BOTTOM LINE: It’s like watching an indie movie on a stage. The Language of Trees is a captivating story about realistic people thrown into an extreme situation.

The Language of Trees is the second installment in Roundabout Theatre’s new audience initiative, Roundabout Underground. The idea behind Underground is to bring affordable, accessible new theatre to a younger, hipper audience while at the same time giving new artists a place to grow and develop their work. Last year’s Speech & Debate was the first performance in the series, and it was welcomed with glee by both critics and audiences. The Language of Trees is much deeper in context than Speech & Debate, but it resonates with the same connectivity.

Written by Steven Levenson and directed by Alex Timbers, Language follows a family in the midst of a crisis. Set in 2003, dad Denton (Michael Haydon) goes to the Middle East to work as a translator in the Iraq war. His wife Loretta (Natalie Gold) and seven-year-old son Eben (Gio Perez) wait for him at home. Nosy neighbor Kay (Maggie Burke) nuzzles in and offers to assist the family since Denton is away; it turns out she’s lonely too. When Denton’s situation overseas becomes volatile, Loretta, Eben, and Kay are left to rely on each other for support.

Roundabout Underground’s Black Box Theatre at the Harold & Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre is intimate and personal. As the name implies, it’s a small, dark space with low ceilings; the stage is only a few inches higher than the floor and only a few feet away from the first row of seats. As a result, it’s hard as an audience member to distance yourself from what’s playing out in front of you. The Language of Trees is sincere and powerful; you feel for these characters as they struggle to deal with their loss and move on with their lives, especially as you sit so close to the drama. In such a cozy space, the experience is much more vivid and palpable.

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BOTTOM LINE: Holmes, I stand corrected.

Back in May, when the cast of All My Sons was announced and I learned that Katie Holmes would play the role of Ann Deever, I wrote about my concern for this casting choice. I was worried that this tremendous play by Arthur Miller was too complex a production for Holmes’s acting abilities. You can read my snarky post of doubt here.

I am both pleased and humbled to tell you that Holmes did not suck hard. In fact, she didn’t suck at all. She was actually really good. And acting alongside her were John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Patrick Wilson, and a stellar supporting cast. All My Sons is a near perfect production. It’s certainly one of the best plays I’ve ever seen. And Holmes deserves to be a part of it.

All My Sons is the very heavy story of the Kellers, a midwestern family post-WWII. The Kellers have nearly been destroyed as a result of the war: younger son Larry went missing in combat three years prior and the father, Joe (Lithgow), was involved in a scandal that sent his business partner to jail and contributed to the deaths of many soldiers when faulty plane parts were knowingly sent overseas. This business partner happens to be the father of Larry’s girlfriend, Ann (Holmes). The play opens as Ann comes back to town to visit the older Keller son, Chris (Wilson), who wants to marry her. Kate Keller (Wiest), the mother, refuses to accept that Larry is dead and therefore forbids Chris from marrying his brother’s girlfriend.

It’s dysfunctional, it’s depressing, it’s meticulously executed. Simon McBurney’s direction is engaging and always appropriate, and the production design leaves the audience engrossed in the performances. The theatrical experience is visceral and moving, and this well-crafted story is given roots to grow and challenge its audience. I loved this production of All My Sons, and I think it’s well worth seeing for anyone who enjoys the pleasure of live theatre. Plus, the acting is as superb as can be.

All My Sons plays a limited engagement through January 11 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W. 45th St. Showtimes are Tue 7 PM, Wed-Sat 8 PM (also Wed and Sat 2 PM), and Sun 3 PM. Tickets are expensive: $61.50-$116.50; standing-room-only tickets are available for $26.50 for sold-out performances. Check out broadwaybox.com for discount codes, allmysonsonbroadway.com for show info, and theatreiseasy.com for more reviews and NY theatre information.

BOTTOM LINE: I would’ve really liked this musical when I was 13.

