Manhattan Digest

4 weeks ago | manhattandigest.com | Ryan Leeds

On Monday night, while celebrities paraded through the rain uptown at the Met Gala, theater insiders and their admirers gathered at a private apartment near downtown’s Astor place to hear a young composer named Jake Landau. Landau is only 30 years old, but he’s already managed to leave a mark across the worlds of musical theater, opera, and ballet. Landau took to the piano, accompanying Broadway’s finest talent.

1 month ago | manhattandigest.com | Ryan Leeds

Broadway legend Elaine Stritch “left the building” in 2014 but on Saturday night May 3rd, her self-proclaimed “bastard godson”, Paul Iacono, brought her spirit to life at the Green Room 42. The Stritch Is Back: Paul Iacono Sings Elaine Stritch… Sings Elton John is an incredible show that imagines the type of cabaret Stritch might have performed to honor the legendary British pop star.

1 month ago | manhattandigest.com | Ryan Leeds

Unless we’re in a yoga class, New Yorkers rarely take time to meditate. Perhaps its the constant din of city life or the feeling that unless we are moving and creating something, we aren’t doing enough. One New Yorker bucked that trend. Patrick Bringley is currently sharing his story in his solo play, All the Beauty in the World, based on his New York Times bestselling memoir of the same name.

1 month ago | manhattandigest.com | Ryan Leeds

Tucked away on a side street in Manhattan, on the third floor of a non-descript building, magic is unfolding through James Meneses’ Healing Mined. Rosie Corr directs a talented trio including Luis Carlos de la Lobana as Gonzalo the Animal Boy, a boxer suffering from delusion and mental illness. Jeremiah Garcia plays Jacob, his son, while Amilia Shaw rounds out the cast playing multiple roles.

1 month ago | manhattandigest.com | Ryan Leeds

“Start big, finish big, and they’ll forgive everything in between,” goes the age-old show business proverb. Yet if neither the start nor finish is strong, the forgiveness will be scarce. Such is the case with Take the Lead, a world premiere musical currently playing at Paper Mill Playhouse. True stories make excellent material for entertainment and Pierre Dulaine’s life is no exception. (Dulaine was interviewed by this publication in 2014).