Jesse Green

I am the chief theater critic for The New York Times.

What I Cover

I write reviews of Broadway, Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway, regional and sometimes international productions, looking especially for work that exemplifies theater as a living art in conversation with society. Or as an opportunity to forget about that and laugh. I also write occasional features on the state of the industry and its notable practitioners.

My Background

I played Will Parker, Cliff Bradshaw and Prince Dauntless in high school musical productions. I studied theater and English in college, and after moving to New York City worked as an apprentice to the director Hal Prince, a gofer for the composer John Kander (helping him locate and recreate the score for one of his musicals) and a copyist and music coordinator on various local and touring shows. I switched to journalism around 1988 and eventually found a way to merge my interests by writing about the theater (among many other subjects) and, later, writing reviews. Also books, most recently “Shy,” with and about the composer Mary Rodgers.

Journalistic Ethics

I do not review productions in which anyone I know well or consider a friend has any significant role. I also do not write feature articles about people whose work I will soon be reviewing. In keeping with the standards of integrity outlined in our Ethical Journalism Handbook, which all Times journalists are committed to upholding, I do not serve on prize juries, attend galas, donate to theater companies, write blurbs for books in my field or offer even casual guidance to people who ask me to criticize their work privately. I am basically no use to anyone.

I read everything sent to me by email even though I cannot always respond.

• Email: [email protected]