# west side stories (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 4 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover west side stories. Page: Feed: --- ## [Nominees are announced for Musical Theatre Review’s Best Musical Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/nominees-are-announced-for-musical-theatre-reviews-best-musical-award-at-the-edinburgh-festival-fringe-2026/) _2026-08-23 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ The eight shortlisted Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026 shows contending for Musical Theatre Review’s Best Musical Award have been announced. ## [Manhattan Sideways Revisited — Retracing 47th Street a Decade Later](https://w42st.com/post/sideways-revisited-a-walk-along-47th-street/) _2026-08-22 · Sophia Michelen · W42ST_ A decade ago, Manhattan Sideways founder Betsy Bober Polivy walked more than 100 Manhattan streets from east to west. Now, W42ST is retracing her steps. The TKTS red steps in Times Square, complete with hot dog art. Photo: Sophia Michelen When Betsy first walked 47th Street more than a decade ago, she discovered hidden cultural \[…\] ## [Many Far West Side Encampments are Gone — W49th and W50th Tell a Different Story](https://w42st.com/post/many-far-west-side-encampments-are-gone-w49th-and-w50th-tell-a-different-story/) _2026-08-21 · Catie Savage and Phil O'Brien · W42ST_ A month after city agencies began clearing homeless encampments along the Far West Side of Hell’s Kitchen, many of the sidewalks that were crowded with tents and belongings in July are now clear, with much of the remaining activity appearing to be concentrated on two blocks. Encampments block the sidewalk on W49th Street between 11th \[…\] ## [From Subway to Sidewalk, Anime NYC Characters Take Over the Far West Side](https://w42st.com/post/from-subway-to-sidewalk-anime-nyc-characters-take-over-the-far-west-side/) _2026-08-21 · David Gray · W42ST_ Anime NYC kicked off Thursday, bringing legions of costumed fans to the streets and subway stations around the Javits Center. Fans flocked to the Javits Center for the start of Anime NYC on Thursday afternoon. Photo: David Gray The four-day event draws an estimated 150,000 attendees, with screenings, appearances from top anime creators from Japan, \[…\] ## [The Meeples: XXX – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/the-meeples-xxx-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-21 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ The Meeples: XXX continues at Lime Studio at Greenside @ George Street until 29 August (except 23, 24). Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ It’s a great nightcap for the hedonistic festival-goer. ## [Game Theory – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/game-theory-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-21 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Game Theory continues at Forest Theatre at Greenside @ George Street until 22 August 2026. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ I’ve decided that this is a super new musical and the spirited cast will do very well when they graduate. ## [MUSE: The Shakespeare Mayhem Musical – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/muse-the-shakespeare-mayhem-musical-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-21 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ MUSE: The Shakespeare Mayhem Musical continues at the Cowbarn at Underbelly, Bristo Square until 30 August 2026. Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ Good fun and a chorus line! ## [Goodbye Dandelion – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/goodbye-dandelion-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-20 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Goodbye Dandelion continues at Belly Dancer at Underbelly, Cowgate until 30 August 2026. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Forego the clamour and chaos of Edinburgh in August and spend a splendid hour with these sagacious siblings. ## [FUCCBOIS: Live in Concert – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/fuccbois-live-in-concert-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-20 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ FUCCBOIS: Live in Concert continues at Studio Two at Assembly George Square Studios until 31 August 2026 (except 26). Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ It never stops being funny. ## [Footloose: Youth Edition – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/footloose-youth-edition-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-20 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Footloose: Youth Edition was reviewed at Grand Theatre at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall. Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ The rough edges make the virtues of the material more visible. ## [Point once, get highlights (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/wWkDEFQI7vxE) _2026-08-20 · **Sponsored**_ Get minutes worth watching from a whole game — point once ## [Bliss – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/bliss-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-20 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Bliss continues at Grand at Pleasance Courtyard until 31 August 2026 (except 25). Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ It should feel liberating, but instead, it feels strangely inert. ## [Sinatra: One Last Shot – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/sinatra-one-last-shot-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-20 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Sinatra: One Last Shot continues at Dirty Martini at Le Monde until 30 August 2026 (except 24). Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ A remarkably convincing portrait of Sinatra. ## [Liberace and Liza – A Tribute – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/liberace-and-liza-a-tribute/) _2026-08-20 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Liberace and Liza – A Tribute continues at Ermintrude at Underbelly, Bristo Square until 30 August 2026. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Serves as a reminder that the Fringe at its best can make an apparently absurd idea feel like something that absolutely had to exist. ## [Midnight Train to Nowhere – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/midnight-train-to-nowhere-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-20 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Midnight Train to Nowhere continues at Upper Theatre at theSpace @ Niddry St until 22 August 2026. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ A brilliant piece of theatre that deserves to be picked up for development. ## [The Torch is Halfway Built — But Its Wildest Part Hasn’t Even Started Yet](https://w42st.com/post/the-torch-rising-hells-kitchen/) _2026-08-20 · Phil O'Brien · W42ST_ The Torch is now looming over Hell’s Kitchen and Times Square — but the most unusual part of the 1,029-foot skyscraper has yet to be built. The Torch is now roughly halfway to its eventual 1,029-foot height, with the main hotel section approaching its full size and glazing climbing close behind. Photo: Phil O’Brien Construction \[…\] ## [FLOP! The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/flop-the-best-songs-from-the-worst-musicals-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-20 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ FLOP! The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals continues at Wine Bar at Gilded Balloon Teviot until 30 August 2026 (except 26). Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ Arthur Hull is the reason the production works so well. ## [Team Mamdani’s Pied-à-Terre No-Show Has Lawmakers Fuming](https://w42st.com/post/team-mamdanis-pied-a-terre-no-show-has-lawmakers-fuming/) _2026-08-19 · The City Reporter · W42ST_ A bipartisan group of City Council members excoriated the Mamdani administration on Tuesday for ditching a gripe-filled hearing on the botched rollout of the mayor’s new pied-à-terre tax. Progressive advocates rally in front of City Hall ahead of a hearing on the new pied-à-terre tax, Aug. 18, 2026. Photo: Alex Krales/The City Reporter By Greg B Smith, \[…\] ## [Covenant House Faces Federal Contempt Action Over Long-Running Union Dispute](https://w42st.com/post/covenant-house-faces-federal-contempt-action-over-long-running-union-dispute/) _2026-08-19 · Phil O'Brien · W42ST_ The federal agency charged with enforcing US labor law says it plans to seek contempt damages against Covenant House New York over alleged violations of a court order in its long-running dispute with unionized workers. Covenant House is based on W41st Street in Hell’s Kitchen. Photo: Phil O’Brien In a filing with the US Court \[…\] ## [“There is a Distinct Lack of Judgment on These Sidewalks, and That Alone is a Gift” — Raabia Shafi’s West Side Story](https://w42st.com/post/raabia-shafi-west-side-story/) _2026-08-19 · Catie Savage · W42ST_ Raabia Shafi is an executive coach, master facilitator and curriculum designer who facilitates leadership development. She has lived in Hell’s Kitchen for more than a decade and is happy to call the neighborhood home. This is Raabia’s West Side Story. Raabia Shafi is a executive coach, master facilitator and curriculum designer who facilitates leadership development. \[…\] ## [Doing Time with Lavinia – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/doing-time-with-lavinia-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-18 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Doing Time with Lavinia was reviewed at C ARTS, C venues, C aquila. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ What’s going on is an hour with a master storyteller. ## [Sync Bookmarks Everywhere (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/CWVIaF6Sx7gF) _2026-08-18 · **Sponsored**_ Two-way sync keeps folders and toolbar intact across Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. ## [“I’m Not Intimidated by Anybody” — Hell’s Kitchen Woman Takes on ICE](https://w42st.com/post/linda-wolff-hells-kitchen-woman-pepper-sprayed-by-ice-speaks-out/) _2026-08-18 · Phil O'Brien · W42ST_ A 72-year-old Hell’s Kitchen resident whose videotaped encounter with an ICE officer went viral says being pepper-sprayed at close range has only strengthened her determination to keep speaking out. Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani stood with Linda Wolff as she talked about her confrontation with ICE. Photo: Office of Governor Hochul Linda Wolff, \[…\] ## [Parking Lot Closing, Billboard Gone — Is Change Coming to This Hudson Yards Site?](https://w42st.com/post/parking-lot-closing-billboard-gone-is-change-coming-to-this-hudson-yards-site/) _2026-08-18 · Catie Savage · W42ST_ A sprawling surface parking lot on 10th Avenue that was put on the market earlier this year is set to close next month, another sign that changes may be coming to one of the last major undeveloped sites in Hudson Yards. The iPark lot on 10th Avenue between W35th and W36th Streets will be closing \[…\] ## [Five Questions With: Tyrone Huntley](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/five-questions-with-tyrone-huntley/) _2026-08-17 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Award-winning actor, singer and director Tyrone Huntley has returned to the role of Judas that brought him acclaim in Timothy Sheader’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium. ## [National Youth Music Theatre – West Side Story](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/national-youth-music-theatre-west-side-story/) _2026-08-17 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ West Side Story was performed by members of the National Youth Music Theatre at the Birmingham Hippodrome. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ A spectacular new take on West Side Story which would surely make its late creators proud. ## [Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorised Musical Parody — Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/heated-rivalry-the-unauthorised-musical-parody-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-17 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorised Musical Parody continues at Udderbelly at Underbelly, George Square until 30 August 2026. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ It’s a broad, knowingly silly hour sung well enough that the silliness earns its keep. ## [Skål to 20 Years and Still Pouring — Valhalla Marks a Hell’s Kitchen Milestone](https://w42st.com/post/skal-to-20-years-and-still-pouring-valhalla-marks-a-hells-kitchen-milestone/) _2026-08-17 · Brennan LaBrie · W42ST_ Back in 2011, Matt Birde was selling beer to bars around the city, but longed to be on the other sides of the business. Valhalla has been a popular beer bar in Hell’s Kitchen for 20 years. Photo: Phil O’Brien One day, he shared the dream of opening his own bar with Sung Lee, a \[…\] ## [Blues, BBQ and a 92-Year-Old Showstopper Take Over Pier 76](https://w42st.com/post/blues-bbq-and-a-92-year-old-showstopper-take-over-pier-76/) _2026-08-17 · Phil O'Brien · W42ST_ Pier 76 was packed with blues, barbecue and dancing on Saturday as thousands headed to the Hudson River for one of the West Side’s biggest free summer parties. Bobby Rush takes to the stage as the sun goes down over the Blues BBQ Festival at Pier 76. Photo: Phil O’Brien Hudson River Park’s 26th annual \[…\] ## [A History of Paper – Pitlochry Festival Theatre](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/a-history-of-paper-pitlochry-festival-theatre/) _2026-08-17 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ A History of Paper continues at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre until 12 September 2026, before transferring to Dundee Rep Theatre from 16-19 September 2026. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ This truly deserves to be remembered because you will never forget the way it makes you feel. ## [British Youth Music Theatre – Paper Stars](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/british-youth-music-theatre-paper-stars/) _2026-08-16 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Paper Stars, performed by the British Youth Music Theatre, was reviewed at the Barnfield Theatre, Exeter. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ A production overflowing with imagination, warmth and heart. ## [The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/the-shocking-truth-about-flat-earth-edinburgh-fringe/) _2026-08-16 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth continues at Queen Dome at Pleasance Dome until 30 August (except 18). Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ With a tweak here and there, this production surely has a life beyond the Fringe. ## [CLI-first decentralized GPU compute (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/mGIFZR4MuJIV) _2026-08-16 · **Sponsored**_ Pay workers or run your GPU for FFmpeg transcode and AI inference. ## [Remember, Remember! – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/remember-remember-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-16 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Remember, Remember! continues at Queen Dome at Pleasance Dome until 30 August (except 17, 24). Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ This ridiculously talented company is one to watch out for. ## [Delphi: The Musical – Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://musicaltheatrereview.com/delphi-the-musical-edinburgh-festival-fringe/) _2026-08-16 · Admin · Musical Theatre Review_ Delphi: The Musical continues at the Auditorium at Bedlam Theatre until 30 August (except 17, 24). Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ The singing is excellent, the music and songs (by Wes Myers) sing-alongable. ## [Now You See It… Broadway Magic Hour Brings Tricks and Laughter to W53rd Street](https://w42st.com/post/broadway-magic-hour-childrens-show/) _2026-08-15 · Jim McDermott · W42ST_ When Jim Vines was 12 years old, he saw a classmate do a magic trick. “He took a quarter and held it inches from my face,” he tells W42ST. “He had on short sleeves, and he made it vanish. As long as I live, I’ll never forget that moment.” Jim Vines and partner Carl Mercurio \[…\] ## [Outdoor Dining Can Stay All Year — If Hell’s Kitchen Restaurants Can Make It Work](https://w42st.com/post/outdoor-dining-can-stay-all-year-if-hells-kitchen-restaurants-can-make-it-work/) _2026-08-14 · Phil O'Brien · W42ST_ New York City is poised to bring back year-round roadway dining, after the City Council voted Thursday to scrap the winter shutdown that restaurant owners have blamed for making the permanent outdoor dining program too expensive and cumbersome. Customers outdoors on 9th Avenue in March 2024. Photo: Phil O’Brien The package approved Thursday would allow \[…\] ## [My Favourite Films of 2025](https://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2026/01/my-favourite-films-of-2025.html) _2026-01-18 · Scout Tafoya · Apocalypse Now_ 1. Two Pianos 2. Spectateurs! by Arnaud Desplechin "Cinema is part of your life experience..." Every film is both a personal history and a romantic gesture. You have to believe to keep making movies until you can just make the sort you so enjoy. The ones that flow out of you. Like Wes Anderson or Thomas Pynchon, he did his best work to get to his best work. The old formulas are intact in the… ## [Lonesome Death](https://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2026/01/lonesome-death.html) _2026-01-16 · Scout Tafoya · Apocalypse Now_ A movie about Brent Hinds. ## [The 2025 Monsieur Oscars](https://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-2025-monsieur-oscars.html) _2026-01-01 · Scout Tafoya · Apocalypse Now_ Favourite Fiction Film Two Pianos The Shrouds The Ice Tower Kontinental '25 28 Years Later Dry Leaf Young Mothers The Woman in the Yard The Secret Agent The Mastermind Le dernier souffle It Was Just An Accident Black Rabbit White Rabbit On Becoming A Guinea Fowl Death Will Come Favourite Non-Fiction Film Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat Spectateurs! L'histoire de "Scénario" Life After Cover Up All I… ## [The Monsieur Oscars](https://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-monsieur-oscars.html) _2025-12-29 · Scout Tafoya · Apocalypse Now_ Here's the page for every edition of my Oscar corrective and superlatives, The Monsieur Oscars, named for the lead character in Leos Carax's Holy Motors, played by Denis Lavant. The tradition started in 2011, so the name didn't take effect until 2012, so when I went back to 2010 I had to make a new one, as I hadn't had the idea yet... Convoluted, but here's a good display of the craft and artistry… ## [My Favourite Songs of the 21st Century](https://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2025/03/my-favourite-songs-of-21st-century.html) _2025-03-30 · Scout Tafoya · Apocalypse Now_ My friend Gary Chun reminded me he'd made a spotify playlist of this original list of songs, my votes for the best of the century thus far. The year was 2018 and now in 2025 Gary has asked me to update it. 1. "Bang Theory" - World Leader Pretend 2. "Sky Starts Falling" - Doves 3. "Pace is the Trick" - Interpol 4. "Sick Talk" - Wye Oak 5. "I'll Believe in Anything" - Wolf Parade 6. "Eyesore" -… ## [My Favourite Films 2024](https://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2025/01/my-favourite-films-2024.html) _2025-01-01 · Scout Tafoya · Apocalypse Now_ 1-2. Familiar Touch / Last Summer by Sarah Friedland / by Catherine Breillat Two diametrically opposed studies of women in the autumn of their lives, with time running out and pleasures and comforts no longer guaranteed. In the former Sarah Friedland show the search for dignity as the mind goes and the world is what you remember of it in a feedback loop betraying you to your surroundings.… ## [The 2024 Monsieur Oscars](https://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-2024-monsieur-oscars.html) _2024-12-26 · Scout Tafoya · Apocalypse Now_ Favourite Fiction Film Familiar Touch Last Summer Air Shadow of Fire Megalopolis The First Omen Black Tea Here Suspended Time Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 Juror #2 Hard Truths Cuckoo Trap La Bête Kubi The Bikeriders The Room Next Door Scorched Earth Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Favourite Non-Fiction Film Union No Other Land It's Not Me Dahomey Strike: An Uncivil War Sugarcane Pictures of Ghosts… ## [Fantasy Double Features 2024](https://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2024/11/fantasy-double-features-2024.html) _2024-11-30 · Scout Tafoya · Apocalypse Now_ Mubi only accepted one this year, so here were some from the reject pile: NEW: The Bikeriders (Jeff Nichols, US) + OLD: Lenin: The Train (Damiano Damiani, 1988) "The whole point of these guys is that they can’t follow rules, you know. You put ’em together, and they get in this club, and all of a sudden, oh, they start makin’ up all these rules for everybody to follow." NEW: Hard Truths (Mike… ## [Video Essays, 2024](https://punkeinfilm.blogspot.com/2024/10/video-essays-2024.html) _2024-11-01 · Scout Tafoya · Apocalypse Now_ Here is a round-up of all of my video essay work available for public consumption made in the last calendar year. The big project was An Aim Not Devoid of Merit, a look at the complete works of Steven Spielberg , created with Tucker Johnson. I added several titles to my ongoing series Other West, about offbeat westerns: John Frankenheimer's Andersonville , Jordan Peele's Nope , and Bruce…