Gregory Fletcher

GLORIOUS LANGUAGE AND A KISS TO REMEMBER Cyrano de Bergerac may be the most romantic, tragic love story to withstand the test of time. (Romeo & Juliet drops in comparison.) Written in 1897, Edmond Rostand’s classic play follows the unrequited love of Cyrano (James McAvoy) for his childhood friend, Roxane (Evelyn Miller). At the end…

CAN YOU BE A CONFEDERATE TO CONFEDERATES? Elijah Jones and Kristolyn Lloyd I’ve noticed “Permission for Engagement” becoming a recent trend in new productions by Black female playwrights. There is a notice in the Playbill inviting the audience to let go and respond when inspired, as “theatre can be church for some of us” (“Us”…

SUITE IS SWEET AND SOUR Upon entering the Hudson Theater, glance to your left to see a notable collection of theater posters — not former productions at this lovely, classy venue, but rather the extensive, impressive contributions of master playwright Neil Simon. Has any single American playwright penned so many successful plays and musicals? With…

Learning another language is like becoming another person.                                                                                  Haruki Murakami Marjan Neshat (Marjan) As tedious as it may sound to sit through a term of English classes in…

BEAT IT, NAYSAYERS; THIS SHOW WANTS TO BE STARTIN’ SOMETHIN’ The new Broadway musical at the Neil Simon Theatre far exceeds a mere revue of Michael Jackson’s iconic music and performance choreography. From the first scene in a rehearsal studio, a week prior to the opening of the “Dangerous Tour,” Myles Frost enters fully possessing…

ARCANE CRANE Jen Silverman’s Crane Story borrows storytelling stage conventions from both east and west.   A raised empty platform acts as the main acting area surrounded by wooden paneling.   There are drums, puppets, small musical instruments, and an ensemble of seven performers who act as characters, puppeteers, musicians, and stage crew.   Such eastern stage traditions…

KOREAN BROADWAY (SORT OF) Hero: The Musical starts off with a bang.   Literally. Several loud gunshots tear holes into the front curtain, which cinematically transforms into a stellar Big Dipper that emblazons a rich blue sky. The constellation rises and the astonishingly exquisite beauty of a forest in 1909 appears. A soaring, powerful male ensemble…

THE BITTERER, THE BETTER There are two brands of Charles Busch plays: the ones he stars in, which are filled with campy homoeroticism and often performed in downtown theatre dives, and the ones he does not star in, which are safe, commercial and mainstream, and usually performed uptown.   As a performer, Mr. Busch is a…