Owner: Third Row, Mezzanine URL:http://thirdrowmezzanine.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2006 15:09:37 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: I moved to NYC in 2004 to pursue an acting career. I find, at times, that I'm attending more shows than auditions. This blog is just my two cents' worth about the shows I see. Site statistics:Click here
Horizontal for 2.5 Hours 2006-11-30 05:18:00 "The Vertical Hour" at the Music Box Theatre, November 29, 2006
Sam Mendes has brought David Hare's new play to New York. With it is an impressive performance by an actor who has demonstrated quite an impressive range of skills in many varying film roles over the past few years.
It's unfortunate that the sentence above does not describe Julianna Moore.
Mr. Hare's diatribe on US activities Read more:Horizontal
, Hours
Maybe a Little More Evolution is in Order 2006-11-15 04:05:00 "Jay Johnson: The Two and Only!" at the Helen Hayes Theatre, November 14, 2006
He seems like such a nice man, but I kept asking myself, "Why is this on Broadway?"
Jay Johnson, most notable for the roles of Chuck and Bob on the groundbreaking 1970's TV show "Soap," has evolved this performance over the past couple of years, its most recent installment at the Atlantic Theatre Company in 2004. Read more:Maybe
, Evolution
, Order
To See Such a Sight 2006-11-02 01:47:00 "The Little Dog Laughed" at the Cort Theatre, October 28, 2006
Second Stages has had pretty decent luck with transferring shows to Broadway, most recently "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" which is still running at the Circle in the Square Theatre after picking up a couple of Tony Awards.
Now we have the transfer of "The Little Dog Laughed," a dull poke in the eye of Hollywood by Douglas Read more:Sight
Not so Black and White, Anymore 2006-10-25 05:28:00 "Grey Gardens" at the Walter Kerr Theatre, October 24, 2006
After a four-month, sold out run off Broadway at Playwright's Horizon, "Grey Gardens" has transferred to Broadway, giving Christine Ebersole the exposure she deserves in her tour-de-force performance as both Edith Bouvier Beales, the mother and daughter.
Based on and extrapolating from the documentary of the same name by David and Read more:Black
, White
Resist the Temptation 2006-10-20 23:57:00 "Ascension" Red Light District production at The Lion Theatre on Theatre Row, Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Look at the picture. Isn't he pretty?
That was the highlight of this overwraught and poorly written knockoff of "Doubt" with a twist in the wrong direction. (Spoiler Alert)
Father Cal (Stephen Hope) is accused by Agnes (Lucy McMichael) of molesting her son Lorenzo (Brandon Ruckdashel)
A Dead Bird 2006-10-20 22:28:00 "Swan Lake" Conservatory Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia, October 2, 2006
The Conservatory Theatre is part of the school where Tchaikovsky studied and taught. Imagine how many of his compositions debuted in that hall! We arrived to find the entrance and lobby in well-preserved condition. To our horror, the interior of the house had been
Cirque Du Kit-Kat-Klub 2006-09-21 17:01:00 "Absinthe" at the Spiegeltent at Pier 17. September 20, 2006
With a very European sensibility, "Absinthe" is a cabaret-style variety show featuring a bizarre range of acts. Here's some info about the venue: Saunter through the gently lit, European style beer garden. Drift on through the beautifully crafted art deco doors and discover a place filled with flirtatious laughter, exhilarating Read more:Cirque
Don't Say Things Like That, or They'll Lock You in an Attic in Amsterdam" 2006-09-19 00:27:00 "The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun" Theatre at St. Clement's, part of the 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival. September 17, 2006
Loosely based on the known facts of the life of Sister Smile, "The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun" interjects the backstory of the Belgian nun who recorded "Dominique" and rose to pop fame in the 1960's. Others have charted this path Read more:Attic
, Amsterdam
If Only the Carpenters Had Been Involved 2006-09-17 18:49:00 "Rainy Days & Mondays" Lion Theatre and Theatre Row, part of the 2006 NY Fringe Festival. September 16, 2006
Well, as is always the case with shows at the NY Fringe, some are good and some are not. One might presume that a Fringe show brought back for encore performances might have earned that invitation through some good quality of the production, be it the writing or an actor's performance. Read more:Involved
The Buddy System 2006-09-17 00:52:00 "Never Swim Alone" The Lion Theatre at Theatre Row, part of the 2006 NY Fringe Festival. September 16, 2006
Boys will be boys, it's been said. Sometimes that can mean the frat boys from "Animal House" and sometimes it can mean Leopold and Loeb.
