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

New York City Ballet Teases New Season The full lineup, including specific performance dates, has not been announced yet, but New York City Ballet did announce the outline of its 2016-2017 season. Most noteworthy is that the season will feature two world premieres by female choreographers . (The last time the company premiered a ballet by a female choreographer was in 2011.) Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and principal dancer Lauren Lovette will choreograph ballets that will premiere at the company's Fall Gala, which will also include a new work by soloist and resident choreographer Justin Peck (one of three ballets he'll create in the season), and a new work by corps de ballet member, Peter Walker . Continuing its focus on new(er) works, the spring season will include a four-week festival of ballets that were commissioned in the last 30 years. Highlights of the festival, I'm sure, will be all–Peck, all– Christopher Wheeldon , and all– Alexei Ratmansky nights. (The company...

John Gallagher, Jr. Releases Music Video Check out the video for Johnny Gallagher's "Sarasota Someone," the first single off his debut solo album, Six Day Hurricane . The video was shot live at the Rockwood Music Hall record release party in January. Gallagher, who won a Tony Award for Spring Awakening , returns to Broadway this spring in a revival of Long Day's Journey Into Night (previews begin March 31; opening night is April 19, and the limited run concludes June 26). The American Idiot star last appeared on Broadway in Jerusalem , and was part of the HBO–Aaron Sorkin TV show, The Newsroom .  Casting Updates Christopher Jackson ( Hamilton ) has been cast in the CBS pilot, Bull , which, you might recall from a few weeks ago , is based on the early days of Dr. Phil's trial consulting practice. Deadline has more. Tony winner Julie White ( Little Dog Laughed , Sylvia ) has joined the cast of the CBS pilot, Real Good People . The show is execut...

"If I feel it, someone's gonna know it." That's Strings McCrane in a nutshell. McCrane is the country music star and matinee idol at the center of Kenneth Lonergan 's latest work, Hold On To Me Darling . The title is the name of one of Strings' songs, and it's also what Strings is searching for. We first meet Strings (Timothy Olyphant) in a Kansas City hotel room. He's in KC to shoot a movie (which has already gone over due to Strings' "process"), but production has stopped so Strings can mourn the loss of his mother. Without her as his constant, he doesn't know where home is anymore. Strings has people around him, to be sure. He has, for example, his assistant, Jimmy ( Keith Nobbs ), who is at his beck and call. Jimmy describes himself as Strings' closest friend, but this doesn't do the trick. Strings is still longing for a connection. Playwright Lonergan ( This Is Our Youth , You Can Count On Me ) takes his time dev...

Leading Lady Set for Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 Pierre  has found his Natasha. Denee Benton will star as Natasha opposite the previously announced Josh Groban (as Pierre) in the Broadway bow of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 . Benton starred in the recent American Repertory Theater run of the show (see the production photo at right). Natasha... , written by Dave Malloy ( Preludes ), still does not have a theatre, and specific dates have not been announced, but the show is expected to begin previews in September.  Theater Mania has more. Cate Blanchett to Make Broadway Debut Academy Award winner (and current nominee ) Cate Blanchett ( Blue Jasmine , Carol ) will make her long-anticipated Broadway debut this fall. She'll appear in The Present , a new play adapted from Chekhov's Platonov . The adaptation was written by Blanchett's husband and frequent artistic collaborator, Andrew Upton , and premiered in Blanchett's native Aus...