The Imaginary Invalid

 The Imaginary Invalid
Red Bull Theater
New World Stages
June 14, 2025

Photo courtesy of Red Bull Theater

Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of Molière’s The Imaginary Invalid is light, silly, and a lot of fun.  The Red Bull Theater production is sharp and stylistic.  Director Jesse Berger has gathered a diverse and stellar cast, who keeps the timing tight and evenly paced.  Their characters are clean and crisp.  The action drives the humor, and it all ends on a joyous high point. 

Argan (played by Mark Linn-Baker) is a hypochondriac.  To save on his doctor bills, he decides that his daughter, Angelique (played by Emilie Kouatchou) will marry Thomas Diafoirus (played by Russell Daniels), the son of one of his three physicians (all played by Arnie Burton).  Argan is unaware that Angelique has accepted the marriage proposal of Clèante (played by John Yi).  Argan’s maid, Toinette (played by Sarah Stiles) takes Angelique’s side on her decision to go against her father’s wishes.  This makes Argan decide to disinherit his daughter and leave all his money to his second wife, Bèline (played by Emily Swallow).  Toinette comes up with a plan to make Argan see the error in his decision before the lawyer, De Bonnefoi (played by Manoel Feliciano), who is also Bèline’s secret lover, notarizes Agran’s revised will. 

Mark Linn-Baker & Sarah Stiles
Photo courtesy of Red Bull Theater

From the very start of the show, Mark Linn-Baker captures the audience’s attention.  His comic timing
keeps them empathetic to his situation throughout the ninety-minute performance.  He has an excellent connection with Sarah Stiles.  Ms. Stiles’ portrayal of Toinette is dry and sarcastic, while Mr. Linn-Baker’s Argan is boisterous and demanding.  Together they drive the action.  Arnie Burton creates the roles of three different doctors.  His characters are daring and distinct.  His quick changes and comic delivery are highly entertaining.  Emilie Kouatchou and John Yi are perfect together as Angelique and Clèante.  Ms. Kouatchou’s character is determined and self-assured, while Mr Yi’s is flighty and self-absorbed.  Bold and hilarious performances are also delivered by Russell Daniels, Manoel Feliciano, and Emily Swallow. 

The Full Cast of The Imaginary Invalid
Photo courtesy of Red Bull Theater

Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation is skillfully crafted, merging Molière’s plot with present day references and clever lyrics to Broadway show tunes.  The scenic design, by Beowulf Boritt, draws the audience into Molière’s setting and time period with bright colors and a witty flair.  The costumes by Tilly Grimes are a perfect blend of period, character, and social commentary.

The Imaginary Invalid is playing at New World Stages through June 29.  You need to see this light and silly comedy.  Get a ticket before it closes! 

Domenick Danza

The Night of the Iguana

 The Night of the Iguana
La Femme Theatre Productions
The Pershing Square Signature Center
December 30, 2023 

Photo courtesy of
La Femme Theatre Productions

The La Femme Theatre Productions’ presentation of Tennessee Williams’ The Night of the Iguana is riveting.  Director Emily Mann has gathered a stellar cast and masterfully guided them through Mr. Williams’ poetic writing.  The characters are viscerally portrayed, desperately in need, and grasping at whatever life-line they can find.  Set design by Beowulf Boritt and lighting design by Jeff Croiter create a sultry atmosphere for this deeply complex journey.

Reverend T. Lawrence Shannon (played by Tim Daly) is guiding a bus tour of women from a Texan Christian University through Mexico.  He takes a detour to Hotel Costa Verde, looking for his friend Fred.  Upon his arrival, Fred’s wife, Maxine (played by Daphne Rubin-Vega) informs him that Fred recently died.  Maxine immediately sees that Shannon is having a break down, something she nursed him through in the past.  He was asked to leave his position in the church after preaching an inappropriate sermon and having relations with an under-aged member of his congregation.  Shannon is repeating this pattern of behavior on his bus tour.  Judith Fellows (played by Lea DeLaria) is bringing him up on statutory rape charges after he spent the night with Charlotte Goodall (played by Carmen Berkeley), an under-aged member of the bus tour who she is chaperoning.  While trying to convince the tour patrons to stay at Hotel Costa Verde instead of the more modern downtown hotel, Hannah Jelkes (played by understudy Dee Pelletier) arrives with her grandfather, Jonathan Coffin (played by Austin Pendleton).  Shannon takes Hannah’s side and convinces Maxine to give them a room, even though they are short on funds.  As Shannon’s anxiety reaches a breaking point, Hannah is the one who leads him to redemption.  

