed to her live acting expertise.

The college set comedy “All Nighter” now playing at off-Broadway’s MCC theater complex is entertaining with ample humor, but the play would benefit from more depth and a better ending.  

In my view, not worth anyone’s time are the clichéd and repetitive Josh Harmon play “We Had A World” at New York City Center’s Stage II, and the similarly themed Matthew Lombardo play “Conversations With Mother.”  Both mother-gay son focused works suffer from poor writing despite both productions having fine actors making the most of what they can with the underlying scripts.

'Primary Trust' Is Beautifully Rendered in DFW

Eboni Booth's Pulitzer Prize winning play "Primary Trust" is one of the best written and structured plays of the past decade.  It is a deeply empathetic and progressively revealing look at an emotionally damaged young man who struggles to find connection and community in his small Northeastern town.  Much like Thornton Wilder's "Our Town," which "Primary Trust" seems to evoke at times, the challenge for successfully staging this work is to get the tone right so as to evoke an emotionally empathetic audience response.

The production of "Primary Trust" currently playing (through March 23) at Dallas Theater Center features pitch-perfect staging that precisely navigates the right tone throughout its 90 or so minutes of running time.  Critical to the success of this show are the astute direction by one of the Dallas area's finest directors, Sasha Maya Ada, and the uniformly excellent four person cast.  Of particularly note is the astounding performance of Lee George as Kenneth who had me on his side from the moment he uttered his first line and he did not hit a false note throughout.  And I cannot help but commend the multi-character portrayals of Tiana Kaye Blair, who deftly hits her characters' comedic notes without going too broad, enabling her to credibly portray one of her character's dramatic moments as the play progresses.

The physical staging is much more minimalist than the New York Roundabout Theatre off-Broadway premiere that I saw in 2023, but the intimate theater space, spare set, and appropriately timed music underscoring, enabled me to better focus on Ms. Booth's beautifully written and perfectly delivered words.  It made this an even deeper theatrical experience for me. 

This is essential must-see theater if you are in the DFW area over the next two weeks.  It will tug at your heartstrings while at the same time affirming your faith in humanity, something for which most of us are now in critical need.

2024 Theater's 10(ish) Best Shows

As a general matter, theatrically speaking this year was a significant improvement over the last one, and I had no trouble finding 10 plus productions for my annual year end list.  2024 may be most notable for the fresh and innovative revivals of existing works. However, I remain deeply concerned about the future of substanial new non-musical plays, but thanks to several nonprofit theaters in NY & Chicago several excellent new dramas made their way onto the stage in 2024 and onto this list.  

In order of preference my favorite shows of 2024 were:

1. "CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL"[PAC NYC]/ "SUNSET BOULEVARD"

Two revivals of Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals topping a list of my favorite shows in any year is a real theatrical "pigs fly" moment for me, but these two revivals provided the most unexpected joy (in the case of "Cats") and awe-induced wonder at the thematically astute stage wizardry (in "Sunset") than I experienced in a theater this year .  Both shows were transportive in the best way imaginable, credit for which must be given to their directors (Zhailon Livingston & Bill Rauch for "Cats" and the Jamie Lloyd Company for "Sunset").  In a year in which trans people were politically scapegoated and reality was twisted and subverted for craven ends, it was unquestionably thrilling to see (in "Cats") a trans performer regally transported to the heavyside layer and experience (in "Sunset") the artifice of the reality bending camera being theatrically exposed.

2. "RAGTIME" [Encores at NY City Center]

When well performed, the Ahrens/Flaherty musical "Ragtime" is a potent mixture of unbounded optimism, followed by crushing defeat by sinisiter forces, ending with declarations of courageous defiance.  With an outstanding cast and orchestra, Lear deBessonant's two week revial of "Ragtime" was extremely well performed and then some, but seeing this just days after the crushing Nov. 5 losses highlighted that the potent mixture described above essentially describes the beats I experienced in the recent election.  For me, and I venture to say for the audibly sobbing audience I saw this with, this revival proved to be a cathartic balm that, together with the astounding performance of Joshua Henry as Coalhouse Walker, will hopefully help us make it through the next four years. 

