After seeing theaters shut down for so long during the quarantine, it's easy to get emotional thinking about what they mean to people. "Going the Distance" taps into that emotion with a story of a community theater trying to mount a new adaptation of L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz story. This fully digital production is a collaboration between the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Oxford Playhouse, The Dukes, and The Watermill Theatre.
This production follows other successful digital co-productions by Henry Filloux-Bennett including "What A Carve Up!" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray." Felicity Montagu directs from a script by Filloux-Bennett and Yasmeen Khan.
The Matchborough Community Theatre knows that they don't have much money left, but they are determined to save their local venue with a fundraising production of a new play. But problems arise immediately from a demanding diva, a fighting writer and director, and a PR lady with a power complex. From their initial planning meeting over Zoom (a very nice touch) to their rehearsals in the theatre, we're taken along every step of the way.
Matthew Kelly plays the gruff Frank, who has been roped into directing the production, but he's at odds with writer Vic, played by Shobna Gulati. Sarah Hadland is great as Rae, who is desperate to gain control and one of my favorite choices in the whole show is how she keeps checking her own appearance in the camera during the Zoom meeting.
Nicole Evans brings the perfect amount of obnoxious leading lady energy to Billie and Penny Ryder is endearing as Maggie, the older woman on the staff who is roped into playing a role in the production. But much of the heart of the production comes from the interactions between Emma McDonald as Gail, the young woman playing Dorothy, and Merch Husey as her friend Kem.
McDonald was one of the best parts of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and the same is definitely true here. She brings real heart to the production as a young woman who has never been involved in theatre before but has a beautiful voice.
In between the scenes of the show, Stephen Fry provides context as the narrator with additional images and video. The format is clearly a hybrid of theatre and film, seemingly somewhere in between the two and its own new genre.
If you book a ticket, you will receive a link that allows you to view the show for 48 hours. It's very convenient, even for people like me who aren't in the same time zone as the United Kingdom because it allows for flexibility.
The show does an excellent job of combining humor and real emotion, particularly as it touches on loss during coronavirus and the ways in which the quarantine has affected our theaters. It's also an excellent reminder of the need to support our theaters right now as those that have survived the last nineteen months are still likely struggling to stay afloat. One way to support theatre? Buy a ticket to this show.
You can find more information and buy virtual tickets here. The show runs from October 4 to 17.
I was given a press ticket to this show for the purposes of review, but all opinions are my own.
In 1935, Clifford Odets's "Waiting for Lefty" premiered in New York City. Odets's first play to be produced, it was a response to the New York Taxi Driver Strike of 1934 in the form of a series of vignettes highlighting issues and experiences related to the strike. The play was popular with audiences, even garnering a West End production the following year. But, as "(It's Been 76 Years and We're) Still Waiting for Lefty" questions, "Do you think this play inspired any change or are we all still waiting?"
Gregory Crafts's play is a response to "Waiting for Lefty" and an exploration of the modern issues facing American society today. Now playing at the Hollywood Fringe, it utilizes the same format of vignettes that Odets did to showcase a range of characters and problems. Written by Crafts, the show is based on a concept by Richard Piatt, who also directs. It also contains original music by Michael Teoli and poetry by Wade F. Wilson in between scenes.
"Still Waiting for Lefty" opens with someone filming a YouTube video with a ring light. As he talks about "Waiting for Lefty," other performers go through movement on the main part of the stage. It's a great introduction to the play for anyone unfamiliar with it and a clever way to make sure the audience understands what this play is inspired by. (I personally had heard of it, but have never seen it performed.) The video supposedly being made can be watched on YouTube.
The scenes address many of the major problems that we face today in America: racism, corruption, exploitation of workers, COVID-19, and political strife. The first two vignettes were my personal favorites. In the first, Jose (Joe Luis Cedillo) is an Amazon driver who is frustrated with his poor treatment at work. He tells his wife, Edna (Leesette Gloria Medina), of the way that he cannot do anything while driving without being penalized, even changing the radio station.
However, she cannot understand his problems as she has her own concerns: having been let go from her job and caring for their young daughter. She's more focused on the fear that he will lose his job and they will no longer have health insurance. When he talks about joining with his coworkers who are trying to unionize, she tells him he needs to just do better at his job.
Obviously, the treatment of Amazon employees has been a hot topic over the past few months, but this is also an interesting look at the issues that workers face when they are caught between the desire to try to improve their working conditions and the pressure placed on them by their family to ensure that they don't lose their work. In an economy where decent jobs with good pay and benefits is hard to find, this scene shows what a difficult situation that puts workers in.
The second scene, centered around a pair of siblings who have been estranged due to their political beliefs, was a lot more familiar to me. I'm lucky not to have experienced this, but I have friends who are at odds with their family for similar issues. Ashley (Courtney Sara Bell) doesn't want to see her brother Will (Michael J. Lutheran) who is visiting, despite her fiancé Lana (Leah Verrill) encouraging her. She hasn't spoken to him since he voted for Trump a second time, so he's surprised to find out that she's met someone and gotten engaged during quarantine.
When Lana invites him to their apartment, a confrontation breaks out between Ashley and Will. Despite reminiscing about their childhood together, they cannot see eye to eye. He wishes that she would understand that he voted for Trump "because of the economy," but she cannot reconcile that with her identity as a gay woman.
Lana is also very concerned about coronavirus and her discussion of variants and conspiracy theories feels very up-to-date. Both this worry about the virus and the conflict over one family member insisting that politics aren't personal, while the other person's rights are at stake are sadly major parts of our lives today.
You can go see "Still Waiting for Lefty" in person at the Hollywood Fringe or you can watch it online. The virtual stream isn't perfect, or as well shot as some of the more formal livestream theatre (like the National Theatre Lives), but it's plenty decent to be able to see the show. There were a couple of moments when it was difficult to hear something, but that's understandable given the format.
Craft's writing creates believable, but snappy dialogue while the performances find empathy for the characters. If the conflicts can sometimes feel like one person is very obviously in the right and the other in the wrong, that says more about the state of our country than the writing. Bell's performance as Ashley was the standout for me, as she perfectly brought to life her internal conflict.
You can find more information and buy in-person or virtual tickets here. The show has performances on August 20 and August 25.
Photo Credit: Matt Kamimura
I was given a press ticket to this show for the purposes of review, but all opinions are my own.
Tracy Sallows is an actor who has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in television and film. This fall, she has a recurring role as Susan Duntsch in the NBC miniseries, Dr. Death. She is a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre workshop in New York City where she wrote the book, music, and lyrics to Curious & Rare. This exciting new musical tells the life story of English paleontologist Mary Anning. Today is actually Mary Anning's 222nd birthday, so it's the perfect time to learn more about this show and the writer behind it.
When and how did you first become interested in theatre?
