Tackling religion, homsexuality and other issues about love and commitment, the play by Geoffrey Nauffts transferred from Off-Broadway with the financial backing of co-producer Elton John.

Directed by Sheryl Kaller the cast members are Patrick Breen, Maddie Corman, Sean Dugan, Patrick Heusinger, Connie Ray and Cotter Smith.

“Next Fall” has an open-ended run at the Helen Hayes Theater, 240 W. 44th St., map. Regular tickets are priced from $81.50 to 116.50. Premium seats are $176.50 to $226.50. Student rush tickets are usually available at the box office two hours before curtain for $26.50.

Age advice: The story is about the romance between two gay men. It contains strong langauge and children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre.

The “Next Fall” Broadway reviews:

New York Times – “‘Next Fall,’ which opened Thursday night at the Helen Hayes Theater, is that genuine rara avis, a smart, sensitive and utterly contemporary New York comedy.”

Wall Street Journal – ” Alas, “Next Fall” is cliché-infested and cloyingly sentimental, and the fact that it has transferred to Broadway after a successful Off-Broadway run means only that you can fool some of the people most of the time.”

Variety – “The laughter and sobs emanating from the audience at “Next Fall” reinforce the impression of a sure-footed return to somewhat unfashionable territory. Calling it a thoughtful, funny-sad soap opera is not intended as a putdown.”

Associated Press – “‘Next Fall’ is expertly cast, enormously entertaining and even laugh-filled despite the underlying seriousness of its subject matter.”

Daily News – “Kaller’s direction is clean and clear, but the play has a strange way of drawing you in and then pushing you away. At times, a character says something so real you think: I know this person. In the next breath, a way too clever quip makes you think: No one would say that.”

Post – “Together, they try to figure out how to bridge this fault line, as Nauffts gently prompts us to wonder how we live with contradictions, and what we’re willing to sacrifice for love.”

NY1 – “Nauffts’s script is a deft blend of urban comedy and pathos, exploring the legal rights of same-sex partners, religious tolerance and the crucial moral importance of speaking the truth before it’s too late.”

New York magazine – “Belief doesn’t answer to logic, of course, and that’s one of the core ideas behind ‘Next Fall.’ What’s remarkable about Nauffts’s play—which first surfaced Off Broadway last year—is the way it mines that conflict for laughs without selling it short.”

USA Today – “Perhaps in his next play, Nauffts will try to craft characters who are as nuanced and authentic as the ideas he’s taking on.”

Time Out NY – “Go see the best new American play on Broadway.”

Back Stage – “In its move to Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theatre—even though this is one of the Main Stem’s smallest houses—director Sheryl Kaller’s tender staging has lost most of its intimacy. Fortunately, “Next Fall” retains its power to move.”

Hollywood Reporter – ” Under the skillful direction of Sheryl Kaller, the play crackles with emotional force and acerbic humor.”

See more reviews at Stage Grade.

Related: Playbill’s opening night picture gallery.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made a surprise visit to the closing reception of the National Bike Summit last night, speaking to a record crowd of bicycle advocates and industry representatives, many of whom spent the day swarming the halls of the Capitol as part of the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) annual lobby day.

"People get it. People want to live in livable communities," LaHood told the crowd, after hoisting himself atop a table in the Dirksen Senate Office Building room so the large gathering could see him. "People want
streetcars that are made in Portland, Oregon. People want walking
paths, biking paths, and opportunities for families to really do the
things they do best, which is to hang together and have fun. You
all created an opportunity for America with all of your hard work."

"I’ve been all over America, and where I’ve been in America I’ve been
very proud to talk about the fact that people do want alternatives.
They want out of their cars, they want out of congestion, they want to
live in livable neighborhoods and livable communities." He added, to thunderous applause, "you’ve got a partner in Ray LaHood."

"Ray, we’ve got your back," said Congressman Earl Blumenaur, the founder of the Congressional Bike Caucus, who told attendees that they have made a difference but there are "a lot of people who don’t get the big picture yet."

The reception ended the league’s 10th annual summit, which saw a record number of attendees: more than 700 advocates from all over the country took part.

"From my perspective what has changed most dramatically is not just the
numbers over the years, but our own belief in the
ability we have to convince others this stuff actually works," said Andy Clarke, President of the LAB. "We’ve got
examples in the field now in San Francisco, in Portland, in Chicago, New
York City, where you can document a real change in behavior, and we’ve
got mode shift going on and we can see why it’s happened." 

The underlying theme, as it has been in years past, was the reauthorization of federal transportation law. Bike advocates also asked lawmakers to expand programs like Safe Routes to School and adopt new legislation to improve conditions for walking and biking.

