Profile for Addison D.

Echoing the comments already made: dark, ambitious and in need of some cuts. I found it musically and lyrically beautiful and occasionally moving and funny. There is very little actual butchering--less than 'Sweeney Todd'--but what there is is highly impactful. 

ETA--I find that I have the score from 'Thrill Me' running through my head as  think about 'Butcher Boy', and I think that show is a better analogue than 'Sweeney' or 'Little Shop&#

I am surprised to learn last night was first night--the show is in great shape.   What I thought was some overly-mannered line delivery from Blanchard will maybe calm itself down after she settles into the role--or maybe its a choice?  In any case, she was quite good.  If I have a quibble with Blanchard its that she held back for the entirety of 'Somewhere that's Green' and then belted the hell out of 'Suddenly Seymour', whereas the legendary performanc

bwayphreak234 said: "I went into this expecting an absolute train wreck...I was shocked to find Be More Chill to be a fun and campy show. Is it perfect? No. Is it the best show I’ve ever seen? No. Is it a fun time in the theatre? I certainly though so.

I enjoyed Be More Chill in the same way that I enjoy Little Shop Of Horrors. Both shows have over the top storylines and the characters are placed in pretty ridiculous situations. However, with both shows, I was totall

The show begins with the cast wandering casually on stage--house lights are still up--selecting costume items from the attic-of-memory stage-set, chatting with the audience, etc.  Very Fiasco. The charming Jessie Austrian (Mary) welcomed us and told us to unwrap our candies and then the show began, with Ben Steinfeld taking his place behind the podium and everybody else finding a place to sit among the nooks and crannies of the on-stage bric-a-brac.

Franklin is giving a s

The corner of Grand and Pitt isn't *everybody's* idea of Paradise, certainly.

I keep waiting for some food option down there other than that one, desolate pizza place (had a pretty decent slice last night). I'm waiting,too,for Abrons to open a food/drink concession. Seems like such an obvious income opportunity, but I'm sure NYC doesn't make it easy to sell food.

Neighborhood and food aside, I've had some Peak Experiences at Abrons and even the le

The Transport Group's musical  about Edna St. Vincent Millay, the poem that made her famous and some of the relationships in her early life. With Mikaela Bennett, Hannah Corneau, Jason Gotay, Danny Harris Kornfeld, Katie Thompson and Donald Weber, Jr. Score by Carmel Dean, book by Dick Scanlan, Lyrics by Edna St. Vincent Millay. At the Abrons Arts Center.

I walked in knowing very little about Millay--either her life or work.  I did not know Renascen

Jordan Catalano said: "In the week or so since I’ve seen the show, that one scene still keeps popping back into my head. I just can’t shake it."

This show haunts me--awake and in my dreams--like no other show I can think of.  The script and the performances and the way they echo my personal experience is uniquely powerful. 

I was devastated by Glenn Close's Blanche in London, but I was a voyeur watching someone else's tragedy--the

I was there tonight as well and was deeply moved.  The querulous voice of the aging family member, the anger, impatience, guilt and sorrow of the surrounding family--these are easy cliches but Lonergan's ear for the way they play out is pitch-perfect and I found the principal cast splendid.  

I suppose the scene changes were a bit long, but I was too deeply engaged to notice. 

May's performance is heartbreaking.  Allen is good in Act I, great in

jbm--you'd really suggest people skip the production? 

I thought the two leads were so good and I think it's fascinating to see another incarnation of William's archetypal characters in addition to all the Amandas  & Toms and Blanches & Stanleys.

For me, the set prevents the production from being great but I am glad to have seen it and would consider going again later in the run if tix came my way. I'd like to see how Ireland a

Saw 'Summer and Smoke' this afternoon.  Solid performances from the whole cast.  I thought Marin Ireland and Nathan Darrow were exceptionally fine.  Ireland brings nuanced humor and spunk to one of Williams' broken heroines  and Darrow, too, gives a beautifully shaded performance.  High marks as well to the always-fine Barbara Walsh who makes a meal out of Alma's broken mother--a potentially two-dimensional character.  Tina Johnson doesn

I was charmed by Norbert's performance and found his stage movements a perfect expression of his character who is, after all, stewed to the gills.

With reference to Lauren Ambrose's posture--I did notice the 'hunched' quality that was mentioned earlier, but it seems to me her posture improves along with her diction.  She begins with sloppy posture, is erect--but teetering and uncertain--in the Ascot scene and is  regal and confident as a queen (