Theatre: SIX: The Musical at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre (February 2020)

SIX The Musical at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre

Six is a modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII presented as a pop concert, as each of the wives take turns singing and telling their story to see who suffered the most due to Henry and should, therefore, become the group's lead singer. 

The show opens with the six Queens performing an opening number in pop-concert, girl-group fashion introducing themselves. They also welcome the audience to the performance ("Ex-Wives"). They address the crowd through means of breaking the fourth wall and tell them that this show will feature a competition, and whoever had the "biggest load of B.S." to deal with from the man who married them, Henry VIII, will be the one to lead the group ("Ex-Wives (Reprise)"). Catherine of Aragon starts off and recounts her marriage to Henry and later annulment, and almost being put into a nunnery when he began lusting after Anne Boleyn ("No Way"). When Aragon claims that she is the winner, the other Queens mention Anne and how she overlapped with Aragon during the former's marriage, resulting in said annulment ("Anne Boleyn (Interlude)"), and Anne recounts her time as Queen with Henry and her eventual execution ("Don't Lose Ur Head"). She then continues to argue that she deserves to win the competition due to her execution and further begins to sing a new solo 'about the moment [she] found out Catherine of Aragon had tragically died'. This attempted solo is interrupted by the other queens. Jane Seymour then announces it's her turn to recount what she put up with, but the other Queens mock her for not having as much to deal with as, in her words, she was "the only one he truly loved". Jane admits that while she may have been lucky for not having to suffer at his hand, she still stood by him throughout all his faults ("Heart of Stone"). 

The story then shifts as the Queens are suddenly turned into members of Hans Holbein's painting studio, talking about how they make the women he paints look beautiful for their portraits ("Haus of Holbein"). In a set-up parodying Tinder (or another similar dating site) they present three women: Christina of Denmark, Amalia of Cleves, and Anna of Cleves, Amalia's elder sister. When Henry "swipes right", so to speak, on Anna, they all assume he will marry Anna and that they will have a happy, long-lasting marriage ("Haus of Holbein (Playoff)"). Of course, their union is ultimately ill-fated as he rejects Anna, and she pretends to make a big deal about how she is then forced to live in a beautiful palace in Richmond as a result, though she's not really complaining ("Get Down"). After the Queens point out how Anna's life doesn't sound that difficult, Anna says "Oh, well, back to the palace". As Katherine Howard is next to go, the Queens belittle her for being "the least relevant Catherine", but Katherine retaliates by mentioning flaws in the other Queens' reasons for winning, such as how Anne Boleyn wasn't the only beheaded wife and how Jane Seymour only died due to natural causes. She then recounts her life and the men who abused her, leading into her marriage to Henry as she breaks down, fully realizing the trauma she suffered with her relationships and how these "all-powerful men" led to her eventual beheading ("All You Wanna Do"). 

As the Queens continue to squabble about who should win the contest, a frustrated Catherine Parr puts a stop to it. Questioning the point of it all, she brings up the fact that they're remembered solely by their shared connection to Henry, not as individuals. When they refuse to listen, claiming she has no story to tell that involves Henry, Parr tells her story, and of the accomplishments she made independently of Henry ("I Don't Need Your Love"). The other Queens, realizing that they've let themselves be defined by Henry for so long, stop the contest and declare that they don't need his love to feel validated as people ("I Don't Need Your Love (Remix)"). With only five minutes left in the show after the fact, they decide to use their remaining moments on stage to "rewrite" the stories they told and sing for themselves for a change, singing together as a group rather than as solo artists and writing their own happily ever after ("Six"). 

Brooks Atkinson Theatre

The Brooks Atkinson Theatre was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp. It was constructed as the Mansfield Theatre by the Chanin brothers in 1926. After 1933, the theatre fell into relative disuse until 1945, when Michael Myerberg bought and leased it to CBS for television productions. Known as CBS Studio 59, the theater played host to the long-running panel shows What's My Line? and I've Got a Secret. In 1960, it was renamed after the former New York Times theater critic, Brooks Atkinson, and returned to legitimate use. The Nederlander Organization purchased part-ownership of the Atkinson in 1967. In 2000, the interior was refurbished with restored decorative finishes by EverGreene Architectural Arts, and now the theatre is once again illuminated by the original chandelier that had been removed over 40 years prior. It has 1,069 seats and is one of the Nederlander Organization's nine Broadway houses.

