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

Monday, July 31, 2017

A delightful Midsummer Night's Dream in Central Park


A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare in the Park)
A Midsummer Night's Dream - Lear deBessonet stages a delightfully diverting production of this beloved classic at the Delacorte. Read More

Curtainup's most recent review of Sam Shepard's Buried Child

www.curtainup.com/buriedchild16.html
 Sam Shepard  is  wth us  no more,  but  his  play live on--  to wit, the New Group's
fine production  of   Buried  Child last  season    For more about  his life,  style,  quotes,]
and links to  Shepherd  plays we reviewed  see  our  Playwrights Album
www.curtainup.com/shepard.html

A sad update to Curtainup's Sam Shepard's Playwright Album page

  We're  sad  to have to have to record Sam Shepard's  death in our Playwrights Album  Sam Shepard  page www.curtainup.com/shepard.html

Luckily  we  had a  chance  to review  his masterpiece,  Buried Child just a short while ago www.curtainup.com/buriedchild16.html

our 2nd summer 2017 outdoor Midsummer review

Coming  up:   The  current  production at  the Delacorte. . .
Midsummer Night's Dream
Midsummer Night's Dream - this fast-paced, 90-minute production makes for an engaging, entertaining evening for neophyte and veteran alike..

Tina Howe's Singing Beach: tmely but too flawed


Singing Beach
Singing Beach - Tina Howe's worthy but flawed real-surreal new play about climate change and aging . . . Re

In London: Girl From the North Country a play with Bob Dylan songs



Girl From the North Country
Girl From the North Country - Conor McPherson's play with Bob Dylan songs set in hiis birthplace of Duluth, Minnesota . . . Read More -

Two new reviews added to our NYMusic Festival page


NYMusic Festival
2017 New York Music Festival - New: Peace Love and Cupcakes and Generation Me (previously reviewed: The Shakespearean Jazz Show, Previous reviws:,Numbers Nerds,Matthew McConnaughey v. the Devil, My Dear Watson. . . Read More

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Sarah Ruhls comedy funny as ever at Williamstown


The Clean House
The Clean House - Sarah Ruhl's satire with an excellent cast to work their magic in a sublime production at Williamstown . . . Read

Our music festival coverage continues with a Shakespeare riff

nklin in song. Read More
NYMusic Festival
2017 New York Music Festival - New: The Shakespearean Jazz Show, Previous reviws:,Numbers Nerds,Matthew McConnaughey v. the Devil, My Dear Watson. . . Read More

Money Tallks. . .sings well but could use a better book


Money Talks
Money Talks - a wacky new musical in which George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and Abraham Lincoln join Benjamin Franklin in song

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Mitu's Death of a Salesman is not for everyone


Death of  a Salesman
Death of a Salesman - Mitu's production is for the most adventurous theater-goers and for serious students of contemporary drama.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

My review of Dominique Morrisseau's Pipeline


Pipeline
Pipeline - in her Lincoln Center debut Dominique Morrisseau once again tackles a universal social problem from a personal perspective. . . Read More

Encores! Off-Centre Assassins-- buoyed by stellar cast


assassins
Encores! Off-Centre Assassins- a here today-gone in 4 days revival of Sondheim's chilling yet thrilling killer show buoyed by a killer cast. . .

Saturday, July 15, 2017

dominique Morissey's Pipeline-- leaves much to talk and think about

Pipeline  is  a  powerful  follow-up  to Morissey's  earlier plays--  my  review will be posted shorly

Encores! Assassins -- my post-run thoughts soon

Caught  the last  performance  of Encores!  reviival  of Assassins  today. . .great cast,  scarly relevant and strange as  ever. . .my more detailed thoughts  coming  up   

Our first 2 reviews of NYMUsic Festival are up. . .more to come


NYMusic Festival
2017 New York Music Festival - Our first Festival reviews: Matthew McConnaughey v. the Devil. . . My Dear Watson, a Sherlock Holmes Musical (other reviews coming up

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

our critic loves Soulpepper's Spoon River Musical


spoonriver
Spoon River Soulpepper's exhilarating 95-minute musical adapted from the famous "anthology" by Edgar Lee Masters

Monday, July 10, 2017

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Catch Of Human Bondage's belated stagedebut while it's in NYC


 It seems a shame that VernThiessen's  excellent adaptation-- the first ever for the stage-- hasn't gotten moreattention during  Soulpepper's month in New York where it's  one  of  the 3 mainattractons. . .below a link to my  review
Of Human Bondage
Of Human Bondage - More than a hundred years and 3 movies later, W. Somerset Maugham's novel comes to the stage, courtesy of Toronto's Soulpepper Company. . . R

Friday, July 7, 2017

Maugham's Of Human Bondage on stage at last-- and beautifully done


Of Human Bondage
Of Human Bondage - More than a hundred years and 3 movies later, W. Somerset Maugham's novel comes to the stage, courtesy of Toronto's Soulpepper Company. . .

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Saturday, July 1, 2017

1984's belated Broadway debut reviewed



1984
1984 - George Orwell's novel about a dystopian world has been relevant for almost 70 years. Current events have resulted in starry new Broadway production . . .