A roundup of Off and Off Off Broadway shows for September

The fall season is a bountiful one for theater in New York, and it's easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of shows on offer. I took a whack at a first selection, and I couldn't even fit in everything. Have a look and get your tickets!

Fall is coming so it's time for science fiction

Fine, it's always time for science fiction, not just when the weather starts turning. You can find my latest batch of recommendations for (mostly indie) streaming sci-fi here.

A few thoughts on Mamma Mia! and Abba

Mamma Mia! is back on Broadway so of course I had to write about it, along with the concomitant phenomenon of Abba's eternal returns — and Chess is right around the corner! Here's my critic's notebook about the Abba ouroboros.

Elizabeth McGovern

Elizabeth McGovern takes on not just Ava Gardner but the very idea of biography in her play, Ava: The Secret Conversations. It was an absolute treat to chat with her. Thataway for the story.

Northern Sky

After American Players Theater last year, I returned to Wisconsin for a very different experience at Northern Sky Theater, in Door County. Check out the story here. And yes, dairy and fish boils come up.

Dennis Lim's culture diary

The latest installment in the Culture Diary series for the NY Times is Dennis Lim, the New York Film Festival's head honcho. I don't often say this but I'll have what he's having! Click here for a FOMO-inducing week.

Sci-fi movies for August

I'm starting to cook up what's going to be in my sci-fi column for September and realized I haven't yet linked to the August installment. Here it is.

Joy

I've seen some grousing online about the very existence of a musical about the inventor of the Miracle Mop. As long as there are movies about Beanie Babies and Cheetos, I think we can cope. It's always a pleasure to watch Betsy Wolfe on stage, but I wish I'd liked Joy more. My review is here.

Taye Diggs's essentials

Taye Diggs talked about 10 of his favorite things for the Times. Thataway for the list.

Chris and Paul Weitz talk about Murderbot

I love writing for the recurring series Ask a Showrunner because you get to ask all the super-nerdy questions and you don't have to worry too much about spoilers — if the article comes out pegged to a season finale, of course. Such was the case with the Weitz brothers, who discussed Murderbot. And it's been renewed! Click here for our conversation.

Heathers The Musical

Heathers: The Musical is back where it started — well, where it started its Off Broadway career — and I was there for it. My feature on the story of the musical is full of fun details, which is appropriate for such a fun show.

Off Broadway and streaming theater this month

Two-for-one post as I link to my roundup of Off and Off Off Broadway shows — do not sleep on Out of Order — and picked some streaming theater and theater-related movies you can watch from anywhere.

Science-fiction movies for those hot summer nights

The July installment of my sci-fi column dropped and as usual, it's all over the map — well, the sci-fi map, of course. Thataway.

Some queer shows hit New York

Earlier this month, I caught some queer shows and wrote about them for the New York Times: Beau the Musical, My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?) and The Pansy Craze: The Queerest Night on Broadway. Click here for my deeply ambivalent critic's notebook.

Lowcountry

It's ok for a first date to go through twists and turns, but they have to make sense. The ones in Lowcountry don't. My review of this new play at the Atlantic Theater is here.

Passengers

I was watching a rehearsal of the circus show Passengers when things took an unexpected turn. I wrote about it and how the company pivoted in this piece for the NY Times.

Molière is back in town

Molière is having a moment in New York and I'm there for it! I wrote about two shows inspired by the French master, though one of them only bears a very loose connection. Click here for my critic's notebook.

What to Know About 28 Years Later

Danny Boyle and Alex Garland have returned to the franchise they launched with 28 Days Later, and the new movie is a banger! I wrote an explainer about the 28 franchise, with some choice quotes from Garland.

2025 Tonys

I get a kick out of liveblogging events for the NY Times: Eurovision, the opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympics, and of course the Tonys. As usual I contributed a mix of quick takes during the ceremonies, entries in best/worst, and slightly longer pieces, like this one about the four Seymours and one Audrey in competition.

June and sci-fi movies are back

Another batch of five sci-fi movies streaming for your alt-world pleasure — thataway.

Summer theater around the country

I joined forces with the esteemed Laura Collins-Hughes for a roundup of cool theater to see around the country this summer. Get ready for some road trippin'! Click here for the list.

