Albee's "Virginia Woolf' revived on Broadway

George stands up to Martha, for once

Rarely does a revival shed new light on a play with the same intensity as the blazing new production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? that just opened on Broadway on its 50th anniversary.

Carol Rocamora

Oct 23, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read

"Drumline Live' at the Merriam

Strike up the (pumped up) band

The spectacular Drumline Live celebrates the type of pumped-up band music played at historically black, mostly Southern colleges. It's dazzling stuff, but to judge from the audience at the Merriam, it's mostly preaching to the choir.

Steve Cohen

Oct 22, 2012 · Articles · 2 minute read

Philadelphia Orchestra's Verdi "Requiem' (1st review)

A very promising start

With his spectacular rendition of Verdi's already spectacular Requiem, Yannick Nézet-Séguin demonstrated his faith in the Philadelphia Orchestra's future, as well as his ability to make believers of the rest of us.

Dan Rottenberg

Oct 21, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read

New City's "RFK' at the Adrienne

Bobby Kennedy's unfinished (and uncertain) legacy

Jack Holmes's RFK is a play for our political season, but also a sympathetic and sometimes searching portrayal of Americans' last political icon. Russ Widdall's performance is a tour de force.

Robert Zaller

Oct 20, 2012 · Articles · 9 minute read

Orchestra's opening night

Yannick's inaugural: Just one slight problem

The Philadelphia Orchestra's opening concert amply demonstrated its musicians' ability to deliver memorable moments. Now, if only their managers could deliver an audience.

Dan Rottenberg

Oct 20, 2012 · Articles · 3 minute read

"Gutenberg! The Musical' at Ambler

Let's put on a show! On second thought, let's not

Gutenberg! The Musical! is a parody of simpletons trying to create a Broadway show in total ignorance of its subject. What next— a parody of retarded children?

Steve Cohen

Oct 20, 2012 · Articles · 3 minute read

On music and politics

From Beethoven to Wagner: The political uses and abuses of music

What was Beethoven trying to say about Napoleon? What was Shostakovich trying to say about Stalin? Whom am I voting for? And why does it matter?

Kile Smith

Oct 20, 2012 · Articles · 5 minute read

The Inquirer's dwindling theater coverage

…And then there were none: The Inquirer's last theater critic

Howard Shapiro, the Inquirer's last full-time theater critic, was recently reassigned, leaving the theater beat to be handled by free-lancers. Is this how a major metropolitan newspaper covers one of Philadelphia's most exciting continuing stories?

SaraKay Smullens

Oct 16, 2012 · Articles · 4 minute read

Piffaro's "Renaissance Towns'

The next best thing to a time machine

For 21st-Century Renaissance musicians, mastering a musical instrument is merely one of many challenges. They spend much of their professional lives studying the playing styles and even the ornaments of five centuries ago.

Tom Purdom

Oct 16, 2012 · Articles · 3 minute read

"Next to Normal' at the Arden (2nd review)

Up from normality

Diana, the obsessively grieving mother in Next to Normal, has more than her share of hangups. But she's far less dangerous than the “normal” relatives and mental health professionals who attend her.

Jackie Schifalacqua

Oct 16, 2012 · Articles · 3 minute read