Now Playing: Plays
November 2 - November 8

A Steady Rain: A new play by Keith Huff. Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman star as two Chicago cops who are lifelong friends who give differing accounts of a few harrowing days that changed their lives forever. Closes December 6, 2009.
REVIEWED BY STAN RICHARDSON

 Accomplice: The Village: A new theatrical interactive outdoor adventure from the team behind Accomplice: New York, this time set in Greenwich Village.
REVIEWED BY ROBIN REED

Acting Alone: A new play by David M. Korn, billed as "the true story of Lee Harvey Oswald." Closes November 21, 2009.

After Miss Julie: Roundabout Theatre Company presents the U.S. premiere of a play by Patrick Marber that transposes Strindberg's famous play to England in 1945. Closes December 6, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

 Americana Kamikaze: Temporary Distortion delves into the worlds of Japanese ghost stories and "J-Horror". Closes November 14, 2009.
REVIEWED BY RICHARD HINOJOSA

Are You There, Zeus? It's Me, Electra: A new farce by Aliza Shane, based on the famous play by Sophocles. Closes November 22, 2009.

bauhaus the bauhaus: Modernism! Utopia! Architecture! Sit-upons! The Nerve Tank explores the Bauhaus, the seminal German school of design that operated from 1919 until 1933, when the Nazi regime shut it down. Closes November 22, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

 Blue Lanterns: A solo show written and performed by Branislav Tomich about what he calls "The Three D's": Death, Depression, and Dementia. Closes November 30, 2009.
REVIEWED BY HEATHER LEE ROGERS

 Brecht on Brecht: Accidental Repertory Theater presents a revival of this compilation of the work of playwright Bertolt Brecht. Closes November 21, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

BritBits 6: A program of new short plays by and/or about the British, presented by Mind the Gap Theatre. Performances are this week only.

Broke-ology: A new play by Nathan Louis Jackson about two brothers who are called home to care for their ailing father. Presented by Lincoln Center Theater. Closes November 22, 2009.

Brownsville Bred ... Growing Up Elaine: A one-woman show written and performed by Elaine Del Valle about her experiences growing up Latina in the African American ghetto of Brownsville, New York. Closes November 30, 2009.

Cedar City Falls: a Mid-West Conflict: A weekly live soap opera a small peaceful town that gets plunged into full-scale civil war. Tuesdays; with rotating cast. Closes November 24, 2009.

Children at Play: A new play by Jordan Seavey, described as a tragic farce following five friends as they [hopefully] survive the average high school experience. Closes November 21, 2009.

 Circle Mirror Transformation: Four lost New Englanders enroll in a community center drama class experiment in this new play by Annie Baker. Closes November 15, 2009.
REVIEWED BY NATHANIEL KRESSEN

Circumcise Me: In this one-man comedy, Yisrael Campbell takes the audience on a personal journey through his struggles with drugs and alcohol and his eventual salvation in the Jewish faith. In previews; opens on November 11, 2009.

Creature: A new play by Heidi Schreck set in medeival England about a woman who goes mad and has a visitation from Jesus. Produced by Page 73 Productions and New Georges. Closes November 21, 2009.

Cycatrix Adaptitude: Taking place in four exclusive Chelsea and Williamsburg lofts, this is a performance event within a party experience. Presented by Inverse Theater Company. Closes November 21, 2009.

Dead Ringer: A play by Gino DiIorio set in Texas in 1885, about a rancher, his sister, and the young stranger who comes to visit them. Closes November 15, 2009.

Down Range: A new play by Jeffrey Skinner exposing how returning soldiers survive the war at home. Closes November 14, 2009.

 Duchess in the Dark: A new production of John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi in which the audience controls the lighting (via flashlights). Performances are this week only.
REVIEWED BY WILL FULTON

 El caballero del milagro: A new production of a play by Lope de Vega. Closes November 15, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MONTSERRAT MENDEZ

Embraceable Me: A play by Victor L. Cahn about the journey of two friends, a man and a woman. Closes November 14, 2009.
REVIEWED BY DAVID VINING

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress: A revival of Alan Ball's play about the five bridesmaids in a Tennessee wedding. Closes November 22, 2009.

