A SATIRICAL PHENOMENON: Andrew Rannells (center) & the original cast of the hilarious ‘The Book of Mormon’ in 2011 from the creators of ‘South Park.’  Photo: Joan Marcus

 

By Scott Harrah

Twelve years ago on March 17, 2010, we went live with the website. I had quit working as a theater critic for a group of local NYC weekly newspapers and launched StageZine.com with my partner David Nounou because I wanted to write as much as I wanted and about whatever I wanted regarding Broadway and Off-Broadway theater. I wanted to leave print journalism—which was dying out—and enter the digital age of arts journalism. We’re grateful to everyone who has worked with us the past 12 years.

Two years ago, as we were about to celebrate our 10th anniversary, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all the theaters and our city and eventually the whole nation and world. Last year in March 2021, theaters were still closed down due to the virus. I had hoped StageZine.com’s 12th anniversary would be cause for celebration and we could finally do a retrospective feature of years of Broadway coverage, but this year is perhaps the saddest of all due to the tragic war in Ukraine and all the innocent people being senselessly slaughtered. I’ve always been proud to be an American and also an Irish American with Irish blood from both of my parents and grandparents. “Erin Go Bragh” is an Anglo translation of Gaelic for Éire go brách (or “Ireland to the end of time”). This year, as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and say “Erin Go Bragh,” I think everyone should also think of “Slava Ukraine” (Glory to Ukraine).

Like the early Americans who settled here and the Irish who left Ireland for better lives in the New World, Ukrainian people want to be free from tyranny and be independent, living in a democracy. Please donate to nonprofits that are helping the Ukrainian people in their darkest hour. No matter what your faith is, pray for peace in Ukraine and even if you don’t have a faith, at least think of the people in Ukraine and what you can do to help.

This photo retrospective was prepared for our 10th anniversary in 2020 and I had planned two years ago to talk all the different shows, but I think after all the world has been through the past two years and all we’re currently experiencing, it’s best to step back in time and see photos of the shows we’ve loved over the past 12 years, thinking of better times and hoping for a better future for the entire world right now.

 

‘WAR HORSE’: One of the best shows of 2011. Pictured: The Lincoln Center production of the hit U.K. import. Photo: Paul Kolnik

 

ONE OF THE DECADE’S BEST DRAMAS: (left to right) Ian Barford & Alex Sharp in ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ in 2014. Photo: Joan Marcus

 

‘SOMETHING ROTTEN!’ IN 2015: Christian Borle (center) & (left to right) Ryan VanDenBom, Eric Sciotto, Bud Weber & Aleks Pevek. StageZine loved the show but it did not find the audience it should have. Photo: Joan Marcus

 

ONE OF STAGEZINE’S FIRST REVIEWS: Brian Hutchison with the late Valerie Harper in the 2010 comedy ‘Looped.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

 

‘GOOD PEOPLE’ FROM 2011: (Left to right) Becky Ann Baker, Frances McDormand (she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Drama for the show) & Estelle Parsons in the David Lindsay-Abaire drama. Photo: Joan Marcus

 

‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN’: Ben Platt in the original Broadway production in 2017. Photo: Matthew Murphy

 

‘THE LEHMAN TRILOGY’: A hit on both sides of the Atlantic. We first caught the show in London in 2019. Pictured: Simon Russell Beale, Ben Miles & Adam Godley. Photo: Mark Douet

 

‘HADESTOWN’:  Eva Noblezada & Andre De Shields & cast in 2019. Photo: Matthew Murphy

 

‘COME FROM AWAY’: The 2017 sleeper hit has been captivating audiences in New York, London & elsewhere. Pictured: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

 

‘A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER’: Jefferson Mays (center) & the cast of ‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder’ in 2013 Photo: Joan Marcus

 

‘KINKY BOOTS:’ With a book by Harvey Fierstein & a score by Cyndi Lauper, the 2013 musical delighted both audiences & critics. Pictured: Stark Sands, Billy Porter, The Angels (L-R: Kyle Taylor Parker, Charlie Sutton, Joey Taranto, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Paul Canaan and Kyle Post) & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

 

‘PRISCILLA’ FROM 2011: Nick Adams in the musical adaptation of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. It got mixed reviews but StageZine & audiences loved the show at the Palace. Photo: Joan Marcus

 

ALL-TIME ‘MOST VIRAL’ REVIEW: A 2011 review of Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue’s NY concert received more organic traffic than anything we ever published, Broadway or otherwise. Photo: Shine On and On Blogpost

4 Responses

  1. Kathy

    Happy happy anniversary! Your reviews are wonderful, informative, eye opening and so well written. I enjoy every review and enjoy your insights. Thank you.

    • Scott Harrah

      Thank you, Kathy! We appreciate you and all our readers over the years.

    • Scott Harrah

      Thank you for the great mention of StageZine on the New York Theater blog. We appreciate it.