13 is one of this season’s new, big-budget Broadway musicals. It’s the story of 12-year-old Evan, who’s forced to move to small-town Indiana from Manhattan when his parents get divorced. As his bar mitzvah nears, he has to get the popular kids to come to his awesome party, thereby solidifying his cool-kid status through his high school years. The music and lyrics, by Jason Robert Brown (he also wrote the score to The Last Five Years, one of my favorites), are energetic and sometimes funny. But the book, by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, couldn’t be more contrived if it were an episode of Saved by the Bell.

Luckily, the ensemble of 13 are quite good, and all of them are on track for tremendous success in adulthood. I actually spent a little too much time in my head casting them in future productions of Hairspray and Grease, and if reality is anything like my imagination, they’ll grow into dynamite performers. These teenagers are well cast: talented enough to pull off the show and awkward enough to be completely age appropriate. They’re also bursting with energy and sheer joy for the opportunity they’ve been given. As a result, they’re fun to watch.

There are some good components to 13, though ultimately it falls flat. I laughed out loud on a number of occasions; for example, the kids attend Dan Quayle Middle School. And some of the music rocks pretty hard — the opening number, appropriately called “13/Becoming a Man,” has been stuck in my head all day. The stage band is surprisingly solid, considering that all five members are teenagers themselves. But all in all the play’s creativity is sparse at the expense of telling a simple, obvious story with a simple, obvious resolution. 13 lacks the “wow” moments that make live theatre so incredibly powerful, which is a disservice to both the audience and the performers. The kids onstage need something deeper to play, the kids in the audience can handle a more sincere story, and the adults who came with them deserve something to grab onto.

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BOTTOM LINE: It’s not the best of musicals, it’s not the worst of musicals.

I don’t want to compare A Tale of Two Cities to Les Miserables because ATOTC, in its own right, is an original musical based on the Charles Dickens novel of the same name, with book, music and lyrics by Jill Santoriello. It uses innovative lighting concepts and intricate sets and costumes to bring the story to life. Plus, all of the music is original. Technically speaking, ATOTC is an new and unique work. But since the comparison has already been made (whoops), I might as well elaborate. It’s a musical about a French Revolution. It’s musically traditional with a full orchestra and many ensemble songs involving boisterously elegant harmonies. The altruistic everyman stuggles to triumph above the evil bourgeoisie despite hardships and death. A sense of conquest over sorrow hangs in the air.  It is (intentionally or not), reminiscent of the aforementioned spectacular.  And when you present a new musical that’s so evocative of another, you’d better make it as good or better, or it will be up for serious scrutiny.

A brief synopsis (of this lenghty tome): a British man is wrongfully imprisoned in the French Bastille. He is finally released and reunited with his daughter, Lucie, who meets and falls in love with Charles Darney, a Frenchman who is an aristocrat though he has denounced his heritage because he disagrees with his family’s abuse of power. After Lucie and Darney marry and start a family in England, the revolution begins to break out in France and Darney must go back to help a friend. He can’t deny who he is and the people want him dead because of his lineage. Lucie’s friend Sydney Carton (who’s also in love with her) ends up the hero as he finds a way to help Darney.ATOTC is an inherently good story, although this adaptation has a tendency to hit the audience over the head with plot points. It brings a sort of sit-back-and-relax vibe to the experience; there isn’t much work involved with digesting the narrative. Sometimes passivity can be rewarding, especially if you prefer to go to the theatre for escapism and entertainment. If you prefer to be an active audience member however, you’ll need to work to sink into your seat and just enjoy the show.

Also worth mentioning is the tremendously talented cast. They all command the stage and sing beautifully; all are perfectly cast in their roles. Leading the ensemble is James Barbour as Sydney Carton (Jane Eyre, Assassins), Brandi Burkhardt as Lucie Manette (Lil’ Abner, Jekyll & Hyde) and Aaron Lazar as Charles Darney (Les Miserables, The Light in the Piazza). The ensemble of 38 powerful voices sounds fantastic, although the music itself is just perfunctory. I didn’t have a desire to purchase the cast recording, although in the moment it was an adequate way to showcase the talent of the cast and orchestra.

