Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).
Bio
I have been writing on theater since 1982. A graduate from Manhattan College B.S. A member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, which recognizes excellence in both English and Science. I have produced 14 shows on and off Broadway. I've seen over700 shows
Stories (319)
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"Susan"
Robert Massimi. The Under The Radar Festival has grown over the 16 years since it first performed at The Public Theater. In its existence it has presented over 229 companies from 42 countries. Under The Radar is at the core of The Public's Mission of "radical diversity", and the Festival tries to provide a high- visibility platform to support artists from diverse backgrounds who are trying to redefine the act of making theater.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
"The Thin Place"
Robert Massimi. "The Thin Place" is a show that deals with Medians talking to the dead. The Median is a go- between, if you will. Hilda (Emily Cass McDonnell) is a person as a child was taught "The Gift" by her grandmother who was a psychic. Much to the chagrin of her mother who thought Median behavior, or any psychic behavior was demonic and should not be practised. Plays like "The Thin Place" are intriguing to an audience because done right, it can stay with you for a very long time.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
"Judgement Day"
Robert Massimi. "Judgement Day" has many lessons to be learned in it. The body of the play and its core nexus, however, is how people are; whether it be in Germany pre World War, or Timbuktu. In a small town in Germany, people are negative; the economy has slowed to a crawl, few have good jobs, (although throughout the play, few have many worries). One of the few good jobs left in this small German town is that of the Station Master, Thomas Hudetz (Luke Kirby). Hudetz is diligent, hard working and a dedicated employee of the German Government. In a small town where everyone knows your business, he is both liked and felt sorry for. Thomas Hudetz married a woman thirteen years older than himself. Frau Hudetz is emotionally unstable and demanding of her younger husband. Unable to have a social life, we never fully know as an audience how and even if this has had any effect on him.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
"Where Are We Now"
Robert Massimi. "Where Are We Now" is a cabaret like tribe to David Bowie sung magnificently by Sven Ratzke. In between songs, Ratzke is both amusing and poignant about Bowie's life, who the man was and how he became such an icon. The show is two hours long and it hits on most of Bowie's career. Ratzke's song depth, his cadence makes you feel like you are seeing Bowie himself. With only a grand piano on stage, Christian Pabst and Sven Ratzke hammer out some of David Bowie's best songs. From the opening song "The Man Who Sold The World" to its ending of "Life On Mars", this performance is sheer delight.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Beat
Bread and Puppet
Robert Massimi. Bread and Puppet has been around since 1963. It was founded by Peter Schumann as a way of using puppet shows as a good versus the bad. Schumann's belief was that the art of puppetry helps women, men and children overcome the established order and the obsessive submission to its politics and consequent brutalities.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
'The Girl with the Red Hair'
Robert Massimi. The Girl With The Red Hair is playing at the Alchemical 104 West 14th St. until December 15th. After a sold out one night performance in July, Anthony Lauria brings this great production back with for the most part the same cast.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
'The Young Man from Atlanta'
Robert Massimi. In what is Horton Foote's second attempt at making The Young Man from Atlanta a success in New York, The Signature Theater opened this show Saturday evening in the hopes of greater success. The first version of this show, even though it won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for drama, wasn't quite what it needed to be. Not until two years later, by which time it had been rewritten and recast, did The Young Man from Atlanta finally move from off Broadway to Broadway. Even then, it failed to have a long run. Foote's studies of Southern family life never had gone over big on Broadway. With Foote's A Trip to Bountiful, audiences began to realize his work was different and not as forward leaning in his plot structure.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
'The Crucible'
The Crucible at The Connelly Theater is aptly put on by Bedlam Productions in association with Nora Ensemble. This Crucible is frenetic to say the least. Under wonderful direction by Eric Tucker, the play moves for the most part quite quickly and smoothly. The Crucible is oddly enough the most read play by the legendary playwright, Arthur Miller. I say oddly because Miller's Death of a Salesman was required reading in High School. Arthur Miller has had many great bodies of work; The Master Builder; All My Sons; The Ride Down Mount Morgan and many more that make him arguably the best American Playwright ever (Tennessee Williams, Sam Shepard and Eugene O'Neil are the others often mention along with Earnest Hemingway).
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
'The Sound Inside'
Robert Massimi. The Sound Inside, self described by Bella Baird (Mary-Louise Parker), is a nerdy English professor at Yale University. She describes Yale to a tee, she knows the ins and outs of this prestigious school and Parker is witty about it and her life as well. Before we meet Christopher Dunn (Will Hochman), we hear Bella talk about her life in the opening scene which at times Parker fades in and out and even being in the fourteen row, she was difficult to hear.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
Strong Direction and Its Effects
Robert Massimi. With all the Off Off (We Are Going To Stay Just There), many plays out shine others and for one simple reason, strong direction. A strong director is able to tighten up its cast; a play is able to thrive if it is directed well. A director's view of what the play should be can even make a badly written play look bearable. In today's theater, we see many of the Off Off (used a lot for experimental theater) trying to be avant-garde. That's not the problem, however, Off Off has always been avant-garde, the problem is that it deals too much with climate change, LGBTQ, and man issues, as in we had them.
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
'For All the Women Who Thought They Were Mad'
Robert Massimi. For All the Women Who Thought They Were Mad has some good things in it: good lighting, scenic design, costumes and excellent sound design. This show also has some talented actors Joy (Bissera Tseggai), and Angela (Nicole Lewis).
By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).6 years ago in Geeks
