New York Stage Review

1 week ago | nystagereview.com | Michael Sommers

Opening on Wednesday at the Public Theater, four brief, contrasting plays of circa 2020 vintage composed by the great British dramatist Caryl Churchill appear in their New York premieres. They are handsomely arranged in a program cleverly directed by James Macdonald, a longtime collaborator, under a banner naming their titles in order of performance: Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.

1 week ago | nystagereview.com | Michael Sommers

That dot in the title of minor.ity signals how francisca da silveira’s thoughtful comedy regards Black artists doing financially well for themselves by being, um, Black artists. Later they are revealed to be doing not so much in the way of art. Exploring the patronage side of an artist’s life and beyond, the play considers themes relating to Black identity and community. All that, plus it offers a satirical figure from Generation Z.

1 week ago | nystagereview.com | Frank Scheck

As subtle as its title, Kimberly Belflower’s play set in a high school classroom feels like it should also be performed in one. The idea behind John Proctor Is the Villain, namely applying a contemporary #MeToo sensibility to a conversation with Arthur Miller’s classic 1953 play, The Crucible, is not without merit. But this frenetic effort undercuts its provocative thesis with too-obvious situations and characters, telegraphing its messages with all the subtlety of a dance-heavy pop song.

1 week ago | nystagereview.com | Melissa Rose Bernardo

We talk a lot about how to get young people to the theater. More targeted marketing, savvier social media, lower ticket prices: yes, yes, and a thousand times yes. Cast a popular young actor from a hit TV series—a tried and true tactic. But the best, and not always the easiest, way: Make it about them. For proof, look no further than Broadway’s Booth Theatre, and the young audience captivated by Kimberly Belflower’s whip-smart, bitingly funny John Proctor Is the Villain.

1 week ago | nystagereview.com | Michael Sommers

Twelve Broadway attractions open during this cruel theatrical month of April, so here’s the short report on Smash, which premiered Thursday at the Imperial: Energetically performed by an excellent company, the capably designed and directed show proves to be a busy, cold, facetious and ultimately rueful backstage musical comedy involving some people making a Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe.