Happiness is a lukewarm gun

A new musical, Happiness, opens at Lincoln Center Theater; New York Post, March 31, 2009.

The show has quite the pedigree: book by John Weidman, direction and choreography by Susan Stroman, lyrics and music by Michael Korie and Scott Frankel (the guys who did Grey Gardens, although that's not really a recommendation for me).

Tonight, I'm returning to see Neil LaBute's Reasons to be Pretty, which I'd caught Off Broadway last year.

Unwowed by Irena's Vow

Dan Gordon's Irena's Vow at the Walter Kerr Theatre, New York Post, March 30, 2009.

After Golda's Balcony, Tovah Feldshuh stars in Irena's Vow. Do I feel a trend?

Busy weekend for the Sheila and I, highlighted by our first trip to the (in)famous Burger Joint, where we had a pair of great cheeseburgers. The joint is just that, a joint, but the best part is that it's hidden inside the posh Parker Meridien hotel on W. 56th St. (We went before catching the Encores! version of Finian's Rainbow at City Center on Saturday evening.) Scratch one more item on the list of classic NYC experiences we've done.

There's a new king in town

Eugene Ionesco's Exit the King at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York Post, March 27.

How long has Geoffrey Rush been doing theater in Australia? Why did we have to wait all these decades to see him on stage in New York? Ah well, better late than never.

Unimpressed

Michael Jacobs's Impressionism at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, New York Post, March 25. (My second one-star review in a row. The timing is harsh.)

Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons: How could it suck, right? And yet…

Baby talk

Christina Anderson's Inked Baby at Playwrights Horizons, New York Post, March 24.

Thrilling actors rock Yasmina Reza

Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage at the Bernard P. Jacobs Theatre, New York Post, March 23.

If you want to see well-heeled fur fly, go see this play. Come to think of it, can well-heeled fur fly? No matter: The show is a nasty delight.

Keep cool, daddy-o

West Side Story at the Palace Theatre, New York Post, March 20.

Hard to believe, but it's been almost 30 years since the Jets and the Sharks have duked it out on their home turf. Arthur Laurents's revival of Gypsy last season was a triumph, and now he's tackled another of his books. Did lighting strike twice?

Boosting the Wooster

Okay, it's not a review this time but a preview, as I write about the new Wooster Group show, La Didone, at St. Ann's Warehouse, in the New York Post today.

You have about six weeks to see it down in Dumbo. Make sure to leave some time beforehand for a little nibble at Almondine, which is just down the block.

Rooms with a view

Paul Scott Goodman's ROOMS a rock romance at New World Stages, New York Post, March 17.

Leslie Kritzer is back!

Blitz Spirit

Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York Post, March 16.

Busy weekend it was: I returned to Room for Cream, the live soap opera run at LaMaMa by the Dyke Division of the Theatre of the Two-Headed Calf company; caught the next-to-last performance of Armitage Gone! Dance's Think Punk at the Kitchen; saw Paul Scott Goodman's Rooms at New World Stages.

The latter I'll review in the Post. As for Think Punk, it was uneven but the good parts were really, really good. Highlight: "Drastic Classicism," a 1981 piece set to music by Rhys Chatham. The score was performed at top volume (essential for Chatham) by a drummer and four guitarists, standing in the middle of the dancers. Oh man, what an absolutely visceral thrill!

Eurovision coming!

On Monday, March 16, I'll talk about the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest on WNYC's Soundcheck. I should be on around 2:20pm EST. You can listen on your radio thingamajig or online. Ain't technology grand?

How do you say?

I know that just like me, you've been wondering about this: How do you say “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” in Swedish?

Apparently it's “Superkaffiryteflanisötomaxigrafisk” in the production of Mary Poppins currently playing at the Göteborg Opera.

33 1/3 variations

Moises Kaufman's 33 Variations at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York Post, March 10.

Jane Fonda's comeback vehicle skids to a stop...

Driven to Distracted

Lisa Loomer's Distracted at the Roundabout's Laura Pels Theatre, New York Post, March 4.

Next stop: Jane Fonda.

The Savannah Disputation

Evan Smith's The Savannah Disputation at Playwrights Horizons, New York Post, March 4.

Dana Ivey and Marylouise Burke sharing a stage? Go!

Guys are from Mars

Guys and Dolls lands on Broadway and I write my first review for the New York Post.