Daphne Rubin-Vega & Tim Daly
Photo courtesy of La Femme Theatre Productions

Tim Daly portrays the flawed Reverend Shannon with grit, guts, and stubbornness.  His actions are
aggressively motivated by hurt and damage.  He is a victim of his own self-indulgence, running from the cause of his pain and allowing the symptoms to rule his behavior.  Dee Pelletier (understudy) is grounded as Hannah.  She and Mr. Daly have a truthful connection, which allows to story line to build to a stunning conclusion.  Ms. Pelletier skillfully delivers genuine moments in the final scene that allow Mr. Daly’s character to open, calm, and make a choice.           

Daphne Rubin-Vega is sensual and tempestuous as Maxine.  Her jealousy over the attention Shannon gives to Hannah is palpable.  She is a powerful adversary to Ms. Pelletier’s Hannah.  There are also strong performance by Lea DeLaria, Carmen Berkeley, and Austin Pendleton. 

The Night of the Iguana is playing at the Pershing Square Signature Center through February 25.  This Tennessee Williams classic is rarely revived, and this production is well worth seeing. 

Domenick Danza

New York, New York

 New York, New York
St. James Theatre
May 7, 2023 

Photo courtesy of New York, New York

Director/choreographer Susan Stroman has outdone herself with the Broadway musical New York, New York.  The production is extraordinary.  Her staging creates the city hustle of the post war era.  It is a city struggling to come back to life, filled with a diverse population of dreamers.  The scenic design by Beowulf Boritt is remarkable.  The book, by David Thompson and Sharon Washington, weaves together numerous stories that build with an amazing crescendo.  John Kander and Fred Ebb’s well known songs open your heart, while the new songs, with lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, keep the story focused and moving forward.  

Anna Uzele & Colton Ryan
Photo courtesy of New York, New York

The main plot is very much like the movie.  Musician Jimmy Doyle (played by Colton Ryan) meets singer Francine Evans (played by Anna Uzele) at an audition.  He is immediately charmed by her, yet his overly confident demeanor turns her off.  Jimmy’s friend, Tommy Caggiano (played by Clyde Alves) encourages him to pursue Francine in a more romantic manner.

The magnetism of the city is illustrated by the numerous characters we see throughout the story.  Jesse Webb (played by John Clay III) is a trombone player who just returned from the war.  Mateo Diaz (played by Angel Sigala) is a percussionist who immigrated to New York from Cuba with his family.  Alex Mann (played by Oliver Prose) is a violinist who escaped from Poland.  He searches the city for Madam Veltri (played by Emily Skinner).  He longs to study violin with her.  She agrees to mentor him, while anxiously waiting for her son to return from the war. 

Clyde Alves, Colton Ryan, & Anna Uzele
Phtoso courtesy of New York, New York

As Francine’s singing career rises, Jimmy’s drinking starts to bring him down.  He gets a chance to manage a club on the upper west side.  This is where all the stories converge, as the characters forge bonds that create opportunities for them all to achieve their dreams. 

Colton Ryan is outstanding as Jimmy Doyle.  He fully embodies the character.  He is suave, bold, and lyrical.  His attraction to Anna Uzele’s Francine is visceral.  You will not be able to take your eye off Ms. Uzele.  She nails the two best known Kander & Ebb songs from the movie.  She makes them her own, both vocally and emotionally.

Photo courtesy of New York, New York

Colton Ryan and Clyde Alves create a genuine friendship between their characters.  Their backstory is strong.  It is filled with conflict and connection.  John Clay II, Janet Dacal, Oliver Prose, Angel Sigala, and Emily Skinner portray truthful and identifiable characters.  They have clearly defined goals and strive toward achieving them with every ounce of their soul.

This creative team has taken the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture and made it new.  It proudly reflects the ability of New Yorkers to bounce back and succeed.  It is an inspiring story for this post-pandemic time.  

Domenick Danza

POTUS

 POTUS
Shubert Theatre
May 26, 2022 

Photo courtesy of Potus

POTUS is a raucous and sidesplitting look at the behind the scenes happening at the White House.  Playwright Selina Fillinger has written an over the top script filled with funny lines, physical comedy, truthful characters, and a hilarious premise.  Director Susan Stroman works this cast of brilliant performers into a frenzy.  The action rises as the stress builds and the laughter culminates to a one line ending that says it all.

