It wasn’t really time for a revival of Ragtime. The new musical first opened on Broadway in 1998 and ran for two years. It was mostly well received, winning Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical as well as Best Score (Lion King beat it for the coveted Best Musical prize). It starred Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell in what was a categorically extravagant, traditional Broadway production similar to The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked (although Wicked wouldn’t open for a few more years).

But something unique happened with this production of Ragtime (directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge) originally staged for and presented at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.: Everyone freaking loved the show. It could have been Broadway bound from the beginning, but its overwhelming response probably had something to do with the show’s New York transfer. I have to agree with the fans on this one; This production of Ragtime is fantastic. It is everything that is magical about musical theatre, down to its most basic storytelling intentions and emotional connection with its audience. The show itself isn’t perfect, but this revival is really incredible.

Ragtime is an historic musical, pulling from fact and showcasing real figures as its characters. The story is fictional, but the details are very real. Based in New Rochelle, New York, in the early 20th century, Ragtime exposes a tumultuous time in America when race relations were just beginning to be a topic of discussion although racism still ran rampant throughout the country. The story follows the plight of Mother and Father and their WASP-y, rich, New York life. Father goes away on a year-long vacation and Mother finds her life intertwined with a black family from Harlem. When father returns he can’t believe what’s happened and demands that the association be broken. The fight for equality unfolds before the audience’s eyes and subsequent drama ensues.

Written by Terrence McNally (The Ritz, The Full Monty, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune), the script is rooted in the very raw emotion of these characters as they try to understand their own feelings on race relations. Much of the show is sung and therefore, much of the dialogue is revealed through lyrics. With music and lyrics by the team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Once On This Island, Seussical), the true passion is often let loose through soulful song. The biggest asset this production has is its ability to truthfully convey these highest of emotions and make these characters’ inner struggles palpable. I must admit, this is the first production I’ve seen of Ragtime, so I’m not sure if the music itself is so powerful that any actor inhabiting his role can relate the sentiment with such truth, but it’s certainly true of this production and I’d wager it’s the reason why audiences find themselves so drawn to the show.

The night I saw the show, the audience was on their feet barely before the final curtain came down. They absolutely loved it. And it wasn’t one of those undeserved standing ovations (you know, the “I paid $120 for this ticket and I’ve never been to a Broadway show before so I will proudly stand to be a part of the experience even though the show was mediocre at best”). Ragtime elicits thunderous applause from a grateful audience, thrilled to have experienced the magic. This seems so cheesy as I write it but I guess classic musical theatre is cheesy by design. I will be honest when I tell you that the night I saw the show the audience was a good 70 percent geriatric. But my date and I (both in our 20s) found the production to be incredibly moving so maybe this is just one of those shows that, although G-rated, is really appropriate for any age range.

Much of the cast is from the Kennedy Center production and many are making their Broadway debuts. Standouts include Christiane Noll as Mother, Ron Bohmer as Father, Quentin Earl Darrington as Coalhouse and Stephanie Umoh as Sarah. They all have incredible voices and are also powerful actors — as a result they bring their characters to life. Maybe this is the reason this revival is getting a better response than the original production (I don’t know exactly how you quantify that but it seems to be the universal response from everyone I’ve talked to who has seen both productions). This version employs actors for whom the audience doesn’t already have an association. And this production, unlike many other commercial Broadway shows, doesn’t seem like its first goal is to make money. It might very well be a cash cow in the making, but it doesn’t hit you over the head with its fancy production value and pyrotechnics. The set, lights and sound are phenomenal, but they are meant to serve the story, not to show you the latest in projection technology.

So at the end of the day, this revival of Ragtime seems like its main intention is to bring its audience along on the journey, and to tell a story through music with grace, class and artistic integrity. It’s a rare find on Broadway these days to see a musical that doesn’t wear its commercial intentions on its sleeve. And it has the goods to back it up with an incredible cast and orchestra that do justice to the show itself. This revival is probably not the next sensation to hit Broadway, but it’s a great theatrical experience for anyone who appreciates traditional musical theatre. The production is modern enough that it feels like a 21st-century show, but it pays its respects to musical theatre’s roots none-the-less. See Ragtime if you appreciate the genre, or if you are taking your parents to the theatre. You’ll have a lovely time.