3. "LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD"/"PURPOSE" [Steppenwolf Theatre/ Chicago]

Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre 23/24 season hosted world premieres of the two finest new American dramas I saw in 2024.  Both audacious, funny, beautifully written (by, respectively, two of my favorite contemporary playwrights, Samuel D. Hunter and Brandon Jacobs Jenkins) and expertly cast, "Little Bear" broke my heart and "Purpose" enagingly explored many of the societal fractures that plague us today.  Both plays deserve NY runs and serious consideration for the 2025 Pulitzer for Drama.

 4. "OUR TOWN"

I did not think I needed to see another production of Thorton Wilder's classic play, but director Kenny Leon and his fine cast proved to me that new and abundant riches were to be found in this smartly quick, fluid and gorgeously rendered revival that touched me at the core of my being.

5. "MOTHER PLAY"

Paula Vogel's semi-autobiographical play melded Vogel's rich writing, Jessica Lange's tour-de-force lead performance and Tina Landau's expert direction into a potent brew of a deeply empathetic late 20th century memory play that played too few performances to meet the strong audience demand.

6. "THE OUTSIDERS"

While the cast, book and score of this new musical provide many pleasures, the biggest star of this engaging and exciting production is the muscular and fluid direction by Danya Taymor, who working with her fine choreographers (Rick & Jeff Kuperman) conjure up the most memorable and affecting stage fight I have witnessed.

7. "BAD KREYÒL" [Signature Theatre]

Dominique Morisseau's entertaining and excellent new play is a multi-layered look at the familial and societal fissures that are exposed when a young Hatian-American woman visits her Haitan born and based cousin.

8. "THE EFFECT" [The Shed]/ "ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE"

Both of these plays are revivals of works I have previously seen in much weaker productions, and here the elevation of these plays is largely due to Jamie Lloyd's exciting direction of the "The Effect" and Amy Herzog's urgent adapatation and Sam Gold's crystal clear direction of Ibsen's "Enemy."

9.  "YELLOW FACE"

Another big surprise for me, as I had previously seen the 2009 world premiere of this David Henry Hwang play in Los Angeles.  My memory of the uneven 2009 production was that it was too navel gazey of its author, but substantial rewrites and time assisted perspective have greatly improved the humor, wisdom and universality of the play's themes.  A pitch-perfect cast also helped. 

10.  "ILLINOISE"

An innovative jukebox dance-ical that brings to life Sufjan Stevens' 2005 album of the (almost) same name in a way that felt fresh, empathetic and deeply moving.

"Sunset Boulevard" Electrifies Broadway; "Bad Kreyól" Is Off-Broadway's Highlight

"Dynamic," "thrilling," "cutting-edge" and "explosive" are words I could not have imagined being associated with any production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical adaptation of the Billy Wilder film "Sunset Boulevard."  I saw the 1993 US premiere of this musical in Los Angeles and was largely bored by the lumbering show, which was redeemed only by a levitating stage, a good dramatic (not vocal) performance by Glenn Close, and two hummable songs.

Nevertheless, the above quoted words are those I would use to describe the "Sunset Boulevard" revival now playing on Broadway.  Director Jamie Lloyd uses his theatrical stage magic to deconstruct, then fluidly and stylistically reconstruct the show from start to finish.  Lloyd uses unparalleled sound, lighting and video effects to highlight the skills of his talented cast, which is led by a career defining performance by Nichole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond.  This is a high concept approach that smartly heightens the melodrama and the production stays committed to Lloyd's concept from start to finish.  It is hard to imagine that any musical this season will come close to this stunning work of art.