During an international meeting, the President of the United States makes a sexist and derogatory remark about his wife, Margaret (played by Vanessa Williams).  Harriet, the President’s Chief of Staff (played by Julie White), and his Press Secretary, Jean (played by Suzy Nakamura), are frantically figuring out how to spin it.  Stephanie, the President’s secretary (played by Rachel Dratch), is trying to prevent Margaret from seeing the president and making the situation worse.  Meanwhile, it is discovered that the president had an affair with a young, blond woman, Dusty (played by Julianne Hough), who is now pregnant with his child.  Harriet invited her to the White House to quiet the incident.  In addition, the President pardoned his sister, Bernadette (played by Lea Delaria), who was serving a prison sentence for international drug dealing.  When a reporter (played by Lilli Cooper), is interviewing the First Lady, she overhears and records the conversations where all this dirty laundry is aired.  Mayhem ensues, as Jean takes Margaret’s phone containing the recordings, and an accident takes place that could put all their necks on the chopping block. 

Julie White & Suzy Nakamura
Photo courtesy of Potus

The fast pace and high energy of the show is set in the opening scene between Julie White and Suzy
Nakamura.  These two skilled actors successfully light the fuse, and everything accelerates from there.  The set, designed by Beowolf Boritt, is on a turn table that quickly spins to reveal various rooms in the White House.  This allows for immediate changes, seamless transitions, and a continual build in the pace and comic timing. 

The Full Cast
Photo courtesy of Potus

The cast is phenomenal.  Julie White is full of vim and vigor.  She is a powerhouse.  Suzy Nakamura is enthralling.  Her character is constantly throwing obstacles, forcing the action to rise.  Vanessa Williams is aggressive and domineering.  Her portrayal of the First Lady is multi-layered and frighteningly truthful.  Rachel Dratch creates a character full of insecurity and very different from the others.  She makes the most out of every moment she is on stage.  Julianne Hough is perky and innocent as the President’s mistress.  She jumps right into the mix of powerful women, and rises to the challenge.  Lea Delaria is a grounding force.  Her character is full of surprises, carrying a bag of tricks on her shoulder from which she pulls out every imaginable prop needed for each sticky situation. 

As funny as this play is, it packs a thoughtful and provocative wallop at the end.  Go see it!  It is everything you could imagine from this magnificent cast. 

Domenick Danza

Superhero

Superhero

Second Stage Theater

Tony Kiser Theater

March 16, 2019

Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

If you need a superhero, who would you conjure or draw?  Would he save the planet, or just you?  Could you be his side-kick, or would you get kicked aside?  These are some of the questions that Simon, the main character of Superhero, now playing at Second Stage Theater, grapples with and tries to answer.  Tom Kitt’s music and lyrics take the audience on an emotionally impactful journey as Simon faces the truth and gains his footing in order to move forward.

Simon (played by Kyle McArthur) draws and writes superhero stories.  His mother, Charlotte (played by Kate Baldwin), is worried about how distant he has become since his father died.  She has been overwhelmed trying to keep her life together.  When Simon witnesses his unassuming neighbor, Jim (played by Bryce Pinkham), perform an act of superhuman strength, he starts believing Jim is a superhero, sent from another galaxy to save the planet.  He convinces his mother to have dinner with Jim to gather details of his personal life.  Once the unresolved thread of their family starts to unwind, it will take a real superhero to help Simon and Charlotte pull their lives back together.

Kate Baldwin & Kyle McArthur
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

Mr. Kitt’s songs superbly develop the characters and relationships.  Kate Baldwin, Kyle McArthur, and Bryce Pinkham make every one of these moments soar.  Their vocal skills are astonishing.  They give every lyric meaning, revealing their characters’ inner need and propelling them forward to connect on a deeper level.

Beowulf Borritt’s scenic design transforms the space into the world of this play.  The transitions from one scene to the next are quick, smooth, and always unexpected.  Every set design of Mr. Borritt creates a specific atmosphere that defines the production and keeps the action moving.  He skillfully delivers that consistent quality in Superhero.  Illusion design by Chris Fisher and projection design by Tal Yarden are imaginative.  They vividly depict the world inside Simon’s head, which is vital to the action of the play. 

Superhero is playing at the Tony Kiser Theater through March 31.

