New York Monthly Herald. June 2006 Issue P. 101
NEW YORK THEATERS & MUSICALS BROADWAY
Beauty and the Beast:
A lush, gilded, and gaudy stage production of the classic Disney film -
now in its twelfth year. Family-friendly to a fault, this is a great
choice for groups with young children. Despite the grim story, Disney has
managed to make this an evening of almost uninterrupted sweetness and
light. The bewitched Beast dwells in a dark castle with a magic mirror,
awaiting true love - the beautiful daughter of a local inventor knocks on
the door, and the story begins. The stirring music, brilliantly colored
costumes and lights, and a cast of young performers ready to “cut loose”
makes this show a very enjoyable evening. This lavish production (one of
the longest-running shows on Broadway) may be a bit "theme park" for
frequent theatergoers, but it can be a very enjoyable evening for families
looking for tried-and-true entertainment. The show includes the well-loved
"Be Our Guest" number (dancing plates, talking tea kettles, and all), and
a transformation moment that always seems to deliver the appropriate oohs
and aahs.
AVENUE Q:
This spunky and cheerful Gen-X musical comedy for grown-ups
features a cast of both puppets and live performers. This blithe and
chirrupy musical about twentysomethings coming out of college and taking
on the world features a cast of both puppets and live performers. The
muppetish ones wrestle with the angst and schadenfreude (we're not being
literary here, there is actually a "schadenfreude" number in the show) of
being thoroughly educated and marginally employed.
Call it "Sesame Street" meets Rent. The
relentless cuteness is insistent, but the humor [Songlist at
Wikipedia] is definitely adult-minded and very funny. May be inappropriate
for 12 and under. Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the
theatre. Again - Those under twelve might be confused, perplexed, or
inappropriately intrigued by some parts of the show. Do not take them.
Call the sitter
Chicago:
An elegantly stylish and sparse revival of Kander & Ebb's gritty musical -
lust, treachery, and murder among chorus girls and backstage types in old
Chicago. (And that's just the first act.) Bob Fosse, the legendary
choreographer who created the first production, got most of his early
training in the burlesque halls. In that tradition, this production is an
homage to the libido - a writhing, gyrating tour-de-force sure to raise an
eyebrow or two. Conceived and directed by Walter Bobbie in 1996 as a
staged concert (note - there's not much scenery), the show features
Fosse's legendary original choreography as restaged by Ann Reinking. An
excellent score includes the classic "All That Jazz." May be inappropriate
for 12 and under. Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the
theatre Casting News: John O'Hurley and Robin Givens are no longer
in the show.
Faith Healer: The powerful Irish drama (told
entirely in monologue) comes to Broadway, starring Ralph Fiennes and
Cherry Jones. 4 Tony Award nominations. This haunting memory play stars
three extraordinary actors (Ian McDiarmid completes the trifecta - you'll
recognize him as "Palpatine" from those sci-fi "Star Wars" films).
The actors take turns
speaking of an Irish travelling faith healer (one of them being the man
himself), recalling the profound and transformative evenings that were his
performances. Friel is one of the great living playwrights, and the
director (Jonathan Kent) is one of the most esteemed in the British
theatre, so your evening listening to these descriptions probably won't be
all that unremarkable, either. his show is best for frequent
theatregoers and adult audiences looking for a thoughtful evening in the
theatre. The reviews were all strongly positive, with the exception of
New York Magazine and The Village Voice, which brought the
average rating down considerably
Hairspray:
A sugary candied-apple of a musical in which
a plus-sized teen in 1962 Baltimore discovers that she lives in the best
of all possible worlds. Based on John Waters' classic film of the same
name, this bebop musical (which premiered in 2002) tells the fun,
flouncing story of "a big girl with big dreams - and even bigger hair" who
sets out to desegregate the local TV dance show. She becomes a local
celebrity, and in the glee and glitz of the early 60's, teaches a few
lessons about tolerance, understanding, and cosmetics to the TV audience.
Family Rundown: This show is certainly family-friendly fare, but it might
be wise to have a conversation in the car on the way about the racial
tensions of the 1960's. Children under the age of 5 are not permitted in
the theatre. Everyone must have a ticket.
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