★★☆☆☆ The actor, comedian, and This American Life contributor Mike Birbiglia tells a wry story, for some reason onstage
Broadway
King Kong: B’way Agape Over Ape
★★☆☆☆ This misguided musical colossus, in New York after repeated rewrites, proves underwhelming
King Kong: The Beast Is Us, with Special Effects
★★☆☆☆ A new, extravagant musical adaptation offers a feminist but emotionally exploitative take on the classic tale
American Son: Ripped From the Headlines
★★★☆☆ Kerry Washington and Steven Pasquale star in this all-too-timely drama from lawyer/playwright Christopher Demos-Brown
American Son: Modern Injustice, Wrought As Melodrama
★★☆☆☆ Topical and vital concerns get mired in banality in the new play marking Kerry Washington’s return to Broadway
Torch Song: Harvey Fierstein’s View of Gay Life Not Always Gay
★★★★☆ Urie, Ruehl repeat their masterful performances in the strong Second Stage revival
Torch Song: Fierstein’s Epic, Shorter But Fierce and Funny As Ever
★★★★☆ Michael Urie shines in a condensed version of Harvey Fierstein’s still-pertinent, piercing and accessible comedy
The Waverly Gallery: Real Talk With Kenneth Lonergan
★★★★☆ The inimitable Elaine May makes her long-awaited Broadway return in a revival of Kenneth Lonergan’s wonderfully unsentimental memory play
The Waverly Gallery: Lonergan’s Memory Play, Slim But Heartbreaking
★★★★☆ Elaine May is the perfect center of this very New York-y revival about aging and family
Come From Away: Get a Gander at Strangers Being Kind to Each Other
★★★★★ Long-Run Lookback: An expertly staged docu-musical remains a truly heartwarming experience