Boop! The Musical

 Boop!
The Musical
Broadhurst Theatre
March 25, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Boop! The Musical

Boop! is an uplifting, heartwarming, and joyous new musical.  Director/Choreographer Jerry Mitchell has outdone himself with this production.  His choreography and staging set a perfect tone and succinctly frame the characters, while keeping the show moving at a brisk and lively pace.  The music, by David Foster, is lively and fun.  Susan Birkenhead’s lyrics are smart and memorable.  The book, by Bob Martin, is crisp and imaginative.  The cast is extraordinary!

Betty Boop (played by Jasmine Amy Rogers) is tired of being famous in her black and white cartoon world.  She wants to experience a normal day.  Grampy (played by Stephen DeRosa) tells her about his invention that can transport her to the real world.  He used it once, forty years ago, but warns her against the dangers of going there.  After he is asleep, she takes advantage of his invention.  She arrives in NYC Comic Con in 2025.  She meets Dwayne (played by Ainsley Melham) and is mesmerized by his blue eyes.  She then notices all the color of the world around her.  She meets Dwayne’s younger sister, Trisha (played by Angelica Hale), who is dressed as Betty Boop for Comic Con.  Trisha idolizes the Boop character, so Betty does not reveal her identity.  Trisha shows Betty around NYC, and they become friends.  Meanwhile, the cartoon world is lost without Betty, so Grampy travels to 2025 to search for her.  He meets up with his old flame from forty years ago, Valentina (played by Faith Prince).  Together they search the city for Betty. 

Jasmine Amy Rogers as Betty Boop
Photo courtesy of Boop! The Musical

When Dwayne takes Betty to a jazz club in Harlem, she is found out as the real Betty Boop.  She cannot escape her fame, no matter how hard she tries.  She gets roped into working with NYC mayoral candidate Raymond Demarest (played by Erich Bergen) because Trish’s stepmother, Carol Evans (played by Anastacia McCleskey) is his campaign manager.  Betty realizes she has a lot to say and is more than just a sexy drawing.  When Grampy and Valentina finally find Betty, she does not want to go back to her world because she has found a new part of herself in this one.  But she must, and she does, but her world will be different because of the changes she made in herself.  

Angelica Hale & Jasmine Amy Rogers
Photo courtesy of Boop! The Musical

Jasmine Amy Rogers is phenomenal as Betty Boop.  She creates a strong character who is warm and vivacious.  Her singing is stupendous.  She is endearing and larger than life.  She develops amazing bonds with her castmates, especially Ainsley Melham (Dwayne) and Angelica Hale (Trisha).  The growth of these characters through their journey together is palpable and truthful.  They each discover a part of themselves they did not know existed.  It is touching and sweet, but most of all honest and genuine.

Stephen DeRosa & Faith Prince
Photo courtesy of Boop! The Musical

Stephen DeRosa and Faith Prince are charming and fun as Grampy and Valentina.  Anastacia McCleskey is fierce and bold as Carol Evans.  Erich Bergen portrays mayoral candidate Raymond Demarest as a slick and sleazy politician, and deserves every laugh he gets.  

The costumes, sets, lighting, and projections are ingenious.  They instantly switch from a black and white world to a world full of color, creating a wild and jubilant experience.  

Boop! is fun and refreshing.  It is playing at the Broadhurst Theatre, and is sure to get numerous Tony Award nominations this season.  Go see it now! 

Domenick Danza

Conversations with Mother

 Conversations with Mother
Theater 555
March 19, 2025 

Photo courtesy of  Conversations with Mother

Conversations with Mother, a new play by Matthew Lombardo, is a genuine and touching portrayal of the relationship between a mother and son.  It is a series of phone conversations and in-person discussions between the two characters.  They can be sarcastic, impatient, funny, and short-tempered with one another, yet their relationship is firmly built on a foundation of mutual respect, trust, and care.