Domenick Danza

Bernhardt/Hamlet

Bernhardt/Hamlet

Roundabout Theatre Company

American Airlines Theatre

Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

In Bernhardt/Hamlet playwright Theresa Rebeck debates the power of women to transcend societal expectation.  The play portrays the legendary actress Sarah Bernhardt as she takes on the monumental role of Hamlet.  She is the first woman to take on this role.  Since the men around her are unable to picture it, they are therefore incapable of supporting her in her quest.  Ms. Rebeck weaves the poetic texts of William Shakespeare and Edmond Rostand into her well-crafted play.  Director Moritz von Stuelpnagel explores the classically stylistic recitations of the period and allows them to evolve into deep, meaningful moments of discovery for the characters and the audience. 

The year is 1897.  In Paris the great Sarah Bernhardt (played by Janet McTeer) is rehearsing the role of Hamlet.  She is struggling with the character’s inability to take action amid Shakespeare’s lengthy and poetic soliloquies.  When her lover, Edmond Rostand (played by Jason Butler Harner), returns after working on his new play, they discuss her taking on this colossal project.  No one, including theatre critic Louis (played by Paxton Whitehead) thinks it is a good idea.  Alphonse Mucha (played by Matthew Saldivar), the artist who paints all her theatre posters, struggles to find the proper perspective for her portrait.  Sarah is determined to make Hamlet her own, which includes having Rostand rewrite it for her.

Dylan Baker, Janet McTeer, & Jason Butler Harner
Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Cmpany

Janet McTeer captures a poetic panache and egotistical command that grounds her embodiment of Sarah Bernhardt.  As she struggles to find the essence of Hamlet, Sarah waivers in indecision.  This causes the same incapacity to take action that Hamlet suffers from.  Ms. Rebeck skillfully draws this parallel between the true Sarah Bernhardt and fictional Hamlet.  Ms. McTeer plays this quandary perfectly.  As Sarah Bernhardt speaks passionately about what she wants to achieve in the role of Hamlet, her doubts rise to the surface making the rehearsal process slow and laborious.  Ms. McTeer has scenes where she technically recites Shakespeare’s lines, then brilliantly sinks into a rhythm that unearths the soul of Hamlet.  These scenes ring with truth and discovery.

Sarah Bernhardt as Hamlet

A woman taking on this classic role written for a man is seen as preposterous in Sarah Bernhardt’s time.  This judgement is juxtaposed with the fact that Shakespeare’s women were traditionally played by men.  Not only that, but many of Shakespeare’s female characters disguised themselves as men to achieve objectives they were unable to even attempt as women.  As all of this historic and literary fact is debated in this play, the male characters reveal their honest thoughts of what they expect when they contemplate a woman, especially one as strong as Sarah Bernhardt.  While projecting these expectations, they define her power, consequently confining her with limitation.  Sarah Bernhardt’s journey of surpassing these expectations is fascinating.  In this play, as in Shakespeare’s works where women disguise themselves as men, the characters who take the boldest and bravest action to achieve their desired outcome are the women. 

This Roundabout Theatre Company production is as grand as the legend herself.  Set design by Beowulf Boritt is lush and full of significant detail that grabs the audience’s attention and draws them into the time period.  The performances from the stellar cast of eleven are intelligent and truthful.  Bernhardt/Hamlet is playing at the American Airlines Theatre through November 11.

Domenick Danza

Meteor Shower

Meteor Shower

Booth Theatre

January 6, 2018

Photo courtesy of Meteor Shower

When I purchased my ticket for Meteor Shower at the TKTS booth in Times Square, I was told Amy Schumer was out that evening.  I grabbed the ticket and saw a great performance by Kate Reinders (understudy to both female roles in the play), who I happen to have seen in Something Rotten.  Steve Martin’s script is bold, funny, and thought-provoking.  Jerry Zaks’ direction is crisp and on target.  The set, by Beowolf Boritt, and lighting, by Natasha Katz, are mesmerizing.

Corky (played by Kate Reinders) and her husband, Norman (played by Jeremy Shamos), are having a glass or pre-wine while waiting for their new friends to arrive to see the forecasted meteor shower.  Pre-wine, according to Corky, is the glass of wine you have before company comes, which does not count.  When Gerald (played by Keegan-Michael Key) and Laura (played by Laura Benanti) arrive, the meteor shower in the sky is not the only fire that ignites.

