Chris Neuner has uniquely varied interests. The composer, lyricist, and producer once wrote a musical based on the life of Henry Ford. After that, he turned his focus to baby making (or lack thereof) and he penned Infertility: A Musical That’s Hard to Conceive. Now, the Long Island theater maven has given birth to a new creation with CocoaDios, the latest immersive theater experience that is currently giving New Yorkers a vacation for the senses. [Read more…] about CocoaDios: Chris Neuner’s Vision on Life, Death, and Chocolate
Theater Review: American Psycho- The Musical
American Psycho, the slick new musical treatment of Bret Easton Ellis’ 1991 novel of the same name serves two purposes: to recall the excessive greed which dominated the eighties, and to evoke a painful realization that not much has changed when it comes to our continued obsession and appreciation of all things material. Substance be damned; we want it all, and we want it now! Take, for instance, the complaint fielded by the house manager of the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater during a preview performance of the show; A lady seated in the front was unexpectedly splashed by fake stage blood, which landed on her cashmere scarf and Louis Vuitton bag—Oh! The irony! Not to mention our incessant addiction to Amazon prime. Why wait for our goods for two weeks when we can get it in a single day? Instant gratification is the current cocaine. [Read more…] about Theater Review: American Psycho- The Musical
Theater Review: Last Chance to Catch “The Woodsman”
The Wizard of Oz may well be one of the most well-known movies in the history of cinema. Scholars and armchair analysts alike have dissected the film’s intentions, symbolism, and meanings. Wicked, the smash hit musical by Stephen Schwartz continues to enchant audiences at the Gershwin Theater and around the globe, where it has been continuously running for over ten years. For those of you who have been living under a rock, it tells the back story of Glinda, the good witch and Elphaba, the wicked witch of the west. Let’s not overlook The Wiz, the urban psychedelic 1975 treatment which recently gained more notoriety with the live NBC television version. Author Joey Green looked to Eastern philosophy to glean meaning from the film in his 1998 book, The Zen of Oz. [Read more…] about Theater Review: Last Chance to Catch “The Woodsman”
The New York Pops 33rd Birthday Gala- An Amazing Night
There are nights in the course of attending live New York City performances where one has no other option but sit back in awe and admiration, filled to the brim with a “heart full of love” over the musical gifts bestowed on our town. Monday May 2nd was one of those evenings as the New York Pops celebrated their 33rd Birthday with “Do You Hear the People Sing”, an emotional night that honored the music of Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, the composer and lyricist behind Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, The Pirate Queen and others. [Read more…] about The New York Pops 33rd Birthday Gala- An Amazing Night
Brian Mulligan Will Scare the Sh** Out of You
Brian Mulligan is currently one of the opera world’s fastest rising stars. The workhorse baritone can currently be seen in St. Paul, Minnesota where he is originating the role of Jack Torrance in a sold-out operatic adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining. King’s story depicts Torrance, a man who accepts a job as the overseer of the Overlook, a remote hotel in the middle of nowhere. Accompanied by his wife, Wendy and son, Danny, he slowly begins a descent into madness with horrific conseqeuence. [Read more…] about Brian Mulligan Will Scare the Sh** Out of You
Review: Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s “The School for Scandal”
Long before Mean Girls and our current National presidential primary, there was The School for Scandal, Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s scathing restoration take-down about liars and marred reputations among the bourgeois. Lady Sneerwell (Frances Barber), once the victim of malicious rumors has taken it upon herself to inflict venom on those around her. With the aid of Lady Candour (Dana Ivey), the pair dabble in the affairs of the Surface brothers, Joseph (Christian Conn) and Charles (Christian DeMarais), their uncle, Sir Oliver (Henry Stram), Lady Teazle (Helen Cespedes) and her mismatched groom Sir Peter (Mark Linn-Baker). Truly unscrupulous characters are thrown into the mix, including Backbite (Ryan Garbayo) and Crabtree (Derek Smith) who will stop at nothing to tear down friends and enemies alike. [Read more…] about Review: Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s “The School for Scandal”
Theater Review: When I Was a Girl I Used To Scream and Shout
Playwright Sharman MacDonald did not necessarily break new ground in her 1984 play, When I Was a Girl I Used to Scream and Shout, but Fallen Angel Theatre Company has proven that it still carries emotional weight in their current off Broadway revival. [Read more…] about Theater Review: When I Was a Girl I Used To Scream and Shout
OBIE Award Winning Director David Cromer Talks About “The Effect”
“Love,” as the song goes, “is a many splendored thing.” It’s also a many splintered thing, as depicted in Lucy Prebble’s incredibly sound play The Effect. Prebble’s play depicts how and why we love through its two leading players: Tristan (Carter Hudson) and Connie (Susannah Flood) are two strangers who meet in a clinical setting where a study, led by Dr. James (Kati Brazda), will determine the use and effect of anti-depressants. James’ mentor, Dr. Toby (Steve Key) is an advocate in the pharmaceutical field and supervises the study. We also learn that he was once romantically involved with Dr. James. [Read more…] about OBIE Award Winning Director David Cromer Talks About “The Effect”
Theater Review: Ike Holters’ Exit Strategy
The liner notes for Primary Stages’ Exit Strategy state that the play was first produced in Chicago after the city proposed a potential closure of 129 public schools, 54 of which were in low income neighborhoods. The announcement occurred in 2013, but three years later, the issues and conversations remain. While Ike Holter’s gripping drama is set specifically in this mid-western city, it could well be set in Anywhere, USA. [Read more…] about Theater Review: Ike Holters’ Exit Strategy
Concert Review: Lynda Carter at Lincoln Center
“Lynda Carter sings?!!?”, was the common reaction to the declaration that I was seeing Wonder Woman in concert last weekend for her Jazz at Lincoln Center show. The answer: Absolutely! Among the powers bestowed on her television character by the Greek Gods, she’s also been granted the real life gift of lovely vocals and commanding stage presence—not to mention her maintenance of eternal youth. [Read more…] about Concert Review: Lynda Carter at Lincoln Center