off-stage right

The other night I had the luck of taking in ROOMS, a new musical off-Broadway.  I don’t write reviews, but when I see something that makes me happy that I spent the night in the theatre, I want to make note of it.   Sure the story was familiar, but the performances were wonderful and the music was fun.  It is just the kind of show that off-Broadway needs (and used to jam-packed with).  The design elements were perfect in the fact that they were sparse, meaningful and appropriate.  There was a band – not just a piano.  It didn’t have a gimmick, in fact in many ways it was the most traditional show I had seen in a while – and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. 

I left the show a bit more hopeful for commercial off-Broadway and with a bounce in my step.  New work was making it to the stage, talented actors were working and there were people in the audience – I call that a good day.  

Related posts:

1. Our Town extends into January – have Thorton Wilder and David Cromer brought hope back to commercial off-Broadway?
2. The Tempermentals – more hope off-Broadway
3. Is Broadway booming or just making lemons into lemonade?
4. Nora and Delia Ephron’s Love Loss and What I Wore – working off-Broadway in style
5. The best theatre internship EVER