Mark Dundas Wood

Mark Dundas Wood is an arts/entertainment journalist and dramaturg. He began writing for BistroAwards.com in 2011. Currently, he writes the "Bistro Bits" column for the site. Other reviews and articles have appeared at theaterscene.net and talkinbroadway.com, as well as in American Theatre and Back Stage. As a dramaturg, he has worked with New Professional Theatre and the New York Musical Theatre Festival. He is currently literary manager for Broad Horizons Theatre Company.

David Ballard

Mark Dundas Wood
"Having It All" Don't Tell Mama  –  September 24, 25, October 11, 12 In his show "Having It All," David Ballard and his director, Tanya Moberly, count on the musical selections to carry their narrative. After the opening song, Kate Bush's inscrutable "Suspended in Gaffa," Ballard informs us that the show is about a character...

Evangelia Kingsley

Mark Dundas Wood
"Dance Me to the End of Love" Metropolitan Room  –  September 22, 30   "Dance Me to the End of Love," Evangelia Kingsley's show at the Metropolitan Room (directed by Eliza Beckwith), brought to my mind the familiar image of the twin masks of comedy and tragedy, one paralyzed with hilarity, the other frozen in...

Tonia Tecce

Mark Dundas Wood
"A Cockeyed Optimist: Why We Believe the Songs of Richard Rodgers" Metropolitan Room  –  September 15, 26 Tonia Tecce Tonia Tecce, whose background includes performances with symphony and "pops" orchestras, makes her New York cabaret debut with her show at the Metropolitan Room. Her voice has a "legit" sound, which may...

Shida

Mark Dundas Wood
Ars Nova – July 19 - August 28 The one-woman musical Shida—with book, music and lyrics by Jeannette Bayardelle, who also stars—might well be subtitled Daughter of Job. The title character of this 70-minute show seems to be a poster child for bad things happening to good people. (Spoiler alert: This review reveals the nature...

Paolo Szot

Mark Dundas Wood
54 Below – August 5-11 Having appreciated Brazilian-born operatic bass-baritone Paulo Szot's Tony-winning performance as Emile de Becque in the New York revival of South Pacific several seasons ago, I anticipated his engagement at 54 Below with enthusiasm. I hoped he would use his celebrated vocal prowess in a sensitive manner in the intimacy of...

Cynthia Farrell

Mark Dundas Wood
"Cynthia Farrell for Real" Don't Tell Mama – July 23, 25, 31 With her smooth, controlled, powerful voice, her deep concentration, and her diligent attention to enunciation and phrasing, Cynthia Farrell, now making her cabaret debut at Don't Tell Mama, is a talent to keep a sharp eye on. The emotional intensity she can bring...

Julie Budd

Mark Dundas Wood
An Evening with Julie Budd" Metropolitan Room – June 12, 13 Talk about your elephant in the room. I suppose it is possible to write about a Julie Budd performance without mentioning the name Barbra Streisand. But it's sort of like describing Colby cheese without using the word "cheddar." Why give yourself the aggravation? The...

Annie Kozuch

Mark Dundas Wood
"Mostly Jobim" Stage 72 – May 29, June 6 Bossa nova music has always ambled gently along the line in the sand between jazz and pop, like some tall, tanned girl sauntering down an Ipanema beach. In his 1979 book The Latin Tinge, music critic John Storm Roberts identified bossa nova as a "fusion of...

Distorted Diznee

Mark Dundas Wood
Laurie Beechman Theatre  – ongoing, every other Friday "If you're easily offended, please get the hell out of here right now," Dallas Dubois tells the audience after the opening number of "Distorted Diznee," a drag show that aims to take your favorite scenarios from classic Disney films and stage shows and stand them on their...

Take Me Home Tonight: The Songs of Mira Spektor

Mark Dundas Wood
Metropolitan Room  –  Aprll 15, 22, 29 A trio of singers—Julie Reyburn, Shana Farr, and Mark Campbell—teamed up, along with pianist/music director Bill Zeffiro, to perform the music of Mira J. Spektor in this Metropolitan Room revue, directed by Karen Carpenter. All three vocalists were poised and confident, and the hour-long presentation included some stirring...