New York City Theater

3.5 out of 4 Stars

No one would suspect 92-year-old Horton Foote, a gentle playwright whose 60 tenderhearted plays include “A Young Man from Atlanta” and “The Trip to Bountiful,” of writing a vigorous piece of political theater.

But in addition to its hearty laughs, “Dividing the Estate” is in fact a brilliant dissection of greedy family politics and the out-of-control economics that have caused our country’s current recession.

“Diving the Estate” takes place in Harrison, TX, the setting of nearly all Foote’s plays. Here, it is home to the Gordon family’s 5,000-acre mansion and farm, once a prized home of southern gentility and gossip. But it’s now 1987. Most of the town’s wealth lies in a plastic factory owned by the Vietnamese and fast food malls.

All that’s holding the fort together is the family’s 85-year-old, sprightly matriarch, who stubbornly refuses to divide the estate among her three middle-aged children, none of which have ever held down real jobs. Clearly, she does not want to fall into the same traps as King Lear.

Eventually, her children’s dreams manage to both come true and fall apart. After decades of borrowing money from the estate, there appears to be no more money left on the cookie jar. They’re on the brink of poverty. Even worse, the kids might even need to get jobs! A way of life has ended.

Husky-voiced Elizabeth Ashley is stunning as she physically transforms herself into a female version of Big Daddy from “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Hallie Foote, the playwright’s daughter, portrays Mary Jo, the family’s youngest daughter, in a mercilessly self-centered manner. She has even trained her two young daughters, dressed in gaudy 80s fashion, to be as greedy and lazy as her.

Michael Wilson’s production well-cast production displays pitch-perfect comic timing and nuanced characterization. Though it lacks the thriller quality of “August: Osage County,” “Diving the Estate” is another new family drama that is more than worthy of its spot on the Great White Way.

Booth Theatre, 222 West 45th St, 212-239-6200, $71-96. Tues 8pm, Wed 2 & 8pm, Thurs-Fri 8pm, Sat 2 & 8pm, Sun 3pm. Thru Jan 4.

3 out of 4 Stars

Do not judge the groundbreaking 1944 Broadway musical “On the Town” by its lame 1949 MGM movie version starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.

Though its plot about three sailors on 24-hour shore leave in Manhattan remained the same, the bulk of Leonard Bernstein’s symphonic score (with lyrics and book by Adolph Green and Betty Comden) was mercilessly ripped out of the film, including the timeless ballads “Lonely Town,” “Lucky To Be Me” and “Some Other Time.”

Luckily, “On the Town” has been restored to its full theatrical glory in City Center Encores’ handsome concert production, which runs through Sunday. As directed by John Rando, it is also superior to the show’s 1998 flop Broadway revival. As always, the 30-person Encores orchestra, playing Bernstein’s original orchestrations, is wonderful.

As in the original Broadway production, “On the Town” begins not with an overture, but an impromptu rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” This serves as a firm reminder that “On the Town” was written during and takes place in World War II.

After spending a short day in New York and meeting women that they care about, the musical’s three sailors are suddenly shipped off to fight overseas. After all the fun and games, “On the Town” is mixed with a great deal of sadness.

Tony Yazbeck is truly affecting as Gabey, the mature but lonely sailor who aimlessly chases after his dream girl (Jessica Lee Goldyn). Christian Borle and Justin Bohon bring a great dose of youthful enthusiasm as Gabey’s buddies.

Leslie Kritzer is a wild riot as Hildy, the sexually charged cab driver who delivers the screwball comedy songs “Come Up to My Place” and “I Can Cook Too.” And as an inebriated music tutor, Andrea Martin chews the scenery with aplomb.

Though Jerome Robbins’ original choreography no longer exists, he did restage three production numbers (including “New York, New York”) in 1989 for “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway” that have now been replicated. In addition, Warren Carlyle has staged the remaining ballets in Robbins’ muscular, masculine style.

New York City Center, 130 West 55th St, 212-581-1212, $25-95. Fri 8pm, Sat 2 & 8pm, Sun 6:30pm. Thru Sun.

Could the Deaf West revival of PIPPIN transfer to Broadway? After all, Broadway has yet to have any revival of PIPPIN. Deaf West is the company that brought us the incredible production of BIG RIVER five years ago that combined hearing and non-hearing actors. PIPPIN will be staged in the same manner and by the same director, Jeff Calhoun. Michael Arden will share the role of Pippin with Tyrone Giordano, the deaf actor who played Huck Finn in BIG RIVER. The cast also includes Ty Taylor as The Leading Player, Troy Kotsur as Charles, Sara Gettelfinger as Fastrada, Harriet Harris as Berthe, Melissa van der Schyff as Catherine, and James Royce Edwards as Lewis.

Cory English, whose Broadway credits include FORUM, DOLLY and GUYS AND DOLLS, will inherit the role of Igor from Christopher Fitzgerald in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. No word yet on whether the show will survive the harsh winter.