It’s easy to criticize this show because it’s reminiscent of another, insanely successful musical; undoubtedly reviewers (and theatre snobs) will have a lot to say about this show. But there is a lot of good in ATOTC and it’s certainly deserving of merit. With an intriguing story, a talented cast and a big budget for the technical stuff, this show is a theatrical experience that can be enjoyed without much intellectualizing. This production is truly a theatrical event and for many reasons it’s worth seeing. And if you like grand musical theatre you’ll have a wonderful time at this show.

A Tale of Two Cities plays an open-ended run on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 45th St., between 8th and 9th Ave. For tickets visit telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200. And visit theatreiseasy.com for more NY theatre reviews and other helpful information.

Rent, the most uplifting/most depressing musical of the ’90s, will close this Sunday, September 7, after more than 5,100 performances on Broadway. Although it’s time for the now culturally dated show to bow out gracefully, it’s not without tribute that Rent leaves its home at the Nederlander Theatre, where it debuted on April 29, 1996.

For myriad reasons, Rent spoke for a generation, and not just because my high school friends and I would sing the score from beginning to end on all road trips. The story resonates deeply with its audience: young people living in New York, trying to maintain their artistic integrity and not sell out despite the lure of a cushier life. The characters encounter love and loss, drug abuse, self-revelation, and living with HIV. Rent is a rock opera, and the tone of the production, both musically and visually, was hip and approachable for teens and young adults in the late ’90s. At the same time, the show’s marketing incorporated a grungier look than what other Broadway shows had, making it visually attractive to its target audience. Rent is a show about coming into one’s own, and it was gratefully appreciated by millions of people who understood exactly what it was trying to say.

Rent is now something of a period piece, and when it’s revived down the road it will surely define Generation X (and sometimes Y). The show takes place in Manhattan, specifically in the slums of the East Village. With frantic gentrification, living in the East Village is hardly slumming it anymore, what with a Starbucks on every corner and $2,000-a-month studio apartments. Also, a major theme of Rent is the prevalence of AIDS in America. When it opened off-Broadway in 1994, the AIDS crisis was a terrifying epidemic. Fourteen years later it’s a wonderful thing to say that the disease is much less of a death sentence than it used to be.

Rent has found enormous success throughout the world and will continue to tour. (A 2009 tour with original cast members Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp is in the works.) The show has been translated into every major language and has been performed on six continents. Here in New York it closes as the seventh-longest-running show in Broadway history. From its original run at the New York Theatre Workshop to a Broadway run that grossed over $280 million, Rent holds a solid place in musical-theatre history. And when it’s revived in a few decades I’m going to feel really, really old.

We’re one week in to the New York International Fringe Festival with one more week to go. With 202 plays and musicals of all varieties from all over the world (and with tickets costing a mere $15) there’s something for everyone at FringeNYC. Here are some of Theatre Is Easy’s favorites so far.

The Boy In the Basement: calls itself a “live action romance novel.” It’s campy and sarcastic but not over the top, the story is entertaining, and the performances are well-done. Read the full Theatre Is Easy review here. Show times are Thursday, August 21st at 11:45pm; Saturday, August 23rd at 10pm. Visit theboyinthebasement.com for more info.

Down Around Brown Town: commemorates the music of James Brown with a dancing and singing extravaganza. Read the full Theatre Is Easy review here. Show times are Saturday, August 16th at 4:45pm; Sunday, August 17th at noon. Visit fullamo-productions.info for more info.

Kansas City or Along the Way: a sweet love story in 1930s Ohio, with original folk music inspired by Woodie Guthrie. It’s extremely well-executed and the storytelling technique is honest and sincere. The addition of the music (which is quite good) gives the piece extra substance. Theatre Is Easy review will post Sunday. Show times are Sunday, August 17th at 2:30pm; Monday, August 18th at 7:45pm; Thursday, August 21st at 7:45pm; Saturday, August 23rd at 9:45pm. Visit disgracedproductions.com for more info.

Murder of the Seas: a fun, tongue-in-cheek murder mystery on a cruise ship…and it’s a one-man show. Read the Theatre Is Easy review here. Show times are Sunday, August 17th at 7pm; Friday, August 22nd at 10pm; Sunday, August 24th at noon. Visit fringenyc.org for more info.