Daniel McIvor gives us something in between as we explore the relationship between Bill and Frank in this revival of his 1999 Fringe entry, "Never Swim Read more:Buddy
, System
On the Fringe, (and you all know how I like a little fringe) 2006-09-17 00:33:00 I felt like I had made a mistake when I was on vacation during the 2006 NYC Fringe Festival. This is the 10th anniversary of the NYC Fringe Festival, the largest theatre festival in North America. Based on the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the NYC Fringe always presents a full range of theatrical offerings, from drama, to musicals, to mime, to camp, to political plays. Along with this is a full Read more:little
And why hasn't he posted lately? 2006-09-13 16:19:00 Well, I'll tell you!
My theatrical attendance has been somewhat "budget-challenged" because of recent and upcoming travel. I spent a week in Provincetown, MA in August, and I'm going to Russia for 10 days at the beginning of October.
I do plan to see a couple of shows this month and will post my two cents' worth about them before I get on a plane to St. Petersburg. Read more:lately
All This, And a Dirt Floor, Too! 2006-07-24 05:30:00 "Druid Synge" Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College, part of the 2006 Lincoln Center Festival. July 23, 2006
I just sat through one-third of "Druid Synge" after a friend called. His companion for this marathon of all of John Millington Synge's plays wasn't going to make it past the supper break. This 8.5 hour theatrical event is a production by the Irish troupe, Druid Theatre Company, Read more:Floor
"Your Arm's Too Short to Write this Show" 2006-07-16 16:48:00 "[title of show]" - Vineyard Theatre, July 15, 2006
The Vineyard Theatre has brought back this production which ran earlier this year. I guess it's too soon to call it a "revival."
The premise for [tos]: Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen decide to submit a new musical to a theatre festival. The hitch is they don't have anything underway, let alone an idea for a show and only 3 weeks to complete it. Read more:Short
, Write
Dirty Dollars 2006-07-14 06:31:00 "Burleigh Grime$" New World Stages, July 13, 2006
Mark Moses (Desperate Housewives) and Wendy Malick (Just Shoot Me) star in this new Wall Street comedy by Roger Kirby. What could have been a fresh and interesting look at backroom business deals and market manipulations remains another cliche. Mr. Kirby has written this quasi-comedy about a Wall Street high roller, Burleigh Grimes (Mr. Moses)
The Politics of a Broken Heart 2006-12-06 21:44:00 "Heart
break House" presented by the Roundabout Theatre at the American Airlines Theatre, December 5, 2006
George Bernard Shaw's tale of bohemians in disregard for the real world around them has taken up on 42nd St. in the Roundabout's latest revival. It's a star-studded cast of quite talented performers, including Broadway veterans Swoosie Kurtz, Philip Bosco and Byron Jennings.
I attended a Read more:Broken
, Broken Heart
He Wrote Some Other Good Plays 2006-12-09 20:30:00 "Echoes" presented by Doubtless Dreamers at the 440 Studios, December 7, 2006
N. Richard Nash wrote a couple of good plays and films during his long career, from "The Rainmaker" to its musical version "110 in the Shade," working with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt of "The Fantasticks" as well as collaborating with Kander and Ebb on "The Happy Time." A new revival of "110 in the Shade has been Read more:Plays
Prime Perhaps, But Not Ideal 2006-12-07 18:27:00 "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" presented by the New Group at the Acorn Theatre, Theatre Row, December 6, 2006
I love Cynthia Nixon. I always have since one of her earliest film roles, that of a maid in "Amadeus." I can still see her sobbing at the end. Add to that her run in "Sex and the City" with my good friend Kristin Davis and it's like we're BFF (sort of).
Anyway, she's back onstage in
He Wrote Some Other Good Things 2006-12-09 20:30:00 "Echoes" presented by Doubtless Dreamers at the 440 Studios, December 7, 2006
N. Richard Nash wrote a couple of good plays and films during his long career, from "The Rainmaker" to its musical version "110 in the Shade," working with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt of "The Fantasticks" as well as collaborating with Kander and Ebb on "The Happy Time." A new revival of "110 in the Shade has been
High F******G Fidelity 2006-12-11 21:58:00 "High Fidelity
" at the Imperial Theatre, December 10, 2006
I'm pretty sure I saw the movie when it came out. It was cute. I didn't really get the hype around it at the time, but then again, I hadn't read the Nick Hornby book, on which it was based.
