Top ten best shows of the year

Click here to find out which were my favorite shows of 2013.

Cirkopolis

I can't believe it took eight years for Cirque Eloize to return to NY. It was well worth the wait though. Click here for my review of Cirkopolis.

The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic

Maybe it was the right collaboration for Robert Wilson, who delivers his best show in years with The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic. Click here for my review.

Why isn't The Voice creating music stars?

The Voice is fun as a TV show but is it really fulfilling its mission to find new music stars? I ponder this deep, deep question here.

The Night Alive

At long last, I've enjoyed a Conor McPherson play! Thataway for my take on The Night Alive, at the Atlantic.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

If someone can hold my attention declaiming a 1798 poem, it's Fiona Shaw. And so it was with her performance of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at BAM -- directed by Phyllida Lloyd, delivering a nice one-two punch after her Julius Caesar at St Ann's. Click here for my review.

Which musicals should be live-televised next

The Sound of Music got big ratings so NBC has announced it's game to do more live telecasts. But which musicals should be next? I picked 5 I'd like to see, and 5 I'd rather they avoid. Click here for the lists.

The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence

I thought this type of title was reserved to semiotic textbooks and country songs, but I guess I was wrong. My review of this Playwrights Horizons bust is here.

Hit List

It lives! Well, sort of. Even hate-watchers -- especially hate-watchers -- are aware of Hit List, the musical that displaced Bombshell as the prime attraction in season 2 of Smash. Last night it came alive at 54 Below, and I'm glad I was there. Click here for my review.

Chéri

Having enjoyed Martha Clarke's work over the years, I was disappointed to be disappointed by Chéri. Oh well, next time. Click here for my review.

What's It All About?

Unfortunately the new Burt Bacharach revue, What's It All About?, doesn't include a medley from Lost Horizon. Click here for my review.

The Sound of Music

Full disclosure: I'm not a big fan of Rodgers and Hammerstein's churchy-Alpine-Nazi combo (though bonus points for having nuns), but last night's live telecast was pretty good overall. Click here for my review.

Bodycast

Artist lectures don't get more entertaining than Bodycast at BAM, even if hearing Suzanne Bocanegra feed lines to Frances McDormand through an earpiece was a little odd. But hey, I'm sure there was a point. Click here for my review.

Analog.Ue

Maybe I would have enjoyed Daniel Kitson's Analog.Ue more if I was the kind of person who loves The Moth or This American Life -- in other words, storytelling. As it is, I stayed outside of Kitson's show, looking in. My review's here.

And Away We Go

Terrence McNally's latest play — written for the Pearl company — hopscotches from one theatrical milestone to another. Click here for my review.

Regular Singing

I went up and down with Richard Nelson's Apple family tetralogy, and mostly liked Ep. 3, Sorry. But  I found No. 4, Regular Singing, mostly dull with an annoying icing of self-involved dourness. Click here for my review.

No Man's Land + Waiting for Godot

I know the hip factor is lesser by a factor of a thousand, but I liked the Bill Irwin/Nathan Lane Godot more than the current Ian McKellen/Patrick Stewart one. While everybody says Godot is the better of the two shows the latter are doing in rep, I preferred No Man's Land. My twofer review's here.

One Night…

Charles Fuller (A Soldier's Play) returns with another tale of dysfunction in the armed forces. This one's a lot less effective though. My review's here.

The Commons of Pensacola

I'm flabbergasted by MTC's decision to put up Amanda Peet's feeble debut as a playwright. Not just that, but Lynne Meadow herself directed -- talk about an endorsement -- and Sarah Jessica Parker and Blythe Danner signed on. Mystifying. Thataway for my review.

Macbeth

Ethan Hawke tackles Macbeth, and it's a big disappointment. Too bad -- unlike many, I was rooting for him. Click here for my review.

Small Engine Repair

John Pollono's fast and tawdry thriller ends with a hilariously satisfying scene straight out of a Tarantino movie. Another B-movie thing Pollono got right is speed: The show clocks in at 75 minutes. Click here for my review.

A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder

This murder-mystery musical may sway Anglophiles, but I was left largely unmoved by its antics. My review's here.

