DC Theatre Scene . Washington’s liveliest theatre web site

A Man for All Seasons and 13: A New Musical
by Richard Seff

I came to the Roundabout’s revival of A Man for All Seasons late in its run, on November 5^th. I was away when it opened on October 7^th, and was only vaguely aware of its critical response, but my feeling was it had been moderately received, and was perceived by most to be plodding and dull. My general impression was that even Frank Langella, its Tony winning star, had been dismissed as less than successful in playing Sir Thomas More. The lovely thing about live theatre is that if you enter the building with an open mind and a willing heart, magic is available each and every time. (more…)

Irma La Douce, A Body of Water, Romantic Poetry
by Richard Seff

Mel Miller has been bringing Musicals Tonite to New Yorkers since 1998. What are they?  They are a sort of watered down version of Encores!, which means only that they are staged concert readings produced on a tiny budget in a small theatre, with minimum lighting and scenic effects, and orchestrations for one, two or sometimes three instruments. The cast is made up of Equity performers, but the star wattage is dim - that is not to say that the talent onstage is dim, but it’s only rarely that a name recognizable to the public is up there. However, that’s half the fun. (more…)

To Be or Not To Be and Two Rooms
by Richard Seff 

It’s always risky to chance turning a great movie into a first rate stage play. It rarely works. About the best of the lot that comes to mind is Applause out of All About Eve, but even that one isn’t in the same class as Mama. If imagination is injected, things get better. 39 Steps, currently a hit on Broadway, takes a classic Hitchcock melodrama, twists it and turns it until it becomes a riotously funny spoof. (more…)

The Glass Cage, Oklahoma! and Equus
by Richard Seff

The tiny Mint Theater, ensconced on the third floor of an office building in a 96 seat black box with stadium seating, should win all the prizes for impeccable productions of little known gems from the past. You have no idea how delicious can be the savoring of the words and ideas of JB Priestley, (more…)

Enter Laughing, What’s That Smell: The Music of Jacob Sterling and A Tale of Two Cities

by Richard Seff

Oh rapture, oh joy! It is a pleasure to be able to report that, very early in the new season, New York has a genuine hit. (more…)

by Richard Seff

An odd little evening at 59E59, one of the most user friendly theatres in New York, proved a small treat. This theatre sponsors several festivals in summer, and this one was called Summer Shorts 2. (more…)

Buffalo Gal and a look at Broadway producers
By Richard Seff

It’s always a pleasure to watch a master craftsman at work. A.R. Gurney is such an artist and for over 50 years he has been offering us well crafted plays at the rate of one every year or two. His latest, Buffalo Gal, is a reworking of one he wrote in 2001 for the Williamstown Theatre Festival. He saw it staged again in 2002 in Buffalo which is the play’s setting at the Studio Arena. Now, reshaped for 2008, it finally arrived in New York on August 5^th, via Primary Stages. Why did it take eight years and three versions? (more…)

• 
• A Talk with Charles Strouse
• By Richard Seff

Charles Strouse is not a household name, but it should be. In another culture it would be. The composer of Bye Bye Birdie, Golden Boy, Applause, and the megahit Annie as well as almost two dozen other Broadway musicals of varying success (more…)

• The Marriage of Bette and Boo, Bash’d, Damn Yankees and Broadway’s Rising Stars
• by Richard Seff

 Two Chris Durang plays in a week! Mr. Durang is raking it in from these two early plays alone.   Proof that one’s children can be of help in one’s older age. (more…)

• 
• Summer Therapy
• Beyond Therapy, Couple of the Century, Rafta, Rafta and Reasons to Be Pretty
• By Richard Seff

There’s not a lot going on in New York right now. No, that’s not true; this is the city that never sleeps, and there are plays, cafés, musicals opening all the time, even during the July-August off/season.  (more…)