Ah what treasures Central Park’s Delacorte Theatre does hold! The renowned actor Al Pacino is starring in the Public Theater’s staging of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice as Shylock, a viscous vindictive Jew in the Bard’s tricky tragicomedy tale. Directed by the predictably safe Daniel Sullivan the production features a top notch cast that includes an often radiant Lily Rabe, Bryon Jennings and Hamish Linklater along with a sturdy ensemble of accomplished actors. If Sullivan’s production offers little more than a literal interpretation of the text short on nuance and devoid of emotional layers, the actors nonetheless display a commanding flair for Shakespeare’s lush language and the stark revolving black metal staging with the sumptuous park backdrop is a visual delight.

While the Mennonite folk Sherie Rene Scott left behind and refers to in her new musical Everyday Rapture may still be waiting for the title's religious occurrence, the blonde, long-limbed, angel-voiced diva is the embodiment of that rapture at the American Airlines Theatre. Her musical co written with her director Dick Scanlan is a captivating delight.

Kelsey GrammerDouglas HodgeJerry Herman’s dazzling musical La Cage Aux Folles is back on Broadway starring five-time Emmy Award winner Kelsey Grammer making his Broadway debut as Georges opposite the acclaimed British actor Douglas Hodge reprising his Olivier Award winning role as the drag queen Albin. The two make a nice match as the gay owners of a nightclub on the French Riviera, where Albin performs as Zaza in the glitzy drag revue, which goes on nightly in their downstairs club. The intimate heartfelt production directed by Terry Johnson with bold style began life at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London in late 2007 winning rave reviews before moving to the West End. Now La Cage is a New York treat worth savoring.

  In ‘American Idiot John Gallagher  is Broadway’s New Antihero
          By: Isa Goldberg
There’s a tsunami erupting on the stage of the St. James Theatre. Bodies are hurtling; fever is raging; casualties are reported. Call it just another rock opera, call it imperfect, call it what you will, but “American Idiot” announces a break from the predictability of typical Broadway musicals.

Nathan Lane, Bebe Neuwirth        By: Patrick Christiano
From audience reaction the new musical The Addams Family, based on the beloved cartoon characters created by Charles Addams for the “New Yorker” magazine in 1938, is destined to be a long running smash hit.  With the opening strains of the overture we hear the spectators clapping and snapping along with Vic Mizzy’s familiar theme song from the cult classic television show.

Photo: Pascal VictorBy: Patrick Christiano
Love Is My Sin presented by Theatre for a new Audience in the intimate Duke Theater on 42nd Street is a truly haunting experience. The great English director Peter Brooks (probably best known to American audiences for his films “Lord of the Flies,” Marat/Sade,” and ‘King Lear’) has conceived and adapted 31 of Shakespeare's sonnets into a magnificently potent brew of romantic exchanges performed by his wife Natasha Parry and Michael Pennington.

Catherine Zeta-Jones
With her name above the title at Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones makes  for great box office in the entertaining revival of Stephen Sondheim’s  A Little Night Music.  The screen beauty plays Desiree, the fading actress at the center of the elegant classic.  If her glamorous presence is not exactly a perfect fit, she generates enough star power in the Trevor Nunn production to pack the houses in spite of the evening’s shortcomings.

Race, sex and rock ‘n roll are a powerful combination in the new Broadway musical Memphis written by David Bryan, and Joe DiPietro. The sizzling new musical is a sheer delight and somewhat of a surprise with no star headliners, but don’t tell these passionate performers. The cast is an absolute knock out!

The songs by Bryan, Bon Jovi’s lead keyboardist, are a nice mix of R&B, soul, period pop, gospel and easy listening that make for a captivating blend.  Last season Bryan joined forces off-Broadway with DiPietro on the winning musical The Toxic Avenger and here with Memphis they have improved their winning stride with a love story that takes us to the smoky underground clubs of segregated 1950 Memphis and the birth of an era.

Director Stephen Daldry’s Billy Elliot the Musical, based on his beloved 2000 movie, about a boy in a small mining town, who discovers his love for ballet, is simply sensational. Without a doubt the best musical we have seen in years, a truly inspired work of magic. Every element of Daldry’s meticulously thought out transfer from celluloid to stage has been brought to brilliant musical fruition and the dancing is spectacular. The result is an electrifying big, bold, socially relevant Broadway musical told with real heart and soul.

                 By Patrick Christiano
The York Theater Company’s new musical, YANK! set during World War II weaves a compelling romantic tale about two gay servicemen long before the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy.  Openly gay brothers, Joseph Zellnik (music) and David Zellnik (book & lyrics), have created a musical in the old fashioned style of the period, which echoes shades of pop music from the era, while crafting a timely tale that delves into questions of prejudice, courage and survival.