While off-Broadway plays tackling serious themes are getting harder to find these days, I am happy to report that Dominque Morisseau has premiered her excellent new drama "Bad Kreyól" at Signature Theatre.  The play focuses on a Haitian-American visiting her cousin in Haiti who has a long serving gay male helper.  The relationships between these three primary characters parallel the larger socio-political relationships that the play explores as it progresses.  Impeccably acted (with notable standout performances by Pascale Armand and Jude Tibeau) and directed (by Tiffany Nichole Greene), the play is beautifully structured, intricately layered and thoughtful.  If you are in New York before "Bad Kreyól" closes on December 1, I highly recommend seeing it.

Also well worth seeing is Jez Butterworth's British import "The Hills of California," which again has Butterworth teaming with director Sam Mendes.  While beautifully rendered, the play itself is largely a standard tale on well worn themes and fails to reach the heights of his last Broadway outing "The Ferryman."  But like his last play, this production features an outstanding performance by the playwright's partner Laura Donnelly, and her dual role performance here is alone worth the price of admisssion.

I had mixed feelings about two other shows I saw on a recent NYC trip.  The new musical "Maybe Happy Ending" was a pleasant enough experience with inventive stage design, but was too slight and twee for my tastes.  I thought Michael R. Jackson's (of "Starnge Loop" fame) "Teeth" started off well but became too unfocused and repetitive as it progressed.

I did not have mixed feelings about the new Elton John/Jake Shears/James Graham musical "Tammy Faye" which reopened the raised and finely restored Palace Theatre- it was just plain awful.  Watching this one with my mouth often agape, I could not help but notice that the most of the actors on stage appeared uncomfortable and awkward.  As an audience member at this fiasco, I could definitely relate.

In Chicago "Little Bear" Is Perfection, & Entertaining "Midnight" Needs Focus

 A few months back I posted on Steppenwolf Theatre's outstanding production of Brandon Jacobs Jenkins' new play "Purpose."  Well Steppenwolf has hit the theatrical jackpot once again with its world premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's perfectly written and staged new play "Little Bear Ridge Road."

"Little Bear," like nearly all of Hunter's plays, is set in his home state of Idaho, and focuses on the reunion of an aunt (played by the estimable Laurie Metcalf) and her estranged gay nephew (Micah Stock) after the passing of the nephew's troubled father.  Both main characters are complicated, difficult, misundertood, commitment-phobic and stubborn, yet both engender deep audience empathy while they navigate serious societal issues, all done with an incredible amount of humor.  I cannot imagine a better acted and directed (by Joe Montello) production would be possible, and sincerely hope this play with at least these two actors and director make their way to New York soon.

With "Little Bear" and "Purpose" Steppenwolf has gifted Chicago audiences the two best new American plays thus far of 2024.  Both have played to sold out audiences over the course of several extensions of the initially scheduled run.  It is heartening to see serious, challenging new dramas succeed artistically, critically and financially for one of the country's finest non-profit theaters.

Over at the Goodman Theatre, the world premiere musical adaptation of John Berendt's best selling non-fiction Savannah set book "Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil" is playing through August 11.  The show is uniquely structured thanks to Taylor Mac's funny and inventive book, and features a fine, lyrically textured and style-varied Jason Robert Brown score.  The star of the show is unquestionably J. Harrsion Ghee as The Lady Chablis, and the sizing up of their character's role as compared with the book is considerable and well justified.  I admire the risks taken in adapting the somewhat unweildy book for the stage, and in its current state this is a very entertaining new musical.  However, there is work to be done to provide more focus to the stories being told, which I would guess is especially confusing to audience members who have not read the book.  I hope to see a more refined version of this show in the future.

Finally, I give props to suburban Chicago's Writers Theater for staging Katori Hall's Pulitzer winning play "Hot Wing King," a comedy about a group of black gay males set in Memphis.  I loved this play in a prior production I saw just before the 2020 Covid shutdown, and had high hopes for seeing the play again.  Unfortunately, this production handles the dramatic elements of the play much better than the comedic elements, which I attribute to comedic acting deficiencies in one of the key roles.  This resulted in a play that felt off balance in the first act, but there was redemption to be found in the much better performed second act.

