On Broadway

One man. One stage. One microphone. One ambitious actor performing an entire trilogy of famous sci-fi films with dozens of characters. Charles Ross deserves props for taking George Lucas' famous first triad of intergalactic adventures and condensing them into an hour-long solo performance that is equally a loving homage and hysterical parody of this beloved film franchise. Ross plays all the parts, uses no props and imitates as many sound effects as he can, even simulating an X-Wing crashing into the Death Star. In other words, he's like a kid imitating his favorite movie, zooming and rolling around his bedroom, except he's in front of a much bigger audience. It's a show that can be punishing on his body, voice and microphone setup.

One of the most unusual theatre events you'll ever experience is Stomp, a percussion-driven ensemble piece with a great sense of fun and playfulness that has been delighting audiences in Manhattan's East Village for nearly 12 years. During the various acts, eight performers play all manner of objects as instruments– brooms, tubes, lighters, candy boxes, metal objects, poles, pipes, customized percussion kits, even their own bodies. They toss in everything, including four kitchen sinks.

Production values have come a long way, baby. Just a few years ago, the thought of producing a Broadway show with a flying car sounded ludicrous, but the Tony-nominated New York production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang incorporates Caractacus Potts' titular, gravity-defying vehicle along with lavish sets, pyro and even live dogs. It also has an incredibly high-tech sound system run through a DiGiCo D5T that incorporates seven PCs, four mice, two 24-track Mackie digital recorders and Akai samplers, not to mention a plethora of racks backstage.

A cute killer bunny rabbit with big, sharp, pointy teeth. A homicidal Sir Lancelot and a wimpy Sir Robin. A Camelot that resembles a medieval Las Vegas. And a guest appearance by the feet of God, all on stage in the same show.

Inspired by the classic cult film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python's Spamalot is certainly one of the most irreverent shows to hit the Great White Way during the past few years, and solid word-of-mouth from its Chicago previews–and a stellar cast that has included Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce, Sara Ramirez and Hank Azaria–helped transform the $11 million production into a massive hit that's sold out well into the fall. The show has also won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical (Mike Nichols) and Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, for Ramirez vamping it up diva-style as the Lady of the Lake.

While its location at the Little Shubert Theatre on West 42nd Street makes it an off-Broadway production, Shockheaded Peter is more original than most of what is going on at the Great White Way lately. Inspired by the dark children's stories of late 19th-century German author Dr. Heinrich Hoffmann, the show is hosted by a ghoulishly funny emcee (Julian Bleach) and musically accompanied by the gothic cabaret of The Tiger Lillies – accordionist/singer Martyn Jacques, bassist/backup singer Adrian Stout and drummer Adrian Huge. Told here through monologues, song, puppeteering and dramatic re-enactments, Hoffmann's stories tell of the grim fatalities that befall naughty children who suck their thumbs, fidget at the dinner table, torture animals and play with matches. And it has a killer rabbit that turns the tables on its hunter. Edward Gorey would have loved it.

While musicals and revivals continue to dominate Broadway, a number of high-profile personalities have bravely decided to stage intimate one-man shows. Leading the pack is Billy Crystal, whose autobiographical 700 Sundays has proven to be a sold-out sensation on the Great White Way. Deceptively simple in terms of sound and lighting design, Crystal's show is an emotional, moving piece about coming to terms with the death of his father during his teen years and his subsequent rise to fame.

One of the most intriguing plays to hit Broadway recently is the compelling drama Democracy, inspired by a real-life political scandal within the German government. Set at the start of the '70s during the Cold War, this imported British play explores the complex relationship between West German Chancellor Willy Brandt (played by James Naughton, whom you've seen in Nexium commercials) and his assistant, confidante and secret East German spy Günter Guillaume (Richard Thomas of Waltons fame). While the show tosses the audience into an overwhelming vortex of political and historical references during its first act, its more personal second act offers a rewarding emotional payoff.