Oscar E Moore

The Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center is now home to Vera Joseph (Mary Louise Wilson) and her grandson Leo (Gabriel Ebert).  She’s 91.  He’s 21.

A modern day, carefree Hippie with bushy mutton chops, Leo has been riding his bicycle cross country, has had some bad luck with his sister, girlfriend and bicycling buddy who has had a tragic accident with a Tyson Chicken truck along the way and has arrived at three in the morning at Grandma Vera’s West Village apartment to crash and set up camp for a while at least. 

He is half way through the open door as the play begins.  Will someone please explain to me how he got the door open?  His first words, I believe are something like “I’ve been buzzing for twenty minutes” (which we haven’t heard) or something like that and yet he is in the double lock door apartment as his Grandmother waddles out of her bedroom to see what all the fuss is about.  Calmly, she has him wait as she retrieves her teeth. 

This set me off on the wrong foot and I had lots of trouble thereafter with this new, seemingly long play without intermission by Amy Herzog, entitled 4000 miles which could be subtitled HUGS – of which there are quite a few.  Perhaps I missed something.  She does give him a set of keys later on…oh well, back to the story.

The excellent set by Lauren Helpern includes the outer hallway and the door to Vera’s “pain in the ass” neighbor’s apartment 8B.  She’s unseen but important to the plot and its abrupt ending. 

Along the way Vera and Leo get to know each other, share memories, stories about sexual infidelities and get high on pot.  She’s obviously open minded and the senior members of the audience of which there were many got a kick out of her problems with the loss of words, keys, hearing aid and checkbook.  Problems shared by one and all of a certain age.

But she can still do Leo’s laundry.  And loan him some money.  And be truly concerned about her grandson – tall and lanky and adrift.  Yes, another odd couple.

The lighting design by Japhy Weideman casts a cozy glow over the many scene changes which seem to take forever despite some pleasant music by Ryan Rumery.

The other two women in Leo’s life are his girlfriend Bec (a brash Zoe Winters) soon to be his ex and a one night pick up Amanda (Greta Lee) a Chinese girl who reminds him of his sister – who is also Chinese.  She’s adopted and he has a fondness for her that others find strange.  They have a Skype conversation via Vera’s Mac.

Amy Herzog has lots to say, including some bits about Communism, in this interesting character study of two people who have much in common despite their age difference.  Leo’s monologue dealing with his buddy’s death will make a nice audition piece for actors.  But I grew increasingly impatient with this latest Lincoln Center Off Broadway experiment directed by Daniel Aukin. 

www.lct.org  EXTENDED through June 17th.  Photo:  Erin Baiano

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1925 was an auspicious year.  Especially the month of October when Gore Vidal author of the 1960 scathingly sharp satire and up-to-the-minute mud slinging indictment of the political nominating procedure – THE BEST MAN – and Angela Lansbury who portrays Mrs. Sue-Ellen Gamadge to perfection in this outstanding revival, were born.

This is about the best revival of a play that you will see this season.  It is an immensely entertaining, well structured and well written three act play that is extremely funny and terrifyingly scary at the same time that zeros in on the back room shenanigans of some politicians at work at the 1960 Presidential Convention in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

Director Michael Wilson along with his design team – Derek McLane (sets)  Ann Roth (costumes) Kenneth Posner (lighting) and John Gromada (sound) have transformed the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre into the convention hall itself. 

With red, white and blue bunting, placards from the states, television monitors, stirring music, background noises of cheers and jeers and ushers that are wearing the typical straw boater hats you are at once involved in the proceedings.

Mr. Wilson has guided his all star cast into giving four star performances.  He wrings every ounce of humor out of the text, yet allowing its seriousness to shine through like old glory.  He knows how to set up a laugh and makes sure that you hear it.  He is a master of entrances and exits allowing the audience to applaud each and every star turning moment.

Of course, having some excellent actors does help.  And does he ever have a terrific group of actors in this best of all possible THE BEST MAN production.

A commanding James Earl Jones is Former President Arthur Hockstader – the man that ex-Secretary of State William Russell, a superstitious womanizer with a past history of health issues (a wonderfully wry John Larroquette) and Senator Joseph Cantwell (Eric McCormack) a sly manipulator who will stop at nothing to be elected – both woo in order to gain his endorsement.   Both have skeletons in their closets.  Both have ample opportunities to ruin each others chances.  Both have wives that have their own agendas.

