Lincoln Center Theater's production of August Wilson's classic play Joe Turner's Come and Gone has returned to Broadway in a production being greeted with almost universal acclaim from the critics. Helmed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher (South Pacific), Joe Turner is shaping up to be one of this spring's must-see theatrical events:
Ben Brantley, The New York Times: "Great works of art often tote heavy baggage. Yet the revival of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, a drama of indisputable greatness, feels positively airborne. Much of Bartlett Sher’s splendid production moves with the engaging ease of lively, casual conversation...Unlike many of the later Wilson plays and other high-reaching American dramas of social magnitude, Joe Turner seamlessly blends the ordinary with the extraordinary."
David Rooney, Variety: "August Wilson's gift for storytelling has rarely been more beguiling than in this lyrical 1986 drama, and in his searing revival, director Bartlett Sher makes every note strong and true."
Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal: "So let me put it as simply as I can: This is a show you must see. Like David Cromer's Off-Broadway revival of Our Town, it will remind you of how good live theater can be -- and send you home unwilling to settle for anything less than the very best. I haven't spent a better night on Broadway all season long."
Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press: "Joe Turner's Come and Gone is a leisurely play, clocking in at nearly three hours as it artfully dabbles in bringing its characters to life. Wilson uses the time to set up the inevitable dramatic confrontation that brings down the curtain. Each of the play's two acts ends on a high. Consider the final minutes of Act 1, when much of the cast erupts in a frenzied dance, a juba, reminiscent of what was once done by African slaves. These are people celebrating their past, finding an identity that has eluded them for most of their lives. It's a dazzling Wilson moment — one that makes Joe Turner's Come and Gone essential viewing."
Get tickets on Givenik to catch this critically lauded revival and enjoy a special discount of Orchestra / Front Mezzanine $56.50 at most performances through June 14th! Don't miss this strictly limited engagement of one of August Wilson's most powerful works, in a sterling production that is already the the talk of the town. And as always, your charity gets 5%!
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