Theater Thursday - Orson's Shadow & Tammy Faye

We received complimentary tickets to Orson's Shadow for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: Orson's Shadow

Where: Theater for a New City

             155 First Ave.

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 13 and Up 

When: Through December 1, 2024

Orson's Shadow is the true story of a handful of larger-than-life celebrities; Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier, and Vivian Leigh. On the heels of his success in a stage version of The Entertainer, Olivier and his new paramour, Joan Plowright are starring in a production of Eugene Ionesco's Rhinoceros. At the same time, his marriage to Leigh is imploding, and somehow, critic Kenneth Tynan gets caught up in the conflicts between the Welles, Olivier, and Leigh.

To play these three imposing personalities requires impressive acting chops. Brad Fryman, Ryan Tramont, and Natalie Menna as Welles, Olivier, and Leigh respectively are more than up to the task. Fryman's Welles is self-deprecating and self-aware. Tramont's Olivier is a bit of a pompous blowhard. Natalie Menna's Leigh skillfully teeters on the edge of sanity until she eventually has a full-on breakdown. Ms. Menna is particularly good in the breakdown scene. You don't want to miss these three fine performances!

And that's our view. For more about Orson's Shadow or to purchase tickets, visit theaterforthenewcity.net/shows/orsons-shadow-nov-2024.

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We received complimentary tickets to Tammy Faye for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Tammy Faye

Where: Palace Theatre

             1564 Broadway

              New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 10 and Up

When: Through December 8, 2024

Me - I had no idea what to expect from this show.  I didn't know anything about Tammy Faye before, and the show didn't really illuminate her life in a way that made me care either. Although even a so-so plot can be greatly improved by a great score that was not the case here. None of the songs in the show stood out or were particularly memorable. In fact, as soon as I walked out of the theater, I couldn't remember any of them. The performances were definitely the best part of the show. They were quite good especially Katy Brayben's in the title role. 

Mom - Tammy Faye Baker was a larger-than-life personality. In the new musical about her, Tammy Faye, her personality has been toned down quite a lot. Although the playwright may have wanted to make her more palatable to the general public,  it just makes her seem kind of bland and boring. However, given what she has to work with, Katy Brayben does a terrific job with the role. She really humanizes a personality that has so often been seen as nothing more than a caricature. 

Just because the main character is toned down does not mean the show is not emotion-stirring. It will definitely stir emotions, but not necessarily in a good way. In fact, the character of the Reverand Jerry Falwell, in particular, and others, and all their talk about swaying the government to represent their views will probably trigger some people, particularly in light of the results of our recent election.  Michael Cerveris, however, does an excellent job in the role of Falwell. In fact, his smarmy and self-righteous portrayal of the man is quite perfect. 

The show's score by Elton John and Jake Shears is less than memorable. It is not of the same caliber as John's previous work in other musicals like The Lion King, Aida, and Billy Elliot. There are no fun earworms that stick in your head long after the show is over. 

All in all, this is clearly Brayben's show, and she is the main reason to see it.

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And that's our view. For more about Tammy Faye or to purchase tickets, visit tammyfayebway.com

Tune in Saturday for Still More Theatre Saturday.

Photo credits:

All Orson's Shadow production photos by Russ Rowland

All Tammy Faye production photos by Matthew Murphy

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image,  contact us here, and we will look into the matter.

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image,  contact us here, and we will look into the matter.

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Susan and Peter J. Solomon Insectarium

We received complimentary tickets to the American Museum of Natural History for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: Susan and Peter J. Solomon Insectarium

Where: American Museum of Natural History

             Central Park W. & 79th St.

             New York, NY

Who: All ages

The Susan and Peter J. Solomon Insectarium located in the Richard Gilder Center for Science at the American Museum of Natural History offers visitors the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the world of insects. Even though some may turn up their noses in disgust at the very thought, not only are they vital to our ecosystem, but they can be quite fascinating as well.  In addition to the 18 different live species on view, there are pinned samples of numerous other species.

The insectarium is highly interactive and includes numerous digital displays. You can listen to different insect sounds, learn to speak like a firefly, and more.  There is a whole exhibit devoted to honeybees. You can view the larger-than-life honeycomb, pretend to be a bee, and more. Plus, there is a lot more to do and see and learn about in a fun way at the insectarium.

And that's our view. For more about the insectarium, visit www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/gilder-center. For more about the American Museum of Natural History in general  or to purchase tickets online, visit www.amnh.org

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

All pictures used in this post are our own. If there is a problem with any image, contact us here and we will look into the matter.

Tips for Tuesday - Books:Women Writing Musicals & Amazing Dog Stories: Movie: The Magician's Raincoat

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:Women Writing Musicals & Amazing Dog Stories

Today we are recommending Women Writing Musicals by Jennifer Ashley Tepper. This book is the definitive source regarding women composers, lyricists, and bookwriters of musicals from the 1700s through the 2020s. It ranges from the most obscure early writers to the most well-known current ones like Lynn Ahrens and Jeanine Tesori plus everyone in between. 

The book is divided by decade and arranged in quick easy-to-digest sections on each writer. Even though most of the sections are rather short, they are packed with details. Information provided includes the writer's background, details about their shows, and more. In fact, there may be too many details for some who are hoping to avoid spoilers regarding shows they may eventually want to see as there are spoilers regarding various shows throughout the book. The book also contains a handy index of all the musicals mentioned within it listed by opening date. 

It is quite an interesting and informative book that any theater lover can enjoy. However, it will particularly appeal to anyone interested in learning more about women's contributions to theater. 

Today we are recommending Amazing Dog Stories by David Wilk. This charming book details some of David and his wife, Teryle's adventures with the various dogs they have had over the years. Although most of the book is light and joyful, a portion of it does deal with the extremely heartbreaking topic of the murder of David's son, which may be triggering for some people who may have experienced a similar loss and/or are in the throes of grief themselves. However, for the most part, the book is full of happy funny dog stories and there are plenty of adorable pictures of dogs as well. 

Movie: The Magician's Raincoat

Today we are talking about The Magician's Raincoat. Years after a curse is put on a magician for stealing a brooch, three kids find his old raincoat, and when they put it on they become him. When a witch comes after them trying to retrieve the coat, they quickly become embroiled in the mystery of what happened to him.  

Although this movie contains cliched elements, like how fighting to save their home is at the gist of the kids' quest, other more unique elements keep it interesting. It is family-friendly but may be too scary for the youngest of children. It's perfect for preteens.

The Magician's Raincoat is available now digitally for purchase or rental.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

Book images used in this post are our own.  All other photos have been sent to us by publicists, artists, and/or PR firms and are used with permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, contact us here, and we will look into the matter