For some reason, those with the cash and energy have created a musical version for Broadway, painfully continuing one of the two less creative
Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Kristin 2006-12-13 06:18:00 "The Apple
Tree" presented by The Roundabout Theatre Company at Studio 54, December 12, 2006
Ben Brantley gushes like a schoolgirl whenever Patti LuPone or Kristin Chenowith are onstage. I understand his admiration and share it, but not quite to the point of gushing like a schoolgirl. (Have you picked up on the fact that I like the phrase "gush like a schoolgirl" yet?)
Ms. Chenowith is back Read more:Anyone
"Clytem-..., Oedip-..., Who?" 1970-01-01 00:59:59 (Spoiler alert: If you plan to see the show, this review includes the plot twists at the end of the play.)
Second Stage's production of Theresa Rebeck's "The Water's Edge" brings together a remarkably talented cast in what starts out as an interesting and deep tale of a family split over the death of one of the three children. Kate Burton plays Helen, crushed by her daughter Leah's drowning 17
"Fecal Sludge, the Play" 1970-01-01 00:59:59 "Pig Farm"
June 22, 2006 <!--[if gte vml 1]> <![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->Shortly into the first act of this new Roundabout Theatre Company production at the Pels Theatre, I started thinking about "Urinetown, the Musical" When the lights went up at intermission, I checked my playbill and realized why. The playwright (Greg
"Mamma Mia" That's a Pretty Bland Meatball 1970-01-01 00:59:59 <!--[if gte vml 1]> <![endif]-->OK, so it took me 5 years to get to this show. It's been selling to packed houses since it opened in October, 2001. One of the early jukebox musicals, it uses the entire Abba songbook. Right, wrong or indifferent it uses the ENTIRE Abba songbook. The very loose plot surrounds Donna, whose 20 year old Read more:Mamma
, Pretty
, Bland
, Meatball
So, You Think You Want to be a Therapist 1970-01-01 00:59:59 "Shining City" is Conor McPherson's new play presented by Manhattan Theatre Club at the Biltmore Theatre. Starring Oliver Platt, Brian O'Byrne and Martha Plimpton, the potential for this show seemed boundless.
(Spoiler alert - ending plot twist revealed in this review.)
Mr. O'Byrne plays Ian, a new therapist who had been a catholic priest not so very long ago. He's just set up his office in a Read more:Therapist
He Wouldn't Be Here, If Only He'd Saved More 1970-01-01 00:59:59 "Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me" at the Jacobs Theatre, December 13, 2006
I've paraphrased the working title of this show for the title of this entry. Originally, the title was to have been "Martin Short: I Wouldn't Be Here If I'd Saved More."
I was hesitant to see this, but I must say I'm glad I went. It's been the most fun I've had in a Broadway theatre in weeks!
Mr. Short, supposedly
Broadway Awakens! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 "Spring Awakening" at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, December 16, 2006
Another feather in the cap of the Atlantic Theatre from last season, "Spring Awakening" has opened on Broadway
to significant critical acclaim. I saw the show last spring and liked it, but at the time didn't get the hype about it. I returned tonight and now I can say, "I get it."
My initial reaction to the show earlier this
In the Tradition of Russian Ballet, There Are Changes to Tonight's Program 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Les Ballet
s Trockadero de Monte Carlo at the Joyce Theatre, December 29, 2006
I first saw the Trocks in Greenville, SC several years ago and have loved them ever since. This season's biennal NYC stop on their tour was the same treat it always is.
A heavily Russian
-accented voice begins the show as the house lights dim with announcements including this post's title above along with the request Read more:Tradition
, Tonight
, Program
Into the Words 1970-01-01 00:59:59 "Shipwrecked" Part 2 of "Coast of Utopia" at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center, December 30, 2006
I probably should have waited until I'd seen Part 1 of this massive endeavor by Tom Stoppard, but I came across a very good and affordable ticket and couldn't turn it down.
This play picks up the story of Alexander Herzen (Brian O'Byrne), his family and friends in Russia and Paris. I Read more:Words
Everything's Comin' Up Merman 1970-01-01 00:59:59 "The Big Voice: God or Merman?" at the Actor's Temple, January 6, 2006
I had seen several reviews on the show, as well as many mentions on some of the blogs that I follow. It was time to see it. (Spoiler Alert)
The show reviews (revues?) the life that Jim and Steve have put together, despite the challenges of church, because of the love they share, and because of the unwitting support of Ethel Read more:Everything
, Comin
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