When film directors make commercials

It was fun rounding up a bunch of ads from around the world — ok, mostly French and Japanese — directed by famous, often unlikely movie directors. Click here for the gallery.

Little Miss Sunshine

I so wanted to love this show! But William Finn and James Lapine took a tumble, and a couple of miscast parts don't help. My review's here.

A Bed and a Chair

More Sondheim! Frankly, I'm not sure the world needed the new revue A Bed and a Chair, but at least it gave us the opportunity to hear Bernadette Peters take on "Broadway Baby" and "The Ladies Who Lunch." Click here for my review.

700 Sundays

I can't say I was particularly looking forward to Billy Crystal's solo 700 Sundays, but he really got me -- the first act is as good as this type of show gets. Click here for my review.

Richard III + Twelfth Night

Mark Rylance leads an all-male cast in Richard III and Twelfth Night in rep. The latter's a better show but you may want to see both for a rare repertory experience on Broadway. My twofer review's here.

The Jacksonian

Beth Henley makes a return to form — though not her usual one — with this lurid Southern tale halfway between Jim Thompson and David Lynch. Click here for my review.

How to Make Friends and Then Kill Them

Halley Feiffer wrote but doesn't star in this pitch-black comedy with a taste for the grotesque. Doesn't add up to all that much, but it's appealingly odd. My review's here.

Disaster!

New jukebox musical Disaster! pays tribute to those cheeseball Hollywood movies with upside-down ships, killer bees and sharks. Of course there's also a nun. Click here for my review of this great little nugget of a show.

Domesticated

Bruce Norris tackles on the war of the sexes in Domesticated. If only the show wasn't so skewed against women. Funny how every single one of them is awful while the lone male characters is pathetic at worst. And yet...it's a worthy ride. Click here for my review.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Julie Taymor waltzes back the way she knows how: with stage magic. Click here for more on her new eye-popping spectacle.

After Midnight

The creators of the revue After Midnight wisely didn't try to wrap the numbers around a plot: It's just one song after the other, and a great big band onstage. My review of this new Broadway delight is here.

The Landing

The debut musical by Kander and Pierce won't make anybody forget about the many musicals by Kander and Ebb. My review of The Landing is here.

The Returned

Ace French series The Returned, aka Les Revenants, finally debuts in this US! Click here for my review.

The Good Person of Szechwan

Lear DeBessonet's wise and fun production of Brecht's 1943 morality play reopens at the Public. Yay! Click here for my review.

Grasses of a Thousand Colors

I see what Wallace Shawn is doing with Grasses of a Thousand Colors, the intent of it all, but it's just not working for me. My review's here.

Betrayal

The season's hottest ticket so far has been this Harold Pinter revival — and that was before any word of mouth, let alone reviews. With Daniel Craig and Mike Nichols on board, the show's review-proof, but mine's here.

The Snow Geese

I have a feeling I'm going to be in the minority when it comes to Sharr White's period melodrama The Snow Geese. As we know, quality and satisfaction don't necessarily match -- and I enjoyed the show. My review's here.

Fun Home

Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron's adaptation of Alison Bechdel's graphic novel Fun Home is warm and affecting, if flawed. It's not a great musical but a good one, which is nothing to sniff at. My review's here.

A Time to Kill

Any adaptation of A Time to Kill would have to be really good to make us overlook the fact that we're meant to root for a vigilante to go free. The Broadway show that just opened doesn't pull off that trick. My review's here.

Marie Antoinette

David Adjmi's Marie Antoinette doesn't cast a new eye on the queen, but the Soho Rep production is quite good anyway. My review's here.

The Winslow Boy

The Roundabout does better by The Winslow Boy than by its previous Terence Rattigan production, Man and Boy (Frank Langella and Adam Driver, oh my!). My review of this rather good yarn is here.

Romeo and Juliet

CSC's version of Romeo and Juliet is a big mess. Did anybody steer that ship or did it end up on the rocks on its own? Click here for my review.

The Model Apartment

I can't say Donald Margulies is among my favorite playwrights yet I really liked The Model Apartment. But then it's not your regular Margulies play -- he's even called it his "problem child." My review's here.

A Night with Janis Joplin

A sanitized tribute show at Broadway prices — and you get to pay extra for the privilege of drinking in sippy cups. My review of A Night with Janis Joplin's here.