My Heart Will Go On in the Library of Congress

"My Heart Will Go On" was inducted to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry this year, and it was a great honor to write an essay about the song for the occasion. I started borrowing at the local book van when I was a kid, my work-study job in grad school was at the library, and I currently have cards for the New York, Brooklyn and Queens public libraries, so being a part of LoC is a particular thrill.

Click here for the free link.

The Counterfeit Opera

Off we go: a belated series of links to what I've been up to this past month! I'm basically using this blog as an archive of my work.

Let's start with a preview of The Counterfeit Opera, a very loose adaptation of The Beggar's Opera that recently played Little Island. Story is here.

Cecilia Alemani's culture diary

I learned so much! My favorite kind of story is the kind where I explore something new to me. Click here for the latest culture diary (and some great photos).

Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole

Ugh, that show did not go over as well as I wanted it to. My thoughts on this new production at New York Theater Workshop are here.

Bus Stop

 I love William Inge and am happy every time one of his plays gets produced in New York. I do wish this Bus Stop had been a little better…

Charles Strouse in 5 videos

Bye Bye Birdie, Annie, Applause: Charles Strouse had a way with earworms — maybe that's happens when a conservatory-trained composer starts his career writing advertising jingles. I picked five videos to celebrate his golden run in the 1960s and '70s.

Eurovision 2025

Once again I was on deck as part of the New York Times team covering the Eurovision Song Contest. I wrote about how to watch, Celine Dion's victory in 1988 and how to vote. And of course I was part of the liveblogging squad. Phew!

Theater to stream in May

There is still theater to stream out there, and some made it to this new column (I write it every other month). It's also really fun for me to search for obscure or semi-obscure theater-related movies and series that I can include alongside the livestreams. Click here for the links.

Jasmine Amy Rogers

What a Broadway debut! Jasmine Amy Rogers kills it in Boop! The Musical and I for one love it that she's getting acknowledged as someone to watch. Click here for my profile.

Sci-fiction never stops

You want science fiction! I've got science fiction! The latest edition of my monthly column has more goodies to stream at home.

Off and Off Off Broadway roundup

There is still time to catch several of the shows I included in my roundup of Off and Off Off Broadway productions for May! (I know, I know — so derelict.) Click here for the list.

Five Models in Ruins, 1981

Catching up with my backlog of articles! 

I'd see Elizabeth Marvel in pretty much anything — and over the years, I feel like I've seen her in everything and anything — and I really wish this play had given her more challenging stuff to explore. My review for The NY Times is up.

Keeley Hawes

I'd been trying to interview Keeley Hawes for something like seven years and finally, the stars aligned! My feature is up at the NY Times.

Grief Camp

I think the Atlantic would have done this play a favor by putting it on its smaller stage. My review of Grief Camp is up at the NY Times.

Stranger Things The First Shadow

Does the Stranger Things-verse translate to Broadway? My review of The First Shadow is up at the NY Times.

Jeremy Jordan

I've long been a fan of Jeremy Jordan and finally got to talk to him — about Floyd Collins and other things. My feature for the NY Times is here.

Jinkx Monsoon interview

It's hard to think of a more engaging interviewee than Jinkx Monsoon. I hope I did her justice in this interview.

The Shrouds

The first David Cronenberg movie I ever saw was Videodrome, right when it came out. I didn't know what hit me! Here we are, decades later, and I reviewed his latest for the NY Times. Click here for my take on The Shrouds.

A French mother-daughter duo does Gypsy

Natalie Dessay and her daughter, Neïma Naouri, just sang Rose and Louise in Paris! I wish I'd been there. Second best was talking to them about it for the Times. Click here for the story.

Paddling the Delaware

Last year I joined the first three days of the Delaware River Sojourn: about 9-12 miles of kayaking daily and camping at night. That last part is what was making me nervous beforehand as I'd never slept under a tent before that trip. Read on to see what happened — oh, and by the way, by sheer coincidence, the green tent in the foreground in that misty photo is mine!

Five sci-fi movies for April

I've started mulling over the May column and so I probably link to the current one — I'm so behind in those posts, which are pretty much a running tally of what I publish! Here you go: 5 under-the-radar sci-fi movies to stream this month!

