Friday 5: 5 Female Performances to Look Forward to This Spring

5 Female Performances

to Look Forward to This Spring

Just like last week's picks for male performances (HERE), the hardest part of today's Friday 5 was narrowing down to just 5 performances! There's quite a mix here. A favorite performer, a couple of exciting debuts and a pair that I'm excited to finally see after years of missing them!

McKenzie Kurtz (Betsy - Schmigadoon!)

I absolutely adored her star turn as the meanest Heather in Heathers: The Musical. So I know she's terrific at dark humor and satire. Now I know exactly nothing about Schmigadoon! or her part in it, but if those crazy ads are any indication, it looks like she's great at parody and innuendo, too. I can't wait to find out!

Juliette Lewis (Magenta - The Rocky Horror Show)

I've been a fan of Ms. Lewis for years. She is a quirky queen! My favorite performance of hers was in the touching film, The Other Sister. I can only imagine how quirky and fun she will be as Magenta in Rocky Horror! I expect her to be fully committed and exciting in her Broadway debut!

Marla Mindelle (Celine Dion - Titanique)

It has been several years since I've enjoyed the comedy and musical stylings of Ms. Mindelle. Memorable in both Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella (as a wicked step sister!) and Sister Act (as novice Mary Robert!), I'm excited to see her perform again, but I am so thrilled to see her acclaimed show as creator and writer of the show. It's wonderful when people you admire have all their dreams come true, isn't it?

"Tempress" Chastity Moore (Grizabella - Cats: The Jellicle Ball)

One of the great musical roles, Grizabella doesn't get much stage time, but what an impact! Some great ladies have taken on the Glamour Cat, and I have no doubt Ms. Moore will be brilliant! I'm especially looking forward to see how this kitty's fate will play out in this Ballroom take on the Broadway classic. And I hear "Tempress" is already an icon. We love an icon.

Jessica Vosk (Cee Cee Bloom - Beaches)

Ms. Vosk is one of those actresses I've heard about for years, but have somehow always managed to miss. For that reason alone, she belongs on this list. But what I'm looking forward to seeing is just how she will fill the shoes of the creator of the role, Bette Midler. It'll be tough - Midler was terrific - but I never underestimate the potential of a Broadway diva in the making!

From Where We Sat: New York City Center (House Right Mezzanine

Today, we have the next in our series of seating articles based on many of your emails requests and questions, namely "how were your seats?" Sure, I'm aware of another website that provides a similar service that covers New York theaters, national theaters and concert and sporting venues. I hope to provide a bit more information and insight. That said, if there's anything more you'd like to know or want to share your own experiences please feel free to contact us on social media at JKsTheatreScene.

From Where We Sat:

New York City Center - Main Stage

(House Right Mezzanine)

The Theatre: 

• 131 W. 55th Street
• Current capacity: 2257 seats
• Orchestra, Grand Tier, Mezzanine and Balcony seating

What We Saw There:

• The Wild Party (review HERE)

Where We Sat: 

• Mezzanine Row C, Seats 14 & 16. All of the seating in this theater has above average leg room. The seats themselves were comfortable and in excellent condition.

What We Paid: 

• $69.00 (Today Tix discount price)

The Location: 

• Upon entering the theater, we were directed to the right headed toward the mezzanine level. It is about 2 floors up. There is a large staircase near an added benefit: the merch stand and hearing device station are right next to an elevator to all floors. 
• Row C is the fourth row from the front of the section, which is directly behind the 5 row Grand Tier section.

Seat Amenities:

• In addition to legroom, these seats offer additional comfort.
• The rows of the mezzanine seating are semi-stadium style, so there is no problem seeing over the person in front of you.
• Exiting the theatre is simple. From here, the exit doors are just a few feet away in either direction, and with the wide hallways that lead back to the spacious lobby, there is virtually no delay in filing out. Similarly, the staircases are wide and allow for a steady stream of egress. Finally, as mentioned above there are elevators, but the lines are long to use them. Going down the stairs is much easier than going up, so that's how we exited.
• We were out of the theater and on our way in less than 5 minutes post curtain call.
• The restrooms are on only one side of the theater at this level. As you might guess, the lines are long before a show with no intermission.

So how was the view*?

• We had a full view of the action, including the front of the stage and upstage.
• The seats were not too far off center, and with the rake of the seats, we were pretty much seeing it fully, with the actors in view from head to toe at all times. I don't think people in the orchestra seating on the extreme sides or too close to the tall stage can say the same. The way this production was staged, I'm pretty sure we didn't miss anything on the extreme upstage left portion of the playing space.
• The seats are also close enough that facial expressions and set and costume details were clear.

The bottom line:

• I would choose these specifically. The view is perfect, and they are comfortable.

* - Your seating preferences may vary, of course. And these seats may not be as ideal for a different production.

