Aging is Not a Fairy Tale at the Theater for the New City is a delightful, charming, humorous admixture of favorite fairy tales and characters. The repartee was well crafted and sophisticated, and the cast masterfully executed the many subtle and less subtle jabs with splendid, natural timing and assurance.
Twisted was outrageously funny from beginning to end. A mélange of chortling-provoking antics, the show delved into areas where laughs can’t help but bubble up in a brew of hilarity. A talented, passionate cast ensured the delivery of this burlesque pasquinade. A rockin’ band supported the action, physical comedy, singing, and pantomime.
From a bottomless pit of prison and despair, Stevens mustered sobriety and hope powered by a renewed, unwavering determination, self-worth, confidence, and passion for his craft. His life became a transformative journey of recovery, growth, and personal empowerment. He crushed his alter ego D Man and broke free, becoming a beacon of resilience and strength. Ronald “Smokey” Stevens is a superbly gifted raconteur with an authentic, inspirational story for everyone that must be told.
The Theater for the New City presented Bliss Street, a blockbuster musical production based on the life and times of New York rocker Charlie Sub (played by Blaize Adler-Ivanbroo) and his unique connection to the legendary Coventry Club in Queens, New York. Narrated by Ethyl (Marlain Angelides), Bliss Street depicted Charlie Sub’s growing up in an ever-changing New York City in a family that adapted and survived with panache.
Who Murdered Love was a musical comedy extraordinaire At the Theater for the New City. The scene for fun was set as DaDa Love (Elyp Johnson), and the cast sang Mad for Love. This setting projected a mysterious pallor tempered by the comedic references to DaDaism, which had emerged in the early 20th century in reaction to the Great War. We were set to embrace chaos, satire, parody, collage, and streams of consciousness. We were not disappointed.
This is a sad tale of the tragic nature of Russia’s brutal conflagration with Ukraine, as explicated by actor, writer, and director Stephan Morrow in a complex “kaleidoscope” of ideas and themes supporting the story. After the final bows, Morrow returned to articulate his goal to bring the plight of Ukraine to the forefront of American consciousness through theater, to provide theater that is relevant, and “to make work in theater that addresses issues that seem significant.”
This play production “Susan B” reminds us that Susan B. Anthony was an astounding, courageous voice in a wilderness who, at her peril, evoked an awakening of clear thinking, reflection, and debate.
Human nature prevails as little has changed since Henrik Ibsen’s portrayal of “Hedda Gabler” in 1891 Norway. In tonight’s “Hedda Gabler,” we witnessed the meandering deviltries of the pistol-packing soubrette and worldly young wife Hedda (Natalie Menna). Hedda contrives to eradicate her paunchy older husband Tesman’s (John Cencio Burgos) rival Eilert Lovborg (Brad Fryman), for a university post.