Memphis Broadway Show Review

Show Summary
Inspired by the true story of a 1950s rock 'n' roll deejay, Memphis tells the story of the man who brought black music to white listeners in the segregated South.

Broadway Review
Broadway regular Chad Kimball finally gets the breakout role he deserves as Huey Calhoun, a guy who is going nowhere until his love of "race music" - combined with his brash style and quick wit - makes him the most popular radio personality in town. Both his big ego and his dogged refusal to acknowledge the barriers of a racist society threaten his relationship with a talented black singer (Montego Glover). Though David Bryan's score is not as strong as the real rock 'n' roll and blues music of that era, it is enjoyable and includes some standout songs; Joe DiPietro's script, with the exception of a few predictable and cheesy moments, is generally smart, funny, and well-constructed; Christopher Ashley's direction is superb. Overall this is a wonderful new Broadway musical with a good look, a hot band, an engaging story, and a fantastic cast of performers to bring it to life.

Hair Broadway Show Review

Show Summary
Led by charismatic hippie Berger, a group of spirited and idealistic youths enjoy lives of free love and pacifism in New York City's bohemian East Village. But eventually "the tribe" must face the harsh reality of the Vietnam War draft.

Broadway Review
Even the most jaded theatergoers can't help but dig classic tunes like "Age of Aquarius," "Good Morning Starshine," "Easy To Be Hard," "Hair," and "Let the Sunshine In" in this sensitively directed, well-choreographed, and Tony Award-winning production of the 1967 classic musical. Although many of Hair's other songs are less-than-classic, and the humor can be pretty sophomoric at times, the energetic show certainly resonates emotionally. And the Baby Boomers will go crazy for it - especially the part where the audience is invited to jump up onstage and dance with the cast at the end of the show!

Mary Poppins Broadway Show Review

Show Summary
A very unusual nanny (who just so happens to be practically perfect in every way) helps two rambunctious children connect with their distracted and distant parents - and she shows them a bit of magic along the way. Disney's Mary Poppins, now a Broadway musical, is based on the beloved P.L. Travers stories and the classic Disney movie of the same name.

Broadway Review
Fans of the books will be happy to see that this live action Broadway adaptation of Mary Poppins includes characters and adventures that the popular Disney film left out. Fans of the movie, on the other hand, may miss its simplicity (as well as a few of the songs). But everybody is sure to appreciate the wonderful cast and impressive sets. Be aware that there are a few darker moments in the show that might scare smaller children.

Time Stands Still Broadway Show Review

Show Summary
Sarah, a photographer, and her partner of several years, James, a journalist, have traveled the world documenting the tragedies of war. But following an injurious accident, the couple must face the challenge of settling down to a more conventional life back in the U.S.

Broadway Review
Donald Margulies's new play Time Stands Still is a well-written and well-acted drama (the stellar cast is headed by Laura Linney and Brian d'Arcy James) that examines a couple as they try to adjust to the unadventurous life and to each other in this ordinary context. Most of the questions that Margulies poses - In a world full of pain, is it okay for us to find happiness for ourselves? Is it morally acceptable for a photojournalist to only document tragedy and not intervene to help the injured? - have been asked in similar dramas, so the subject doesn't exactly feel novel, but Time Stands Still does provide a very engaging and emotional evening in the theater.

Rock of Ages Broadway Show Review

Show Summary
Former American Idol contestant Constantine Maroulis stars as a would-be rocker who arrives on L.A.'s Sunset Strip with dreams of fame and glory, but instead finds heartbreak and hard times in this Broadway tribute to the era of hard rockin' hair bands.

Broadway Review
From the little lighter-shaped flashlights they hand you when you enter the theater to the drinks being served during the show, the Broadway musical Rock of Ages has the feel of an awesome rock concert. Oh, yeah, and then there's the music. If you lived through the '80s (and cherish great memories of listening to the radio or watching MTV during those years), then you'll be grinning like an idiot and desperate to sing along as the energetic cast belts out melodic rock favorites like Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive," Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again," and Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is". Sure, the show's story and dialogue is pretty silly (sometimes deliciously, sometimes cringingly), but when they start singing "Don't Stop Believing," you're sure to be waving your lighter in the air with everyone else.

Present Laughter Broadway Show Review

Show Summary
In this classic Noel Coward comedy, Victor Garber stars as a self-absorbed actor whose life is turned chaotic by the arrival of a number of troublesome characters (including a crazy playwright, a cheating producer, and his own ex-wife) to his London apartment.

Broadway Review
This Roundabout Theatre Company production is a solidly enjoyable revival of Noel Coward's witty 1939 send-up of showbiz folks. Garber is good (if not quite perfect) in the lead role originally played by Coward himself, and Brooks Ashmanskas is the audience favorite, playing a mincing playwright who is as mad as a hatter.