Top Girls (Biltmore Theatre)

BOTTOM LINE: It's wordy and long and the subject matter seems less than current, but the production is great, the direction is interesting, and the cast is one of the best ensembles on Broadway. If you want to see it, do it now...Top Girls closes on Sunday!

In 1982, Caryl Churchill wrote a play about what it takes for a woman to achieve great professional success. Although it was performed professionally in London and here off-Broadway, it was never brought to a Broadway stage. This year, Manhattan Theatre Club included Top Girls in its season, the play's first-ever Broadway production. In 1982, Top Girls was cutting-edge in its poignancy and honest rhetoric on the issue of equality in the work place. In 2008, it rings as somewhat historic and outdated. How far we've come in 26 years.

It’s not that Top Girls is unrelatable. The play centers on Marlene, a British woman who has just been made Managing Director at the employment agency where she works. Told in three separate scenes with intermissions in between, the audience learns who Marlene is, how she achieved her success, and what she lost along the way. It seems that women can’t be professionally successful and have families or loving relationships. We learn that Marlene has sacrificed everything to get to where she is, and maybe doesn’t really regret her personal sacrifices anyway.

There are still issues with gender equality in the workplace, don’t get me wrong. Women still don’t make as much money as men, and often have to work harder to prove themselves. But the issues presented in Top Girls seem almost antiquated to what women encounter today. In 2008, it’s possible for a woman to have both a family and a career. Resources are available and society doesn’t shun women who desire both. Also, there are many women CEOs and even heads of state. Hell, we almost had a woman president!

Top Girls is an interesting look at the history of this issue and this production, directed by James MacDonald, keeps everything firmly set in 1982. It would have been silly to try to bring this plot into the current time, so MacDonald gently reminds the audience that the time period on display is not the present. The play has a feminist air about it (strong women achieving great things, and all). My boyfriend saw Top Girls with me and requested that I only recommend it for “people with vaginas.” I think that’s somewhat accurate although anyone with an interest in the subject matter would be intrigued.

Although Top Girls is well-executed and incredibly well-acted (Martha Plimpton is friggin’ amazing), it doesn’t resonante as wholly as it should. Maybe it’s that the subject matter isn’t relatable, or maybe it’s because Churchill’s script is wordy and somewhat tetious. You should know that Top Girls is not a passive or light experience; the audience has to work a little to stay with the story. But it does have its funny moments and the acting is top-notch.

(Top Girls plays at Manhattan Theatre Club at the Biltmore Theatre, but only for the next two days! Saturday 2pm and 8pm and Sunday at 8pm. Visit mtc-nyc.org for more information.)

Almost An Evening (Bleecker Street Theatre)

BOTTOM LINE: One Coen brother on stage is a lot like two Coen brothers on screen. Glorious!

Almost An Evening is written by Oscar winning filmmaker Ethan Coen (who normally functions aside his brother Joel). This is a solo writing venture and also Ethan Coen's off-Broadway debut. And it rocks. The Coen brothers are known for eccentric characters, dry humor, and an undertone of intellectual merit (see No Country For Old Men, Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski, Fargo, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? for more information).

This production is actually three short one-acts that aren't related in subject matter but are certainly similar in tone and humor. The cast includes 9 actors and each portrays a couple of characters throughout the three plays. The cool thing about Almost An Evening is that it brilliantly walks the line between poignant and funny. It's not a passive theatre experience, but it's also not tedious to follow along. Ethan Coen doesn't try to put anything past you, but it's also intended for a more "with it" audience (read: not the geriatric crowd).

Almost An Evening brilliantly incorporates that great Coen mindfuck. You know what I mean...in a Coen brothers movie, it might be "gee, how gruesome can this scene get before the audience vomits all over themselves?" Or, "let's convince the audience that something is true and then pull the rug out from under everyone at precisely the right moment." Well, in this play, it's more like "hmm, I wonder if we can still tell this story if we keep it pitch black for 5 minutes."

Almost An Evening premiered at Atlantic Theatre Company in a very sold-out run earlier this year. It is now playing a limited off-Broadway engagement until June 1st. And it's no surprise it was picked up for a longer run, the cast and crew are an acclaimed team. The cast of 9 includes many seasoned actors...they're the kind of people you recognize but then have to imdb when you get home. The most notable cast member is F. Murray Abraham, who plays God like the curmudgeony love child of George Carlin and Lewis Black. The show is directed by the very capable Neil Pepe, the artistic director at Atlantic Theatre Company. Check it out while it's still playing, it's just a good time.