Revisiting the college years with the cast of All Nighter

Natalie Margolin has a real playwright's voice and I'm there for it. I talked to the cast members of her new comedy, All Nighter, about what they were up to in the mid-2010s, when the play takes place. Click here for our chat (and their playlist).

The Cherry Orchard

Only one week left to see the Benedict Andrews production of The Cherry Orchard at St. Ann's Warehouse: go, go, go! Here's my enthusiastic review for the NY Times. I cannot recommend this show enough. Chupa Chups forever!

Love Life

The Encores! series revived Kurt Weill and Alan Jay Lerner's obscure musical Love Life, and I had mixed feelings about it: appealingly bizarre narrative and songs, but the staging that overcompensated with sentimentality. My review is here.

Being Maria

There is a bit of a Maria Schneider moment going on, and the new movie Being Maria, which I just wrote about, is part of it. I also highly recommend Vanessa Schneider's book My Cousin Maria (translated by Molly Ringwald!) Here's my NY Times feature about Jessica Palud's film.

Mayhem

I know that this post's subject line will draw some Gaga fans but it's the Norwegian band I'm talking about. Bucket-list interview for me! Thataway for my story on the ur-black metal band. 

The rites of spring skiing

Kooky outfits, wacky races, cold drinks on warm decks: I wrote about the rites of spring skiing for the Washington Post. Click here for a gift link.

Off Broadway and streaming

I wrote two theater roundups for the NY Times this month. The first one covers new shows that are playing Off and Off Off Broadway. The second features streaming theater. Since we've extended the net to theater-centric film and television, I included the 1982 made-for-TV movie Who Am I This Time? Trust me, you want to see that gem with the young Christopher Walken and Susan Sarandon.

Five sci-fi movies for March 2025

Here's my latest batch of streaming sci-fi movies you may have missed. Oh, let's face it: You're extremely likely to have missed them!

Buena Vista Social Club

I didn't actually use that term in my review, but Buena Vista Social Club is a jukebox musical, and a good one. My write-up for the NY Times is here.

The Electric State

Watching The Electric State, I wondered what the writers and directors understood from their nominal source material (an illustrated novel by Simon Stålenhag), because the movie is pretty much the polar opposite in terms of both content and aesthetics. Just baffling. My review for the NY Times is here.

O'Dessa

I reviewed the offbeat sci-fi musical (as if a sci-fi musical could be anything else) O'Dessa for the New York Times — one of my two reviews of movies starring Stranger Things alums in a single week. Click here for my take on this Sadie Sink vehicle.

Mary Said What She Said

There's an expression for actors like Isabelle Huppert in France: "monstre sacré." And wow did she live up to it in this show at Skirball. It was a demonstration of rigor and virtuosity the likes of which we don't often see in the US. So yeah, I was impressed, as you can tell from my review for the NY Times.

Dakar 2000

Rajiv Joseph's new play is described as a thriller but for that it'd need suspense or menace or sexual tension or something. My review is here.

Five sci-fi movies for February

Life comes at you fast…and you forget to post link to your own articles! I've been working on my selection of streaming sci-fi movies for March and remembered that I hadn't posted the February one so here goes.

Bridget Jones Mad About the Boy

The new Bridget Jones movie is going to do really well: Not only is it better than it needed to be but it's landing in an anxiety-making context where people are craving a well-made comedy. My review is here.

Night Sings Its Songs

Jon Fosse plays are a rare occurrence in NYC so of course I had to check out a new production of Nights Sings Its Songs — and reviewed it for the NY Times. Unfortunately, it was underwhelming.

Urinetown is back

I didn't like Urinetown the first time around, but re-watching the original Broadway production at the Library for the Performing Arts then seeing the Encores! revival made me change my mind: This is a really good musical. You can read my review of the Encores! Urinetown here.

A week in Peter Mills Weiss's cultural life

Another culture diary, this time from one of my favorite NY theatermakers. Weird theater is alive! Thataway for the article — and its terrific photos!

Primero Sueño

To write this story about the new processional opera Primero Sueño, I watched part of a rehearsal at the Cloisters and was bowled over. Unfortunately I could not see the finished piece due to other commitments, but at least I got to write about it.

