Dead Accounts

Oh dear, what a bad, bad play Norbert Leo Butz, Katie Holmes and company are stuck in! My full review's here.

My Name Is Asher Lev

This stark, well-produced family drama is worth a look. My review's here.

A Christmas Story, The Musical

Much to my surprise, I was totally charmed by the musical version of A Christmas Story. My review's here.

Elf -- The Musical, redux

Elf is back and much improved from its debut two years ago. Goofy, stupid fun for the holidays. Thataway for my write-up.

The Twenty-Seventh Man

I can't say Nathan Englander's debut play is very theatrical -- it's more of a long conversation -- but it's set in a Stalinist prison and that alone goes a long way with me (the Gulag is one of my pet interests). My review's here.

Scandalous

It actually was a good idea for a musical: the life and times of starvangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. But the result is remarkably dull for being about someone who performed faith healing and brought Hollywood tricks to church. My review's here.

Giant

I love Edna Ferber's novel Giant, so I was particularly looking forward to Michael John LaChiusa's musical adaptation. It's a disappointment, but a valiant one. Thataway for my review.

The Performers

What year is this, 1963? The Performers is oddly moralistic and prurient, like an old tee-hee farce. My review's here.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Christopher Durang looks sideways at Chekhov in his new play. As with Annie, a bit of casting undermines the show. My review's here.

Ivanov

CSC nails its latest Chekhov production, Ivanov. My review's here.

Checkers

As Richard Nixon, Anthony LaPaglia gets to deliver parts of the infamous 1952 speech in the new play Checkers. My mixed feelings are here.

Annie

The revival of Annie that opened on Broadway last night is very good. But it features a real conundrum in Katie Finneran: so fun to watch, and so miscast. My review's here.

Sorry

With the third installment, Sorry, Richard Nelson's Apple plays have officially turned into a great family saga. My review's here.

The Whale

Not sure if anybody's in the mood for a sad show right now, but Samuel D. Hunter's The Whale is very, very good. My review's here.

The Heiress

I'm only half-sold on Jessica Chastain in The Heiress, but the play is well made and chugs along. My review's here.