All stories by Barry Gordin on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

WHITE ROOM GALLERY by Barry Gordin

The White Room Gallery hosted an opening reception for RED CARPET, which will be on view through August 17, 2025. July 28, 2025: The White Room Gallery, 2 Railroad Avenue in East Hampton, …

SOURCE: theaterlife at 02:44PM
Monday, July 28, 2025

Gene & Gilda *** by Barry Gordin

By Paulanne Simmons July 28, 2025: Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner were only married five years. Even though he was thirteen years older, she was married to SNL guitarist and bandleader G.E.…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 11:11PM

Joy: A New True Musical **1/2 by Barry Gordin

Uplifting! By Alix Cohen July 27, 2025: We live in an Instagram, Tick-Tock driven society that makes successes of Influencers. Had Joy Mangano come up with her product a little later, she…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 06:42AM
Friday, July 25, 2025

Just Me: Sean Harkness- Solo by Barry Gordin

By Alix Cohen July 25, 2025: Having noticed “a couple of blank squares” on his calendar, Sean Harkness shares his inner troubadour with an evening of instrumentals, songs and stories. T…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 11:08PM

Rolling Thunder **1/2 by Barry Gordin

By Samuel Leiter July 25, 2025: The Vietnam war and the theatre have not exactly been strangers, although nowhere near as many shows, especially good ones, have taken their cue from it as …

SOURCE: theaterlife at 10:59PM
Thursday, July 24, 2025

Rolling Thunder ***** by Barry Gordin

By Paulanne Simmons July 24, 2025: Rolling Thunder was the name of a Bob Dylan concert tour that also featured performers such as Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. And …

SOURCE: theaterlife at 08:00PM

The House on Mango Street ****, The Rake’s Progress **** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward July 24, 2025: The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY celebrates its 50th anniversary season with departures from traditional operatic fare. In addition to Stephen S…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 03:48PM

Five Reasons Why Angry Alan Should Transfer to Broadway by Barry Gordin

By Iris Wiener July 24, 2025: John Krasinski is not Angry Alan, despite what one might believe from the title of this (mostly) solo play; instead, Krasinski is Roger, a suburban, disillusi…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 03:31PM
Monday, July 21, 2025

The Gospel at Colonus ****, Sunday in the Park with George **** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward July 21, 2025: Musical styles are mixed to maximum emotional effect in unusual productions in one new outdoor venue in Manhattan and at the 50th anniversary season of a lo…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 05:21PM
Wednesday, July 16, 2025

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance **** by Barry Gordin

By Paulanne Simmons July 16, 2025: It has been said, with a good deal of truth, that short stories make the best screenplays. This is certainly the case with the film, The Man Who Shot Lib…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 09:40PM

Angry Alan ****, Viola’s Room **** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward July 16, 2025: Unconventional storytelling methods are on display in two Off-Broadway productions, offering brave theatergoers unusual and exciting experiences. John Krasi…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 11:23AM
Sunday, July 13, 2025

Thank You, Don Ameche **1/2 by Barry Gordin

A 1938 Radio Writers Room, as much refuge as employment By Alix Cohen July 13, 2025: Howard Edison (Dylan Smith) is new to a radio writers’ room where personnel have been confederates f…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 08:32PM
Saturday, July 12, 2025

Heathers The Musical *** by Barry Gordin

The Price of Popularity By Alix Cohen July 12, 2025: A splashy satire that bakes bullying, teenage suicide, and sexual assault in dark, subversive humor. Heathers has been around since th…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 12:50PM
Friday, July 11, 2025

Heathers The Musical *** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward July 11, 2025: Heathers the Musical (Off-Broadway at New World Stages) is one of many recent teen-angst tuners. Others of this new genre include Tony-winning Best Musicals …

SOURCE: theaterlife at 09:27AM
Thursday, July 10, 2025

Heathers The Musical *** by Barry Gordin

By Samuel L. Leiter  July 10, 2025: Eleven years ago, in 2014, I reviewed a show called Heathers: The Musical at New World Stages. So it wasn’t very fresh in my mind when I visited its …

SOURCE: theaterlife at 09:00PM
Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Backstage Babble Live! by Barry Gordin

By Alix Cohen July 8, 2025: On the fifth anniversary of Charles Kirsch’s Backstage Babble, the young uber- fan/interviewer (250 and counting) again takes to the stage at 54Below to prese…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 01:17PM
Monday, July 7, 2025