Vanya on Huron Street

Once upon a time, Uncle Vanya was on 42nd Street. Now it can be found near the Brooklyn-Queens border. Click here for my review of Matthew Gasda's surprisingly faithful Vanya on Huron Street.

There is theater in Las Vegas

Of course there is theater in Las Vegas, you might say. Well, yes, but probably not the kind you're thinking about. In November I flew to Sin County (you read that right) to report on its thriving Off Strip scene. And the resulting story is here.

Let's watch some sci-fi movies in January

Yes, I know, I'm late posting this and January is almost over — it's not too late! The latest installment of my sci-fi column for the NY Times can be found here. Of course, I'm now working on the next one.

Some Under the Radar shows

This year's Under the Radar festival is presenting 33 works. I wrote about five of them in this critic's notebook for the New York Times. Hint: Wakka Wakka strikes again!

Ad Vitam

Fast-and-furious French action movies may well be my favorite Netflix category, so you can imagine how psyched I was about Ad Vitam. But boy, did they muck it up. Click here for my review.

Palisades Tahoe

I came, I didn't see much and I got my ass kicked: My trip to Palisades Tahoe last season coincided with one of the snowstorms that periodically hit that famed California resort. But it was still great fun and yeah, I'd go back in a hot second! Here's the article that came out of that sojourn in the white room.

All In: Comedy About Love

It's hard not to mention the price of tickets on Broadway when dealing with a show like this one. Click here for my review of Simon Rich's non-play.

Skiing for $100 a day or less

Lift tickets now reach crazy heights in the US, but it's still possible to ski for under $100 a day at many places. Mind you, it's still expensive, but at least it's not $250 or so. Thataway for my roundup.

Theater moments of 2024

It was a great pleasure to join my NY Times colleagues in picking some of the best stage moments of 2024. Full disclosure: I keep an Excel spreadsheet of what I see so it's easier to remember that kind of stuff at the end of the year. Click here for the article.

Sci-fi movies to end the year

My last sci-fi column for the year came out a few days — ok, a couple of weeks — ago and you can find it here. I also joined the New York Times' other genre columnists and we all came up with our fave movie of 2024 in our respective field — click here to discover mine. Fun was has by all!

2024 holiday movies

They're baaaaaack! The roundup of new streaming holiday movies has become one of my favorite assignments. And this year, I even got to do a video supplement! The list is here and my NY Times video debut is here.

A week in Jay Wegman's cultural life

In November I shadowed Jay Wegman, artistic director at NYU Skirball, to monitor his cultural diet — which makes me green with envy, of course! Here's the result.

Holiday shows

I wrote a roundup of holiday shows for all ages and tastes. And they're not all in New York! Thataway for a little something that hopefully will give you ideas for the end of the year.

We Are Your Robots

I couldn't help myself and snuck in Devo and Daft Punk references in my review of the new Ethan Lipton musical. Click here for the article.

Five sci-fi movies to stream in November

Wrapping up November with my latest batch of streaming science fiction. The conclusion of Die Alone is one of my favoring endings of the year. Check out the roundup here.

Sabbath Queen

My review of the new doc Sabbath Queen is up at the Times. Thataway for the article.

Baby and Music City

Two reviews in one with a critic's notebook about the music-themed play Babe and the country tuner Music City. I liked one very much, the other less so — which is which? Read on here.

What's your Romeo and Juliet IQ?

My first quiz for the NY Times! To be clear, it's not about the play Romeo and Juliet but about its ubiquity in pop culture. The test was pegged to the revival currently on Broadway, starring Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor. I'm in the minority to have enjoyed Sam Gold's production, though I wasn't crazy about the often confusing double casting. Click here for the quiz.

Tammy Faye

My first visit to the refurbished Palace Theater was for the new musical Tammy Faye, which I reviewed for the Times. For my take on the show, you can click here. For the venue itself, I'll just say that I'm not a fan of theaters where you have to take an escalator to the auditorium (ie the Shed, Perelman, Marquis). It just feels like a fire trap.

