Reverend's Reviews: Tony-Nominated Penises and More Now on Broadway

Broadway is back in full swing, and Reverend was delighted to attend several of this season's most ballyhooed productions the weekend before Tony Award nominations were announced on May 9th. Whether you are a Tyler Perry hater, a Fanny Brice/Beanie Feldstein admirer or a full-frontal penis lover, there is truly something for everyone currently playing on the Great White Way!

Let's not beat around the bush and begin with the best of the bunch: A Strange Loop, Michael R. Jackson's unapologetic yet exhilarating look at race, homosexuality, Christianity and the American musical. It led the 2022 Tony Awards nominations with 11 nods including Best Musical, after previously winning the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama following its off-Broadway premiere. Ironically and somewhat unexpectedly, it will be competing against MJ The Musical about late, child-abusing pop singer Michael (no R. and no relation) Jackson. I anticipate and hope that A Strange Loop will win Best Musical even though some older, conservative (i.e. straight, white) Tony voters might be put off by its many graphic descriptions and/or depictions of gay sex. And yet, these contribute to the musical's soul-baring strength.

The show centers on Usher (Jaquel Spivey, fantastic in his Tony-nominated Broadway debut performance), a gifted writer plagued by self-doubt and insecurities. These are personified by six talented, charismatic actors who play his "Thoughts" in addition to other characters including Usher's domineering, anti-gay parents. Company members John-Andrew Morrison and L Morgan Lee have also been nominated for Tonys this year in addition to Spivey. In a case of art imitating life imitating art (the titular "strange loop"), theater-lover Usher is intent on creating a "big, black and queer ass" Broadway musical inspired by his life experiences. To say he and creator Jackson succeed is an understatement. The musical's songs and book are exceptional, making for 105 minutes (with no intermission) of hilarity and heartbreak in equal parts.

Usher/Jackson and A Strange Loop pull no punches when it comes to criticizing Tyler Perry's pandering approach to the black community, "gay white male tyranny" and a certain "terrorist" popularly known as Beyoncé. Despite and/or because of this cultural boldness, the musical boasts an unusually high number of prominent and diverse producers including RuPaul Charles, Alan Cumming, Mindy Kaling, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Porter, Don Cheadle, composer duo Pasek and Paul and longtime Steven Spielberg compatriot Frank Marshall. It is, quite simply, the LGBTQA theatrical event of the year. (I have tickets to see it again during Pride weekend in NYC!)

Sadly, the weekend's biggest disappointment was the current revival of Funny Girl. Tony Award nominators were similarly underwhelmed but I was able to find at least a few pleasures in past Tony winner Michael Mayer's staging, especially once one gets over the temptation to compare current star Beanie Feldstein with the legendary Barbra Streisand. Streisand originated the role of Fanny Brice in 1964, and the then-22-year-old became an overnight sensation. She recreated her performance for the 1968 film adaptation, (in)famously tying with Katharine Hepburn (in The Lion in Winter) to win that year's Academy Award for Best Actress.

Yes, whoever was going to play Fanny in the long-in-the-works revival has big shoes and a big voice to fill. (Personally, I would love to see Lady Gaga play the role either on stage or film.) However, it is simply unfair to compare any actress-singer to Streisand, who is in a league of her own. Feldstein proves herself a charismatic presence and great dancer (including tap), and she pulls off the musical's dramatic moments well. Unfortunately, her singing – at least the night I saw her – left a lot to be desired. She's a belter and sounded best during the big/loud numbers. But she often sounded flat or verging on the edge of flatness during many of the quieter songs. Perhaps even worse for a show called Funny Girl, Feldstein simply wasn't very funny.

On the plus side, lesbian comedian Jane Lynch is funny and can sing. She threatens to run off with the show as Fanny's mother but generously restrains herself. Jared Grimes, as Fanny's friend and mentor Eddie, is a very impressive tap dancer and his performance secured the revival's lone Tony nomination. I was looking forward to seeing and hearing hunky Ramin Karimloo live for the first time, but he was reportedly out with COVID-19 so his less-hunky understudy Jeremiah James filled in efficiently as Fanny's gambler husband, Nicky Arnstein. David Zinn's central rotating set was also efficient but became more of an eyesore as the show progressed.

Bottom line: Fanny Brice needs to be played, wherever and whenever, by a funnier actress who can sing well. They don't have to be Barbra Streisand, as if anyone can be. God help whoever plays Streisand in the inevitable (probably posthumous) bio of her life.

I decided to save the full-frontal penis play revival Take Me Out for last, knowing Reverend's more pervy readers would want to read my review of it first. I'm just kidding.... kind of. But seriously, what gay or bi man – or straight or bi woman – wouldn't be interested in a locker room full of hot naked actors playing professional baseball players? However, this presupposition has presented unusual challenges for the Tony-nominated revival of Richard Greenberg's Tony-winning 2002 play. Audience members have to place their cell phones in locked baggies upon admission, then have the baggies unlocked by theater staff when the performance is over. Despite this arguably extreme security measure, footage of the full-frontal locker room scene appeared online the week after I saw it. (I swear it wasn't me!)

The always enjoyable, out Jesse Tyler Ferguson plays Mason Marzac, gay financial advisor to MLB superstar Darren Lemming. Early in the play, Lemming publicly comes out as gay himself, inspiring diverse reactions from his teammates, managers, and fans. He and Marzac, who initially has zero interest in the American pastime, gradually bond. Meanwhile, a troubled player by the name of Shane Mungitt threatens their team's success and becomes implicated in the tragic death of Lemming's best friend. Greenberg's plot is soapy at times but it remains compelling.