Alice Russell (a sardonic Candice Bergen) is ready to forget his philandering and to stand by her man.  Mabel Cantwell (a bubbly Kerry Butler) guzzles martinis while dreaming of becoming First Lady.  Both ladies hit the bull’s eye in their portrayals of the “political assets” of their respective spouses.

Jefferson Mays as Sheldon Marcus – an old Army buddy of Cantwell is particularly uncomfortable as he is brought in to expose some explosive information that may or may not be true in this game of political skullduggery.

John Malcolm, in his best David Brinkley News Commentator voice, gives us updates and bulletins from an upper side box while the cameras roll and we are transported to each of the hotel suites where gossip and issues collide.

After the first act curtain the audience was abuzz and you could tell they were anxious to see what would transpire next.  Gore Vidal’s THE BEST MAN is simply terrific.  Funny.  Frightening.  And so prescient.

The timing could not have been more perfect for this timely revival.  See it.  And be extremely wary of who you vote for this November.

www.thebestmanonbroadway.com   Photos:  Joan Marcus

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Something’s amiss in Argentina.  If only Forbidden Broadway – the highly successful musical revue that satirized the Great White Way’s hits and misses – was still running they would have a field day with this new production of EVITA and its trio of oddly cast stars.

Starting with the diminutive Elena Roger as Eva Duarte Peron whose strange vocal quality becomes annoying and cannot do justice to the lush melodies created by Andrew Lloyd Webber nor reach the high notes without sounding like a screeching chipmunk.  Her unfortunate wigs that go from black to red to blonde are an ill-fitting eyesore.   She dances a mean tango but has little “star quality” and charisma that should be inherent in the role. 

The charisma factor is left to Ricky Martin who plays Ricky Martin who has charisma to spare.  It states in the program that he is Che but that must be a misprint.  He is for sure Ricky Martin playing Ricky Martin with all his charm and iridescent smile and smooth moves intact.  There is no danger, no irony and no edge.  But he’ll surely sell lots of tickets.

That leaves us with Peron, played superbly by Michael Cerveris despite his being made to look like a debonair Count Dracula.  He is strong and lures the audience in with his terrific voice and characterization.

The show starts off great with actual newsreel footage of Eva Peron’s funeral and the “Requiem” and then in flashback proceeds to go downhill.  Beginning in Junin where the young actress sets her sights on Magaldi (an excellent Max Von Essen) – a smarmy lounge singer and then continuing onto Buenos Aires, where actress Eva Duarte bed hops her way to the top, culminating in her meeting and marrying Juan Peron.  Bedded and bejeweled by many men along the way, she died of cancer at the age of 33. 

And that’s how long it’s been – 33 years – since EVITA – the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice soap-operatic, sung through, Reader’s Digest version of her life first wowed Broadway audiences. 

In this new and lavish production with monumental sets by Christopher Oram that all but dwarf the diminutive star from Argentina who is now cast as Evita,  directed by Michael Grandage and entangled in variations of the tango by Rob Ashford, the wow factor has been lost along the way.

The score by Andrew Lloyd Webber is melodic and memorable and sounds wonderful.  The light weight lyrics by Tim Rice are merely serviceable.  But they sure have made him millions.

And to think that FOLLIES had to close to make room for EVITA to open!

www.EvitaonBroadway.com  Photos:  Richard termine

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Can Disney out Disney Disney?  That’s the question here in this newest musical on the Broadway block – NEWSIES – based on the 1992 cult film of the same name with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman and a tinkered new book by Harvey Fierstein. 

One can almost hear him speaking the lines he has written as they are pure Fierstein funny but hardly based on character.  One of NEWIES’ drawbacks.

There are some excellent songs sung and danced by an exuberant cast of strapping teenage ragamuffins and orphans in turn of the century New York wearing their trademark knickers, caps and high top shoes in which they also tap.  As well as do acrobatic jumps and twists and back flips that the excellent choreographer Christopher Gattelli has created reminding me of the athletic choreography of Michael Kidd.  The Act II opener “King of New York” is a real show stopper! 

The dance captain – Ryan Steele – plays Specs.  He is the tallest guy who wears “spectacles” and one cannot keep your eyes off of him as he does his high jumps and turns.  It’s like playing “Where’s Waldo?” as you search the stage looking for him and his mastery of the dance routines.  Which are anything but routine as he performs them.

