“Murder for Two” was a most enjoyable play. The play combined the mystery often present regarding murder with some incredible comedic elements.
The cast of two in this musical comedy starred Joe Kinosian and Ian Lowe, who gave great performances. They were actually the understudies, subbing for Jeff Blumenkrantz and Brett Ryback who I have heard are also surely great.
Kinosian, who wrote the book and music for “Murder Two” is a brilliant performer. He played the many suspects in the murder investigation in a hilarious manner.
Mr. Lowe more than held his own as the ambitious detective trying to solve the case. He played the somewhat duplicitous character with great style.
If it had been Funny Girl in 1964 and no Barbra Streisand, I would have been upset, but I did not fret upon seeing both roles were to be played by understudies.
It turned out they both were great, in the wonderful “Murder for Two,” now playing at New World Stages, which is located at 340 West 50th Street in Manhattan.
In the NHL quarterfinal round, the team scoring first won 26 of the 27 games played.
In the quarter-finals there were three contests that went to seven games. Three out of three road teams, the NY Rangers, Montreal Canadiens and Los Angeles Kings prevailed in those seventh games.
The New York Rangers have won four straight games and lead their semi-final series vs the Montreal Canadiens one game to none.
The streak started when the Rangers trailed the Pittsburgh Penguins three games to one in the quarterfinal round. They rallied to win the last three games, including games five and seven in Pittsburgh.
The NBA semi-final round begins tomorrow. Here are my predictions on the two semi-final series.
In the East, it will be a rematch of last year’s semi-final between the two time champion, Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers.
Last year the Heat won the series in seven games. This year Indiana has the home advantage but is a huge series underdog. My prediction is the Heat to win in seven games for a second straight year.
In the West, it is a rematch of the 2012 semi-final between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Two years ago, the Thunder won in six games. Top ranked San Antonio is a 2 to 1 favorite this year. My prediction is the Spurs to win in six games.
The NBA semi-final round is set as both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers won their quarterfinal series in six games with road victories last night.
“OKC” as the Thunder are often called, won in Los Angeles twice and dispatched the Clippers, who have never even made an NBA semi-final.
The Thunder will now play the top ranked San Antonio Spurs, the team they beat to advance to the finals two years ago.
It will be the third straight semi-final round appearance for the Spurs, who last year beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the semi-finals.
Indiana won at Washington for the third time in three games in the series to eliminate the Wizards.
In the prelim series vs the Chicago Bulls, the Wizards won all three games on the road but the Pacers “turned the tables.” The Wizards nee Bullets franchise has not advanced to the semi-final round since 1979.
Now in a rematch of last year’s semi-final, the Pacers despite home advantage will be fairly large underdogs vs the two time champion Miami Heat.
Last year Miami won games two, five and seven at home vs Indiana to advance to the finals, eventually beating the Spurs in seven games. The year before they beat the Thunder in five games to win the title.
The Montreal Canadiens advanced to the NHL semi-finals for just the second time since winning their last Stanley Cup in 1993. The Los Angeles Kings, the Canadiens finals opponent that year, forced the third seventh game of this year’s quarterfinal round with a win.
Montreal ousted the top seed, Boston Bruins with a (3-1) win in game seven. They are now (25-9) vs the Bruins in playoffs series and (6-3) vs Boston in game seven.
Now it will be the Canadiens vs the New York Rangers in the semi-final round. Game one is Saturday afternoon in Montreal.
The Kings, who won (2-1) in game six, will play game seven at Anaheim vs the Ducks on Friday night. The winner will meet the defending champion, Chicago Blackhawks in the semi-final round.
Canadiens headed to semi-finals after defeating Bruins
Last year’s NBA finalists, the two time champion Miami Heat, and this year’s top ranked San Antonio Spurs, as expected, wrapped up their quarterfinal series with home wins in game five.
Elsewhere, the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder take (3-2) series leads to the road tonight in a pair of sixth games.
The Heat struggled in game 5, but dispatched the Brooklyn Nets. The Spurs cruised vs the inexperienced Portland Trail Blazers. LeBron James’ 49 point effort in game 4 was the highlight of either series.
The Thunder came from nowhere to take game five vs the Los Angeles Clippers. Game six is tonight in Los Angeles
The Indiana Pacers, though routed in game five at home (they are (3-4) at home in the playoffs) take a (3-2) series lead into Washington for game six vs the Wizards tonight.
Both the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Rangers advanced to the NHL semi-finals with (2-1) road wins last night.
Chicago will be in their second consecutive semi-final and fourth in six seasons. They will face the winner of the series between the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings.
The Ducks lead that series three games to two and if they win they will have home ice advantage vs the Blackhawks in the semi-finals.
If the Kings rally to win the series vs Anaheim, Chicago will have home ice advantage vs the Kings for the second straight season.
Rarely do I cite individual performances here but the goaltending performance by the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist demands attention.
He was brilliant in posting his fifth game seven win in as many seventh games. The Rangers are the first team in well over one hundred seasons of Madison Square Garden teams to overcome a (3-1) series deficit in the playoffs. In other words, the basketball New York Knicks have never done so.
The Rangers sans home ice advantage will face the winner of tonight’s game seven in Boston between the home team, Bruins and Montreal Canadiens.
Vivid Cabaret NYC Girl Julianna proudly displays NY Rangers Henrik Lundqvist jersey
Three teams have commanding three games to one leads in the NBA quarterfinals. One series is deadlocked at two games apiece.
In that lone even series, it took a great rally by the Los Angeles Clippers in game four to square their series with the Oklahoma City Thunder at two games apiece. Game five is tonight in Oklahoma City.
In the Eastern Conference it appears as though there will be a rematch of last year’s conference final between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers.
Both the Heat vs the Brooklyn Nets, and Pacers vs the Washington Wizards, have three games to one series leads.
Game five in the Pacers/Wizards series is tonight at Indiana. The Heat can close out the Nets in game five tomorrow night in Miami.
The San Antonio Spurs, up three games to one, look to close out the Portland Trail Blazers in game five tomorrow night in San Antonio.
Three quarterfinal series will go to a 6th game or beyond. One seventh and deciding game is set.
In the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers won games five and six to force a 7th game at Pittsburgh, vs the Penguins, on Tuesday night.
In the other Eastern Conference series, the top ranked Boston Bruins take a (3-2) lead into Montreal vs the Canadiens, for game six tonight. If Montreal wins, game 7 will be played in Boston on Wednesday night.
In the NHL West Chicago Blackhawks vs Minnesota Wild series, Chicago leads (3-2) with the next game Tuesday night in Minnesota.
The other Western Conference series between the LA Kings and the Anaheim Ducks stands at 2 games apiece. Game 5 is tonight in Anaheim.
Interesting note: In the Blackhawks/Wild series each game has been won by the home team. Conversely, in the Kings/Ducks series each game has been won by the visiting team.
Unless there is a shocking turn of events, the top ranked San Antonio Spurs will be in their third consecutive NBA semi-final series.
The Spurs led by Tony Parker’s great play have a commanding three games to none lead vs the Portland Trail Blazers in their quarterfinal series.
San Antonio roared to the best record in the NBA this season. They hope to use the home advantage throughout the playoff to win their fifth NBA championship.
They came so close to winning it all last year, losing in seven games in the NBA finals to the Miami Heat.
There is a long way to go but do not be surprised to see another Heat/Spurs final series this year.
Andy B Sports 