Julius Caesar

Phyllida Lloyd's production of this tragedy, set in a women's prison, kicks serious Roman butt. Click here for my review.

Anthem

I can deal with almost any sci-fi concept, no matter how far-fetched. It's ponderous speechifying I have a hard time with. Click here for my review of this Ayn Rand–based show.

Lady Day

Enjoy the songs during this Billie Holiday biomusical, but cover your ears during the book scenes. My review of Lady Day's here.

Big Fish

Rarely has there been such a discrepancy between a production and its score as in Big Fish. Susan Stroman's show looks great; Andrew Lippa's music is by-the-numbers. Click here for my review.

Bad Jews redux

Bad Jews loses a bit of its impact in a bigger venue, but it's still a vastly entertaining little comedy of hostility. My review's here.

The Film Society

Why bother to revive Jon Robin Baitz's The Film Society when he's written much better plays? And then why give it such a desultory production? Questions, questions... Click here for my review.

Natural Affection

William Inge's 1963 flop gets a rare revival from the TACT company. It's a fascinating project, if not quite as good as I'd hoped it would be. My review's here.

The Glass Menagerie

Was it a case of overly heightened expectations? John Tiffany's revival of The Glass Menagerie is good but not mind-blowingly revelatory. I actually preferred the 2011 one from the Roundabout, with Judith Ivey. Click here for my review.

Arguendo

Elevator Repair Service strikes back with Arguendo, the verbatim reenactment of a 1991 Supreme Court case. Click here for my review.

Philip Goes Forth

The Mint company unearths another half-forgotten — ok, completely forgotten — nugget with Philip Goes Forth. Click here for my review.

Romeo and Juliet

After each performance excited throngs wait outside the theater to see Orlando Bloom. If only what happens during the show was as feverish… My review of this dud is here.

The Blue Dragon

Robert Lepage returns sotto voce with -- and in -- The Blue Dragon at BAM. My review's here.

Women or Nothing

Great title for Ethan Coen's latest at the Atlantic, and great team too: David Cromer, Halley Feiffer, Susan Pourfar... The play's his best so far too, if you don't pay close attention to the plot holes and forced coincidences. My review's here.

Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play

Anne Washburn's Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play is one of the most thrilling shows I've seen in ages. Note: You don't need to have seen the Simpsons episode Cape Feare to appreciate the play, but it does add a whole new level of enjoyment. Click here for my rave.

Preview of Anna Nicole

I'm really looking forward to Anna Nicole, which starts at its BAMrun on Tuesday. Here's the preview I wrote for the Post.

Fetch Clay, Make Man

Des McAnuff did a terrific job directing Fetch Clay, Make Man: This is quite the stylish, kinetic show. Add a sterling performance from K. Todd Freeman as Stepin Fetchit (!) and you're in business. My review's here.

The Old Friends

Yet another Horton Foote play (directed, again, by Michael Wilson) ends up on our shores. I won't complain, not when it boasts Betty Buckley, Veanne Cox, Lois Smith and Hallie Foote at the top of their game. Click here for my review.

Stop. Reset.

Wow, Regina Taylor's new play at Signature is kind of a mess! At least it was a lot cheaper to put on than The Machine. My review's here.

The Machine

If you want to experience a colossal waste of time and money live, simply check out The Machine at the Park Avenue Armory. Or don't. My review's here.

The Hatmaker's Wife

The Hatmaker's Wife pushed all my buttons, and not in a good way. So much whimsy, it made Amélie feel like Pulp Fiction. Click here for my review.

The Hill Town Plays

Reviewing five shows in 550 words isn't easy, but that's what I had to do with Lucy Thurber's Hill Town Plays. In a nutshell: I'm not sure presenting these works together did them a favor. Click here for the review.

Everything Is Ours

Nikole Beckwith's surreal little comedy, Everything Is Ours, gets a good production from Adrienne Campbell-Holt's rising Colt Coeur company. It's nice to see a young playwright step away from grinding naturalism for a change. My review's here.

Once, again

I went back to Once to check out the new leads, and came back underwhelmed. Thanks god those songs are still dreamy. Full report here.

Former Idols raid Broadway

A belated cross-post for my latest piece: a look at how former American Idols have fared on Broadway. Click here for details.

