By Hap ErsteinAvenue Q arrived on Broadway some eight years ago with its snarky, often off-color humor to claim that puppet shows are not necessarily mere kids’ stuff. That heretical suggestion has now been confirmed forever by the emotionally charged War Horse, an epic tale of a young man and his trusty steed, set against the horrors of World War I.A transfer from … [Read more...]
Broadway Postcard No. 5: ‘Mormon’ is best musical of the season
Andrew Randells and Josh Gad encounter a Ugandan, in The Book of Mormon.By Hap ErsteinTrey Parker and Matt Stone have been freaking out television’s Standards and Practices folks (a/k/a censors) for almost 15 years with their purposely profane animated series South Park, so it should come as no surprise that their first Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon, … [Read more...]
Broadway Postcard No. 4: Astonishing Rylance, lame ‘Picture’
Mark Rylance in Jerusalem.(Photo by Simon Annand)By Hap ErsteinMark Rylance may just be the best actor working in the theater today.You might agree if you saw Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem, a powerful, but somewhat overwritten three-hour marathon drama about an iconoclastic former daredevil stunt rider and occasional drug dealer who rails against the world.Rylance … [Read more...]
Broadway Postcard No. 3: Three Boca producers, and struggling with Stoppard
Tom Riley and Bel Powley in Arcadia.(Photo by Carol Rosegg)By Hap ErsteinTuesday was an even better weather day in New York, with the temperature climbing into the 80s, and locals shedding their clothes like it was the second coming of summer.My dance card was busy with interviews and, in the evening, a much-anticipated viewing of Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia.But … [Read more...]
Broadway Postcard No. 2: Timely reminders of the AIDS epidemic
Larry Kramer and Joe Mantello.By Hap ErsteinThe sun came out Monday in New York, a lovely, crisp, cool day, but I spent most of it inside, thinking about AIDS.I spent the evening at one of the final previews of the revival of Larry Kramer’s impassioned, angry, autobiographical The Normal Heart, written in 1985, when the syndrome was a death sentence. … [Read more...]
Broadway Postcard No. 1: Scratch the dim sum brunch
By Hap ErsteinWhatever you’re doing today, you’re having a better day than I am, I assure you.Today was my travel day, heading to New York for my annual end-of-season Broadway show trip. For the past month, I have been combing through the listings, strategizing, negotiating with press agents, planning eight days of theatergoing. And because I was starting with … [Read more...]