"It’s a challenging time to be asking for more funding," said Clarke. "But this isn’t new money, first and foremost. There’s money in the system that can be used that isn’t being used on safety programs or bridges or congestion relief programs that can very legitimately be used for biking and walking."

That message, said Clarke, is what advocates were urged to tell their representatives.

"I was rather impressed with some of the speeches our people made," said bicycling pioneer Gary Fisher, who attended the summit for the first time. "We keep coming and coming and coming and it keeps getting bigger and bigger."

For more on the National Bike Summit, visit Bike Portland. Jonathan Maus cranked out some excellent coverage.

We’ve also got video of most of LaHood’s speech to the bike summit, but a warning that the quality isn’t the best:

Congressman Earl Blumenaur. Photo: Jeffrey Martin, courtesy of the
League of
American Bicyclists. 

A large crowd of advocates packed a room for the National Bike Summit closing reception in the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Photo: Bryan Goebel.

Cycling pioneer Gary Fisher meets Transportation Secretary LaHood. Photo: Bryan Goebel.

The officers who parked here apparently aren’t the type to help old ladies cross the street. Photo: ddartley/Flickr

Thanks to tipster ddartley for the latest chapter in NYPD’s ongoing mistreatment of bus riders on 34th Street. Yesterday, eight cruisers from northern Queens (precincts 110, 111, 112, 114 and 115) sat parked in the bus lane between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. During evening rush hour. You know, we’re starting to think there may be a pattern here.

This time, the police stepped up their game, blocking the bus stop itself and forcing elderly passengers to disembark in the middle of the street. Since shame can’t keep police from inconveniencing bus passengers, maybe a physically separated busway on 34th will do the trick.

More pics after the jump.

Eight squad cars lined up in front of Macy’s…

…forcing buses to travel in rush hour traffic. Photos: ddartley/Flickr

The Weekly Carnage is a Friday round-up of motor vehicle mayhem
across the five boroughs and beyond. For more on the origins and purpose of this
column, please read About the Weekly Carnage.

Sung Won Cho was killed on March 7 when the driver of a Mercedes SUV backed into her and four others in a church parking lot. The driver was not charged. Photo: Daily News

Fatal Crashes (3 Killed This Week, 30 This Year, 6 Drivers Charged*)

• Sung Won Cho, 40, Killed by Driver in Church Parking Lot in Gravesend; Four Others Injured, Including Baby and 10-Year-Old; No Charges (NYT, News, Post, NY1)
• Natalie Assee, 37, Killed in Dyker Heights Hit-and-Run; Suspect at Large (YN, Post, Related: Streetsblog)
• Keon Nedd, 17, Killed Outside Soundview Home by Hit-and-Run Driver of Stolen Car; Suspects at Large (News, City Room)

Photo: YourNabe

Injuries, Arrests and Property Damage

• Chelsea: Cyclist Locking Up Bike Hit by Towed Truck, Breaking Both Legs; No Known Charges (NY1)
• West Brighton: Two Pedestrians Hit; No Known Charges (Advance)
• Midtown: Horse Carriage Operator Found Drinking on the Job (Post)
• Marine Park: Two Injured in One-Vehicle Collision With Light Pole (YN)
• Bronx: NJ Corrections Officer Charged With DWI in Crash on Sheridan Expressway (YN Blotter)
• SI: Driver Flips Car, Charged With DWI; Drunk Driver Hits Parked Cars (Advance)
• SI: Four More Arrested for DWI Last Weekend (Advance)

Following Up

• NYPD Denies Requests for Info in "Blameless" Crash Cases (Streetsblog)
• Driver Charged, Pleads Not Guilty to Leaving Scene of Phelan Hit-and-Run (News, Post, NYT, NY1 1, 2)
• Witness to Karen Schmeer Crash Says NYPD Account Doesn’t Add Up (City Room)
• SI: Raging Lunatic Who Shot Pedestrian in 2009 Gets Five Years (Advance)
• Riverdale Resident: It Doesn’t Take a Study to See What Makes Broadway Unsafe (R’dale Press)
• DWI Case Against Adam Clayton Powell IV Unresolved Two Years Following Arrest (NYT)
• Civil Suit Filed in 2007 DWI Death of Former Pataki Aide (Advance)

