Opening last night, Curtains filled the Howe Theatre with the songs, dances, comedy and drama that once thrilled audiences on Broadway. The vehicle brought David Hyde Pierce a Tony Award and, today, a fresh cast of teen contenders. Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance’s Teen Theatre group soars with talent, all smartly coached and brought to life under the direction of Jacqueline Lucid.
by David Stone
Photography: Irina Hage/Irina Island Images
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Only Three More Curtains To Go
Only three more performances remain for Curtains remain. They are today at 2:00 and 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Don’t miss this! Tickets are available here. The Howe Theatre is at 248 Main Street, Roosevelt Island.
During its Broadway run, Curtains was nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The original production starred David Hyde Pierce, who won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.
The musical is set in 1959 Boston, behind the scenes of a fictional musical called Robbin’ Hood! The show’s book is by Rupert Holmes, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb.
The original Broadway production opened on March 2, 2007, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre and closed on June 29, 2008, after 28 previews and 486 performances. The show was directed by Scott Ellis with choreography by Rob Ashford.
Set against the backdrop of a Boston theater in 1959, Curtains is the backstage murder mystery musical comedy that Critics hailed as “a ton of fun!” (The New York Times), “smart and sassy!” (Associated Press) and “a must-see event!” (AM New York).
The current production in the Howe Theatre in the Roosevelt Island Community Center features a fresh cast of young performers, all smartly coached and brought to fruition by Jacqueline Lucid.
Curtains is playing at the Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance from now until Sunday. Get your tickets today!
Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance
While still dynamic, creative and versitile, Roosevelt Island’s Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance is now an institution on the verge of breaking out into wider audiences.
Six years ago, Kristi Towey took the reins at MSTDA and has nurtured growth and new audiences. Around that time, the dynamic team of Jonathon and Kimbirdlee Fadner’s inventive Common Man Musicals began launching original productions, using local performers and students.
One, The Monkey King, went on to national stages and was aiming for Broadway before the pandemic shut things down.
Today, both Fadners have joined an already powerful Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance team led by Towey, helping bring renewed vigor out of the coronavirus shutdown.
Also from The roosevelt island daily news
- Octagon Park Lecture Nov. 16: Was the Park’s Plan a Success?Octagon Park lecture: architect John di Domenico revisits how the park was planned 35 years ago and whether it worked. Free, Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m., island library.
- Friday’s PSD blotter: two theft reports at 425 Main, three hospital runsRIOC’s Nov. 13 PSD blotter lists 15 incidents, all on Main Street, including two petit larceny reports at 425 Main Street, three hospital transports and five entries at 546 Main.
- Variety Boys and Girls Club Sale: Astoria Property Sells for $28 MillionThe Variety Boys and Girls Club sale brings $28 million for its longtime Astoria property. Questions remain about the building’s future and youth programs.
- Fall Prevention for Seniors: Make Your Apartment Safer, Nov. 20Fall prevention for seniors: Sen. Krueger’s Nov. 20 virtual roundtable tours a typical NYC apartment, with tips on landlord changes and balance. RSVP on Zoom.
- Thursday’s PSD blotter: two hospital runs, a trespass summons at 888 MainRIOC’s Nov. 12 PSD blotter lists 15 incidents: six medical calls, two alarms at 546 Main Street, and a late-night trespass at 888 Main Street that ended with a summons.
At the Risk of Being Premature
On September 10, 2026, Roosevelt Island resident Melissa Bray stood before the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board of Directors and asked them to think fifty years ahead. She had come because RIOC President B.J. Jones invited residents into the conversation about redesigning Blackwell Park. Bray wanted its mature trees protected, including a northern red oak dedicated to the wife of my friend David Kraut, a former board director.
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