"CATS" Is Joyfully Resurrected in Ballroom Culture Infused Reimagining/Revival

Here is a sentence I never thought I would find myself typing- I love Andrew Lloyd Webber's  "Cats."  At least I love the reimagined and resurrected revival of the much maligned musical as embodied in "Cats: The Jellicle Ball" that is closing the inaugural season at the Perelman Performing Arts Center, which itself was resurrected amidst the 9/11 World Trade Center buildings footprints.

To be clear, this is not your grandmother's "Cats."  Co-Directors Zhailon Livingston and PAC Artistic Director Bill Rauch have adeptly reenvisioned Webber's feline pageant musical as a queer ballroom competition that seamlessly melds the worlds of queer ballroom and musical theater culture.  On paper, I feared this show could end up a hot mess of historical proportions.  But from the opening scene I was hooked and ultimately found this brilliantly conceived production to be among the most entertaining theatrical experiences I have had to good fortune to see.

What is among the most surprising aspects of this show is that it is largely faithful to the sung through score, albeit with the addition at times of a thundering house beat and some ballroom character name projections.  And while one could spot technical musical theater limitations on the ballroom associated cast members and technical queer ballroom deficiencies on the musical theater vets, these are small prices to pay to see these spheres so joyously combined.

In Los Angeles in the late 1990s, I saw Bill Rauch's ingenious melding of Cinderella (Rogers & Hammerstein's)/Madea/Macbeth.  The combination was head spinning in its audacity and intelligence.  It remains one of the most searing highlights of my theatergoing experiences.  Mr. Rauch, with able assistance from his co-director and his queer ballroom experienced choreographers (Arturo Lyons and Omari Wiles) has with this "Cats" reimagining once again provided me a genre melding production that I will never forget and will likely remain among my all time favorite theatrical experiences.  Get your tickets now, as it is currently scheduled to run at the PAC only until August 11.

If I Were Picking The Tony Award Winners 2024

 If I were choosing the winner of the Tony Awards, which are awarded tomorrow evening, my choices (what I think deserves to win, not a prediction of what may win) would be:

Best New Play- Stereophonic (although I thought all five nominees were great)

Best New Musical- The Outsiders

Best Play Revival- Appropriate

Best Musical Revival- Merrily We Roll Along

Best Book of Musical- The Outsiders

Best Original Score- Here Lies Love

Best Direction of a Play- Daniel Aukin/ Stereophonic

Best Direction of a Musical- Maria Freedman/ Merrily We Roll Along

Best Lead Actor in a Play- Jeremy Strong/ Enemy of the People

Best Lead Actress in a Play- Sarah Paulson/ Appropriate

Best Lead Actor in a Musical- Jonathan Groff/ Merrily We Roll Along

Best Lead Actress in a Musical-Maleah Joi Moon/ Hell's Kitchen

Best Featured Actor in a Play- Tom Pecinka/ Stereophonic

Best Featured Actress in a Play- Sarah Pidgeon/ Stereophonic

Best Featured Actor in a Musical- Daniel Radcliff/ Merrily We Roll Along

Best Featured Actress in a Musical- Lindsay Mendez/ Merrily We Roll Along

Best Scenic Design of Play- David Zinn/ Stereophonic

Best Scenic Design of Musical- David Korins/ Here Lies Love

Best Costume Design of Play- Dede Ayite/ JaJa's African Hair Braiding

Best Costume Design of Musical- Tom Scutt/Cabaret

Best Lighting of Play- Jiyoun Chang/ Stereophonic

Best Lighting of Musical- Brian MacDevitt & Hana Kim/ The Outsiders

Best Sound Design of Play- Ryan Rumery/ Stereophonic

Best Sound Design of Musical- Gareth Owen/ Hell's Kitchen

Best Choreography- Justin Peck/ Illinoise

Best Orchestrations- Jonathn Tunick/ Merrily We Roll Along

NY SPRING THEATER REPORT #2: THIS YEAR, THE PLAYS ARE THE THING

At the end of 2023, things seemed dire for serious plays on Broadway.  Outside of the outstanding revival of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' "Appropriate," there was no other drama playing on Broadway.  Thankfully, the passing of a few months made all the difference one could hope, as the numerous spring openings revealed that the best new productions on Broadway are now unquestionably the wide array of excellent new play productions.  By contrast, outside of several fine new musical productions, the plentiful new musical productions this year are largely a yawn inducing lot.