Maria Callavechio (played by Caroline Aaron) gets a call from her young son, Bobby (played by Matt Doyle), while he is at sleep-away camp.  He hates it and wants to come home.  She says, “N-O.”  He calls again to tell her how much he misses her, and she still says no.  When he makes up a juicy lie about how a camp counselor is luring him into his cabin at night, she races to pick him up.  Bobby often calls his mother when he is in trouble and in need of help.  She promises she won’t get mad if he tells her the truth, but of course she always does.  This doesn’t stop him from telling her the truth the next time.  Their relationship takes a big step when Bobby moves to New York City to become a playwright after his father passes.  When Bobby gets involved with an abusive boyfriend, his mother implores him to break it off.  He adamantly refuses.  She cuts him off until he does.  Bobby’s mother pushes him to pursue his dream, and drops everything whenever he need her.  She confides in him when she decides to stop her cancer treatment.  It’s his turn to be supportive, and he does not let her down.  Their conversations continue even after she passes. 

Caroline Aaron & Matt Doyle
Photo courtesy of Conversations with Mother

Caroline Aaron is direct and firm as Bobby’s mother.  She persistently plays every tactic in the Italian mother’s handbag.  She gets under Bobby’s skin, and Matt Doyle’s reactions range from tolerance to exasperation.  He rarely loses his sense of humor with her.  He is open and honest, so when he does cross the line, it is spontaneous and hurtful.  Mr. Doyle’s character ages throughout the play.  These changes are subtle and effective.  He and Ms. Aaron’s connection flourishes with every scene.  Their trust grows deeper after a serious confrontation or mean interaction.  That is why this piece works so well.  It is truly authentic.

Conversations with Mother is a well crafted piece with an unexpected ending.  Director Noah Himmelstein finds poignancy in humor.  The timing is natural.  The pacing is swift.  The heartfelt moments are truthful.  It is playing at Theater 555 through May 11. 

Domenick Danza

A Streetcar Named Desire

 A Streetcar Named Desire
Almeida Theatre
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Harvey Theater
March 15, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Almeida Theatre
& Brooklyn Academy of Music

The Almeida Theatre production of A Streetcar Named Desire, now playing at BAM’s Harvey Theater, is a stark and daring interpretation of this Tennessee Williams classic.  To put a new stamp on such a well-known piece of theatre is no small undertaking, and director Rebecca Frecknall has skillfully succeeded.  She gathered a powerful cast with the courage to boldly make their mark on these iconic characters.  It is an emotionally driven experience.  

When Blanche (played by Patsy Ferran) visits her sister, Stella (played by Anjana Vasan) in New Orleans, she meets her brother-in-law, Stanley (played by Paul Mescal) for the first time.  They are immediately at odds.  Blanche is demure and from the old South, while Stanley is a blue-collar worker who bowls on the weekend.  Blanche breaks the news to Stella that they lost Belle Reve, their family estate.  Stanley suspects Balance of hoarding money from the sale of Belle Reve, so he starts asking around about her.  She had to leave Laurel, Mississippi when she was dismissed from her job teaching English at the local high school.  When Balance starts keeping company with Stanley’s friend, Mitch (played by understudy Eduardo Ackerman), there is hope for a fresh start for Blanche in New Orleans.  When Stanley reveals the scandalous secrets he uncovers about Blanche, any hope for her is lost. 

Paul Mescal, Patsy Ferran, & Anjana Vasan
Photo courtesy of Almeida Theatre
& Brooklyn Academy of Music

Patsy Ferran portrays Blanche as strong and determined.  This bold portrayal allows Blanche’s lies to be fully transparent.  Her vulnerable moments are truthful and empathetic.  Anjana Vasan’s Stella is an equal force to Ms. Ferran’s Blanche.  They go head-to-head a number of times, and always seem to meet on mutual territory.  Paul Mescal’s Stanley is grounded and secure.  Sparks fly the moment he and Blanche set eyes on one another.  The battle between them over Stella is clear and visceral.  Blanche strongly pushes back against Stanely, and neither of them back down.  Due to the way Stella responds to Stanley’s uncovering the truth about Blanche, the stakes are raised to a brilliant height.  These three actors create strong-minded characters, urgently driven and strikingly resolute.

Photo courtesy of Almeida Theatre 
& Brooklyn Academy of Music 

Tennessee Williams’ timeless writing shines with newness through the lens of this production.  Ms. Frecknall brings the deeper motivations to the surface, allowing the richness of the text to vibrantly ring.  The ghosts of Blanche’s past that haunt her every move are literally seen throughout the production.  They erode her confidence and ensnare her in her own fantasy world.