Check out the guy with the "specs" Ryan Steele

The two brothers command the stage.  Davey has much more believability and charisma than Jack who has not yet mastered his lower East Side accent.  The young tyke Les is a natural charmer (Mr. Grosso at the performance I attended).

There is the villain Joseph Pulitzer (a fine and cantankerous John Dossett) a feisty, independent young woman – Katherine (Kara Lindsay) who chases the story as it unfolds as a “reporter” and falls in love at first sight with our hero Jack and whose father is a surprise.  Ms. Lindsay has a lovely Beauty and the Beast Belle like voice and lots of charm to win over our hearts as she helps Mr. Kelly organize the resistance to the powerful Pulitzer.

There is a very nice performance given by Capathia Jenkins as Medda Larkin who is a star in her own theatre on the Bowery.  She is very much like Lillian Russell as she sings “That’s Rich” as a supporter of their David vs. Goliath type cause giving the young Les an education of sorts.

The Disney formula, however, has all the ingredients to make this mediocre musical – directed by Jeff Calhoun – a smash hit.  Like “Oliver” and “Annie” – NEWSIES is a true family show that teaches a good moral lesson and that has a happy ending and some of the best ensemble dancing that will absolutely thrill children of all ages.  If your pocketbook can afford it.

Through August 19^th.   www.newsiesthemusical.com  Photos:  Deen van Meer

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Looking for love and acceptance among the turtles and reptiles, birds and bees and dinosaurs at The Museum of Natural History our four energetic, sharp and funny infused heroes share their wit and wisdom in a musical revue of their lives based on the theories of one Thomas Merton:  It is now.  We are here.  Let’s do this.  Ergo:  experience more of life, be who you are and enjoy it.  Stop wearing a mask, stop pretending, and sing endless songs to prove your point.

Do you see yourself as a weird woman with large feet? (Susan Blackwell) – Do you want to be an actress and not a lawyer following in the footsteps of your successful father who has never told you he loves you? (Heidi Blickenstaff) – Are you fantasizing about being in love with a wonderful guy while masturbating in the bathroom whose door you forgot to lock? (Hunter Bell) – Or are you a closeted gay nerd covering up your true self by being funny? (Jeff Bowen). 

All the above have been involved in creating Now.  Here.  This.  A Mensa Society-type musical revue now playing at The Vineyard Theatre through April 22^nd. 

It’s heady.  It’s at times funny.  At times tuneful.  But the songs (Music and Lyrics by Jeff Bowen) are more functional than memorable and the book by Hunter Bell & Susan Blackwell dwells too long on the cosmic and the details of the inhabitants of the museum with the voice of Roger Rees guiding them along. 

At times it is very funny almost in an ad lib sort of way but it goes on way too long pounding us over the head with its well intentioned message.  However, the vocal harmonies are truly beautiful to hear. 

The production is just as sharply directed and choreographed by Michael Berresse who is also one of the collaborators.  It’s a very inbred kind of show that would benefit from another person’s sharp red pencil to make some beneficial cuts.

Now. Here. This. – simply tries too hard.  These four performers are top notch.  Fine voices.  Engaging and funny.  They also wrote [Title of Show] a success story Off-Bway that unfortunately didn’t make it when it transferred to Broadway. 

We love watching them perform and viewing the most interesting projections by Richard DiBella on a set designed by Neil Patel.  They outshine their own material.  Through April 22nd.

www.vineyardtheatre.org   Photo:  Carol Rosegg

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A tornado has hit the Belasco Theatre and her name is Tracie Bennett.  She is portraying Judy Garland as we’ve never seen her before.  Popping pills.  Getting drunk.  Cursing.  Crawling across the floor.  Bitterly arguing.  And singing her heart and soul out in the new play “End of the Rainbow” by Peter Quilter which is terrifically directed by Terry Johnson.

Tracie Bennett incredibly conveys the “essence” of Garland.  She’s got the stance.  The laugh.  The legs and the hair.  Whether wearing high heels or in her stocking feet, she’s got the catch in her throat.   The dramatic reaching for the notes.  And all of the quirks that made Garland, Garland.   Her on stage confidence always at odds with her off stage insecurities make for an extremely riveting scenario.   