I often wonder whether another Broadway theater will ever be named after a critic. I doubt it, but you never know. Still, in recognition of his long career, the lights of Broadway theaters will be dimmed tonight, Thursday, for one minute in tribute to dance and drama critic Clive Barnes, who passed away yesterday.

After opening to unanimously bad reviews on Monday night, the Broadway revival of AMERICAN BUFFALO will fold on Sunday afternoon, November 23. I guess this means Haley Joel Osment can go back to NYU earlier than expected.

Clive Barnes, the longtime New York Post dance, opera and Broadway critic, died today at 81 of liver cancer. Prior to the Post, he wrote as the New York Times dance and theater critic in the 1960s and 70s. Barnes displayed a pithy, down to earth, but analytical writing style that I greatly admired.

I don't often talk about it on the blog, but I am presently in the process of completing a book of interviews with today's major theater critics. Unfortunately, my interview with Barnes never happened. I caught him after a matinee in September and asked him to participate, which he agreed to do and gave me his home number. From then on, I called him once a week to set up a time to do the interview, but he said that he was sick and always asked me to call back one week later. It's a shame that our interview never happened, but an episode of Theater Talk in which he talks about his career will be re-broadcast later this week on WNET.

Just as Harvey Fierstein has returned to the Broadway cast of HAIRSPRAY for its final weeks at the Neil Simon Theatre, Marissa Janet Winokur, who also received a Tony Award almost six years ago, will return to the show as Tracy Turnblad. She will rejoin the show on Tuesday, December 9 through the final performance Sunday, January 4, 2009 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre. Most recently, Winokur was a fan favorite on season six of “Dancing With the Stars,” beating out eight contestants and getting eliminated only a week before the finals.

2.5 out of 4 Stars

It’s been over a decade since Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman began work on their musical about real-life brothers Addison and Wilson Mizner. While in development, its titles have included “Wise Guys,” “Gold,” “Bounce” and finally “Road Show,” which now makes its long-awaited New York debut.

So was it worth all the wait? It pains us to confess that after so much rewriting and so many directors (Sam Mendes, Hal Prince and John Doyle), “Road Show” probably is the least interesting show in the exalted Sondheim canon. Still, the Public Theater deserves much credit for producing the show.

This tale of two brothers with wild dreams of becoming rich (gold rush in Alaska, real estate boom in Florida) has much relevance to our current economic climate. While Addison (Alexander Gemignani) is a hard-working, sincere fela who eventually succeeds as an architect, Willie (Michael Cerveris) is a greedily manipulative yet likable conman. It’s like “Death of a Salesman” as a musical.

They gleefully throw dollar bills into the air that land on the front rows of the audience. As their plans repeatedly fail until their deaths, they stay convinced that capitalism is a mad, reckless game in which merely playing is more important than winning. Unfortunately, this one-note thesis goes nowhere.

Whereas Hal Prince viewed the show as an old-fashioned musical comedy, John Doyle brings a minimalistic touch. The musical is now staged in a condensed 100-minute act. The set consists of a barricade of crates on which an ensemble of ancillary characters sits.

Michael Cerveris is captivating as Willie. Often snorting cocaine, he displays a persuasive charm that often turns cocky, self-delusional and dangerous. Alexander Gemignani is also fine in the less showy role of Addison.

Though the score is character-driven and intelligent, it bears none of the incredible ballads that have sparkled Sondheim’s best musicals. Still, let’s remember that most of Sondheim’s musicals have not received great reviews in their original productions. Down the road, perhaps we’ll change our minds about “Road Show.”

Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St, 212-967-7555, $70-80. Tues 8pm, Wed-Fri 8pm, Sat 2 & 8pm, Sun 2 & 7pm. Thru Dec 28.

Lynn Redgrave will star as Lady Bracknell in the Paper Mill Playhouse's upcoming production of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. Oscar Wilde's masterpiece of modern comedy will be directed by David Schweizer and will run at the Millburn theatre from January 14 through February 15, 2009. Redgrave played the role three seasons ago in Peter Hall's production of the comedy.

The forthcoming national tour of the musical DREAMGIRLS will premiere at the legendary Apollo Theater in November 2009, for a limited engagement. On Saturday, November 22, 2008, the production will hold open auditions at the Apollo Theater to cast The Dreams (Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson and Effie White) for this national tour.

Mark Adamo, the contemporary opera composer of LITTLE WOMEN and LYSISTRATA, has made a proposed wish list of productions that ought to be staged for the incoming artistic director, whomever that'll be. Frankly, I think he makes some pretty great choices.

