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

If ever someone were perfectly cast it's Danny Burstein as Fiddler on the Roof 's leading man, Tevye. Unfortunately, not everyone else in this Bartlett Sher -directed revival is as perfectly cast, which makes this an underwhelming revival of the Sheldon Harnick – Jerry Bock – Joseph Stein musical. Fiddler on the Roof looks in on Tevye the milkman, a Jewish man of modest means living in Anatevka during the pogroms. He and his wife, Golde (Jessica Hecht), have been "blessed" with five daughters. Anatevka, like many Jewish villages and enclaves (then and now) is a place filled with tradition, as is so richly described in one of the great opening numbers in musical theatre. ("Tradition" will make me cry every time; this was no exception. And that it starts with that beautiful violin theme, played by The Fiddler ( Jesse Kovarsky ) is a blessing on your house.) Traditions can be great though, on the one hand, even Tevye's now old traditions broke som...

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Annoucned Nominees for the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class have been announced. Among the nominees are Janet Jackson , t he Smiths , N.W.A. , Chaka Khan , Nine Inch Nails  and more. Winners/inductees will be announced in December; they'll then be honored in a rocking ceremony in the spring, which will be edited and broadcast on HBO later in the year. Rolling Stone  has the full list of nominated artists. While you're there, you can vote for the artist you'd most like to see inducted into the Rock Hall. Hamilton News Go behind the scenes at Hamilton  on a two-show day, courtesy of featured player, Anthony Ramos , who plays John Laurens and Phillip Hamilton. Playbill has the photo essay. In other Hamilton  news, Andrew Rannells  will take on the role of King George III from October 27 through November 29 while current king, Jonathan Groff, films the concluding Looking  special. Groff will retake his throne on...

(Scroll down for the first Hamilton commercial.) Fiddler Casting Update Additional casting has been announced for the Danny Burstein -led revival of Fiddler on the Roof . Joining the five-time Tony nominee are Tony nominee Jessica Hecht ( The Assembled Parties , Stage Kiss ) and Adam Kantor ( The Last Five Years ). Hecht will play Golde to Burstein's Tevye, and Kantor takes on the role of tailor Motel. The revival, directed by Tony nominee Bartlett Sher ( The Bridges of Madison County , The King and I ), is set to play the Broadway Theatre. Previews begin November 12, and opening night is scheduled for December 17. Broadway.com has more. Steve Jobs in Sorkinese Several years ago we had Facebook in Sorkinese, The Social Network , and now Aaron Sorkin is taking on the venerated Apple icon in Steve Jobs . The film, set for release on October 9, stars Michael Fassbender ( 12 Years a Slave ), and, as the trailer shows, is riddled with Sorkin's trademark sna...

Long Day's Journey to Broadway Added to Roundabout's 2015-2016 season is a revival of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night , and a fantastic cast is in tow. The revival, set to begin previews March 31, 2016, with opening night scheduled for April 19, will be led by Jessica Lange , Gabriel Byrne and—wait for it—Tony Award winner John Gallagher, Jr. , who'll be returning to the stage for the first time since 2011's Jerusalem . Directed by Jonathan Kent , the play, Broadway.com reports , is being "mounted in association with...Ryan Murphy." Other cast and creative team members will be announced later. (Young adult theatergoers: this is a Roundabout production so if you're between the ages of 18 and 35, you can purchase Hiptix for just $25.) Annaleigh Ashford and Julie White Team Up for Sylvia A revival of A. R. Gurney 's Sylvia will bow on Broadway this fall, and it boasts two fantastic ladies as the stars. Tony nominee A...