Frankenstein: Radiotheatre presents an adaptation of Mary Shelley's gothic horror story. Closes December 26, 2009.

Furnace: An ensemble-based work created by Tokyo-based Butoh master Ko Murobushi and others; this is the centerpiece of the CAVE Butoh Festival. Performances are this week only.

God of Carnage: A new play by Yasmina Reza, described as "a comedy of manners without the manners."
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

Granada: A new play by Avi Glickstein about a young woman who has been invited by the King of Spain in 1992 to stand in for all the Jews exiled from that country during the Inquisition. Closes November 22, 2009.

Hamlet: Jude Law stars in Shakespeare's famous play; this production comes to NYC direct from Donmar Warehouse in London. Closes December 6, 2009.
REVIEWED BY DAVID FULLER

Hamlet: A "twisted" interpretation of Shakespeare's famous play by director Sanaz Ghajarrahimi. Closes November 14, 2009.

Her Name Is Vincent: An Evening with Edna St. Vincent Millay: This two-part event features a cabaret about the life of Edna St. Vincent Millay, followed by a performance of her play Aria da Capo. Closes November 14, 2009.

Hinterland: A new play by Benjamin Adair Murphy, described as a modern homage to the tales of the Brothers Grimm. Performances are this week only.

Holy Days: Retro Productions presents Sally Nemeth's play, set during the Great Depression. Closes November 21, 2009.

How to Be a Good Italian Daughter: A new one-woman play written and performed by Antoinette LaVecchia, described as "a funny and touching portrait of mothers and daughters." Closes December 20, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MAGGIE CINO

I Got Sick Then I Got Better: A one-woman show written and performed by Jenny Allen, described as "a wrenching comic riff on one woman's adventures after falling down the medical rabbit hole." Closes November 15, 2009.

 Idiot Savant: A new philosophical comedy by Richard Foreman described as "a fresh, bracing and hilarious exploration of the boundaries of the legitimate." Willem Dafoe stars. Closes December 13, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MATT ROBERSON

In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play: A new play by Sarah Ruhl; presented by Lincoln Center Theater. In previews; opens on November 19, 2009.

Kiss Me on the Mouth: A new play by Melanie Angelina Maras about two friends who each inadvertently meet the man who could be "Mr. Right." Closes November 21, 2009.

 Let Me Down Easy: A new solo performance by Anna Deavere Smith that explores the power of the body and the resilience of the human spirit. Closes December 6, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

Line: Israel Horovitz's one-act dark comedy about a group of people who are waiting on line, though they don't know for what. Now in its 32nd year.

Little Tragedies: The world premiere in English verse of four short plays by Alexander Pushkin. Closes November 14, 2009.

Loaded: A new play by Elliot Ramon Potts about a relationship between two gay men, one middle-aged and one much younger. In previews; opens on November 15, 2009.

Lord Buckley & Marilyn: A double-bill of solo plays about Lord Buckley and Marilyn Monroe. Closes November 28, 2009.

 Love Child: Daniel Jenkins and Robert Stanton portray everyone in a theatre--on stage, backstage, and even in the audience--in this two-man comedy of their own devising. Closes January 3, 2010.
REVIEWED BY DAVID GORDON

 Love, Loss, and What I Wore: A program of vignettes and monologues by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, based on the best-selling book by Ilene Beckerman.
REVIEWED BY MELANIE N. LEE

Made in Heaven: A comedy by Jay Bernzweig about a pair of conjoined Siamese twins who share a penis.
REVIEWED BY BRAD LEE THOMASON

Mr. Lincoln: A play by Tom Klingenstein that imagines a reunion between a former slave and a New York society matron, 40 years after they both saw Lincoln make a speech at Cooper Union. Closes November 15, 2009.

Much Ado About Nothing: Queens Shakespeare, Inc. sets Shakespeare's famous romantic comedy in the world of reality television. Closes November 14, 2009.

My First Time: A new play written and directed by Ken Davenport featuring true accounts of first sexual experiences.

