Theater Thursday - The Lost Boys

We received complimentary tickets to The Lost Boys for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: The Lost Boys

Where: Palace Theatre 

             160 W. 47th St.

              New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 10 and Up Due to Dark Themes, Violence, and More

Me -  I was a bit apprehensive going into The Lost Boys, as I have never really been interested in vampires. However,  I really enjoyed this show; it is so much fun

The music is amazing. From the moment I heard it, I have been impatiently waiting for them to announce a cast album, and now that it has been announced, I am excitedly waiting for it to arrive.  Meanwhile, I listen to the few songs that were already released nonstop.

The choreography, including aerial choreography, is really great. It is really cool the way they do some things.

The costumes really captured the show's vibes. I particularly love the costume of Maria Wirries, who played  Star, especially her flowy skirt.

The performances are all terrific. There are too many great ones to name just a few. I love the show so much that I have already purchased tickets to see it for my birthday. 

Mom - The new musical, The Lost Boys, is based on the 1987 film of the same name. The show is loaded with cool special effects, and yes, they do fly, but there is more to it than that. There are also plenty of great performances, too many to go into complete details here. Therefore, we will focus on the three performers who play the show's central family, The Emersons. 

The role of  Michael Emerson is played by Broadway newcomer, LJ Benet. He does a great job capturing that sense of teenage angst manifested as a powerful urge to belong, coupled with a need to escape the realities of a life uprooted by family dysfunction. 

His mother, Lucy, is played by the always reliable Shoshana Bean. She gives another solid performance as a woman just trying to hold it together and support her sons the best way she can.

The younger brother, Sam, is played by Benjamin Pajak. Unlike many young performers, he is making that awkward, gawky stage work for himself and smoothly transitioning from a child to an adolescent performer. His character and performance brilliantly portray that sense of coming into one's own and discovering one's true power. His second-act number "Superpower" personifies this and is a showstopper. 

The music in general is terrific. The score is full of powerful, character-driven rock songs that are not only perfectly fitting for the story but well worth listening to again afterward. The whole show is just extremely satisfying. 

 

And that's our view. For more about The Lost Boys or to purchase tickets, visit www.lostboysmusical.com.

Tune in Saturday for this week's Still More Theater Saturday.

Photo credits:

All The Lost Boys production photos by Matthew Murphy

Images used in this post were sent by publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission.  Any Concerns regarding image usage can be addressed here.

Where-To-Go Wednesday - The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms

What: The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms

Where: 2352 NJ-10

             Morris Plains, NJ

Who: All ages

Gustav Stickley was an American furniture maker and a proponent of the American Arts and Crafts movement, which promoted handcrafted and simple designs. It also sought to intergrate art more into everyday life. 

In the 1900s, Stickley purchased property in Morris Plains, New Jersey, which he called Craftsman Farms. His intention was to open a boarding school for boys. Although that never came to fruition, Stickley and his family lived on the property for a time, and the location is now a museum.

The Stickley family's log cabin home is open to visitors, but only by guided tour. There is also a visitor's center and shop. The rest of the buildings on the property can only be viewed from the outside as entry is not permitted. 

The regular tour lasts about an hour and offers a fascinating overview of Stickley's life and career as well as the opportunity to view numerous examples of his work. Occasionally, special tours or events are offered. Tours are not handicapped accessible, however, because there are stairs but no elevator. 

And that's our view. For information about the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farm or to register for a paid tour, visit www.stickleymuseum.org/visit/featured-tours. 

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

All pictures used in this post are our own.  Any concerns regarding image usage can be addressed here.

Tips for Tuesday - Books: Hirschfeld's Icons, The Maidenheads & The Magical Game: The Spirit and History of Baseball's Superstitions, Rituals and Curses; Movie: Andy Warhol: American Dream

We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books: 

The Maidenheads, Hirschfeld's Icon & The Magical Game: The Spirit and History of Baseball's Superstitions, Rituals and Curses