A Streetcar Named Desire is playing at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Harvey Theater through April 6.  Get a ticket!

Domenick Danza

Dakar 2000

 Dakar 2000
Manhattan Theatre Club
New York City Center Stage I
March 6, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

The Manhattan Theatre Club production of Dakar 2000 is a one hour and twenty-minute roller coaster ride of truth and lies.  Playwright Rajiv Joseph has written an impeccable two-hander.  His characters quickly intertwine and are unable to separate.  The events of their three-day connection changes the course of more than just their lives, and leave one of them with more questions than answers.

When Boubs, a Peace Corp volunteer (played by Abubakr Ali), crashes his jeep on the road to a small village outside Dakar, he knows he is in trouble.  He was transporting supplies without the proper authorization.  He is taken to the main office to meet Dina (played by Mia Barron).  She is concerned about his well-being, yet continually grills him on the details.  She is charmed by his naivete and impressed by his ability to lie his way out of a bad situation.  To help prevent his being sent back home, she gives him a file of paperwork to fill out with a list signatures and fingerprints to gather.  This will make it look like she requisitioned the transportation of supplies prior to his accident.  He gratefully takes the file and gets right to work.  He meets up with her two days later.  After they share personal stories, she asks him to meet her at a hotel in Dakar on New Years Eve, with the implication of a more intimate encounter.  At the hotel, Dina sets Boubs up on a mission with a questionable outcome. 

Abubakr Ali as Boubs
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Abubakr Ali is charismatic, gullible, and suave as Boubs.  He opens the show alone on stage.  It is present day.  He tells a few stories, then admits most of them are lies.  This sets the tone for the rest of the story.  His character is confident and grounded.  When he then takes the narrative back to Dakar in the year 2000, he is a fast-talking twenty-five year old, immature and silly.  This transition is smooth and impressive.  The audience is fully on his side, even though, since he already told us, we know he lies.  

Dina Barron & Abubakr Ali
Photo courtesy of Manhattan  Theatre Club

Mia Barron is sharp and slick as Dina.  During her initial interrogation with Boubs, she carefully listens and observes.  She glibly weaves her way into Boubs’ trust.  The audience is very aware that she is also lying, but doesn’t know how much or why.  We are more aware of the dangers than he is, yet we are equally manipulated into full involvement.  Ms. Barrow is skillfully in control of the action.  She is the only one who knows where it will lead, and we stay connected to her with the hope of finding out. 

Director May Adrales paces this piece so the rhythms in the dialogue drive the intent.  The audience is fully engaged from the moment it starts, and becomes riveted as the action unfolds.  The theme and culminating message are strongly related to present day political occurrences. 

Dakar 2000 is playing at Manhattan Theatre Club’s New York City Center Stage I through March 23.  You must see it! 

Domenick Danza

The Antiquities

 The Antiquities
Playwrights Horizons
February 28, 2025 

Photo coourtesy of Playwrights Horizons

Playwrights Horizons has partnered with Vineyard Theatre and Goodman Theatre in the production of Jordan Harrison’s The Antiquities.  This intelligent and philosophical theatre piece leaves the audience with a lot to ponder.  The play reflects the evolution of mankind as a steppingstone to Artificial Intelligence.  The structure of the piece is unique.  It is a series of disjointed scenes that travel from the late 1800s to the late 2200s.  The strength of the fragmented events is the through-line of mankind’s yearning to connect to their departed loved ones.  The play is skillfully co-directed by David Cromer and Caitlin Sullivan.  They fearlessly lead a cast of nine amazing actors who create numerous characters in this evolutionary journey.

Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

The play is a “tour of the permanent collection in the museum of late human antiquities.”  It opens with two robotic women directly addressing the audience, asking them to imagine that they are present in human form for the tour.  They transform into Mary Shelley and Claire Clairmont, the mother of Lord Byron’s daughter, as they lead the audience into the first exhibit in the museum.  It is the night when Mary Shelley accepted the challenge to write “Frankenstein.”  Subsequent exhibits include a scene in the 1970s, where a tech geek has his first breakthrough in developing a robot that can make decisions on its own.  Another exhibit skips a few decades to when a family gets its first home computer and experiences the internet for the first time.  Then, sometime in the 1990s, Robin (the fictional version of Alexis) is developed.  As the exhibits move past the year 2025, AI becomes more sophisticated and begins to take over.  

Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

After the audience views the collected artifacts (props from the scenes), the exhibits are revisited.  The characters’ reliance on their devices during these time periods is further explored and emotionally understood.  Their loss and loneliness motivate their reliance and acceptance on AI.  The tour ends in the Mary Shelley exhibit, where the “Frankenstein” story is shared.  It is different.  It now includes the building of a computer, which is a seed for the development of higher intelligence. 

Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

Jordan Harrison has masterfully crafted a startling inquiry into the human experience that cannot be
overlooked.  Since the scenes contain historic and well-known facts, the fictional elements that drive the theme become believable.  This play is intellectually engaging as you follow the through-line and buy into the conclusions drawn from the future AI society, which are illustrated in the final Mary Shelley scene.  They include themselves in that story in order to verify their existence.  To this higher intelligence, human beings are nothing more than a stepping-stone in their own valuable evolution. 

There are only a few performances of The Antiquities remaining before it closes on March 2.  If you can get a ticket, go with a friend.  You will have a lot to talk about.   

Domenick Danza

Henry IV

 Henry IV
Theatre for a New Audience
Polonsky Shakespeare Center
February 12, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Theatre for a New Audience

Theatre for a New Audience has outdone itself with its present production of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV.  This adaptation, by Dakin Matthews, combines parts one and two into one three and one-half hour production (with two intermissions).  Director Eric Tucker has gathered an amazing cast.  They work as a consistent, tight ensemble and all deliver stunning performances.   

King Henry IV (played by Dakin Matthews) is facing a conflict in his sovereignty.  A rebel faction is seeking to overthrow his reign, and place Henry Percy, known as Hotspur (played by James Udom) on the throne.  King Henry’s heir, Prince Hal (played by Elijah Jones) has turned his back on his royal duties.  He enjoys his time in the pubs, galivanting around London with a motley crew of friends, led by Sir John Falstaff (played by Jay O. Sanders).  When the King summons Hal back to the palace for a meeting, he reluctantly obeys.  Falstaff and his crew follow to keep an eye on their friend.  Hal is obligated to support the King in battle, and fights until the rebel faction is defeated and Hotspur is killed.  Upon his father’s deathbed, Prince Hal professes his loyalty and commitment to the crown.  When Hal is crowned King Henry V, he turns his back on his old life, rejecting Falstaff, who was expecting a position in court. 

Elijah Jones & Jay O. Sanders
Photo courtesy of Theatre for a New Audience

Jay O. Sanders delivers a boisterous Falstaff, full of bluster and humor.  His portrayal is just right for this in the round staging.  Elijah Jones is open and genuine as Prince Hal.  He is always one step ahead of Falstaff.  They have a natural camaraderie.  This makes Prince Hal’s rejection of Falstaff acutely hurtful after his royal transformation.  Dakin Matthews is regal as King Henry IV.  His command is firm, and he reveals many layers in his relationship with his son.  

Photo courtesy of Theatre for a New Audience

The double and triple casting allows for instantaneous transitions from the streets of London to the Royal Court.  Steven Epp is outstanding as the Earl of Worcester, Francis, and Silence.  These roles are astoundingly different, allowing Mr. Epp to show off his comic timing, physical dexterity, and dramatic intensity.  James Udom also shows a range of skills in his portrayal of Hotspur and Pistol.  His Hotspur is focused and determined, while his Pistol is mischievous and silly.

Henry IV is playing at Theatre for a New Audience’s Polonsky Shakespeare Center though March 2.  It is a strong and slick rendition of this Shakespeare history tale, skillfully directed and majestically performed. 