Love is Dead: bills itself as a necromantic musical comedy. It’s a smart, and fully, albeit creepy since it’s about a mortician who has sex with female murder victims. Read the Theatre Is Easy review here. The bad news is, Love is Dead has already closed so you can’t see it this time around. But it was great and we’re hoping it gets another chance to perform…if it does, check it out!

For all FringeNYC related information including venue guides, show listings and search options, visit their website at fringenyc.org. The festival closes on August 24th so go see some great new theatre now while you still can.

New shows! Cheap tickets! Genres and subjects galore! The New York International Fringe Festival might just be the best entertainment you’ll find in New York this summer. And Theatre is Easy, c/o Popdose, is here to guide you through it. Does it get any simpler than that?

Fringe ‘08 brings 202 shows from all over the world here to New York for a fun-filled theatre extravaganza August 8-24 at venues all over lower Manhattan. Now in its 12th year, FringeNYC has been an extremely effective way for new plays and musicals to get showcased; occasionally something really tremendous makes its way into the festival. The biggest FringeNYC success story so far is 1999’s premiere of the snarky musical Urinetown, which went on to a Broadway run and national tours. Many other Fringe shows have gone on to off-Broadway runs and a thriving life after the festival as well. FringeNYC receives over 1,000 show submissions each year, and since only a handful of those shows are chosen to participate, you know you’re seeing the best of the best. With shows from all over the world, the diversity is vast — there’s truly something for everyone.

Finding the brightest gems out of 202 shows can be a daunting task, but luckily there are a few resources to steer you in the right direction. Check out the official FringeNYC website, fringenyc.org, for a comprehensive list of what’s playing; you can use their handy “Slice-O-Matic” feature for specific searches, e.g. date, venue, neighborhood, director, etc. Or head on down to FringeCentral, where you can get information live and in person; this year it resides at 201 Mulberry St., between Spring and Kenmare. You can also buy tickets at FringeCentral — and did I mention tickets for all Fringe shows are only $15?

And how could I forget your most exciting FringeNYC resource, Theatre Is Easy? Stop by theatreiseasy.com throughout the duration of the festival and check out all sorts of reviews and useful information. We’ll keep you up to date on what we love and how the festival is going, along with what shows are getting good buzz and which ones are sold out. Come back next Saturday, August 16, for a Fringe ‘08 update.

Happy Fringe-ing!

BOTTOM LINE: Rarely do I see a show that makes me so delightfully happy I want to share it with everyone. [title of show] is incredibly clever in its self-deprecation and wonderfully relatable in its sincerity.

[title of show] is a musical, but its comic value may be more important than its contribution to musical theatre. It’s sort of in the vein of Arrested Development and The Office, with a highly self-aware sense of humor. The characters are flawed but real; they’re almost tragic heroes in their struggles. And hovering over their journey and eventual triumph is a cloud of self-deprecating snarkiness and shameless mocking of those who get in their way.

At the risk of revealing too much, here’s a brief plot summary: Two guys named Hunter and Jeff want to write a musical to submit to a New York musical theatre festival, and they decide that their show should be about two guys named Hunter and Jeff who want to write a musical. They rope their friends Susan and Heidi into being in the production, and because they can’t think of a good name and must provide one on the entry form, they just leave it as “[title of show].”

If you’re in any way a fan of musical theatre, this show is right up your alley. Although universally funny and appealing, there are some inside jokes that spice up the script if you’re familiar with the references. For the theatre industry and theatre fans, it’s a must-see, but others will find its themes easy to relate to as well — it’s about the struggle to do what makes you happy and how you need the support of friends to get you through.

True to the events the audience sees onstage, [title of show] actually did premiere in 2004 at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. It was subsequently given a run off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre, and earlier this month it opened on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre. (Naturally those moments are major plot points in the play’s current run.) [title of show] is the journey of the little musical that dreamt big and eventually achieved its ultimate, shmammy goal.

Check out [title of show] at the Lyceum Theatre, 145 W. 45th St., for the relatively affordable price of $26.50-$101.50. Or play the Lyceum’s ticket lottery 90 minutes before showtime at the box office and win up to two front-row tickets for $26.50 each. Visit titleofshow.com for more info, and stop by theatreiseasy.com for more NY theatre reviews and information.

