Critical NYC theater events, Jan. 2013: Broadway kicks year off with a bang
If your New Years resolution was to watch less Honey Boo Boo and get a little more cultured, then you're in luck.
This month brings New York some hot new productions and a couple of closings and now that you're done binging on holiday food you get the chance to binge on some high quality theatre from Pulitzer, Tony, Obie, and one of this year's possible Oscar winners.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Richard Rodgers Theatre, through March 30th
One of Tennessee Williams most iconic plays opens January 17th starring Tony Award winner Scarlett Johansson (oh yeah, she won one of those) as Maggie (the Cat) who tries to stir her husband out of his melancholy during the family patriarch’s 65th birthday. Family drama, monologues with some twang, very southern. So pour yourself a mint julep and head over.
The Heiress, Walter Kerr Theatre, through February 10th
Jessica Chastain doesn't have much time to celebrate that well deserved Oscar nom because she's hitting the stage every night as a young heiress being pressured by her father (David Strathairn) and a handsome suitor (Dan Stevens of Downton Abbey). Tight casting with sets and costumes by Oscar and Tony award winners, go see this New York classic before it closes!
Picnic, American Airlines Theatre, through February 24th
Another period piece, the Pulitzer Prize winning Picnic takes place on a hot summer Labor Day in a Kansas small town and is a play about restraint versus passion and head versus heart. Despite it taking place in the '50s, the talented Sam Gold and Roundabout Theatre Company breathes new life into the piece highlighting it’s timeless motifs and themes making it a can’t-miss. Although it will remind you that summer is (sadly) five months away.
Water By the Spoonful, Second Stage Theatre, through January 27th
Not in the mood for an older classic, but still want to see a guaranteed quality play? How about checking out the latest Pulitzer Prize winner? Water by the Spoonful is a play about a Puerto Rican vet who returns home and has difficulty finding the meaning of life (probably because he ends up working at the local Subway). Who can’t relate to picking their own brain over a 5 dollar foot long?
Fuerza Bruta: Look Up, Daryl Roth Theatre, through February 3rd
This staple of the off Broadway world is quickly approaching the end of it’s six year run and with it’s hypnotic music and mesmerizing visuals it will definitely wake you up from your winter hibernation. Whether you’re a new fan or you’ve seen it three times already, catching Fuerza Bruta before the doors are closed on this perfect blend of art and party is a must.
