Eye On the Arts

New York, New York September 25, 2022-- Hysteria stars in the energetic musical parody Stranger Sings . For those who are devotees of Stranger Things , the Netflix sci-fi thriller pinned to a cast of teenagers, a mother, sheriff, girl with supernatural abilities and oh yea, a monster -- Stranger Sings nails the "upside down" and "right-side-up" mayhem. Adhering to the serial's characters and early plot lines, the effervescent cast's talent and ingenuity conspire in sourcing an evening of entertainment all will enjoy, regardless of familiarity with the original. In fact, without any previous knowledge of the series, my date howled at all the overwrought characters including the mother, Joyce (Caroline Kennedy), the tough/ softie Sheriff Hopper (Shawn W. Smith); forever hunky Steve (Garrett Paladian) intensely committed to his "great" hair and chick magnetism; the overlooked "friend" Barb (a knockout singer, SLee); supernatural Eleven

New York, New York September 1, 2022-- How to know? Really, how does one know the difference a single person makes to a production? That question will only be answered should I make it back to see Kinky Boots with Callum Francis instead of his excellent understudy, Nick Drake. A choreographer, dance captain and dancer of note, Nick Drake grabs center stage in the Kinky Boots revival at Stage 42. Surrounded by an exuberant cast, Lola (Drake) negotiates some truly tricky choreography on Empire State Building high heels over conveyor belts, staircases and multi-level platforms. Director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell effectively prunes Harvey Fierstein's book boosting the drama, spiking Cyndi Lauper's catchy score and amping up the dancing. Shoemaker and store owner, the senior Mr. Price (Ryan Halsaver) who loves shoes and his workforce, loses market share to competitors producing much cheaper product. Originally uninterested in extending the family business, Price