Ragtime plays at the Neil Simon Theater, 250 W. 52nd St., between Broadway and 8th Ave. Performances are Tue 7 PM, Wed-Sat 8 PM (also Wed and Sat 2 PM), and Sun 3 PM. Tickets are $47-$127 and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-755-4000. For more show info, visit ragtimeonbroadway.com.

First off, let me apologize for not seeing Circle Mirror Transformation, the new play by Annie Baker, sooner — the show closes November 15 at Playwrights Horizons. It’s the kind of show that’s most deserving of a positive review on a website visited by a wide variety of cool people. I want you to see this show.

If you’ve ever been in an acting class or, hell, been forced to do “team building” exercises, you’ll find relatable fodder here. And at its core it’s a sincere and engaging story of five normal people trying to find their way.

Circle Mirror Transformation takes place in a beginning acting class in a small town in Vermont. It’s a community class, open to everyone, and four unique individuals have signed up for the five-week program instructed by Marty (Deirdre O’Connell): Marty’s husband, James (Peter Friedman), recently divorced Schultz (Reed Birney), shy sixteen-year-old Lauren (Tracee Chimo), and ex-New York actress Theresa (Heidi Schreck). Through the five weeks, the characters play those ridiculous games to get comfortable with one another (e.g. everyone lies on the floor, and the group tries to count to ten without two people saying the same number). They also play trust games that lead to soul-bearing openness (everyone writes a secret on a piece of paper and then someone else anonymously reads it). Through these situations the audience learns who these characters are. This leads to an incredible connection between the characters and the audience because as the play goes on and their back stories become clear, their interactions and conversations all become colored; the audience is given the insight to really get it. This is a testament to Baker’s incredible writing and also to the actors’ abilities to bring these characters to life, with all of their quirks and nuances.

It’s hard to find standouts in the cast because they are truly an ensemble. Playwrights Horizons has a tendency to hire the best actors in town, whether they are under the radar or well-known. Circle Mirror Transformation is no exception. All have amazing credits, whether Broadway or not, and all have every right embodying these characters. The casting is really extraordinary and if I saw these actors on the street I’m sure I would first recognize them as their character and not as the actor who played that character (an important distinction, in my mind). And with a really great production value (the stage, though not overly-designed, shows a community center studio complete with gymnastics mats in the corner and a mirrored wall on one side) the production boasts a high quality overall.

Director Sam Gold does a great job bringing this story to life, without making it overly silly or flimsy. The comedy is consistent through the show but it takes various forms, further engaging the audience. Sometimes the humor is strictly physical comedy, sometimes its based on an awkward conversation the audience knows will only get worse, sometimes the audience laughs because they’re uncomfortable. To be sure, Circle Mirror Transformation is one of the funniest shows I’ve seen in a while.

Circle Mirror Transformation is a touching tale. As the characters unravel themselves to each other, they also let the audience in on who they really are. And as a result, the audience takes the journey with them. A cleverly told story with fabulous performances in a small and intimate off-Broadway theatre isn’t always the easiest find in the New York theatre world, so when it occurs it’s worth checking out. Hopefully Circle Mirror Transformation will get another run off-Broadway, but if you can make it to Playwrights Horizons this weekend or next, I’d highly recommend seeing this show.

Circle Mirror Transformation plays at Playwrights Horizons’ Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 416 W. 42nd St., through Sun 11/15. Showtimes are Tue-Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 2 and 7:30 PM, and Sun 2 and 7 PM. The play runs 1 hr. 50 min., with no intermission. Tickets are $50 and are available at ticketcentral.com or by calling 212-279-4200; for $35 tickets visit broadwaybox.com and use discount code CMBB. For more information, visit playwrightshorizons.org.

Laughter is an important catharsis, and really good laughter that makes your abs hurt is reserved only for the finest comedy. I am excited to report that Avenue Q, now enjoying an off-Broadway run at New World Stages, still makes me chuckle to the point of tears just as it did six years ago when it opened on Broadway.

Avenue Q (or the dirty puppet musical, as some know it, shown here with the original Broadway cast) has taken an interesting production turn by closing its Broadway run in September only to somewhat immediately open off-Broadway. Obviously, producers thought its success was far from over, at least in a smaller theatre for a slightly cheaper ticket price. Announcements that Avenue Q was closing on Broadway came as a shock, since the show had been a smash since it opened in 2003.  Beating all odds, the satirical new musical won the 2004 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score (Wicked lost in an upset).