Foreign is the new black

Spiral (aka Engrenages), Braquo, Borgen, Prisoners of War ... I rounded up some foreign -- that is, non-English-speaking -- series you need to check out. Click here for details.

Soul Doctor

The new musical Soul Doctor, about "singing rabbi" Shlomo Carlebach, isn't a good fit for Broadway. Sad that the current off-Broadway economics are so insane, because it could have a healthy run there. Click here for my review.

Einstein

The less said about Einstein, the better. Click here for my pan.

Love's Labour's Lost

Alex Timbers and Michael Friedman's adaptation of Love's Labour's Lost works great a lot of the time, which is more than you can say of many musicals. My review's here.

We're Gonna Die

Finally catching up with Young Jean Lee's song cycle at Lincoln Center. Well worth the delay.

First Date

I loved Zachary Levi, half of the couple going on a First Date on Broadway. It's a great feeling to watch a total stage natural. Click here for my review.

Richard III

Richard III in the park(ing lot) is a trial. More gruesome details in my review here.

Preview of Rubble

I talked to Simpsons writer/producer Mike Reiss as his new play, Rubble, is about to open at the Fringe. Click here for more.

Harbor

Chad Beguelin sets up a mini-clash of civilizations (really mini) in his new Primary Stages play, Harbor. Click here for my review.

Shida

Piling up clichés, solo musical Shida feels like an overwrought after-school special. My review's here.

Dancing on Nails

The show is closing a month earlier than anticipated, so my review of Dancing on Nails comes out the day before the final performance. Oops! Click here for my pan.

Interview with Julie White

If all interviewees were as sharp, as funny as Julie White, my job would be a lot easier. I talked to her as she prepared to join the cast of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike on Broadway. Click here for more.

Murder for Two

The new whodunit musical Murder for Two left me as cold as the victim in a potboiler novel. My review's here.

I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road

Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford's 1978 gets an excellent concert production at City Center, led by the glorious Renée Elise Goldsberry. Click here for my review.

Let It Be

After Rain, another Beatles tribute lands on Broadway with Let It Be. I'm not sure I see the point -- other than making a few $$$ of course. Click here for my review.

The Capables

Jay Stull's new play goes after both hoarders and reality TV, and buckles under the weight. Click here for my review of The Capables.

The Designated Mourner

Wallace Shawn's 1996 play may be among the most overrated of the past 40 years. Click here for my review.

Nobody Loves You

Itamar Moses and Gaby Alter's musical Nobody Loves You hits that sweet spot of goofy and smart. Click here for my review.

Violet

Good news: The Encores! Off-Center concert version of Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley's Violet was terrific (click here for my review). Bad news: It was a one-night-only event.

Bill W. and Dr. Bob

Bioplay about the origins of Alcoholics Anonymous is straightforwardly old-fashioned. Click here for my review.

Forever Tango

The 2013-14 Broadway season begins inauspiciously with the revue Forever Tango. Click here for my review.

The Cradle Will Rock

The new Encores! Off-Center series begins with a production of Marc Blitzstein's cult 1937 musical The Cradle Will Rock. My review's here.

Encores! Off-Center preview

Encores! starts off a new summer series dedicated to lesser-known off-Broadway musicals, and I for one can't wait! Click here for my preview of this season's goodies.

Unlock'd

The new musical Unlock'd doesn't fully embrace satire, as it should -- this is about a woman who gives names to her locks of hair, for god's sake! -- opting instead for collegiate-level humor. My review's here.

The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin

Steven Levenson's new play isn't all that great, but it gives David Morse a nice, juicy part. Click here for my review.

Rantoul and Die

Creating Mike & Molly wasn't enough for Mark Roberts, who also has a stage career. The Amoralists are producing his latest dark comedy, Rantoul and Die. My review's here.

The Two-Character Play

When those two characters are played by Amanda Plummer and Brad Dourif, you just go. My review of this Tennessee Williams oddity is here.

The Explorers Club

Nell Benjamin's new play at MTC II is a hoot. It's always fun to see actors goof around so expertly. My review's here.

The Comedy of Errors

The 2013 season of Shakespeare in the Park starts with The Comedy of Errors with Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Hamish Linklater. I'm not sure Daniel Sullivan is the best director to handle farce… Click here for my review.