I was lucky enough to have parents who really enjoyed going to the theatre. The first musical they took me to was Irene with Jane Powell. I don't remember much beyond "Alice Blue Gown," but the second musical they took me to was Annie and I learned it by heart. I loved musicals, but came to find that I have an alto/contralto voice, and outside of "Send in the Clowns" and Ursula the Sea Witch, there isn't a lot for women in that range, certainly not for young women. I trained at the Acting Conservatory program at SUNY Purchase and sang in cabarets there and did a lot of plays and plays with music (like The Hostage, Dark of the Moon, Under Milkwood) after I graduated.
How did you get involved in writing for musical theatre?
I was at the Guthrie Theatre doing The Glass Menagerie and Cymbeline and the theatre was planning a comedic cabaret so I wrote some parodies for them and they went over well. Back in New York City, I started writing and performing original comedic songs and sketches for a comedy troupe that performed Monday nights when we were off from the theatre. My friend, Kerry O'Malley, who is a Broadway actor (or you might know her from TV like Snowpiercer and Why Women Kill), heard my songs, loved my writing, and suggested I audition for the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop and work on writing a full length show. I got in, made it through the first two years, and got into the Advanced Class where I started writing Curious & Rare.
How did you first discover Mary Anning and what drew you to her?
Some years ago, I was at the gift shop of the Montauk Lighthouse on Long Island looking for a book for my daughter and came across a children's book about little Mary Anning finding an Ichthyosaur in 1811. I thought it must be fiction - surely I would have heard of her if she had been real! I went home and Googled her and just kind of fell down the rabbit hole researching her.
At a time when a poor girl's future would most likely entail being a servant if she was lucky, a scullery maid or worse if she wasn't, Mary Anning was fortunate enough to have been born on what would later be called the Jurassic Coast of England, to a cabinet maker father who was interested in collecting fossil "curiosities" and who was a Dissenter, one of the few religions that taught girls as well as boys to read and write. Luckily for all of us, Richard Anning's inclusion of his daughter gave her another path.
Mary's story gripped me in many ways. While our careers are markedly different, some of the occupational hazards that she was presented with because of being passionately driven in her work, resonated with me. I am very fortunate; I have a husband and a daughter and have managed to keep working, but actors very often don't get to have families. The financial instability, the moving from job to job (if you're lucky), the impermanence of your locations don't make relationships easy.
Many female actors look younger than they are and the majority of roles for women are still in the younger demographic, so there is pressure to work while you can, as long as you can, and many put off having a family even if they want one. It is easy to see how Mary would have had to give up her work and who she was if she had wanted to get married, given the societal constraints in the early 1800s. Also, it may be that after seeing her mother lose eight out of ten children in infancy, she simply didn't want to put herself through it. Being dedicated to a career comes at a cost, but giving it up comes at a cost too.
The Annings also remind me of a branch of my family that came over from Liverpool, England in 1906. They were very, very poor and very resilient. I see a bit of Mary and her mother Molly in the relationship between by my great aunt and my great-grandmother. They sustained each other. There is a song in Curious & Rare, "Oranges from Spain," that pertains to either pair.
Lastly, working very hard and being overlooked irregardless is something that I think a lot of people can identify with! Outside of Marie Curie and more recently Katherine Johnson, we don't hear much about women scientists and particularly female paleontologists.
Before the pandemic, I was at a baby shower for a boy and it was striking how many dinosaur themed books, pajamas, tee shirts, stuffed animals, and wrapping paper were on display. Dinosaurs were as prevalent as the color blue and it's so easy to see how that reinforces paleontology as the domain of boys right from infancy. I was drawn to the story of a woman who persevered in a field that was considered the boys' club of all boys' clubs and despite being excluded, managed to make an undeniable mark in the field of paleontology.
Can you tell me a bit about the story that Curious & Rare tells?
Curious & Rare tells the story of 19th century English paleontologist Mary Anning from her first major discovery at age twelve in 1811 to her death in 1847. There are a lot of children's books that write only about her discovery of the Ichthyosaur and there are novels that focus on her twenties and end with her last major discoveries. But I wanted to follow her whole life, not just the high points, but the valleys as well, to show what it cost her to be who she was. I also wanted to explore her relationship with her mother and the various gentlemen geologists she dealt with, as well as my hunch about who her romantic interest was.
It is the story of a self-taught girl who grew into a woman who could hold her own in the male dominated field of paleontology, all despite the hardships of extreme poverty, the disapproval of the Church of England, the condescension of the scientific community, the confines of nineteenth-century society, the vicious gossip of her town, romantic heartbreak, her untimely death, and all the efforts to obscure and take credit for her contributions. I think she would be utterly amazed with the level of recognition she is receiving 222 years after her birth.
What was the process of writing Curious & Rare like?
Maury Yeston, who wrote the Broadway shows Nine, Titanic, and Grand Hotel, sometimes moderates at the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop in NYC. He has often said, "There are two kinds of musical theatre writers: there are composer/lyricists and there are song writers." A composer/lyricist might write a piece of music and then write lyrics for it, or write lyrics and set them to music. I am definitely a songwriter; when I hear the lyrics in my head, they come attached to the melody, sometimes with a counter melody as well.
Sometimes it happens very quickly; one day in 2011, in the very early days of writing this piece, I was in an elevator going to a voice-over audition and thinking, what is Henry trying to say at this point at the end of the show? And "Change Is Slow" came into my head, melody attached, and I got off the elevator, signed in, read the voice-over copy, turned it over and started writing the lyrics. I had the audition and continued writing the lyrics on the subway home. I came home and worked on the piano and checked some reference books about the day Mary Anning died.
Even in the driest reference book, there can be a word or phrase that inspires a lyric. Suddenly, I find myself reading, "Mary Anning died Tuesday, March 9th, 1847" and my hair stands on end because I realize I have just written the part of the show where she dies...and I am writing it on Tuesday, March 9th.
Do you have a favorite song from the show?
Ah, you know, they are all my favorites for different reasons. I have tried to work in actual quotes from each character into the songs when it felt natural. When Mary Anning was describing one of her most bizarre and unusual finds, the Squaloraja, she said it was "analogous to nothing" in a letter to Adam Sedgwick (who taught Darwin at Cambridge). "Analogous to Nothing" seems to me an apt title not only for a song about the Squaloraja, which was a prehistoric hybrid creature with traits of both sharks and rays that didn't fit neatly into any category, but a perfect way to describe Mary's life as well. There are so many hybrids in the show; reverend-doctors who preach the Bible and teach geology and Ichthyosaurs thought to be "Fish-Lizards" and, for the early 1800s, a female paleontologist was just as striking a combination.
Jeremiah James as Henry de la Beche and Stephanie Rothenberg as Mary Anning in the Manhattan Musical Theatre Lab staged reading of Curious & Rare
Mary Anning has been largely forgotten by history, but she's in the conversation more right now because of the recent film Ammonite in which she's portrayed by Kate Winslet. Have you had a chance to see the film yet and if so, what did you think of it?
