Stage Buddy

“Smith’s work is an example of exceptional performance art, but the audience leaves the theater with more of an impression of Smith’s skills than knowledge of Basquiat.”

“The subject is heavy and the information important, yet I didn't feel enough emotionally.”

“In Safe House, an affecting and intense play written by L.B. Browne and directed by Benjamin Viertel, familial tensions that have been as solid as physical structures finally take physical form when a crisis occurs.”

“I found the production of An American Daughter disappointing.”

“She makes Izzy a sympathetic character despite the flaws in the play.”

“The second act goes on too long and, quite frankly, I thought the play had ended several times before it actually did.”

“Skillfully directed by Alex Timbers, ‘Gutenberg’ is absurd, so don’t come for the story or expect to learn anything.”

“It’s the sincerity of the performers that wins over the audience.”

“This play was disappointing because it was hard to connect with the characters.”

“Here Lies Love'' works as a spectacle and participatory theater.”

“Skillfully directed by Whitney White, the show is about celebrating African identity through hair and pursuing American dreams, but, more importantly, it reflects universal themes- the strength of women and the bonds of sisterhood.”

“So this humor has a wry quality to it.”

“If you give it a chance, ‘A One More Time’ is more entertaining than you’d expect.”

“‘Fat Ham’ may not be all that one might expect from a Pulitzer-winning work, but the audience enjoyed this zippy production which offers lighthearted laughs, colorful characters and a brisk tempo—all thanks to Ali’s beyond the proscenium staging.”

“Hayes was a revelation, both in his performance and his playing.”

“Although Herzog’s version is creative and modern, the pared-down play doesn’t do the subject matter justice.”

“Sometimes songs are force fed to move the action.”

“Pope and Bethany look the parts but the script isn't compelling enough.”

“After all these years, 73 year old Stephen McKinley Henderson finally plays the leading man, presenting a master class in acting.”

“In the guise of comedy and satire, it is innovative and thought-provoking.”

“Silly? Sure-but extremely entertaining, especially if you are familiar with the classic play and the popular music.”

“‘Kimberly Akimbo’ is poignant, quirky, and upbeat.”

“‘Almost Famous: The Musical ’ just reinforces that some stories work better in their original media on the screen.”

“The play is beautifully crafted and the characters deftly drawn.”

“Race adds another dimension to this new version of the ‘Death of A Salesman,’ a subtext while enhancing the bigger message.”

“People should never forget their ancestors and where they came from.”

“The actors give marvelous performances and it’s hard to be untouched by the play.”

“The show is simply and ingeniously staged, with an onstage orchestra and a stand of trees as the main scenery.”

“It was actually disconcerting and diminished the tragic elements of the play about a power-hungry man and the destruction his ambitions create.”

“There’s no more eloquent way to capture the spirit of Angels, a postmodern pastiche of epic proportions.”

“Although the show is very much like the movie, it falls flat.”

“He has the uncanny ability to remain the consummate professional actor, working out all the nuances of great acting and storytelling and narration, while at the exact same time inviting us in to the most vulnerable and intimate moments of his life.”

“The show is the rare one, where everything is in its right place.”

“They are unnecessary and undercut his whole argument, all for the sake of cheap laughs.”

“Junk will teach you that for some people, money is warfare.”

“Has all the ingredients necessary to make a Broadway hit: catchy songs that stay in your head...extraordinary choreography and a captivating story of war, love, and perseverance...Although undoubtedly an excellent piece of theater, there seems to be something somewhat dated about it...”

“The result is an uproarious theatrical experience unlike any other – and one that will have you laughing until your sides ache.”

“Its treatment of the source material is duly deferential and just different enough...True to Minchin’s stand-up background, his lyrics are clever and often Sondheimian in their rhyme scheme. Only one tune feels gratuitous and out-of-place...”

“Inarguably one of the greatest musicals of all time, it doesn’t take very long into Sarna Lapine’s revival to realize why this show needed to be back on Broadway: it’s become an allegory about the existence of musical theatre itself in an era of moral decay and ugliness prevailing over beauty.”

“Where it lacks in thematic profundity, the show shines with its humor, delivering a charming and witty love letter to life in the city.”

“The real triumph is Platt’s as Evan.”

“So when someone tries to tell you that Cats is old fashioned or too campy for its own good, prove to them how the show is now a classic that was ahead of its time.”

“Perhaps more fitting as a vintage peep show, than a well executed play, this Long Day’s Journey Into Night, sure makes one crave for the morrow.”

“Overall, the play is a simple but poignant rumination on the lies we have to tell each other -- and tell ourselves -- to make our way in the world.”

