Author Archives: burdreviews

            I have many friends of all ages with a diverse set of interests, from going to the Jersey shore to going around the world, from reading to music, from arts to exercise, from movies to sports. Lots of them enjoy many of these activities but I’ve rarely encountered a person who loves both theaterContinue reading “Tommy and Me at People’s Light”

            “Kiss Me, Kate” opened on Broadway in 1948. With music and lyrics by Cole Porter, it was a modern version of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.“  A year after its premier, it won the very first Tony Award for best musical. Despite its popularity around the world for 75 years, I’d never seenContinue reading “Kiss Me, Kate atQuintessence Theatre”

Tony Braithwaite has done it again! Last year’s sold-out run of “Christmas in the Catskills” was so successful that Act II is bringing another installation of the comedy of the 1950’s and 60’s in the Catskill Mountains, to the stage at Act II Playhouse. It was outstanding. Braithwaite is remarkable in portraying so many comedyContinue reading “Christmas in the Catskills 2: A Star is Borscht”

“Othello” was a play first produced in London in 1604 about a powerful Moor living in Venice and married to the beautiful Desdemona. He becomes jealous when the disreputable Iago falsely tells him that his wife is unfaithful. This classic by William Shakespeare runs over 3 hours with 3 intermissions and is still performed allContinue reading “American Moor at Lantern Theater Company”

A National Football League team has just signed a successful running back, Luis Moreno, who had four all star years before being out for a season with a torn ACL. His contract is more than any other running back in NFL history. It is 2016, before the opening of the last preseason football game, andContinue reading “Moreno at InterAct Theatre Company”

A man is staring out, past the audience looking at something. We don’t know what. He is the painter, Mark Rothko. In time, we learn that he is looking at a wall in his studio and thinking about the paintings on that wall that he is preparing for the walls of the new Four SeasonsContinue reading “Red at Theatre Exile”

            Lynn Nottage is an African American playwright who has written a dozen plays, two of which won her the Pulitzer Prize for drama- “Ruined” in 2009 and “Sweat” in 2017. Last year, The Arden presented her play “Clydes,” which originally premiered on Broadway in 2021. Now on their stage is an earlier play byContinue reading “Intimate Apparel at Arden Theatre Company”

The Governor has just been forced to resign and Lt. Governor Ned Newly has taken his place. He’s just given a horrible speech where he basically mumbled and said nothing. He has a horrific fear of public speaking whether it be on tv or in person. And he doesn’t even want to be governor. He’sContinue reading “The Outsider at Act II Playhouse”

In the mid 60’s, I watched a tv satire show called “That Was the Week That Was.” It was a riot, and it was so smart. Referred to as TW3, it was on for less than two season. 1812 Productions Artistic Director Jennifer Childs, who wasn’t even born yet obviously got wind of the showContinue reading “This is the Week That Is at 1812 Productions”

When I was a kid, I watched the movie, “Cyrano de Bergerac,” starring Jose Ferrer, on television many times. The original play by Edmond Rostand, written in 1897, is the story of a brilliant 17th century swordsman who is in love with the beautiful Roxanne, but is shunned by all because of his huge nose.Continue reading “Cyrano de Bergerac at Quintesssence Theatre”