I have been so busy with LGBT legal developments over the past month that I have neglected to blog about my various cultural expeditions, so I’m going to play catch-up here with a few brief comments about the events I’ve attended since mid-December.
On December 17, I saw Lincoln Center Theater’s production of “Domesticated,” a play by Bruce Norris which seems to have been inspired, at least in part, by the hit network TV show, … <Read More>
Over the past several days I’ve had three intense, but very different, theatrical experiences. On Saturday night, I finally caught up with the Metropolitan Opera’s “new” production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” which was introduced last season. Then on Sunday afternoon I attended Atlantic Theater Company’s presentation of the Donmar Warehouse production of Conor McPherson’s “The Night Alive.” Finally, last night, I was at a performance of Shakespeare’s “MacBeth” presented by Lincoln Center Theater. All were … <Read More>
Last Wednesday I attended a perform of William Finn and James Lapine’s new musical show, “Little Miss Sunshine,” at the Second Stage Theatre off-Broadway. This show as inspired by the movie of the same name from several years back. Mr. Lapine directed. I thought the production was well-designed, given the limitations of the small stage, but I did not think this story was crying out for musical treatment. It seemed more like a play with … <Read More>
A little bit of this, a little bit of that…. I already wrote about the Ned Rorem 90th Birthday Concert that I attended on Tuesday night (Nov. 5), but wanted to mention my other expeditions of the week.
On Monday night, I saw “Kill Your Darlings” at Film Society of Lincoln Center. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale based on real events. It focuses on Allen Ginsberg’s first year as a student at Columbia University, and … <Read More>
I attended a performance of “Big Fish,” the new musical show with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by John August, last night at the Neil Simon Theatre. The big draw, of course, is to see Norbert Leo Butz doing his thing – big production numbers, dancing, etc. But through the long first act, my impression was that this was a piece of fluff, all about the production numbers, with supporting stars Bobby … <Read More>
Busy cultural weekend for me.
Saturday afternoon I attended a performance at the Vineyard Theatre of “The Landing,” a new musical by Greg Pierce (book and lyrics) and John Kander (music). This is Kander’s first full-length show with a new collaborator since the passing of his former writing partner, Fred Ebb. It is a modest three-part show with a four-member cast, on this occasion Julia Murney, David Hyde Pierce (uncle of Kander’s collaborator), Frankie Seratch … <Read More>
I attended a performance of “Jericho” a few days ago, then was surprised to see a review in The New York Times the following morning. Was I attending the official opening? If so, I wasn’t aware of it, and perhaps the critic from The Times had attended an earlier performance. In any event, I agreed with the review. This is a very interesting and thought-provoking play.
Jack Canfora is the author, Evan Bergman the director. … <Read More>
My new culture season is duly launched. As of last night, I’ve taken in: “Anna Nicole,” apparently the last production of New York City Opera, presented in collaboration with the Brooklyn Academy of Music on September 21; the new film “Don Jon” by Joseph Gordon-Levitt at the AMC Theater on Broadway at 84th Street on September 29; a memorial celebration for my friend, the late Ari Joshua Sherman, at the DiMenna Center for the Arts … <Read More>
Last night I attended the first performance of “The Heirs of Tantalus” presented by Salon/Sanctuary Concerts, a relatively new organization that puts on early music events in New York City. I had attended one of their concerts last year – a music/dance program starring countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo that was really wonderful – but all their other events last season posed calendar conflicts for me, so this as my first return.
The location was a … <Read More>
Warning: Plot Spoilers!
Ethan Coen’s new play, “Women or Nothing,” has a limited run at Atlantic Theater Company’s West 20th Street theater space in NYC’s Chelsea neighborhood. I attended the September 18 evening performance. The play officially opened a few days earlier. Maybe I was a bit prejudiced by having read the NY Times review, but then again I didn’t agree with everything that critic said.
The show raises ethical/moral issues about an interesting situation: … <Read More>