Rick Kelly

The complete lineup for the Spotlight on Documentary section of the 56th New York Film Festival, taking place September 28-October 14 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, has been announced. This year's series of dispatches from the front lines of nonfiction cinema features intimate portraits of artists, depictions of the quest for political and social justice, and much more.  

Just in time for Halloween, Strawdog Theatre Company launches its 31st season with the world premiere of MASQUE MACABRE, a dark and bloody thrill ride inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe - think Carrie meets Eyes Wide Shut. The handlers of a 'bad boy' entrepreneur go to extremes to give him one last big bash before his past catches up to him. An explorative immersive theatre experience a la Sleep No More, guests travel from room to room throughout the space and follow stories of revenge and murder as they play out in real time.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) presents the New York premiere of Miss You Like Hell. With book and lyrics by Quiara Alegria Hudes, music and lyrics by Erin McKeown, and choreography by Danny Mefford, the new musical is directed by Public Theater Resident Director and Founder of Public Works Lear deBessonet. Part of The Public's Astor Anniversary Season at their landmark downtown home on Lafayette Street, celebrating 50 years of new work at 425 Lafayette Street and the 50th Anniversary of HAIR, the musical will now run an additional week through Sunday, May 13.

The Public Theater presents the New York premiere of MISS YOU LIKE HELL on With book and lyrics by Quiara Alegria Hudes and music and lyrics by Erin McKeown, the new musical is directed by Public Theater Resident Director and Founder of Public Works Lear deBessonet, with choreography by Danny Mefford, part of The Public's Astor Anniversary Season.

Grammy and Academy Award Winner Glen Hansard (composer of the film and Broadway productions of ONCE) has shared a new breakup song 'Setting Forth' off his new album 'Between Two Shores,' which will be released January 19th.

So much time and effort goes into presenting any sort of play... from the written word, direction, set design, lighting, sound, and especially the actors. And here in I'LL GET YOU BACK AGAIN, it's the play that needs a little work and tweaking.

With its emphasis on both 1960s psychedelic rock music and the Three Stooges, it would seem the latest offering at the Round House Theatre was tailored precisely for my taste.

Broadway Dreams is expanding its international programming to include New Zealand with a nine-day program, January 14 - January 21, 2018. The internationally renowned arts education non-profit will bring its unique brand of performing arts training to Takapuna School in Aukland, NZ.

Published in 1895 by Heinemann UK, H. G. Wells' beloved tale of time travel launched his reputation as the father of science fiction and coined the now popular concept of a time machine. Originally written as a serial frame narrative, the Time Traveller begins his story of adventures 800,000 years into the future with the simple words, I've had a most amazing time

A perennial favorite Dark of the Moon is based on the haunting folk ballad of 'Barbara Allen.' Employing a large cast and imaginative settings in the Smoky Mountains, Dark of the Moon recounts the story of John, a strange 'witch boy' who upon first beholding the beautiful Barbara Allen immediately falls in love. He is given human form to woo and marry her on the condition that she remain true to him. Dark of the Moon was produced on Broadway in 1945.

On Friday, September 22, The Sherman Playhouse will debut its fall production of Howard Richardson and William Berney's Dark of the Moon, an eerie tale of forbidden love, set against the backdrop of the Smoky Mountains and the supernatural world. The curtain rises at 8:00 p.m. for a four-week run.

WORKING is the extraordinary genre-defining musical from Grammy and Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell) based on Studs Terkel's best-selling book of interviews with the American workforce: Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do. The show has been adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, the creators of Godspell and Rags, with additional contributions by Gordon Greenberg.

Completing the cast of the European Premiere of WORKING at Southwark Playhouse are six young performers all making their professional debuts.

???????Gillian Bevan, Dean Chisnall, Krysten Cummings, Siubhan Harrison, Peter Polycarpou and Liam Tamne will lead the cast of the European Premiere of WORKING.

EVERYBODY, based on a 15th century morality play, tackles The Big Subjects -- God, love, time, friendship and death. There are multiple costume changes for Death.

Due to popular demand, Berkeley's Jewish Circle Theatre, in association with John Gertz Productions, announced the extension of Love Sick, a passionate new musical play based on the ancient Hebrew text, 'The Song of Songs,' at SecondStage at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are now on sale through Sunday, March 19, 2017. The production, which the San Francisco Chronicle gives its 'Highest Rating' and calls 'Extraordinary,' is helmed by internationally-acclaimed director Christopher Renshaw (Broadway: The King and I [Best Revival Tony Award, 1996], Taboo; West End We Will Rock You, Zorro: The Musical), the production features the Bay Area's Ofra Daniel in this original story of one woman's journey through a relentless and fervent love affair-and her gradual descent into madness. Single tickets and low-priced preview performances (ranging from $28-$57) are available online at www.mvcpa.com.

The world premiere Signature Theatre production of Everybody, written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Lila Neugebauer, runs now through March 19, 2017 and officially opened last night, February 21, on The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues).

'We're dealing with some fairly old and ancient material, so maybe let's trust it to be really wise and meaningful, okay?' asks a character acting as a kind of host at the beginning of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' fun and breezy new play, Everybody.

The world premiere Signature Theatre production of Everybody, written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Lila Neugebauer, runs now through March 19, 2017 and officially opens tonight, February 21, on The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues).

There's this little subsection of musical theater from the 50's and 60's that are big crowd pleasers due to the fact they were just plain fun. Sure, sometimes they dealt with issues as well but for the most part they were toe tapping good times. One of those that falls into this category is definitely 'The Pajama Game' currently playing at the 5th Avenue Theatre. And while it may not be the best example of a solid show from that era, it's still a hell of a lot of fun and this production takes that fun and amps it up to 11 due in large part to some fantastic choreography from Bob Richard and a killer cast.