New York

GHOSTS OF LOVE John J. Caswell, Jr.’s moving drama finds unexpected grace amid fear, desire, and survival As Pride Month begins, there may be no better theatrical companion than John J. Caswell, Jr.‘s moving, daring, and expansive new play. Set in the isolated Arizona backcountry town of Jerome—a virtual ghost town—it follows Con (Stephen Spinella)…

JANGLED JAM SESSION This coming-of-age ensemble never quite finds its rhythm In an age where most pre-teens and teens have the world in the palm of their hand via their smartphone, growing up happens faster than ever. Such speed may have benefited ||: Girls :||: Chance :||: Music :|| at the Vineyard Theatre, which tells…

SHOPPING FOR MEANING Thornton Wilder’s long-lost play arrives decades late, still reaching for something just beyond its grasp Seventy-five years is a long time to wait for a world premiere. But that is precisely the circumstance surrounding The Emporium, Thornton Wilder’s long-unfinished play, now receiving its New York debut at Classic Stage Company—and the wait,…

LETTING GO, HOLDING ON A beautifully observed portrait of grief anchored by Quincy Tyler Bernstine’s extraordinary performance If only someone would paint a portrait of Quincy Tyler Bernstine‘s grief-stricken face. And not just any artist. I mean an experienced portraitist who can capture the profound depth and complexity of her astonishing performance in Well, I’ll…

MIRROR, MIRROR, ON THE WALL Kip Williams delivers a visually stunning assault on the senses, even when the drama struggles to keep pace A co-production with London’s Donmar Warehouse, The Maids arrives at St. Ann’s Warehouse in a blistering new adaptation written and directed by Kip Williams, closing out the season with a production as…

PUCK BUNNIES AND POWER PLAYS Knowing exactly who it’s playing to, this gleefully ridiculous send-up shoots and scores There are fandoms, and then there are fandoms. The kind that inspires message boards, fan fiction, watch parties, and now, apparently, full-blown musical theater parodies. Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody understands exactly who its audience is,…

READING BETWEEN THE LINES OF FAME Broadway’s funniest staged reading proves that truth is often stranger —and funnier—than fiction Yevgeny Yevtushenko famously wrote, “A poet’s autobiography is his poetry. Anything else is just a footnote.” Judging by the material on display at the opening night of Celebrity Autobiography, many celebrities probably should have stopped at…

A TRIAL FOR LENNY—AND SOMETIMES THE VIEWER A courtroom drama that probes language, censorship, and the cost of pushing boundaries Unique among the performing arts, standup comedy is the only craft that cannot be sharpened without an audience. And, ironically, the only performing art that we allow, even expect, to deeply offend. Who ever heard…

PUT THIS IN YOUR WHEELHOUSE A show that takes its audience on a ride, and shifts gears from drama to comedy and back The oft-heard practical advice to authors hoping that their stories, novels, songs, plays, etc. will ring true is: “Write what you know.” Generally attributed to Mark Twain—who did pretty well for himself…

LET’S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN AND AGAIN A high-energy revival proves this cult classic still knows how to party Unless you grew up in a monastery, had a severely conservative upbringing, or are just too young, you’ve probably seen or at least heard of the drag-tastic cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Maybe…

UNDER THE BIG TOP, A SMALL GEM ENDURES A tender revival of a vintage musical finds its strength in sincerity, not spectacle Poignancy, Pep, Pizzazz, and Puppets. If the age of 65 equals becoming a senior citizen, then the musical Carnival!—which opened on Broadway in April of 1961—is certainly eligible. But the current revival, now…

POLITICS, IN FULL DRAG: A CAMPAIGN LIKE NO OTHER Wayne Brady leads a wild, urgent, and unexpectedly timely ride through queer history and unfinished business. There have been outsider candidates before, but none quite like Joan Jett Blakk—the self-declared Black drag queen who ran for President of the United States in the early 1990s, armed…