Carrie

I'm in the camp that thinks that the musical Carrie can work on stage, but it needs a visionary director. Stafford Arima, who handles the new revival, isn't that director — though admittedly the show itself, as revised, has problems. Sigh. My full review's here.

Rated P for Parenthood

A new musical revue about parenting, Rated P for Parenthood, just opened at the Westside Theatre, and my review's here.

Assistance

Loved loved loved Leslye Headland's latest comedy, Assistance. It's a short run, so head to Playwrights Horizons, stat. In the meantime, you can read my review of it here.

Hurt Village

Katori Hall follows the not-so-good Mountaintop with Hurt Village. Show's uneven but there are enough good scenes and characters — and actors — to make it worthy. Plus, you can never get enough Tonya Pinkins. Full review's here.

Rutherford & Son

The Mint presents yet another great obscure yarn with Rutherford & Son, from 1912. Well worth the trip, especially for Anglophiles. Full review here.

Galileo

If the CSC's revival of Galileo accomplish one thing, it's to show that you can have a subject as dramatic as Galileo's fight with the Church, and end up with tepid theater. My review's here.

Early Plays

The Wooster Group and Richard Maxwell team up for a trio of Eugene O'Neill's Early Plays, at St. Ann's Warehouse. I'm not entirely sold.

Blood Knot

Hot on the heels of The Road to Mecca, still playing on Broadway, comes another Athol Fugard play, Blood Knot (review here). There's two more on the way, so these are good times for Fugard's NY fans.

Shatner's World

William Shatner returns to Broadway with Shatner's World -- We Just Live in It, which is to the one-man show genre what cozies are to thrillers. Full review here.

CQ/CX

Gabe McKinley's CQ/CX dramatizes the Jayson Blair story, and makes it boring. How is that even possible? My full review's here.

The Ugly One

Marius von Mayenburg's The Ugly One is at Soho Rep. While it's not quite as great as the buzz from Germany and England would suggest, it's still an interesting work. Full review here.

Rx

Catching up with my latest reviews, we've got Rx, a spry little comedy at Primary Stages. Full appraisal here.

Look Back in Anger

Director Sam Gold strikes again with a revival of Look Back in Anger for the Roundabout. Me liked! Full review here.

These Seven Sicknesses

Seven plays, five hours: It's These Seven Sicknesses, Sean Graney's adaptation of Sophocles' surviving works. And it's a slog.

Yosemite

Two reviews of plays with one-word titles in today's paper! Brief titles is all that Wit and Yosemite have in common, though.

Wit

Manhattan Theatre Club brings Wit to Broadway, with Cynthia Nixon in the lead. I'm not sold on Nixon's performance, but found the play even better than I remembered it.

Gob Squad's Kitchen (You've Never Had It So Good)

God Squad returns with a tribute to Andy Warhol's 1960s movies, including Kitchen, Kiss and Eat. The show is absolutely terrific. More detailed reasons to go here.

Richard III

Kevin Spacey bulldozes his way through Richard III at BAM. I'm a big fan of the way he usually portrays villains, all smooth maliciousness, but he goes over the (big) top here, with almost cartoonish results. My review's here.

The Road to Mecca

Athol Fugard's The Road to Mecca is worth a gander, especially since it's headed by Rosemary Harris and Carla Gugino. The play drags a bit, but it does pay off. Full review here.

Untitled Feminist Show

Young Jean Lee returns with Untitled Feminist Show, which I liked quite a bit.

LEO

A cool piece of physical theater, LEO does extend its welcome somewhat. It's always hard to know when to stop. Review here.

Classic BAM shows

I had another piece this weekend, about some classic 1970s productions at BAM: article or slide show. Check out my NY Post blog as I'll publish leftover goodies from the interviews I conducted for the article.

some cool arts tours

Catching up with some linkage, follow this one to my piece about backstage and behind-the-scenes tours -- Lincoln Center, the Met, Radio City Music Hall, etc.

