Matthew Wexler

“Autobiography, the latest Broadway money grab proves, that's not always a good thing.”

“Luke Evans earns every inch of those heels, but Roundabout's revival of The Rocky Horror Show delivers more controlled experiment than midnight mayhem.”

“The real threat to Vernon Point isn't a stop sign—it's the people voting on it. David Lindsay-Abaire's The Balusters is razor-sharp and hits uncomfortably close to home.”

“Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara are a champagne-soaked delight.”

“Broadway’s first revival of Proof brings the star wattage, but can’t find the current running through David Auburn’s play.”

“Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson making their Broadway debuts may be reason enough to go, even when Ferrentino's play asks you to wait for a payoff that arrives later than it should.”

“Catching Deborah Cox as Molly Brown belting out 'All By Myself' may be worth the Broadway ticket price alone.”

“Becky Shaw , in contrast, left me eager to leave the theater.”

“In contrast, Metcalf’s Linda stretches beyond the role of capable homemaker. Her devout commitment to her unraveling husband, and to keeping the peace between Willy and their sons, Biff (Christopher Abbott) and Happy (Ben Ahlers), nearly reaches a tipping point. Mantello further amplifies the play’s...”

“Still, this is a Cats worth clawing for tickets over, and proof positive that Broadway can still turn a lewk.”

“Afternoon has two of TV's best and one of Broadway's most inventive sets, but this stage adaptation can't hold the room hostage long enough.”

“The two-time Tony winner not only rises to the occasion, he towers over it, both literally and figuratively.”

“The Hudson may be the largest, which works against the material at nearly every turn.”

“& Juliet is an unmissable smash whose Broadway cast has recently featured TikTok star Cheryl Porter, Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Kandi Burruss, and NSYNC alum Joey Fatone.”

“Cole Escola's Oh, Mary! has become Broadway's hottest ticket for a reason.”

“Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood deliver performances that get under your skin in Tracy Letts' paranoid, unsettling Broadway debut of Bug.”

“At 96, Squibb anchors the divine acting company with impeccable timing and witty reflection thanks to Harrison's culture-stamped prose.”

“In fairness, the book offers plenty of laughs, thanks in large part to endearing performances by Tutty and Pitts.”

“There's some magic happening on Broadway.”

“Even Kristin Chenoweth’s desperate charm can’t salvage this cringy musical about building America’s largest home—a Broadway construction site that never finds its foundation.”

“Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock earn their Tony buzz in Little Bear Ridge Road, an intimate family drama about the ghosts we live with and the words we can’t say.”

“The great American musical returns: Ragtime‘s latest revival proves its message of social justice remains heartbreakingly relevant today.”

“Still, Call Me Izzy’s 1989 time stamp and its harrowing circumstances never quite meet the caliber of its star performer.”

“Where they succeed is in their nimble use of English and Spanish, a kind of celebratory codeswitching that resonated with bilingual audience members the night I attended.”

“His ability to connect with both fellow actors, such as Darin’s two major love interests, Connie Francis (Gracie Lawrence) and Sandra Dee (Erika Henningsen), and the audience alike is uncanny.”

“But with few stakes to hold one’s attention, BOOP! The Musical plays about as nuanced as the name implies.”

“Needless to say, I’ve never seen a play speak so directly to my own life as <em>”

“The score—stunning in its complexity and melodic heft—is emotionally transportive.”

“If you have disposable income and can stomach the characters’ racism and ageism, the top-notch cast delivers Mamet in his prime.”

“Despite powerhouse leading ladies Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga, 'Sondheim's Old Friends' sometimes forgets what made the master great.”

“How lucky that this first-rate musical traveled to us.”

“The queens are still reigning on Broadway, where each of Henry’s lovers conveys their unfortunate tales of woe through song in 80 minutes of pop bliss that doubles both as entertainment and a history lesson.”

“Mother Play touches on familiar issues to which many Broadway playgoers will relate, even if they sometimes smack of contrivance.”

“Redmayne, Rankin, and a smartly conceived Cabaret reboot shoot warning flares high into the sky.”

“Her refresh pays off with punchy reads, like when the foursome arrives at Oz, and a pair of”

“Herein lies Lempicka’s challenge: the musical wants to capitalize on Madonna and other pop stars’ notoriety along with sense of agency uncommon to female artists of the era, but its creators have stretched the canvas so thin that the brush strokes crack.”

