Fantastic Staging & Design Propels "Great Comet"

KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)

11/12/16, 10:55 PM Broadway mounting of "Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812" is terrifically entertaining, with stunning staging and design elements in an entirely transformed Imperial Theater.  The show is greatly improved over prior Off-Broadway incarnations of the show.  The underlying work borders on mediocre, but is greatly enhanced by the outstanding physical production elements.  Josh Groban is surprisingly good in his Broadway debut, although his powerful singing is more notable than his somewhat limited acting range.

Great Acting Elevates "Master Harold"

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
11/10/16, 10:55 PM An astoundingly great performance by Leon Addison Brown elevates @SignatureTheatr fine revival of Atol Fugard's apartheid era South African play "Master Harold & The Boys."

Anna Deavere Smith's Excellent "Notes From The Field"

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

10/18/16, 7:30 PM

I am yet again in awe of the talent, intelligence and compassion of Anna Deavere Smith in her excellent new education/criminal justice themed docu-play "Notes From The Field" ‪now playing Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre.  the topic is timely and the portrayals by Ms. Smith of various people she interviewed are sublime.

A Disappointing "Falsettos" Revival

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

10/16/16, 10:17 AM

‪The new Broadway revival of the seminal musical "Falsettos" is a rather tepid, poorly cast production that pales in comparison to prior incarnation of this work that I have seen.  The set is distracting, the direction surprisingly unfocused, and left me more frustrated than moved.

"The Harvest" is Another Fine Play From Samuel D. Hunter

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

10/16/16, 10:14 AM

‪Lincoln Center's LCT3's "TheHarvest" is a terrific new play by the supremely talented Samuel D. Hunter.  It probes complex issues about faith and loss in moving and unexpected ways, and features complex, interesting and believable characters.

Rachel Weisz Mesmerizes in "Plenty"

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
10/12/16, 10:55 PM The revival of David Hare's late 1970s play "Plenty" @PublicTheaterNY is an Intelligent, engrossing and psychologically astute exploration of Europe post-World War II.  It features a mesmerizing lead performance by Rachel Weisz who gives her all to this very difficult role.

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"Vietgone" is Fresh & Fun

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
10/10/16, 3:00 PM "Vietgone" at Manhattan Theater Club's Stage 1 at NY City Center is funny, fresh & highly entertaining. The show's emotional pay off sneaks up on you in a charming way.  This is  a wonderfully surprising & engaging new play.

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"What Did You Expect" Delivers

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

9/25/16, 10:50 PM

I thoroughly enjoyed spending another evening immersed in electoral angst with the Gabriels in part 2 of Richard Nelson's real time election year trilogy #WhatDidYouExpect ‪@PublicTheaterNY‬.

"Aubergine" Disappoints

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

9/25/16, 10:46 PM

I usually like Julia Cho's writing, but something about the unfocused nature and uneven acting of "Aubergine" at Playwrights Horizons just did not work for me.

Amy Ryan Shines in "Love, Love, Love"

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

9/24/16, 10:38 PM

Amy Ryan's very funny performance alone makes Mike Bartlett's play "Love, Love, Love" ‪@RTC_NYC‬ worth seeing.  Indeed, I could not take my eyes off of her throughout the show.  She hits every nuance and tick of her rather deplorable character.  The play breezed on by its 2 hour running time, although it is more entertaining than enlightening.

"Marie And Rosetta" Raise the Roof of the Atlantic Theater

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

9/23/16, 11:42 PM

"Marie And Rosetta" ‪@AtlanticTheater‬ is hugely  entertaining, even if the somewhat clunky book scenes pale in comparison to the finely staged musical numbers.   Kecia Lewis is outstanding as  gospel/blues singer Sister as Rosetta Tharpe.  Ms. Lewis proves to be a true force of nature in this show, and s wonderfully supported by Rebecca Naomi Jones.

"The Wolves" is a Winner

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

9/23/16, 11:27 PM

Playwright Sarah Delappe's  "The Wolves " @RealmTheatre‬ is an outstanding look at teen female group dynamics, done in a unique and non-stereotypical way.  It features great writing, acting, direction, and top notch production values.  Kudos to this Ms. Relapse and the Realm Theatre for mounting a great play featuring 10 interesting, complex young female characters.  This play deserves a life well beyond this limited run.

"Caught" Is More Gimmick Than Drama

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

9/22/16, 11:12 PM

"ThePlayCompany's" meta-theatrical play "Caught" at LaMaMa in the East Village is interesting conceptually, and raises thoughtful questions about truth and context.  However, but by the end feels more like a clever gimmick than an engaging work of dramatic fiction.

Foote's "Roads To Home" is Beautifully Rendered

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

9/21/16, 11:46 PM

Horton Foote's "The Roads To Home" ‪@primarystages‬ is a finely cast & beautifully rendered revival of this poignant, quiet play.  It enables one to see Foote as a Chekhovian chronicler of the 20th Century American South.

Roundabout's "Cherry Orchard" Is A Misfire

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

9/21/16, 11:38 PM

‪Roundabout Theater's  new Stephan Karam's wobbly adaptation of Chekov's "The Cherry Orchard"  is misconceived, messy and tonally bizaare.  A major disappointment given the well credited cast that never seem to be in the same play together.