All stories by Jim Farmer on BroadwayStars

Friday, July 28, 2017

Preview: Atlanta Musical Theatre Festival set to kick off its second year with three productions by Jim Farmer

The irony didn’t escape him. When local actor Benjamin Davis was working as an associate producer for The Last Time We Were Here — a musical written and performed by Atlanta artists …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:01PM
Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Review: Led by the captivating actress Paige Mattox, “Annie Get Your Gun” still aims true by Jim Farmer

Not terribly far back, summer used to be a dormant time of the year for local theater as everyone prepped for the upcoming fall season or simply took a much-needed rest. Somehow, the summer …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:01PM

Review: Actor’s Express’ “Little Shop of Horrors” charms in its new take on the campy classic by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

Don’t feed the plants! That’s the famous final warning from Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s monster hit of a campy monster-musical Little Shop of Horrors, which has had countless produ…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 09:01AM
Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Review: Lyric’s “Beauty and the Beast” overcomes the odds in this entertaining re-staging by Jim Farmer

Many people approached the big budget film remake of Beauty and the Beast earlier this year with a wary eye, wondering why it was even necessary to re-do a classic. Some people, too, may que…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 12:59PM
Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Review: The fanciful and spirited “Dancing Handkerchief” magically delights and confounds by Jim Farmer

In his curtain speech before his new musical The Dancing Handkerchief, The Flying Carpet Theatre Company artistic director Adam Koplan called the production — a collaboration with Thea…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 12:58PM
Thursday, June 1, 2017

Review: Horizon’s “How To Use a Knife” cuts deep with stellar acting by strong ensemble by Jim Farmer

The restaurant kitchen of a New York eatery is not one for the faint of heart, at least not in the new drama How to Use a Knife. Will Snider’s manic play, running through June 25 at Horiz…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:59PM
Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Preview: Comic Brad Zimmerman tells his story in “My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy” by Jim Farmer

Like many people, Brad Zimmerman moved to New York after college and turned to waiting tables to make a living.  He never expected the experience to last as long as it did, however — …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:59PM
Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Review: Aurora’s “Split in Three” has its moments, but has plenty of kinks to be worked out by Jim Farmer

With some reliably talented performers in its cast, a competent, versatile director at its helm and rich material to play with, it might seem like the drama Split in Three — running th…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:02PM
Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Preview: The Shulers celebrate 9th season of high school theater awards with biggest show yet by Jim Farmer

It started off with just 13 participating schools, but it has grown to involve 75 high schools from across the state. Now in its ninth year, the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards &#…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 10:59AM
Friday, April 14, 2017

News: Out Front Theatre faces protests from religious group over “Most Fabulous Story” by Jim Farmer

As Paul Conroy was piecing together programming for the inaugural season of his Out Front Theatre Company — the company he founded and that is dedicated to telling stories of the LGBT …

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:01PM
Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Review: Synchronicity’s “Strait of Gibraltar” has flaws but is smart, intense and powerfully topical by Jim Farmer

Rachel May and her colleagues at Synchronicity Theatre didn’t plan it schedule-wise, but it would be hard to imagine a more topical play than their just-opened drama Strait of Gibraltar. W…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 11:01AM
Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Review: Serenbe’s version of “Grease” is hopelessly devoted but never quite catches fire by Jim Farmer

Never one to stage a production without imprinting his own brand of theatrical derring-do, Brian Clowdus and his Serenbe Playhouse colleagues have turned their attention to leather jackets a…

SOURCE: artsatl.com at 01:00PM
Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Review: Aurora’s “Bridges of Madison County” revival has its misses, but lots of tender hits by Jim Farmer

First it was a 1992 book by (the late) Robert James Waller, then a 1995 Clint Eastwood-helmed film starring Eastwood and Meryl Streep. The latest incarnation of the romantic The Bridges of M…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 12:01PM
Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Review: The Alliance’s moving “Temple Bombing” shows the present is shaped by a cruel past by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

ArtsATL critics Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer recently saw the Alliance Theatre’s riveting world premiere drama The Temple Bombing. They share their thoughts on the production, running t…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 01:01PM
Friday, February 24, 2017

Preview: Improv star Colin Mochrie talks Dad’s Garage, Atlanta BBQ and keys to success by Jim Farmer

He never set out to be a comic, much less a household name, but Colin Mochrie has become one of the most recognizable funnymen around, known for his spontaneous moments of genius on the long…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 01:59PM
Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Review: “Constellations” shines bright in places, but ultimately gets lost in its gimmick by Jim Farmer