Now Avenue Q has taken residence at New World Stages, the commercial off-Broadway house just outside the theatre district that offers several theatres and consequently, several shows, at the same time. New World Stages is a cool space, although it feels very sterile, somewhat space-age and mostly like a movie theatre with multiple “screens” and several bars (for both snacks and alcohol). Contrast this with Avenue Q’s gritty, from-the-outskirts-of-Manhattan feel, and all of a sudden the commercial intentions of the production become all-too-clear. It made me wish I had seen the show in its original off-Broadway debut at The Vineyard Theater. But regardless, the medium-sized house provides a comfy space to see this show.

Avenue Q appeals to me (and I would argue, to everyone else) because it is so genuinely relatable and it connects in a non-obvious yet completely sincere way. A satire of children’s programming (namely Sesame Street and other puppet shows, although explicitly not modeled after them according to the playbill), Avenue Q offers a very human story: a recent college graduate comes to New York City to pursue his dreams. He quickly realizes that achieving success is harder than he was always led to believe, especially in a city known for chewing up and spitting out naïve early twenty-somethings. Through the troubles life throws at him (relationships, job hunting, paying rent, etc.) he maintains his desire to find his purpose and one could argue he comes out of his first years in New York a stronger, better, and more secure person, ahem, puppet.

Both puppets and real people are employed as the characters in the story, although for the purposes of storytelling, there isn’t any difference between a character that is a puppet and a character that is a human. They are all equally weighted in the tale and they all interact with each other as if they are one in the same (think Sesame Street).  No, it’s not weird; it’s brilliant. Presenting this very adult story as an homage to children’s entertainment not only drives home the point that we all have to grow up at some point, but also provides unique storytelling opportunities.

Although Avenue Q is a well-oiled machine at this point, the cast is still having fun, the direction (by Jason Moore) is tighter than ever and the music is still remarkably good (this is a soundtrack to own). Plus, the songs are absolutely hysterical: with “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist” and “The Internet is for Porn,” for example, audiences can enjoy raunchy lyrics, dirty puns and inappropriate context in a surprisingly well-orchestrated and musically impressive score (Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, who wrote the music and lyrics, knew exactly what they were doing).

I rarely gush about new shows, let alone shows that are in their third run over an eight year span, but I sincerely think Avenue Q is an important musical for this generation of theatre, and certainly one to be seen for entertainment value alone. If you haven’t already seen it you’re in for a treat and if you have seen it before, check out its new digs just west of the Broadway scene. I’d caution against taking anyone easily offended by dirty words or puppet sex, but other than that it’s an enjoyable experience for anyone with a sense of humor who remembers what it was like to be an optimistic kid fresh out of college and ready to take on the world.

Avenue Q plays at New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St., between 8th and 9th Ave. Performances are Mon and Wed-Fri at 8 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, and Sun 3 and 7:30 PM. The show runs 2 hrs. 15 min., with one intermission. Tickets are $69.50-$89.50 and can be purchased at telecharge.com; for $55-$65 tickets (plus a free drink), use discount code AQBBOX909 when purchasing. For more show info, visit avenueq.com.

David Mamet is known for writing sharp, biting dialogue and creating great character conflict. His plays (Speed-the-Plow, American Buffalo, Glengarry Glen Ross) generally present uncomfortable situations through which his characters must navigate using whatever tools necessary to achieve their final goals — and sometimes that means head-to-head combat, verbal and otherwise. Oleanna, Mamet’s latest Broadway offering, exemplifies his MO and proves yet again why he’s one of the most thought-provoking playwrights out there today.

Although it’s not a new play (it was written in the early ’90s), this production marks  Oleanna’s Broadway debut. With a Hollywood cast comprised of Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman, the show arrives in New York after a run in Los Angeles at the Mark Taper Forum.

Stiles and Pullman are well suited for their roles and prove their stage credibility. Oleanna is a two-character showdown of sorts, and both actors power through their respective roles. Pullman is a genius, giving off a slightly quirky everyman quality with a sympathetic yet slightly suspicious undertone. Stiles is surprisingly able in her role; her career blossomed as she played one angsty teenager after another in a barrage of cheesy teen flicks, and as a result she tends to stick in one’s mind that way, but I imagine that will change soon, as she certainly has the chops for more mature roles. Also, she’s easy to watch onstage. Unlike many screen actors who try on a Broadway play for size but can’t seem to make the necessary physical adjustments, Stiles appears comfortable and confident.

