All stories by Alastair Macaulay on BroadwayStars

Friday, September 15, 2023

Erik Aschengreen, 88, Dies; Historian and Critic Illuminated Danish Dance by Alastair Macaulay

In books, articles and lectures across Europe and America, he broadened an international appreciation of his native country’s rich dance tradition.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 04:04PM
Friday, July 28, 2023

Class Is in Session. The Teacher? Mark Morris. by Alastair Macaulay

The choreographer has long taught company class. It’s part of what makes his distinctly individual dancers seem so natural — and coherent as a group.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:01AM
Friday, June 23, 2023

How Robert Gottlieb Shaped Dance by Alastair Macaulay

The esteemed editor, who died last week at 92, was a balletomane who was known to program New York City Ballet seasons from his offices at Alfred A. Knopf and The New Yorker.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 09:00AM
Friday, April 21, 2023

Valda Setterfield Dies at 88; a Star in the Postmodern Dance Firmament by Alastair Macaulay

A dancer with a singularly theatrical presence, she was best known for her long collaboration with her husband, the choreographer David Gordon.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 03:25PM
Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Lynn Seymour, Acclaimed Ballerina and a Dramatic Force, Dies at 83 by Alastair Macaulay

Considered one of the greats of her era, she partnered with Nureyev, Baryshnikov and others, bringing a passionate style to roles in dance, both ballet and modern.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 07:10PM
Friday, January 13, 2023

Setting the Tempo With One Eye on the Stage by Alastair Macaulay

Andrew Litton, the musical director of City Ballet, talks about conducting for ballet and the lure of the company’s repertory, much of it rare in concert hall.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:00AM
Friday, December 16, 2022

Beryl Grey, Acclaimed British Ballerina, Is Dead at 95 by Alastair Macaulay

Her versatility and theatricality brought her world renown and an appearance with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. She later became a troupe’s artistic director.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:23PM
Thursday, June 16, 2022

Choreographer Alexei Ratmansky Uncovers New Inspiration in an Ancient World by Alastair Macaulay

American Ballet Theatre presents the New York premiere of Of Love and Rage June 20–25.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:37AM
Friday, April 1, 2022

Margaret M. McGowan, Who Expanded the Field of Dance History, Dies at 90 by Alastair Macaulay

She took a unique interdisciplinary approach and created a new field of study by exploring the collision of politics, ballet, design and music.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 04:45PM
Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Birju Maharaj, Virtuoso of Classical Indian Dance, Dies at 83 by Alastair Macaulay

Mr. Maharaj choreographed for Bollywood, but was chiefly known for carrying the torch of Kathak, one of India’s major dance traditions.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 03:09PM
Thursday, April 19, 2018

Critic’s Notebook: ‘Carousel’ Dances Are a New Feather in the Enigmatic Justin Peck’s Cap by Alastair Macaulay

Mr. Peck’s dances for the revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical on Broadway tick almost every box of dutiful choreography, if without force.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:42PM
Friday, October 13, 2017

Houston’s Wortham Theater Center, Weeks After Harvey Struck by Alastair Macaulay

Repairing the damage to the home of the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet, which have relocated temporarily, will take at least eight months.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:12PM
Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Clive Barnes Award Winners Are Announced by Alastair Macaulay

The annual prizes, for young performers in theater and dance, were given to Khris Davis, an actor, and Indiana Woodward of New York City Ballet.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:24PM
Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Mark Morris to Choreograph a New Full-Length Work by Alastair Macaulay

The work, "Layla and Majnun," is to have its premiere in Berkeley, Calif., in September.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 08:30PM
Sunday, December 27, 2015

Review: American Dance Machine Offers 70 Years of Steps by Alastair Macaulay

Directed by Wayne Cilento, this choreographic anthology of numbers from musicals, TV shows and films is at the Joyce Theater through Jan. 3.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:16PM
Tuesday, August 18, 2015