Yes! Mary is really in the conversation more now. The folks at Mary Anning Rocks, after two and a half years of diligently trying, have finally raised the money for a bronze statue of Mary and her dog Tray to be made and installed in Lyme Regis. This is a really wonderful and important tribute to Mary - and all women in science - and will be an inspiration to many who come to visit Mary's hometown.
Also, the Royal Mint just came out with a trio of 50p coins celebrating her discoveries of the Temnodontosaurus (Ichthyosaur), Plesiosaurus, and Dimorphodon (Pterodactyl). There are also new books and new films in the works. It is wonderful to see her being so honored.
I did see Ammonite. Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan are incredible actors, but I had trouble with the extreme license the story took not only with Mary Anning's life, but with Charlotte Murchison's as well. In reality, Charlotte was eleven years older than Mary, so if Mary was 40, Charlotte was 51, not 24. I would have liked to have seen a film that represented more of Mary Anning's work. As a paleontologist who spent her daily life trying to uncover the real truth about the past, I think facts would have mattered to her.
What's something that you wish people knew about Mary Anning?
That she herself is a missing link. Everyone knows about Darwin. Everyone knows about his theory of evolution. Mary's discoveries posited a theory of extinction and a question of "deep time," both of which were considered blasphemous at the time. Darwin's work was influenced by Mary's discoveries.
Mary was religious and wondered and worried about the questions that her unearthing of fossils were raising, but she had faith enough to not presume to know, or put any limits on, what God was capable of creating and she continued her work and the pursuit of knowledge. Similarly, Darwin knew his theory would be greatly upsetting to some and actually held off publishing for a while. They were not people devoid of spirituality or religion; they just didn't see Science as being in conflict with Spirituality.
I also wish people knew how hard it was to spot fossils. Mary didn't just go out daily and collect things; she searched for them (often putting herself in danger on unstable cliffs), excavated them, carried them home, chiseled them out, cleaned them, and illustrated them. Her illustrations were wonderful. Then she sold all that work for a fraction of what it was worth to men who would often take credit for finding the fossil. The work she did was physically taxing and she did it daily in all kinds of weather.
Tracy Sallows presenting six songs from Curious & Rare at a BMI Master Class guest-moderated by Stephen Schwartz
What are your hopes for Curious & Rare in the future?
Well, now that we are emerging from the pandemic and theatre is beginning to come back, I would love to find a theatre that is interested in a staged reading, a workshop, or (better yet) a production. I have been working on this show for quite some time now and it is wonderful to see Mary Anning at long last get some attention. I am hoping a rising tide will lift all boats.
Do you have any advice for aspiring musical writers?
Get yourself in a workshop where people can give you feedback. Not everybody's feedback is useful, but there will always be some people who give a note that raises your game or gives you an "aha!" moment. Good, challenging notes are exciting; it means somebody "gets" you and is intrigued by your project. If you are in the New York area, apply for the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. It is free - you get in on merit!
Some of the work written in response to the Covid-19 crisis feels exploitative. Like it's playing on its audience emotions and like it's come too soon, before we've had a chance to process what we've been through worldwide, what we're still going through. But Barn Theatre Associate Artist Matthew Harvey has found a way to create art in response to the pandemic that avoids all of that.
Harvey's new song cycle, "Now or Never," has been brought back for a longer run thanks to popular demand. Directed by Creative Director Ryan Carter, it was filmed live in a single take on April 1, earlier this month. The show is short, at only forty minutes long, making it perfect to watch on your lunch break.
The connective thread of the song cycle is that all seven characters are responding to impending global catastrophe, as a large solar flare is expected to hit Earth within a week. With Zoom meetings and border lockdowns, the parallels to our current situation are clear without being overdone. Watching these engaging characters face the situation with overwhelming positivity, without downplaying the gravity of the situation, as they each consider how to spend what could be their last week alive is fascinating.
The innovative filming of "Now or Never" is fantastic and adds a sense of intimacy to watching it onscreen. The show is shot in one non-stop, long shot with one camera (similar to that scene in last year's Oscar-nominated "Pieces of a Woman" film). It makes great use of space throughout the building. The amount of props, including a motorcycle and a television, are also impressive.
It's hard to see a song cycle without thinking of Jason Robert Brown's "Songs for a New World," but this one does actually bear some similarities musically. Harvey is clearly a talented songwriter, but he also has a fantastic voice that he lends to the opening number, "On the Road." The other songs are performed by Eloise Davies, Ahmed Hamad, Irvine Iqbal, Lucy St Louis, Katie Shearman, and Courtney Stapleton and each brings something unique to their number. Davies and Stapleton's "Let's Skip Town" was definitely my favorite number of the show.
Harvey's "Now or Never" would be an impressive song cycle for its music or the way it was filmed alone. But the way that it addresses global adversity while avoiding directly talking about the pandemic marks it as a truly resonant piece of art. Furthermore, it's able to find a tone that is upbeat and cheerful, without seeming naive. Particularly considering its short length, I recommend that everyone watch and support this beautiful show.
You can find more information and buy tickets on the Barn Theatre website. The show runs until May 9.
Photo Credit: Jenya Steanson
I was given a press ticket to this show for the purposes of review, but all opinions are my own.
Produced by Poonamallee Productions in collaboration with the Barn Theatre and in association with Exeter Northcott Theatre, An Elephant in the Garden is a unique wartime coming-of-age story now available to stream online. Based on the book by Michael Morpurgo, the play is adapted and directed by Simon Reade. It explores World War II from the perspective of a teenage girl from Dresden, Germany. This one-woman show, with all characters performed by Alison Reid, is the Barn Theatre's latest in a line of fantastic digital offerings.
An Elephant in the Garden has been performed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the Bristol Old Vic and Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe, and on tour in the UK. This is the show's first time being brought to the digital stage. Reid, dressed in dungarees and a floral button-down, tells the story directly to the audience.
The show opens on November 9, 1989 with Lizzie hearing on the radio that the Berlin Wall is being torn down. She reflects back on her childhood in Dresden leading up to the war. Her father worked at the Dresden Art Gallery and the family had Jewish friends. She chronicles how things started to change in the city and her father was called up to war and her mother began working at the zoo.
Most of the show focuses on the 1945 Dresden bombings and 16-year-old Lizzie, her mother, and an elephant named Marlene walking across the country to try to find safety. Reid brings to life all the people that Lizzie meets along the way from a Canadian Air Force soldier to a countess.
The show's design is excellent from the fantastic sound design by Jason Barnes to the lighting work by Matthew Graham. In particular, the red lighting as Lizzie talks about the bombing of Dresden is very effective. Max Johns's set design is minimalistic, with its main piece being a bombed out section of a wall, and there are few props used.
It's Reid who fully emerges us in the story as she brings all of the characters to life. She does a fantastic job of conjuring up visuals with her high-energy body language and voice work. She makes the piece completely engaging for its one-hour runtime.
