★★★★★ Stephen Sondheim’s brilliance celebrated by Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga, Matthew Bourne, other swells
Finkle
The Cherry Orchard: Anton Chekhov Gets an Unforgiving Axe
★☆☆☆☆ Adapter-director Benedict Andrews offers a questionable new take on the classic
Good Night, and Good Luck: George Clooney Makes Startling Broadway Bow
★★★★★ Clooney and Grant Heslov adapt their 2005 film to reflect not only the Joe McCarthy era but today
Operation Mincemeat: Satirical Wartime Musical Successfully Invades Broadway
★★★★☆ London hit written and played by genius group SpitLip, directed by Robert Hastie, choreographed by Jenny Arnold
Amerikin: Chisa Hutchison’s Play Blasting Racism Is Needed This Very Minute
★★★★☆ Jade King Carroll sharply directs an exceptional cast, led by Daniel Abeles and Molly Carden
Purpose: Tough New Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Tragicomedy Loses Sight of Purpose
★★★☆☆ Phylicia Rashad keenly directs a first-rate six member-cast featuring LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Kara Young
Ghosts: Ibsen’s Beautifully Acted Classic Oddly Gives Up the Ghost
★★★☆☆ Jack O’Brien directs Mark O’Rowe’s adaptation, with Lily Rabe and Levon Hawke acting like spectral blazes
All Nighter: Five College Seniors Face Graduation and Each Other
★★★☆☆ Natalie Margolin’s slightly hampered dramedy, well directed by Jaki Bradley and well played
On the Evolutionary Function of Shame: A Timely Look at the Controversial Trans Situation
★★★☆☆ D. A. Mindell is fired up on the subject, as are director Jess McLeod and raring-to-go cast of six.
Curse of the Starving Class: Curses! The Sam Shepard Classic Declassifies Itself
★★☆☆☆ Calista Flockhart, Christian Slater, Cooper Hoffman, Stella Marcus, directed by Scott Elliott, end up dysfunctioned