(Almost An Evening plays at The Theatres at 45 Bleecker Street, 45 Bleecker between Mott and Lafayette. Tickets are $50 and are available at the box office, at telecharge.com or by calling 212.239.6200. Student tickets are available at the box office on the day of performance for $20. Visit almostanevening.com for more information.)

Macbeth (Lyceum Theatre)

BOTTOM LINE: Beam me up, Macbeth. A slightly pretentious and self-indulgent interpretation of Shakespeare's classic. Really only for HUGE fans of Patrick Stewart and die-hard Shakespeare fanatics.

All right. I'm going to start this post by saying that I LOVE Shakespeare, Patrick Stewart, and edgy new interpretations of classical work. That being said, I'm going to go out on a limb here and just say it. I didn't like Macbeth.

When I went to see the latest production of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, recently transferred from a limited run at BAM to its new home at The Lyceum Theatre, I was expecting a night of mind-blowing, engrossing, extraordinary theatre. It has everything going for it: huge star power, an intriguing story, and enough buzz to fuel a bee hive, but I was sadly very disappointed.

Patrick Stewart of Star Trek: The Next Generation and X-Men fame, tackles the title role of the disgruntled Scotsman in this version of the Bard's classic which was produced at England's Chichester Festival Theatre, before crossing the pond to New York. While Stewart has been a part of nearly every play in Shakespeare's cannon, I'm a little sad to say that, in my opinion his performance in this play was nothing to write home about. The producers are probably banking on Stewart's name to lure people to sit through this three hour tour, but they might be a little unsatisfied.

The fault doesn't lie with Captain Picard. While his performance is a little self indulgent, it's not bad. I just don't think that it's worth the $101 ticket price and maybe was better off at its cozy home in Brooklyn. It's said that Macbeth is a cursed play, since Shakespeare used real witches' incantations in the text of the play. Productions are rarely successful and often riddled with catastrophe, and I think that this version is just a little too big for its britches. The show is set in Stalinist Russia, with little to no explanation or justification for the change in setting. Instead of helping to clarify the actions of the characters in the play, it really only slightly confuses the matter by incorporating a working elevator, Russian folk songs, and rapping witches. That's right, I said rapping witches.

Now I know that I might be in the minority of people who don't go wild over this production, but I'm all right with that. (If you think otherwise, let us know.) I thought there were moments of greatness- among them Kate Fleetwood's Lady Macbeth which was consistently off the charts, and the witches (despite the techno rapping) were pretty darn creepy. But overall, I thought the rest of the performances were all over the map. I appreciate that this production might get a new crowd to experience Shakespeare, but I just wish that it were a little better. I'm proud to say that it's all right if you don't like a production of Shakespeare's work. It doesn't mean that you're not educated or cultured. It just might mean that it wasn't that great.

(MacBeth plays at The Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street, from now through May 24 2008. Weeks beginning March 31, April 14, April 28, May 12: Tuesday - Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm; Sunday at 3pm. Weeks beginning April 7, April 21, May 5: Tuesday - Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2 and 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. Week beginning May 19: Tuesday - Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm. Ticket Prices: $51.50 - $101.50. Call Telecharge at (212) 239-6200/(800) 432-7250.)

Crimes of the Heart (Roundabout Theatre Company)

BOTTOM LINE: It's a chick flick on stage, so dudes might not be interested. A good choice for a girls' night out.

Crimes of the Heart is a Pulitzer Prize winning play that was written in the early '80s and turned into an Oscar winning film in 1986. The story has a very "American" feel; this is probably supported by the fact that it's set in the deep South and everyone speaks with thick Mississippi accents. Here's the story: three sisters with a dysfunctional past come together when the youngest sister shoots her husband. Requisite drama ensues because wild-child middle sister, Meg, doesn't see eye to eye with eldest sister, Lenny, and also because unstable upbringings make for good conflict later in life. It's a dark comedy but not nearly as depressing as it sounds.

Crimes of the Heart has all the components that make for good girly escapism: the three main characters are females aged 24-30; it's somewhat relatable with ample family drama and sibling rivalry; there are love interests and a tryst, and the two guys in the play are hunky enough. Luckily though, Crimes is written with such insight and nuance that it substantiates a story line fit for a soap opera. It never feels frivolous.

