Roma Torre

“And while none are fatal, there are enough to keep The Lost Boys from achieving that one thing vampires and Broadway musicals desire more than anything else – eternal life.”

“And so will everyone else who comes to see this stunning revival.”

“Trip Cullman directs this gem of a play with the precision of a jeweler’s blade.”

“And while it may be unfair to compare them, those of us who know the film well are likely to feel the play falls short of expectations.”

“When Bess Wohl’s play Liberation premiered off-Broadway last winter it was revelatory. Despite some structural weaknesses that remain, it’s a beautiful work featuring an ensemble of actors at the top of their game. It’s no wonder the production transferred to Broadway totally intact.”

“Revived once again by Lear DeBessonet following last year’s outstanding City Center concert version, this nearly flawless Theater production ranks among Broadway’s best of all time.”

“Smart brings the character to vivid life but she can only do so much to engage the audience when the writing falls short.”

“Put it all together and you have one spicy Mexican feast of a show – as savory as a hot tamale, smooth as flan and irresistibly tasty as a deep-fried churro.”

“It’s overstuffed with silliness like that, and Susan Stroman, who usually has some clever tricks up her sleeve, isn’t able to rein this one in.”

“That misstep aside, the production remains highly entertaining.”

“It is a wondrous merging of technical wizardry, clever stagecraft and incomparable artistry.”

“As many times as I’ve seen the play, Washington’s take on Othello’s spiraling downfall puts an indelible stamp on the tragic role.”

“For some, it will feel slow and you might even say the style is an acquired taste.”

“As bio-musicals go, A Wonderful World doesn't break any new ground, and the book by Aurin Squire is pretty much by-the-numbers, hitting most of the highs and lows spanning 70 years in Armstrong's storied career.”

“It's a gorgeous collaboration marrying technology, the spoken word, performance, story and stage craft all in one cohesive design.”

“Illinoise is a wonderfully collaborative effort that raises the ‘barre’ for Broadway musicals moving forward.”

“Aside from all that, dramatically speaking, it’s just that good!”

“The Outsiders is an emotionally and viscerally satisfying work.”

“Even with all that first class talent, The Notebook could have done more to earn the love.”

“Criticisms aside, The French Republic is a must see for anyone who’s interested in deepening their understanding of the Jewish experience through the ages.”

“Gad and Rannells are simply divine delivering a master class in musical comedy and likely setting a land/speed record for laughs per minute.”

“They’re stuck in a barebones boy-meets-girl scenario that doesn’t allow for any real emotional investment.”

“Good Night, Oscar is a captivating work, as hysterically funny as it is heartbreaking.”

“Without apologies to the purists, it is a modern classic in its own right.”

“Like them, Life of Pi does a phenomenal job of creating a sense of realism with extraordinary stagecraft.”

“It’s not tragic — it still sounds gorgeous — but this is a director’s cut that loses more than it gains.”

“Back and forth the play goes—sometimes silly, sometimes deadly serious.”

“After some 40 years, ‘A Soldier’s Play’ still hits home, summoning a world at war with itself.”

“It is an emotionally rich, beautifully enacted evocation of the conflicting ironies of contemporary life.”

“Their effortless professionalism adds the spice to this heartwarming treat of a show.”

“'The Inheritance' speaks to us on so many levels - politically, intellectually, and emotionally. If it rambles, it is an echo of our messy lives but it so clearly addresses the rootlessness that plagued the gay community for years.”

“The rest of the show's elements can't possibly match Warren's consummate performance.”

“But it feels far more literary than theatrical and I think, in the end, even with Parker's superlative performance, ‘Inside’ is more suited to being read than seen or heard.”

“It's a testament to the two stars that despite the production's shortcomings, they make it all worthwhile.”

“‘Linda Vista’ turns out to be an engaging, if flawed, portrait of a modern day everyman who's incredibly smart on the one hand while behaving so inexplicably dumb on the other.”

“If the play feels overstuffed, it’s still an important history lesson.”

“What could so easily come off like soap opera in lesser hands rises in this production to the level of modern tragedy.”

“The words alone are enough to transport you to that ominous sea wall where tragedy inevitably strikes.”

“With tongue in cheek and heart in hand, not to mention assorted other body parts splitting, contorting and can-canning up a storm, ‘Moulin Rouge’ is a jukebox musical on steroids.”

“Frankie and Johnny may be catnip for actors, but I question the decision to revive this play.”

“For all the talent here, the show suffers from sensory overload.”

“It’s chilling reminder in this extraordinary production that we all pay a steep price when the media flouts the rules.”

“'Tootsie' is quite a hoot. On the surface, it's a conventional musical...But it's unconventionally funny. And thanks to an A-list cast of comedians, it's the comedy that makes this one sing...Yazbek's score is still mighty clever and tuneful. His lyrics are a gas, and the inside theatre references are a terrific bonus...”

“As written, directed and performed, it's as devastating a scene as you're ever likely to see on a Broadway stage.”

“And while this free-wheeling version of the Orpheus myth may not appeal to everyone, it is a collaborative tour de force.”

“He's terrifying, sexy, and horrible all at the same time.”

“And if you listen real hard, you’ll find that in this ‘Oklahoma!’ like the rest of the modern world, no one really gets to ride off into the sunset.”

“Conceptually, I see where Gold is going but as executed it comes off as amateurish.”

“The bottom line is that Schreck is highly entertaining, all the while engaging us with equal measures of humor and pathos.”

“O’Hara deserves a thousand kisses along with our eternal worship for gracing us with two and a half glorious hours in this altogether wunderbar production.”

