Al Hirschfeld Theatre

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

The former Martin Beck now bears the name of the legendary caricaturist.. After Beck
For years, one telltale sign of having made it to the big time in the New York theater was when Hirschfeld did an actor's portrait. Years later, his simple, loopy line drawings have become more famous than many of those he represented. In 2002, the Martin Beck Theater changed its name in honor of the pen-and-ink master.

Before Hirschfeld
Vaudeville producer Martin Beck was a man more interested in spectacle than realistic dramas. His Byzantine-style theater, which opened in 1924, has room for huge sets and hundreds of actors and reflects Beck's desire to house big, showy musicals. The Hirschfeld, as its now known, has mainly been used for such and has had a notable history as the home of the original "Bye Bye Birdie" and the production of "Sweet Bird of Youth" that starred Paul Newman and Geraldine Page.

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Melicoop

Joined 11 years ago

Viva La Mancha!. Don Quixote de la Mancha returns to Braodway in a production which befits "The Impossible Dream". Casting, direction and stage design all mesh into a flawless whole. Brain Stokes Mitchell breathes power and life into the role created so well by Richard Kiley almost 40 years ago. Mary Ellen Mastroiani's Dulcinea is earthy and a powerful counterpoint to the dreamer of the "impossoble dream."

It is an important work of musical theater that deserves to be experienced by a new generation. This is being written while the show is still in previews. So, it can only get better -- more perfect, if tha tis possible.