Never Norman Rockwell: This is part of Manhattan Rep's Gay and Lesbian Play Series. Performances are this week only.

New York Nuts Three: A program of original short plays from Aching Dogs Theater Company. Performances are this week only.

Nightingale: A new play written and performed by Lynn Redgrave, inspired by her need to discover memories of her grandmother--a woman she barely knew. Closes December 13, 2009.

Oleanna: A revival of David Mamet's play about a power struggle between a male university professor and one of his female students. Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles co-star.
REVIEWED BY MICHAEL CRISCUOLO

Or,: A new play by Liz Duffy Adams about the life of playwright/spy Aphra Behn. In previews; opens on November 8, 2009.

 Our Town: A revival of the famous play by Thornton Wilder, directed by David Cromer.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

Over The Line: A new play by P. Seth Bauer about six middle class teens just before graduation who are caught in a vortex of lust and violence. Closes November 22, 2009.

Passing Ceremonies: A gay, black love story based on an imagined meeting between Harlem Renaissance poet Bruce Nugent and '60s era poet-journalist Essex Hemphill. Closes November 21, 2009.

Penang: A revival of James Larocca's play about two American soldiers in Vietnam. This play premiered in the Midtown International Theatre Festival in 2008. Closes November 22, 2009.

Perfect Crime: Convoluted murder mystery involving a dangerous psychiatrist, her patient, a detective, and a man who may or may not be her husband. Implausible, but entertaining; this is the longest-running straight play in New York history.

 Peter-Wendy: A new adaptation of Peter Pan, featuring an ensemble all dressed in pajamas. Performances are this week only.
REVIEWED BY LOREN NOVECK

Quartett: A new production of the play by Heiner Muller, directed by Robert Wilson. Performances are in French with English titles. Closes November 14, 2009.

Rabbit Hole: A revival of David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize play, presented by Hudson Stage Company. Closes November 21, 2009.

Red Sea Fish: A new play by Matt Wilkinson about a retired thief and his son. This is part of the Brits Off Broadway festival. In previews; opens on November 8, 2009.

 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead: T. Schreiber Studio presents a revival of Tom Stoppard's famous play about the minor characters of Hamlet and their existential crisis. Closes November 22, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

Savannah Black & Blue: A new play by Raymond Jones about an African-American woman's efforts to become a New York City police officer in the face of many obstacles. Presented by The Negro Ensemble Company. Closes November 22, 2009.

Sholom Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears: A new play with music, written and performed by Theodore Bikel, that brings to life the characters and observations of the famous Yiddish writer. In previews; opens on November 17, 2009.

Such Things Only Happen in Books: An evening of short plays by Thornton Wilder that have not previously been professionally produced. Closes November 14, 2009.

Superior Donuts: A play by Tracy Letts about the owner and sole employee of a decrepit donut shop in uptown Chicago.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

The 39 Steps: A comic parody of the famous Hitchcock thriller, with four actors playing all the roles. Closes January 10, 2010.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

The Age of Iron: A retelling of the story of the Trojan War, drawn from works by William Shakespeare and Thomas Heywood; adapted and directed by Brian Kulick. In previews; opens on November 22, 2009.

 The Boychick Affair--The Bar Mitzvah of Harry Boychick: A new interactive comedy by the creator of Grandma Sylvia's Funeral. At Times Square Arts Center.
REVIEWED BY NICOLE BOURNAS-NEY

The Brother/Sister Plays Part 1 and 2: A trilogy of modern-day stories of kinship, love, heartache and coming-of-age centered around an extended family and community in the Bayou, written by Tarell Alvin McCraney. In previews; opens on November 17, 2009.

The Common Air: A one-man play performed by Alex Lyras about six people thrown together during an airport delay. Closes December 30, 2009.

The Credeaux Canvas: A new revival of Keith Bunin's play about two East Village artists who attempt to scam a wealthy art collector into purchasing a falsified classic painting. Presented by Aeternalis Theatre. Closes November 21, 2009.