Porgy and Bess

My review of the revival of Porgy and Bess is in today's paper. Not so hot.

Outside People

Another tale of a hapless American man struggling in China hits the boards with Outside People at the Vineyard. You may want to check out Chinglish instead, but in the meantime, here's my review.

Hypnotik

Cheeseball alert at Theater for the New City! I'm referring to Hypnotik: The Seer Will Doctor You Now, and my full review's here.

Close Up Space

Though it's common for critics to moan about all the bad plays we have to see, it's actually rare to be subjected to one as inept as Close Up Space, currently at MTC I.

Peter Pan

Peter Pan is back in town, and so is Cathy Rigby. Of course, I was there.

Lysistrata Jones

I liked Lysistrata Jones off Broadway, and I still like it on Broadway: a cheerier show is hard to find. Full review here.

Farm Boy

Farm Boy, Michael Mopurgo's sequel (of sorts) to War Horse hits 59E59. Warning: no puppets on stage.

James X

My review of Gerard Mannix Flynn's James X, about abuse in church-run institutions in Ireland, is in today's paper.

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

Michael Mayer's revisal of this 1965 musical maudit has finally opened, and my review's in today's paper. In brief: Instead of a show with a great score and a clunky book, we now have a show with a great score and a different clunky book. The more things change, the less they do.

Stick Fly

Lydia R. Diamond's sudser Stick Fly opened on Broadway last night. My glass half empty/glass half full review is here.

Maple and Vine

Two of my stage faves, Marin Ireland and Jeanine Serralles, star in Maple and Vine, and despite that cast plus a great premise, the show flounders.

Neighbourhood Watch

Alan Ayckbourn's 75th (!) play lands at 59E59. To, er, watch or not to watch? My take's here.

Once

New York Theatre Workshop may have a new Rent on its hands with Once, the stage version of the Irish movie. Read my review, then go buy a ticket — if there are any left.

Misterman

Cillian Murphy stars in Enda Walsh's Misterman at St. Ann's Warehouse. And when I say "stars," I mean just that: He's terrific, plus he's alone onstage. Full review thataway.

Happy Hour

Ethan Coen complete his trifecta of one-act anthologies with Happy Hour. At least I hope he's done, because the shows have steadily worsened. More here.

The Cherry Orchard

CSC delivers a Cherry Orchard that's all over the map, and weirdly gripping in its own disjointed way. I elaborate here.

Elective Affinities

David Adjmi's tasty curtain-raiser, Elective Affinities, gets the deluxe treatment courtesy of director Sarah Benson and star Zoe Caldwell. My full review's here.

Bonnie & Clyde

Six months after Wonderland tanked, Frank Wildhorn has another musical on Broadway: Bonnie & Clyde, inspired by you-know-who. What I thought? Read on.

Wild Animals You Should Know

Last review before the Thanksgiving break: Thomas Higgins' Wild Animals You Should Know.

An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin

In my case it was an afternoon, since I saw this show at the Sunday matinee. Never mind the time: An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin is a terrific production, and it certainly surprised me.

Seminar

Theresa Rebeck's new Broadway comedy, Seminar, cruises into port with a great cast led by Alan Rickman and Lily Rabe. My review's here.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular

If it's mid-November, it must be time for Yule cheer. Yep, I saw The Radio City Christmas Spectacular last year -- not sure if it was my 6th or 7th time. This edition introduced quite a few tweaks, and I wasn't crazy about all of them. More details in my review.

Private Lives

Kim Cattrall and Paul Gross duke it out in a revival of Private Lives on Broadway. Much to my surprise, I was delighted by Cattrall, while Gross -- whom I loved in Slings & Arrows -- left me cold.

Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays

The subtitle of the new anthology Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays needs a hyphen. After all, the pieces are about gay marriage -- they're not gay takes on marriage on general. More quibbles in my review.

