Cary Wong

“That moment was thrilling and certainly worth the price of admission.”

“Gold’s adaptation feels like a high school senior’s dissertation of the play that focuses on odd moments (the nurse’s monologue about her child) and totally disregards bigger moments (like the fight with Paris at the end of the play) to fix his thesis.”

“This is a cheerful night of theater (including a raucous finale), especially if you’re on Escola’s wacky yet endearing wavelength.”

“It is all brilliantly directed by Danya Taymour (Pass Over), whose energetic staging keeps the audience invested, making a familiar tale seem fresh.”

“But having Iris Rainer Dart, the original author of the book the movie based on, as the writer here (with the late Thom Thomas) may have doomed the stage version as the show kept too many extraneous plot points that bog down the emotional bond between two lifelong friends.”

“Coon, who hasn’t been on Broadway since her debut in 2012, is the real deal and will keep you on your toes, as will set design Takeshi Kata’s mind-blowing scene change late in the play.”

“Theater Kid is a badge that many of us involved in plays and musicals in any way wear with pride, and Jeffery Seller’s story is insightful and honest and whose unique journey will be totally relatable to us all.”

“Megan Hilty has cemented a new ‘known for’ role as a vain, two-time Oscar-nominated actress Madeline (the Streep character), eschewing traditional musical comic line readings with deliciously sassy lines ‘reads’ worthy of RuPaul herself.”

“All the World’s a Stage is certainly worth a visit especially for the men and women who are more than just merely players.”

“McDonald doesn’t sugarcoat Rose’s ambitions for herself and her daughters June (Jordan Tyson) and Louise (Joy Woods), no matter how many people she takes advantage of, which includes her father and her boyfriend, the ulcer-ridden Herbie (Danny Burstein).”

“The real reason this production works is the acting, especially the two leads and two actors in smaller roles.”

“And while I have liked Menzel in many of her roles, her performance here feels like her most complete as Jesse bares her soul, exuding pain and joy with powerful vocals and impressive athletics (I guess the height never bothered her anyway).”

“And if you understood anything I wrote so far, this new play, backed by Netflix, will certainly be a fun time.”

“This is a charming little show (which definitely doesn't need to be two hours and twenty minutes long) that reminded me of another modest musical focusing on a mismatched pair.”