Doing Time With Lavinia from my standard can only be described as a vivacious, vibrant vortex of theatrical verve categorized with just the right dosing of zaniness, emotionalism, and melodic brilliance. Truly, this one-woman musical is as crazy as it is endearing, and the fact that I neglected my editorial notebook because I couldn’t take my eyes off of the stage the entire length of the show says a lot about just how captivating it was! The musical follows its flamboyant

Samuel Simon’s story becomes ours after encountering the unmasked and untainted side of dementia in his performance of Dementia Man. The delivery of this piece is authentic, passionate, and forces you to smile and laugh with his witty anecdotes. As he confronts the reality of his personal suffering, there is an undeniable connection felt around the room. He describes his journey in a way that pulls your heart in without need for apology. It feels almost conversational the way

It was the greatest privilege to be surrounded by such magnificent artistry, gracious sentimentality, and show-stopping storytelling when witnessing the brilliance of Nicole Tongue’s, The Kitchen Sink at Manhattan’s historic Theatre Row. For a premiere of someone’s first-ever play, I was nimbly impressed by Tongue’s exquisite versatility. Her acting, dancing, singing, writing, and production were all accounted for and all were delightfully divine. What drew me most during the

Grand Rounds takes an unlikely subject for the stage, a doctor’s lecture at a teaching hospital and turns it into something deeply personal. The talk is meant to explain why stories matter in medicine but the doctor giving it reveals far more than she intended. It is funny and deeply moving often all at once. Adapted from Chris Adrian’s short story in Granta and directed by Polly Noonan, the play stars Caroline Luft as a pediatric fellow giving a grand rounds lecture. Luft se

Magic, martial arts and mastery– oh my! The energy was infectious and the spirits were high at Bryan Stoops’ world premiere of Bryan Stoops: Magic, Martial Arts & Standup, performed at the iconic Theatre Row on 42nd Street in Manhattan’s bustling Hell’s Kitchen. Enjoyable, humorous, and riddled with exceptional show of physical skill, Stoops’ performance was as immersive and engaging as it was educational– a combination I found particularly endearing. There is something so in

At SoHo Playhouse On the surface Shell is a free wheeling, rollicking, sex comedy, but underneath the laughter it raises serious questions about gender, sexuality, love and desire. Our guide for much of the show is hockey dude Andy, the founder of B.R.O. (Breaking Reproductive Oppression). Andy leads the audience in various quizzes and questions involving their knowledge of the reproductive system and their own acts of reproductive oppression. In addition to Andy, we meet Pea

In The Peculiar Patriot, Liza Jessie Peterson accomplishes the most difficult of feats: taking facts and statistics and giving them a human face. In this case, it is the harrowing toll that the prison industrial complex has wrought upon communities of color. Born of Peterson’s work with prison populations, The Peculiar Patriot is a story she has been telling for twenty-five years. This run at NY Theatre Workshop’s In the Bricks series will be the show’s last stop, and when it

Generational trauma and the Sexual and Women’s Liberation movements provide the canvas for Leslie Ayvazian's Mention My Beauty; playing through June 14th at New York Theatre Works In The Bricks Series. On a bare stage with only a music stand and a script, Ayvazian expertly engages her audience in a very personal story of transcending the things you were taught to believe about yourself and finding your true voice. Born into a complicated Armenian family whose elder members es

Is it possible to include a singalong in a show about the tragic deaths of loved ones? If you’re Chris Grace the answer is a resounding yes. He manages to take one of the most difficult subjects we face as humans and infuse it with humor. Standing in a stark black box of a theatre clad in white with only a white stool, Grace asks us to imagine there is a projector beaming a slide of a picture of a family. This device is one of the most clever in the show by asking us to use o

“Onward!” What started as an email sign-off became a rallying cry, and then the basis of Kathryn Grody’s magical show The Unexpected 3rd at New York Theatre Workshop’s In the Bricks series. Over the course of ninety minutes Grody manages to take stereotypes of aging and smash them under her capable heel. She is not aging gracefully; Grody is aging in full, living color with fierce determination to face her third act with generosity of spirit, curiosity and an open heart; whi

Drugs, Sex, and the Good Old Life ​Lost in Del Valle was directed by Amir Arison and written and performed by Ned Van Zandt. It offers a trip to Texas seen through the eyes of a struggling actor whose life isn't as glamorous as it might seem. The show is guaranteed to make you laugh through multiple characters who are funnier than ever. Van Zandt understands how his characters are the very people who make this story as funny as it is pure. ​Some of the most striking aspects o

Bent Through Glass is an adventurous production following the story of a father who loses his daughter in a heartbreaking and unbelievable way. Alex Koltchak’s emotional depth forced the audience to relive his internal struggles and I found myself tearing up during the performance. Directed by Michael Sladek, this play serves as a powerful statement on mental illness that leaves a lasting impression. This production deserves a bigger stage and needs to be seen by a wider au

This show is a profound journey through the eyes of someone living with MS. Built on a compelling concept that captures the reality of the condition, Romero’s performance reveals how MS can fundamentally shift the life of a passionate woman. She guides the audience through an airplane adventure, and utilizes comedic mockery to great effect. I enjoyed the performance and the direction felt intentional and focused. While the show features soul-crushing moments, Romero’s more ch

A Mountain Biking Adventure: Aware, Striking, and Enjoyable This piece was a true feat of theatrical design, from the narrative structure to "The Thing" itself. The centerpiece was a bike and it was a major part of this purely amazing show. I was stunned by the performance and feel compelled to tell everyone about it. The story makes perfect sense. It gave me the hope and drive to continue, which seems to be exactly the feeling that Penny Sterling intended for the audience to

Stories From the Brink, written and performed by award-winning performer Iris Bahr, was an incredible production. I wanted to see another hour of the near-death experiences to be told. From the stories of her mom having dementia and growing up in a Yeshiva in NYC, to witnessing the reasons why people think the way they do, everything spoken and performed on stage was perfect. This production tied into a full circle, and showcased the perfection of storytelling as it should be

A presentation of love in its realest sense. From raging alcoholism taking over a life, to finding solutions through an online life coach, this was a dark, edgy, and stunning performance. David Beck's Old Fashioned Love Story showcased piano playing and thematic bravery regarding the New York City dating scene from the perspective of a gay man in the 2000s Nicola Murphy Dubey directed this tragedy properly, infusing the artwork with soul, providing a great manner in the perfo

Once Upon a Wall Street isn't your typical 9 to 5 show. Starring Jerry Topitzer, this is the funniest investment show about trial and error, and is genuinely entertaining with an appeal to the masses. Topitzer is a well-rounded comedian and actor who knows how to tell a story in the most meaningful and fulfilling way possible. Coming from nothing, Topitzer’s riveting quest for power and wealth becomes a double-edged sword in regards to his morals and standards. It is a story

Three Sisters: Jersey Edition was a well-done piece of theater. The music was spotless and entertaining, and the stories were very funny. This production was filled with both grief and hope. Certain moments, such as the hoarder’s house and its contents, were harmless fun, yet brought deeper meaning to the language of the performance. This was a defining moment for Off-Broadway and the meaning that comes with shaping an artist’s personal journey into an introductory performan