By SCOTTY BENNETT In the moments between daylight and evening, there is a time when it is neither day nor night. It is a time of transition, a liminal state between now and then, a twilight zone between what is here and nowhere. Welcome to Nowhere, a town somewhere in the Great Smoky Mountains of…
By SCOTTY BENNETT One of the fascinating things about humans is how easily they mask intense feelings in a cloak of smiles and good humor. Pain, both physical and emotional, can be disguised but not completely hidden from the discerning eye. It sometimes emerges as an edgy joke or sarcastic observation. Regardless of how glimpses…
By AARON KRAUSE When it comes to musicals, A Bronx Tale is not one of the great ones. Still, it’s a crowd-pleasing, familiar tale populated by characters we care about. Surely, you don’t have to be Italian or African-American to feel a kinship with folks such as Calogero, Sonny, Lorenzo, Jane, and a host of other colorful…
Rebecca Luker, a much-praised Broadway actress and singer who earned three Tony Award nominations during her 30-year career, died on Wednesday, Dec. 23 in a Manhattan hospital. She was 59. Luker’s agent, Sarah Fargo, confirmed her death. The Broadway star announced in February that doctors diagnosed her with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as A.L.S….
By EDWARD RUBIN Of all the celebs channeled by drag queens and female impersonators, Bette Davis, like flies to honey, has always been at the top of every performers list. Her mannerisms, her clipped New England cadences, her famous lines like “Fasten your seatbelt; this is going to be a bumpy ride,” and the forever…
By AARON KRAUSE While we still do not know when the 2020 virtual Tony Awards broadcast will take place, we at least now know the nominees. The Tony Awards’ presenters, The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, announced the nominees on Thursday. Alanis Morissette’s musical, Jagged Little Pill, leads the way with 15 nominations. In…
Actress Dame Diana Rigg, a renowned English performer who played roles such as Emma Peel in The Avengers and Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones, has died at age 82. In addition to these roles, the late stage and screen actress (July 20, 1938-Sept. 10, 2020) portrayed James Bond’s wife in the 1969 film On…
By AARON KRAUSE MIAMI — Do yourself a favor: Do not think about Come From Away as just another show “about 9/11.” To be sure, this remarkable true story would not exist had the terrorist attacks on one of the world’s darkest days not occurred. But Come From Away, which is hardly depressing, is about so much more…
By AARON KRAUSE FT. LAUDERDALE — A couple of reviews of A Bronx Tale, the Broadway musical, describe the show as a blending between Jersey Boys and West Side Story. Many might rightly agree. However, we should add to that mix Guys and Dolls as well as Memphis the Musical. True, A Bronx Tale features a fictional fledgling singing group. Perhaps, if they were real, one…
By AARON KRAUSE CORAL GABLES, Fla. — No doubt, sparks fly quickly and furiously in Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre’s combustible, searing, suspenseful, must-witness production of John Patrick Shanley’s explosive drama, Doubt: A Parable. The 2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play is running through June 9. And we can say, without question, that…
By EDWARD RUBIN The Glen, written, produced, and directed by Peter B. Hodges is a ‘must see’ play. Currently running through Saturday, February 16 at Shelter Studios’ intimate 60-seat theater, The Glen is one of those plays, due to its short run, that sadly disappears as quickly as it appears. Hopefully, future productions will keep…
By EDWARD RUBIN For those that loved Clueless, the 1995 cult movie starring Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd, watched the TV series (1996-99) based on the film, and perhaps read all 21 of the Cher young adult books, well, Clueless is back. This time it’s a two and a half hour, acrobatically dance-heavy, in-your-face, over…