Cramming more into its tiny frame than most plays ever dream of, Nick Payne’s Constellations is a heady show that explores parallel universes and themes such as choice and chance. It’s u…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 01:59PM
Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Preview: The Alliance’s “Troubadour” takes a Sugarland Express to classic 1950s Nashville by Jim Farmer

As she was working on her new show Troubadour, Janece Shaffer estimated she had room for around four songs in the piece. Yet once the playwright convinced Kristian Bush to come aboard to wri…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 10:59AM
Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Review: Topher Payne’s uneven but warmly engaging “Greetings” lets loose his comedic chops by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

ArtsATL critics Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer saw Atlanta playwright Topher Payne’s new comedy Greetings Friend Your Kind Assistance is Required (running through January 22) on its openi…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 10:59AM
Monday, December 26, 2016

The Year in Review: Atlanta theater had an often strong, often inconsistent 2016 by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

It was a memorable, though slightly down, year for Atlanta theater. ArtsATL theater critics Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer sat down recently to take a look back at some of the highs and low…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 12:59PM
Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Review: Bright direction, strong cast carry the weight in a sometimes problematic “Big Fish” by Jim Farmer

Amidst the sugary sweet procession of Nutcrackers, Christmas Carols and other holiday fare parading around the city this time of year, Theatrical Outfit is at least offering up something nov…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 10:59AM
Tuesday, November 8, 2016

News: Serenbe, Aurora and the Alliance emerge as the big winners in the Suzi Bass Awards by Jim Farmer

In a night that saw a slew of Atlanta theaters claim trophies, it was Serenbe Playhouse who wound up dominating the field at the 2016 Suzi Bass Awards Monday evening, taking the prize for Be…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 01:03PM
Thursday, November 3, 2016

Review: “Proof” lifted up by strong ensemble cast, tight direction by Tess Malis Kincaid by Jim Farmer

An interesting development happened on the way to the much-hyped teaming of director Tess Malis Kincaid and actress Danielle Deadwyler in the True Colors production of David Auburn’s Proof…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 01:01PM
Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Review: Lyric Theatre’s version of “A Chorus Line” surprisingly bland and fails to pop to life by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

It’s one of the most beloved musicals of all time, both a nine-time Tony Award winner and the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize. Atlanta Lyric Theatre -- the area’s only company dedicated to…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 09:01AM
Monday, September 12, 2016

Preview: The shows you don’t want to miss as Atlanta’s 2016-17 theater season kicks off by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

With world premieres galore and all sorts of intriguing fare, the 2016-17 Atlanta theater season promises to be a lively one, with promising shows all over the place. ArtsATL theater critics…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 12:05PM
Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Review: Essential’s “Dispossessed” is overwhelmed by its storytelling ambitions by Jim Farmer

Whatever can be said about Karen Wurl’s new work Dispossessed, the playwright cannot be accused of a lazy effort. Her work has enough material for a number of plays. Running through August…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 11:02AM
Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Review: “Company” showcases Whittemore, but fails to cohesively come together by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

Phone rings. Door chimes. In comes company . . . It’s been a summer full of big musicals in Atlanta, and now one of the city’s most beloved theaters, Actor’s Express, has just roll…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 11:01AM
Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Topher Payne hits the small screen with the Hallmark film “My Summer Prince” by Jim Farmer

Over his long career, Topher Payne has penned plays that have appeared all over Atlanta, and one in New York last year, but this weekend he sees his name on a different kind of project ̵…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 01:31PM
Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Review: “In the Heights” one of the boldest and best produced musicals of the year by Jim Farmer

Long before his Hamilton had become one of the most celebrated — and influential — musicals in history, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights had already made him a Broadway darl…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 12:59PM
Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Review: Lyric Theatre’s take on “West Side Story” another treat for ATL Sondheim fans by Jim Farmer

It’s no fluke. What seemed like a Sondheim kind of theater season a few months ago has turned into an unexpected (albeit unplanned) local celebration, with an emphasis on some of the maste…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 11:01AM
Thursday, May 26, 2016

Review: Ten years past its prime, “Significant Other” comes across like a long pity party by Andrew Alexander and Jim Farmer

With Joshua Harmon’s Bad Jews a commercial success for Actor’s Express recently, the company has now turned to another work from the playwright, Significant Other, running through June 1…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 01:59PM
Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Review: Superb cast, sharp dialogue mark Horizon’s “City of Conversation” by Jim Farmer

Anthony Giardina’s The City of Conversation is a period piece not only for its era (the play starts in the late Seventies), but for its fond recollection of a time when Republicans and Dem…

SOURCE: ArtsATL at 01:01PM

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