Eötvös: Angels in America (dir. Sam Helfrich: New York première; new production)
Breuer/Telson: The Gospel at Colonus (dir. Spike Lee: new production)
Vivaldi: Ercole s’ul Termodonte (dir. John Pascoe: Spoleto Festival Production, 2006: New York stage première)
Bizet/Brooke: La Tragedie de Carmen (co-production, English National Opera/Wexford Festival Opera)
Catán, Florencia en el Amazonas (dir. Francesca Zambello: co-production, Houston Grand opera, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera: New York première)
Schwartz, Séance on a Wet Afternoon (dir. Scott Schwartz: New York première; co-production, Opera Santa Barbara)
Double Bill: (dir./chor. Christopher Wheeldon: new production)
-Purcell: Dido and Aeneas (new orchestration by Mason Bates for electronics and Baroque ensemble)
-Mason Bates: Eros and Psyche (lib. Michael Korie: world première: NYCO commission)
Knussen, Where the Wild Things Are (dir. & puppets, Basil Twist: new production; family concert)

Kathleen Turner will star in MCC's upcoming Off-Broadway production of Charles Busch's THIRD STORY, which starts previews at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in January. THIRD STORY is a realistic tale of a mother and son screenwriting team in the 1940s, a B-movie about the uneasy alliance between a mob queen and a frosty lady scientist and a Russian fairy tale in which a painfully shy Princess makes a dark pact with a mercurial old witch.

Scott Siegel's new season of Town Hall/Broadway By the Year events continued on Monday night with the 5th annual BROADWAY UNPLUGGED concert, where Broadway singers perform an entire concert without amplification. Why is that such a big deal? Nowadays, it's extremely rare to hear singers perform in a 1500-seat theater without the aid of microphones. It truly does change their vocal technique and delivery.

Some highlights included Ashley Brown ("I Happen to Like New York," "I'll Know"), Ron Bohmer ("Trouble"), Aaron Lazar ("Stranger in Paradise), Bill Daugherty ("Betrayed," "Lily's Eyes" with William Michals), Julia Murney ("Wherever He Ain't," "Will He Like Me"), Marc Kudisch ("Bless Your Beautiful Hide"), Chuck Cooper ("Lost in the Stars," "Honeysuckle Rose"), Lorinda Lisitza ("Pirate Jenny"), Jeff McCarthy ("Once Upon a Time," "My Ship"), and a very pregnant Christine Noll ("Our Story Goes On").

A lively cast is shaping together for the premiere of Rosie O'Donnell's variety show ROSIE LIVE on Wednesday night, November 26 at 8 PM on NBC: Liza Minnelli, Ne-Yo, Alanis Morisette, Kathy Griffin and Jane Krakowski.

Cheyenne Jackson is apparently set to take part in MORMON MUSICAL, penned by Trey Parker and Matt Stone of SOUTH PARK and Bobby Lopez of AVENUE Q.

"It's hilarious - very acerbic and biting," Jackson told the New York Post. "It offends everybody but does what 'South Park' does best, which is by the end it comes around and has something great to say."

2 Out of 4 Stars

You know that you’re watching a David Mamet play when the pre-show announcement instructs you to “turn off your f***ing cell phones.”

We’ve been less than thrilled with Mamet’s behavior over the past year. For starters, he announced in The Village Voice that he was a newly converted political conservative instead of a so-called “brain-dead liberal.” Moreover, his new satire “November,” which starred Nathan Lane as the President, was pretty bad.

This fall, Broadway is reviving two of Mamet’s best three-actor plays. First up was “Speed-the-Plow,” his indictment of Hollywood producers, featuring Jeremy Piven, Raul Esparza and Elisabeth Moss.

Now comes “American Buffalo,” Mamet’s first full-length comic drama, which focuses on three petty criminals who plot to steal a rare Buffalo Nickel. Ironically, the characters view themselves as hard-working businessmen instead of hustlers.

To our surprise, Robert Falls’ disappointing revival is undercooked and lifeless. Whereas the cast of “Speed-the-Plow” completely mastered Mamet’s rapid-fire, rat-a-tat, foul-mouthed language, that same verbal style falls flat in “American Buffalo.”

It’s not clear whether the cast couldn’t handle the script or if Falls purposely slowed down the dialogue. As a result, Mamet’s exploration of desperate ambition and failed friendship feels underwhelming it finally erupts in a huge blast of violence.

As Donny, the street-smart pawnshop owner who conceives the trio’s criminal scheme, Cedric the Entertainer downplays his performance and displays none of his onscreen comedy talent.

John Leguizamo portrays Teach (a role once played by Robert Duvall, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman and William H. Macy) as an angry, loudmouth hotshot. However, he too often feels ridiculous instead of genuinely dangerous.

Haley Joel Osment, best remembered as the child star of “The Sixth Sense,” portrays Bobby, Donney’s young lackey, as a dim-witted teenager instead of a junkie. Unfortunately, him and Cedric fail to establish a necessary father-son relationship.

Belasco Theater, 111 West 44th St, 212-239-6200, $26-116. Tues 7pm, Wed 2 & 8pm, Thurs-Fri 8pm, Sat 2 & 8pm, Sun 3pm. Thru April 19.

To promote her new variety show, which will be filmed in Off-Broadway's Little Shubert Theatre on 42nd Street, Rosie O'Donnell takes on the role of Officer Lockstock of URINETOWN alongside Little Sally, played by Jen Cody.