“But what's happening onstage is not to be missed.”

“But as Arthur and his misfit entourage prove, a little comedic muscle goes a long way.”

“While the sea and the circumstances provide plenty of drama, Nixon and Shaw’s script fails to dig much beyond intel widely available through previously produced documentaries, including Inside Jaws and The Shark is Still Working.”

“Back to the Future gambles on name recognition and nostalgia but forgoes the basic mechanics of a successful musical: a coherent book and catchy score.”

“Jason Alexander, who played the famously neurotic George Costanza on Seinfeld for nine seasons, directs a seasoned cast that climbs an uphill battle to excavate witty banter from a predictable plot that rarely stays ahead of the audience.”

“For those simply looking for an energizing but ultimately forgettable night on Broadway, once might be enough for Once Upon a One More Time.”

“For queer theatergoers looking for an occasional thrill without the typical Bury Your Gays trope, Grey House is entertaining enough, but for the price of a Broadway ticket, an overnighter at a haunted hotel might do the trick.”

“New York, New York, accomplishes the near impossible, delivering wide-eyed optimism with an American Dream reality check, all wrapped up in a beautiful package that will appeal to first-time visitors as well as jaded locals who wonder why they put up with the city that never sleeps.”

“Shucked is unable to till the potentially fertile premise, however ridiculous, instead relying on Horn’s automated joke harvester.”

“Life of Pi is the rare Broadway experience these days that refuses to pander to its audience, instead telling a story of hope, resilience, and survival.”

“Cilento delivers on his promise. His staging faithfully pays homage to the choreographer’s work through a relevant lens for a new generation. For anyone looking to tap their toes and clap their jazz hands at a Broadway show, Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ delivers.”

“But as Broadway proves time and again, commercial and artistic success are not mutually exclusive.”

“In the meantime, McDonald gives yet another performance of a lifetime, and chances are a seventh Tony Award isn’t far behind.”

“The Theatre is home to & Juliet’s open-ended Broadway run.”

“In the play’s final moments, Clarke delivers a poignant requiem — the Great Migration poignantly distilled down to a moment that is at once full of mourning and survival.”

“Perhaps some of these nuances are lost in translation from page to stage.”

“What rises from the gravel, while not totally cohesive, pulsates like a ticking time bomb, its ending an inevitable intersection of racism, ignorance, fear and teen angst.”

“A Soldier’s Play is worth the sprint.”

“That’s the brilliance of Lloyd’s can’t-miss revival.”

“Even so, Robert Horn’s book is the real gem in Dorothy Michael’s brooch, transforming Tootsie from middling to marvelously funny.”

“But in Scott Ellis’s anemically directed production, neither has the staying power or depth to celebrate (or reimagine) the 1949. Tony Award-winning hit.”

“'The Cher Show' rarely takes itself too seriously, but when it does, the musical offers a captivating glance into Cher's evolution.”

“The Nap delivers quirky performances and laugh-out-loud one-liners, but I’ll unlikely be breaking out a cue stick to have my hand at snooker anytime soon.”

“An unforgettable theatrical experience...The staging is simply magical.”

“This is high capital, escapist musical theater.”

“But it’s also the kind of theatrical shot that makes you wonder why you drank it in the first place.”

“Gold directs 'A Doll's House, Part 2' with the precision of a surgeon, gifting the ensemble with a physical and emotional roadmap that is nothing short of electric.”

“A brilliantly fine-tuned comedy of style and substance...”

“'Sweat,' at times, feels stilted in its narrative, but there's certainly enough thematic complexity to warrant its transfer from the sold-out run at the Public.”

“Connor directs the cast with high stakes, amplified to reach the last row of the balcony. But within this amplified reality, Noblezada can carry your heart in the palm of her hand...You’ll feel like you’ve gotten your money’s worth with 'Miss Saigon‘s' flashy production design.”

“The musical strikes a resonating chord—both in terms of its exploration of the creative process of making art, as well as the personal relationships that can crumble in its wake.”

“A joyful, heartfelt, complicated celebration of New York City that will appeal to most tourists and jaded locals like myself.”

“Dear Evan Hansen proves that there is plenty of hope for the American musical—especially one that transcends the theater and delivers a message that supports diversity, tolerance, and acceptance.”

“In modern times, you might hover over its image for a few fleeting seconds, but eventually swipe left, looking for the next potential lover to strike your fancy.”