Burning

Thomas Bradshaw moves up to off-Broadway with Burning, at the New Group. He insistently pushes a lot of buttons — like a man pressing a buzzer again and again and again. My review's thataway.

How Much Is Enough?

The Foundry Theatre examines our values in its new participatory piece, How Much Is Enough? A bit too consensual for my taste.

Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway

Who can carry this type of razzmatazz singing-and-dancing solo show at this point in time? I can only think of one, and it's Hugh Jackman. His Back to Broadway is a hoot, and left me grinning ear to ear.

Nightwish is back!

I'm taking a break from linking to my theater reviews to breathlessly gush about the new Nightwish song. Yes, Nightwish, ie the most grandiose band on Earth, is back at long last. New single "Storytime" was worth the wait: It's basically steroidal neo-romantic metal Abba! Clearly this song was written just for me.

Also, the video has evil clowns.

The Blue Flower

When was the last time Second Stage did a musical? Could it have been Sherie Rene Scott's Everyday Rapture, back in May 2009?  That place doesn't produce many of them, and I'm afraid The Blue Flower, sweet and misguided, won't do much to change that attitude.

King Lear

The third King Lear of the year is the weakest. Only hardcore fans -- of Sam Waterston, Bill Irwin or the play itself -- would want to catch this middling production at the Public.

Venus in Fur redux

After Other Desert Cities, another off-Broadway show moves up -- this time, Venus in Fur. Though the balance between the two characters is much improved with the casting of Hugh Dancy, I'm not sure David Ives had to make his play longer. At 1:45, it overstays its welcome.

Godspell

Godspell is back on Broadway for the first time since 1977, and I really wish I'd liked the revival more. I may have been more lenient if I was 13. My review's here.

Other Desert Cities redux

Other Desert Cities reopens on Broadway with a couple of casting switcheroos: Rachel Griffiths in for Elizabeth Marvel, Judith Light in for Linda Lavin. How does the show fare?  My take here.

Now the Cats with Jewelled Claws

Tennessee Williams wrote Now the Cats with Jewelled Claws two years before his death, and you can tell that 1) he had nothing to lose anymore and 2) his brain was foggy. Which means that it's completely fascinating, and the production at La MaMa stars no less than Everett Quinton and Mink Stole. My review's here.

Love's Labor's Lost

Shakespeare's comedy gets slightly Americanized at the Public — and that includes not just the title, but references to Beyoncé and "Boo-yah!" My review's here.

Chinglish

Ooops, forgot to link to my review of David Henry Hwang's Chinglish, now on Broadway. Here it is.

The Atmosphere of Memory

I seem to be in the minority to have enjoyed David Bar Katz's admittedly nutty play, The Atmosphere of Memory (review here). Is it realistic? No. Does it always make sense? No. Is it entertaining and surprising? Yes and yes. I never knew what was coming, which is a big plus for me.

Asuncion

Jesse Eisenberg wrote and co-stars in Asuncion, at the Cherry Lane Theatre. It had the potential to be a lot better, but fans of Eisenberg and Justin Bartha (swoon!) should see it. My review's here.

Cries and Whispers

I consider myself an Ivo van Hove completist so I would have gone to see his Cries and Whispers at BAM no matter what. Admittedly, this isn't one of his best productions, though it does have a couple of his signature high-energy scenes. My review's thataway.

Big Apple Circus: Dream Big

The Big Apple Circus' latest show, Dream Big, is at Damrosch Park until early January. Our group had a great time, including our two special consultants (six and a half, eight and a half).

Sons of the Prophet

Stephen Karam's new Sons of the Prophet is one of the best-received plays of the new season. I concur! Catch it if you can.

Relatively Speaking

Or, as it's been nicknamed, Relatively Unspeakable. Ethan Coen, Woody Allen and Elaine May strike out in their joint evening of one-act plays. I survived long enough to review it.