Oleanna tells the story of John (Pullman), a college professor on the verge of tenure, and his frustrated student Carol (Styles). She confronts him in his office after he gives her a bad grade on a paper. She tells him that the material he teaches is confusing and vague, and she berates him for not appreciating that his students want to succeed; she thinks his class is a hindrance. It seems as though John’s pretension and disdain for the traditional educational structure are exacerbated by the fact that he just wants job security and a good income to provide for his family. He’s not even sure if he likes teaching.

The conflict escalates when Carol accuses him of sexual harassment and his job hangs in the balance. The power struggle shifts, as do the audience’s loyalties.

The captivating moments in Oleanna occur as the conflict builds. Through their conversation (let’s be honest, it’s really more of an argument), the characters’ true colors are revealed, and what the audience once believed to be fact is unwound so the truth can be further exposed. But then, in true Mamet fashion, the plot takes another unexpected turn. The audience is engaged as they actively hear both sides and form their own opinions (and then maybe form new opinions as more information is disclosed).

Oleanna utilizes my favorite storytelling technique, what I like to call “the theatrical mind-fuck.” Although it doesn’t totally manipulate the audience, the plot develops in such a way that you never really know what to expect next. And that’s the fun of it — you intellectualize the play as the story is told.

Oleanna starts slowly but builds at a tremendous pace. The first half hour is all exposition; since the audience is merely getting acquainted with John and Carol, there’s a lot of setup before their confrontation becomes anything substantial. However, the next 60 minutes fly. Seriously, the tension is palpable. So don’t despair if you feel like you’ve been misled. Hang in there and pay attention — the payoff is yet to come.

If you like engaging theatre that sparks debates and conversation well after the curtain has fallen, you should definitely check out Oleanna. For a handful of the preview performances, postshow “talkbacks” with attorneys and other professionals were offered for the sake of discussing the ramifications of the play’s narrative if it were to really happen. The talkback I attended stimulated an amazing response from the audience; legal issues were discussed as well as plot points in general, and it seemed like everyone had something to say.

I will caution that if you prefer your live entertainment light and sunny, Oleanna isn’t your best Broadway bet. Mamet is verbose, his dialogue frequently heavy and not terribly easy to digest; it’s not challenging in an overly sophisticated way, but you do have to pay attention. But if you’re looking for a captivating night of theatre that could spark a mean debate afterward, see Oleanna.

Oleanna plays at the Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th St., between 7th and 8th avenues. Performances are Tue 7 PM, Wed-Fri 8 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, and Sun 3 PM. Tickets are $76.50-$111.50. To purchase, visit telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200; for 40-percent-off tickets, visit broadwayoffers.com and use discount code OLMKT93. For more show info, visit oleannaonbroadway.com.

Some theatrical experiences are just perfect: all of the elements (cast, design, technical aspects) come together is a totally satisfying way and it’s apparent the story is best told on a stage. These are the shows from which you walk away with total respect for those involved with the production. Whether or not you liked the play itself is a separate matter, as you appreciate the experience regardless. I consider The Royal Family, playing at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Friedman Theatre, to be in this particular category. It’s just a really solid production.

The story takes place in 1927 and was written around the same time, by the super-gifted team of George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber. It’s a farce about a show-biz family (the “royal” description being tongue-in-cheek). The Cavendish clan includes three generations of stage actresses: Fanny is the matriarch (Rosemary Harris), Julie is her daughter (Jan Maxwell) and Gwen is Julie’s daughter (Kelli Barrett). The three women have found themselves at crossroads, independent of one another, and all must decide what to do with their lives. Fanny is aging and isn’t able to handle the busy life of an actress like she used to, Julie is happy being a diva until a wealthy suitor reappears in her life and offers her a domestic alternative, and Gwen must decide if she should quit the stage and marry her boyfriend, who isn’t too excited about playing second fiddle to his wife’s burgeoning career. When something is your passion, for whom is it worth giving up? Can you have both love and a successful career or does something always have to give? And what happens when you can no longer do what you love? Although presented in an overly dramatic, vivacious way, the questions asked in The Royal Family offer a thoughtful look at these circumstances.

