Special thanks to Jane K for free Yelp tickets…read more I probably should have looked up what the musical was about before I signed up to win the tickets. I'm not a religious person.... don't get me wrong, I'm not against religion or anything. The musical takes place in a church. Seating is very intimate and like Angel R says - not a bad seat in the house. I didn't get the story as much... since I'm not the right audience... but I have to say the singing from the main female character is superb! Cheapest tickets on the website says $55. I don't know if I would pay more to see the show... that is, unless you're a religious person!

Directed a children's show in the late 90s. Crazy fun off off Broadway mayhem. Also saw Brother…read moreTheodore and Line. Will miss it.

Really did not expect that a theatre exists here. Came here the other to see the play 'Accidental…read morePervert'. Oh man this is such a nice cute little theatre tucked in the bylanes of the village. It has this old rustic look which I really liked. Was able to meet the owner of the place when I was here to see the show. The owner daugters also perform on the broadway, i guess broadway runs in the family blood :) The seats are way more comfortable than the bigger broadway theatres.The staff was very courteous and helpful.

My first time here at this venue and they have more than 1 stage for more than 1 event going on…read more They got the main stage and black box with a waiting area with table games to kill time. I came here yesterday with my friends to go see MC Jin and it was a sold out venue. The main stage was pretty lit especially the lit up sign on stage. When MC Jin came on stage there was a huge standing ovation. I had a good time with his material and I admired his enthusiasm that did not let me down nor did I ever got bored. He kept the audience going on and alive. So I wish Second City had more food options because it just got 4 items for food. You got pickles, hummus, and fries for appetizers and only one entree on the menu, which is a burger with fries. That's not a lot of food options. My friends and I got fries and hummus to share. The portions were large for sharing. The hummus included pita bread, cucumbers, red bell peppers, and carrots. Pretty filling. Now with the drinks, Second City had a huge list. I ended up getting Learn Chinese cocktail, which is exclusively for the MC Jin venue. I was disappointed at the contents and how much was in my glass. They did not fill it up to the top. It was like 2/3s of the cocktail in the glass when they served it to me. I was so shocked at how little it was. It also did not get me hooked. It felt like nothing although it did taste fruity. I should have gotten a draft beer or something else instead.

We saw Montessori Boy here and had a wonderful timing! Seating is great and gives you a nice view…read moreof the stage. Food and drink are fairly priced - we enjoyed wine, beer, and fries!

Now THIS was the definition of a small, intimate comedy theater…read more The Vino was our landing spot to see Dylan Adler and his comedy set a few months ago and we had a great time. I didn't realize how small and intimate-feeling the theater would be but it works to really witness talent on stage without paying high prices. Seating was cozy and the stage crew did a great job amplifying the performance. The theater itself seemed a bit older than usual and could use some work, particularly the bathroom and perhaps offering some sort of drinks for sale. I know they advertised as BYOB but sometimes a guy forgets when they're getting off the train in Brooklyn and staring at their maps app to find the spot.

This is probably my 3/4 th visit to laugh with Shafi. In time he keeps getting better & better …read more And I keep coming just to laugh with him! The theatre itself still feels little weird & needs lots of work. I hope in future they done some renovations because it's about time. As far as comedy show, if you need some laughs in your life you need to visit Shafi here. He will never disappoint you. You can also buy tickets on eventbrite .

I've heard about Larry Kramer's play for years and how it was a must-see no matter what production…read moreI chose to see. Barbra Streisand was so moved by it that she held onto the movie rights for years until Kramer and she parted ways due to the old stand-by, "creative differences". I can understand their passion over the material since it represents a seminal moment when the AIDS epidemic was taking hold of New York City in the early 80's,and out of a combination of fear and contempt, it was being ignored behind a wall of government silence. The limited-engagement 2011 production (playing at the Golden Theatre until July 10) is not only a testament to Kramer's viscerally powerful work, it is one of the most moving productions you are ever likely to see on Broadway. The story follows a group of friends and colleagues who become tightly intertwined by the toll the AIDS virus takes on each other both physically and emotionally. At the center of this maelstrom is writer Ned Weeks, the gay Jewish founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group who alienates those around him with his draining, often pedantic public confrontations. Nobody else, including his closeted journalist lover Felix Turner, is prepared to face the scrutiny of a judgmental public willing to view the virus as a punishment for their supposedly deviant lifestyles. Their arguments threaten to eradicate their mutual goal of creating the awareness necessary to fight the disease. In their corner with barely concealed anger is the imperturbable Dr. Emma Brookner, who daily faces a never-ending queue of patients with no hope for survival. Directed with minimal staging by Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe, the play soars on the amazing performances of the cast. Two actors stand out among the ensemble - Joe Mantello who brings the raging heart to Ned in magnitudes that compel with his strident fearlessness, and in her Broadway debut, Ellen Barkin who plays Brookner with abrupt directness culminating in a heart-wrenching monologue that induced wild applause at the performance I saw. The rest of the cast is almost as stellar - Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory") as a Southern outcast providing the play with the little comic relief it offers, Lee Pace ("Pushing Daisies") as the conflicted Citibank executive Bruce Niles, Mark Harelik as Ned's hopelessly straight brother Ben, and John Benjamin Hickey as the weakening Felix. Just when you think the play will turn into a complete polemic, it becomes enthralling in ways you don't quite expect. The growing list of victims from the disease - illuminated on the walls of the set - packs the necessary punch, but it's really Ned's devastating journey that resonates the most in the soul. And leave it to Kramer to have the last word as a leaflet is handed out after the show that points to how little the epidemic has been curtailed in the intervening years. If you're in NYC for the next month, by all means, go see this production.

