King Lear

Here we go again with yet another King Lear. This time Frank Langella steps into the kingly role at BAM. My review's here.

Machinal

After The Winslow Boy the Roundabout is two for two with a revival of Machinal that's even better. This counts as a streak! Click here for my review.

The Surrender

Good timing: The nominations for this year's Razzies are coming out at the same time as my review of The Surrender — a play that would have scored a nom if it were a movie. Click here for my review.

Year of the Rooster

Thanks to Ensemble Studio Theatre for bringing back Year of the Rooster, which I'd missed on its first go-round. As much as cockfighting revolts me, this is one heck of a good show. Click here for my review.

Beautiful -- The Carole King Musical

Yes, Beautiful is boomer-bait. So what? Does anybody think Broadway producers don't target specific audiences? Also it's a bit rich of AARP-age critics to make fun of the AARP-age audience. My review's here.

Tyson vs Ali

Theater's totally infatuated with boxing. Example No. umpteenth is Reid Farrington's Tyson vs Ali. Click here for my review.

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.