The play is a comedy, though, and the humor overshadows anything remotely serious. Doug Hughes’ direction is gloriously indulgent and the cast dances around the stage, in step with the chaos that is the Cavendish household. Jo the butler and Della the maid (David Greenspan and Caroline Stefanie Clay respectively) serve as the overworked and under-appreciated stable ones in the story who really hold everything and everyone together. Herbert and Kitty Dean (John Glover and Ana Gastayer) are Fanny’s brother and sister-in-law who love to mooch off the Clavendish fortune. Tony (Reg Rogers) is Fanny’s eccentric son who ditched the stage for the screen and is currently on the run from the feds. Oscar Wolfe (Tony Roberts) is the family’s manager, who just wants the best for the talented clan. Perry Stewart (Freddy Arsenault) and Gilbert Marshall (Larry Pine) are the suitors with whom Gwen and Julie could chose to live quiet, domestic lives. Perry and Gilbert are the straight men in a sea of crazy.

Crazy is perhaps an overstatement, as the family is so damn endearing it’s hard to judge them too harshly. That is in large part due to the cast, who offer larger than life portrayals of their characters while still managing to make them sympathetically real. The script is also successful at walking the line between overdramatic storytelling and legitimately believable familial relationships.

One of the reasons the play works so well is that it is a microcosm of itself without being in your face about it. The play is about a theatrical family, so the play itself can be theatrical, fitting perfectly with the vibe of the show. A big Broadway production with a set of a grand house decorated with burgundy velvet is not only appropriate for an over the top portrayal of a dramatic family, but it’s also believable that it’s what the Cavendish house would look like. Giving Jan Maxwell room to throw an enormous tantrum that leaves her face down, center stage, is not only hysterical to watch but it also seems plausible that her character would behave in such a manner. The audience laughs at the outrageous behavior on stage and yet remains in tune with the story, as the characters themselves are mildly outrageous.

The Royal Family is an entertaining production of a hilarious play. The comedy itself seems more modern than I had expected, even a little on the sarcastic side at times; this could be a function of Hughes’ direction, or proof that Kaufman and Ferber were ahead of their time, or maybe a little of both. I’m not sure how it played comedy-wise when it first opened on Broadway in 1927, but it played for over a year and then saw two revivals, in the 1950s and again in the 1970s, although those runs were a bit shorter.

Sometimes you just want to see good theatre, something that will make you laugh and feel something for the characters in the story. This production is a safe bet if you want an entertaining night out. It’s not highbrow and it’s now pedestrian, rather it’s appealing on a mass level that I think most people would sincerely appreciate. The performances are really outstanding and the production values are high. And with its generation-spanning characters, it’s probably a safe bet for the whole family.

The Royal Family plays at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th St., between Broadway and 8th Ave. Performances are Tue 7 PM,
Wed-Sat 8 PM,
and Sat-Sun 2 PM. Tickets are $57-$97 (student rush tickets are $25) and can be purchased at telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200. For more show info visit mtc-nyc.org.

Long live the comedians of the world. And long live the people who provide fantastic fodder for their jokes. Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words is a hilarious 75-minute show, a sort of Barnes and Noble book reading-meets-stand-up comedy show at the Triad NYC theater on the Upper West Side. It’s a great cabaret space in an intimate setting, complete with full bar and cocktail service. And this is definitely the kind of show that can be enjoyed with a drink in one’s hand.

The premise of Celebrity Autobiography is so incredibly obvious, I wonder why no one thought of it before: a handful of well-known actors from stage and screen read excerpts from the silliest of celeb tell-alls. Writer-comedian Eugene Pack created the show one night when he brought some friends together to read memoirs in front of an audience. It was well received, eventually becoming a weekly performance produced and hosted by Pack and Dayle Reyfel.

With shows in both Los Angeles and New York, the Celebrity Autobiography company of performers includes screen actors like Rachel Dratch, Molly Shannon, Matthew Perry, Justin Long, Paul Rudd, Bobby Cannavale (Third Watch, Cupid), and Michael Urie (Ugly Betty), as well as big-name Broadway stars like Matthew Broderick, Andrea Martin, Alan Cumming, Jackie Hoffman (Hairspray, Xanadu), Donna Murphy (The King and I), and Christopher Sieber (Shrek: The Musical).

