This is an unexpected turn of events. Two nights ago, the much talked about The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bes opened at American Repertory Theater in Boston. The New York Times sent theater critic Ben Brantley to review the show. This is odd for a simple reason: the paper doesn’t usually review out of town engagements. While Brantley praised Audra McDonald for her performance as Bess, the review is undoubtedly a pan of the entire production. Brantley makes it a big point that the original ending of the musical was restored despite director Diane Paulus’ insistence that her new more optimistic ending was necessary.

Cue everyone’s favorite death knell Michael Riedel of the New York Post reporting “a source involved in the revival of “Porgy and Bess” tells me: ‘You’d better rush up to Boston if you want to see the show.’” He goes on to credit Stephen Sondheim with bringing the artistic direction of Paulus’ production to the limelight.

You know how it went. Paulus and her team said the book was dated, the characters were almost non-existent, and a modern audience couldn’t possibly sit through this show. Riedel is rather negative on this turn of events, criticizing Sondheim (as many have started to) for daring to write about a show he didn’t see. That’s strange because the New York Times also wrote about a show that no one had seen, only they allowed everyone to read all the changes that Diane Paulus was making. That, to me, seems like fair game to discuss.

But I digress. Riedel states “the producers are likely to fold the show after its Boston run,” mentioning that stellar reviews for Audra McDonald are unlikely to fill a Broadway house. I’d disagree, but if his source is correct, it doesn’t matter anymore. Purists win out over the need to add realism to a modern awareness to a period piece. Allegedly. And Audra still has plenty of time to play Bess on Broadway if another production will go after the brass ring.

A Chorus Line is one of the most influential musicals in the history of the form. Guided by director/choreographer Michael Bennett (who, coincidentally, choreographed that sweet little musical Henry, Sweet Henry), book writers James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante, composer Marvin Hamlisch, and lyricist Edward Kleban combined the stories of real Broadway dancers into a remarkable musical. A group of dancers are lined up for an open call to play in a Broadway show. They are asked by an unseen director very personal questions about their lives and work until he makes the final cuts.

When this show is done right, it’s gut wrenching. You have a line full of triple threats who never leave the stage singing, dancing, and acting their way through some heavy subject matter. Take, for instance, the trio “At the Ballet.” Forgive the video quality; it’s actual footage from the original Off-Broadway production and shows this song in context better than any other video I can find.

That was three women explaining their family situations by way of discussing their childhood history with dance.

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