Jonathan Mandell digs into three recent productions in New York City—Made in China, Confucius, and Caught—that explore US-China relations.

On the eve of the inauguration of Donald J. Trump, Jonathan Mandell looks at how the political resistance of theatre artists is playing out on and off stage in New York.

Jonathan Mandell reflects on what makes immersive theatre, through the lens of Inside the Wild Heart, Group .BR’s immersive show about the late Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector.

Jonathan Mandell asks how perceptions of theatre have changed since November 8 and if and how theatre itself will change as a result of the new regime.

Jonathan Mandell reviews Anna Deavere Smith’s latest solo performance piece, which presents seventeen real-life characters to establish a connection between school failure, the prison system, and police killings.

Jonathan Mandell looks at some recent plays that explore this wackiest of election seasons in novel ways, and asks: Is mockery proper...or even possible?

Jonathan Mandell on the wealth of offerings of African-American theatre at the twentieth New York International Fringe Festival. 

Jonathan Mandell on “Broadway for Black Lives Matters,” the Theatre of the Oppressed NYC production of Apprehension, and the role of theatre in protest and human rights movements.

Jonathan Mandell looks at the new production of Runaways, thirty-eight years after the first, and asks: Should a work of theatre allow us to escape from, or force us to engage in, the world?

Jonathan Mandell on the recent spate of sung through musicals, including Hadestown, The Total Bent, Evening 1910, and Hamilton.

Jonathan Mandell explores the gender politics of Broadway offerings such as American Psycho, Waitress, Eclipsed, The Color Purple, and more.

Have jokey depictions of elections on stage and screen helped cause a joke of a real-life presidential campaign?  Jonathan Mandell visits two experimental theatre projects that are tackling this year’s presidential election in serious and intriguing ways.

Jonathan Mandell writes about the work of The Civilians, which he says "may be the most vibrant socially conscious, avant-garde, investigative theatre company in the country."

Jonathan Mandell explores five common elements in immersive theatre, and what makes immersive theatre successful.

Jonathan Mandell, unable to understand several recent plays, goes to the source to explain them, and then humorously debates how important it is for theatre to be coherent. 

Jonathan Mandell reflects on the Fall season of New York theatre through the lens of Erin Mee’s “Drama and Performance” class at NYU, in which students see and discuss sixteen shows throughout the semester.

Jonathan Mandell reviews the Second Stage production of Invisible Thread, a musical based on the real-life experience of theatre artists Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews creating a charity in Uganda.

Jonathan Mandell reflects on a recent experience at a Grateful Dead concert, and asks if theatres can adopt some similar strategies for audience engagement.

Jonathan Mandell explores how several recent works on New York Stages portray history and the questions they raise. 

Jonathan Mandell on the Deaf West Broadway production of Spring Awakening. 

Jonathan Mandell looks at the recent cell phone fury, especially among prominent performers, and offers a different take on theatre etiquette.

Jonathan Mandell on the serious fare on display at the forthcoming New York International Fringe Festival.

Jonathan Mandell on Douglas Beane’s Shows for Days, and the shifting definitions of "professional theatre" and "theatre professional."

Jonathan Mandell talks with Producer Tom Kirdahy about celebrating a marriage three times and how theatre can make a difference.

Jonathan Mandell explores the use of violence on stage, and how theatremakers use the stage to respond to violence.