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

The 2012 Tony Awards have been handed out! It was a great, permformance-filled broadcast, with host Neil Patrick Harris once again proving what an affable and versatile performer he is. I loved his effusive praise of the Broadway community, and the way he made Ted Chapin and Angela Lansbury's American Theater Wing speech watchable! (I also loved Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin's intro to the Best Revival category - now that's an intro!) There were definitely some surprises throughout the night, which makes any award more fun to watch. So, without any further ado, here is the full list of winners. (Winners are notated with an asterisk and bold type. Pictures to be added throughout the day.) Best Play  Clybourne Park , Bruce Norris* Other Desert Cities , John Robin Baitz Peter and the Starcatcher , Rick Elice Venus in Fur , David Ives Of course I wanted Starcatcher  to win, but this is extremely well-deserved. Clybourne Park  is a fantastic, classic, funny an...

The 2012 Tony Award nominations were announced this morning! Here is the full list of nominees, along with, of course, my commentary. (Note that the reviews to which I'm linking for The Lyons  and Clybourne Park  are for the off-Broadway runs.) Best Play  Clybourne Park , Bruce Norris Other Desert Cities , John Robin Baitz Peter and the Starcatcher , Rick Elice Venus in Fur , David Ives This was the toughest category. Just think about the fact that, for instance, amazing, critically acclaimed and audience favorite plays like The Lyons and Seminar are not nominated. It's a wonderful thing that this was such a difficult category in which to even choose the nominees. I didn't love Other Desert Cities , but I appreciate the craft. Clybourne Park is stellar; Venus in Fur is complex and provocative and breathtaking; and Peter and the Starcatcher is magical. It's really a toss up. Best Musical  Leap of Faith Newsies Nice Work if You Can Get It Once...

Jake Gyllenhaal to Make Off-Broadway Debut Exciting just about everyone, Roundabout Theatre Company announced this week that Jake Gyllenhaal will make his NY stage debut late this summer in Nick Payne's If There is I haven't Found it Yet . According to the announcement on Roundabout's website , Gyllenhaal will play Terry, a "heartbroken drifter with the mouth of a sailor." This family drama will run for a strictly limited engagement, August 24-November 25, at Roundabout's off-Broadway Laura Pels Theatre. Tickets are not yet on sale to the public, but subscribers can purchase tickets now. Stay tuned for details regarding general on sale dates and additional casting. Peter and the Starcatcher Star stuff is officially open on Broadway! After an acclaimed run at the New York Theatre Workshop in early 2011, the magical and imaginative show has moved uptown, where it was welcomed by theatre fans and critics alike when it opened on Sunday, April 15. ( Read my ...

The Newsroom Dear readers, I'm so excited to present to you the first trailer for The Newsroom , the new Aaron Sorkin show set to premiere on HBO on June 24. (The season will last ten episodes.) Once again, Sorkin takes us behind the scenes, this time at a 24-hour news network. The show boasts an outstanding ensemble, including Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, Jane Fonda and my dear Johnny Gallagher! I'm in love already! Enjoy the first sneak peek: (Bonus: check out this Vanity Fair online feature ) Tony Update Great news: Neil Patrick Harris will once again host the Tony Awards ! You may remember that last year, Harris successfully hosted the Tonys, closing out the night with a snappy, spot-on rap, co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda . I wonder what he'll do this year! Tony nominations will be announced on Tuesday, May 1, and the Tony Awards will be handed out on Sunday, June 10. Go to TonyAwards.com for more information. In other theatre award news, we learned that Sto...