Summer 2016: NYC

Fully Committed on Broadway

I was aware of this show's success off-Broadway and elsewhere, but resisted seeing it until now since one-man shows are usually not my thing. While David finally checked out the new production of The Crucible, I went to see this play's Broadway debut starring Jesse Tyler Ferguson and boy am I glad I did. The script is great and Ferguson gives an absolutely brilliant performance, giving each role a full characterization. Taking place in the course of one day, Ferguson's main role is that of a struggling actor manning the reservation line at a trendy restaurant by a hot young chef (my foodie husband actually would have liked this better than The Crucible). When talking on the phone or the restaurant's intercom, Ferguson speaks (with his body as well as his voice) all of the other characters, switching back and forth at breakneck speed. It's a marvel to watch and I can't imagine anyone doing it better. Bravo!

She Loves Me, the Roundabout on Broadway

The Roundabout's latest musical revival was pure heaven! We contemplated donating our tickets back once the live stream was announced (and given Laura Benanti's frequent absences), but the penultimate performance in the show's run turned out to be unmissable with everyone in and full-voiced, and the choreography intact (Jane Krakowski's split and Zachary Levi's cartwheel were dropped shortly into the run due to injuries). The show is perfection as was the production (including the amazing set by David Rockwell, who definitely deserved the Tony over Hamilton). Loved everything about it!

The Humans on Broadway

This is a rather simple play, but boy does it resonate! Plotless, it portrays in (slightly sped up) realtime a family coming together for Thanksgiving dinner in a daughter's rundown (though duplex) NYC apartment that she just moved into with her much older boyfriend. Each family member has struggles in life and they are easy to relate to. A few "supernatural" elements has been thrown into the mix (are all of them are in the script?), which nicely illustrate one of the play's themes: that we should be more afraid of ourselves instead of things that go bump in the night. Brilliantly acted, directed, and designed. Bravo to all involved!