Joe Dziemianowicz

“Despite two committed leads, Beaches ultimately drifts away, like sand slipping through the fingers.”

“Broadway just got smarter and deeper thanks to the return of David Auburn’s Proof, a complex, curvy, and thoroughly compelling play motored by a math-related mystery.”

“Strong performances by Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson elevate this onstage look at the life of Nick Yarris, but that doesn’t free The Fear of 13 from its extended stretches of theatrical and emotional lockup.”

“That Lane can so clearly reveal that to us is as remarkable as it is devastating.”

“Afternoon rolls over when it should bite.”

“While admirably smart and ably directed by Nicholas Hytner, Giant shrinks from the nagging fact that it goes in circles rather than building in gripping dramatic fashion.”

“Clearly, everyone here understood all that what was really needed was Radcliffe and what he means to people.”

“Between fine acting and the chance to see a seldom-represented genre on stage, theatregoers have reasons to swarm to Bug.”

“In a play that now hit me fathoms deeper than it did a decade ago, hers is the performance I can't get out of my head.”

“So, spending nearly 3 hours with her and her billionaire timeshare-tycoon husband, David (F. Murray Abraham), in this busy but only fitfully engaging new Broadway musical is a long sit.”

“Between its robust score, showcase moments for the cast, and evergreen resonance, Ragtime is easy to heartily recommend.”

“Back in New York with a starry cast, Waiting for Godot makes you think about meaning in an indifferent world, and that’s a timely takeaway.”

“But that happens here, so the songs became more about the actors than the characters, and the emotional connection dries up — just like tear ducts.”

“At the Theatre, the production directed by David Cromer (The Band’s Visit) is earnest and movie-star handsome (thanks to great work by set designer Scott Pask), but unexciting.”

“In a spirited 2 hours, Buena Vista Social Club celebrates a rich slice of Cuban music and cultural heritage.”

“Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s new Broadway play blends sharp humor and weightiness into a rousing family drama.”

“A last-minute harmonious quartet nearly makes for a happy ending.”

“Tammy Faye isn’t flawless...But you must admire its flash, energy, and a bright star”

“Maybe Happy Ending is a small-scale musical with a big heart in which all the pieces come together beautifully.”

“Lloyd's Sunset Boulevard pulls you into a theatrical universe all its own.”

“Although the play falls short of leaving a deep impact, Robert Downey Jr.’s star turn and strong physical staging keep you on board for McNeal's fleet 90 minutes.”

“Still, one wishes the revival added up to a more cohesive and persuasive experience.”

“Mary Jane is a beautiful, emotional story providing an intimate portrait of a caregiving mother trying to get by.”

“Scherzinger, in bare feet and a black slip, could use a shade more vulnerability as past-her-prime Norma. But she shows off powerhouse pipes in the show's best songs, her crowd-rousing solos "With One Look" and "As If We Never Said Goodbye.”

“Tommy’s saga delivers a pointed and potent take on trauma, fame, and individuality that resonates and speaks directly to today.”

“With its key infusion of circus artistry, this production of Water for Elephants is a delightful musical diversion.”

“He digs deeper than ever in Prayer for the French Republic and strikes pure gold.”

“The show is uplifting, inspiring, and celebratory.”

“Otherwise, Theresa Rebeck’s wispy comedy about love, loss, and coping with the aftermath, is all too expected.”

“The show is a roughly 2-hour sketch – one that’s clever and filled with laughs but too long and overstuffed to ward off diminishing returns.”

“You’re going to want to preserve the riches flowing throughout this hurts-so-good musical about growing up and growing apart.”

“Flat-out hilarious and stacked with topflight performances led by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Kara Young, Purlie Victorious is also a triumph when it comes to timing.”

“As it bites into movie history, The Shark Is Broken makes for a diversion worth sea-ing.”

“Nonetheless, the cast consistently manages to make infidelity entertaining.”

“It’s that rare theatrical production that doesn’t just live up to the hype — it exceeds it.”

“Although the 110-minute production oozes mystery and a ghostly vibe, it doesn’t deliver intense shivers.”

“That said, it’s not quite enough to make Auburn’s play a Summer to remember.”

“Running 100 unbroken minutes, the production is Exhibit A of how a focused and fierce performance can elevate a work.”

“It’s seldom exciting or joyful.”

“It’s all about laughs, and it delivers – honest to cob.”

“Visually, the play is a deeply wondrous spectacle that teems with beauty and brutality.”

“Absent that, or even a faint whiff of borderline madness from what he’s been dealt, the production comes off as a bit too tame.”

“As a displaced New Yorker who’s not so likable, Dear Evan Hansen Tony winner Platt notches another Broadway triumph.”

“She’s in total command as Nora, letting her voice do much of the heavy lifting.”

“Playwright Sharr White (The Other Place) finds similar narrative inspiration for this rich drama about the marvels and mysteries of an ordinary family.”

“If you're thirsty for an old-fashioned, energetic mega-musical with new-fashioned stars and sensibilities, then It Hot satisfies on all counts.”

“This play is fanged, ferocious, and funny as all get out.”

“Despite being a lukewarm look at the Brooklyn-born superstar, the show headlined by Will Swenson will nonetheless appeal to Diamond’s ardent fans.”

“On the other hand, KPOP, written by Jason Kim and directed by Teddy Bergman, has scarcely enough compelling substance to sustain its own first act.”