Stepping into the shoes of such a beloved icon as Garland is one thing, especially a pair of red shoes.  But bringing Judy to vivid life with an energy that seems boundless is quite another.  And then singing some of Garland’s most memorable hits and making them her own while channeling all our ingrained images of this sad “fragile old woman” of 47 –  make this a performance beyond compare.

Taking place in the Ritz Hotel in London 1968 (beautifully rendered by William Dudley which seamlessly becomes The Talk of The Town concert venue) Garland is down and almost out.  It’s her finale chance at having a comeback and making some money to pay off the mound of bills that she has incurred.

Her soon to be fifth husband, Mickey Deans (hunky Tom Pelphrey) whom she had recently met in a New York Club is tall, handsome, strong minded and at least ten years younger has become her manager and bedmate.  He is her gofer.  Her protector.  And as it turns out, her big mistake.

As she calls him on stage to share her spotlight you see exactly what he’s got in mind, basking in all her glory and reveling in the attention surrounding her and now himself.

As her lovable, gay Scottish accompanist and friend Anthony, a solid Michael Cumpsty tries his best to keep her on the straight and narrow, even offering a marriage of sorts which is quite endearing and believable in one of the finest scenes of Act II.

Jay Russell as a BBC Interviewer has his hands full with an intoxicated Garland but manages to hold his own.

The spot on costumes by William Dudley bring back the style and the glamour that were Garland’s trademarks.

Superb Musical Arrangements (Gareth Valentine) and Orchestrations (Chris Egan) of “The Man That Got Away”  “The Trolley Song”  “When You’re Smiling” and “Come Rain or Come Shine” among others make for a sensational entertaining and eye opening look into Garland’s last months with all her demons bared in this play which has some minor drawbacks. 

But what is lacking in the script is overpowered by Tracie Bennett’s bravura performance.  Her frantic heartbreaking descent, with her makeup smudged and her voice cracking culminate in a most moving “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” – a most fitting and fulfilling finale for “End of the Rainbow”.  It’s a performance not to be missed.

www.EndOfTheRainbowBroadway.com   Photo:  Carol Rosegg

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Jesus never had it so bad.  First was the mediocre revival of GODSPELL and now this – the resurrection of the very famous, extremely profitable, completely sung through 1971 rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice – JE-SUS CHRIST SU-PER-STAR.

With those immediately identifiable six syllables and six notes, this once ground breaking show has become under the direction of Des McAnuff, Artistic Director of The Stratford Shakespeare Festival where this production originated – a high tech, sterile, American Idol inspired music video replete with vocal pyrotechnics from all involved – a blending of the worst of what Las Vegas and the best that Radio City Music Hall has to offer.

The usual “turn of your cell phones and open your candy” voiceover promises that “the score will drown you out” if you don’t heed the advice.  This promise is made good.  More suited to a rock concert in an arena than on a Broadway stage the music overpowers to a point of covering up ones ears.  Granted you can understand each and every word from the actors but they have been encouraged to screech instead of sing.  Belting takes over believability, deafening noise substituting for true emotion.  With air stabbing Ninja choreography by Lisa Shriver.

The generic all purpose industrial looking Blinds to Go (or is it Blinds R Us?) hardly inspired set by Robert Brill left me cold as did the entire production.  The running ticker tape LED like narrow screen indicating date and location is a nod to our modern computer age mentality attempting to make this dated opera timeless.

The color coded costumes by Paul Tazewell:  White (Jesus – Paul Nolan) Yellow (Mary Magdalene – Chilina Kennedy) Blue (Judas Iscariot- Josh Young) Purple (Pontius Pilot- Tom Hewitt) and Red (King Herod or is it Queen Herod? – Bruce Dow) are an odd mixture of period and modern.

With broad strokes and a few songs that have become Broadway standards – “Everything’s Alright”  “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” and “Superstar” we get a consolidated version of the last week in the life of Christ ending with his crucifixion which here is realized in a beautiful tableau.  One almost expected the audience to join in as Pontius Pilate counted out the 39 lashes inflicted on Jesus.

In a stab at humor, King Herod prances around in a vaudeville style number “Herod’s Song” looking like he is auditioning for Norma Desmond.

Josh Young takes home the coveted audience favorite award for best of show.

Let’s hope EVITA fares better.