The cast is really good, especially Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe and Jennifer Dundas as the three sisters. A dynamic pace is instantly set between these three and they work hard to keep it up throughout the play. They are all seasoned actors and it's apparent they know what they're doing. Technically speaking the production is great, as most work at Roundabout is. The set is perfectly appropriate for a home in rural Mississippi in 1974 and though the script is wordy at times, the direction keeps it all gently moving along. It should be noted that this revival of Crimes of the Heart was directed by Kathleen Turner in her directorial debut.

The original production of Crimes of the Heart opened in 1981. I have to assume the story was more provocative then than it happens to be today. It certainly still holds because it's set in 1974 and it's a very human story, but I feel like audiences today are much more desensitized than they were a couple of decades ago. The conflict in the plot is no doubt dramatic, but it's much more palatable than many of the dysfunctional black comedies that have recently been produced. This doesn't negate the narrative, it just helps to ground it in the time frame in which it's set.

If you are under 35, check out Crimes of the Heart for only $20 as part of Roundabout's Hiptix program; it's a steal for this caliber of theatre. Visit hiptix.com for more information. If you're paying full price for a ticket, make sure you're in it for an enjoyable and easily digestible story, rather than anything poignant or esoteric.

(Crimes of the Heart plays until April 20 at Laura Pels Theatre, Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, 111 West 46th Street. Tickets are available at roundabouttheatre.com and by calling 212.719.1300. Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30pm; Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.)

Adding Machine (Minetta Lane Theatre)

BOTTOM LINE: A beautiful and well-conceived macabre musical...nontraditional for sure, but imaginative and quirky. For those who embrace artsy, interpretive theatre.

Adding Machine is a new musical playing off-Broadway that comes to New York from Chicago. It's a musical adaption of Elmer Rice's play from 1923 about an accountant named Mr. Zero who lives a completely mundane and generic life and finds himself going insane from the mediocrity of his existence. Sound relatable? Zero completely loses it when he is let go from his job; since the invention of the adding machine, there isn't a need for his work by hand. Zero is a wonderful anti-hero; he is not a sympathetic man, but he inadvertently solicits compassion since his life is just so sad.

I am extremely impressed with the conception of this story. The production's main color palate is gray and black, reiterating the desolate feel of these mediocre lives. The costumes are also gray and loose, not giving any character too much definition. Even the direction feels desperate; there's a heaviness to the movement of these people. And true to the trend of new 21st century musical theatre, Adding Machine uses video projection in its set design.

Adding Machine is respectful of the era in which it takes place and the production itself has a very '20s feel. Even the music is evocative of the time; it's almost vaudevillian, but much darker and more tragic. Daisy, Mr. Zero's co-worker and unrequited love, sings a song about her love for Zero that evokes Chicago without the Fosse. Musically speaking, Adding Machine is remarkable. It's almost an operetta. In the 90 minute intermission-less production there wasn't a single time that the audience applauded, simply because there wasn't a break in which to applaud. The music and story roll together beautifully throughout the entire production. The cast is only 9 people and the orchestra only 3, but the sound produced by these people feels totally full and whole. It's amazing what sounds the intricate harmonies can produce.

Even though I really enjoyed Adding Machine, it is definitely not a musical for the masses. Adding Machine is weird and not in a campy, Rocky Horror way; it's weird in an avant-garde, twisted way. You probably have to have a predisposition for creepy storytelling and also a tolerance for artistic quirks you might not understand. Check it out if you're into new musical theatre or inventive new ways to tell classic stories.

(Adding Machine plays at the Minetta Lane Theatre, in the West Village at 18 Minetta Lane. Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 3pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm. For tickets call 212.307.4100 or 212.420.8000.)

In The Heights (Richard Rodgers Theatre)

BOTTOM LINE: it's really, really good. It's the first musical I've seen in a long time that I can honestly say has something for everyone. It's original and provocative without being whiney, and the music, choreography and talent are all top-notch.

In The Heights has so much heart that I just want to give Lin-Manuel Miranda a hug. Miranda wrote the book and lyrics, conceived the idea and stars in the show. It's safe to assume his work is at least somewhat autobiographical. The "Heights" refers to Washington Heights, and the show gives you an inside look at life in the barrio. Appropriately, much of the music and choreography are hip-hop influenced.

Although In The Heights is innovative in style and theme, it respectfully maintains a more traditional musical theatre structure. Usnavi (Miranda) serves as the narrator and invites the audience into his neighborhood to meet his people. The musical theatre conventions and conflicts are all in place: it's sort of a coming of age story in a poor neighborhood where everyone is trying to get up and/or out. Meanwhile the ingénue falls in love with the wrong boy and everyone struggles to makes ends meet and do right for their family. Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes (she wrote the book) tell a linear story about realistic people in a place that really exists.

