It’s amazing that choreographer Debbie Allen’s starry Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof—the first all-black version—can have so much plain wrong with it, yet still delight me. But consider this: No great playwright ever wrote so badly and so beautifully within the same play as Tennessee Williams (unless it was Eugene O’Neill).

I love Williams in spite of his flaws and because of them. He’s our poet of tender mercies who put onstage the large, damaged hearts of the dispossessed.  read more »

CONCERTS:

Kanye West, Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco, and N.E.R.D. Can we say power tour?! Catch their Manhattan date May 13 at Madison Square Garden. [On Sale: Saturday, Feb. 23 at noon]

Call him dad rock, but Billy Joel’s July 16 show, which was to be the last concert ever at Shea Stadium, was the fastest sell out in Shea’s history, with 50,000 tickets disappearing in just 48 minutes. In fact that was enough to prompt Mr. Joel to add a second concert two days later, which is now being billed as Shea’s official musical close out. (Sorry ‘bout that early birds!) [On Sale: Saturday, Feb. 23 at 9 a.m.]  read more »

After 12 years of negotiations and organization, the all-African-American revival of Tennessee Williams' “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" will finally be staged on the Broadhurst Theater, starting in mid-February with an opening night set for March 6. Tony-nominated actor, choreographer and TV director Debbie Allen will direct.

Full release after the jump.  read more »