music-all

Luke Sheppard directs Harvey Fierstein's play, the second of his shows to open in London this week - 17 Sep 2015 by Editorial Staff in Reviews.

Joseph Adler’s illuminating direction and superb performances deliver a powerful version of Harvey Fierstein’s Broadway play.

"Back in 1962, most men went to the Catskill Mountains to escape the summer heat, but others took the two-hour drive to escape something else entirely: being men," press notes state. "Nestled in the land of dirty dancing and borscht belt comedy sat an inconspicuous bungalow colony that catered to a very special clientele: heterosexual men whose favorite pastime was dressing and acting as women. It was paradise for these men — white-collar professionals with families — to spend their weekends discreetly and safely inhabiting their chosen female alter egos. But when faced with the opportunity to become an official organization, these 'self-made women' had to decide whether public recognition would help them gain a place in open society or spell their own personal disaster."

The new play by the writer of musical 'Kinky Boots' proves static and superficial, but benefits from an excellent ensemble directed by Joe Mantello.

Harvey Fiestein's Casa Valentina is to have its European Premiere at the Southwark Playhouse in September 2015.

The Tony-nominated play joins the Pasadena Playhouse's 2015-16 season.

Newsies, the surprise hit musical from Disney Theatricals that opened on Broadway in 2012, is quitting while it's ahead, ending its run of just over 1,000 performances at the Nederlander Theatre on August 24 before going on a national tour.

Acclaimed illustrator Ken Fallin's drawings of the greatest stars and scenes of the theatrical world are a recurring part of Playbill.com.

“The biggest thing I learned is that there’s no such thing as normal,” proclaimed Harvey Fierstein, talking about his new hit play “Casa Valentina,” based on the true story of a group of heterosexual-identified, married, mostly white collar men in the early ‘60s who gathered on weekends at a resort in the Catskill Mountains in New York, where they would dress as women among themselves. “You call yourself 'heterosexual' but that doesn’t mean you’re normal. These gentleman, they called themselves fempersonators, and sometimes transvestites.”