Manhattan Digest

All you need to know about Manhattan culture and so much more...

ENTERTAINMENT

Concert Against Bigotry Draws a Starry Cast

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Jewish stars of stage and screen, along with giants in the Klezmer and classical music worlds will unite on Monday January 27th for an evening commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. The event, titled An Extraordinary Concert Against Bigotry will take place in the Streicker center of Temple Emanuel on Fifth avenue and 66th Street. [Read more…] about Concert Against Bigotry Draws a Starry Cast

‘The Thin Place’ is a Gripping Place to Be

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Welcome to death. Not exactly a sentiment to end 2019 with, nor one that will usher in the new year with a cheerful demeanor. Nonetheless, it’s a theme that Playwrights Horizons has chosen to explore through Lucas Hnath’s mind-bending play, The Thin Place. The second show of the Off-Broadway’s company 2019-2020 season opened on December 11th to understandably rave reviews. Consequently, it has been extended through January 26th. [Read more…] about ‘The Thin Place’ is a Gripping Place to Be

Goldstar Announces Nation’s Best Production of ‘The Nutcracker’

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New York has no shortage of nuts. No. Not the ubiquitous street vendors who sell warm peanuts, cashews, and almonds. (Although they certainly are a delicious treat!)  I’m referring to the number of productions of the 1892 ballet The Nutcracker.  Since the 1960s, countless ballet companies have staged the beloved story which offers a glorious score by Peter Tchaikovsky. [Read more…] about Goldstar Announces Nation’s Best Production of ‘The Nutcracker’

‘One November Yankee’ is a Flight Worth Skipping

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As Bette Davis uttered in All About Eve, “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”  That sentiment can be shared with Joshua Ravetch‘s One November Yankee, the latest Off-Broadway offering at 59E59 Street Theaters. Except with Yankee, you’re not going to hear a fraction of smart dialogue that Joseph L. Mankiewicz scripted for Eve.

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‘Jagged Little Pill’ is a Prescription for Our Dischordant Time

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Steve (Sean Allan Krill) is a workaholic and a porn addict. Mary Jane (Elizabeth Stanley) is hooked on opioids. Their daughter Frankie (Celia Rose Gooding), a black bi-sexual, is trying to reconcile her self worth and identity. Their Harvard bound son, Nick (Derek Klena) is pressured to be the ideal kid while he harbors a reputation-ruining secret.

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‘Top Chef’ Seasons Ranked From Worst to Best: Don’t Pack Your Knives Just Yet

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Top Chef has arguably been the biggest (and some might say greatest) culinary competition television program to ever exist. What once was a show that featured a mixture of home cooks, professional chefs and culinary students has now become a force to be reckoned with by including James Beard winners and many others at the top of their food game who all vie for the $100,000 grand prize. Some seasons of the Emmy-winning show did much better than others and stand out in our heads all this time later as ones that we want to watch again while others we wish never existed. [Read more…] about ‘Top Chef’ Seasons Ranked From Worst to Best: Don’t Pack Your Knives Just Yet