Hello theater lovers! I’m Katie, and I see a lot of theater! Currently, I’m seeing 0-2 shows a week, depending on my schedule.
As a rule, I won't be talking about any Disney/Fox/Hulu shows. Since this newsletter is geared towards people in the entertainment industry, there's a good chance I won't like a show that you or someone you know was involved in. I'm sure that you/your friend put a lot of effort into your/their work! I've been in a few shows, I know how much work goes into putting on a show. But just as you're entitled to dislike TV shows your friends worked on, I'm allowed to dislike theater you/your friends may have worked on. I try not to be vindictive, but I also do make it clear when I don't think a show is worth the price of a ticket or the time spent watching it.
I won't be writing much/any synopsis in these blurbs, but feel free to check out other reviews for synopses! Or just check out other reviews in general! Keep theater journalism alive & well!
Worth seeing:
Six on Broadway [NY], and on the West End [London]. Read my thoughts on it here!
Mac King Comedy Magic Show at Excalibur [Vegas]. Read my thoughts on it here!
Magic Mike Live in Las Vegas and London [Vegas/London]. Read my thoughts on it here!
A Mixed Bag:
Back to the Future on the West End [London] and on Broadway [NY]. Read my thoughts on it here!
Mad Apple at New York New York [Vegas]. Read my thoughts on it here!
Hadestown on tour and on Broadway [NY]. Read my thoughts on it here!
& Juliet on Broadway [NY]. Read my thoughts on it from when I saw it in London in 2019 here!
The Play That Goes Wrong off-Broadway and on the West End [NY/London]. Read my thoughts on the 2019 tour national tour here, or my full review for Stage Raw here.
Not worth it:
**Black Cypress Bayou at the Geffen [LA]. This world premiere play did not work for me, despite very strong technical elements (the scenic and lighting design are gorgeous). For the most part, under Tiffany Nichole Greene’s direction, the performances felt overly telegraphed, especially given that it’s in the Geffen’s more intimate Kenis theater. Kristin Adele Calhoun’s text plays long, despite clocking in at around 80 minutes without intermission. It is, however, a show that improves in the second half. The play is billed as a mystery about the death of the richest man in a Texas town, but the most compelling mystery revolves around Tayshia (Amber Chardae Robinson), who has shown up in the bayou with as many questions as answers. Tayshia feels, in many ways, like the heart of the show, rather than the mystery the play purports to be about. While there are some genuinely funny moments in the family dynamics, what is most disappointing about the show is how expected every moment in the plot feels. A show doesn’t need to be full of twists and turns, but I hoped that this “suspenseful” mystery would have at least a few.
On my radar:
Kimberly Akimbo on Broadway (closes Apr 28)
Mamma Mia: The Party in London
Cabaret on the West End (and soon on Broadway)
Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway
The Motive and the Cue on the West End (closes Mar 23)
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