NEW YORK, NY – The Longacre Theater, whose name harkens to the original name of Times Square, is apropos for a play that longs to capture the most famous basketball rivalry of the 1980s, Larry Bird and his Celts to Magic Johnson and the Lakers. Sports aficionados will appreciate the sometimes-humorous caricatures that were made out of Magic and Bird and their sometimes-overzealous fans. “A Lakers fan walks into a bar…” is made real here, especially when the bar is in Boston. But the play’s producers, who have brought sports to Broadway before, reveal what may have been an equal intent of the play: to paint a picture not only of...

WESTCHESTER, NY – The new musical, Hairspray, currently playing at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, has something for everyone.  It is a light-hearted story that tackles some very serious issues.  It validates the concept that if one perseveres long enough, success will be met.  Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.  And, reminds us all, that we are equal, regardless of skin color. The musical’s road to Broadway was a long and winding one.  It began as a cult film by John Waters in 1988, with Rikki Lake in the title role of the pleasingly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad.  The late drag queen, Divine, played her mother....

WESTCHESTER, NY – Actress Reese Witherspoon rocketed to stardom, in 2001, in the box office hit movie ‘Legally Blonde.’  Admittedly, I did not see the film.  So, when I recently saw the opening night performance of ‘Legally Blonde: The Musical’ at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, I came in with no preconceived opinions of the show. But, I was completely won over by this brisk and bouncy musical, that tells the story that many of us can relate to. An underdog, facing indomitable obstacles, can succeed if he or she puts her mind to it. As the musical begins, we meet Elle Woods (Kelly Felthous) who is a Southern...

WESTCHESTER, NY – Springtime is just around the corner.  The old adage tells us that Spring is the season in which a young man’s fancy turns to love. The Westchester Broadway Theatre is currently showcasing Ray Roderick’s “S Wonderful”  The show is a musical tribute to two giants of the American Musical Theatre, George (1898-1937)  and Ira Gershwin (1896-1983). Mr. Roderick conceived, wrote and directed this production, which takes us on a musical journey across the United States and Europe, covering a span from 1928 to the present. Along the way, the audience is re-introduced to the Gershwins’ most...

On March 15, 16, and 17th eighteen women from all over Rockland County will be performing monologues about vaginas. The approximately hour and a half performance is part of a worldwide movement to end violence against women and girls and is a part of V-Day. The women span in age from 18 to approximately 65. The facilitator, Arielle Bareket, grew up in Suffern and her Dad is a gynecologist in Tallman. Arielle’s Mom, Kathryn, is a mother of three daughters and a son. The word vagina was used hundreds of time in their home over the years. After using the word so much at home, she thought it would be fun to say the word repeatedly on stage and...

WESTCHESTER, NY – A gala evening was had by all at the ‘official’ opening night performance of ‘Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ at the Westchester Broadway Theatre on Friday evening, February 3. The evening started off with the management and staff of the WBT giving a fond farewell and salute to its Executive Chef Tony Dinis who has been with the WBT since the theatre first opened its doors in July of 1974. Kicking off the start of Black History Month, and the impact that this powerfully packed, emotionally filled musical tells, News 12 anchor Brian Conybeare took to the microphone and...