Reviewing the Drama: Broadway, Off-Broadway, Ballet, Movies, and TV Reviews

The winners for the 66th annual Emmy Awards have been announced. Seth Meyers  was a funny and effective host, with entertaining bits peppered throughout. But before we get to the winners, let's talk fashion! Let's begin with the night's biggest trend: ladies in red. On top we have Octavia Spencer in a Tadashi Shoji dress that accentuates her curves. Stunning in the middle is perennial red carpet stand out, Julia Louis-Dreyfus , in Carolina Hererra. She looks glam yet comfortable, an uncommon combination. On the right is Games of Thrones ' beautiful  Sebel Kekilli . Below are three talented young ladies, beginning with  Claire Danes in Givenchy. Danes would be a Best Dressed nominee were it not for that monstrosity around her neck. In the center is (the should have been nominated) Mindy Kaling in a Kenzo dress. Kaling said on social media that this dress was custom made by the designer, and that Kenzo doesn't usually design gowns. Our final lady in red is M...

“Who are you?” This is what Olivia (Anna Gunn) asks at the beginning and end of Laura Eason ’s play, Sex with Strangers . The question is directed at a different person each time it is asked, and while it is both the first and last line of the play, it hangs over Olivia and Ethan (Billy Magnussen) throughout.  The two-hander begins with Olivia sitting in a secluded bed and breakfast (of which she’s a guest) in the Michigan woods. Ethan, another (unexpected) guest, barges in, ostensibly looking for a quiet place to write. (The space is known as a writer’s haven.) The two begin talking, exchanging some bits of information but not others, trying to figure out the answer to Olivia’s question. The second act sees them in Olivia’s cramped Chicago apartment, and while the circumstances have changed (they evolved over the few days seen in the first act), the quest to understand who they are, as individuals and to each other, remains.   I’ll diverge for a moment to remind y...

The nominees for the 66th annual Emmy Awards have been announced. Herein, a list of many of the nominees. Visit emmys.com for the full list. DRAMA Drama Series Breaking Bad Downton Abbey Game of Thrones House of Cards Mad Men True Detective I'm bummed to see The Good Wife didn't make the list. It had such an incredible season. As it stands, this is a good slate. House of Cards and Game of Thrones were terrific this season, but I'm betting things will break well for Breaking Bad 's final season.  Lead Actress Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife Claire Danes, Homeland Robin Wright, House of Cards Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex Kerry Washington, Scandal What a talented crop of ladies. I've never watched Scandal and only last night did I start watching Masters of Sex (so far so good), but even among the first four ladies... This was a breakout season for Julianna Margulies, but I think Robin Wright is flawles...