★★★☆☆ Hilary Bell, Greta Gertler Gold musicalize scary novel and movie, Portia Kreigler directs
Tartuffe: Lucas Hnath Runs Out of Rhymes on Molière’s Classic
★★☆☆☆ Sarah Benson’s lively direction can’t overcome adaptor Hnath’s careless Molière treatment
Gotta Dance!: Gotta Dance Better Than This!
★★☆☆☆ American Dance Machine lacks sufficient flair reviving favorite choreographed numbers
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York): A Tasty Slice of Cake
★★★★☆ Musical import tells sweet-bitter tale of Brit and American finding each other and themselves
The Queen of Versailles: Kristin Chenoweth Vehicle Breaks Down
★★☆☆☆ Stephen Schwartz-Lindsey Ferrentino musical, Michael Arden directing, tell rich Jackie Siegel’s tale
44 The Musical: The Obama Years, Satirized with Four-Letter Words
★★☆☆☆ Eli Bauman’s musical mistakes vulgarity for actual entertainment, with a hard-working cast vainly trying
Pygmalion: Shaw’s Classic Greek Myth Update Is Classily Resculptured
★★★★☆ David Staller’s Gingold Theatrical Group plays GBS fast, loose, and well, and the strong cast plays along
Bat Boy: Musical: Bloodsucker Tale Is Way Too Batty
★★☆☆☆ At City Center, this allegedly true story, musicalized a nearly decade ago, tells a too-dull tale
Endgame: Urgent Samuel Beckett Thoughts on Death, Gamely Played
★★★★☆ The master playwright has his abandoned figures facing their usual hypnotic concerns in this Druid production at the Irish Arts Center
Oratorio for Living Things: Musically Captivating, Text Effect Not So
★★★☆☆ Heather Christian’s acclaimed piece, directed by Lee Sunday Evens, in blurred delivery