Prince Faggot **** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward July 7, 2025: When Prince Harry of England married Meghan Markle, an African-American actress, in 2018, I was teaching high school. On the Monday morning after their royal…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 02:12PM
Thursday, July 3, 2025

Trophy Boys **** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward July 3, 2025: In a program note for her play Trophy Boys (at MCC Theater), Emmanuelle Mattana observes, “Gender is a scam but it is also a gift. Drag is radical joy and l…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 10:30AM
Monday, June 30, 2025

Saga of a Stage Mother: Lorelei Edwards & Her Son, Bryce by Barry Gordin

Behind every child who believes in themselves is a parent who believed first. By Alix Cohen June 30, 2025: Lorelei Edwards comes from a musical family. “I’m Irish/Italian. Everybody …

SOURCE: theaterlife at 09:29AM
Saturday, June 28, 2025

Duke & Roya by Barry Gordin

By Alix Cohen June 28, 2025: Canada 2025 Duke, a successful, American rap artist, is questioned by an interviewer about a visit to Kabul, Afghanistan. At the insistence of his record comp…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 05:49PM

Lowcountry ***, Duke & Roya *** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward June 28, 2025: Two unconventional plays about odd romantic pairings recently opened Off-Broadway. Both attempt to tackle significant topics outside of the “boy-meets-gir…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 05:40PM
Saturday, June 21, 2025

Beau The Musical **** by Barry Gordin

By Isa Goldberg June 21, 2025: During gay pride one should experience at least one gay happening – it’s a stereotypical thing to do.  Such an event, Beau the Musical, performed on nat…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 12:58PM
Friday, June 20, 2025

Prosperous Fools***, The Imaginary Invalid*** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward June 20, 2025: Moliere is having a modern moment. Two adaptations of the 17th century French playwright’s comedies are now on display Off-Broadway. Both employ contempor…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 07:46PM
Tuesday, June 17, 2025

The Imaginary Invalid ****1/2 by Barry Gordin

By Paulanne Simmons June 17, 2025: Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid (Le Malade Imaginaire) premiered in 1673, but its themes of narcissism, greed and the failures of healthcare, are just …

SOURCE: theaterlife at 10:07AM
Sunday, June 15, 2025

Setting the Stage with Mel (Miller) by Barry Gordin

By Alix Cohen June 15, 2025: As Producing Artistic Director of Musicals Tonight, Mel Miller began his endeavor with no experience managing to build an enthusiastic subscription audience fo…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 10:16AM
Friday, June 13, 2025

Call Me Izzy *** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward June 13, 2025: Even though there is much that is familiar in Call Me Izzy, Jamie Wax’s new solo play at Studio 54, its star Jean Smart gives it a unique individual life.…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 10:51AM
Thursday, June 12, 2025

Prosperous Fools ** by Barry Gordin

By Samuel L. Leiter (Note: Taylor Mac uses “judy” as a pronoun, but I’ve used conventional pronouns here.) June 12, 2025: Molière, Molière, he’s everywhere. Well, not quite, but…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 09:42AM
Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Lunar Eclipse ****, Bus Stop **** by Barry Gordin

By David Sheward June 10, 2025: Donald Margulies’ tender and moving new play Lunar Eclipse from Second Stage at the Signature Theater Center, is a simple, direct depiction of a long marr…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 10:44AM
Sunday, June 8, 2025

Lunar Eclipse by Barry Gordin

Potent and Beautifully Produced By Alix Cohen June 8, 2025: I’d be tempted to call this a perfect production were it not for the haunting Leonard Cohen quote, “There’s a crack in ev…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 06:48PM
Wednesday, June 4, 2025

2025 Drama Desk Awards by Barry Gordin

Photos from the 69th Annual Drama Desk Awards June 1, 2024: The 69th Annual Drama Desk Awards held at the NYC Skirball Center on Sunday, June 1 hosted by Tituss Burgess and Debra Messing.

SOURCE: theaterlife at 12:00PM
Monday, June 2, 2025

EURYDICE **1/2 by Barry Gordin

By Samuel L. Leiter June 2, 2025: It’s a bitter irony that, only days after the passing of Barry Gordin, Theater Life’s beloved editor-in-chief, the first two shows I’m reviewing for…

SOURCE: theaterlife at 09:01PM