"The Nance" on Broadway - they don't make them like this anymore, thankfully. Not a genuine moment throughout this misfire: C-

"Smokefall" @SouthCoastRep provides a thoughtful take on life, love, family and time. A fine production: B

"A Gentleman's Guide To Love And Murder @OldGlobe was too silly to engage me; I could not wait for it to end: C-

OffBroadway "Belleville" @NYTW79 is a well produced play about a marriage on the brink of terror. Good dialogue, but for me, an elusive theme: B

Clowns are not my thing, so I can't fairly judge "Old Hats" @SignatureTheatr; but I enjoyed Nellie McKay.

Jesse Eisenberg's "The Revisionist" @CherryLnTheatre is an engaging play with a ringer- the peerless Vanessa Redgrave's great performance: B+

Broadway revival of "Pippin" is hugely entertaining with a well thought through circus conceit that makes rather dated material feel current and fresh: A-

"AssembledParties" @MTC_NYC features clever dialogue and good a acting, especially by Judith Light, in service of very little: B-

Here's what I liked about "Kinky Boots" on Broadway- absolutely nothing: F

The new Broadway musical "Hands On A Hardbody" could be tighter, but it drew me in, moved me and features some terrific music: B+

Off Broadway Gems Shine In LA

Two of last year's best off-Broadway plays have made their way to Los Angeles and have lost little of their considerable impact in their move westward. Indeed, both are highly recommended current LA area theater offerings if you like your theater probing and unafraid to tackle darker hues.

The David Cromer directed "TRIBES" at the Mark Taper Forum features many of the same cast members as the New York off Broadway production. The play focuses upon a highly dysfunctional British family whose seemingly most functional member is a son who was deaf from birth. That son enters into a romatic relationship with a woman who is hearing but going deaf, and was raised by deaf parents. The play raises a host of weighty themes and issues and features a terrific cast and the same expert direction as its NY predecessor. As much as I enjoyed this show at the cozy Barrow Street Theater in New York, I liked the Taper production even more, as the more elaborate set at the Taper meshed well with the play's inherent rhythms.

"TRIBES" is certain to be one of the best plays and productions Los Angeles will see this year, and I encourage you to see it before it closes on April 14.

The other recent outstanding off Broadway play that I just revisited is the entirely new production of Samuel D. Hunter's "THE WHALE" at South Coast Rep. The play features a grossly overweight man who is essentially eating himself to death. The play repeatedly subverts expectations and challenges common assumptions, in ways that are moving and illuminating. The play demands an incredible commitment and emotional investment by the actor playing Charlie, the larger than life lead character.  If Matthew Arkin does not quite reach the heights of Shuler Hensley's performance at NY's Playwrights Horizons, he brings a softer, gentler take to the role that is highly effective.

"THE WHALE" may not be for everyone (the Orange Country matron sitting next to me in the theater exclaimed out loud mid-performance that this was the worst play she has ever seen), but for theatergoers who like layered and challenging works that do not shy away from the darker elements of the human condition, this play is likely a good one for you.

Two well produced, nuanced and engaging plays in major regional theaters that are simultaneously playing in the LA area and are highly recommended. How refreshing. I hope it is a trend.

2012 TOP 10 THEATER

1. WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (NY/ Broadway)
2. THE PIANO LESSON (NY/ Signature)
3. BIG MEAL (NY/ Playwrights Horizons)
4. THE WHALE (NY/ Playwrights Horizons)
5. THE WHITE SNAKE (SF/ Berkeley Rep)
6. PETER & THE STARCATCHER (NY/ Broadway)
7. TRIBES (NY/ Off Broadway)
8. THE CONVERT (LA/ Center Theater Group)
9. INTO THE WOODS (NY/ Public)
10. GOOD PEOPLE (LA/ Geffen Playhouse)

Honorable Mention: IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER (LA/ Fountain Theater); AS YOU LIKE IT (NY/ Public)

