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Art by Jason Simon

Token Theatre Friends: We Could’ve ‘Dance Nation’-ed All Night!

This week, it’s “My Fair Lady” ($97+) versus “Dance Nation” ($59+). Plus an interview with Eva Noblezada.

Twice a month on the Token Theatre Friends video series/podcast, theatre critics Jose Solís and Diep Tran bring a POC perspective to the performing arts. They discuss three shows at three different price points, then offer their picks for the best one for the money.

This week the three shows are:

My Fair Lady, by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, directed by Bartlett Sher, on Broadway at Lincoln Center Theater. The 10-time Tony nominated revival stars Lauren Ambrose as the flower girl Eliza Doolittle and features a new finale. Is it as misogynistic as ever, or have the artists involved created something truly loverly?

Dance Nation, by Clare Barron, through July 1 at Playwrights Horizons. A group of teenage girls, played by a diverse cast of adult women, go through the motions of puberty while trying to win a dance competition.

Bump, by Chiara Atik, at Ensemble Studio Theatre through June 3. A science based comedy about pregnancy and how much men need to learn about the process of bringing life into the world. The Friends recreate the experiment at the center of the play. Will they get a gold star at the science fair?

Eva Noblezada

This week’s guest is Tony nominee Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon), who gave the Friends a preview of her cabaret act “Girl No More,” playing at The Green Room 42 on May 28th. They also talk the future of musical theatre, Noblezada’s love of Mulan, and why casting directors need to open their minds when it comes to employing people of color.

And great news: by popular demand, Token Theatre Friends is now a podcast! You can subscribe to it on iTunes or Stitcher! You can stream or download the audio below.

Or watch the latest episode below (because it comes with show clips and you can see the science experiment in person).

To watch our videos: Subscribe to Token Theatre Friends on YouTube or like American Theatre on Facebook to get notifications about new friendly videos. Have comments, suggestions for segments, shows to plug, or thoughts on how the Friends can be even better? Leave a comment below or contact the Token Theatre Friends via email or Twitter.

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