A Kid Like Jake

Always happy to see Carla Gugino onstage, especially in her first new play. Sure, this slight show isn't on the level of Suddenly, Last Summer or After the Fall, but it's still interesting for both NYC parents or those watching NYC parents with schadenfreude. My review's here.

Roadkill

I actually felt nauseated during Roadkill, and that's not something I often feel during a play. So clearly I had to give it the maximum of four stars! My rave review's here.

Venice

Venice: both the hero of this new musical and the city. Just one of the unnecessarily distracting contrivances in the new musical that just opened at the Public. My review's here.

A Picture of Autumn

I quite liked the Mint's latest excavation job, 1951's A Picture of Autumn. Oh sure, those aging Brits aren't edgy or anything — I'm being sarcastic here! — but the play has its dark side. My review's here.

Reasons to Be Happy

Neil LaBute's sequel to Reasons to Be Pretty finds him in a pensive mode. Well, for a Neil LaBute play. Overall I liked it, but too bad so many jokes poke condescending fun at working-class people. My review's here.

3 Kinds of Exile

How do you give a star rating to a show like John Guare's 3 Kinds of Exile, which is made up of wildly inconsistent one-acts? I erred on the side of generosity because while "Funiage" is embarrassing, "Elzbieta Erased" is simply tremendous. Go here for my review of the whole thing.

Preview of Broadway Bares 23

Every June gypsies take center stage then take it all off in Broadway Bares. The 23rd installment should be a doozy— but then they all are! Click here for my preview.

Annie redux

There's no shame in typecasting: If someone does something well, why not look for variations within that kind of role? That's why casting Jane Lynch as Miss Hannigan in Annie was obvious and inspired at the same time. My review's here.

The Tutors

Erica Lipez's play, The Tutors, shows promise despite some clunky howlers. The shut-in nerd suddenly decides to backpack in China? The toolish straight guy has sex with his male roommate out of the kindness of his art? Errr…no! Click here for my review.

Somewhere Fun

I see Jenny Schwartz's Somewhere Fun as the second half of an absurdist language-centric diptych -- though it's less brilliant than its predecessor, God's Ear. My review's here.

Far from Heaven

Not being a fan of Grey Gardens, I was surprised by how much I loved that same team's score for Far from Heaven. Too bad the production's aesthetics are so awful. My review's here.

The Caucasian Chalk Circle

After The Master Builder, here's another play defeated by fuzzy directing — this time Brecht's parable about the arbitrary follies of totalitarianism. My review's here.

The Weir

Conor McPherson isn't a favorite, but still, The Weir should be more compelling that it is at Irish Rep right now. Click here for my review.

Basilica

Too bad Basilica devolved into soapy suds -- I liked its blue-collar, South Texas setting. My review's here.

Murder Ballad

I'm not entirely sure the new rock musical Murder Ballad needs its gimmicky surround staging — it'd be still good without it — but at least that doesn't hurt it. My review's here.

Preview of Shakespeare in the Park

I talked to three of the actors appearing in this summer's Shakespeare in the Park productions, as well as composer Michael Friedman, who's doing the Love's Labour's Lost musical adaptation with Alex Timbers. Click here for my preview.

Laura Benanti

It's always a pleasure to see Laura Benanti, even if I wished she'd cut a few ballads from her new cabaret show at 54 Below. My review's here.

The Master Builder

There are interesting ideas in Andrei Belgrader's take on The Master Builder at BAM, but mostly they're clumsily executed. My review's here.

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Dave Malloy and Rachel Chavkin's musical remains enchanting in its new home. Go go go. My review's here.

Colin Quinn Unconstitutional

Amazing what a change of venue can do. I didn't care for Colin Quinn's show on Broadway, but in smaller setting the new one is just fine. My review's here.

Preview of Showgirls — The Musical

Amazing that it took almost 20 years to see an unauthorized musical version of Showgirls. And now it's coming…to a gay club near us. Click here for my preview.

City Council Meeting

As a fan of local democracy, I was looking forward to City Council Meeting. At least the show fails out of too much ambition, instead of not enough of it. My review's here.

A Family for All Occasions

Philip Seymour Hoffman directs Bob Glaudini's latest at the Bank Street Theater. Click here for my review.

