The Landing – Location, Tickets, Reviews
The Landing, written by musical theater giant John Kander (Chicago, Cabaret) along with lyricist Greg Pierce, consists of three one-act musicals, each rather different in nature.
The most notable piece is the third, also the show’s namesake The Landing. It is about a gay couple adopting a young teenager. Everything goes well at first, but after a while they notice that something is very strange about their new son. Of the three stories, The Landing is the most well-rounded and, in fact, we wish it had been longer to allow the story to more fully unravel.
The first vignette, Andra, is about a lonely boy coming out of his shell and befriending the handyman remodeling the boy’s family home. The second play, The Brick, is an absurdist comedy, the details of which are too bizarre to explain. It is a weird little comedy piece with charming numbers but little takeaway value.
All three pieces are wonderfully performed by the same four actors – David Hyde Pierce, Julia Murney, Frankie Seratch, and Paul Anthony Stewart. Critics praised the third of the three stories but were not enamored with the production as a whole, delivering backhanded compliments such as “it isn’t a terrible show” (the New York Post) and “an excellent production of a sloppily written musical” (TheaterMania). While none of the pieces is particularly profound, overall we found The Landing to be a pleasant evening at the theater.
LOCATION
The Vineyard Theater
108 East 15th Street
New York City
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RUNNING TIME
1 hour 45 minutes, no intermission
TICKETS
$80.00-$100.00 (click here for tickets)
DATES
Extended through November 24, 2013
REVIEWS
New York Times
Wonder May Fade, but Lessons Linger
New York Post
‘The Landing’ fails to make an impact
New York Magazine
The Landing gives us Kander after Ebb
Newsday
John Kander returns
TheaterMania
John Kander and Greg Pierce have authored a half-baked evening of one-act musicals: Only one of them is very interesting.
Theatre Is Easy
A delightful, if somewhat problematic, evening of musical theatre vignettes
AndrewAndrew
Video Review
Variety
New musical by John Kander and Greg Pierce has a few strong songs but not much else to sing about
CAST & CREW
(partial list)
Story by John Kander and Greg Pierce
Music by John Kander
Book and Lyrics by Greg Pierce
Directed by Walter Bobbie
Featuring David Hyde Pierce, Julia Murney, Frankie Seratch, Paul Anthony Stewart