As for the currently running plays, it is notable that"Stereophonic" has gained considerable weight and clarity in its move to the Broadway stage from Playwrights Horizons.  The larger stage allows the subtle character interactions to breathe and become more noticeable to the audience, and this perfect ensemble cast has honed the precision of their roles.  While there are many notable new plays this spring, for me "Stereophonic" stands head and shoulders above anything else currently playing on Broadway.

I was profoundly moved by Paula Vogel's engaging and finely written "Mother Play," which was rewarded with tonally rich staging and direction (by Tina Landau), and finely honed performances from Jessica Lange and Celia Keenan-Bolger.  While Vogel's biographically inspired brother-sister bond was previously explored in Vogel's 1990 play "The Baltimore Waltz," the portrayal here is not derivative or duplicative due to the wisdom and perspective Vogel (and all of us) have gained on the topics covered since the latter years of the last century.  

In what appears to be her professional theater debut, Rachel McAdams gives a searingly beautiful lead performance in Amy Herzog's lovingly rendered "Mary Jane" which also features outstanding supporting cast performances.  This play about a mother caring for her seriously ill toddler stays clear of the weepy Lifetime Channel type movie tropes, and provides an emotionally astute window into the world of empathy and acceptance from which everyone could learn.

Star casting (of "Succession's" Jeremy Strong and "The Soprano's" Michael Imperioli) may have helped obtain producing investors for Amy Herzog's terrific and resonant adaptation of Ibsen's "An Enemy of the People," but director Sam Gold and his strong cast turn this sometimes unwieldy and overlong drama into something timely and urgent.  This production keeps  the audience on the edges of their seats watching the twists and turns of the plot unfold.  Much as with McAdams' performance in "Mary Jane," here the celebrity actors acquit themselves with panache providing award worthy level performances.

While I previously reported on two new spring musicals that I found engaging and worthwhile ("Illinoise" and "The Outsiders") sadly the other new musicals this spring are largely a disappointment.  For exapmle, while I understand the commercial pressures that resulted in the audience pleasing changes to Shaina Taub's "Suffs," I nevertheless found the Broadway production to be a dumbed down version of the show's great, if overlong, off-Broadway production at the Public.  

I was ultimately mesmerized by the high concept journey to hell that is Rebecca Frecknall's revival of "Cabaret," although I could have done without the distracting and unneccesary "pre-show" with its unduly expensive food and drink urgings.  The one performance I found to be distracting was that of the usually fine Ato Blankson-Wood as Cliff, who has no chemistry with Sally or any other character for that matter.  Perhaps it is an intentional directorial choice, but it fell flat for me.

While I am pleasantly surprised by the number of excellent play offerings this spring on Broadway, I remain concerned about the dearth of supply and quality of new productions being mounted off-Broadway.  There were not many off-Broadway productions that I wanted to see this spring, and among the few I did see were a largely cliche "Lonely Few" at MCC and an interesting and well produced, if overstuffed, production of Suzan Lori-Park's "Sally & Tom" at the Public.

While this year's Tony nominations of five solid award quality new plays is encouraging, I cannot fail to note that they were all mounted by non-profit theaters, and 3 of the 5 started in off-Broadway houses.  I am concerned about the future supply of serious new plays at a time when theatrical non-profits are largely in financial straights, and tv and film offer increasingly more lucrative options for writers, actors, directors and other creative professionals.  Nevertheless, I will enjoy the play dominated riches of this season and hope for the best for the future.