Other seating at New York City Center - Main Stage

• We have seen several productions at this theater - all Encores! musicals - and we've sat in various locations in the mezzanine and balcony areas. Everywhere we sat afforded a full view of the stage.
• A couple of times, we sat in the center front balcony section. The seats had a fair amount of leg room. You could see the whole stage at once, but it is pretty far from the stage, so you don't really see the details and facial expressions. They are great for the budget conscious. One important note: these seats are at the top of a tall theater, so there are many flights of stairs. There are elevators, but as mentioned earlier, they have limited capacity, so it may take awhile to get up there that way.
• The view from the mezzanine is very good, no matter the location and it feels relatively close to the stage. The leg room is great and the stadium style seating creates full, unobstructed views. There is a rear section that is center, and those seats offer slightly more leg room. That said, while you do have a clear view of the stage from there, you are aware of the balcony overhang. The price difference in these seats may make sitting there a great economic choice, if that's an issue for you.

To read about the view from center mezzanine at New York City Center, click/tap HERE.

 

The JKTS Fan Playlist 22-23 Season: Round 5: Bad Cinderella, Shucked and New York New York

 The JKTS Fan Playlist 22-23 Season:

Bad Cinderella, Shucked & New York New York

Each week, we'll create a survey of all the songs from 3 or 4 shows, and you'll select your 3 favorites from each show (only 3, please!). At the end of the week, we'll tally your choices and the top three from each show will go on to the next round, and so on until we've created a Fan Favorite "Playlist" of one song from each show. 

Up first is the 2022-2023 season, which had 6 musical revivals and 9 new musicals. The final 3 new musicals that opened that season, Bad Cinderella, Shucked and New York New York are on this week's survey. 

• Complete the survey by selecting up to three songs from each show. When you are done, you must tap the SUBMIT button for it to count.
• PLEASE NOTE: It may ask you for an email address to verify you are a real person, but it is NOT collecting your data
• If you would rather, you can email us: jktheatrescene@yahoo.com. Put Playlist Round 3 in the subject line. Then name the show and each of your choices.


Have fun and thank you for playing!

Review: The Wild Party

Review of the Sunday, March 29, 2026 matinee performance at New York City Center - Main Stage. Starring Jasmine Amy Rogers, Jordan Donica, Adrienne Warren, Tonya Pinkins, Jelani Alladin, Wesley J. Barnes, Joseph A. Byrd, Claybourne Elder, KJ Hippensteel, Andrew Kober, Lesli Margherita, Evan Tyrone Martin, Betsy Morgan, Meghan Murphy and Maya Rowe. Music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa. Book by Michael John LaChiusa and George C. Wolfe. Based on the poem by Joseph Moncure March. Orchestrations by Bruce Coughlin. Scenic design by Arnel Sancianco. Costume design by Linda Cho. Lighting design by Justin Townsend. Sound design by Alex Neumann. Choreography by Katie Spelman. Direction by Lili-Anne Brown. 2 hours with no intermission. This was the production's final performance.

"How's about a wild party?" snarls Burrs, a black-face vaudevillian with an even blacker heart. And damn, did City Center's Encores! deliver one hell of a Wild Party. As March's poem - and Michael John LaChiusa's brilliant and woefully underrated musical - promises, there's enough gin, skin and sin and this thrilling production to ignite every single one of your senses and then some. Having seen (and adored) the original Broadway production, I'll admit a certain amount of skepticism as to how this take would measure up. I'm a little surprised but pleased to say that I found this to be the superior of the two.

With LaChiusa's red hot jazz score thrives with a jarring pulse played by the Encores Orchestra under the baton  of Daryl Waters. The book, by LaChiusa and George C. Wolfe is as sinister and sexy as always, but now with a somewhat more dangerous vitality, it comes to life under the very tight, tense and claustrophobic direction of Lili-Anne Brown. An acclaimed regional director, Brown makes her New York debut with this show. What a debut! Like the poem upon which the show is based, her direction provides an ever-evolving living tableau of a microcosm of the American Jazz Age, and its decadence, excess and too little too late regret. There is much to look at in the sharply focused main action of each scene, while what is going on in the background offers a feast for those looking for more depth. Choreographer Katie Spelman adds both to the staging and controlled chaos of the era with sharp dance numbers and movements that facilitate a deeper understanding of the subtext. There's a lot going on here, most of it the uglier side of humanity, and it is nearly impossible not to get swept up in it all.