Photo courtesy of Meteor Shower

The cast of four works exceptionally well as a tight ensemble.  The relationships and humor are highly dependent on their timing, and they deliver every moment with polish and ease.   Kate Reinders and Jeremy Shamos humorously portray a committed married couple who clearly went through counseling to strengthen their relationship.  Their bond is genuine.  Keegan-Michael Key is broad and over the top as Gerald, and Laura Benanti is beguiling and riveting as Laura.  Their energies merge and their chemistry is explosive.

Photo courtesy of Meteor Shower

Steve Martin successfully structures the play with scenes that revert in time.  The action backtracks, then runs forward parallel in time to the scene previously played.  Not only does this structure challenge you to think about what you are experiencing, it also creates levels of depth to the characters and situation.  Mr. Martin ties it together at the end to make a point that is potent, clear, and relevant.  The set-up is very much like Edward Albee’s Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?, where two married couples tear one another apart over drinks.  The ending is not so devastating, yet it does pack a punch of hard edge reality… with a laugh.

Meteor Shower is playing at the Booth Theatre for a limited engagement.  You have until January 21.  Check it out.  

Domenick Danza

Therese Raquin

Therese Raquin

Roundabout Theatre Company

Studio 54

December 26, 2015

Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

My colleague and fellow blogger, Dierdre Deloatch, texted me last week to say she saw Therese Raquin.  She highly recommended it.  Since I trust her more than the reviews, I immediately went on line to TDF to see if it was available.  I got a ticket for December 26 at 2:00, and prayed that Keira Knightly and Judith Light would both be in for the matinee.  They were, and I have to concur with Ms. Deloatch.  The show is dark and intense.  It is wonderfully conceived and directed.  All the performers are engaging and mesmerizing.

Matt Ryan, Judith Light, Keira Knightly, & Gabriel Ebert
Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

Adapted from the Emile Zola novel by Helen Edmundson, this tale of repression and servitude takes place in France in the year 1868.  Therese Raquin (played by Keira Knightly, making her Broadway debut) has been raised by Madame Raquin, her aunt (played by Judith Light).  Now that she is of age, Madame Raquin arranges for Therese to marry her son, Camille (played by Gabriel Ebert).  It is a loveless marriage based on the servitude that Therese has become accustomed to through her upbringing.  When Camille announces that he wishes to move the family to Paris for better opportunity, Therese sees the glimmer of a better life.  She quickly realizes that hope is futile, until her husband brings home an old friend, Laurent (played by Matt Ryan).

Keira Knightly & Matt Ryan
Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

The chemistry between Ms. Knightly and Mr. Ryan is electric.  When Laurent first enters the Raquin’s Paris residence, you can feel the magnetism between the two characters.  The action of two-thirds of the play hinges upon this attraction, and these two actors skillfully deliver with exuberance.  Therese speaks sporadically during Act I, yet Ms. Knightly has the ability to clearly and effortlessly communicate her thoughts through subtle body language, carefully gestures, and intimate glances.  Both Laurent and Therese undergo huge transformations in the second act.  Ms. Knightly and Mr. Ryan seamlessly take these leaps by captivating the audience until the climax of the play.  They motivate every change and communicate every thought.

Keira Knightly & Judith Light
Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

Judith Light is amazing as Madame Raquin, a role out of her physical type and age range, yet clearly not out of reach of her incredible talent and expertise.  The aging and infirmity of her character is impeccable and emotionally driven.  Gabriel Ebert is riveting as Camille.  He skillfully portrays his constrained upbringing through his narrow mindedness, condescending comments, and physical disability.

Gabriel Ebert, Matt Ryan, & Keira Knightly
Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

The production is magnificently directed by Evan Cabnet.  The pace is steady and even.  There are small moments throughout the play that entice the senses into a deep level of engagement and keep you riveted.  The set is breathtaking.  A river flows across the stage creating tranquility, disturbance, and fear – each of which reflects Therese’s emotion at different times in the play.  The expanse of space and light of the Raquin home by the river is sharply descended upon by the heavy, low-ceilinged Paris apartment.  Lamont’s attic, sky lit apartment literally hangs amid the stars.  This unbelievable design by Beowulf Boritt makes possible a visceral understanding of the underlying fire in the characters and keeps the plot of Ms. Edmundson’s commissioned and concise adaptation moving forward.

If you listened to the reviews of Therese Raquin, chances are you missed seeing this moving and enthralling Roundabout Theatre production.  If it makes you feel better, you are not alone.  The theatre, during Broadway’s busiest season, had a large number of empty seats.  Not to worry, there’s still time.  Therese Raquin plays as Studio 54 until January 3.  Run… now! 

  

Domenick Danza