The night I saw it, the lineup included Dratch, Urie, Hoffman, 30 Rock’s Scott Adsit, Third Rock’s Kristen Johnston, Karen Ziemba (a 2000 Tony winner for Contact), Craig Bierko, and former Saturday Night Live writer Alan Zweibel. They read from the autobiographies of Miley Cyrus, Hedy Lamarr, Burt Reynolds and Lonnie Anderson and Burt’s ex-personal assistant, the Jonas Brothers, Joan Lunden, Tommy Lee, and more. These books are comic gold, and the performers simply read passages from them, with the voice and intonation they think the authors would use to read their own words (or, let’s be honest, their ghostwriters’ own words). The humor is both in the prose and the performers’ unavoidable reaction to the prose.

Suffice to say, Celebrity Autobiography is a fabulously entertaining night out. The show plays one Monday per month; visit celebrityautobiography.com for the full schedule. The next show is October 12 at 7:30 PM, and the cast will include Adsit, Bierko, Dratch, Johnston, Pack, Reyfel, Zweibel, Carol Kane, Steve Schirripa (The Sopranos), Claudia Shear (Dirty Blonde), and Sherri Shepherd from The View. Check it out if you can — I’m pretty sure anyone with a sense of humor will have a great time.

Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words plays at the Triad NYC theater, 158 W. 72nd St., in Manhattan. Upcoming performances are Mondays at 7:30 PM on the following dates: October 12, November 23, and December 7. Tickets are $35-$45 and there’s a two-drink minimum (the Triad is a cash-only venue). For tickets visit smarttix.com or call 212-868-4444, and for more show information visit celebrityautobiography.com.

The Groovaloos are a dance company from LA. They’re hip-hop dancers with diverse backgrounds who came together a while back as a community of freestylers who liked to jam with one another. They’re perhaps the most talented group of hip-hop dancers out there, at least as far as I’m aware. You’ve probably seen them on TV in one way or another, as they’ve been featured on several of those reality talent shows over the past couple of years (Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew). Their autobiographical show, Groovaloo, has grown and changed since its inception in 2003, and it now comes to New York to play at the Joyce Theater after a successful run in LA. After its brief stay in New York — it plays though September 27 – Groovaloo will tour the country beginning January 10.

Performance-wise, Groovaloo is an athletic, energy-packed 90 minutes that gets the audience’s attention and doesn’t let go. Each of the 14 dancers is better than the next, and with men and women of all cultural backgrounds, the cast is totally captivating. Each dancer gets a solo moment, and as the show reveals itself, the audience learns each dancer’s story and how they got to where they are now. Although there are many featured moments for each dancer where they can break and freestyle and do their own thing, there are also many synchronized and choreographed moments where some or all of the dancers perform the same steps or tricks in smaller groups or as bigger production numbers. The variety keeps the production moving along at a nice pace.

The highlights of Groovaloo are pretty consistently the amazing dance moves pulled off by the cast. You may have seen someone spin on their head, but have you ever seen someone spin on their head for 10 rotations, no hands, and then go right into another cool move? Back handsprings are pretty average, but you’ve probably never seen someone do six in a row, in place, right into a back flip after performing several minutes of strenuous choreography. It’s like gymnastics on speed, with lots of funk and rhythm. And of course, the dancing is cool too. Both the choreography and the tricks make these performances hard to believe.

Groovaloo is a heartfelt show. It’s easy to see how much love these dancers have for one another, as well as for their art. They are passionate and their energy radiates through the audience. You are on their side as you witness their struggle to achieve the dreams. Toward the end, the story gets a little tragic, and then the camaraderie truly becomes palpable. After all, it’s a true story about the people you are watching (well, most of them anyway, some of the original cast are no longer in the show).

For a dance show and an inspirational production, Groovaloo is a tremendous experience. As a theatrical production, it’s a little obvious thematically speaking. Basically, it’s A Chorus Line, except with hip hop. It’s formulaic to be sure, but it’s also true and sincere. For a first production, Groovaloo is a hit. I have to be honest though, I am really excited to see another show from this company, maybe something with fictional content that uses storytelling with dance in a theatrical way, something that pushes the limits of a narrative on stage. I think with the artistic vision of these performers and the storytelling potential, they could create a tremendous show. I don’t believe Groovaloo is the peak for this company and I am excited to see what projects lay ahead. They certainly have the ambition and the talent to take them anywhere. But for now, do yourself a favor and check out Groovaloo. It’s an incredible dance production with some of the hottest dancers around.

