"You confuse nasty with a European sense of irony," diva designer Adriana says with barely concealed glee. A rich widow who lives in a gorgeous Greenwich Village townhouse, she can afford her affectations.
However, when Adriana (a terrific Cynthia Harris) dies, her broke friend Jimmy and his real-estate sidekick Rita (Julie Halston) concoct a kooky caper. Jimmy -- "I'm not a drag queen, I'm a celebrity tribute artist!" -- will impersonate her long enough to sell the manse. But two wrinkles quickly emerge: Christina, an emotionally unstable niece (Mary Bacon), claims the townhouse was left to her, while Rodney (Jonathan Walker), an ex-beau of Adriana's, threatens to expose the hoax.
There is one man clever enough to imbue such a real-estate fraud with farce and zingy one-liners: Charles Busch. And his latest work, The Tribute Artist, now at 59E59 Theaters, is wonderfully entertaining. As any New Yorker can attest, finding an apartment in Manhattan is tough, expensive and soul crushing. One can be forgiven an unconventional assault on the market, especially when Anna Louizos' lovely set design is the prize.
Known for his gender-bender farces, such as Die, Mommie, Die! and The Divine Sister, as well as the straight Broadway hit A Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Busch, who usually plays glamorous women, has taken an interesting departure here. He's a man impersonating a woman, capturing her elegance, but adding the requisite social satire and vulgarity on occasion.
Camp can sometimes possess a harsh underpinning; Busch mines subtler terrain. Ever the tribute artist, he delivers a spirited, more humane rendition.
His humor, which steals liberally from movie queens and classic cinema scenes, remains. But like all Busch parodies, there are issues to explore. A skilled actor, his faux Adriana navigates the blurry lines between illusion and reality and discovers the value of honest emotion.
Throw in Christina's transgendered son Oliver (Keira Keeley) and some outrageously over-the-top tales by Rodney and The Tribute Artist finds Busch in rapid-fire top form. He's aided by his longtime sidekick Julie Halston, who cracks wise like Eve Arden, but can pounce on a line and, thanks to a unique vocal delivery, make it her own.
Tribute Artist marries Busch's flamboyant theatricality with key truths. The wackier it gets, thanks to a wonderful cast and director Carl Andress, the better it is.
Three Little Birds, set in a small Jamaican village, is now at the New Victory Theater. A reggae musical folktale, with music and lyrics by Bob Marley, Birds features 11-year-old Ziggy, his friend Nansi, and a wild trio of African, Spanish and Chinese birds.
Based on a story by Cedella Marley, Ziggy worries about hurricanes and evil spirits like Duppy. He'd prefer to stay in his room and watch TV, but as Ziggy's mother reminds him: "You cannot be so fearful that you don't enjoy the world."
The simple set -- a sun, mango trees and multicolored corrugated tin panels -- evokes Jamaica, as do Marley songs, like "Jamming," "Roots Rock Reggae" and "I Know," which highlight the lively hour-long adventure. Adapted by Michael J. Bobbitt, the show boasts colorful costumes by Kenra Rai and notable performances by S. Lewis Feemster as Duppy and Ayanna Hardy as Zippy's mom.
Three Little Birds is an energetic and endearing tale. It teaches kids an invaluable lesson: Despite danger, they have to live their lives and be happy.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.