In addition to Ferguson, Grey's Anatomy hottie Jesse Williams (as Lemming) and Michael Oberholtzer (as Mungitt) are all up for the Tony Award in acting categories, and the production is up for Best Revival of a Play. Take Me Out remains timely since, sadly, no active major league baseball player has come out before or since its original Broadway run. The play is even more timely today as an allegory for American democracy, threatened as it is by growing internal threats. But it's the infamous onstage nude shower scenes that prove truly timeless.

Reverend's Ratings:
A Strange Loop: A
Funny Girl: C
Take Me Out: B

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.

Reverend's Interview: Basking in the Afterglow with S. Asher Gelman

Good communication is key to the success of any long-term relationship – gay, straight or otherwise. Without honesty and openness, there is little chance for growth. Don’t just take my word for it; ask your local marriage or relationship counselor.

This month will mark the West Coast premiere of the hit Off-Broadway and London sensation Afterglow. This gay-themed play recently opened and performs through Saturday, June 19th at the Hudson Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles. Tickets are available at here. Of note, the play opened simultaneously in Madrid, Spain and will also enjoy productions this season in Ft. Lauderdale, San Juan, and Buenos Aires.

Written and directed by S. Asher Gelman, Afterglow is a raw one-act play exploring the emotional, intellectual, and physical connections between three men and the broader implications within their relationships. When Josh and Alex, a married couple in an open relationship, invite Darius to share their bed one night, a new intimate connection begins to form. All three men must come to terms with their individual definitions of love, loyalty and trust as futures are questioned, relationships are shaken and commitments are challenged.

The LA cast will feature Noah Bridgestock as Josh, James Hayden Rodriguez as Alex, and Nathan Mohebbi as Darius. This production also boasts the original Off-Broadway team of designers.

S. Asher Gelman

Creator S. Asher Gelman is a director, choreographer, playwright and producer. Afterglow, which ran for 14 months Off-Broadway in 2017-2018, was his first original play. He subsequently produced the Off-Broadway musical We Are the Tigers, written by Preston Max Allen, followed by Gelman’s second play, safeword. He most recently directed and choreographed two dance films, The Greatest City in the World and in memoriam.

Originally from Chevy Chase, Maryland, Gelman received his Bachelor’s degree in Dance and Theater from Bard College and his Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from George Washington University. While living in Israel, he co-founded The Stage, Tel Aviv’s premier English language performing arts organization, and served as its first Artistic Director from 2013 to 2016. Gelman today serves on the Advisory Board of the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College. He lives in New York City with his husband, Mati.

This talented multi-hyphenate recently spoke with me in advance of Afterglow’s LA premiere.

CC: What is Afterglow about, in your own words?
SAG: It’s about honesty and communication, and what happens when it falls apart. Or when relationships fall apart because we can’t communicate honestly and openly with each other.

CC: What was the genesis of the story or play?
SAG: About eight years ago, while my husband and I were living in Tel Aviv, we opened our relationship. Then I met a man and we were together for a couple months. But soon it became clear that he wanted to supplant my husband and ruin my marriage. I knew at the time that I did something wrong but I didn’t understand what. That search within myself was the seed that would become the play. I ultimately wanted the situation to be the antagonist rather than any one character.

CC: Are you making any changes or updates for the LA production?
SAG: The show has become more nuanced, because my understanding of the situation has become more nuanced. My husband and I now have a partner, and I have a boyfriend. We all understand polyamory much better now. There is no room for nuance in our society today, when communications are distilled to a few words in a text message or a few minutes online. My whole team is understanding and taking this more nuanced approach, and its amazing working with them.

CC: How was the casting process? Is this the first time that these actors are doing the play?
SAG: Correct, although our original Alex is now the assistant director. Fun fact: We were supposed to open in LA two years ago and our final day of callbacks was March 12th, 2020, the day Broadway shut down. One of the actors was cast then so he’s had the part for two years. The others were cast via video or Zoom more recently. We all returned to LA on March 12th, 2022, exactly two years since we all left. These actors are so giving, so generous, and it’s a joy to work with them. A joy and such a privilege.

CC: Has anything surprised you or particularly touched you in terms of reactions to your play?
SAG: Look, the dream is you hope your mom sees it and then everyone beyond her is a net positive. (Laughs) One year ago, I saw the first foreign performance in Madrid. It was in Spanish, which I don’t understand, but I wrote the play so I could understand it. It was beautiful. It’s been amazing to see it touch so many people and hear from people from all over the US and all over the world. In New York, I knew some people who wouldn’t see the show with their partners because they were afraid of the conversations it might engender. I thought it was terrible that their relationships were so fragile because they were living in fear. The worst thing is not to be alone; it’s to be in a relationship and be unhappy.

CC: Wow, that is sad. I’m curious: Did you begin your performing arts career as a dancer?
SAG: I did both dancing and acting. I was a little theatre brat in middle school, and then I went on and got my BA and MA. I never studied playwriting until my husband and I moved to New York in 2016. I was surprised writing came so easily to me. And then it was amazing to see these characters I’d written on a page, these lives, come to life on stage!

CC: And now you are moving into film, correct?
SAG: I made a couple of dance films during the pandemic. I love that I can use different mediums to tell different stories. We try to label and pigeonhole people as one thing, and now I’m doing all the things I can do! I do not know what is next for me, and I love that. I can do whatever I want!

CC: That’s awesome! What do you hope California audiences will take from Afterglow?
SAG: I hope they take away the same thing that every other audience has taken away from it: the courage to have the difficult conversation, whatever the conversation is about. To have that bravery and move your life to a better place.

Reviews by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.