Interview with Aldis Hodge

There's a new Alex Cross in town, and this time they got him right. I had the pleasure to talk to Aldis Hodge about taking on James Patterson's creation for Amazon's Cross. Click here for OK McCausland's amazing splash photo (and my article).

In the Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot

On the one hand, I love seeing any attempt at a science-fiction setting on stage. On the other, I wish Sarah Mantell's play was better. My review is here.

Sci-fi movies keep coming

This list of five sci-fi movies to stream came out in October but I'm posting it the day after the presidential election. I've got to say, it's going to be tough to keep watching all these movies about a dystopian future when we're about to enter a dystopian present. Click here for the list.

Jump scares

I love when the New York Times goes all out with the multimedia stuff, and I love being part of a team effort. Check out this ranked list of some of the best jump scares in movies.

We Live in Cairo

It is possible to do a dull show about fiery revolutionaries: welcome to We Live in Cairo, a new musical at New York Theater Workshop. Click here for my review.

Showgirl

Showgirl singular is Marlène Saldana and Jonathan Drillet's take on Showgirls but also cinema, art and morality. It's a lot more fun that this makes it sound! Read my preview for more, including a reminder than Paul Verhoeven's movie is now a lot talked about than the two prestige Las Vegas movies that came out in 1995. Click here to be reminded what they were. 

The Big Gay Jamboree

I enjoyed Titanique when I saw it, and reviewed it (and had not expected what it would become). I was less keen on Marla Mindelle's new vehicle, The Big Gay Jamboree. Thataway for my review.

Daaaaaalí!

Quentin Dupieux is back! Daaaaaalí! isn't among my favorites by him but I can rest easy knowing he'll have a new movie out in the US soon enough. Click here for my review.

Norman Reedus's culture 10

As an early adopter of The Walking Dead, talking to Norman "Daryl" Reedus was definitely exciting. Cool dude. Click here for his culture picks.

A new batch of sci-fi movies for September

Five new under-the-radar sci-movies to stream this month! Thataway for my selection.

Gabriel Kahane and Todd Almond

Some interesting song cycles happened to open at around the same time Off Broadway: two by Gabriel Kahane and one by Todd Almond. Read on to know which I liked best.

KS6, Medea Re-Versed, The Voices in Your Head, The Ask

Last month I dropped by a few smaller stages to see what was going on. I'm pleased to report that La MaMa is still going strong, hosting Belarus Free Theater once again, that the site-specific The Voices in Your Head is as lovely as it was back in January, and that The Ask definitely was thought-provoking. A bit less enthusiastic about the hip-hop Medea at Sheen but it had some strengths. Click here for my critic's notebook.

Ian McKellen talks about critics and ghosts

Ian McKellen is the living memory of decades of theater and talking to him is just endlessly fascinating. That was one for the bucket list. Click here for my interview.

Counting and Cracking

I recommended this show to soooo many friends, and not a single person who saw it disliked it. Consensus! You can read my review here.

James Earl Jones on stage

A belated link to my look at five important stage turns in James Earl Jones's career. Click here for my contribution to the Times's coverage after his death.

A chat with Norman Reedus

Three rockers with deep gothic roots who came up in my conversation with Norman Reedus: Nick Cave, Gavin Friday and Ian Astbury. Click here for Reedus's 10 cultural picks.

Afraid

The title of this techno-thriller actually is AfrAId, but the NY Times doesn't play typographical games. The movie has some of the worst acting I've ever seen in a supposedly legit production, and it's all downhill from there. Click here for my review.

Ending August with some science fiction

Anchoring my latest sci-fi column, which came out at the end of August, is the South Indian epic Kalki 2898 AD. It is as much of a spectacle as you would expect it to be. Click here for the details.

Profile of Zoe Sarnak

Galileo, The Lonely Few, Empire Records in 2024, and at least four more shows in development: I don't know if Zoe Sarnak is the single busiest musical-theater composer-lyricist right now, but she must be up there. Thataway for the profile.

10 Alain Delon movies

I had to make sure the movies were streaming in the US so there are a couple that I couldn't include, but overall this list is very much what I'd recommend to someone who's never seen any of Alain Delon's work. And people who have seen the biggies will discover some gems, like Once a Thief. The list is here.