It's interesting to explore World War II from a German perspective and to see issues of wartime intertwined with the usual coming-of-age topics like first love and disagreements with parents. This story of a teenage girl and her mother traipsing across Germany with an elephant will touch your heart and make you laugh.
This is the first of two Michael Morpurgo productions to be revived for streaming by the Barn Theatre. Private Peacefulwill air later in April. Buying a ticket for An Elephant in the Garden provides 24-hour access and is available internationally.
You can find more information and buy tickets on the Barn Theatre website. The show runs until April 18.
Photo Credit: Farrows Creative
I was given a press ticket to this show for the purposes of review, but all opinions are my own.
What would you give for the perfect social media presence? The creative team of What a Carve Up!have returned with a fantastic new version of The Picture of Dorian Gray that reimagines Oscar Wilde's only novel for the modern world. Co-produced by the Barn Theatre, the Lawrence Batley Theatre, the New Wolsey Theatre, the Oxford Playhouse, and the Theatr Clwyd, the show situates Dorian Gray as an influencer whose friend has given him a filter to ensure his perfect online appearance will never falter.
The show, perhaps more film than theatre, is staged as a documentary of sorts looking back on the events preceding Dorian's death. We see interviews being filmed with Dorian's friends who made it out of the story alive, interspersed with clips of the events as they happened. But we also are witness to the Snapchats, texts, and FaceTime calls shared between the characters. Tamara Harvey's expert direction brings it all together while Holly Pigott's costume and set design elevate the piece to feel like a proper production.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is admittedly one of the few Oscar Wilde works that I haven't read, but from what I know of it, Henry Filloux-Bennett's adaptation is excellent. The story opens with interviews with the Lady Narborough (Joanna Lumley) and social media influencer Harry Wotton (Alfred Enoch) looking back on Dorian's downfall. We first meet Dorian (Fionn Whitehead) as an English student and wannabe YouTuber. He's cute and mild-mannered, but there's the hint of something sinister underneath.
Alfred Enoch as Harry
His friend Basil (Russell Tovey), a software developer, is essentially obsessed with the much younger Dorian. Both Basil and Harry seem to fight for Dorian's affections; this production is able to make its gay relationships much more explicit than the novel it's based on. On his 21st birthday, Basil presents Dorian with a filter that will preserve his youth and beauty online. And for a while, things seem perfect.
Dorian falls hard and fast for Sibyl Vane (Emma McDonald), an aspiring actress who is building a following on TikTok doing scenes from plays and poems. But as he becomes more obsessed with social media, we begin to see a difference in his online and offline appearance. In a twist on the original story in which Dorian's portrait becomes grotesque while his actual appearance remains immaculate, Dorian's online presence remains practically glowing while his body grows uglier with impressive makeup work. And as his obsession with his online image grows, so does his cruelty.
Whitehead is excellent as Dorian, capturing both his endearing boyishness in the beginning and his absolute callousness later. McDonald shines as Sibyl, with a simple charm that contrasts well with Dorian's more calculated nature. It's fun to see Stephen Fry as the interviewer, asking Harry and Lady Narborough about their deceased friend.
Emma McDonald as Sibyl
But the true standout of the cast is Enoch from the moment he first appears with a mustache and floral blazer, lounging on a maroon sofa. It's unlike any character I've ever seen him play before; he's suave and debonair, though underneath it there's a true affection for Dorian that makes the events that unfold even more devastating.
The show feels remarkably up to date for 2021 from its references to Twitch and Patreon to "The Queen's Gambit" to Dorian's reminders to wear a mask. Setting the piece during quarantine cleverly explains away why the interviews are happening via a computer, allowing it to be made with less people together at a time. It's also a bit cheeky and self-aware. It mentions Oscar Wilde and "that one good" National Theatre Live show with Tom Hiddleston, an obvious reference to Coriolanus, which Enoch was in.
But it also takes its exploration of the dangers of social media further than the surface level ideas about vanity. Because while social media does lead some to be obsessed with their image, the very existence of this adaptation proves that that issue is nothing new. It delves into right-wing conspiracy theories about Covid and the government and a movement of Aesthetics over Ethics that Dorian leads. As an American who is more and more concerned with the right-wing theorizing online and how it can led into things like the Capitol riot, these themes strongly resonated with me.
This show contains mature language and themes, including drugs, sex, mental illness, and suicide. It's not an easy watch, but it's captivating in the same way that a sinking ship is. The Picture of Dorian Gray is an excellent reimagining of Oscar Wilde's enduring novel about obsession and image, updated for 2021, and just as chilling as its original version.
You can find more information and buy tickets on the Picture of Dorian Graywebsite. The show runs until March 31.
I was given a press ticket to this show for the purposes of review, but all opinions are my own.
If a child is cloned, is their father also the father of all the clones? That's one of the questions asked by Raleigh Little Theatre's newest production. "A Number" is a psychological thriller about human cloning. Directed by Patrick Torres and written by Caryl Churchill, the play examines personhood and the ethics of cloning people. At only an hour long, it's just the right length for a show that asks such demanding questions of its audience.
David Henderson plays Salter, while Jesse Gephart plays Bernard and other characters. Because some people might be a bit confused by Gephart portraying different characters and the complexity of the play in general, RLT has provided a plot summary on their website. (I would recommend reading after you finish watching the play, or even pausing after every scene to read the breakdown.)
Much of the play centers around Bernard finding out that not only was he potentially the product of cloning, but that the scientists also made other clones with his DNA without his father's permission. He questions if he's the original and if that matters.
He also begins to find out that the things he's been told about his past might not be true at all. The audience must try to figure out what the truth is along with Bernard as the play unfolds. It moves from more a philosophical conversation to a thriller as other characters get involved. Meanwhile, Salter is a man reckoning with his past mistakes catching up with him.
The show is filled with fast-paced dialogue and both actors play off of each other well. Gephart does a great job of differentiating between his characters with accent work and physicality. While one character is bolder and more aggressive, another is mild-mannered and more refined and this shows well through his movements and tone of voice.
The show was filmed on a simply dressed stage to be streamed online. It's well-filmed to show us different angles and allow us to feel a bit more intimate with the actors without ever losing the sense of it being a play on a stage.
"A Number" is something a bit different than your normal play that you might see. As the characters themselves question issues to do with cloning and individuality, the audience has to reckon with them as well. However, with its short length, it never becomes overpowering or fatiguing. Raleigh Little Theatre's latest show has great performances and an intriguing premise -- and can be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of your own home.
The Barn Theatre has been one of the best sources of theatre content during the pandemic as they continue to come up with inventive ways to offer shows online. In perhaps their most creative project yet, their latest show is a sort of choose-your-own-adventure concert: "The Secret Society of Leading Ladies." Conceived of and directed by Ryan Carter, it lets the audience put together their own concert line-up as they go and choose from lots of different types of leading lady characters.