A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney

In Lucas Hnath's new play, A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, at Soho Rep, Disney sounds like a combo of Yoda and Gertrude Stein — the better to eat you with. Click here for my review.

Bunty Berman Presents…

A great idea for a musical — backstage on a Bollywood set in the 1950s — that could have used some trimming: That's Bunty Berman Presents…, brought to us by the New Group. My review's here.

On Your Toes

Encores! strikes again with Rodgers and Hart's On Your Toes. We all know Christine Baranski's great, so the real revelation was ABT principal Irina Dvorovenko, hilarious as an overly dramatic Russian ballerina. My review's here.

Old-Fashioned Prostitutes (A True Romance)

Yet another puzzle from Richard Foreman. I have no idea what was going on, so I split the star rating down the middle: two out of four. It could just as easily have been zero or four. My review's here.

Nikolai and the Others

Richard Nelson's latest has a cast of 18 and almost as many ideas and subplots going on. Maybe it would have worked if the show was nine hours rather than two and a half? My review's here.

The Girl I Left Behind Me

Mezzo sings the blues? I think not. But Jessica Walker handles the rest of the material winningly in this charming cabaret show about male impersonators. Click here for my review.

Bull

After Cock, Mike Bartlett gives us Bull. It's also set in the round but this time it's not about desire but hate and humiliation in the workplace. Click here for my review.

The Memory Show

Nothing memorable about this one, though as always Leslie Kritzer is worth seeing. My review of this new musical is here.

Pippin

Stephen Schwartz's hippie-dippy musical Pippin — the one he wrote after the hippie-dippy Godspell — returns to Broadway in a crackling production helmed by Diana Paulus. My rave's here.

I'll Eat You Last — A Chat with Sue Mengers

Bette Midler returns to Broadway 38 years after the Clams on the Half Shell revue. The play's meh, but she's divine as ever. My review's here.

Here Lies Love

A feel-good musical about Imelda Marcos? That's what David Byrne and Fatboy Slim delivered with Here Lies Love. Click here for my review.

The Trip to Bountiful

I was surprised to see that the current production is the first Broadway revival of The Trip to Bountiful — I assumed this play would have been done every 10 years or so. Loved Cuba Gooding Jr., Vanessa Williams and Condola Rashas, Cicely Tyson a bit less so. My review's here.

The Testament of Mary

It's simple: Whenever Fiona Shaw and Deborah Warner collaborate on a show, you've got to see it. My review of The Testament of Mary (on Broadway!) is here.

Macbeth

Second go for Alan Cumming's one-man version of Macbeth, this time on Broadway. The show actually shrunk on me after another viewing. My review's here.

Jekyll & Hyde — The Musical

As a lover of bombastic rock, I was ready to enjoy the revival of Jekyll & Hyde — The Musical. Alack, the production is drab, as if embarrassed by Frank Wildhorn's pomp rather than proud of it. Click here for my review.

Orphans

In an interview, the cast of Orphans — Alec Baldwin, Tom Sturridge, Ben Foster — expressed surprise at the amount of laughter their drama elicits. Mostly it works, though. My review's here.

The Assembled Parties

After Breakfast at Tiffany's and before Far from Heaven, the Richard Greenberg season continues with The Assembled Parties at the Friedman. Click here for my review.

Collapse

After scoring with Bethany and Jackie, Women's Project trips with its last show of the season, Collapse. Two out of three ain't bad though. My review's here.

The Big Knife

I so wanted to love The Big Knife: Odets, nice cast studded with several favorites like a Christmas pudding full of candied fruits. But it is so flat and affectless. My review's here.

The Nance

A look at the end of burlesque and conflicted feelings about one's sexuality, The Nance clearly means a lot to Douglas Carter Beane and Nathan Lane. Maybe that's why it spells things out too much. Still: a good evening at the theater. Click here for my review.

The Call

While it's got problems, Tanya Barfield's The Call — about a white couple who wants to adopt from Africa — is another success for Playwrights Horizons. My review's here.

Motown: The Musical

Bad sound on Broadway is one of my pet peeves, but at least Motown: The Musical delivers in that respect: The PA is a wonder. But beware the fugly sets, bad choreo and laughable book. My review's here.