It’s summertime in New York City and that means two things: more motivation to get off your butt and do stuff, and more house guests coming to visit. Get some culture and impress your friends by checking out some top-rated theatre this summer with the help of Theatre Is Easy’s helpful Best Bets guide, July edition. Click on a show title below to read the Theatre Is Easy review.

Take your parents: Gypsy
One of the best American musicals ever, with a tremendous cast and a trifecta of Tony-winning performances from the three leads.

Take a date: In the Heights
A terrific show that won the Tony last month for Best New Musical. Yes, it’s absolutely the obvious choice, but it’s also endearing, sweet, and will make you feel all warm and gooey inside.

Before it closes: Stitching
A very cool storytelling experience in a great downtown space. (It closes next Saturday, July 19.)

Best off-Broadway play: Fuerzabruta
Why did it take us so long to see this show?

Most exciting new cast member: Beth Leavel in Young Frankenstein
The show is still selling out despite mediocre reviews, but as most of the leads leave this summer the cast gets some fresh blood, and Beth Leavel is sure to be a rockin’ Frau Blucher.

Because you know you should see it: August: Osage County
Yes, it’s a long, talky drama, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t damn entertaining! See this stellar Pulitzer- and Tony-winning production before it’s gone.

Check out theatreiseasy.com for more reviews and information about the New York theatre scene.

BOTTOM LINE: Tragedy befalls a young couple and they’re left to pick up the pieces. The story is told in nonlinear vignettes, so the audience actively tries to stitch the pieces together themselves. Stitching is well executed in performance and production, but the subject matter is pretty disturbing. If you’re okay with squirm-inducing theatre, this is most definitely a play to see.

Stitching comes to New York from a successful run in London. The story involves a couple, Abby and Stu, who are dealing with their tumultuous relationship after experiencing a tragedy. Both are scarred and scared, and the audience learns the nature of each character as we see them deal with what’s thrown at them. The story is told in a brilliant nonlinear way, and though it’s easy to follow, questions always linger in the air as to which character is the victim and what’s really going on. Playwright Anthony Neilson weaves a clever story complete with a moment of clarity when you realize the truth was always right under your nose. This is truly exciting theatre and well-crafted storytelling.

The play stars Meital Dohan (Abby) and Gian-Murray Gianino (Stu), two actors with extensive credits and experience. Dohan is Israeli and is most recognized in the States from her role on Showtime’s Weeds as Yael Hoffman, the sexy rabbinical scholar; Gianino is a seasoned American stage actor, most recently seen in Eurydice at Second Stage. Because these actors are so talented in their art, they’re able to make their characters palpable; their chemistry is hot and their attention is intense. This is important, since the actions these characters go through are extreme and could easily fall into the trap of unbelievability.

Stitching is referred to as “in-yer-face theatre,” a new British genre whose name was coined by a UK critic. It’s not quite as recognizable in America, though modern playwriting over here is frequently confrontational and aggressive in the same sort of way. A play that’s in-yer-face is one in which what happens on the stage and in the story is disturbing, sometimes gruesome, and usually uncomfortable. The idea is to include the audience on the emotional ride and ask intense questions about life and morality. In-yer-face theatre is often thought-provoking and interesting, and it’s definitely not passive; Stitching is certainly confrontational and makes the audience personally invested in the story. Regarding the original British production, Time Out London’s critic wrote, “I left the theatre with my pulse, and my mind, racing.” That’s a pretty accurate description of how Stitching gets under your skin.

I really enjoyed it, and I had a lot to talk about when I left the theatre. I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes intriguing storytelling that keeps you engaged and leaves you affected when it’s over.

Stitching plays at the Wild Project, 195 E. Third St. between Aves. A and B, through Saturday, July 19: Mon-Tue 7 PM, Wed-Fri 8 PM, and Sat 2 and 8 PM. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at ovationtix.com or by calling 212-351-3101. Student rush tickets are $10 and available for purchase at the box office (cash only) two hours before each performance. Visit stitchingtheplay.com for more info, and for more New York theatre reviews and information visit theatreiseasy.com.