"War Paint" Is A Dud

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
8/19/16, 10:51 PM "War Paint" in a pre-Broadway try-out @GoodmanTheatre  in Chicago is a dud.   Patti LuPone overacts and over-sings.   Christine Ebesole does the best she can with a drab role.  Fine technical resources are placed in service of an insipid drama & an inert score.   Poorly conceived from the start, it all just seems like a huge waste of time and talent.  A major disappointment.

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"Byhalia"

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
8/19/16, 12:18 AM "Byhalia, Mississippi" @SteppenwolfThtr is a moving, funny & finely written family drama brought to life by a superlative cast. If you are in Chicago, don't miss this, as it is one of the best plays of year.

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"Oslo" Tells A Compelling Historical Tale

KenderTheater (‪@KenderTheater‬)

7/31/16, 8:00 PM

The outstanding cast & fine direction (by Bartlett Sher) of #Oslo ‪@LCTheater‬ make the retelling of Oslo Israel-PLO peace accord compelling theater.  Its 3 hour running time speeds along.   The always fine  Jennifer Ehle and Michael Aronov are standouts among the talented acting ensemble.

"Privacy" Is Entertaining & Informative

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
7/31/16, 11:23 AM The Public Theater has another winner in its presentation f the Donmar Warehouse's production of "Privacy," staring the engaging and likeable Daniel Radcliffe.  "Privacy" is a simultaneously entertaining, funny, informative & scary look at the issues posed by our use of social media & technology.   Highly recommended.

"Men On Boats" Did Not Stay Afloat For Me

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
7/31/16, 11:07 AM Clubbed Thumb' s production of "Men On Boats," now playing off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons features a talented cast & strong production values.  However, the adventured-themed play itself did not engage me, and felt unduly long in its 90 minute running time.

God Bless Encores! Off-Center for Reviving "Rosewater"

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
7/31/16, 11:01 AM "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater" is a well performed and sung revival of a quirky, odd, tonally inconsistent Ashman-Menken musical adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's book.  It features a wonderful score, and is precisely the type of imperfect, but rewarding work that would likely not be revisited if not for Encores! Off-Center.

"Fun Home" in Tip-Top Shape

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
7/10/16, 6:42 PM Over a year into its Broadway run, @funhomemusical remains deeply moving & is in great shape. Don't miss it before it's Sept 10 closing.

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Teen Cast Shines in "Runaways" Concert Revival

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
7/6/16, 11:26 PM Encores! Off-Center's concert revival of Elizabeth Swados' 1979 musical "Runaways" may feel dated and unduly tied to the era of its creation, but It is well worth seeing for its phenomenally talented teen-aged cast.  The cast represents the promising multi-cultural future of New York theater.

Only Concert Scenes Work in "On Your Feet"

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
7/6/16, 11:17 PM Gloria Estefan & Miami around Machine Broadway musical "On Your Feet" features entertaining and crowd-pleasing concert scenes, but the book is trite, fawning and deadly dull at times.

An Engaging "Small Mouth"

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
7/6/16, 11:10 PM Off Broadway play "Smaall Mouth Sounds" now playing at the Signature Theater space is a uniquely written and staged look at a group on a meditation retreat.  It is funny, smart and engages its viewers' observational skills.  The cast and direction are excellent.

Be Sure to Find "Vivian Maier" on Netflix

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
7/4/16, 10:28 PM Late to the game on this one, but I just watched the compelling and fascinating documentary "Finding Vivian Maier" on @netflix & was blown away by the film & Maier's photos.  If you have not seen this, you should do so.

A Compassionate "Healing"

KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)

7/3/16, 9:16 PM #TheHealing @TheatreRowNYC Clurman is another trenchant play with astute characterizations and emotionally resonant dialogue by one of America's finest young playwrights @SamuelDHunter.  It features a terrific cast, some of whom are disabled but you forget about that a few minutes into the show.  I wish the direction had been more tightly paced and focused, but the show is well worth seeing, which I have found to be the case for nearly every play written by Mr. Hunter.  "The Healing" is scheduled to run through July 16.