Remarkable Returns to Shows First Viewed In Prior Years: ONCE (NY/ Broadway); RED (LA/ Center Theater Group)

Number of shows attended: 74

Top 10 breakdown: 0 new musicals, 7 new plays, 3 revivals

2011's Top Acting Performances
Shuler Hensley in THE WHALE; Tracy Letts & Amy Morton in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?; Chuck Cooper in "THE PIANO LESSON"; John Hurt in KRAPP'S LAST TAPE

Fall 2012 Theater: Diamonds in the Rough

Thus far, the fall theater season has been fairly lackluster, with just one bright spot on Broadway, a few gems off-Broadway, and several notable winners in Los Angeles.

First, the only new production on Broadway that I can highly recommend is the fresh, invigorating Steppenwolf Theater production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" starring the perfectly matched Tracy Letts and Amy Morton. This is by far the best production of this play I have seen, and it makes Albee's masterpiece feel like something written just yesterday. Letts and Morton, guided by Pam Mackinnon's pitch-perfect direction, reveal a psychological subtext to George and Martha that I had never before witnessed. This is by far the best new production on Broadway, and nothing else I have seen thus far on Broadway this fall comes even close.

New York's off-Broadway scene offers two more excellent productions, one a new work and the other a revival. The new work is the dark and challenging "The Whale" at Playwrights Horizons. Playwright Samuel Hunter shows a knack for finding humor and compassion amidst dark circumstances, and instills his viewer with compassion for the main character who is essentially overeating himself to death. It sounds odd, but great writing combined with a stunning performance by Shuler Hensley in the lead role make it all work. At the end of the performance I saw, the audience was visibly and audibly stunned.

Signature Theatre has another winner in its touching and perfectly cast revival of August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson," expertly directed by Ruben Santiago Hudson. This production mines the humor and poetry abundant in this play, which I had always liked, but had never found to be one of Wilson's finest until I saw this revival. While the entire ensemble cast is outstanding, the work of Brandon Dirden as Boy Willie and Chuck Cooper as Wining Boy are worthy of special note. Both give deeply moving portrayals of two of Wilson's most interesting characters, and both give a special lift to this sterling revival.

The best of fall theater in Los Angeles was evident in two works from the two current playwrights who are my favorite contemporary play writers - Lynn Nottage and Tarell Alvin McCraney. Ms. Nottage was well represented by the Geffen Playhouse's production of the funny and moving "By The Way Meet Vera Stark." I found this production to be even better than its Second Stage premiere in New York, although both mountings featured the luminous Sanaa Lathan in the title role. Mr. McCraney's bold and poetic "In The Red And Brown Water," one of the Brother/Sister trilogy plays, is being given a spirited and musical spin at the Fountain Theater. Anchoring the fine cast is Diarra Kilpatrick in the lead role. I have seen three actresses play this role to date, and Ms. Kilpatrick has been the best of the three. She breathes a unique spirit into this fantastic and incisive play from this young and talented playwright who has not hit a false note to date.

Finally, a quite note to recommend the finest movies I have seen this fall - "the perks of being a wallflower," "Argo," and "Silver Linings Playbook." Three very different films, and all three well worth a viewing.

"Red" Shines @ The Taper

It has been too long since I have unreservedly recommended a play performing in the Los Angeles area. The wait is over with the Mark Taper Forum's presentation Donmar Warehouse production of John Logan's "Red," which depicts a brief time in the late 1950's career of painter Mark Rothko.

Everything about this production, which I first saw during its Broadway run, is superlative. The production- from Michael Grandage's direction, to the set, to the sound, to the lighting is superlative. When I first saw this play in New York, I thought perhaps the production outshined Logan's writing, but on second viewing I am even more taken with the play itself. It takes on many weighty themes- art, commerce, commerce and art (especially timely given the fights going on over at MOCA these days), mentorships, celebrity, excess wealth, mental health and more. Whew- can any play do any justice to such varied themes in one 90 minute show? It is to Logan's credit that his play, supplemented by Rothko's art, handles these themes deftly and intelligently without seeming facile or false.