The great thing about In The Heights is that the story is about 2008 and it's told in a style that is appropriate for 2008. In The Heights uses the music and choreography to help define place and time, and in doing so, it takes musical theatre to a ground-breaking place. Hip-hop works in musical theatre.

This show is original, and I can't explain how refreshing that is. It actually has something new to say. So much of what's on Broadway was taken from movies and books and plugged into the Broadway machine. In The Heights is original, it's amazingly well done, and I hope it gets the respect it deserves.

In The Heights comes to Broadway from an extended run off-Broadway last year. If you saw it off-Broadway, here's what you need to know: not that much has changed, but it's a lot less gritty than it used to be. The Broadway version offers a beefier orchestra, flashier lighting, and a set that looks like a Hollywood interpretation of Washington Heights. They've added a couple of new songs and changed a couple of plot details to help explain the story, but it's essentially the same as before. It plays well in a big Broadway house and Andy Blankenbuehler's choreography looks even hotter on a larger stage. See it again, it's interesting to compare.

(In The Heights is in previews at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th Street, and opens March 9. Tickets are available at the box office and at ticketmaster.com. $26.50 ticket lottery available, more info to come. intheheightsthemusical.com for more info.)

Passing Strange (Belasco Theatre)

BOTTOM LINE: an avant-garde new musical for artists, by artists. It's quite inventive and touching, but maybe too out there for the non-artists among us.

Passing Strange is a new rock musical about rock music. And it rocks. The five-piece band sits on stage through the entire show and though they are almost always playing, they are also interacting with the cast and even speaking lines themselves. The five musicians and six actors work together to tell this story. The musicians are lead by Stew, the narrator of the story and the one whose story it is. Stew wrote the book and the lyrics, co-wrote the music with bassist Heidi Rodewald, and stars in this show about his life...welcome to Stew's world.

The story isn't exactly unique; Stew is a young, black man in middle-class L.A. trying to find his way in a society that's trying to make him conform, even though all he wants to do is play music and be himself. He's a good kid who wants to do right, but he pursues his ultimate rebellion in the name of art and goes to Europe to find the freedom to be an artist. Passing Strange is told in three phases of Stew's journey: in L.A before he leaves home, in Amsterdam after he arrives in Europe and finally in Berlin after he tires of Amsterdam.

Angsty-artist-on-a-journey is hardly a new topic in theatre, but the storytelling techniques and creative conception in Passing Strange are definitely innovative. The actors all play multiple characters from scene to scene (although the actor playing young Stew remains that character throughout the show). The visuals are minimal, with the set simply a few chairs, a desk and a music stand. The largest set pieces are the four separate sections of the stage for the band members and their instruments. The staging is clever and seamless and with Stew's narration I always knew what was going on throughout the story. At the back of the stage is a giant wall of lights, carefully designed by Kevin Adams (the lighting designer from Spring Awakening). Adams really likes neon, and the wall serves as a massive set piece itself, with the lights changing and pulsing bright colors as the scene dictates.

Passing Strange is a powerful theatrical experience. For an artist to see this show, something almost indescribable is shared; it's the connection of the plight for self-expression. To the artist, art is more important than anything, and Stew makes it clear he really understands the artists in the audience. But if you're not an artist, I'm afraid Passing Strange won't resonate in the same way. I saw Passing Strange with a non-artist...at intermission the non-artist told me he loved Act I because the story was capitvating (at this point it was more about the rebellious teen than the struggling artist). We applauded the "autobiographical fiction" (as Stew refers to the show) because it wasn't too self-indulgent, but rather, about the audience as well. After the performance, however, Non-artist was singing a new song. He felt Act II was way too narcissistic and swept up with tortured-artist drama. He was no longer able to relate to what was happening on stage, and he felt that the story was no longer being told for him.

Passing Strange takes the rock musical to a new and groundbreaking place and for that, Stew and crew should be applauded. This is a story for artists and should definitely be seen by artists and especially musicians. I definitely recommend it to anyone who digs modern musical theatre because it's a great new take on what musical theatre can be. Unfortunately, I'm not sure Passing Strange is mainstream enough to appeal to the everyman theatre-goer.

