Results tagged “dorothyparker”

With the New York Musical Theatre Festival in its final week, we’ll say no more other than to encourage you to try to get to one of the shows if you haven’t already (or if you have!). Gothamist caught Karen Mason bringing Dorothy Parker back from the dead in You Might As Well Live, a solo performance comprised almost entirely of Parker’s words set to music (Norman Mathews did the music and adaptation). Mason was the first Tanya (whichever ABBA member that is, we always get confused) in Mamma Mia! on Broadway and has plenty of other major shows under her belt, so you go in expecting top-notch singing and she doesn’t disappoint; however, the storyline is a tad flimsy (Parker is on deadline, trying to find old bits of her writing to publish in a collection) and too often seems structured around nothing more than the aim to include Parker’s choicest epigrams (you can lead a horticulture…). Still, the atmosphere evoked by the set is pleasingly noirish, and while Mason’s voice has evidently not been roughed up the way Parker’s must have been, given the quantities of alcohol and cigarettes Parker used, that’s probably a good thing – it’s lovely to listen to her give life to Parker’s witticisms. Side note: Playbill.com has a good recent interview with Mason.

Jonny Diamond, The L Magazine

Lindsay Robertson

Stacey Herron, AOL Music

Whitney Pastorek, Writer/Etc.