At the Neil Simon Theatre.   www.superstaronbroadway.com Photo:  Joan Marcus

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Upon entering the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre where the rapturous and romantic new musical ONCE has opened after transferring from its Off Broadway origins – The New York Theatre Workshop – you are immediately drawn into its world: a semi-circular pub in Dublin (simply designed by Bob Crowley with reflective mirrors and soft lights, a few chairs and a few tables) where you can go up on stage, join the cast and have a pre show pint of Guinness while they perform a sort of overture of authentic Irish songs and dances that lead to Guy (a fantastic, charming and handsome Steve Kazee) entering with his guitar to start one of the most original and heart-wrenching musicals to come our way in a very long time.

He begins to sing.  Girl (a waiflike and brilliant dead pan wit, Cristin Milioti) enters.  She is enthralled by his music, his looks and his voice – as you will be.  She is direct.  She is serious.  She is Czech.  She will have a profound effect on both Guy and us before the play is finished. 

Their first duet “Falling Slowly” garnered an Academy Award for its writers: Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova who have written the score for ONCE with a very clever and emotional book by Edna Walsh (based on the motion picture written and directed by John Carney).

Guy wants to give up his guitar and to never sing again.  His girlfriend has left him.  One really wonders why.  All he has left is a CD of his music and his job as a Hoover repairman in his dad’s store.  Girl needs her vacuum repaired.  She also plays Mendelssohn (beautifully reflected in the upstage mirror) after saying “hello” to her piano. 

She loves his music but there are no words.  She can fix that.  She writes lyrics.  And so their fractured journey begins.  Encouraging him all the way not to quit, she becomes, in a way, his agent as their relationship slowly develops and hits some bumps along the way.  Getting a bank loan from a would-be musician/ banker (Andy Taylor) to pay for a recording pays off with “Abandoned in Bandon”.

She has a young child Ivanka (Mckayla Twiggs), a husband who is away and a spitfire of a mother (Baruska – Anne L. Nathan) who is very much present and a delight on stage.

Guy’s competition for the affections of Girl is Billy (Paul Whitty) part Spanish, part Irish, part crazy funny.  The rest of the multi talented ensemble play various parts and they all play multiple instruments:  harmonica, violin, guitar, banjo, ukulele, piano, accordion, cello and drums.

ONCE is magnificently directed with care and simplicity by John Tiffany.  The choreography – here called “movement” is fantastic and Mr. Steven Hoggett is the person responsible for integrating dance and set changes so seamlessly into this modern day, bittersweet love story. 

The score is heavy on ballads.  Beautiful ballads.  And there are some lively numbers:  both Czeck and Irish inspired.  The entire musical is inspired.  To watch and to listen to.  When Guy starts the first act finale “Gold” and then one by one the various instruments join in, it is breathtaking.  Even more so is its “A capella” reprise in Act II.

You will fall under the spell of ONCE, once you have seen it.  And will never forget the experience.

www.oncemusical.com   Photo:  Joan Marcus

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Waiting around for twenty years for just the right New York revival of his 1991 Pulitzer Prize and multi Tony Award winning play LOST IN YONKERS, Neil Simon can now bask in the glow of this wondrous production mounted by The Actors Company Theatre.  This long overdue revival is not to be missed by anyone, including Mr. Simon who will be one happy guy, seeing how touching and amusing his play is – as if he didn’t know.

LOST IN YONKERS has aged extremely well.  Under the skillful direction of Jenn Thompson, who has set ablaze all the humanity and intense feelings inherent in the text with her casting of a perfect set of actors, the play at first has you laughing and then unexpectedly grabs you by your emotional guts and never lets go.  

TACT has intimately brought us into the 1942 sweltering hot living room of ice cold Grandma Kurnitz – with her heavy German accent and cane (Cynthia Harris in one of her finest portrayals) where the family squabbles, relationships and history unfold. 

You will laugh until you are brought to tears.  No mean feat by Mr. Simon, the King of one-lines and jokes that made the prolific writer the toast of Broadway during the 1960’s.

With LOST IN YONKERS, Mr. Simon graduated to another level of writing.  And it is beautifully showcased at The Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row through April 14^th.

Nothing could be worse for two young kids (Jay – Matthew Gumley and his younger brother Arty – Russell Posner) than having to spend Sunday afternoon (let alone a year!) with their demanding and seemingly heartless grandmother who has spawned a very funny albeit dysfunctional family.