The design team perfectly captures, in visual terms, the themes of the source material, the commentary of the book and lyrics, and the concept of this presentation. All of the elements are impressive, but for me the biggest stand out is Justin Townsend's smoldering lighting, as impressive for what it shows us as for what it hides. What goes on in the shadows he creates are as illuminating as those bathed in harsh, theatrical beams of light. Then there are the stunning costumes by acclaimed designer Linda Cho, who allows us to merely glance at this rogues gallery and know quite a bit about who these people really are. It should be noted, too, that the costume design is just as effective when each character strips down to varying degrees. Kudos, too, to the hair and wig design by Tom Watson.In short, they are brilliant. Finally, there is the unit set by Arnel Sancianco, a blazing red apartment with every room on view simultaneously, compact and flexible with many doors that allow the place to morph into different playing spaces, and yet, one cannot escape the feeling that we are watching increasingly broken, angry animals in a cage, each vying for places to be seen and places to hide.

The cast of 15 is uniformly superb, each bringing their considerable talents to create characters that are equal parts broad stereotypes and keenly specific studies of humanity in a world of excess and self-indulgence. Sound familiar? The company provides a cross-section of society that runs the racial, gender and economic gamut. Each has a desire, and each has something to hide. As budding Broadway producers in over their heads and struggling with their Jewish-ness, KJ Hippensteel and Andrew Kober play the unwitting rubes to a room full of vultures with a crazy lack of irony (a good thing, as they seem as surprised at how things turn out as we are as sure of it from the moment they enter.) Then there's the former chorine Mae who gave it all up to be the blonde trophy girl of the boxing champ, played to the hilt by the always wonderful Lesli Margherita, who almost breaks your heart when she realizes she made a huge mistake. With her is the aforementioned boxing champ, a slab of arrogant meat played by Evan Tyrone Martin, who matches Margherita jab for metaphorical jab. Maya Rowe completes this trio as the youthful Nadine, Mae's sister nearly blinded by her dreams of the lights of Broadway. What happens to this character is troubling at best, and Miss Rowe handles her steady decline with an alarming dexterity.

On the sexual spectrum, we have lesbian stripper Miss Madelaine True (a robust and frank Meghan Murphy) and her sidekick/lover Sally, played by Betsy Morgan, who, in a mostly silent role, astonished with her unbelievable limberness - she makes Gumby seem stiff. (She also delivers the best exit line in 21st century musical theater!) Self-described as "ambi-sex-trous," there's Jackie, a guy who thrives in society as a people pleaser and clinger. He likes anything and anyone he can get his hands on. At first funny and charming, Claybourne Elder oozes and schmoozes with an endearing quality that takes increasingly darker turns as booze and coke begin to take their toll. His is ultimately a terrifying journey. Even by today's standards the incestuous relationship on full display is a shocking one, as Wesley J. Barnes and Joseph Anthony Byrd take on the roles of the Brothers D'Armano. The thin veneer of their four hands piano-playing act becomes even thinner as they are unafraid to display their affections - and frightening jealousies - in front of the other guests.

Original Broadway cast member Tonya Pinkins is back, this time as aging, but still glorious Delores Montoya, a woman who has been there, done that and holds all of her knowledge close to the vest, ready for one more shot at the spotlight. Like the true diva she is, both Delores and Ms. Pinkins know how to command a stage just by standing there. Every moment she is there is to be savored, and the audience lapped it up like cream. Brava!

As Queenie's best friend. Kate, with razor sharp claws (think Mame and Vera, only uber-vicious) Adrienne Warren is a dazzling presence, a singer/dancer/actress of a caliber that is rarely seen. What a thrill to see her grow yet again. Kate brings with her a hot man, a "moocher," to purposely stir up trouble. His name is an enigma - Black - and he is played with a suavity and cool detachment by Jelani Alladin. He's pretty amazing, and completely the opposite of his most famous role to date (Kristoff in Frozen). This kind of range bodes well, and I am already looking forward to whatever he does next! Of note, his sensuous duet with Rogers, "People Like Us," is a highlight of the evening.

As much as The Wild Party is a true ensemble piece, the success of it all surely rests on the performances of Queenie and Burrs, a co-dependent pair of nearly spent vaudevillians - she's a dancer, he's a black-face clown. This production has found the perfect pair in Jasmine Amy Rogers and Jordan Donica. Their palpable chemistry is all the more mesmerizing as they spar and abuse each other to the point of mutual destruction. Donica is violent and vicious as described, and downright scary as he writhes and seethes, literally spitting out his anger pain. And, Ms. Rogers is everything I've read about her and so much more. The role fits her like a glove, and her presence is like that of only Broadway's most famous divas. For my money, they are giving the leading performances of the season. All four of these main performers - Rogers, Donica, Warren and Alladin - give me great hope for the future of Broadway.

This is the best Encores! production I think I've seen, which is really saying something given their success with such challenging shows as Titanic, The Light in the Piazza and The Most Happy Fella. This is one party I am so glad I didn't miss.

📸: J. Marcus

Broadway Musical Logos: 2025-2026 Season: Beaches

Broadway Musical Logos:

2025-2026 Season: 

Beaches

Sometimes, a show's logo hits all the right notes and still somehow missed the mark. Such is the case with the logo for Beaches. 

