Sam Harris’ life has taken him from the heights of acclaim on television’s Star Search to the footlights of multiple Broadway shows. It has also led him to darker depths of alcoholism and singing the phone book as an opening act for Aretha Franklin. [Read more…] about Broadway Star Sam Harris Needs Money (and it’s Hilarious!)
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International Star Sven Ratzke Debuts STARMAN at Joe’s Pub
Glam rock is alive and well and thriving at Joe’s Pub this week where Netherlands based entertainer Sven Ratzke is enjoying a brief residency. Well known in Berlin for his role as “Hedwig” in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Raztke now brings his often odd, but mesmerizing brand of performance to the late David Bowie with his show, Starman. [Read more…] about International Star Sven Ratzke Debuts STARMAN at Joe’s Pub
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
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”
Review: Archer Hotel in Midtown West Makes the Grade
When Glen Coben and his design firm began work on the Archer Hotel, they attempted to break away from the traditional hotel space by incorporating a more residential feel to the boutique. Coben, along with Peter Poon Architects masterfully achieved their goal with this hip and charming haven in Manhattan’s Garment district. [Read more…] about Review: Archer Hotel in Midtown West Makes the Grade
Theater Review: Christopher Hampton’s “The Father”
Without heartbreak, it’s unlikely that a majority of our dramatic works would even exist. Then again, without some pain in the heart, own lives would not be fully realized. One current show on the boards reflect the anguish and pain that reality can bring, and yet it does it in such a superb manner that we feel a wave of catharsis and empathy long before the curtain falls. [Read more…] about Theater Review: Christopher Hampton’s “The Father”
Theater Review: Danai Gurira’s Powerful “Eclipsed”
Danai Gurira might be one of the strongest and most important voices in American Theatre today. The playwright’s production of Eclipsed gathered thunderous applause and approval from both critics and audiences when it premiered off Broadway at the Public Theater last year and subsequently, it moved to Broadway’s Golden Theatre, where it has received just as much positive buzz. This marks the second New York show in a year for Gurira, who also stars as Michonne in the AMC television series, The Walking Dead. Her other hit show, Familiar, received an extension at Off Broadway’s Playwright’s Horizons before closing on April 10th. [Read more…] about Theater Review: Danai Gurira’s Powerful “Eclipsed”
An Interview with DISASTER’S Jennifer Simard & Seth Rudetsky
There is a mutual admiration society meeting nightly at the Nederlander Theatre, home to the current hit, Disaster! The Musical. The show, which features a groovy blend of disco, is set on a floating discoteque casino where Broadway veterans parody all of the seventies disaster movies. Actor Seth Rudetsky gathered many of his long time stage friends including Roger Bart, Kerry Butler, Kevin Chamberlain, Adam Pascal, Faith Prince, and Rachel York to mount the much lauded Broadway laugh-fest. He also enlisted Jennifer Simard, a superb actor who is no stranger to the Broadway stage, but who is delivering a much talked about break-out performance as a nun with a gambling addiction. [Read more…] about An Interview with DISASTER’S Jennifer Simard & Seth Rudetsky
Experience Wall to Wall Stephen Schwartz This Saturday
If you wake up this Saturday April 16th and have nothing better to do than sit around contemplating your corner of the sky, then you’d better leave your cheese to sour, defy gravity, and prepare ye the way of the 1,2, or 3 train. Head to the extraordinary Upper West side for Wall to Wall Stephen Schwartz, a musical celebration of the famed Broadway composer’s works. The concert begins at 3 PM. [Read more…] about Experience Wall to Wall Stephen Schwartz This Saturday