Theatre: Jagged Little Pill at the Broadhurst Theatre (January 2020)

Jagged Little Pill at the Broadhurst Theatre

Jagged Little Pill is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard, and the book by Diablo Cody (of Juno fame). The musical is inspired by the 1995 album of the same name by Morissette. In addition to music from the show's namesake album, Jagged Little Pill also features other songs from Morissette's catalog, including "Thank U", "That I Would Be Good", and "So Pure" from 1998's Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, "So Unsexy" and "Hands Clean" from 2002's Under Rug Swept, "Unprodigal Daughter" from 2002's Feast on Scraps, "No" from the Japanese edition of 2012's Havoc and Bright Lights and "Uninvited" from the soundtrack of the 1998 film City of Angels. Morissette also wrote two new songs for the musical, "Smiling" and "Predator". Inspired by the themes and emotions from Morissette's album, the musical Jagged Little Pill deals with pain, healing, and empowerment.  The show began previews on Broadway in November 3. 2019, and opened on December 5, 2019. 

Act I

 

Mary Jane Healy, or MJ for short, is a mother that is writing the yearly family Christmas letter, which is her way of bragging about her seemingly perfect family. She writes about her husband Steve's job promotion, her daughter Frankie's art, and her son Nick's early admission to Harvard University. MJ writes that she got into a car crash, but is healing with the help of natural remedies, like hot yoga. What she does not write is that Steve is addicted to pornography, Frankie is making out with her best friend, Jo, as this letter is being written, and MJ is addicted to the painkillers from the car accident ("Right Through You"). One morning before breakfast, Steve complains about MJ's refusal to be intimate. At breakfast, MJ reprimands Frankie for wearing revealing shorts. Frankie is mad that they noticed her shorts, but not her sign for a protest she organized. MJ pressures Nick to be perfect to keep up the family's image ("All I Really Want"). At school, Nick's friends congratulate him on his acceptance to Harvard and tell him that he should come to a party that night to celebrate. Frankie and Jo discuss how their mothers don't understand or accept them: Frankie's because of her disapproval of her self-expression and Jo's mom not accepting her being gay or her gender expression ("Hand in My Pocket"). 

MJ goes to a pharmacy to get a refill on her prescription for her painkillers. The pharmacist says that she needs a new prescription in order for them to fill it. MJ then calls a drug dealer to get her the painkillers instead. MJ moves through her day backwards, starting with getting the drugs in the alley, then doing her daily activities, and ending with her running out of the pills at the beginning of the day ("Smiling"). On the last day of Frankie's English class before winter break, she reads a short story she wrote aloud in a writer's workshop for her class to critique. The students in the class interrupt and criticize her for stating that the things she claims to be ironic in her piece are not actually ironic, just bad things that happened to someone. A new student, Phoenix, defends Frankie and encourages her to finish ("Ironic"). A romantic attraction begins between the two, and Phoenix states that he is single. After class, Phoenix and Frankie decide to go to the party that night. At home, Steve calls MJ to say that he is stuck at work. MJ and Steve get into an argument. Steve says he wants to see a marriage counselor, yet MJ refuses ("So Unsexy"). Nick comforts MJ after the fight. MJ claims that Nick is the only thing that she has ever done right. MJ asks Nick to watch a movie with her. He tells her that he is going to a party with Frankie. MJ claims that parties are 'not his scene' but still encourages him to go, and Nick reflects on the pressures of him from his mother to be perfect ("Perfect"). 