So how does it work? The audience will see five different "Choose Your Player" screens as they navigate through the concert that allows you to choose a character and song. There are fourteen different performances in the concert lineup, allowing for 150 different combinations, before a finale with all fourteen performers. There are also cute interactions between the characters in between songs. The concert lasts for about a half hour and while I would happily have watched more, it makes sure you never get tired of the format.
The songs come from shows ranging from "Mean Girls" to "The Wizard of Oz" to "Fame." You can choose to hear some of your favorite songs or discover something new that you've not heard before. (I consider myself a pretty intense musical theatre fan and there were still a couple that I wasn't familiar with.)
Aisha Jawando's "Last Midnight" from "Into the Woods" absolutely floored me not just with her great vocals, but also her fantastic acting choices. I love Aoife Clesham's rendition of one of my favorite songs, "The History of Wrong Guys" from "Kinky Boots."
Jarnéia Richard-Noel's "I Didn't Plan It" from "Waitress" was another highlight for me, especially as someone who has seen the show but doesn't listen to the cast album and had sort of forgotten about the song. I also love Jocasta Almgill's absolutely electric "Everybody's Girl" from "Steel Pier," a show that I had never heard of before.
All in all, there isn't a single bad performance as all the women nail their songs and their characters. The show is also very impressively put together, with each singer performing on a stage with a brick background that really does lend a concert feel. The videography by Jamie Scott-Smith is stellar, as is the editing by Ben Evans and sound engineering by Harry Smith. I also especially love that each woman wears an outfit inspired by the character she's portraying.
You can buy a one-show ticket and watch the concert through once or you can buy a multi-show ticket that allows you to watch the concert again and choose different performances. I absolutely love how creative this idea is and I'd love to see the Barn Theatre do a "Secret Society of Leading Men" concert next.
For more information or to buy tickets, visit the Barn Theatre website. "The Secret Society of Leading Ladies" runs until March 7.
I was given a press ticket to this show for the purposes of review, but all opinions are my own.
One classic British Christmas tradition that we don't have here in the United States is going to see a panto. Pantos (short for pantomimes) are musical comedies aimed at families that are popular during the holiday season. I made a video a few years ago, when I lived in London and saw my first panto, talking about the tradition and what the shows are typically like.
Obviously, pantos look a little different this year if they're happening at all. The New Wolsey Theatre is having their production of The Snow Queen available both in person and digitally. It's a great way for those in the UK who don't live nearby or can't go out in public to see the show, but it also opens it up to international audiences. If you're an American who's curious about panto, this is a great way to experience it.
The Snow Queen by Peter Rowe is a fairytale story using rock 'n' roll music. It includes lots of older songs that you will recognize like "I'm Gonna Be," "I Can See Clearly Now," and "Ring of Fire." Both costuming and performances are fun and over the top, as is befitting for a panto.
It's a smaller cast than you would normally expect, but they do a great job of playing multiple roles. The actors also play instruments and double as the band. The show makes the most of a minimal set and uses screens onstage to occasionally show pre-filmed video montages. It's a clever way of giving the in-person audience a full experience while also presenting something to the online audience that feels like more than a traditional livestream.
The Snow Queen is a story about two young sweethearts, Gerda (Lucy Wells) and Kay (Adam Langstaff). But romance is also brewing for Gerda's father (also played by Adam Langstaff) and Kay's mother, Dame Sigrid Smorgasbord (Steve Simmonds). When the Snow Queen (Natasha Lewis) and her minion Icicle (James Haggie) kidnap Kay, Gerda must find a way to get him back.
While they all have lovely voices, Wells is particularly charming as Gerda. Lewis shines both as the Snow Queen and as Primrose. Simmonds does an excellent job at getting the audience laughing and throwing himself whole-heartedly into the role of Dame Sigrid Smorgasbord.
As intense as the story sounds, it's really more silly than scary and perfect for younger children despite the somewhat adult humor of Dame Sigrid Smorgasbord (which would likely go over their heads). A large part of the panto experience is audience interaction and the New Wolsey has done a great job of building that in, even for a digital audience.
On the digital stream, you occasionally are shown the in-person audience, who are wearing masks and distanced within the theater. There is a section towards the beginning in which the Dame talks directly to the audience, cracking jokes and doing shoutouts that have been sent in. They also let you vote online to name the hammer (you have to see it to understand) during the interval.
While it's not the same as being there in person, it's a great way to adapt it to 2020. The show opens with messages from different panto dames, counting down to the show starting. And once the show starts, they don't dance around Covid either -- addressing it in jokes head-on.
Whether you watch it by yourself, with your family, or watch it at the same time as a friend or loved one that you're physically separated from, The Snow Queen is a fun way to get into the holiday spirit.
I was given a press ticket to this show for the purposes of review, but all opinions are my own.
In this time of theaters where I live being closed, watching theatre digitally has become more important to me than ever. So I was thrilled when I was offered to review the Barn Theatre's new production of Peter Pan, a new play based on a favorite story of mine. I recently wrote about What a Carve Up!, an online production that the Barn Theatre was part of and it's clear that they are one of the best theaters in the UK right now at creating online content.
This new version of J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan is a one man show starring Waylon Jacobs. Adapted by Alan Pollock and directed by Kirk Jameson, the show follows a man recreating his daughter's favorite bedtime story while on a video call with her from a hotel room. It's a creative way to stage the piece and it's impressive how much of the tale they are able to fit into a runtime of an hour, including direct references to and lines from Barrie's original work. The play does make a few changes to the story, including changing the "Indians" to the more appropriate "Amazons."
Georgia Dibbs provides the adorable voice of the daughter who goads her father into a more extravagant telling of the tale, insisting, "Aren't you going to do the voices?" As the story unfolds, the staging becomes more elaborate with the hotel room set adapting itself to different places. The projections of drawings, designed by Benjamin Collins, are a very nice touch. The show is recommended for children age six and older and while it might be too intense for younger children, it's definitely perfect for school-age kids.
Harry Smith's sound design, particularly the blending of the rain sounds in the beginning, is also impressive. If watching online as I did, you'll be seeing a livestream of the show rather than something pre-recorded. While it means that there is less flashy editing than in some filmed theatre productions, there are still multiple camera angles and it better recreates the feeling of being in a theater.
Jacobs is very engaging and maintains a high energy throughout the show. It's admirable how he manages to carry it, without anyone else onstage. He also has a genuinely moving moment towards the end of the play that stopped me in my tracks. This is a lovely new version of Peter Pan, sure to be enjoyed by children and adults alike.
Peter Pan runs until January 3 at the Barn Theatre in Cirencester. Those seeing the show in person will be required to wear a face mask, have their temperature checked, and sit socially distanced. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the Barn Theatre website.
I was given a press ticket to this show for the purposes of review, but all opinions are my own.
Tyler Tafolla is a performer, director, and musical theatre writer with experience working in New York, Los Angeles, and San Diego. He has recently released a concept album for his new song cycle musical, Seasons.