“For those who saw the original mega-hit, things look strikingly familiar...Where this ‘Cats’ strays from its predecessor is in its choreography, brilliantly reimagined by Andy Blankenbuehler and based on original choreography by Gillian Lynne...Leona Lewis' performance is a weak link in an otherwise stellar ensemble of triple-threats...”

“The show faithfully illustrates the story’s fairy-tale vibe, with suitably ornery production values — the tree Winnie and her new friend Jesse Tuck climb is especially lovely.”

“The play’s construct, set in a posh Paris apartment, shifts gears as André starts to slowly lose his cognitive dexterity.”

“Martin and Brickell’s score is a celebration of American folk music, filled with soaring string arrangements...At its core, Ms. Cusack delivers a beautifully honest performance...Its final scenes may push the suspension of disbelief in a way that doesn’t necessarily serve the greater story...”

“Staged with humor and humanity, this Fiddler on the Roof redefines tradition.”

“It’s a stunning performance, even if, in this oddly fear-free production, she provokes more pity than terror.”

“This charming little show is a star bright enough to outshine some of its flashier neighbors on the Great White Way.”

“Unfortunately, its delivery feels less than inspired.”

“Death becomes her. Or not...A dismally depressing one-act musical...After about 90 minutes of gloom and doom one wishes that the whole show could be sealed up and buried six feet under.”

“Unfortunately, at its core It Shoulda Been You is ridiculously unbelievable, and the major shift in action sets the show on a course from which it can never recover.”

“Whether you’re a Les Miz fanatic or one of the handful that has yet to see this epic tale, this production beautifully retells what has become a classic of the modern musical theater.”

“Criticism aside, Beautiful delivers an entertaining evening of theater, and while you may feel at times that ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,’ Jessie Mueller’s performance is, indeed, ‘Beautiful.’”

“But the ride worth taking in this revival is the emotional one as sensitively directed by Jack O’Brien (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, It’s Only A Play, The Nance).”

“As the best new musical of the season, Dead Outlaw proves that producers don’t need a well-known IP or $31 million to make an impact.”

“But despite their earnestness, Floyd Collins leaves us nobody to root for.”

“Frozen works hard to keep balance on its theatrical ice, navigating between what some might consider the sisters’ childhood psychological trauma and what Disney audiences expect.”

“McDonald may want to make room in Rose’s carpet bag for Tony number seven.”

“Even with The Lincoln Center Review in hand, a copiously articulate companion publication available at the theatre for a dollar donation, Akhtar’s dense work simultaneously furrowed my brow and had me on the edge of my seat.”

“Instead, he lumbers along, as if he’s stumbled out of Rudy’s dive bar at 3 a.m. after one too many Bud Lights, wishing, like us, that this was all a dream.”

“Shakespeare’s patriarchal power play gets a Broadway reboot, thanks to Jackson’s star turn in the title role. But if you’re expecting a literal gender-bending commentary...Gold’s slick and somewhat stoic production might leave you with more questions than answers...”

“Playwright Tracy Letts asks Broadway audiences to consider the reawakening of men of a certain age, at a certain time, who recognize their multi-generational entitlement is not without perils.”

“More of a ‘huh?’ than an ‘aha’ moment, it leaves me wondering where the Elizas of today are headed next.”

“Robert Icke’s modern Oedipus proves that even when we know the ending, watching the civic body destroy itself in real-time remains devastatingly compelling.”

“Music supervisor Daniel Kluger, through new orchestrations and arrangements, has unearthed psychologically complex relationships among this band of settlers in turn-of-the-century ‘Indian Territory.’”

“Kilgore, making her Broadway debut, is a knockout.”

“The same can’t be said for Ramin Karimloo as the Pirate King and drag star Jinkx Monsoon as Ruth, both delivering one-dimensional performances that echo David Rockwell’s set design.”

“Smash lives up to its name with an over-the-top theatricality and cheekiness that pulls back the curtain on the business of Broadway with a wink and a nod.”

“In an increasingly vitriol-fueled culture, we all might benefit from a good dose of empathy.”

“Kate Trefry’s convoluted script delivers not one, but two confusing worlds.”

“Perhaps it is this civil discourse that Letts was inspired to explore and dismantle — a reminder that theater has the power to, if not transform, at least question the beliefs we've come to assume are facts.”