Press
The Philadelphia Inquirer: "I wrote a musical about grammar. Really." (2/23/24)
"Is it possible to write a grammar musical that isn’t as didactic as Schoolhouse Rock!, as old-timey as 1776, or as corny as elementary school shows performed regularly around the country? We’re about to find out together."
The New Yorker: "A Musical for--and About--Grammar Sticklers" (3/18/24)
The Angry Grammarian asks whether two lovebirds can overcome differing opinions on the Oxford comma.
Broad Street Review: "Love Languages: Pier Players Theatre Company presents Jeffrey Barg and David Lee White’s The Angry Grammarian" (3/11/24)
"Barg and White know that at the heart of their piece is a sincere love for the cacophonous chaos that is language, and that love enriches both the songs and the scenes. In The Angry Grammarian, language, and the way it touches those of us who genuflect at its altar, is the engine of the story."
BBC World Service: "Interview With Jeffrey Barg, the Angry Grammarian" (3/23/24)
"Even the most pedantic member of the grammar police probably hasn't been so annoyed by poor use of language that they've written a show for musical theater on the subject."
The New York Times: "Is It Harris’ or Harris’s? Add a Walz, and It’s Even Trickier." (8/10/24)
“People want to know what the rules are because they want to do this correctly. You can’t impose language from the top down — it’s a bottom-up thing,”
Billy Penn: "Commas, syntax and usage star in The Angry Grammarian: A New Musical'” (3/5/24)
"Small differences in punctuation etiquette stand in for large differences in life philosophies. In the end, what rules? The heart or the semi-colon?"
The Pennsylvania Gazette: "Cardboard, Chicken Wire, and the Oxford Comma" (2/22/24)
"Philadelphia’s leading (only?) arbiter of apostrophes"
South Philly Review: "A romantic comedy musical about grammar" (3/6/24)
"We all care about how we communicate. We don’t always realize that everything down to, like, where we place a comma or a period can affect how what we are trying to say is heard."
Philadelphia Jewish Exponent: "Jeffrey Barg, Author of the ‘Angry Grammarian,’ a Column-Turned-Stage-Musical" (9/5/24)
“I remember pitching it to my editors there, and they were like, ‘That is a terrible idea; no one will read that,’ but the column went ahead anyway. And it’s continued in various forms ever since, including on stage.”
The Telegraph (UK): "The grammar fightback is here – it is led by an unlikely source" (3/24/24)
"The Angry Grammarian addresses those fraught topics, the misplaced apostrophe and the Oxford comma. The subtext of both The Connector and The Angry Grammarian is the vexed relationship between language and truth, and the equally troubled role of correct expression as the route to success."
The Philadelphia Citizen: "Crack up and Level up With the Angry Grammarian" (3/5/24)
"Proud grammar nerd Jeff Barg and his bud David Lee White turn Barg’s hilarious column about correct speech and writing into a debut musical ... A must-see for fans of Eats, Shoots & Leaves and anyone with feelings about the Oxford comma."
Philadelphia Review: "The ‘Angry Grammarian’ returns" (9/12/24)
"After a successful spring run, South Philly resident Jeffrey Barg is back on stage with his hit musical."
Axios: "Comma Down" (3/7/24)
"For these word nerds, their love language is actually just language. The funny musical, "The Angry Grammarian," about the semantics of syntax opens Thursday."
The PA Post: "Angry Musical" (2/27/24)
"The Philadelphia Inquirer's Angry Grammarian is taking his column to Substack while also launching a musical he wrote about, you guessed it, grammar. He says it's not as strange as it sounds."
Uwishunu: "Top Things to Do in March" (2/9/24)
"If you’ve ever argued over an Oxford comma or know what the heck the subjunctive is, this musical is for you."
The Falcon: "The Angry Grammarian, A Musical for Hopeless Romantics and Grammar Enthusiasts" (3/15/24)
"The Angry Grammarian is the perfect way for you to spend an afternoon or an evening laughing, learning, and empathizing (not sympathizing) with like-minded grammar enthusiasts."
Daily Kos: Roundup (2/25/23)