A Lookback in The Year on Broadway.

Robert Massimi writes for: Metropolitan Magazine, New York Lifestyles Magazine, Nimbus Magazine, My Life Publications and Times Square Chronicles.

As we look back on the year ending on Broadway, all in all it was a sucess... not because the shows were all great, they weren't. Broadway was a success because it opened back up; the starved people for live entertainment came flooding back to see live theater. Ni Li at the Rattlestick was my first show back; followed by I Squeezed Really Hard. My first Broadway show was Six; this show was a really good upbeat production. Unfortunately, my next show was Passover. Passover was probably one of the worst shows that I have ever seen on Broadway. Laced with curse words and lacking a plot, this show was awful. Chicken and Biscuits was a little better, it was more like a sit-com than a play. Fortunately, Michael Urie was able to carry this weak plot throughout the performance. Caroline, or change too was awful. Tony Kushner wrote a bomb here at Studio 54. Lacking in depth or vigor this show was terrible. The best of the year was The Lehman Trilogy. The staging, acting and direction were head and shoulders above anything on Broadway. Even though Lackawanna Blues had high accolades I thought this show was fair at best. Even the good acting could not make up for the weak storyline.

As time went on and Broadway settled into its old routine, we saw a very good Mrs. Doubtfire. Even the misunderstood Flying Over Sunset was very good in that it had fantastic staging and great singing (songs not always so great). Off Broadway had some clunkers. The Visitor, Akimbo and Is There Still Sex in The City as well as Fairy Cakes were weak in plot, silly at times and not memorable whatsoever. Assassins was the one many were waiting for with its big cast. This Assassins, however, missed its greatness due to the lack of shock effect. In past productions through the years, it had high marks; this one fell short.

War Words at the Intrepid was awful. Poor direction with some weak actors brought down the rest of the talented ones. The story itself was underwhelming. While the decision was split, I like Mornings at Seven. An oldie but a goodie was produced by St. Clements. The Richard Nixon play at the same theater with Rich Little was a waste of time. The story wasn't anything to get excited about and neither was the direction. Kathleen Turner at Town Hall was probably the most excruciating thing I ever had to sit through. Not only is Turner a horrible singer, but we also had to listen to her political bantering all evening. The Alchemist like Mornings at Seven had a split decision as far as likeability among critics, it had a wider audience liking. A good cast and set made this pleasurable. Cheek to Cheek was fantastic effort by the York Theatre Company. Company was by far one of my favorites. Although the lead had a weak voice, she was an excellent actor. The sets and acting with strong direction came in right behind Lehman Trilogy and Doubtfire. The three were the best thing new on Broadway. Six too was memorable like the aforementioned three.

With The Music Man, MJ The Musical, American Buffalo and others slated to open soon, we anticipate a strong year coming. MacBeth maybe the one to see this year though. Daniel Craig brings this show to where Diana ran for a short time and rightfully so. Diana was a bad story and uninspiring. Greg Kinner will step in as Aticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Although Broadway was inconsistent, off Broadway was more so. Surprisingly enough, off off Broadway was not that big of a disaster. Before Covid, off off was really struggling to bring anything meaningful to the stage. Plays and musicals were rushed forward without any thought or reason for doing so. Even The Public and NYTW brought some pretty bad plays out. La MAMA too was guilty of this as well.

The new year may be a recipe for great theater. Let's hope!