Friday 5: Favorite Off-Broadway Theaters - The Institutions

Favorite Off-Broadway Theaters

(The Institutions)

A couple of Fridays ago, we shared our 5 favorite "stand alone" off-Broadway theaters - those individual theaters, non-subscription based, quirky spaces (HERE). Today, we we share our 5 favorite off-Broadway institutions, part of a theater company, or multi-faceted entertainment juggernauts.

Atlantic Theater Company

This nifty space used to be a church. The outside and surrounding area is charming for the middle of Manhattan. I've been there a few times, including the intriguingly odd "mod" musical These Paper Bullets (above, left). It was interesting and strange. And I got to stand about 2 feet away from BillieJoe Armstrong, one of the show's writers and member of Green Day of Amrican Idiot fame. Over the years, ATC has been the birthplace of some of my favorite musicals, including Kimberly Akimbo and The Band's Visit. But I consider myself most fortunate to have seen the off-Broadway premiere of Spring Awakening (above, right). The space was so perfect for it, that when the show transferred to Broadway, they recreated it down to the last detail!

 

Classic Stage Company

Hard to believe they can do so much in such a small space! It is unassuming from the get go - it's really easy to walk right by it as you go down the street. I've been there several times, and have been impressed every single time. One of my favorite shows there was the rarely performed Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Allegro, starring one of my favorite performers, Claybourne Elder (above, right). I've also seen a trio of Sondheim shows - all relatively rarely performed: Passion with Melissa Errico, Ryan Silverman and Judy Kuhn, Pacific Overtures (above, left) with George Takei, Thom Sesma and Ann Harada, and Assassins with Ethan Slater, Will Swensen, Brandon Uranowitz, Steven Pasquale and Judy Kuhn. The caliber of performers and creatives make this small space a must-see as often as possible.

 

The Laura Pels Theatre - Roundabout Theatre Company

A somewhat conventional space, albeit "off-Broadway" size, here's another venue I always look forward to returning to (the stairs to get down to it - and back up - notwithstanding!). Two Fiasco Theater Company productions that we caught there were real standouts: Into the Woods (above, right) and Merrily We Roll Along, both performed by tiny casts playing multiple roles. Their minimalist approach forces creativity, and both productions were all the better for it. We also really enjoyed the all-star production of Maury Yeston's Death Takes a Holiday, (above, left) including stellar performances from Julian Ovendon and the late Rebecca Luker. As of this writing, we are very much looking forward to seeing the new musical The Heart at this venue.

 

The Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater - Lincoln Center Theater

With the resources of Lincoln Center, this venue is really lovely, a sort of miniature version of the gargantuan Vivian Beaumont Theater upstairs. Over the years, I've seen a wide-variety of amazing productions - each one daring, thought-provoking and envelope-pushing. Among my favorites there have been LaChiusa's Hello, Again, with Donna Murphy and Carolee Carmello (above, left), a play, Twelve Dreams, the subway musical, Happiness with Joanna Gleason, the commedia del arte musical, The Glorious Ones with Marc Kudisch, and most recently, another LaChiusa musical, The Gardens of Anuncia, starring Priscilla Lopez (above, right). This is really one of my favorite theaters spaces of any size.

 

Playwrights Horizons

This venerable institution sits in the center of the 43nd Street block known as Theater Row. Home to decades worth of world premieres, its production history is a who's who of award-winning modern classics. Famously, it produced the world premieres of both Sunday in the Park with George and Assassins, not to mention shows like Violet, Grey Gardens, Floyd Collins, all three one acts of the Falsettos trilogy, A Strange Loop, and plays like Stereophonic and Clybourne Park. I've been fortunate to have seen a variety of new musicals there including adaptation of the independent films Saved (above, right) with Celia Keenan-Bolger, Julia Murney and a new actor named Aaron Tveit, and Far From Heaven (above, left) starring Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale.

OBCR Review: Floyd Collins

I've been a fan of Adam Guettel's score of Floyd Collins ever since a friend gave me the off-Broadway cast recording years ago. I found it so intriguing that at the time I did a deep dive into the history of the events of Floyd's entrapment in the Great Sand Cave, and I found the score so enthralling that I nearly wore out that CD. Of course, I never did see that original production - it wasn't around nearly as long as it deserved to be - and so I spent each listen imagining how it must have looked and how I might have staged it.

Needless to say, the minute a Broadway revival was announced, including some updates and revisions to the score, book and staging (the latter two by Tina Landau), I couldn't wait to get tickets and finally see it. I was not disappointed. (My review of that production is HERE.)

Original Broadway Cast Recording:

Floyd Collins (2025)

Label: Center Stage Records

Number: CSR-CD32525

Packaging: Bi-fold cardstock; single disc

Booklet: 34 pages, full color; includes full credits, liner notes and complete lyrics; 14 full-color production stills. A QR code is included for further details about the production and the history of Floyd Collins.

