John Timpane is a theater critic, books editor, and fine arts reporter for the Inquirer. His beat includes books, social media, dance, theater, art, museums, and classical music. From 1997 to 2008 he was the Commentary page editor.
The Latin comic and media pioneer talks about his Bogota-to-Broadway life story, and the inspiration for his one-man Broadway shows. He comes to the Merriam Theater on July 19-20.
Love is a mean game, and cruelty in all its forms is a close relative. These vivid, odd, often marvelous poems create brand-new myths that probe unkindness, love, belief, and everything around and in between in Barger's splendidly original style.
In five short books on great Shakespeare characters, the august critic, now 88, conducts tours of great plays and a great playwright's psyche. His collection of essays on literature he has memorized is intent on old age, but we feel the redeeming power of his beloved literature.
This show may charm even the most savage of ABBA skeptics. This Broadway-energy production is as good as you could do this very silly show. It touches the heart and even makes you care about the daughter and mom at the center. The dancing alone is worth the ticket. Plus, hey, it's summer.
The high-flying literary celebrity's new play is based on her residency in a neighborhood of West Chester with historic ties to the Underground Railroad and civil-rights movement. It's part of a People's Light program that generates new plays by embeddomg writers in local neighborhoods.
Known popularly as “Umbrella Man,” he stepped forward, as if signaling a cab in the rain. He was last seen in front of the then-Prince Music Theater. But sometime in 2015, along with the Prince, he disappeared.
The two-step online process is now open, but only through Thursday night. Some tickets will also be sold at the Forrest Theatre box office starting July 9.
