The Band's Visit

The Band’s Visit is playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre located at 243 West 47th Street. The musical runs one hour thirty five minutes with no intermission. It is an open ended run.

David Yazbek wrote the music and lyrics. He has been nominated for three Tony Awards for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2011), Direly Rotten Scoundrels (2005) and The Full Monty (2000).

Scott Pask is the scenic designer. He was nominated for five Tony Awards and won four. He won for The Book of Mormons (2011), Les Liaison Dangerous (2008), The Coast of Utopia (Parts 1&2 2007) and The Pillow Man (2005). He was nominated for Pal Joey (2009).

Tony Shalhoub was nominated for three Tony Awards for Act I (2014), Golden Boy (2013) and Conversations with My Father (1992). He is known for his role in Monk which he won several Prime Time Emmys (3).

John Cariani was nominated for a Tony Award in 2004 for Fiddler on the Roof.

The setting is Israel in 1996 at an airport bus station, the town Bet Hatikva and the city of Petah Tikva.

Tewfiq (Tony Shalhoub) has arrived with his band in Israel from Egypt. The band has been invited to play at the opening of a cultural building. He asks Haled (Ari’el Stachel) to get them bus tickets to the town they are playing at. When they arrive, it’s the wrong town.

Dina (Katrina Lenk) has a restaurant in town. She tells him that was the last bus for the day. Tewfiq asks where the hotel is and there is none. After they eat at her restaurant she tells him they will imvite the band to stay at different people’s homes. Dina invites Tewfiq and Haled to her home. Papi (Etai Benson) who works for her takes Camal (George Abul). One of the patrons Itzik (John Cariana) takes Simon (Alok Tewari) to his house. His father in-law Avrum (Andrew Polk) is there. Itzik wife Iris (Kristen Sieh) is taking care of their baby. Out of Dina window she sees Telephone Guy (Adam Kantor). He has been waiting in front of a telephone booth for a call from a certain girl he met.

Papi friend Zelger (Bill Army) invites to go skating. They bring along Camal. They meet Anna (Sharone Sayegh) an shy Iris ( Rachael Prather).

We learn about the main characters and how they help each other.

The band members play Middle Eastern musical from time to time.

This is a very enjoyable musical. It has a message, we may be from different cultures but we are the same. I’m not spoiling what happens. If you go you won’t be disappointed.

The cast was outstanding. Katrina Lenk, Tony Shalhoub, John Cariani and Andrew Polk were amazing.

Don’t leave at curtain call because after the cast takes there bow the band played one musical number.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.