Groovaloo plays at the Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave. (at 19th St.). Performances are Tue-Wed 7:30 PM, Thu-Fri 8 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, and Sun 2 and 7:30 PM, through September 27. Tickets are $10-$59 and are available at joyce.org or by phone at 212-242-0800. For more show info, visit groovaloo.com.

If one were to see a play called The Bereaved, written by a playwright named Thomas Bradshaw, one might expect a solemn tale; = perhaps a depressing story about death or coping with loss. One could not be more wrong. The Bereaved is indeed a story about death, a broken family, and coping with tragedy. But it’s also hysterically funny in an “I can’t believe that just happened” kind of way. The audience laughs in spite of itself, and very quickly the humor trumps anything intrinsically sad.

The premise is really quite depressing: Carol (McKenna Kerrigan) is a high-powered Manhattan attorney-slash-wife-and-mother. She suffers a heart attack and spends the subsequent weeks in the hospital. During that time, she makes sure to finalize plans for her family so that when she dies (she’s not optimistic about her recovery) her part-time professor husband Michael (Andrew Garman) and 15-year-old son Teddy (Vincent Madero) will be cared for. As Carol anticipates the end, her family and best friend Katy (KK Moggie) try to cope with the situation. And it’s perhaps in those coping mechanisms that they lose sight of any responsible decision.

The Bereaved is an appreciated theatrical mindfuck that holds the audience’s attention; you think you’re seeing one play and it turns out to be another. As the characters disengage from reality, you wonder if they were always batshit extremists or if their situation is a result of their trauma. The tale Bradshaw weaves builds brilliantly: at the beginning the story is relatable, albeit on an extreme level. But as it unfolds, the characters unhinge and their antics, once quirky, exaggerate to the unpredictable. This provides for tremendously fun storytelling as the absurdity escalates and the audience wonders what could possibly happen next.

Although Bradshaw’s script is worthy of accolades on its own, the biggest reason The Bereaved is so successful is because the cast is all-around fantastic. The actors deftly develop characters that are all too real and then ride the wave as the story progresses. They all have excellent comic chops and the comedy is intentionally played through an understated demeanor. And most importantly, the entire cast remains committed, whether they are naked or not (and there is a lot of nudity). These actors can no doubt justify everything their characters do in this play and as a result, the audience believes them wholeheartedly.

It’s to Bradshaw’s credit that the audience is kept laughing, but May Adrales deftly directs the play, bringing everything together and keeping it grounded despite the growing ridiculousness. Adralas gives everyone in the cast a time to shine and with every character weighted equally, she creates a truly ensemble piece of theatre.

I don’t usually gush about plays I see, especially about new plays off-off-Broadway. But Partial Comfort does good work and Wild Project is a quality downtown venue, and most importantly, The Bereaved is a really well-done production. It’s not perfect yet (the ending is a little abrupt), but I sincerely hope it gets the acknowledgment it deserves, and hopefully another run in the future.

The Bereaved plays at Wild Project, 195 E. 3rd St., through September 26. Performances are Wed-Sat 8 PM. Tickets are $15 — Wednesdays are “pay what you can” – and are available by calling 212-352-3101 or by visiting ovationtix.com. For more info visit partialcomfort.org.

Let’s say you’re a major celebrity like oh, Elton John. And let’s say it’s your 50th birthday and you’ve recently become a big fan of contemporary ballroom dancing. Maybe you like the sparkly costumes. So your peeps decide to honor your special day by hiring amazing dancers to create a show for you to be performed at your soiree. Now let’s say you’re a power-player with money who happens to be a guest at Sir Elton’s birthday party. And you see this show and you think “this is both awesome and potentially lucrative.” You put your monacle back in your eye, take out your checkbook and adapt the show into a worldwide hit called Burn the Floor.

I’m not totally positive that’s how it all went down, but suffice to say this show got its roots in 1997 in Sir Elton’s honor. After a decade of developing and re-working, it has played in England and pretty much traveled the rest of the world on various tours. Burn the Floor has now set up shop at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre for a limited engagement through January 2010.