Their dad Eddie (Dominic Comperatore) is all nerves as he prepares to ask his hard as steel mother to take in his kids until he can get back on his feet after the death of his wife.  He needs to go South selling scrap metal.  The ever present war will afford him the opportunity to make enough money to pay off his loan shark loan.

On the lam Uncle Louie (Alec Beard) is a dapper guy who carries a gun and a satchel full of money.  Their sister Gert (Stephanie Cozart) has one of the funniest and most bizarre speaking impediments whenever she visits.  And then there is Bella (Finnerty Steeves). 

Beautiful, hyper, childlike and confused thirty four year old Bella who takes care of their mother while helping out in the downstairs store where Grandma accounts for every pretzel and scoop of ice cream. 

I fell in love twice during the show.  With Bella, the character and with the actress portraying her, Finnerty Steeves.  It’s a very special, heart wrenching performance that tugs at your heartstrings as you watch her trying to explain about the usher she has met while going to the movies – wanting to escape the tyrannical hold that her mother has on her.   You just want to hug her.

Making his auspicious theatrical debut Russell Posner almost steals the show with his naturalness, his honesty and his spot on comic timing.

The entire design team must be congratulated:  Costumes by David Toser, Scenic Design by John McDermott, Lighting by Martin E. Vreeland and Sound by Toby Jaguar Algya, making LOST IN YONKERS a show that must be seen.

www.tactnyc.org.                      Photo:  Stephen Kunken

NOTE:  I especially liked the transitions between the scenes.  At the post show talk back we learned that director Jenn Thompson had written to Mr. Simon and his lawyer to see if she could change them from what Mr. Simon had originally written.  Wow! Can you imagine?  What’s even more Wow! Can you imagine? is that Mr. Simon agreed.

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The past is evoked not just by the memories of Willy Loman’s lost opportunities but by the astute taste of director Mike Nichols who very wisely and shrewdly has used Jo Mielziner’s original skeletal-house set design and Alex North’s original melancholy score as the foundation for his simply yet beautifully staged and brutally honest revival of Arthur Miller’s timeless 1949 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning “Death of a Salesman”.

Ann Roth has supplied costumes that evoke the period and compliment the original design scheme.  Brian MacDevitt’s lighting design adds beautifully to the spanning in time atmosphere.

Blending past and present seamlessly as if we are watching a cinematic version of this modern tragedy on stage of the Barrymore Theatre of a man slowly unraveling before our eyes Mike Nichols weaves a magical spell that has the audience riveted from the onset when Philip Seymour Hoffman as the strapped and exhausted Willy Loman enters, slumped over, carrying his suitcases of samples that he had been trying to sell – to hold on to his job – on the road as the New England rep – a territory that he has covered for over thirty years.

He’s dead tired.  He owes money.  The bills continue to mount.  He’s been having too many accidents with his car.  His devoted wife Linda (a superb Linda Emond) encourages him to speak to his boss, Howard Wagner (a terse Remy Auberjonois) so that he can work locally and not have to travel any longer. 

His two sons, who are no longer college kids, have returned home.  Happy (boyishly sexy Finn Wittrock) is “a philandering bum” good with the talk and with the gals.  Biff (an extraordinarily gifted Andrew Garfield) a once golden athlete that hasn’t amounted to much after he failed math in high school and went to see his father in Boston when his eyes were opened to his dad’s failings and has never recovered.  Denial seems to be the middle name for all involved.

Mr. Hoffman, despite coming across as a tad youthful carries all the burdens of the years on his back.  Wandering and wondering and dreaming of what might have been for him, his wife and family.  Almost numb he begins.  Monotone increasing to bitter arguments as he grows increasingly desperate.  Always denying the truth.  Always wanting to be liked.  Always not getting what he thinks he deserves.

His very successful brother Ben (John Glover) makes Willy regret not going off with him when he could have.  Scenes in the past and in his mind show the sad progression of his downward spiral where suicide seems to be the only way out.

The entire supporting ensemble is excellent.  Molly Price as “The Woman” in Boston makes an incredible impression in this small but very important role.  Willy’s neighbor, Charley whom he is always borrowing money from is humorously played by Bill Camp and his son Bernard (Fran Kranz) who turns from math nerd to Supreme Court legal eagle is exceptional.  All in all a wonderful revival of a timeless play.  Attention has been paid to every detail.

www.deathofasalesmanbroadway.com  Photo:  Brigette Lacombe for NY Magazine

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