2,700 stories by "Jk"
There's something special about seeing the original cast of a Broadway show. But seeing replacement casts (and/or individual replacements) can be great, too. In fact, over the years, w…
After you read this, you may think less of my taste in musicals, but I have to tell it like it is. Though he's Broadway's favorite whipping boy, Frank Wildhorn is really only responsibl…
I was interested to read the initial reports of previews of King Kong, as I always am. But I was really interested to read on one of the message boards about a reaction to the merch, and in …
I'm sure we can all agree that we all have favorite shows that ran for far too short a time. And we probably all have seen shows that we can't believe ran at all. Over the years, I've seen p…
HOT on Broadway (adj): fierce, talented, big potential; has "buzz"; has "it" factor.BROADWAY HEAT: KING KONG EDITIONWell, in the past week, Kong has taken over Broadway, and YOU ha…
Last Sunday, Mike, our mutual friend and I made our annual trek to the big city for The Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction. We, along with several thousand of other theater-loving fans s…
What better a choice for Halloween month's Mr. Broadway than a multi-talented actor who has played not one but two of the Main Stem's most notorious monsters? A few years ago, he played that…
It is October 3rd and a Wednesday, Mean Girls fans. Can you think of a more fetch way to celebrate the fun than a tribute to the meanest of the mean girls, Regina George herself? T…
Review of the Sunday matinee on September 30, 2018 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City. Starring Katrina Lenk, Sasson Gabay, Ari'el Stachel, Ahmad Maksoud, John Cariani, George A…
HOT on Broadway (adj): fierce, talented, big potential; has "buzz"; has "it" factor.BROADWAY HEAT: KING KONG EDITIONSo far, you've crowned THREE winners in the BROADWAY HEAT competition for …
Seems like we are always talking about scores we love. And that we are always blaming the book for a show's shortcomings. I'm generalizing, of course. But the passing yesterday of Joe Master…
We talk so much these days about shows based on films. Rarely, it seems, much is discussed about shows that come from books. Some of the greatest musicals of all time are based on novels and…
The NapOpening Night: Thursday, September 27, 2018Samuel J. Friedman TheatreCongratulations to the following cast members making their Broadway debut tonight!Alexandra Billings(Waxy Bush)&nb…
Late last week, Playbill ran THIS article about 9 plays and musicals that used actors as an onstage band. For some reason, they drew the line at nine! And in doing so,…
Bernhardt/HamletOpening Night: Tuesday, September 25, 2018American Airlines TheatreCongratulations to the following cast members making their Broadway debut tonight!Matthew Amendt(Understudy…
Review of the Sunday, September 23, 2018 matinee performance at the Max at Signature Theater in Arlington, Virginia. Starring Natascia Diaz, Claybourne Elder, Steffanie Leigh, John Leslie Wo…
Previously, on The Friday 5...Mike and I shared the 5 shows we saw that we were glad we saw, but once was enough. And we shared those shows we wished for a refund after seeing them…
So I was cleaning my bookcases the other day, and I pulled out a large 3-ring binder from the oft-forgotten bottom shelf. Inside were pages and pages of Broadway memories. The back pages inc…
I must be finding it therapeutic to share my obsession with all things Playbill with you, loyal reader. Today's #MyBroadwayThing is all about Playbill binders. I have two kinds, both of…
The Waverly Gallery is a play I'm looking forward to this season, mainly because Kenneth Lonergan is a writer I've gained quite an appreciation for, as well as the all-star cast. I admit tha…
THIS IS IT! THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND!THE BROADWAY HEAT: PRETTY WOMAN EDITION!HOT on Broadway (adj): fierce, talented, big potential; has "buzz"; has "it" factor.After several weeks, and t…
Like so many of you, I am completely devastated by the passing of Marin Mazzie. It just seems to impossible to believe.My history of enjoying the power, grace and beauty of her spirit and es…
Next up on our weekly trip down memory lane is a look back at the Original Broadway Cast Recording of the 6-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 1990, City of Angels. Proof that if a show…
I'm pretty sure I've shared with you that I was not particularly fond of Passion the first time I saw it. But as a life-long fan of Sondheim, I knew I could never fairly judge a piece o…
Over the past weeks, I began to celebrate the start of my 36th year of going to Broadway shows, by looking at the theaters where I've seen multiple distinct productions. Miss the first part?…