American Ballet Theater to Debut Ratmansky Work Next Spring by Alastair Macaulay

For its spring 2016 season, American Ballet Theater offers a slightly bolder lineup, with more of a focus on its artist in residence, Alexei Ratmansky.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 08:31PM
Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Robert Fairchild and Tony Yazbeck Have It All on Broadway Stages by Alastair Macaulay

The two dancers — Mr. Fairchild in “An American in Paris” and Mr. Yazbeck in “On the Town” — are bringing terrific performances to their shows.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:46PM
Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Critic’s Notebook: Reassembling the ‘Little Dancer’ by Degas as a Musical by Alastair Macaulay

The “Little Dancer” sculpture by Degas is the inspiration for the new musical by the same name, starring Tiler Peck of New York City Ballet.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:21PM
Sunday, November 9, 2014

Dance Review: ‘John’ at the National Theater in London by Alastair Macaulay

“John,” by the choreographer Lloyd Newson and based on multiple interviews, is about a gay sauna as a transformative experience.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:08PM
Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Dance Review: American Ballet Theater’s Shakespeare Program by Alastair Macaulay

American Ballet Theater danced Ashton and Ratmansky versions of Shakespeare classics on Monday evening at the Metropolitan Opera House.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:29PM
Friday, April 25, 2014

Critic’s Notebook: A Look at This Year’s Broadway Choreography by Alastair Macaulay

A dance critic says the dancing in seven new Broadway musicals is good enough for any of them to be contenders for a Tony choreography nomination.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:05PM
Friday, March 28, 2014

Shakespeare’s Plays Are a Natural Fit With Dance by Alastair Macaulay

Shakespeare’s plays, which often deal with young love, magic and the elemental, readily lend themselves to dance, as countless adaptations demonstrate.    

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:00PM
Tuesday, January 21, 2014

A Paul Taylor Dance Reunion at Koch Theater by Alastair Macaulay

The Paul Taylor Dance Company has added a performance to its season at the David H. Koch Theater that will include many of the company's alumni.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:44PM
Friday, July 26, 2013

Theater Review: ‘Murmurs’ Brings Slapstick to the Lincoln Center Festival by Alastair Macaulay

“Murmurs,” a mime/circus show by Victoria Thierrée Chaplin, explores illusions with a strange set and surreal scenes.    

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 04:44PM
Sunday, July 14, 2013

Dance Review: ‘Forever Tango’ Includes ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Alumni by Alastair Macaulay

The Puerto Rican singer Gilberto Santa Rosa and the Ukrainian-born dancers Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkovskiy star in a revival of Luis Bravo’s popular “Forever Tango.”  …

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:00PM
Monday, June 10, 2013

Critic’s Notebook: ‘Nikolai and the Others,’ a Theatrical Portrait of Balanchine by Alastair Macaulay

Richard Nelson’s new play, “Nikolai and the Others,” gives an intimate portrait of Balanchine at work with Stravinsky on the ballet “Orpheus.”    

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:45PM
Friday, June 7, 2013

Critic’s Notebook: ‘Matilda’ Movement, and More Broadway Choreography by Alastair Macaulay

The choreography in this season’s Broadway shows ran the gamut from circus acrobatics, to princely magic and character-revealing leaps.    

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:02PM
Friday, August 17, 2012

Nakedness in Dance, Taken to Extremes by Alastair Macaulay

How do you react to the look of a naked body onstage? Thirty-four years ago, as part of a friend’s bachelor party, I went to a London strip club with a group of seven other men. We were al…

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:20AM
Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Critic’s Notebook: The Choreography of Tony Nominees by Alastair Macaulay

There is no single method for choreography to succeed in a musical, and this year’s Tony Award nominees take distinct approaches.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:00AM
Monday, December 5, 2011

Cunningham Countdown: A Monday With Merce by Alastair Macaulay

A series of online videos documented the choreographer and his work.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 09:53AM
Thursday, December 1, 2011

Cunningham Countdown: Saying Goodbye to the RUGs by Alastair Macaulay

The Cunningham company's Repertory Understudy Group, known as the RUGs, ended performances at the Cunningham Studio.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:44PM

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