Domenick Danza

Chain Theatre Winter One Act Festival

 One Act Festival 2025
Chain Theatre
February 12, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Chain Theatre’s One Act Festival is running through March 2.  This is a bi-annual festival that showcases a variety of playwrights, director, and actors, eager to share their work.  This winter’s festival contains twenty-five programs, which include ninety-six plays, each running for three to five dates, with selected live stream broadcasts.  It is a phenomenal festival involving a diverse group of artists.  Here are a few highlights:

Program #1  (remaining performances Feb. 21, 8:30; Feb. 23, 5:00; March 1, 8:00)

The Robot, the Spy and the Love of A.I. by John Arthur Long, directed by Kirk Gostkowski         

Trevor (played by Gabriel Rysdahl) is a spy, working to smuggle top secret information through an A.I. robot dog named Robie (voiced by David Rey and operated by Dariel Garcia).  Melanie (played by Monica Park) is studying Robie’s progress, but is unaware of Trevor’s secret operation.  Now that the project is complete, Melanie is dispensable, except that Robie has grown attached to her and has other priorities.  Mr. Rysdahl and Ms. Park have most of their dialogue with Robie.  They effortlessly make these scenes work, allowing the cautionary message to be clearly heard. 

Brothers written & directed by Lyle Kessler                                                                       

Christopher Cortez Adams and Connor Chase Stewart both deliver powerful performances as brothers, struggling for survival in a college dorm.  The situation is volatile, yet their trust and belief in one another is reassuring.  Kyle Kessler has skillfully crafted a potent piece of theatre. 

By the Look of Her by David Rabe, directed by Kirk Gostkowski                             

When Clara (played by Sachi Parker) slips into a diabetic coma, her daughter, Lorna (played by Christina Elise Perry) thinks the end is near.  She contacts her husband, Jim (played by Justin Andrew Davis), and her brother, Hank (played by Brandon Hughes), who get to the hospital as soon as they can, only to find Clara alert and enraged.  Director Kirk Gostkowski eases this cast into the rhythm of David Rabe’s writing to connect the actors on their journey of this weighty story.  Christina Perry draws the audience in by delivering a compelling portrayal of Lorna.  Sachi Parker’s explosive energy as Clara is confrontational and intimidating. 

Program #3  (remaining performance Feb. 22, 2:00) 

Eulogy written & directed by Gus Kaikkonen                             

This solo piece is a touching and poignant eulogy Gus delivers at the funeral of his father.  Mr. Kaikkonen recollects the tender moments of their relationship.  It is personal and moving. 

YOLO by Raven Petretti-Stamper, directed by Allen MacLeod       

Ralph (played by Mitch Greenberg) meets Judith (played by Susan Neuffer) on the platform of the E train at 4:00 AM.  This chance meeting changes the trajectory of their lives.  Mr. Greenberg and Ms. Neuffer have an genuine connection, creating a tender atmosphere of trust and adventure. 

Mr. Daniels by Jonathan Green, directed by Josh Kellman           

Mr. Daniels (played by Brad Fryman) is visited by a stranger (played by Orlando Segarra), who is there for a very specific reason.  The contrast in these two characters build the mystery and suspense of the piece.  It is exceptionally written, directed, and performed. 

Poke Along the Ohio by Colleen Cosgrove, directed by Mary Linehan             

Addie (played by Colleen Cosgrove) is upset when she overhears something her grandson, Horace (played by Daniel Antonino) said to their pastor at the conclusion of Sunday service.  To distract herself, she reminisces about all the well-known historic figures who sailed down the river, passing by their small Indiana town.  Ms. Cosgrove and Mr. Antonino have an excellent rapport and develop a truthful relationship.  Director Mary Linehan illuminates the natural rhythms in Ms. Cosgrove’s dialogue to evoke the time period and create a rural atmosphere. 

The Barbecue written & directed by John Avino          

This beautifully crafted play tells the touching and heartbreaking story of how following though on the final wishes of a family member suffering with dementia affects his loved ones.  Gary Dooley, Kiran Merchant, Julia Pasiorowska, and Gilly Caulo all deliver moving performances.  Their characters are distinctly driven by their personal need, as they struggle to release their individual expectation. 

Don’t miss out on the best one act festival in NYC.  Check Chain Theatre’s website for the full list of programs, dates, and times.  All tickets are $23 in advance and $26 at the door.  

Domenick Danza