 The Emperor Jones: A revival of Eugene O'Neill's play about an African American man who sets himself up as monarch of a Caribbean island following a prison break in the United States. Closes December 6, 2009.
REVIEWED BY AMBER GALLERY

 The Hypochondriac: A new production of a contemporary re-imagining of Moliere's farce The Imaginary Invalid. Closes November 22, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

The Importance of Being Earnest: A revival of the famous comedy by Oscar Wilde, set in contemporary New York City. Closes November 21, 2009.

The Lady with All the Answers: A play by David Rambo about advice columnist Ann Landers. Judith Ivey stars. Closes November 29, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

The Late Christopher Bean: The Actors Company Theatre presents Sidney Howard's play from the 1930s about what happens when a celebrated painter's early works are traced to the humble home of a country doctor. In previews; opens on November 11, 2009.

The Lemon Tree: In this new play created by Maria Logis and Makaria Psiliteli Kazakos, a Greek dream becomes an American tragedy when an immigrant's intense work ethic backfires. Closes November 15, 2009.

The Lesser Seductions of History: A new play by August Schulenberg that follows ten characters through each year of the 1960s. Closes November 22, 2009.

 The Lily's Revenge: A new epic theatre work by Taylor Mac about a flower that wants to become a man in order to be able to wed its bride. Closes November 22, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

 The Misunderstanding: Horizon Theatre Rep presents a revival of Albert Camus's play about a man who returns home to his family after a 20 year absence. Closes November 22, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MITCHELL CONWAY

The Orphans' Home Cycle: The world premiere of a three-part play by Horton Foote that follows characters in the fictional town of Harrison, Texas over three decades. Closes March 28, 2010.

The Pillowman: A new production of Martin McDonagh's dark comedy about the interrogation of a fiction writer; presented by Astoria Performing Arts Center. Closes November 21, 2009.

The Playboy of the Western World: Pearl Theatre Company presents a new production of J.M. Synge's famous play. Closes November 22, 2009.
REVIEWED BY DAVID GORDON

The Quantum Eye - Magic Deceptions: An exploration of mentalism, magic, perception and deception starring Sam Eaton.

The Royal Family: Manhattan Theatre Club presents a revival of the George S. Kaufman-Edna Ferber comedy about a theatrical dynasty. Closes December 13, 2009.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

The Starry Messenger: The New Group presents this new play by Kenneth Lonergan about an astronomy teacher whose life is transformed by a young single mother. In previews; opens on November 23, 2009.

The Supper Club of Lost Causes: Nightmares and vaudeville in a mildewed, long-forgotten nightspot in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In previews; opens on November 12, 2009.

The Thickness of Skin: A new play by Clare McIntyre about our responsiblity to others. Closes November 9, 2009.

The Understudy: Roundabout Theatre Company presents a new play by Theresa Rebeck about understudies. Julie White stars. Closes January 3, 2010.

The Verge: Performance Lab 115 strips Susan Glaspell's proto-feminist behemoth of a play in order to reveal its dark, dangerous soul. Closes November 21, 2009.

They Call Me Mister Fry: A one-man show starring Jack Freiberger as a white boy from Indiana who ends up teaching fifth graders in South Central Los Angeles. Closes December 31, 2009.

This: A new play by Melissa James Gibson about a single mother who is trying to become a poet. In previews; opens on December 2, 2009.

Tony 'n Tina's Wedding: The long-running interactive comedy, featuring a wedding and dinner/reception. At Sofia's Restaurant on 46th Street.

Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: A program of 30 plays in 60 minutes, presented by the Neo-Futurists.

 Vigil: A play by Canadian author Morris Panych about a selfish bank drudge who is tending to the wealthy dying aunt he hasn't seen in 30 years.
REVIEWED BY MARTIN DENTON

What Once We Felt: Lincoln Center Theater presents a play by Ann Marie Healy about a writer's journey through the political world of publishing. In previews; opens on November 9, 2009.

 Wishful Drinking: Carrie Fisher recounts the true and intoxicating tale of her life as a Hollywood legend in this new solo show. Presented by Roundabout Theatre Company. Closes January 3, 2010.
REVIEWED BY NAT CASSIDY