Twenty smokin’ dancers perform ballroom and latin dance routines, supported by two vocalists and a five piece band. Although the numbers don’t follow a specific pattern or theme, the playbill does a nice job of introducing what ballroom dance actually is and clarifying what each type of dance is, technically speaking. Through the production you see the cha cha, the waltz, the rumba, the samba, the salsa, the tango, the paso doble, the quickstep, the lindy and swing. Each dancer is paired with another and the duos perform together through most of the show. Actually, each pair has danced together for quite a while and existed as a ballroom team before being cast in this production. The comfort and chemistry between partners is evident. And each team is from a different country so there is a certain variety between performances.

As the lights came up for intermission, my friend asked “so where’s the buffet?” Although maybe a little harsh, I think the cruise ship analogy is pretty accurate for this show. Don’t get me wrong, the performances in Burn the Floor are outstanding, but the depth of the production is somewhat lacking. Burn the Floor is about entertaining its audience, and maybe a little about educating the public about ballroom dance. But that’s pretty much it. There isn’t a story. There isn’t a larger message. There isn’t a visceral connection between stage and house on any emotional level. The dancers perform kick-ass choreography at 110% commitment and the audience has a good time watching it. (And my fellow audience members definitely enjoyed themselves). Not that there’s anything wrong with theatre for the purpose of mindless entertainment, but just don’t go in expecting something more. It’s a fun, sexy dance show.

And that brings me to the adult portion of this review. Burn the Floor isn’t scandalous, but it’s definitely sexified. From little costumes to gyrating hips to smoldering bedroom eyes to sweat flying from one oiled up body to another, this show is full of flesh. One really can’t complain about watching twenty toned bodies for two hours, but I feel I should at least mention it. And actually, it has a “mature” advisory. I personally think it’s appropriate for anyone, but if you’re sensitive about that sort of thing, better you should know in advance.

I had a good time at Burn the Floor. It’s not groundbreaking theatre and it doesn’t have much original production value, but it’s a solid dance show with really phenomenal talent. Ballroom dance doesn’t get much attention on a commercial level, so modern ballroom with an emphasis on creative nuances in choreography is a pretty exciting genre to experience, and one that is relatively hard to come by for an audience member. If you are looking for an easily accessible, upbeat Broadway experience, Burn the Floor is a great option. And if you are a dancer or are interested in dance, it’s a good opportunity to see some exciting choreography.

Burn the Floor plays at the Longacre Theatre, 220 W. 48th St. Performances are Tue 7 PM, Wed and Sat 2 and 8 PM, Thu-Fri 8 PM, and Sun 3 PM. The show runs 2 hrs. 15 min., with one intermission. Tickets are $59.59-$111.50. For tickets and more show info, visit burnthefloor.com.

This year, FringeNYC is billing itself as “New York’s best staycation.” Well, if you take advantage of the festival’s offerings (nearly 200 shows), there is certainly a lot to do below 14th Street from August 14th through August 30th. And $15 tickets make FringeNYC extra recession-friendly.

So what can you expect from the festival this year? If Wednesday’s press preview at the Minetta Lane Theatre taught me anything, it’s that satire is in and so are the 1950’s. Nine shows performed at the preview and although they represent a mere sampling of FringeNYC, they indicate goofy good times and some solid new theatre, too. Here are some of the previewed shows that Theatre Is Easy is excited to see.

Scattered Lives
Beautifully choreographed Japanese sword fighting set to traditional music as well as rock. The athleticism and grace are impressive and the badass-ness is reminiscent of the Kill Bill movies.

Devil Boys From Beyond
A self proclaimed “outrageously insane comedy” involving cross-dressing camp at its goofiest, from Ridiculous Theatre Company.

The Event
A comedic, self-referential one man show about what it’s like as an actor on a stage and the relationship made with the audience during a performance.

Vote!
A new musical about a high school student council. This show includes a large cast and Broadway names, and is sure to be a hot ticket.

Far Out
A new musical spoof of 1950s B-movies about alien invasions.

Other FringeNYC shows Theatre Is Easy will be reviewing include How Now Dow Jones, The History of Cobbling, America’s Next Top Bottom, Citizen Ruth, The Boys Upstairs, Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party, A Time to Dance, Willy Nilly, Natural History, Just Don’t Touch Me Amigo, Live Broadcast, Powerhouse, and others.

Visit theatreiseasy.com throughout the next two weeks for FringeNYC coverage, reviews, and information. And let us know if you see anything good! For more information about FringeNYC, visit their website at fringenyc.org.