The Packaging and Booklet: 

Old school though it may be, I am so glad it was released on CD. I'm all for reducing waste, with the cardstock packaging instead of the plastic jewel case. In fact I prefer it - it takes up a lot less space. And the booklet is everything you could ask for, with full production credits (including the list of orchestra members - stars in their own right), brief (but useful) production notes, as well as a nifty QR code which takes you to even more information. I also love having the full lyrics - not because they are hard to understand when you are listening (plus I have it pretty much memorized!), but because it is nice to remember which characters sang which lines. But my favorite part of the booklet is the inclusion of over a dozen full-color, crystal clear production photos.

The Orchestra:

In the theater, the Lincoln Center Orchestra sounded glorious, and here they sound just as amazing, maybe even a little better. The sound on this recording is so pristine, that each individual instrument can be heard distinctly. It is especially appropos when the music calls for loneliness, a solitude for the man trapped in the cave, but also for those quiet moments of introspection for the characters above ground. And when called for - those moments of triumph and brief moments of hope, the full orchestral sound is so lush and full-bodied, it gave me chills. Under the perfection of Ted Sperling's accomplished baton, the 14 piece ensemble does full justice to Guettel's score and Bruce Coughlin's evocative orchestrations. This is a beautiful rendering from first note to last. 

The Performances:

The entire company sounds terrific in each number; when they sing together it sounds glorious. But the real treat of this recording is in the details. Each actor brings a full characterization to snippets of spoken dialog as well as in their singing.  Devoid of any modern pop stylings, the listener is treated to a score that is as wonderfully acted as it is sung. I especially enjoyed the folksy yet urgent vocals of the townsmen in "'Tween a Rock" as sung by Wade McCollum, Cole Vaughan and Clyde Voce, and the juxtaposition of the contrasting more urbane style of Dwayne Cooper, Jeremy Davis and Charlie Franklin as the Reporters in "Is That Remarkable?"

The soloists, here, as in the theater, are top-notch. As Floyd's family and neighbor, both Marc Kudisch and Jessica Molaskey bring such raw emotion to their songs it is impossible not to be moved. And there aren't enough words to describe the beauty of Lizzy McAlpine's debut turn as Floyd's sister, Nellie. I get emotional at just the thought of her number, "Through the Mountains."  If all you had to go by is Taylor Trensch's solo number, "I Landed on Him," you'd fully appreciate his much-deserved Tony nomination. What a singular performance! And you'd be as mystified as I was that Jason Gotay wasn't Tony-nominated. His charm, warmth and massive sense of regret comes shining through in every song he sings, particularly in his Act One closing duet, "The Riddle," when he and his brother tell each other puzzles to pass the time and to keep their spirits up.

I don't think Jeremy Jordan has ever sounded better than he does here. It's like the role was written for his voice, and the spirit of Floyd Collins himself has taken over his body. From those powerful yodels to the soaring heights of his final number, "How Glory Goes," Jordan goes way beyond his comfortable "leading man" wheelhouse, and gives the performance of his career to date. That he achieves such depth of character while singing his guts out is a truly remarkable thing.

I can't recommend this recording highly enough. Whether you saw the show or not, if you enjoy musical theater that is both engaging and challenging, this is one to add to your collection for sure.

Grade: A+ 

 

Broadway Who's Who: Heidi Blickenstaff

I remember the day I first saw Heidi Blickenstaff. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon, and we were waiting for the matinee of this quirky new show off-Broadway, [title of show]. I knew nothing about it other than it was about creating a musical and was performed by the people who created this. Very meta. I loved it from the start - I felt a super-relatability with the piece. All four cast members were terrific, but I was instantly smitten with Heidi, a sweet combination of self-deprecation, self-awareness, and a belty sass with a heart. I knew right then that I'd scan every casting announcement for her name and would do everything I could to see her.

Broadway Who's Who:

Heidi Blickenstaff

In the years since that first time, I've come to realize that I'd seen her before, including her Broadway debut in The Full Monty, and later in the same show during its national tour. Like any Who's Who, she's a hard working and varied professional. Her performances really run that gamut - swing/understudy, ensemblist, supporting roles and lead roles. She's created roles and replaced other times. No matter what, she delivers - when you see her name on the cast list, you just know you are in for a treat.

Did you know?

• Birthdate: December 28
• College: Duke University
• National Tour Credits: 5 - including Dreamgirls, The Full Monty (twice!), Jekyll and Hyde, and Jagged Little Pill

Off-Broadway/Regional Credits: including [title of show], Now. Here. This., Freaky Friday, The Most Happy Fella, Meet John Doe, Next to Normal, The Heart

Now. Here. This. (2012)

As Heidi, in this sequel to [title of show]

The Most Happy Fella (2014)

As Cleo, in this Encores! presentation at New York City Center

The Heart (2025-2026)

As Claire, regional world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse, off-Broadway premiere at the Laura Pels 

Broadway Credits: 6 - including The Full Monty, The Little Mermaid, [title of show], The Addams Family, Something Rotten! and Jagged Little Pill

The Full Monty (2001)

As Susan Hershey (replacement)

The Little Mermaid (2008)

As Carlotta (original cast), then as Ursula (replacement)

 

[title of show] (2008)

As Heidi (original cast, Broadway transfer)

The Addams Family (2011)

As Alice Beineke (replacement)

 

Something Rotten! (2015)

As Bea (original cast)

 

Jagged Little Pill (2021)

As Mary Jane Healy (replacement)