I also saw this play a couple years ago, to see my fave Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper from "Big Bang…read moreTheory")! His role is more of a minor one (boo), but he's comedic here and full of energy!! Anyways, I waited about an hour to see him after the show, and was able to get a picture with him and his autograph-soo worth it!! He was super nice :D

I started taking improv classes with Letter of Marque in 2018. I went to a drop-in class, and…read moreimmediately felt like this was the best place for someone like me. If you're a shy, introverted or anxious person, LOM will support you and help bring you out of your shell. You'll get out of your head and shake off self-judgment with ease. As an anxious person it can be difficult to stay present, but LOM keeps me engaged. Not to mention, improv is a great skill to have. Connecting with other people and making new choices is good for the soul! You don't need to have any improv experience for a drop-in class or Level 1. You won't be the only one and you'll make new friends! Nothing cures a bad day or a bad mood like hanging out with like-minded individuals playing games and laughing til it hurts. Everyone involved with LOM is so welcoming and so unique. It's a beautiful community of artists and it's honestly changed my life. I can't say enough good things about them (truly!)!

I've been taking Letter of Marque's improv class for a few months now, and it's always fresh and…read morefun! My friends and I were at a bar randomly talking about improv and Googled classes in Brooklyn, and to our surprise/delight, LOM came up. Plus they're nonprofit, so classes are free if you sign up in advance! One class and we were hooked! Each "season" of classes is 4 sessions, and each class has a different theme. Add it all together, and you've got a hell of a base for future improv experiences. Nolan and Scarlett are the main teachers, and they're amazing. Their weekly icebreaker exercises are always fun and low-pressure, and they make everyone feel welcome. Well, as long as you're an adult. There are some NSFW language and themes not meant for kids. Speaking of work, they also do corporate events. I've been trying to get my company to bring them in for some team building and presentation skills classes, but we'll see. I should also mention the space. Classes and events take place at the Gemini and Scorpio loft (aka G&S) in Gowanus, which is beautiful. Beautifully adorned, air conditioned, with a rooftop area. I've also been to one of their Swordraiser shows, which was an excellent time. These guys sure know how to party! I'd give them a million stars if I could!

What an interesting performance - the only way I could describe it is I have no idea what the plot…read morewas or the goal of the story, but the acting and singing was absolutely fantastic. Felt a bit skeptical before coming because how good can a Broadway show about corn be, but honestly it was really good. Here are some of the highlights: - The singing was incredible! Perhaps one of the best singing I have heard from a Broadway show to date. I especially need to give a shout out to Nyla Sostre who was the understudy cover for Lulu the night I went to see the show. I couldn't believe that she was the understudy because she was an absolutely fantastic singer and actor who performed Lulu as if she does it night after night. - The musical was so funny. It kind of reminded me of Book of Mormon. I thought the humor they used was very interesting - not physical humor but almost like stand-up comedy humor. I will say though because of that, I'm not sure how kid friendly it is. - I love how much they made fun of Tampa for. The song about Tampa was my favorite thing. Overall, such a fun show to watch. Very unexpected and really quite different from your classic Broadway experience but I would highly recommend it regardless!

REVIEW: "Shucked" at the Nederlander Theatre on September 1, 2023…read more Based on the 2023 Tony Awards telecast, Jamie W. was so insistent in seeing this show when we made it to NYC that it was inevitable that I responded with major side-eye. Major. So when we bought tickets, I thought it would be a "Hee Haw"-type of revue with plenty of banjo-picking and knee-slapping. Coincidentally, I read that the musical was originally conceived just that way. Instead the creators wisely developed an actual musical with a book and characters. It was now all about a failed corn crop in rural Cob County and a girl aptly named Maizy. Engaged to her longtime beau Beau, she showed spunk and ventured to the big city (Tampa, FL) where she met a slick "corn doctor" named Gordy. They impulsively decided to marry, and when they returned to Cob County, the inevitable complications ensued. While the plot may sound decidedly old-fashioned, the comedy was non-stop and consistently clever as the book was written by "Designing Women" veteran Robert Horn. You can hear a touch of the Sugarbakers in the zingy one-liners, especially the ones delivered by Kevin Cahoon who hilariously channeled the late Leslie Jordan as Peanut ("I think people in China must wonder what to call their good plates.") The catchy music was written by country duo Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. The rest of the cast was uniformly strong. Caroline Innerbichler brought the right amount of pluck to Maizy, and John Behlmann showed off a loose-limbed seediness as Gordy. Andrew Durand performed particularly well with a strong voice as Beau, especially on the rocker "Somebody Will". The "farm-to-fable" tale was steered energetically by two storytellers (Grey Henson and Ashley D. Kelley) who acted like a Greek chorus to the shenanigans. The standout, however, was Alex Newell as Maizy's sassy cousin Lulu, and she raised the roof with her Act I solo, "Independently Owned". This musical comedy shouldn't have worked, but it more than did. RELATED - Interested in my thoughts on Broadway shows past and present? Here's a collection of reviews I've written: http://bit.ly/31uxyL1

Monica Piper is a magical in her one-woman autobiographical show starting from before her birth…read morefeaturing a cast of friends and family members. Monica, born May Lee Davis, takes us from her parents' courtship through her childhood, adulthood, career, motherhood and present day. The themes of Judaism are present but this is a show anyone can appreciate. Full disclosure - I received these tickets for free (thanks, Yelp!) and our seats were awesome! (thanks, Ruggy!) but I would have paid to see this show and enjoyed it. Perhaps better suited for older people or Chosen people but all will find her take on life charming, touching, sweet and funny.

Can hardly wait for this show to come back to NYC so I can bring more friends. I already saw the…read moreshow twice. I don't usually enjoy a one-woman/man play but Monika Piper is a very full cast. Funny, sweet, clever show. Come back to NYC please soon, Monika!