“And it is his impassioned performance that makes the play truly sing.”

“But through a combination of miscasting and lopsided writing, the other performances pale by comparison, and whenever Cranston leaves the stage, the show flags.”

“Mastering Cher's off-handed humor, her laid back put-downs, and most especially, her throaty vocals, she is an absolute marvel in the exhausting role.”

“It’s a zany concept, but book writers Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, who also wrote the lyrics alongside composer Matthew Sklar, have devised a witty and joyful romp that also happens to be quite moving.”

“Birbiglia, self-described as a cross between Matt Damon and Bill O'Reilly, is a masterful humorist with a knack for making the most serious subjects hilarious.”

“But none of that matters if seeing a giant life-like gorilla puppet on the stage is your idea of great theatre, and it is awesome.”

“If the elements tie together a bit too neatly in the story, Demos-Brown does an excellent job of drawing us in to the conundrum of race in America.”

“On stage, most of the two and a half plus hours, he takes us laughing and crying on an emotional journey that will leave you ragged and raw.”

“So very true, and yet we do hear it throughout ‘Waverly Gallery,’ a play that delivers the hard truth about aging with eloquence and empathy.”

“‘The Ferryman’ stands out as a classic all on its own!”

“And while the work strives to be even-handed, it's clear the playwrights are more sympathetic to Jim's side of the debate. Daniel Radcliffe plays the unrelenting noodge to perfection. And when the two go at it, Bobby Cannavale's arch sense of entitlement as John makes for a most compelling dynamic.”

“Such is the contagious effect of Bean's odd-ball comedy, a work so refreshingly novel, it defies description.”

“While topically resonant, ‘Bernhardt/Hamlet’ is dramatically inert.”

“In truth, the singing is all well and good, but considering the evolution of gender politics over the last 30 years, ‘Pretty Woman’ today comes off pretty tone deaf.”

“A cockamamie mish mash of disparate elements that at best is a high-energy goofball of a show and at worst, well...see for yourself...If you're willing to suspend your disbelief, under Michael Mayer's spirited direction, there's so much good-natured talent on the stage you may just give in to the frivolity...”

“That may be the best message of all: Straight white guys, make room — a new group has arrived.”

“1968 was a momentous year for so many reasons. But one event that escapes most historical retrospectives was the premiere of what’s largely considered the first play about gay men in America.”

“Fortunately with George C. Wolfe and his superlative company to guide us through, we've got a match made in theatre heaven.”

“It's a respectable performance of a very demanding role — just not quite the transcendent portrait the role demands.”

“It's quite possible that you're going to be hopelessly lost in 'Travesties.' And that's why a guide in your Playbill will be essential reading.”

“Tiffany is a wizard himself, navigating the emotional terrain with his own theatrical magic.”

“He put a subtle but indelibly relevant stamp on Lerner and Loewe's masterpiece, and the design team's gorgeous sets, costumes, and lights add the perfect icing to this delectable cake.”

“And with a superb company of actors, dancers and musicians, this is still a ‘Carousel’ worth a mighty spin.”

“Time has not been kind to this Tony-winning drama.”

“Happily, this time around, a first-class collaboration puts us in the company of ‘Mean Girls’ you will love to hate.”

“Glenda Jackson's peerless portrait makes 'Three Tall Women' an unqualified triumph.”

“Chris Evans, famed as Captain America in the movies, does a complete about-face in his Broadway debut as a sexist pig with an inflated ego, and he is wonderful.”

“‘America’ is intellectually and emotionally rewarding.”

“Thanks to those talented sisters, it did mine.”

“And they should be most pleased with this rendering, which exuberantly transports audiences on a satisfying high from start to finish.”

“Regardless of your stage in life, Dear Evan Hansen will touch you in ways you probably never expected.”

“But even the best literature has limited appeal to a mainstream theatre audience.”

“Playwright Kirkwood seems to agree; it's the deceptive ordinariness of it all that makes ‘The Children’ so deeply unnerving.”

“That aside, if you're up for a little anarchic fun, dive right in.”

“From the set, complete with a body of water, to the phenomenal ensemble, every piece of this production pulses with an organic exuberance that's impossible to resist.”

“Don't expect to find any big message here; ‘Meteor Shower’ is best appreciated as a deliriously nutty 80-minute sketch featuring a starry collaboration of some of our finest comedic talents.”

“Unfortunately, ‘The Parisian Woman’ is neither villainous nor irresistible enough to make us care one way or the other.”

“As a solo performer — and I'm counting all Americans — he ranks among the very best.”

“‘The Band’s Visit’ is all about the human desire for connection, no matter how tentative or brief.”

“‘Junk’ is a familiar story, but for anyone with the stomach and head for another lesson in Wall Street avarice, this one's worth the investment.”

“So strong is Hwang's writing, ‘M. Butterfly’ is riveting theatre, even when the production fails to fully take wing.”

“My sentiments, exactly, with Mr. Prince's latest.”

“It's no wonder he hit the target with this one, even if he is preaching to the choir.”

“Lili Taylor's naturalistic performance is downright life-affirming.”

“In 2017, ‘1984’ resonates louder than ever.”

“Metcalf dazzles with a performance that bridges the centuries.”

“With nary a false note in this revised production, ‘Bandstand’ creates sweet harmony from the dissonance of war.”

“She morphs into the role of the beloved matchmaker with a star power that brightens the universe.”

“The musical doesn't quite solve that problem.”

“Under Bartlett Sher's taut direction, the wise and witty three-hour drama unfolds like a political thriller.”