A few weeks ago I was able to see a number of Broadway and off-Broadway shows in New York with the mixed results that would be expected given the range of shows I attended. Upon reflection, the shows seemed to fit in one of three categories for me- shows elevated by powerful performances, shows energized by the pre-pandemic-like fervor of the audience and finally shows that aim to tackle social themes that felt either timely or unfortunately dated.
Powerful Central Performances Elevate "Caroline" & "Room"
Historically, I have not been a huge fan of the Tony Kushner/ Jeanine Tesori musical "Caroline or Change," which I first saw in previews at the Public in 2003, and felt was improved, yet still flawed, in the 2004 Broadway production. The most significant issue for me has been the disconnect between the minor stakes of the personal story and the larger social issues acknowledged in the show. However, the stunning central performance of Sharon D. Clarke as Caroline in the current Roundabout Theater production (imported from London and directed by Michael Longhurst) does the best job I have seen to date in bridging the show's inherent disconnect and making this a musical that for the first time fully engaged me. Ms. Clarke does this by conveying the wounded nature of her spirit through her quiet fortitude in a steely, yet commanding performance from which I could not avert my eyes. She made me see the how the personal wounds intersected with the larger social issues in a way that helped me bridge the gap left by my prior experiences with this show. If you have a chance to see this show with Ms. Clarke, I highly recommend doing so.
The idea of a staging the precise transcript of the pre-arrest interrogation of Reality Winner, who was arrested for leaking classified information on Russian election hacking in 2017, does not seem like an especially good idea. Indeed, the only way to make it work would be to find an actress who could turn in a performance as Ms. Winner that would be simultaneously quirky and compelling enough to demand audience attention. Fortunately for Director/Conceiver Tina Satter, Emily Davis was chosen for the lead role in "Is This A Room" which played on Broadway following several successful off-Broadway runs. Ms. Davis rules the stage as Reality Winner in a way that leads me to believe that her every movement and utterance is extremely well crafted and choreographed, the end result being that my eyes were glued to her throughout. With assistance from the also perfectly choreographed sound and lighting effects, I was on the edge of my seat throughout the play's approximately one hour running time. That this offbeat play found a home on Broadway (playing in rep with the equally outstanding "Dana H" that I saw pre-pandemic at the Vineyard) is surprising and encouraging, although the early closing for both in rep productions adds a dose of Broadway market reality to these winners. Kudos to the producers for taking a chance on these unique and terrific productions.
Energetic Audiences of "Six" & "Little Shop" Conquer Covid Anxieties
Sitting in audience as vocal, joyful and engaged as the recent audiences I was in for the musicals "Six" on Broadway and "Little Shop of Horrors" at the off-Broadway Westside Theater enabled all of my Covid era anxieties to dissipate into the ether during the running times of both shows. Both audiences were the first ones I experienced since March 2020 that could not be distinguished from the most vocal and engaged pre-pandemic theater audiences I experienced. I loved both productions for the enormous entertainment they provided, and I hope both are harbingers for what can be achieved in the post-pandemic theater audiences of the future. Indeed, if you are in need of booster shot of theatrical energy, might I suggest by a ticket to "Six" or the Michael Mayer directed revival of "Little Shop"?
Social Themes Feel Timely in "Thoughts of a Colored Man" & "Twilight LA," But Dated in "The Visitor" and "Morning Sun"
The vignette structured style of "Thoughts of a Colored Man" would not on paper seem to be an effective way to tackle timely racial themes addressed in Keenan Scott II's play, and admittedly that style of play is not one that usually works for me. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed and appreciated the play and its fine actors, staging and direction (by Steve H. Broadnax III). There is enough of a character and narrative through line to make the play work on an emotional level, and my enjoyment of the play was aided by the fact that I was by far in the minority as a non-BIPOC audience member. The fact this play is drawing a largely BIPOC audience is encouraging as a sign of the increasing diversity of Broadway audiences, although without the public reporting of Broadway audiences one cannot gauge the commercial impact of the show that producers will unquestionably consider in the future.
Signature Theatre's revival of Anna Deavere Smith's "Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992" substitutes the play's one person monologue format for a five person cast that mostly (but not entirely) sticks to the monologue delivered format. For a work that tackled "of the moment" racial issues of nearly three decades ago, it is somewhat dispiriting to report that the same issues are at the forefront of US society today. That makes the play feel current and timely, and the show continues to excel and illuminate on an intellectual level. But I would remiss in failing to note that the altered delivery style of using a 5 person cast in lieu of one person delivered monologues saps the play of some of its humor, and at least for me, much of its emotional appeal. That is strange for me to say because as a general rule, I don't care for one person shows because they rarely have an emotional impact on me. Granted, it helps to have Anna Deavere Smith be the one person delivering the play, as was the case when I first saw this play in 1993 at Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum. While the emotional impact of the play was lessened by having it performed by a talented five person cast (in which the incomparable Francis Jue is the standout), it is nevertheless a beautifully written work that deserves to be experienced by today's audiences.
In contrast to the above mentioned productions, the new musical adaptation of the 2007 film "The Visitor" at the Public and Simon Stephens' Greenwich Village set and wonderfully cast play "Morning Sun" attempt to take social issues in ways that feel dated and uninteresting, with both plays centering on characters who are significantly less compelling than the events taking place around them. Both shows quickly evaporated in my mind as I walked away from them. I hope to see less of their kind in the future.
Finally, what can I say about the comedy "Chicken and Biscuits" other than I appreciate the effort, but much as I felt watching the painful "Designing Women" play recently streamed by Arkansas' TheatreSqaured, sitcoms and attempts at sitcom humor are not what I go to theater to experience.