“Sensitively directed by Sam Gold, Fun Home makes use of theatrical devices in completely unexpected ways, the set by David Zinn (who also designed the costumes) made up of platforms that rise and sink in order to represent sudden flashes of memories.”

“With outstanding performances and direction by Joel Paley 'Ruthless!' is a decadent night at the theatre complete with brilliant comedic performances and catchy tunes.”

“For a show that should be about the inexplicable magic of creation, every scene in James Graham’s book seems overwritten.”

“For all its outrageousness and crassness, Hand to God is not a simplistic play.”

“Unsurprisingly this casting comes as a detriment that highlights the show’s unnerving need to please all and failure to please anyone.”

“In most cases the songs don’t make much sense and sometimes feel like they’ve been forced upon the scenes only to feature as many of them as they could...”

“What's truly wonderful about 'Heisenberg' is that it never goes where you expect it to go...Yet, it all feels completely believable because of the performances of these two masterful actors.”

“Mean Girls -- the musical adaptation of Tina Fey’s hit 2004 film about high school cliques, bullying, and the competitive nature of female friendships -- has arrived on Broadway, and this version will definitely please fans of the original.”

“Perhaps the lesson is that if a ‘Rain of Fire’ attacks a marriage, a couple can withstand it together or with a lot of laughter.”

“With a top-notch cast, dynamic visuals, and a story that speaks to the complexities of the American Dream, this classic will definitely be beloved by a new generation of theatergoers.”

“Unfortunately the show has limited audience appeal and I can’t see a younger audience enjoying this the way their parents and grandparents would.”

“This revival has good performances, wonderful music and marvelous sets and costumes.”

“Don your finest fur and head to the theater for one of the finest productions of the year.”

“The biggest problem is that the show is that it is dull.”

“Will Audra McDonald win another Tony for this tour de force performance?”

“Without considerable changes...Fish has totally reimagined the musical, infusing a whole new vision into the landmark show...For some, his pared-down version will be exhilarating; for those who love the original, the show will be disappointing and slow...Fish is baring the real emotions of his characters...”

“The trio of Chenoweth, Karl and Wilson justify the admission price, but the show is not without its flaws, most obvious of all Gallagher, who despite his talents, doesn’t seem to be on the same wavelength as the other players.”

“Even though the show leaves much to be desired, the one element that stands above everything else is Villafañe’s star-is-born performance.”

“She’s the fresh face with the big heart, and the even bigger voice — equally compelling in the heart-wrenchingly heavy dramatic moments as she is the lighthearted ones, demurely daydreaming of a life free of prejudice and obstruction.”

“The voices are beautiful and the actors play their parts well but my problems are with the script.”

“Comer gives a wonderful breathtakingly moving performance, one in which the character changes dramatically and maybe, just maybe, the audience changes as well.”

“For true Broadway aficionados, there perhaps couldn’t be a more ideal night at the theater than Prince of Broadway at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theater.”

“Most importantly, it is loads of fun.”

“The product of these actors makes Six Degrees of Separation worthy of connecting to audiences again.”

“It’s a blissfully entertaining show that doesn’t pretend to contain anything particularly original, its premise being a reworking of films and shows like Amadeus and Shakespeare in Love, and its music paying homage to famed musicals like Gypsy, Fiddler on the Roof and Spring Awakening among others.”

“Brilliantly directed by Rhodes, 'Spamalot' is diverting and entertaining.”

“‘The Cottage’ would have worked better as simply an outright farcical comedy with no attempt at seriousness.”

“Growing old in this world it seems, is no game at all.”

“It is impossible not to see yourself in The Humans, to see your mother, your father, and your siblings.”

“Yet the show is less than satisfying.”

“Both women are equally memorable in a play that marries the stylized drama of Southern Gothic with the wit of a comedy of manners...It's easy to sink into the play, which passes swiftly...Sullivan commands a fluid ensemble performance, stretching great drama out of heated arguments and pregnant pauses...”

“Well-directed by LaTanya Richardson Jackson, the show is warm and funny yet tinged with supernatural and righteous anger.”

“‘The Shark is Broken’ gives us a look behind the scenes of an iconic film and sometimes the background is even more interesting than the film itself.”

“Although some in the audience found it funny, it struck me as inane.”

“Travesties demands attention from its audience as it challenges our intellect -- but it moves quickly and intelligently so there’s no dozing off.”

“Tedious for them, and sometimes for us.”

“Although ‘Water for Elephants’ is a musical about a circus, I wouldn't bring our 11- year old.”