By AARON KRAUSE WEST PALM BEACH — Characters down alcohol with an equilibrium-upsetting frequency in Billy and Me, a new, engrossing, thought-provoking memory play receiving its world premiere production at Palm Beach Dramaworks through the end of the year. One of the principle characters is, surprise, surprise, Tennessee Williams. The late, great playwright was known as […]
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By AARON KRAUSE NEW YORK CITY — You might call them “The Hope Musicals.” The Broadway shows Come From Away and The Band’s Visit offer hope — hope that goodness still exists within humanity during a time when cynicism, division and hate seem rampant. The Band’s Visit is a gem of a heartfelt, emotionally-complex musical which recently […]
By AARON KRAUSE NEW YORK CITY — If you’re the father of a young boy or young man, you can relate to Lorenzo’s predicament: You want to instill wholesome, moral values in your son, whom you feel is learning from you. Then he meets and becomes fascinated by a man with violent tendencies, but deep down, […]
By AARON KRAUSE NEW YORK CITY — The Play That Goes Wrong should be titled The Play That Goes Right. Oh, it’s understandable why authors Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields came up with their title. Practically nothing the characters do in this play-within-a-play, now on Broadway, seems to be correct. That’s likely quite […]
By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“) Composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown has won multiple Tony Awards for his brilliant compositions and, most especially, for his tender ballads. First noted for his 1995 production of Songs for a New World, Brown later received critical acclaim for Parade, which told the story of convicted […]
By ALAN SMASON, Theatre Critic, WYES-TV (“Steppin’ Out“) There is no doubt that Neil Simon is one of the great comedic geniuses in American theatre. With an innate understanding of what is funny, steeped in his early days as a writer when he penned classic skits for people like Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca on […]
By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“) There is an adage to which many critics adhere that there is only one “i” in review; ergo, critical analysis which employs the first person should be similarly limited. But the current production of Caroline, or Change, co-produced by Loyola University and the Jefferson Performing Arts Society, […]
By AARON KRAUSE MIAMI BEACH — Birth isn’t one of the major life cycles at the center of Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic Our Town. Of course, someone is born during the play — and the result is the heartbreaking ending that has flooded audience seating areas with tears since the classic play premiered in 1938. […]
By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“) Bill Johnson has made a career out of portraying the late, great Bob Hope in several stage productions in his hometown of Las Vegas, on the international stage and in recent years at a recurring production – “Thanks for the Memories: Bob Hope and His All-Star Tour” […]
By AARON KRAUSE FT. LAUDERDALE — There are lighting effects galore (some overdone, some mood-enhancing by Thomas Shorrock) in Slow Burn Theatre Company’s mostly commendable, high-flying production of Tarzan: The Stage Musical. It runs through Nov. 5 on Broward Center for the Performing Arts’ intimate Amaturo Stage. Fortunately, director/choreographer Patrick Fitzwater doesn’t forget to highlight […]