When visiting the Frank Stella retropective at the Whitney in 2015 the critic had his car towed. The event was so costly and inconvenient that Martin Mugar is thinking twice of driving to Manhattan to view the upcoming Rauschenberg exhibition. Many of his concerns and misgivings are informed by the critical comments of the critic Jed Perl. Here Mugar refects on Perls of wsdom. They enforce his own ideas of how Rauschenberg is emeblematic of the decline and fall of art in our time. As Mugar states "If you like your postmodern condition you can keep your postmodern condition and Rauschenberg's your guy."

Opera is a form of many pieces. When the set, production, singing and orchestra work together, opera makes its own case. Cyrano de Bergerac realizes the seemingly Sisyphean task beautifully.

Lincoln Center Theater's The King and I is a richly-emotional experience. Performers shine in an equity national tour of popular musical about Anna and the King of Siam The perrenial musical proves relevant decades after its Broadway premiere.

A recommendation for the Peabody Essex Museum to see particularly the special exhibition 'WOW' came in an understated manner, or I just did not pick up quickly enough what a delight the show would represent. We drove to Salem from Gloucester, where we were visiting, on a rainy and miserable afternoon and that made our day!

Paradise Blue is the third play in Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit cycle, which was inspired by August Wilson’s Pittsburgh cycle. The other two plays are Detroit ’67, produced in 2013 by Northlight Theatre, which has scheduled the third play, Skeleton Crew, to open in January 2018. Timeline staged Morisseau’s Sunset Baby (set in New York) in 2016.

Some years ago they built a home and studio on some 20 acres deep in the woods of Cape Ann's legendary Dogtown Common. They like the privacy and seclusion. During a recent week in Gloucester we met for an extensive studio visit and discussion of the upcoming June exhibition "Gabrielle Barzaghi: Perfect World" at Trident Gallery. Several drawings created in enraged response to outrageous statements by Donald Trump were included in The Body Politic a group exhibition and performance series at the gallrery.

The Desert Rose Theatre, of Cathedral City, the only theatrical venue serving the LBGTQ community, is presenting a slick, snappy, and outrageously funny production written by Michael McKeever, that bills itself as a dark comedy spoof/satire entitled “Clark Gable Slept Here”, a Hollywood Fable directed by Resident Director and theatre co-Founder Jim Strait.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival has added two more opportunities for audiences to experience Trisha Brown Dance Company. Originally a five-performance run, August 16-19 in the Ted Shawn Theatre, the Pillow has added a Thursday matinee to the company’s schedule. Members of Trisha Brown Dance Company will also perform the site-specific work Trisha Brown: In Plain Site at the Clark Art Institute on Sunday, August 13, a co-presentation of Jacob’s Pillow Dance and the Clark.

Playwright Lauren Yee calls her play Hookman an “existential slasher comedy.” And Steep Theatre’s new production takes her up on that with creative staging, solid performances, especially by the three female leads—and plenty of blood. Hookman is smartly directed by Vanessa Stalling

Surprise surprise! Bette Midler won for Hello Dolly. Will such wonders ever cease?

Ex-Governor, Deval Patrick, will host the first, 'Food For Thought', speaker series at Hancock Shaker Village on Friday, May 12th. He will talk over dinner about his autobiography, A Reason To Believe.

Trade Secrets, a rare plant and garden antique show and sale takes place this weekend, May 13th and 14th at lion Rock Farm in Sharon, Ct. The event benefits Women's Support Services.

Happy Days is here again, if not in the Democratic party, perhaps alive and well in Brooklyn. Dianne Wiest plays Samuel Beckett's iconic role with a marvel of tonal and emotional variety. The Theatre for a New Audience Production is mesmerizing.

As the final opera in its 40th anniversary season, the BLO ended on an exuberant note. The Mozart classic was transposed from the 18th century Vienna suburbs to a villa in 1950s Italy, allowing a range of chic retro fashions to take stage center. But the young singers, all in fine voice, did not let the costumes upstage them. This might not have been a profound "Figaro," but it was fun, which might be just what Mozart and da Ponte wanted.

Fusion of magic, mystery, music and storytelling make Death & Harry Houdini captivating. Artists shine in play with music about famed escape artist. Disappear into the world of Harry Houdini in play at South Florida venue.

Muntadas’ original version of Emisión/Recepción was made in Madrid at a moment when Franco’s control over the media left Spain with but one TV station. All locations and all viewership was confined to the same exact broadcast at all times.

Here is a clip and save rundown of the 2017 season of Barrington Stage Company. It begins on May 18 with Kinstler by Jeffrey Sweet, directed by Meagen Fay. Performances: Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30pm; Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 3:00pm. Opening night May 21, 2017. The programm ends on October 22 with Gaslight.

Joshua Roman approaches his cello as a friend and collaborator. The Crypt Sessions invite audiences to be friends and collaborative listeners and to meet and greet on the terrace of the Church of the Intercession as the sun sets. Over delicious foods by Ward 8 and wine selected by Magnum Opus, you find out why your fellow Crypt listeners have come.

During high season it's challenging to get a reservation at the renowned Duckworth's Bistrot the most widely touted destination for fine dining in Gloucester. Due to lapses of attention it proved to be a disappointing experience. There is no excuse for soup served at near to room temperature and incinerated meat. You expect more from a top chef.

Henry Naylor is known as a comic writer for the British shows Spitting Image, Headcases, Dead Ringers and Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression. In the last three years, he has written three plays about the conflicts in the Middle East that focus on women.

The Muse is a special place in Brooklyn. Angela Buccini founded the space for artists to develop projects and then present them. A Length of Rope features Ariel Schmidtke joined by Strangely, & Above and Beyond Dance on May 5 at 8pm.

A beautifully presented exhibition built around works from The Frick Collection, Turner’s Modern and Ancient Ports: Passages through Time, brings together 37 water colors, drawings, engravings, sketchbooks and oil paintings, from 1817 – 1845, a turning point in the artist’s career.

The classical actor John Douglas Thompson, known to Berkshire audiences for his many roles at Shakespeare & Company, is among the nominees for a 2017 Tony Award. He was inspired to pursue a career in theatre by attending an August Wilson play at Yale Rep. This season he played a supporting role in Wilson's play Jitney having its long delayed Broadway debut. He has also been nominated for a Drama Desk award.

In “Other Than Honorable” [the term for a military discharge that perhaps won’t penalize the recipient, as a “Dishonorable” one does], the central character is a former Army officer who resigned her commission “under sealed terms.” She is persuaded to defend a young female soldier who stabbed her Master Sergeant after he raped her.

After his patron King George I died, Handel made a big comeback with three operas. Ariodante is the last and glorious. Set in Scotland, it is important to understand that, like the state of Texas in the US, women get killed if they are unfaithful. The culprit here is exonerated. The music and the singing triumph over all.