“Another holiday season, another take on 'A Christmas Carol.' Like other theatrical versions of the classic, this one ends with the same words credited to Tiny Tim...a production this taut and well-told is its own sort of blessing.”

“The early zippy energy is a big plus.”

“Birbiglia is totally on brand in his largely delightful solo show, The Old Man and the Pool.”

“In fact, the show is more polished and endearing than before.”

“Without a strong focus, the story falls slack and meanders.”

“Connecting the dots between vignettes in a more powerful thematic way would give the show a cumulative wallop that now feels somewhat lacking.”

“In this starry and stirring revival, the play unfurls in all its glory.”

“Under the deft guidance of LaTanya Richardson Jackson, who makes her Broadway directing debut, August Wilson’s stirring story filled with richly drawn characters, family drama, humor, and beyond-this-world mystery (cue the ghost!) comes vividly to life.”

“In the end, convenient plot turns can’t undo the play’s bracing originality.”

“They say three's a charm — and this revival has it to spare.”

“In the end, this Macbeth is a star-enhanced hodgepodge.”

“But along with the rest of the creative team, including director John Rando (Urinetown), who guides the less-than-deluxe-looking production, the songwriters haven't presented a compelling argument that Buddy's story expands as a musical.”

“Consequently, her star turn never quite lifts off the stage.”

“If a town reflects its residents, this place is wormy all the way down to its stony pit.”

“"4/5 stars...The show packs moments that are gleefully LOL, is deeper than you might expect, and the real-life married stars co-piloting this vintage vehicle are in fine form...In his Broadway debut as a director, Tony-winning actor John Benjamin Hickey displays a deft hand and sure instincts.”

“For all of the calories burned, it's still low-impact.”

“The trippy spectacle of an LSD-high Grant singing, "I am a giant penis rocket ship! Zoom! Kaboom!" — yes, really — can't keep this from being a trek to nowhere.”

“Like many big-swing experimental bids to reimagine a canonical work, director Ivo van Hove's vigorously youthful take on the 1957 classic comes with losses and gains, but the latter are what you'll remember.”

“Barford, uninhibited and honest, is perfectly cast and leads a uniformly very fine ensemble in this Steppenwolf production presented on Broadway by Second Stage.”

“So exposed are they that the revival that opened Thursday should be rated X-hilarating.”

“Ink offers an exhilarating look back at a print heyday.”

“It’s been said that comedy is tragedy plus time.”

“This show has all that, as well as contrivances and speeches more colorful than convincing.”

“Proud this show is — but distinctive, it ain’t.”

“Whether she’s hitting high notes or swatting her male co-star, Kelli O’Hara — funny and fierce — is reason enough to see “Kiss Me, Kate.””

“This new version, directed by James Macdonald, could use a high-voltage power infusion.”

“Then again, we don’t need music: “To Kill a Mockingbird” already sings its own sad song.”

“If only the rest of the show was even half as good.”

“Stephanie J. Block gives the season's first must-see star turn as one of the show's three Chers.”

““King Kong” is less fun than a barrel of monkeys.”

“It’s hard watching Gladys’ vigor and faculties fade within two years, beginning in 1989, when her hair turns from auburn to white, since dyeing it is the least of her concerns.”

“The verbal volleys can be fun, but some of the action seems silly and contrived: When Jim somehow ends up hiding in a closet, it’s like something out of a “Three’s Company” episode.”

“A terrifically theatrical and entertaining but not quite airtight new Broadway comedy...Makes you laugh and think about gender, power and theater.”

“As for how you'll feel watching 'Gettin' the Band Back Together,' be prepared to grit your teeth.”

““The hooker with the heart of gold is singing a new tune — but it’s the same old icky story...Slick direction and choreography, plus fine performances...But, like so many movies churned into musicals, the show is a warmed-over copy of the original. Seriously: Why would anyone revisit such a funky fable, especially in the #MeToo age?...”

“It still packs a wallop — even with slow patches and plot devices as old as the hills.”

“Washington has shiny star quality and 100-proof charisma that fits like a glove for Hickey, who's a sort of celebrity to these barflies.”

“But her star turn lacks mystery, might and command to hold you in her grip.”

“Broadway’s spry revival of “Travesties” is guaranteed to work your gray matter.”

“The show gleams like a bolt of lightning — not one that leaves marks on your forehead, just vivid memories in your mind.”

“Ambrose, of "Six Feet Under" fame, is marvelous start to finish.”

“But elsewhere their characterizations are one-note.”

“On the other hand, Medoff’s script can be simplistic and preachy.”

“That's not the same as saying it's a great musical — but the show surprises and impresses.”

“Simply put, she gives one of the best and most exciting performances of the season.”

“He is the show’s MVP — if not its hero.”

“The unsettling winged wonder, hoisted aloft by a handful of people in black, is just one of the eye-opening, brain-jogging jolts of this revival — the most electrifying production you're apt to ever see of the author's masterwork.”

“But their parents may have buyer's remorse.”

“But so it goes in this musical that may fit the bill if you're in the mood for a breezy but dopey diversion.”

“Lithgow's show is personal and has heart. But it also has a weak pulse.”

“English playwright Claire van Kampen’s fact-based but liberally embroidered drama isn’t so sensational — and can't get past one obstacle.”