Theater is one of those things I should get to more often as I work in New York City. But alas, so little time, so little money. If anyone out there stumbles across this page and has the same feelings, please mail me as I would love someone to go to plays with in the city.
Shakespeare
Shakespeare is still tops to my mind. Gotta love the classics....or not. But I do. What more need I say about him.
Peter Shaffer
Equis remains one of the best plays of all time to my mind. It is passionate, well-written and complex without pat answers. An extremely gripping and powerful work.
Amadus is by the same author. I have not seen a staging of that yet but the film was good.
Tennessee Williams
The man is amazing at creating dramas that as so twisted that you need mental help after just watching them. Scary thing is, I am not sure that he isn't accurately portraying the South of the 50's and 60's. I pray not, but after dating some southern men.... *chuckle* Just kidding....yankee that I am.
Christopher Durst
Christopher Durst is one of the most humorous playwrights I have read. Beyond Therapy is a riot and Charlotte may well be one of my favorite characters of all time.
So I am hooked on these things. I know - how dreadful you might be thinking. But they are quite delightful and honestly, I lean toward those with something to say rather than rehashes of fairy tales or bad movies. You can also check out more musical s on my film page.
Camelot
Amazingly wonderful musical. Appeals to the romantic in me, the medievalist and the musical lover. Delightful, funny and warm. I adore both the film and the play. And the film would be almost perfect, but for the lack of "The Seven Deadly Virtues". A simply delightful little song that was left out of the film.
Chess
I was lucky enough to have seen this play while I was in London. I was blow away. The music is amazing and remains strong even years after it was written. The plot deals with layers of subplots, all tying into one another to complicate the matter. Drive, ambition, brilliance and how it touches people are the central themes.
The American rewrite is not half as good. It was butchered to take out the Cold War elements which where an intricate part of the plot. While a few cute songs were added, it is simply not as strong as the original. Also, it doesn't have Murray Head who is probably the best lead vocalist in rock operas.
Evita
One of the best of the Weber/Rice works. It remains strong after all these years. Mandy Potamkin was in the original Broadway production. He is well worth checking out if you don't already know his work (and yes, he was on Chicago Hope).
Jesus Christ Superstar
Still one of the best 'rock operas' of all time in my opinion. I have seen this staged as well as the film version. I still have yet to see direction that I think works very well with it, but I keep hoping...
Man of La Mancha
A delightful piece of Don Quixote and his fighting windmills. Appeals to the romantic and the dreamer in me.
Sweeney Todd
Dark, black and wickedly humorous. How can you get much better? It is amazing that cannibalism can be turned into an riotously funny musical. Outstanding music and a delightful plot make this well worth seeing if the male and female leads are good. The rest of the cast need not be as good, but the actor playing Todd must be top notch.
Honorary Raspberry Award Goes To - Andrew Lloyd Weber
He is dreadful without Rice. This is what happens when you get someone who is a sentimentalist without a brain writing musicals. Light, fluffy, heartfelt but devoid of any good plot or direction. Your opinion may vary but then you are wrong. *smirk*
Back to Kissed by a Muse
Comments, criticisms and whatever else can be mailed to - akasha@runbox.com.