To start off, how did you first become interested in musical theatre?
When I was eight years old and they realized I wasn’t doing great in sports, my parents put me into the local youth theatre company. I don’t remember this, but my mom says right after the audition, I told her, “I’m gonna do this for the rest of my life.” I grew up doing theatre and watching a healthy diet of Disney and Spielberg and movie musicals. I think we rented out the VHS of Mary Martin’s Peter Pan from the library every week.
I was never truly trained until I went to college, but I had a huge passion for it growing up. I didn’t really take voice lessons or do the usual stuff that kids who eventually do this do. I was just a sponge and I loved the medium. In high school, I was really into Spielberg and I didn’t know if I wanted to get into movies or if I wanted to write. I knew I wanted to do something within the arts and within the medium of telling stories. I loved storytelling and characters and when you fall in love with a character more than anything. I ended up going to college for musical theatre at AMDA and got my BFA in Musical Theatre. My world kind of led me to this point where now I’m writing and doing stuff full time with musicals which is so awesome.
What made you start writing?
In high school, I was writing little skits and sketches for my friends to do and making home movies because we were bored. My senior year of high school, they were looking to do a new musical and I, being the ballsy teenager I was back then, asked if they’d do it if someone wrote something original. I had this idea in the back of my head already for a story and I was like, “Yeah I’ll just turn this into a musical.” I was totally fearless!
I finished the first draft of my first musical and it was really bad, but it was finished. They were like, “We’re going in a different direction,” and I think they did Fiddler or something. But I had this first draft of this musical in my back pocket. The show is called Scott Robbins and the Traveling Show and I’ve produced and done stuff with it since.
They have a program at AMDA, where I did my four year BFA, called The Student Vision. You can pitch original musicals to this board of faculty and staff. If they like it, they’ll let you put up your musical. It’s all student-led, student-directed, with student actors. So halfway through college, I thought, I have this crappy first draft that has really good potential, I think I should do something with it. I wanted to find a way to stand out from the crowd because a lot of the teachers and staff were working professionals. As those in college for musical theatre know, there’s a lot of us and there were a lot of boys at that time that looked exactly like me, but sang and danced a lot better than me.
At that point at AMDA, no one had done a fully finished musical; they’d done a song cycle or fifteen minutes of a show. So I thought I’d do the first fully finished totally original musical. A year after I first heard about the program, I’d finished a new draft of the script and all new songs. I pitched it to them and they liked it. I eventually workshopped it all the way to doing a two weekend run at AMDA with this show that had been in my head since high school.
I kind of fell into becoming a writer. I was originally just going to do the book and get someone else to do the music and lyrics. Then, I thought I would do the music and get someone else to do lyrics. I kept trying to get people to help me work on this and eventually it got to a point where I needed to finish it because no one else was going to do it for me. It became this sort of mission of mine, if you will, just to finish it because I believe in the story and the characters I’ve created.
Can you share a bit about Seasons?
Seasons is a new musical song cycle. It’s about six friends who, within the span of six years, go within all the big milestone seasons of their life: high school, college, marriage, divorce, jobs, careers, kids. It hits all the big marks in their life. A lot of the characters go through spouts of asking, “Why do seasons have to change? Why can’t we just stay the same?” It’s about kids becoming adults, learning why having seasons of their lives is a good thing. They learn throughout the span of it that we as humans don’t always have control over our lives and where our lives go. But after the good and the bad happen, we have the choice of where we can go from there.
It’s been a fun labor of love. I had little melodies that I’ve written here and there during my time in college that I’d never really used. After pitching the other show, Scott Robbins, over the years to different theaters and venues, I wanted to do something smaller with a smaller cast of three girls and three guys that didn't need a lot of set pieces.
I’m really inspired by people by Jason Robert Brown and Pasek and Paul and I saw that they started off doing song cycles. So I wanted to dip my feet in that and doing something that was nonlinear was a fun little challenge. We were going to perform it earlier this summer in 2020, but because of everything...that wasn’t going to happen. Instead, around March when all this went down, I thought to myself, I have all of these songs finished and I want to do something with them. I want everyone to have a new musical to listen to this year even though Broadway closed. I thought I’d just turn it into a concept album, stream it online, and make it a fundraiser because Broadway and everyone are struggling right now.
We premiered it on October 15. I got a couple of artists that are pretty well known in the theatre community like Mariah Rose Faith, Desi Oakley, and Adante Carter. They were all totally into it and wanted to be a part of it. I just wanted to give people something to look forward to still within this weird year and something that they can jam out in the car to.
What were your musical influences for Seasons?
The sound of the show is very inspired by the music I was listening to in high school. You’ve got stuff that sounds like Billy Joel, The Cure, Mumford & Sons, and Green Day. It hits the greatest hits of what Tyler was listening to back then, and I still listen to it now. I think it was Lin Manuel Miranda who said that the music that will be the most important to you is what you were listening to in high school. So if you were to put in Tyler’s mix CD from high school, this is the kind of sound that would come out of it. It’s a nice mix of fun stuff you can rock out to and songs you can get really introspective and heavy with.
What was recording a concept album during a pandemic like?
It was nuts, but it was awesome though! Most of my contact with people was through either social media or email. I didn’t see anyone in person during that time, except my girlfriend Megan [Kuramoto-Monroe] who is on the album and is living with me. The only other person I saw was Mariah who came down for us to shoot the music video, socially distanced.
I sent everyone the tracks and told them the feel of the song and the style and said, “Have at it! Go wild with it, be free, have fun.” I sent them the sheet music and let them get creative on their own side of things. They sent me back tracks of their audio and we just dropped it into what we were working on over here.
I’m in San Diego right now and we were getting people from New York and LA and all over to put this together. It was a fun two to three month time where I was getting tracks from people. My brother Ryan and I were doing the mix in our garage. It sounds way better than the capacity in which we were creating it. That’s a testament to all these artists’ talent and their abilities because they are so good on this. I listen to Desi Oakley and I cry. We were mixing and doing live instruments, drums and guitar. A lot of this, I was Garageband-ing and then we were able to go back and layer in all of the real live stuff. It was so cool to see it all come together.
How did you assemble this fantastic cast?
It’s a mixture of the people I know, the people who are available, and the people who I’m very inspired by and have wanted to work with over the years. Me and Mariah had wanted to work together and we finally got to work on this.
A lot of the people, I was just reaching out to. You know the Starry musical. That team is so awesome and I was able to reach out to them and a lot of the people who worked on this worked on Starry. I wanted to reach out to these people because I knew they were available because nothing is going on right now. It was the perfect time to get all these really talented people that I’ve admired from afar together to do this.
It felt like the right piece to work on for right now too. The feelings we’re singing about are very topical. I never expected the songs to ring this true during this time. I listen back to these lyrics and these songs and I see them with different eyes now.
Are you hoping to fully stage Seasons when life is back to being a bit more normal?