Frankie and Nick go to the party ("Lancer's Party (So Pure)"). Frankie and Phoenix find each other and leave the crowded party to talk alone, and they discuss their imperfect family lives. Frankie feels like her black identity is being erased by her adoptive white family. Phoenix's dad left when he was young and never calls, and Phoenix has to help his mom take care of his sister with a medical condition. Meanwhile, Jo couldn’t attend the party because her mom forced her to go to a church function. Jo is scolded by her mom and church for being gay and not dressing femininely enough ("That I Would Be Good"). Phoenix asks Frankie if she has a boyfriend, and she says that she doesn't. The next morning at school, Jo and Frankie discuss how both of their nights were not fun and didn’t go as planned. Jo brings up Phoenix and his crush on Frankie, but Frankie brushes it off and doesn't mention her talk with him at the party. Jo shows Frankie pictures that are circulating throughout the school of Bella, Nick's friend, who was drunk, passed out, and had her shirt pulled up at the party. Students are making fun of Bella and calling her a slut. Frankie and Jo go to Bella's house, despite barely knowing her, to check on her. Bella reveals that Andrew, Nick's best friend, was the one who took the pictures and raped her, but no one believes her. Frankie and Jo tell Bella they believe her. Frankie goes home and wakes Nick up to reprimand him about going to the police since he was the only witness of Bella at the party. Nick brushes off Bella's claim, saying that she was drunk and being dramatic per usual. MJ overhears the conversation and insists that Nick can't come forward as it might ruin his reputation. MJ blames Bella for what happened, saying that this situation is super common, but she is visibly upset by the story and leaves the house to get some air ("Wake Up"). MJ walks to the church for the first time in a while to pray about her failing marriage, struggling relationship with Frankie, and for help with her addiction. She then reflects on her own memory of being raped in college, but blames herself and feels it was God's plan for her ("Forgiven"). 

Act II

 

Steve finally convinces MJ to go to their first marriage counseling session, despite her reluctance ("Not the Doctor"). Steve reveals that he and MJ have not had sex for over a year. MJ says that they don't need sex since Steve is constantly watching porn. The therapist wonders if MJ's car accident may have triggered memories of past sexual trauma, but MJ insists she does not have any sexual trauma. Steve states that he appreciates MJ for all she does for him and the family, and he tells her that he misses her and the way they used to be. Meanwhile, Frankie and Phoenix sing to each other and end up sleeping together ("Head over Feet"). Jo walks into the Healy's house uninvited ("Your House") and walks in on Frankie and Phoenix. Jo gets mad and storms out of the house. On her way out, she runs into MJ and Steve fighting while coming home from therapy. Jo tells them that Frankie just had sex with Phoenix. Phoenix leaves quickly, leaving Frankie alone with her parents. MJ and Steve reprimand her for having sex so young. Frankie comes out to her parents as bisexual, and she gets mad at her parents for being disapproving of her consensual sex while they don't care about Bella's rape. Frankie says that she's not actually their daughter since she was adopted and blames her parents for only seeing her as who they want her to be, not who she really is. Frankie decides to run away to New York City. Steve and MJ get into another fight about Steve not being present during Frankie's childhood. Frankie takes a train alone to New York ("Unprodigal Daughter"). When she gets lost in the city, Frankie calls Phoenix. She tells him that she loves him and that he should come pick her up. When Phoenix doesn't say 'I love you' back and that he needs to stay at home to help his sister with her malfunctioning feeding tube, Frankie gets angry and feels that Phoenix only wants her for her body. 

Students are gossiping about Bella and her accusations against Andrew. Bella comes to the Healy's house to talk to Nick, but the only person home is MJ. MJ tells Bella she was also raped in college. After Bella leaves, Nick tells MJ the entirety of what happened that night. He was in the room when Bella was unconscious and raped, but he did nothing ("Predator"). Nick tells his mom that he wants to go to the police, but MJ says that it would only ruin his life and not help Bella's. MJ is devastated and furious, but Nick accuses her of only caring about herself and her reputation, and not about Bella. MJ hits him. Jo comes to New York to pick up Frankie after Frankie desperately calls her, lost and out of money. She shows little remorse about sleeping with Phoenix since she didn't think her relationship with Jo was exclusive. She tells Jo that she fell in love with Phoenix. Jo says that Frankie would have told her about Phoenix if she didn't know it was wrong. Jo ends the relationship ("You Oughta Know"). Frankie gets a call that something is wrong with MJ. At home, MJ overdoses on her pills, and Steve and Nick find her unconscious ("Uninvited"). When Steve gets to the hospital, he is devastated that he didn't know how MJ had an addiction and comforts her ("Mary Jane"). They both agree to start to truly try to work on their marriage. When Nick gets to the hospital, MJ tells him that he should go to the police because justice for Bella is more important than her reputation, but Nick already went to the police. Meanwhile, many students attend the rally that Frankie organized for Bella. Bella is mad at Nick since people only believed her once Nick came forward, and her statement wasn't enough ("No").