As in the London and New York mountings of this play, Alfred Molina is nothing short of outstanding as Mark Rothko. And in an upgrade of the prior versions of this show, the Taper has cast Jonathan Groff as Rothko's assistant, and he is a major improvement over his predecessor that I saw in that role (Eddie Redmayne). Groff convincingly plays a young artist who is able to equal Molina in the key moments of the show, something I felt Redmayne could not do. Now both actors cast in the show are giving stunning performances.

After I saw "Red" the first time, I felt I had gained a new appreciation and understanding of Rothko's paintings. The next Rothko painting I saw gained more depth the longer I looked at it. I am happy to report that this is how I now feel about this wise and moving play. "Red" plays the Taper through September 9- don't miss it.

A quick note about my last trip to New York, on which I saw Sydney Theater Company revival of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya," featuring Cate Blanchett. The estimable translation and star turn by Ms. Blanchett made this an "Uncle Vanya" to enjoy and savor. I also enjoyed the play "Slowgirl" which premiered the great new small LC3 space built on the roof of the existing Lincoln Center theater complex. Sadly, both productions have closed.

A TALE OF TWO MUSICALS & "TRIBES"

My personal preference in musicals is generally for shows that are subtly engaging rather than those that are large and loud. That distinction and my preference are well illustrated by my reaction to two new Broadway musicals that I visited on the same day last week.

The first show I attended was the new Disney musical NEWSIES, which is based on the failed musical film of the same name. It is almost an understatement to say that this show insists on bludgeoning its viewers over the head with its relentless perkiness. And to be fair, it is not a bad show, it features several well staged musical numbers, and has a real star (Jeremy Jordan) in the lead role. But in its overeager quest to entertain, the show loses any genuine heart or emotion, and its overused musical genre cliches make the whole endeaseems eel like a paint-by-numbers musical devoid of feeling. In the interest of full disclosure, I must note that the overwhelming majority of the audience at the "Newsies" performance I attended were vocally ecstatic over this show, and this show will likely be a popular hit. But I cannot recommend a show that does not make me feel anything beyond manipulated.

In stark contrast is the second of the two shows I saw that day, a return visit to the gentle, subtle and emotionally moving ONCE, which is also based on the movie of the same name. Having seen and loved the off-Broadway iteration of this show at the New York Theater Workshop, I must admit to a sense of trepidation about how the show would fare in a larger Broadway house. Indeed, much of the show's charm is in its quietly drawing you in to care about the characters and rather simple story being told on stage. That is difficult to pull off on a larger Broadway stage. However, much to my surprise, on Broadway "Once" is even better. The actors have grown in their roles and interpersonal connections, the book by Edna Walsh holds up on a larger stage, the songs sound magnificent in the new venue (kudos to Clive Goodwin's impeccable sound design) and it all meshes nicely together. All in all, this is my favorite new Broadway musical in years, and it is by far the best musical playing on Broadway right now.

Finally, there is another new off-Broadway drama well worth a visit now playing at the Barrow St. Theater in the West Village, entitled TRIBES. "Tribes" is written by young British playwright Nina Raine and extremely well directed by the terrific David Cromer. "Tribes" takes on the well worn theme of exploring the "outsider" of a dysfunctional family unit, but the unique twist here is that the outsider in this case is the sole deaf member of the family (sensitively played with great attention to nuance by Russell Harvard). The acting and staging are precise and perfect, and it is hard to imagine a finer production of this play. While the play itself is not quite as good as another off-Broadway drama that I reported on in my last post ("The Big Meal" at Playwrights Horizons), the current existence of both fine dramas on New York stages is a hopeful sign for serious and engaging dramas by up and coming playwrights.