SUMMER 2016 NEW YORK THEATER RECOMMENDATIONS

The past year in theater was an especially strong one both on and off Broadway, and a number of the past year's best shows are still running in New York this summer.  If you find yourself in the Big Apple looking for a show to see this summer, I offer the below recommendations, most of which you likely can buy tickets for on short notice.  Of course, the one exception to likely ticket availability is the groundbreaking monster hit "Hamilton," which is near impossible to see unless you  (1) know someone with a close connection to the show, (2) have thousands of dollars to burn on a resold ticket or (3) win the lottery- literally- as in the daily ticket lottery held for the show.

Yes, "Hamilton" is  all that it has been hyped to be, but assuming you do not luck into a ticket to Hamilton,"there are other great shows to see now playing in New York for which you will not have to mortgage your house.

If musicals are your thing, there are three shows that started this past year that I would recommend.   The Broadway revival of "The Color Purple" is a fantastic production with a dream cast led by the astonishing Cynthia Erivo that pares the source material to its essence and delivers it with deep emotion and grace.  Even if you saw the somewhat problematic Broadway debut of this musical a few years ago and think that you do not need to see this show again, I urge you to think again and book a ticket to this don't miss production directed by John Doyle.

If old style musicals are your things, you cannot go wrong with a visit to "She Loves Me" being presented by Roundabout Theater at Studio 54.  Like "The Color Purple" a great cast has been assembled for this terrific revival of a solid show that features a timelessly romantic book and beautiful score.  If you cannot make it to New York before this show closes on July 10, you can catch the first live streaming of a Broadway show on June 30 when "She Loves Me" is streamed via the BroadwayHD web site.

Off-broadway, there is a fine new musical entitled "Hadestown" running at New York Theater Workshop in the East Village.   A folk/ New Orleans jazz infused musical take on the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, this uniquely staged show is beautifully conceived and performed.    The show was virtually sold old, but has now been extended until July 31, and tickets should still be available for the extension if you act fast.

If you are looking for a great play to see, I have two strong recommendations, one on Broadway and on off.  The 2016 Tony Award winner for best play "The Humans" is an piercing exploration of family dynamics in our current age of economic uncertainty and wealth disparity.  The cast and direction are pitch-perfect, and the writing is both emotionally resonant and deeply moving.   The subtle undercurrents expertly mined by the cast make this a play that is much deeper upon reflection than it may appear on the surface.  This is one of the finest new American plays in years.

Off broadway, the Bedlam Theater adaptation of Jane Austen's "Sense & Sensibility" at the Judson Gym near Washington Park is a creative, clever and entertaining take on the classic novel.  This production is faithful to the spirit of its source novel, yet feels fresh and contemporary.  It is a great deal of witty fun that would be a perfect respite from any summer malaise you you may be experiencing.

Finally, although both are now closed, I hope that two other outstanding plays I saw in New York in recent months find their way back to the city in some form.  The first was Dominque Morisseau's "Skeleton Crew" which recently closed at the Atlantic Theater.  "Skeleton Crew" is a funny and moving look at workers facing displacement in the auto industry in Detroit, circa 2008.  The second was "Familiar" by Danai Gurira, which was presented as part of last season at Playwright's Horizons.  "Familiar"  is very well written look at family clashes centering on a professional African immigrants to the US living in Minnesota, who are visited by the relatives from the motherland.  If either of these plays make their way back to NY, and both deserve to do so, you are well advised not to miss either of them.

"American Psycho" Is A Mess

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
5/30/16, 9:57 PM #AmericanPsycho on Broadway is a total mess that is painful to endure. Why this was mounted on Broadway is a mystery to me.

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"Hadestown" Is Worth Visiting

	KenderTheater (@KenderTheater)
5/29/16, 10:22 PM "Hadestown" at New York Theater Workshop is a rousing success, great tunes, staging and cast compellingly tell the tale of a myth as old as time. The score is great and brought to life by a terrific band and fine singers.  #ambergray is especially divine.