All stories by A.J. Mell on BroadwayStars

Monday, May 25, 2015

The Battle of Spanktown by A.J. Mell

Jeffrey Pfeiffer's whimsical comedy mines a vein of smart-but-silly historical pageantry that suggests an American "Blackadder," but with fairies, talking animals, and other magical folderol…

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

American Gypsy by A.J. Mell

Writer-performer Ben Whiting has woven his skillful illusions into a one-man performance that celebrates the ineffable connection between artist and audience and between mentor and prot&eacu…

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

Cats Don't Grin by A.J. Mell

François Carré's two-hander is clever, to be sure, but perhaps more interesting to think about afterwards than to experience in real time.

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

Endless Summer Nights by A.J. Mell

As denizens of the Jersey Shore go, the characters in "Endless Summer Nights" are a lot more palatable than Snooki and her crew, but by the time intermission rolls around, you may wish they …

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

NY Review: 'Trans-Euro Express' by A.J. Mell

Train travel is not the easiest thing to convey on stage, but "Trans-Euro Express" proves to be a brisk, entertaining journey, propelled by Gary Duggan's amusing script and director Chris He…

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

Speaking in Tongues by A.J. Mell

Andrew Bovell's complex, noirish play has a lot going for it, but ultimately the characters aren't idiosyncratic or compelling enough to get by on their storytelling skills alone.

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by A.J. Mell

In this technically adroit production, writer-director Edward Einhorn has crafted an eerie, strikingly designed adaptation of Philip K. Dick's heady post-apocalyptic novel.

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

The Wife by A.J. Mell

The elements of a potent black comedy about culture clash are all there in Tommy Smith's new play, but as the characters refuse to behave in explicable ways, the end result is more puzzling …

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

The Orphans by A.J. Mell

Karina Casiano wears a lot of hats on this dystopian piece set in a nightmarish New York, but she has the chops and clarity of vision to pull it off.

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

NY Review: 'Invasion!' by A.J. Mell

Swedish playwright Jonas Hassen Khemiri's witty satire plays with common perceptions of the Arabic male and has theatrical and political ideas bouncing off each other like pinballs.

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM

Storm Still by A.J. Mell

This multilayered riff on Act 3, Scene 6 of "King Lear" wants to be anarchic fun, but its core is just a collection of donnish theater-geek in-jokes.

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:58PM
Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Burmese Days by A.J. Mell

Writer-director Ryan Kiggell tries hard to make this adaptation of George Orwell's first novel theatrical, but the results make for a pretty tough slog.

SOURCE: Backstage at 08:00AM
Monday, November 7, 2011

Two-Man Kidnapping Rule by A.J. Mell

Like its central character, Joseph Gallo's comedy about a trio of buddies out on the town is companionable and easy to take but offers few surprises.

SOURCE: Backstage at 03:31AM
Monday, October 31, 2011

Verse Chorus Verse by A.J. Mell

For all its dropping of band names and wrestling with familiar indie-rock issues, Randall Colburn's Kurt Cobain–inspired drama doesn't muster much rock-'n'-roll cred.

SOURCE: Backstage at 02:54AM
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Mangella by A.J. Mell

Ken Ferrigni's clever "Mangella" starts out as a twisted romantic comedy between a man and his computer, and gradually becomes a twisted philosophical comedy about privacy and identity.

SOURCE: Backstage at 08:00AM
Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Invasion! by A.J. Mell

Swedish playwright Jonas Hassen Khemiri's witty satire plays with common perceptions of the Arabic male and has theatrical and political ideas bouncing off each other like pinballs.

SOURCE: Backstage at 07:00AM
Monday, August 22, 2011

I've Been Elvita Adams by A.J. Mell

Ashley Lloyd Smith's one-man show about the lighter side of suicide never lets us forget that we're watching an actor doing his multiple-character bit.

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:21AM

The Town of No One by A.J. Mell

Tariq Hamami's intriguing dark comedy takes place in a lawless rough-and-tumble town, but it makes for a strangely inviting place to spend an evening.

SOURCE: Backstage at 05:15AM
Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The American Vaudeville Theatre 15th Anniversary Extravaganza by A.J. Mell

Trav S.D.'s latest excursion into old-school showbiz has its intermittent charms, but the performers demonstrate more genial eccentricity than talent, more "Gong Show" than "Ed Sullivan Sh…

SOURCE: Backstage at 06:08AM
Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Spatter Pattern or, How I Got Away With It by A.J. Mell

Neal Bell's story of two death-haunted men has some of the attributes of a Hitchcock thriller but plays better as a stark, low-key psychological drama.

SOURCE: Backstage at 07:15AM

Territories by A.J. Mell

Intelligently acted but frustratingly opaque, the two short plays that make up Steven Dykes' "Territories" explore political and sexual issues with an unfortunate lack of specificity.

SOURCE: Backstage at 07:10AM
Monday, June 13, 2011

The Blood Brothers Present…Freaks From the Morgue by A.J. Mell

The emphasis is on straightforward shocks in this grisly but strangely inert anthology of Grand Guignol-style ripped-from-the-headlines horror tales, which lacks energy and ferocity.

SOURCE: Backstage at 12:52PM
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Oswald by A.J. Mell

Tim Intravia's intense performance in the title role highlights this absorbing, straightforward docudrama about the interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald.

SOURCE: Backstage at 02:22AM
Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Channeling Kevin Spacey by A.J. Mell

This fringe-festival favorite might have cut a little deeper, but it's still a frantically inventive showcase for the comedic skills of its two lead actors.

SOURCE: Backstage at 12:23PM
Monday, May 9, 2011

Loose Screws by A.J. Mell

Andrea Wolff shows some stage presence and vocal prowess in this bawdy one-woman show, but whether it works for you may depend on your tolerance for penis jokes.

SOURCE: Backstage at 07:00AM
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Teeth of the Sons by A.J. Mell

Joseph Sousa's affecting dysfunctional-family drama observing a love-hate sibling relationship in a middle-class Jewish family doesn't entirely escape the genre's common pitfalls.

SOURCE: Backstage at 07:00AM
Monday, April 4, 2011

The Tremendous Tremendous by A.J. Mell

Inventive, funny, and a consistent kick to watch, the Mad Ones constitute a remarkable team that's full of anarchic high spirits and brawling energy.

SOURCE: Backstage at 06:02AM
Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The Soldier Dreams by A.J. Mell

Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor's heartfelt family drama is a bit too lean, which blunts its emotional impact, despite director Judson Jones' absorbing production.

SOURCE: Backstage at 07:00AM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards