Following sold-out engagements in Chicago, London and New York, this “rollicking play that bristles with wit and intelligence” (The New York Times) makes its Broadway premiere this September.

Starring Josh Radnor (“How I Met Your Mother”), Gretchen Mol (“Boardwalk Empire”), Karen Pittman (Domesticated), and Hari Dhillon (star of the acclaimed London’s Bush Theatre production), and written by Ayad Akhtar, one of the most astonishing new voices in American theatre, this proactive tale of big city aspiration and cultural assimilation dares to face the truth hiding just below the deception.

The discount code is DIMAIL811 and can be utilized through TelechargeOffers.com or at the Lyceum Theatre box office.  Discounts up to 36% off, with tickets ranging from $48 – $87.  Valid through 11/9/14 and some blackout dates may apply.

Visit the show’s website for more information: http://www.disgracedonbroadway.com

Connect with Disgraced on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Google+ at @DisgracedBway.

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PAGEANT: THE MUSICAL
Book & lyrics by Billy Russell & Frank Kelly
Music by Albert Evans
Original concept by Robert Longbottom
Directed by Matt Lenz
Davenport Theater
354 West 45th Street
212-239-6200, www.PageantMusical.com

If you are old enough (or were fortunate enough) to have watched the Miss America Pageants of the 1960s or 1970s, in the days when the shows and the girls weren’t as high-tech and polished as today’s pageants, when their smiles were pasted on, their talents reeked in the cheese factor, and the contestants took themselves too seriously and believed in world peace, you’ll howl in recognition at this satire that is spot on in every aspect.Whether you watch Miss America, Miss USA or Miss Universe, today’s pageants are so slick and the women are so overtrained that the only joy comes in the final round when the five finalists have to answer a final question, and we watch in sadistic glee to see which girl answers her question miserably and become a sensation over the Internet or the punch line of every late-night  TV talk-show host.

Believe it or not, there were gentler times, when the girls were wide-eyed and naïve enough to believe that the next girl crowned would bring about world peace.I must admit that, even at a young age, I had a penchant for all three pageants and still do. In the 60s and 70s, my least favorite of the three was Miss America because of the talent portion. They used to seem interminable and dreary. It wasn’t till the 90s, when a friend gave me some vintage Miss America tapes starting in 1958, with the crowning of Mary Ann Mobley until 1970, with the crowning of Phyllis George, did I realize what a treasure trove of pure crap was captured, preserved and passed off as talent. The talent didn’t just consist of singing and some form of dance as is the fashion today, but the girls were actually inventive and imaginative in their creativity. Talent ranged from archery to sewing and ventriloquism and everything in between; and if a girl lacked talent, there was always the old standby, the monologues. They were priceless, if for no other reason than the conviction of the delivery, and if that didn’t work, there was another standby, “interpretive dance,” in some absurd costume.

Well, fret no more because Bill Russell and Frank Kelly have captured every one of those dreadful, tacky presentations and more in this revival. They have distilled it to 90 minutes of rapturous joy. Starting with the wonderful emcee, John Bolton, giving a performance that is making Bert Parks (who was the host of Miss America for 25 years) beam in his grave. Mr. Bolton gives the embodiment of every self-satisfied host who thinks he’s presiding over NATO peace talks. The six contestants competing for Miss Glamouress are absolutely sublime. In no particular order, I’ll just give their region and talent, for the rest you’ll just have to go see the show and savor every moment: Nick Cearley (Miss Great Plains), a serious Native American monologue/dance in full regalia, an absolute howl; Nic Corey (Miss Industrial Northeast) playing the accordion, a stereotypical Latina Princess replete with accent; Alex Ringler (Miss Texas), you guessed it, singer, rodeo dancer, and skips rope; Marty Thomas (Miss Deep South), a ventriloquist with multiple puppets and voices, so spot on I was left breathless with laughter,  Seth Tucker (Miss West Coast), embodiment of every awful interpretive dance performance; and finally, Curtis Wiley (Miss Bible Belt; the title says it all with a show-stopping number.) Pity there was no baton twirler that always brought the house down. Every performance is different because audiences members selected as “guest judges” get to choose the winner.

There are two more things Pageant: The Musical possesses: great costumes by Stephen Yearick that captures every aspect and section of the competition; and Matt Lenz, who brought the whole show together in a tight, effective and enjoyable evening. You don’t have to be an expert in beauty pageants to enjoy this show. All you need is a sense of humor and the ability to appreciate wonderful satire.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Book by Richard Stilgoe & Andrew Lloyd Webber
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Charles Hart
Based on the novel by Gaston LeRoux
Directed by Harold Prince
Choreography by Gillian Lynne
Majestic Theatre
247 West 44th Street
(212-239-6200), https://us.thephantomoftheopera.com/

By David NouNou

Whether one calls it a Broadway sensation or a tourist attraction, one can’t deny that Phantom is a musical phenomenon. Opened on January 28, 1988, it was the blockbuster then and is still playing strong almost 27 years later. Seeing it originally in 1988 with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, one was dazzled by the show and its showmanship. Seeing it now, one can’t help but study the audience as much as the show. Surely every New Yorker has seen this show at least once. However, observing and listening to the audience now, you realize that you might be the only native New Yorker in the theatre. Just like the Statue of Liberty and The Empire State Building, Phantom has become an institution that is visited by people from all over the world.

So what makes this the longest-running Broadway show? 26 years may not seem long historically, but imagine if you had a child on the night you saw this show in early 1988; your child would be 26 years old today and that is truly monumental.

What is it that has captivated audiences for all these years? It seems like a mandatory subject in schools to see this show, because at any given performance there are the lines of students waiting to get in. What is the mystique that surrounds this show?

Everyone knows the story of this love triangle between opera singer, Christine Daae (Sierra Boggess), her mentor, the phantom (Norm Lewis) and her suitor, Raoul (Jeremy Hays), so no need to dwell on the storyline. The magic flows from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s immortal music. American or foreign tourist, there isn’t anyone who is not familiar with that lush score. Needless to say, with its pre-recorded musical tracks, it engulfs the senses and turns the melodies into grand, operatic arias. From its design standpoint, it has been maintained to perfection. The sets and costumes by the late Maria Bjornson are still a standout and enthralling as ever. Rest assured that the visual feast has not deteriorated or frayed.

The style of acting and singing is more operatic in nature than realistic for the stage. So the cast has its ups and downs. Sierra Boggess as Christine is an amplified singing nightingale. Norm Lewis, as the Phantom, has a great deep singing voice, but his Phantom is more a pitiable old man than a mesmerizingly menacing seducer and lacks the charisma to fill the stage, especially when he is not on that much. Jeremy Hays in the thankless role of Raoul is just there. As far as the supporting cast is concerned, you have to grade them on a cheese scale; from camembert to Roquefort to stilton. They do need a tighter rein; less broad, “over the top’ and more down-to-earth realism.

As a whole, The Phantom of the Opera is still a gem of a show, the last of its kind. It’s a link to the theatrical past when the shows were opulent and eye-popping. If anyone ever wondered what splendiferous shows of yesteryear were like, I would urge you to see Phantom.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published June 26, 2014
Reviewed at performance on June 25, 2014