Archives for February 18, 2016

The Court Theatre’s production of Satchmo at the Waldorf closed on Sunday. Barry Shabaka Henley’s final performance was, by all accounts, a knockout. Meanwhile, the American Conservatory Theatre’s remounting of the off-Broadway production of Satchmo has now transferred to TheatreWorks in Colorado Springs, where it opens tonight.

Would that I could have been in Chicago on Sunday or could be in Colorado tonight, but I was in Florida on Sunday, and on Wednesday morning I flew from there to New York to see two shows, the New York premiere of Lydia R. Diamond’s Smart People and the Broadway transfer of Stephen Karam’s The Humans. Two shows in one day is a bit much for me—especially when I have to get up at five in the morning in order to catch a plane to see them—but I did what I had to do, and today I am, so far as I can tell, none the worse for wear. I still have one more New York show to catch, Forest Whitaker’s Broadway debut in Eugene O’Neill’s Hughie, after which I’ll return to Florida and Mrs. T.

Needless to say, I haven’t been in Florida for pleasure. Not only have I been reviewing shows there, but on Friday I had my first face-to-face production meeting for Palm Beach Dramaworks’ upcoming production of Satchmo, which I’ll be directing and about which you’ll be hearing much more in due course. Among other things, I got a look at the preliminary model for Michael Amico’s set, which is always, as I have now learned from
experience, a hugely exciting moment. Of course I knew that the production was real—I signed the contract a few weeks ago—but you know it’s real when you see what it’s going to look like.

In addition to all this frenzied activity, I wrote the first draft of a new play over the weekend. I can’t say anything more about it for the moment, but it looks like something may come of it. Watch this space for details.

And now, if you’ll pardon me, I’ve got to write Friday’s Wall Street Journal review of the shows I saw yesterday. Never a dull moment around this shop.

Here’s my list of recommended Broadway, off-Broadway, and out-of-town shows, updated weekly. In all cases, I gave these shows favorable reviews (if sometimes qualifiedly so) in The Wall Street Journal when they opened. For more information, click on the title.

BROADWAY:
• An American in Paris (musical, G, too complex for small children, reviewed here)
• The Color Purple (musical, PG-13, most performances sold out last week, reviewed here)
• Fun Home (serious musical, PG-13, most performances sold out last week, reviewed here)
• Hamilton (musical, PG-13, all performances sold out last week, reviewed here)
• The King and I (musical, G, perfect for children with well-developed attention spans, reviewed here)
• Matilda (musical, G, reviewed here)
• Les Misérables (musical, G, too long and complicated for young children, closes Sept. 4, reviewed here)
• On Your Feet! (jukebox musical, G, reviewed here)

OFF BROADWAY:
• The Fantasticks (musical, G, suitable for children capable of enjoying a love story, reviewed here)
• Prodigal Son (drama, PG-13, extended through March 27, reviewed here)
• Sense & Sensibility (serious romantic comedy, G, remounting of 2014 off-Broadway production, closes April 10, original production reviewed here)

IN SARASOTA, FLA.:
• Ah, Wilderness! (comedy, PG-13, closing April 10, reviewed here)

CLOSING SOON ON BROADWAY:
• Noises Off (farce, PG-13, most performances sold out last week, closes March 6, reviewed here)

CLOSING SATURDAY IN SARASOTA, FLA.:
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (drama, PG-13, reviewed here)

CLOSING SUNDAY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.:
• Sweat (drama, PG-13, remounting of Oregon Shakespeare Festival production, original production reviewed here)

“Certainly, it is more reasonable to devote one’s life to women than to postage stamps or old snuff-boxes, even to pictures or statues.”

Marcel Proust, The Guermantes Way