JOHN LITHGOW: STORIES BY HEART on B'wy - Family History Told in Two Stories is Too Long in theTooth

John Lithgow is one of America's most versatile & talented entertainers.  Lithgow (b 1945) is a TV/film & Broadway star.  He's also known for his comedy, singing & writing.   His work is honored in numerous arenas:  2 Tony Awards, 6 Emmys (3rd Rock from the Sun), 2 Golden Globes, 4 Drama Desk Awards, 3 Screen Amor Guilds Awards, 2 Acad. Award nom. (Terms of Endearment).   He's been nominated for Grammys for his work in children's entertainment.  These many deserved & elite honors attest to his remarkable knack for entertaining & his illustrious body of work.  My impetus for seeing STORIES BY HEART was to see Lithgow up close on the B'wy stage.  Lithgow's 1 man show (in 2 Acts) is an ode to the art of storytelling, told within the story of his life.  The 2 Acts are structured around 2 different "short" stories taken from the book of short stories John's father read to him & his siblings during their nomadic & theatric, warm & loving upbringing.   Told with a true raconteur flair, Lithgow shares his unorthodox childhood & close familial ties.  Arthur Lithgow, John's father was a founding member of the Great Lakes Playhouse where Shakespeare's plays were presented in an astonishingly short time period.  Moreover, this show is an homage to his father whom John credits for sparking his storytelling/acting skills.  The minimal, inviting set  contains wooden wall panels, an oriental rug & overstuffed chair.  The overall effect created a welcoming, cozy nook.  The 2 "short" stories which Lithgow performs are longwinded & interminable.  "The Haircut" is told via a garrulous barber in friendly banter to his captive customer.   The sound affects & antics were irritating & the story inappropriate for a father to be reading to his 3 children under the age of 10.  At the beginning of the Act II, John asks the audience if perhaps we found it outrageous the story of adultery & murder that was read to them as kids.  "Well, we loved it!" he gleefully proclaims.  Act II turns the page to a more sombre & heartfelt tone.  John's elderly & frail parents were in need of his exhausting & all consuming help.  As the only unemployed sibling "between gigs" the responsibilities fell to him.  John discovered he was able to reach through the malaise & morose his parents felt when he read stories to them.  The stories read were the ones read to him & his siblings as youngsters.  The 2nd story of an absurdist British flimflam artist was aptly pantomimed in all its variant characters with valiant effort.  However, I found it insufferable.  The senior citizens in the audience were enthralled.  Lithgow's limitless talents abounded but appeal for STORIES BY HEART is for the niche elderly audience or very young.  I liked Lithgow the man but didn't care for his show.  I couldn't wait to go.