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'. Lyrical, dark and unapologetic. I left 'Thrill Me' loo...

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 performance against which this role will always be jud...

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 totally invested and engaged in t...

ljay889 said: "...Are they using the original Now You Know lyrics? Im guessing it may be a mixture of the original and revised, something the Donmar also did for the number." I believe these are the original 'Now you know' lyrics, although the scene is now indoors and includes only Frank, Charley, Mary & Joe.

Charley Kringas Inc said: "....I've never been so curious in my entire life and I can't wait to hear more about what's happening here."Are you sure you want it here? I hate to pre-empt the live-action experience.If you really need to know: Click Here To Toggle Spoiler ContentNo kid--except in brief allusions. Cafe is in NY (wasn't it always?) but is mostly theoretical. All the staging is minimal, and 'Bobby & Jackie & Jack' is performed by the Charlie, Beth & Frank with Mary on a drum-set hou...

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 speech and the crest on ...

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 less-than-stellar events have been above-par. In f...

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 Renascense at all. I classified her a Lady Poet--prim a...

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--there's no Southern Gothic in my family history. 'Waverly Gallery' is...

Are these the personal hearing aid devices of individuals in the audience? Or some sort of augmented sound system that is provided by the theater?And are they reacting to each other? Or the tech equipment in the house?The irony of the issue at this particular play is pretty rich. Lonergan better keep hold of his temper--the optics of him swearing at an older theater patron would not be good...

I'm in tears, laughing...Honoring Mike Nichols

A Tony nomination for Elaine May seems inevitable. Not only is her performance stunning, heartbreaking, etc., but she is 86 years old and she is Elaine May. Elaine f***ing May. Had she done nothing but Nichols & May, she would be one of the significant figures in the history of comic writing and performance in the Western world. but she didn't stop there and hasn't stopped for 60 years. You're a Tony voter. A legend turns in a truly stellar performance. Do you throw her a nomination? I think ...

I think that's true, Jordan. Perhaps one has to have experienced it first-hand to recognize the brilliance, nuance and Truth of May's performance. Having been there, I found the show a gut-punch.

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 act II. Hedges and Cromer very solid throughout. I a...

Is Jake Boyd in this show? I thought he was a splendid Anthony Hope and followed him briefly on igram. He has got some kra-zee teen fan-base, man. Yikes.

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 and Darrow grow into the roles.

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't have a lot of stage time, but she makes the most of it. ***...

The thrill of live theater. I don't think anyone missed a syllable on the first night of previews. Her Ascot scene was perfect.I was lucky enough to go back on Saturday night when a friend had an extra ticket and there were two missed lines--Prof Higgins dropped a line in "Why Can't a Woman..." and *something* else that I can't recall at the moment.

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 (or a nobly-born Hungarian) by the time of the Ambas...

Slightly tangential, but the Met is still saying Turandot will proceed tonight. Gelb better invite us all home for cocoa afterwards.