Curtainup Founder & Editor Elyse Sommer's Epilogue -- I've passed the torch for reviewing and editing new theater productions on and off-Broadway and elsewhere. However, I'll continue to sound off here with my take on Live and Onscreen Entertainment. As for Curtainup's extensive content since 1996-- it's all sill available at www.curtainup.com

Sunday, June 29, 2014

David Margulies' Chekhovian outing in LA



The Country House
The Country House- Donald Margulies' new play is a pleasant refreshment. But for greater risk and reward, a Chekhov play might be in order. . . . Re

A stellar revival of David Hare's Skylight

Carey Mulligan  and Bill Nighy   re-invigorate this still interesting play. . .
Skylight
Skylight - Well cast revival of David Hare's Play . . Read More

Friday, June 27, 2014

Stephen Belber's new play

e young and young at heart . . Read More
 
The Muscles In Our Toes
The Muscles In Our Toes - Stephen Belber's play is well-performed and entertaining, but where the cracks are visible, they prove unfortunately distracting. . .

The Lion: a musical memoir




The Lion
The Lion - This musical memoir by Singer/songwriter Benjamin Scheuer has appeal for the young and young at heart .

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Stream it-- #Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me


Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me
The shooting in this documentary, now available on DVD and for streaming via itunes and Netflic, is of course done by a camera trained on the leggy, raspy-voiced Broadway legend, also known to younger audiences as the mother of 30Rock's Alec Baldwin who's also one of the film's producers. It's a combination of tribute to Stritch by director Chiemi Karasawa and Stritch's own last hurrah in the limelight.

LA premiere about Papal politics


The Last Confession
The Last Confession - Roger Crane makes a solid debut as a playwright with this juicy, true tale of papal politics and, possibly, murder.. . . Read Mor

Monday, June 23, 2014

Kiss #Me Kate still a hit at #Barrington Stage



 Kiss Me Kate<
Kiss Me Kate - Cole Porter's sophisticated musical gets Barrington Stage's off to a grand start at its main stem . .

new technologo rescues a forgotten play



 Donogoo
Donogoo - Modern technology gives exciting new life to Jules Romains' once popular business spoof at the Mint. . . Read More

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Summer House With Swimming Pool- book review 
A  summer beach read with  a misanthropic narrator  whose many pet peeves include invitations  theater openings  to which many of our readers would love to be invited 

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

A beautifully acted new issues play



 When We Were Young and Unafraid
When We Were Young and Unafraid - Cherry Jones heads a splendid cast in Sarah Treem's new play at Manhattan Theatre Club's Stage One. . Read Mor

Much to love about this Much Ado in Central Park




Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing - This is the fifteenth CurtainUp review of Much Ado. That astonishing number is obviously a testament to the play's popularity. This production does nothing to change that. . .

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Alan Ayckbourn's cleverly constructed plays




ayckbourn Ensemble
The Ayckbourn Ensemble: Time of My Life & Arrivals and Departures - The prolific Alan Ayckbourn's contribution to this year's Brits Off-Broadway Festival . . Read More

Playwrights Horizon's enjoyable new musical




 Fly By Night
Fly By Night - a new musical is about the ambiguous moments where joy and sorrow meet, but it all comes together into a show that's unambiguously enjoyable. . . Read More

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

London welcomes back Kathleen Turner



Bakersfield Mist
Bakersfield Mist - Kathleen Turner and Ian McDiarmid in a little gem of a piece. Read More

The ever popular Grease at Papermill Playhouse


Grease
Grease - The best of the enhancements to this exuberantly danced staging is the addition of songs from the film version Read More

Alan ayckbourn is back at Brits Off-Broadway

This is the first of three Ayckbourn plays  in rep, but each a stand-alone piece


ayckbourn Ensemble
The Ayckbourn Ensemble: Arrivals and Departures - The prolific Alan Ayckbourn's 77th play worth seeing even though it's not his best . . Read M

Jim Dale--younger than springtime charmer



 Just Jim Dale
Just Jim Dale - a staged memoir buoyed by a generous dose of song, dance and charm . . Read More

Sunday, June 1, 2014