I am hopeful for any capacity this could be in. With Seasons, this is a show that can live without big sets and in concert style. If you make it too big, it could lose its charm. The show is meant to feel like you’re opening someone’s photo album or journal or yearbook from their life.
I’m hopeful for theatre to come back soon, so I would love for that to happen. I’m discovering all of this as I go. I’m looking up bloggers and people to write about it and to talk to because I believe in the story and the characters and the artists that are on this. I want them to be seen and be out there right now. It’s so easy to get lost in the waves of social media and the news. I’ve been doing all my own marketing for the show and my own music and Scott Robbins. I’ve been doing it on my own. I want so desperately to work with people. I want to work in the theatre and be doing stuff on a bigger scale than I am.
Getting your work out there is a challenge even in good circumstances, but especially right now, I imagine.
The more talk that it gets, the more people share it on social media and on the internet, that’s how these things stay alive. Starry is the way it is right now because people shared it. I love Starkid and I grew up watching A Very Potter Musical and their popularity is from word of mouth. It’s from people talking about it over blogs and the internet and all of that. Unfortunately for new content right now, that’s the only way it can stay alive. Even this last season of Broadway, there wasn’t a lot of original stuff that wasn’t coming from a movie or an album from a well-known artist. Any original stuff that you want to do now is so difficult which is why i’m so thankful for people like you who are preaching about the good news of original art right now and keeping people like me afloat. It inspires me to see that there’s still an appetite for original new stuff.
It’s funny that you mention Starkid, because my best friend finally got me into watching their shows during quarantine.
I was inspired by them too. When I was in high school, AVPM had just come out and it was the first time I saw young people writing new stuff. It was based on Harry Potter, but it was still their creation with their own inside jokes. It gave me the freedom to be like, “Oh I can do that!” You don’t need a big budget. You don’t need the Shubert Organization backing you for people to see new stuff with the help of the Internet.
So you’re donating part of the proceeds from the album to Broadway Cares: Equity Fights Aids and Feeding America. Can you tell me a bit about that decision?
To put it bluntly, the world is on fire. I knew at the beginning of this in March that everyone needs help right now. Then I realized Broadway was slowly dying and the theatre world in general is not surviving. So I thought: how can I, being the little person with my megaphone on my soapbox, do my part during all of this? There’s plenty to be angry about or talking about right now. One time, I heard someone say, “I’m only one but I’m still one.” If I can only do this little amount, I’m going to do it to the best of my abilities. Even though I cannot save the theatre community as a whole, I can still do everything I can try to make a difference.
This is a heavy question, I know, but what do you think the importance of art is in the middle of the crisis -- both health crisis but also political crisis -- that we’re currently in?
I’ve learned this through the two musicals that I’ve put out. I think of it like how the 1970s happened and the Vietnam War was happening and all these terrible things were going on and Star Wars came out and it sort of ignited people’s ideas of fantasy and escapism. On the one hand, theatre is a great place for escapism and escaping your troubles.
On the other side, you have something like Seasons which is still nostalgic in the sense of music, but is talking about stuff that we are currently going through. But it doesn’t feel heavy handed. It says, let’s sit down and talk about what we’re feeling and what’s going on and that this sucks right now. I think theatre is both sides of that coin: it can be escapism, but also a safe place to feel people with the hope to keep going. It’s not someone yelling at you like on the news, but a place that we can talk about it and heal. Theatre for me has always been a healing place. If I can be that, if I can provide that for somebody, that would be great.
To find out more about Tyler, you can check out his website or follow him on Instagram. To listen to Seasons, you can stream it on all music platforms or purchase it online. Proceeds will help raise money for Broadway Cares: Equity Fights Aids and Feeding America.
With every year, it feels like the lines become more blurred between movies and television and theatre. This year, it's more true than ever with the release of the filmed Hamilton on Disney+ and Covid shutting down almost all live theatre. The Barn Theatre, the Lawrence Batley Theatre, and the Wolsey Theatre have teamed up to bring audiences a new production: What a Carve Up!Henry Filloux-Bennet's adaptation of Jonathan Coe's 1994 novel certainly couldn't be staged as a traditional live play, but was made by a series of theatres in the United Kingdom to be consumed digitally. One bright spot to a show like this being digital is that people all over the world can buy a ticket to see it.
This production radically reimagines the novel it's based on, with a new character looking back on the events and trying to piece together the truth. Raymond Owen (Alfred Enoch) is making an amateur documentary about the murders supposedly committed by the father he never knew in 1991 when he was only an infant. The victims are six members of the Winshaw family, a corrupt group involved in everything from embezzlement to arms dealing to sexual assault. This murder mystery touches on many topics relevant to today, including Covid, the Me Too movement, and the ineptitude of the police. The show is suitable for those age 16 and older as it does contain strong language and descriptions of sensitive topics.
Tamzin Outhwaite and Fiona Button as the Interviewer and Josephine Winshaw-EavesAdd caption
The show is well-edited together in a sort of documentary style. It mixes clips of Enoch talking to the camera with lots of photos and stock video footage, with voiceovers of "interviews" with people involved with the murder case. Additionally, there are clips from an interview with Josephine Winshaw-Eaves (Fiona Button), the last remaining member of the Winshaw family. Josephine is an entitled woman who complains about having to go to Charterhouse instead of Eton and is, unsurprisingly, a Trump supporter. Under Tamara Harvey's direction, it comes together seamlessly, feeling somewhere between an actual video essay on YouTube and a Netflix documentary.
Enoch is the heart of the piece, giving a very engaging performance and managing to make a strong emotional impact even given the non-traditional format. Button manages to make Josephine an easily recognizable rich and cocky celebrity-type, but also makes her agitation anytime a sensitive topic comes up very believable. Tamzin Outhwaite is great as the interviewer and the voice cast for the audio interviews is impressive, including Celia Imrie, Stephen Fry, and Sir Derek Jacobi.
Fiona Button as Josephine Winshaw-EavesAdd caption
While What a Carve Up! does struggle with pacing at times, it's very gripping towards the end. Fans of last year's Knives Out or classics like Clue are sure to enjoy the show. With a run time of less than two hours, it's easy to stick with the innovative format. It's certainly unlike anything I've ever watched before and it's exciting to see theatres finding ways to safely create content and keep theatre alive.
At one point, Raymond remarks, "I'm just so tired." It's a 2020 mood and especially apt for this week in America as we face a very stressful election, but this is the perfect break from real life.
The play has performances nightly until November 29, 2020. Tickets can be purchased online and links are active for a 48-hour period. People within the UK can purchase a premium ticket which includes a physical programme and dinner recipe card curated by chef Asma Khan.
I was given a press ticket to this show for the purposes of review, but all opinions are my own.
One of my favorite films of 2018 was Julian Schnabel's "At Eternity's Gate," which stars Willem Dafoe and explores the last years of Vincent van Gogh's life. I was particularly fascinated by how it delved into the relationship between Vincent and his younger brother, Theo van Gogh (played by Rupert Friend). So when my friend Lexi told me that there was a new musical written about the van Gogh brothers, I had to check it out.