In the Region, Out of Town

• Falls Church, VA: Harry Reid’s Wife and Daughter Injured in Rear-End Collision (AP)
• Harrison, NY: Housekeeper Smashes Prius Into Wall, Owner Blames Toyota (Gothamist, News)
• Related: Experts Say Acceleration Problems Likely Amplified by Driver Error, Mass Hysteria (NYT, AP)
• Edison, NJ: Former Staten Island Bishop Dies of Injuries From January Crash (Advance)
• Los Angeles: Tom Cruise Hurt in Motorcycle Wreck (News)
• Moscow: Fatal Collision Involving Lukoil Exec Sparks Outrage Over Above-the-Law Drivers (AP)

Image: Transportation Alternatives

Other News

• TA: Improvements Needed for East Side’s Most Dangerous Intersections (Our Town)
• Parents Lobby DOT for Pedestrian Light at Deadly Brooklyn Museum Interchange (News)
• News: Cops With a History of Drunk Driving Are Welcome at NYPD
• Related: Detective Who Injured 2 in DWI Crash Retires With Full Pension, Has No Regrets (News) 
• Judge Upholds Jersey Teen-Driver Decal, Declares Driving a "Privilege" (S-L)
• NHTSA Considering Data Recorder Requirement for All Autos (NYT)
• California Window Tint Mandate Under Fire for Blocking Electronic Signals (Detroit News)
• First Responders Not Immune to Dangers of Distracted Driving (NYT)
• Driver on iPhone "Speed Trap" App: "It’s Like a Game." (WRAL)
• Mobile Billboard Seller Doesn’t Know If Her Product Is Legal, But Puts It on the Roads Anyway (MPR)

* Based on latest available reports

By popular demand, here’s an updated graphic depiction of how the state of New York stole dedicated transit tax revenue from the MTA in last year’s deficit reduction package. The $190 million pot of money is known as the state’s 18-B obligation to the MTA. The total MTA operating budget is nearly $12 billion (with a "b").

The Post reports that higher transit fares could be in the cards for the third year in a row, as the MTA re-evaluates its options to cover a $750 million deficit.

State lawmakers passed last year’s MTA funding package promising that it was sufficient to stave off service cuts and avert fare hikes until 2011. But that package, which conspicuously lacked bridge tolls, turned out to be insufficient. And to top it off, Albany swiped more than $100 million in dedicated transit tax revenues from the MTA last fall to pay for the state’s obligations.

Now, after facing the wrath of transit riders about potential cuts to subway and bus service, the MTA Board is weighing whether to raise fares ahead of schedule instead.

So let’s just point out that the amount of money that Albany swiped from dedicated transit taxes last fall ($118 million) is greater than the cost of all the bus and subway service on the chopping block ($77.6 million). A fare hike would basically amount to Albany picking money from straphangers’ pockets.

Hat tip @ShellySilver for the Post story.

For many Bay Ridge parents and children, walking to school means crossing some of the most dangerous intersections in the neighborhood. Map of pedestrian and cyclist crashes: CrashStat.

Afterward, Landers started talking about the crash with her neighbors. As parent after parent shared their personal stories about car crashes, it became clear that they didn’t feel safe walking on their own streets.

Her group decided to do something about it. Bay Ridge Residents Fed Up With Reckless Driving was born.

Wednesday night, Landers and the other parents who have rallied around street safety presented their concerns to the traffic and transportation committee of Brooklyn Community Board 10. Parents "like living here, but they live in fear of the cars," she told the committee.

The CB was ready to listen. Just this past Sunday, 37-year-old Natalie Assee was killed crossing Fort Hamilton Parkway. In January, all of New York heard the story of 104-year-old Joe Rollino, the World’s Strongest Man, killed as he crossed Bay Ridge Parkway. One committee member’s grandmother was recently killed by a car in the neighborhood. Everyone in the room was perfectly aware that the neighborhood has a safety problem.

Maureen Landers and her kids, Max and Leila.

"We all know that our streets are more dangerous than they should be," said Doris Cruz, the transportation committee chair. Until Landers began her activism, however, each crash had been addressed separately. "We’ve just always seen it in isolation," said Cruz. She opened the meeting by calling for a comprehensive approach to pedestrian safety.

The discussion focused first on enforcement. While a police officer in attendance said the 68th precinct didn’t have the capacity to increase traffic enforcement, residents and CB members didn’t take "No" for an answer. One resident, Jean Solomon, proposed targeted crackdowns at the worst intersections. "Bay Ridge is the Wild West," she said, "we need to change its reputation." One CB member proposed a "Crosswalk Day" targeted at failure-to-yield violations, modeled on NYPD’s periodic crackdowns on distracted drivers.