(Passing Strange plays at the Belasco Theatre Tuesdays at 7pm, Wednesday through Saturday at 8pm, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are available at the Belasco box office at 111 West 44th Street, at telecharge.com or by calling 212.239.6200. Ticket prices range from $26.50 through $111.50. If you're 25 or younger, get a youth ticket in a great seat for $26.50. Check out passingstrangeonbroadway.com for more info.)

Liberty City (New York Theater Workshop)

BOTTOM LINE: Seriously. Go see this play. Now.

Liberty City, playing a far too limited engagement - no matter how long it runs - at New York Theater Workshop is, quite simply, amazing. It is a solo show (one awesome woman, April Yvette Thompson who co-wrote the show with director Jessica Blank) about her experiences growing up in the 70's and 80's in Liberty City, a section of Miami, Florida. I will dispense with any further plot information as I think the best way to experience this show is to walk in a blank slate and just absorb the brilliance as it comes raging at you.

Thompson commands the stage for ninety intermissionless minutes, and masterfully guides you on the odyssey of her life, passing the baton of narrator among an array of family members and friends, all of whom helped write and shape her story. Thompson inhabits each of these characters with a richness and a fullness that is spectacular in its specificity, yet loving in its reverence. Though non-linear in time and narrative voice, the play is never confusing. Though about a specific place, a specific period in history and involving a specific group of people, the play's themes of strength and struggle, of hope and dreams, of history and heritage, are completely universal. It is funny. It is heartbreaking. It is inspiring. It is, at times, uncomfortable and challenging. It is, in short, everything a night at the theatre should be, but so seldom actually is.

After the show, a group of about five of us, some strangers, some not, all from varying backgrounds and vocations, sat for hours contemplating what we had just collectively experienced. There were many facets of the play that we had interpreted differently, but our desire to discuss and debate and re-think and keep talking lasted well into the early morning hours. I can't wait to see the play again, armed with the experience of seeing it once as well as four hours of discussion about it, to see what else I can find lurking beneath the surface. My hunch is that the brilliance and complexity of this play and its luminous star are virtually bottomless.

(Liberty City is currently in previews; it opens March 4th and closes March 16th. Shows are Tuesday at 7, Wednesday-Saturday at 8, Saturday at 3 and 8, Sunday 2 and 7 at New York Theatre Workshop...79 East 4th Street. Tickets are $45 each or $20 for Sunday night performances, student tickets are $20. nytw.org for more info.)

Looking Up (Theatre for the New City)

BOTTOM LINE: The classic relationship play with a twist. Or should I say, a lift.
















Looking Up is a charming play about the complexities of love and the risks and rewards that come as one learns to navigate his or her way through a new relationship that is not yet certain to fly. Set in various locations in, around and above New York City, Trapeze Artist Wendy (Carla Cantrelle, also the playwright), and bartender Jack (Bryant Mason) do the familiar dance of two people who are drawn to each other, yet because of past hurts and lingering insecurities keep their escape routes readily accessible. Jack’s escape route, naturally, is another woman; Wendy’s is a trapeze bar.

It is indeed unusual, yet provides an interesting visual diversion to the play's main action, and also serves as a fantastic metaphor for our human desire to want to “fly away” when life is not unfolding as we planned or when things get stifling and uncomfortable. The three trapeze bars hanging in various locations around the stage serve as a constant reminder to the circus Wendy ran away from (and perhaps, at the same time, toward), and add an element of performance art to the proceedings that contribute greatly to the depth and texture of the play.

Cantrelle and Mason are very likeable as Wendy and Jack, and deftly navigate their way through their respective roles with the perfect combination of confidence and vulnerability. As I left Theater for the New City contemplating Looking Up, it struck me that the title not only referred to Wendy flying on her trapeze bar, but could also be interpreted as an optimistic comment on how finding love can change one’s outlook on life. For Wendy and Jack, things are, in fact, looking up!

(Looking Up plays a limited engagement at Theatre For the New City, 155 First Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets. Performances run Thursday through Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm now until March 2. Tickets are $18 and are available at theatremania.com or by calling 212-352-3101.)

Eddie Izzard (Union Square Theatre)

BOTTOM LINE: British humor...I mean humour...at its finest.

Ok you caught me, Eddie Izzard is a comedian and Theatre is Easy doesn't cover comedy... but we're making an exception because Izzard is playing a whopping 3 week run in New York and well, he's really funny. We would feel bad not letting you know about it. So why is Eddie Izzard so funny? His schtick is simply the rambling, rehashing of facts and references, in a dry and unabashedly sarcastic British way. But somehow Izzard's interpretation of giraffes conversing makes me laugh so hard I cry.