The concept album for "Starry" was released at the end of January and they held concerts at 54 Below in New York at the end of February. The show's music and lyrics were written by Matt Dahan, with book and lyrics by Kelly Lynn D'Angelo. Obviously, as with any concept album, I have a lot of questions about how the show would function outside of just the music, but it does a great job at giving a decent idea of the action of the show overall.
The show is largely about the relationship between the two brothers: one a painter, the other an art dealer. Vincent and Theo exchanged hundreds of letters during their short lifetimes (neither lived to the age of 40) and many hundreds of Vincent's were published by Theo's widow after his death. The show also showcases the brothers' relationships with many of the other French Impressionist artists of the day, including Degas, Pissarro, and Paul Gauguin.
The music is in a contemporary musical theatre style. The beginning of the "Prologue" is a wistful piano and strings instrumental piece and it sets the tone of the show which is at times boisterous and at times more intimate, but always characterized by a sense of yearning. There are similarities to composers as diverse as Tom Kitt, Dave Malloy, and Alan Menken throughout the music. The ensemble numbers like "Impress Me" and "United in Distaste" are genuinely rousing, while ballads like "Something After All" and "The Red Vineyard" are beautiful and melodic.
Dylan Saunders is a great Vincent with his beautiful vocals making "The Starry Night" one of the best songs in the whole show. Joe Viba is his perfect counterpoint as Theo with his smoother voice. The two blend together perfectly in "A New Horizon," one of my personal favorites on the album.
Mariah Rose Faith plays Theo's wife, Jo, and her solo "Enlightenment" is easily one of the highlights. She has the sort of voice that gives you chills when she hits the final soaring lines. Jeff Blim is easily the standout of the ensemble as the prickly playboy artist Paul Gauguin, bringing his parts a rock sound that reminds me of a young Adam Pascal. (Someone, cast him in "Aida" immediately, please.)
If you love van Gogh's work, are interested in his life story, or just love contemporary musical theatre, you should definitely check out "Starry." It's a show that I would love to see fully staged one day (think about the opportunities for production design or even projections to match van Gogh's work!). You can use this link to find out where to purchase or stream the album.
I saw forty-six shows in 2019, which exceeded my goal of thirty shows by far. Of course, it's not anywhere close to the amount of theatre that I saw in 2018, but New York prices are a lot higher than London prices. I saw a few West End Shows, a good number of Broadway shows, some off-Broadway and even off-off-Broadway (while reviewing for BroadwayWorld), a few US Tours, and some great theatre here in Raleigh, North Carolina.
I realized that my favorites this year are very musical heavy, with only one play featured. I did see quite a few plays, but they didn't leave as much as an impact as many of the musicals did.
And yes, I realize that I'm a bit late in sharing these as it's already February, but January seemed to fly by. Without further ado, here are my top ten shows I saw in 2019 in no particular order.
Company
The gender-swapped London revival of "Company" was without a doubt my favorite show that I saw all year. In fact, I saw it twice in a two week period because I loved it so much. I think "Company" has some of Sondheim's best songs in it ("Marry Me a Little" is my personal favorite) and this new production was so well-acted, well-designed, and well-directed by visionary Marianne Elliot. I loved the gender-swapped version so much and I think the show works so much better centered around a woman that I never want to see a traditional production again. I'm very much looking forward to seeing the production on Broadway this spring, though my heart belongs to the London cast. The Lightning Thief - Review
I was obsessed with the Percy Jackson books in middle school, so when I found out the tour of the musical was coming to New York, I had to go. This plucky little show far exceeded my expectations. The album is full of bops (I especially love "Good Kid" and "My Grand Plan") and Chris McCarrell was the Percy Jackson of dreams. It almost feels unfair to compare this to the horrendous movie adaptation, but I'll just say that this is the adaptation of "The Lightning Thief" that I wanted for so long.
Burn This
Sometimes I think about how I met Adam Driver at the stage door of this play and want to pinch myself. "Burn This" is a really fascinating four-person show and while the play itself wasn't my favorite, the production was amazing. The whole cast was great, but Driver was really magnetic and I totally understand why he was nominated for a Tony for it. Beetlejuice
This was definitely my biggest surprise of the year. I went to its very first performance in New York and it blew me away. It has one of the best and most original scores I've heard on Broadway in a while and it's one of the few movie to musical adaptations where I think the musical actually improves upon the movie. Plus, Alex Brightman and Sophia Ann Caruso are both otherworldly. My Fair Lady - Review
I ended up seeing this show three times because I fell so head over heels for it. I loved "My Fair Lady" as a kid, but was disappointed by its sexism as an adult. Well, this beautifully designed production definitely subtly updates it for a modern audience and Laura Benanti's strong Eliza is the stuff of dreams. Plus, Harry Hadden-Paton's Henry Higgins broke my heart while never losing what makes him the antagonist of this show. In the Green
I love a show based on a historical figure, I love a show that takes risks, and I love a show written by a woman. So "In the Green" was pretty much a perfect fit for me. This was the last show I saw in New York before I moved and it was such a perfect match for the intimate theatre at the Lincoln Center. Powerhouse Grace McLean is doing really exciting and fresh things both narratively and musically.
Hadestown - Video
Apparently I just love shows about Greek mythology? "Hadestown" is not just one of the best shows I saw in 2019, but one of the best shows I've ever seen. It's a gorgeous and moving story about Orpheus and Eurydice, Hades and Persephone. The music by Anais Mitchell is absolute perfection and the direction by Rachel Chavkin is every bit as incredible as you would expect from the woman who directed "Great Comet." Plus, Amber Gray's Persephone might be my favorite Supporting Actress performance I've ever seen. Oklahoma - Video
If you'd told me last year that a production of "Oklahoma" would be one of my favorite shows of 2019, I would have laughed. But the recent revival completely reinvented the show, illuminating all of the faults of the characters and how the show can speak to Trump's America. The performances from the whole cast were incredible, but Patrick Vaill's Jud was truly something special. And they served cornbread and vegan chili at intermission! It doesn't get much better than that. The Bridges of Madison County - Review
I actually didn't know much about "The Bridges of Madison County" going into it, although I knew that my mom (who went with me) liked the movie. The production by Theatre Raleigh directed by Lauren Kennedy was stunning. It absolutely blew me away both in its interesting exploration of difficult topics and the gorgeous songs crafted by Jason Robert Brown. The costumes were great and the whole cast (especially Janine DiVita) were spectacular. Ragtime - Review
"Ragtime" has been one of my favorite shows since I saw it at Elon University my freshman year. It was very exciting to get to see it done by a local theatre company with a fellow Elon alum as Coalhouse Walker Jr. The production was a really interesting updated version that showcased how relevant it is to our country's politics right now.
What are your favorite shows you saw in 2019? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter. x