When the committee moved on to potential engineering solutions, everything was on the table. They weighed the merits of more stop signs and traffic signals, leading pedestrian intervals, neckdowns, and other traffic calming treatments. At one point someone passed around a link to DOT’s Street Design Manual with instructions to look at the traffic calming section. The committee also decided to approach local business improvement districts about sponsoring pedestrian improvements. 

The discussion wrapped up with a unanimous vote to form a pedestrian safety subcommittee and start observing street conditions immediately. CB members want to see specific implementation strategies follow from their data, which they plan to present to both DOT and Transportation Alternatives.

This is a first for the community board. "Traffic, as it applies to people and not just cars, has never been addressed before," said Cruz. She doesn’t expect to encounter resistance when she brings the committee’s initial ideas to the full board.

Safer streets in Bay Ridge are "clearly needed," said a spokesperson for Vincent Gentile, the local City Council representative. Gentile, who has historically made motorist convenience a top priority — often at the expense of pedestrians — would be open to any safety improvements, the spokesperson said. 

Of course, it’s easy to support pedestrian safety before the specific solutions come into focus. There’s always the chance that the current consensus will fracture if parking spaces are threatened. Calls for extensive enforcement and innovative safety treatments from the Street Design Manual might get watered down to a request for a new stop sign.

But thanks to committed advocates like Maureen Landers, the community board is ready to act, and electeds are now more aware of the magnitude of the problem. For perhaps the first time, there is a gathering grassroots campaign for safer streets in southwest Brooklyn. 

• Capetown House Tour: SkinnyLaminx Studio: Heather & Paul’s Welcoming Nest
• Brooklyn House Tour: Hollister & Porter’s Williamsburg Safari
• Before & After: Guest Bed Makeover
• 10 Great New York Kitchens
• Splashy Kitchen Backsplashes
• Mirrored Backsplashes, A Breath of Fresh Air

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Currently, some of the posts you see on the local Streetsblog sites — New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Capitol Hill — actually originated on a different Streetsblog site and are being syndicated.

Starting today, you’ll see a little icon, like the one pictured at right, to let you know where the post was first published.

Why is this important to you as a reader? Well, when you click on the post now, you will be taken to the originating site. Same goes for clicking to view or contribute to comments.

The best part of this is that all comments will now be collected in one place. If you’re reading the New York site and want to comment on one of Elana Schor’s Streetsblog Capitol Hill pieces about federal policy, for instance, you’ll be doing so in the same place as readers of the LA and SF blogs.

In addition, all of the Streetsblog Network posts, which I write daily, will originate on the Streetsblog.net site — where you’ll also find links to nearly 400 independent member blogs around the country.

We hope that this will help to make the conversation among our commenters even richer and more rewarding.

We want your feedback on the new system. So please, if you have any questions, suggestions or complaints, you can leave them — for everyone — in the comments. 

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), founder of the Congressional Bike Caucus. (Photo: NYT)

"If Congress is going to act" on a new long-term transportation bill, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy president Keith Laughlin said, "it’s definitely going to be our year. If we are ready."

Laughlin’s phrasing was aimed at stoking cyclists’ appetite for lobbying Congress in favor of pro-bike legislation, such as Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s Active Community Transportation Act. But his caution also reflected the ongoing uncertainty surrounding how lawmakers plan to pay for a new long-term infrastructure bill expected to cost at least $450 billion.

Even if bipartisan support can bring the White House on board for a new bill this year, it remains to be seen whether bike advocates can secure the $2 billion in competitive federal grants that Blumenauer has proposed.

Tyler Frisbee, an aide to the Portland lawmaker who spoke to the Summit on her personal time, was careful to praise House transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) as a friend of bicyclists. But Oberstar’s transport legislation, Frisbee said, is "not the bill we want for another eight years … cycling will be light years behind Europe [if it passes]."

Frisbee warned fellow bike advocates that Oberstar views the Blumenauer bill as an expansion of the Non-Motorized Pilot Program that directed $25 million to four trail projects in the 2005 transportation law. Describing her boss’ legislation as separate from that spending, Frisbee said a Senate version would be introduced soon by Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley.

Despite the hazy outlook for congressional action on transportation reform, Rails-to-Trails is continuing to push ahead with its long-term agenda. Laughlin said the group’s 10-year goal is to help pay for bike trails within three miles of 90 percent of American residences, while doubling existing federal bike spending to $9 billion over six years.

"If the bill comes up for a vote, we have a fighting chance, but to win" requires sustained and increased focus on grassroots lobbying of lawmakers, he said.

Every Friday! Here are all the home and garden sales across the country – painstakingly collected by our editorial team of over 70 bloggers. This is the only place on the web where you can find them altogether. Pass it on and send us your sale.

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