What: Blessed Unrest presents Keith Hamilton Cobb's new play, a prequel to Othello.
And? full review here.
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| Sophia Marilyn Nelson and Robert Manning, Jr. as Desdemona and Ot'Teo. Photo by Maria Barnova. |
6/03/25: Old Friends
What: The newest Sondheim revue, this time produced by Cameron Mackintosh and starring Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga (with Gavin Lee, Beth Leavel, and others).
And? It's pretty great. There are always going to be some weirdnesses, but it's pretty great for a revue. There are an awful lot of act one finales in this (which makes sense, because Sondheim really knew how to write a good one). We could worry that having so many could mess with the dynamic of the evening but, to quote another show from this season, the audience as a whole is "too much in love to care." We're all just so damn happy to be hearing songs we love from across Sondheim's canon. Whereas the pandemic revue, Take Me to the World, often specialized in some lesser-known gems, this leans into the beloved in a big way, with numerous songs from oft-revived shows like Funny Thing, Company, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods. I will admit to being a bit troubled that the program credits only Sondheim for music and lyrics for the evening, as it includes songs from his collaborations with Leonard Bernstein and Jule Styne; especially when they're careful to note when they're using text by James Lapine, it's a weirdass omission, because the music for both West Side Story and Gypsy are rather iconic.
But let's get to some praise. It's truly lovely to see some familiar and talented faces back on the Broadway stage, like Gavin Lee and Beth Leavel (Kate Jennings Grant was not in the night I went, but her role was ably filled by Scarlett Strallen). Also shining were some faces I knew less well, like Joanna Riding nailing the patter in "Getting Married Today" and Jeremy Secomb bringing his powerful vocals to the role of Sweeney Todd. Bernadette is always Bernadette, but manages to do a delightful sendup of her concert persona as she sings "Broadway Baby" as an audition piece, asking the pianist to play it as slowly as possible, like "Bernadette does it." And Lea Salonga, well known for her clear and bright voice, shines in a new way by letting her bawdy and belty side out as Mrs. Lovett and Madame Rose.
There are lines that find new resonance these days. Bonnie Langford, nailing "I'm Still Here" with brassy aplomb, sings "I got through all of last year, and I'm here," and we feel the weight of surviving it together. And then there's the photo montage of Sondheim through the years, starting with infancy. When Bernadette looks at those photos (some of which include Steve with herself), and sings "Not a day goes by, not a single day, but you're somewhere a part of my life," we feel both her ache and ours. He's gone, but we keep him here with us.
The show ends with an audio of Sondheim singing the cut song "Love is in the Air," and I found myself weeping. The woman next to me asked if I was okay. All I could say was, "I miss him."
What: One night of short plays in OUT/PLAY's summer festival: An Exclusive Audience with the Indomitable Percy Wallis by Bo Enright, The 26 Girlfriends of Maribel Lopez by Sarita Alvarado, Date Debate by Richie Altmanshofer, Ramadan Cream by Asim Ali Naqvi, and Three Steps Down by Ana Muñoz.
And? It's a nice way to start Pride, with a night of queer plays by queer artists. This was a delightful mix of different stories and styles and experiences. And sure, I'm biased, but I adored my friend Richie's blind date romcom, Date Debate. Also lovely was Bo Enright's one-dog show An Exclusive Audience with the Indomitable Percy Wallis as performed by David McDermott.
Streaming Theater
- The CNN livecast of Good Night, and Good Luck.
- The Tony Awards!
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