A year has passed, and MJ is writing the yearly Healy Christmas letter. She writes about Frankie's passion for social justice and her dedication to helping Bella. MJ opens up about having been a victim of sexual assault as well. Bella is finally going to tell her side of the story in court. MJ and Frankie reconcile after MJ overcomes her addiction. MJ tells Frankie that she wanted her to feel like every other kid and not be treated differently because of her race, but Frankie tells her that she will always be different ("Thank U"). Nick is taking a year off before college to find himself. MJ discusses that her and Steve are in therapy, both individually and together. She opens up about her overdose and treatment for her addiction to painkillers, but she has learned to see how kind the people in her life truly are. Frankie dares MJ to email the Christmas letter to everyone, and MJ sends it. She decides that this will be her last Christmas letter. Jo and Frankie rekindle their friendship, and Jo has a new girlfriend. Frankie and Phoenix are now just friends ("You Learn"). 

Broadhurst Theatre

The Broadhurst Theatre was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp, a well-known theatre designer who had been working directly with the Shubert brothers; the Broadhurst opened September 27, 1917. Built back-to-back with the Majestic, it was meant to resemble the style of the neighboring Shubert and Booth theaters designed by Henry B. Herts, using less expensive brick and terra cotta materials on the discreetly neoclassical façades. It was named after George Howells Broadhurst, an Anglo-American dramatist who came to America in 1886. In addition to writing plays, he managed theaters in Milwaukee, Baltimore, and San Francisco before he decided to open his own in association with the Shubert brothers. The theatre was constructed to house both musicals and plays, which it has done successfully for more than a century. It has been designated a New York City landmark. The Broadhurst opened on September 27, 1917.

Theatre: Slave Play at the John Golden Theatre (November 2019)

Slave Play is a three-act play by American playwright Jeremy O. Harris about interracial relationships. Harris originally wrote the play in his first year at the Yale School of Drama, and it debuted on a major stage on November 19, 2018, in an off-Broadway New York Theatre Workshop staging directed by Robert O'Hara. It opened on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre on October 6, 2019. In 2019, Slave Play was nominated for Best Play in the Lucille Lortel Awards, and Claire Warden won an Outstanding Fight Choreography Drama Desk Award for her work in the play

The first act, "Work",begins on a southern cotton plantation before the Civil War. The audience sees three private meetings of three interracial couples, each of which ends in sex. Overseer Jim has sex with enslaved Kaneisha; mistress Alana demands that mixed-race Phillip play the violin before she uses a dildo to penetrate him, and white servant Dustin fights with Black overseer Gary before they engage in sexual intimacy. 

When Kaneisha asks to be called a "negress", Jim uses a safeword. With the appearance of a pair of psychoanalysts and counselors, Thea and Patricia (also of different races and, as it turns out later, in a relationship), the audience is told that in reality the characters are modern couples participating in a role-playing exercise meant to improve intimacy between white and Black partners. The second act, "Process", is dedicated to a group therapy session among the three couples. 

In the third act, "Exorcise", the focus shifts back to Jim and Kaneisha. She tells him that he does not listen to her, and she now that the problem in their relationship is not in her, but in Jim's race. She refers in particular to the extermination of the indigenous peoples of the Americas by European colonialists. Jim returns to his overseer role and orders Kaneisha to have sex with him, until she says the safeword and they stop. Kaneisha thanks Jim for listening.

Author Jeremy O. Harris has said that he wrote Slave Play during his first year at the Yale School of Drama. (Harris graduated in 2019.) In October 2017, a production of Slave Play was presented at the Yale School of Drama as part of the annual Langston Hughes Festival. 

The play was announced for the 2018-2019 season of the New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW)  and was taken into the development program of the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Later that month, Robert O'Hara  who had known Harris since his brief studies at De Paul University and was one of his teachers at Yale, was announced as director. At the end of July 2018, the first public reading of the work was held at the conference. 

Previews of the production at NYTW, under the patronage of the production company Seaview Productions, began on November 19, 2018. Due to high demand, the duration of the show's run was extended before the official December 9 premiere, with the final performance being postponed from the original closing date of December 30, 2018, to January 13, 2019. Over the next two weeks, tickets for all performances sold out.

John Golden Theatre