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs

Mike Daisey tackles the cult of Apple in his new show at the Public -- review here. Turns out your shiny phone is made by Chinese children who work 70-hours weeks and develop arthritis in their 20s. Actually I say "your" because I don't have an iPhone, but I suspect the source of my cheapo LG isn't much better.

The Mountaintop

Katori Hall's The Mountaintop opened last night. Here's the deal: Samuel L. Jackson, Angela Bassett, Martin Luther King Jr. And here's my review.

We Live Here

Zoe Kazan's playwriting debut, We Live Here, just opened at MTC. I went, so you won't have to.

The Lyons

Nicky Silver's latest, The Lyons, is also his best in ages. It helps that the cast is led by a Linda Lavin in top form. My very positive review's here.

Man and Boy

Frank Langella is the one and only reason to see the new revival of Man and Boy. A star vehicle? Sure, but there are worse things at the theater. My review, including a pan of Langella's hapless co-star, thataway.

The Threepenny Opera

Hard to believe, but the Berliner Ensemble had never appeared in New York before its current run in The Threepenny Opera at BAM. Yowsa! Well worth a trip to Lafayette Avenue to see this troupe going at it full blast, even if as always, Robert Wilson's visuals look like a hip restaurant from the 1980s.

Motherhood Out Loud

An anthology of short pieces about motherhood opens at 59E59. The overall effect is like eavesdropping at a Park Slope playground. My review of Motherhood Out Loud is thataway.

Dreams of Flying Dreams of Falling

Adam Rapp's latest — yes, he has yet another play out — is one of his best yet. Dreams of Flying Dreams of Falling (my review here) stars the incomparable Christine Lahti and Reed Birney, and is well worth a trip down to CSC. Plus that space sells excellent coffee in the lobby. Not that you'd need it, as the show is a zippy 90 minutes.

Lidless

Too bad Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig's Lidless takes a turn for the preposterous (my notes for the evening include "INSANE!"), because it has a promising start, and it's always a pleasure to watch Danielle Skraastad in action.

Lemon Sky

The Keen Company revives Lanford Wilson's 1970 memory play, Lemon Sky. Thataway for my review.

The Submission

Jeff Talbott's would-be-Mametian play, The Submission, is now at the Lucille Lortel. Main reason to go: Rutina Wesley, best known for playing the thankless role of Tara on True Blood. More in my review.

The Bald Soprano

The Pearl brings back Ionesco's The Bald Soprano. It's only an hour but feels much longer. (If we were in Paris there would be no need to bring it back since it never left: The same production has been playing the Théâtre de la Huchette since 1957.)

After.

Yes, the period is part of the title in After., a new play by Chad Beckim. A little precious maybe, but don't let that stop you: This is a worthy show. And it's playing at the Wild Project, a nice little East Village theater that's conveniently located right across from Mama's, home of the best mac 'n' cheese in town.

Arias with a Twist

Joey Arias and Basil Twist's head trip, Arias with a Twist, is back for a limited run at Abrons. Go! Oh, you need more background? Fine, my review's here.

Cirque de Légume

Today's review is of Cirque de Légume, a nifty little Irish show that features enough vegetables to fulfill the food pyramid's requirements for a whole week.

The Wood

Dan Klores' play about Mike McAlary, The Wood, is a letdown, considering the action's background: NY in the 1990s, tabloid wars, police brutality, old-school journalism. I wonder what would have happened if Richard Price had written that show.

Completeness

Itamar Moses' Completeness, at Playwrights Horizons, is very, very chatty and yet feels…incomplete. That's my review for the day. I also in today's paper is our fall preview, in which I handled the forthcoming musicals — not that there's many of them on the horizon.

Follies

The revival of Sondheim's awesome 1971 musical Follies just opened. As you can tell by my review, I was underwhelmed. Still, the score is rich enough to recommend a trip to the Marquis, especially if you get a discount ticket.