It is attractive enough. Blue skies, sunny yellow,and of course, a sandy seaside beach serve a straightforward sans serif all caps font in a pleasant orange. the most creative aspects of it is that the distant shoreline is blurred as if in a memory, and sunbeams peek out between the letters. Even the tagline, "A Love Story About Friendship" doesn't quite pack the wallop I'm sure the producers think it might.

The horizontal version of the key art offers a bit more, but it really only means something significant if you are familiar with the film version. The two young girls with their back to us are dressed in outfits not unlike those worn by the child versions of characters made famous by Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. On the left is the red flapper dress worn by perpetual entertainer Cee Cee Bloom (the child played famously by a young Mayim Bialik), while on the right we have the sweetly prim Bertie in a dress to proper for the beach and pink ribbon in her hair.

Obviously, we are supposed to make the connection that this childhood friendship endures. I wonder why, for example, they didn't have the older adult versions of these characters on the other side of the logo? A lifelong love story about friendship, right?

Like I said, this is fine for what it is, and I imagine they'll make a killing on canvas beach bags/totes with that simple design printed on it. That's not enough if you ask me. It could have been so much more.

Grade: C

 

Friday 5: 5 Male Musical Performances to Look Forward To This Spring

Male Performances

to Look Forward to This Spring

The wonderful things about this list is that I didn't have to really stretch to pick 5. In fact, I narrowed the list down from 15! The 5 I settled on includes a full range - from a Broadway debut and a young actor growing up in front of our eyes to an emsemblist now in a featured roles and a long time favorite back after a few years. (And no worries, the ladies will get their due next week.) 

Max Clayton (Danny Bailey - Schmigadoon!)

In a cast list that reads like a who's who of current Broadway regulars, Max stands out to me as a performer I've enjoyed many times in terrific ensembles (Moulin Rouge!, Hello, Dolly!), and is now creating a supporting characters all his own. (We missed him when he went on for Hugh Jackman in The Music Man.) I wish him well, and look forward to watching him shine in a spotlight all his own.

Luke Evans (Frank-N-Furter - The Rocky Horror Show)

Ever since he wowed me as Gaston in the live action Beauty and the Beast, I've been hoping to see this guy on the Broadway stage. Wishes come true! As he dons the fishnets of the iconic transsexual from Transylvania, it'll be fun to see him be a little crazy and let loose - at least I hope he will. No matter how it turns out, it's such an honor to be there when a performer makes their Broadway debut.

Sydney James Harcourt (Rum Tum Tugger - Cats: The Jellicle Ball)

Somehow, despite his being in a couple of Broadway's biggest shows - Hamilton, American Idiot - we have missed him. And now I'm extra excited to see him play one of mega musical's most iconic roles in a way it has never been played before. I know I'm not alone in being thrilled to see this curious cat strut his stuff!

Benjamin Pajak (Sam Emerson - The Lost Boys)

Every few years, a young kid really dazzles in their Broadway debut, as this young man did in The Music Man. He was natural and wonderfully endearing. And now, he's in a teen-angsty role in a teen-angsty horror musical. I'm guessing it's a far cry from River City! But the real excitement is watching him grow up before our eyes. Like Nicholas Barasch before him, Benjamin Pajak is on his way!

John Riddle (Cal Hockley - Titanique)

I've been smitten with this guy since the first time I saw him as Young Anton in The Visit. He has a variety of talents from leading man suavity and cruel villainy to male ingenue and what I hope will be a silliness that not only sends up the Titanic film villain as well as a send up of the roles he's famous for playing! Plus, he's so darned handsome!

The JKTS Fan Playlist 22-23 Season: Round 4: KPOP, A Beautiful Noise, and Some Like It Hot

The JKTS Fan Playlist 22-23 Season:

Round 4: KPOP, A Beautiful Noise

and Some Like It Hot

Each week, we'll create a survey of all the songs from 3 or 4 shows, and you'll select your 3 favorites from each show (only 3, please!). At the end of the week, we'll tally your choices and the top three from each show will go on to the next round, and so on until we've created a Fan Favorite "Playlist" of one song from each show. 

Up first is the 2022-2023 season, which had 6 musical revivals and 9 new musicals. The next 3 new musicals that opened that season, KPOP, A Beautiful Noise and Some Like It Hot are on this week's survey. 

• Complete the survey by selecting up to three songs from each show. When you are done, you must tap the SUBMIT button for it to count.
• PLEASE NOTE: It may ask you for an email address to verify you are a real person, but it is NOT collecting your data
• If you would rather, you can email us: jktheatrescene@yahoo.com. Put Playlist Round 3 in the subject line. Then name the show and each of your choices.


Have fun and thank you for playing!