Sleeping Rough

This brag doesn't even try to be humble: I'm pretty sure I got the majority of the music references in Kara Manning's Sleeping Rough — sadly, I actually remember Menswear. But references alone do not make a play. Click here for my review.

Matilda

The musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel Matilda is finally on Broadway, and it's absolutely enchanting. My rave review's here.

Kafka's Monkey

Kathryn Hunter is sensational in the monologue Kafka's Monkey, which Theatre for a New Audience brought over from the Young Vic. My review's here.

Kinky Boots

Mild praise for Kinky Boots, a musical that aggressively wants to be loved. My review's here.

Good with People

David Harrower's latest chamber piece, Good with People, left me cold. Full review here.

Buyer & Cellar

What would happen if an unemployed actor was hired to work in the shops in Barbra Streisand's basement? Jonathan Tolins answers that question in Buyer & Cellar, the spring's funniest comedy. Click here for my review.

The Last Five Years

Jason Robert Brown's musical The Last Five Years walks the line between clever and too clever. My review of the Second Stage musical, which he directed himself, is here.

Lucky Guy

Considering how much I dislike Nora Ephron's work, I was surprised to enjoy Lucky Guy so much. It's not a good play, but it's a good show. My review's here.

Three Trees

Serious-minded but dull, Pan Asian Rep's Three Trees looks at the relationship between Alberto Giacometti and one of his (male) models. Click here for my review.

A Dream Play

NAATCO tackles Strindberg's A Dream Play. Click here for my review of this epic fail.

Happy Birthday

The TACT company unearths an Anita Loos play from 1946, Happy Birthday, then stops in front of the obstacle. My review of this missed opportunity is here.

It's a Bird…It's a Plane…It's Superman

Encores! brings back Charles Strouse and Lee Adams' goofball musical about the Man of Steel. Goes to show that even a lesser Encores! is great fun. Click here for my review.

Hands on a Hardbody

So much potential in Hands on a Hardbody, so much self-sabotage. Yes, it's the musical in which people try to win a truck by keeping a hand on it at all times opens on Broadway, and it's better than you think it is, but not as good as it could have been. My review's here.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Maybe it's because I don't fetishize either Holly Golightly or Game of Thrones, but I liked Emilia Clarke in the new Breakfast at Tiffany's adaptation. My review's here.

The Mound Builders

Signature's revival of Lanford Wilson's The Mound Builders is the epitome of meh. My review's here.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike redux

Christopher Durang's comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is the rare example of a show that's better after its transfer to Broadway. My review's here.

Detroit '67

Dominique Morisseau's play Detroit '67 overcomes its stereotyped characters to be an appealing show. Full review here.

The Lying Lesson

I suppose there's a point in Craig Lucas' new play, The Lying Lesson, but it's just not all that interesting. My review's here.

The Flick

Annie Baker's latest, The Flick, sees her working on a bigger canvas, but the story still feels small. She's getting a pass, but it's the last one. My review's here.

Trevor

Nick Jones took an oddball premise — showbiz chimp wants to get back in action — and took it to its logical conclusion in the excellent Trevor. Unless they extend it, you've got only a week left to catch the show! My review's here.

Ann

Holland Taylor wrote and starred in her bioplay of Ann Richards, Ann. I prefer the performer to the writer. Full review here.

The North Pool

There's no delicate way to put this: Rajiv Joseph's new play, The North Pool, is embarrassingly bad. More details on this fiasco here.

Jackie

From what I understand, Jackie is the first Elfriede Jelinek play to get a professional production in the US. It was worth the wait. Click here for my review.

Talley's Folly

An old-fashioned romance blooms in Lanford Wilson's Talley's Folly, just revived by the Roundabout with Danny Burstein and Sarah Paulson. My review's here.

Old Hats

Bill Irwin and David Shiner get back together for more inspired clowning in Old Hats at Signature. Me love!

Belleville

Amy Herzog's latest, Belleville, opened yesterday at New York Theatre Workshop. I still think 4000 Miles is her best play to date. Click here for the full review.

Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, originally written for a 1957 CBS broadcast, had its belated Broadway premiere yesterday -- with a new book by Douglas Carter Beane. My review's here.