The Select (The Sun Also Rises)

I was as engaged by The Select (The Sun Also Rises) as I was bored by Gatz. It's not just that this time, Elevator Repair Service abrided the book: The whole experience is more theatrical, a commentary on Hemingway's novel as much as an adaptation of it. Review here.

Temporal Powers

The Mint continues its excavation of Teresa Deevy's forgotten oeuvre with Temporal Powers. Review in today's paper.

Hero: The Musical

Straight from Seoul, here comes Hero: The Musical. The least I can say about it is that we don't see this stuff everyday — and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was in the house! More in my review.

The Tenant

After Sleep No More, another site-specific piece takes over an entire building: It's Woodshed Collective's adaptation of The Tenant, on the Upper West Side.  I wasn't impressed.

Ten Cents a Dance

John Doyle is back to his old tricks in Ten Cents a Dance, a Rodgers & Hart revue where the cast doubles up as the orchestra. I caught it in Williamstown (see my review of the revue) but you can also see the show at the McCarter in Princeton starting September 9.

Bluebird

Simon Russell Beale stars in a small show in an even smaller theater: today's review is of Bluebird, which is at the subterranean Atlantic Theatre 2. For fans of Mr. Beale only.

The Legend of Julie Taymor

Straight from the headlines and into the Fringe's maw: It's The Legend of Julie Taymor! The Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode on the same topic is a lot better, and it's got a cameo by Patti Smith.

Tricks the Devil Taught Me

The Minetta Lane Theatre has a Texas-size problem of a show with Tricks the Devil Taught Me. It's not horribly bad, just inept. How long it will last is anybody's guess.

Yeast Nation

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the new musical Yeast Nation comes from the guys responsible for Urinetown. They've still got a lot of work to do on it, but at least I was able to refer to "yeastie boys" in my review.

Olive and the Bitter Herbs

Just a year after The Divine Sister comes another Charles Busch play, Olive and the Bitter Herbs. Only this time he's not in it and it's playing uptown. I quite enjoyed it, mostly because I find it hard to turn down a feast of old-school bitchery.

The Talls

Second Stage Uptown for its emphasis on young playwrights, but sometimes the inexperience shows. There's such a clunky plot device in Anna Kerrigan's The Talls (reviewed today) that I had to wonder if anybody brought it up to the author, and if there was any attempt to smooth things out.

Rent

Rent is back! But really, it's as if it had never gone away, especially since the "new" production sticks to the original's spirit and MO. Just, you know, smaller — it's at New World Stages. Review here.

HotelMotel

The Amoralists and Adam Rapp join forces again for HotelMotel, a site-specific double header in a room at the Gershwing Hotel. The evening grew thin but if you're an Amoralists or Rapp completist, you may want to catch this.

Uncle Vanya

Weekend in Washington, DC. Saturday featured trips to the Kennedy Center for Uncle Vanya starring Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving (my review here) and to Ben's Chili Bowl for hot dogs and half smokes.

Then the following day, we caught the drum & bugle Tour of Champions' Grand Finale at the New Meadowlands. Much to my surprise, the Cadets won, followed by the Blue Devils and the Cavaliers. I would have put the Cavaliers first, and the Phantom Regiment (a sentimental favorite) 2nd instead of 5th. But hey, what do I know about the intricacies of drum & bugle scoring?

Revisiting long-running shows

In yesterday's Post, I revisited some of NYC's longest-running shows. Can you believe The Phantom of the Opera has been on since 1988? Or that I, a huge ABBA fan, would harsh on Mamma Mia! as the weakest of the dinosaurs?

The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Brecht's 1944 parable The Caucasian Chalk Circle gets an outing at the Lion. Enter at your own risk.

Julius Caesar

The Royal Shakespeare Company opened its fifth and last show over the weekend. I quite enjoyed Julius Caesar, especially the two hours leading to intermission. But then I do like me some swords-and-sandal action seasoned with blood and guts.