Chita Rivera at the Merriam

The singer-dancer Chita Rivera is one of the great figures of musical theater. But at 73, the star of West Side Story and Chicago demonstrates little of the fire that made her famous.

Chita Rivera: A Dancer’s Life. By Terrence McNally. Through January 14, 2007, at Merriam Theater, 260 S. Broad St. (at Spruce). (215) 732-5997 or www.merriamtheater.org.

Steve Cohen

Jan 12, 2007 · Articles · 2 minute read

'Chicago' at the Merriam

Chicago the musical is very much like Chicago the city: From the start, it grabs you by the throat. But after ten minutes or so, you might as well be watching a gymnastics class with a sound track.

Chicago. Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse; music by John Kander; Lyrics by Ebb; directed by Walter Bobbie. Through December 31, 2006 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St. www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/Philadelphia

Dan Rottenberg

Dec 29, 2006 · Articles · 4 minute read

Prince Theater's "Annie Get Your Gun'

As a theater historian, I’m glad to see Irving Berlin’s original 1946 show virtually uncut, political correctness be damned. But for most attendees, some trimming would be welcome. Andrea McArdle and Jeff Coon are effective with the comic scenes but could put more tenderness into their ballads.

Annie Get Your Gun. Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin; directed by Richard Parison Jr. Through Dec. 31, 2006 at Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St. 215-569-9700 or

Steve Cohen

Dec 23, 2006 · Articles · 3 minute read

Wilma's 'My Children! My Africa!'

Fans of Athol Fugard will find themselves on familiar ground here— a bit too familiar, for my taste. The problem with My Children! My Africa! lies not with the actors, who are uniformly excellent, but with Fugard’s script, which tends to get in their way and ultimately retraces old ground.

My Children! My Africa! By Athol Fugard; directed by Blanka Zizka. Through January 7, 2007 at Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St. (at Spruce). (215) 546-7824 or

Dan Rottenberg

Dec 17, 2006 · Articles · 4 minute read

Two Irish one-acts at Amaryllis

Amaryllis chose a strange pair to present here: a stark contrast between a story seen and a story told. Blood Guilty is a fantastic, gripping allegory of modern Ireland. By contrast, in The Good Thief, tthe monologue-loving McPherson takes an entertainingly brief tale and weaves it into an hour cluttered by long stretches of boredom.

Blood Guilty, by Antoine O’Flatharta, and The Good Thief, by Conor McPherson; directed by Mimi Kenney S

Jim Rutter

Dec 02, 2006 · Articles · 2 minute read

"42nd Street': Dissenting review

It’s one thing for a musical to hire singers who can’t act well, or actors who sing poorly. But this production employed singers who don’t even want to act, and actors who perform like they don’t enjoy singing.

42nd Street. Music by Harry Warren; lyrics by Al Dubin; book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble. Directed by Charles Abbott; choreographed by Mary Jane Houdina. Through January 7, 2007 at Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut St. (215) 574-35

Jim Rutter

Dec 02, 2006 · Articles · 2 minute read

"42nd Street' at the Walnut (1st review)

42nd Street at the Walnut is a marriage made in heaven: a rare case of a large theater company choosing a compatible vehicle and lavishing its huge resources wisely. You don’t laugh out loud too often, but it’s a stubborn curmudgeon indeed who won’t have a smile on his face throughout this production.

42nd Street. Music by Harry Warren; lyrics by Al Dubin; book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble. Directed by Charles Abbott; choreographed by

Dan Rottenberg

Nov 16, 2006 · Articles · 3 minute read

"QED' at Lantern Theater

As the Nobel physicist Richard Feynman, Peter DeLaurier captures the intensity and sheer zest for living that Feynman exhibited throughout his life. And director Kathryn Nocero modulates the impact of DeLaurier’s performance with impeccable timing. But actor and director are ill served by Peter Parnell’s one-dimensional script, which fails to capture the magnitude of this remarkable man’s life.

QED. By Peter Parnell, directed by Kathryn Nocero. Lantern The

Jim Rutter

Nov 15, 2006 · Articles · 3 minute read

"Zoo Story' at Society Hill Playhouse

A good cast can’t rescue a dated play or mask the misogyny at the heart of Edward Albee’s work.

The Zoo Story. By Edward Albee; directed by Steven Wright. Through November 18, 2006 at Society Hill Playhouse, 507 South Eighth St. www.societyhillplayhouse.org.

Robert Zaller

Nov 07, 2006 · Articles · 3 minute read

InterAct's "Kiss of the Spider Woman'

After a generation of multi-media treatment, Puig’s two revolutionary cellmates are no longer all that revolutionary. Which means that what was once the inspiring experience of sharing their enlightened company has now become stale and hackneyed.

Kiss of the Spider Woman. By Manuel Puig, with a translation by Allan Baker; directed by Seth Rozin. InterAct Theatre Co. production through November 19, 2006 at Adrienne Theatre,, 2030 Sansom St. (215) 568-8079 or

Dan Rottenberg

Oct 26, 2006 · Articles · 2 minute read