Passion

Is it too much to ask for some passion in Passion? Is this Sondheim musical even worth reviving without a super-bold approach? My review of John Doyle's new production is here.

The Revisionist

Hard to think of Jesse Eisenberg's new play The Revisionist as anything other than a perverse vanity project: He cast himself in a caricature of an Eisenberg role then added Vanessa Redgrave to the mix, even though she was wrong for her own part. My review's here.

Katie Roche

The Mint Theater company concludes its Teresa Deevy project with Katie Roche — to my mind, the weakest entry. My full review's here.

Jesus in India

Sophomoric humor, exhibit A: Jesus in India. Click here for my review of this dud.

Really Really

Paul Downs Colaizzo's NY debut, Really Really, shows promise, if only for its willingness to forgo sympathetic characters. My review's here.

Much Ado About Nothing

Maggie Siff and Jonathan Cake gave me heart palpitations in Much Ado About Nothing at the Duke. Full review here.

Donnybrook!

Johnny Burke's 1961 musical flop gets revived (with some tweaks) at Irish Rep. My review's here.

The Laramie Project Cycle

Tectonic Project Theater brings back The Laramie Project to NY, paired with an epilogue titled The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. I liked it well enough but can't say it bowled me over. Full review here.

Clive

I'm a bit late in linking to this, but hey, I had better things to do over the past few days! In any case, the New Group's Clive is a stinker, and you can read more about it here.

Women of Will

As a theatrical experience, Tina Packers' Women of Will leaves a lot to be desired. As a pedagogical one, it's one much surer footing. My full review's here.

The Vandal

Why write a play if you don't have anything pressing to say? That is the question looming over Hamish Linklater's playwriting debut, The Vandal. My review's here.

Fiorello!

The first Encores! I ever saw was Pal Joey, back in 1995, so I missed out on Fiorello!, which opened the series the previous year. I had my chance again on Wednesday, and I took it. My review's here.

Collision

There were times during Lyle Kessler's new play, Collision, when I started doubting my eyes. Also my sanity. Full review's here.

All the Rage

I'm not crazy about All the Rage, Martin Moran's sequel to The Tricky Part. I'm just not feeling his need to do a show, so no wonder it wanders all over the place. My review's here.

Manilow on Broadway

After last week's bronchitis-related postponement, Barry Manilow was finally back on Broadway last night. I was there among the Fanilows. My review's here.

The Fever

Wallace Shawn's The Fever gets a revival staged by Lars Norén at La MaMa. My review's here.

The House of Von Macramé

Granted, they already had me at the title, but the show is a fun romp. With some judicious trims, this could go far. My review's here.

Life and Times: Episodes 1-4

I watched all ten hours of Life and Times: Episodes 1-4 on Sunday so I can spare you the agony and tell you to just see Episode 2, which is truly amazing. My review's here.

Bethany

The Women's Project's Bethany, starring America Ferrera, a nice surprise, and makes you realize how few plays have tackled the current recession. Click here for my review.

Not by Bread Alone

Several of my colleagues found this show from the Israeli deaf-blind company Nalaga'at mawkish, and I can't say that I entirely disagree. But it did touch me, too. Maybe I just have a higher threshold. Full review here, with a sidebar about my experience dining at the adjoining BlackOut restaurant.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Granted, I love me some Tennessee Williams in almost any condition, but the latest revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ain't too bad. My review's here.

Midsummer (A Play With Songs)

David Greig's charming Midsummer (A Play With Songs) deserves to be a sleeper hit. Click here for my review.

Opus No. 7

Dmitry Krymov's Opus No. 7, now playing at St. Ann's Warehouse, is the must-see show of the new year. My full review's here.

Picnic

There's a lot to like in the Roundabout revival of Picnic -- the supporting cast, for starters. More in my review here.

The Other Place redux

Aside from supporting-cast chances, The Other Place is pretty much the same on Broadway as it was at MCC a couple of years ago: a vehicle for a go-for-it actress. My review's here.

Water by the Spoonful

Not overly impressed by the 2012 Pulitzer Prize winner, Water by the Spoonful, which opened last night at Second Stage. My review's here.

Coil festival preview

A belated link to my preview of this year's Coil festival, organized by PS 122. Click here for the deets.