If you're not familiar with Izzard, that's probably because he's somewhat of a cult comedian favorite with an eclectic following. His comedy career began in Britain in the early 90s and according to his Wikipedia page his US breakthrough came in 1999 when his act 'Dress to Kill" was shown on HBO. (By the way, I feel totally okay citing Wikipedia as a source because a large part of Izzard's show involves his reverance for the website.) Izzard is also an actor and he's done a lot on stage and on film. He starred in last year's FX drama "The Riches" with Minnie Driver and also played Mr. Kite in Julie Taymor's Beatles love-fest "Across the Universe."

Izzard's comedy style is everything that's good about British wit. It has a Monty Python feel, but without the slapstick, although a lot of it is visual (i.e. snakes on speedboats in the Garden of Eden). His subject matter is relatable, but not in that cultural, self-depricating way like those redneck American comedians. It's relatable on a grander scale, referring to pop-culture, religion, human history and other topics that are common among all of us. And Izzard is a personal library of random facts...either that or he's an amazing bullshitter...maybe a little of both. Either way, he turns Stonehenge and ancient Greece into fodder for fantastic comedy. Izzard's act is mostly improv comedy and he lets his snarky British pretention drive his subject matter. I'm not sure how much the show varies from night to night, but I'm pretty familiar with Izzard's past shows and almost all of what I heard this time was new.

If you are already an Eddie Izzard fan, you owe it to yourself to check out his new show, especially while he's here in New York (where he rarely plays, although he performs a lot in L.A.). If you're not familiar with his work but you like British comedy, you're probably a big fan and you just don't know it yet.

(Eddie Izzard performs at the Union Square Theatre from now through March 8, Monday through Saturday at 10:30pm. Tickets are $40, available at ticketmaster.com.)

Sunday in the Park with George (Studio 54)

BOTTOM LINE: not Sondheim's best work, but a really beautiful revival of a really beautiful musical based on the life of French painter Georges Seurat.

The revival of Sunday in the Park with George comes direct from London after an amazingly successful run first at a smaller theatre (an off-Broadway kind of venue) and then at a larger theatre in London's West End. It's everything a revival should be...a new adaptation of a story that has already told, adjusted for the audience now while still maintaining the authenticity of the script. Not to be confused with revivals that are simply rehashed creations that fit the original staging moment to moment (ehem, A Chorus Line). The revival of Sunday in the Park with George uses projections and animations to fill the space and create an artistic angle to a play based on art while also adding depth and life to the set. It enhances the story in such a clever and visually effective way...it's pretty impressive.

So here's the thing: I like art a lot, but I also grew up in the 80's and my attention span doesn't last more than 30 minutes at a time (without a commercial break for Ecto Cooler). When I go to a museum, I'm great for about an hour, maybe two if it's modern art. Sunday in the Park with George is like a lovely trip to a museum...that lasts 2 hours and 40 minutes. It was a bit too much art for me, but I suppose for the more sophisticated art aficionado it's not overkill at all. It's unfortunately not the greatest score ever, but there are a couple of songs that stand out and the cast is very good. The story is pretty solid and actually really informative (I now know more about Seurat than any other painter) and the storytelling technique is clever as well.

Act I is set in mid-19th century Paris. Georges Seurat is an under-appreciated painter trying to perfect a new method of painting called pointillism, while finishing his big painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" (see painting above). The people in this painting are all real in Seurat's life and he paints them whether they like it or not. At the end of Act I, they all come together and take their places in the painting. Act II takes place in America in the 80's at an art gallery. Seurat's great-grandson George is an artist who creates light installations and he shows his newest work while he pays homage to his family history...his grandmother, Seurat's daughter, is there to cheer him on. Although based sort of on fact (Seurat was a real person and "A Sunday Afternoon..." is a real piece he painted) the story is an embellishment of what could have happened in his life. The book to the musical won a Pulitzer Prize in 1985. For more info on the story, check the Wikipedia page here.

Sunday in the Park with George is a really lovely musical and this staging is unique and smart. If you like musical theatre and Sondheim, it's a must see; this is classic Sondheim. If you want a romantic and/or traditional night out at the theatre, this is a good bet too. If you want anything other than beautiful, traditional musical theatre, look elsewhere.

(Sunday in the Park with George plays at Studio 54 and is currently in previews. For tickets call 212.719.1300 or visit roundabouttheatre.org. Tickets are $36.25-$121.25 and $21.25 if you're under 35 by visiting hiptix.com.)