Harrison Hill, an actor and published author, has added one more title to his list of expertise: blogger. Since January 2011 he has operated his very own theater blog, focusing primarily on Broadway and off-Broadway productions. What makes Hill’s writing so unique, though, is not the content of his work; it is the way in which he writes it. His humorous, knowledgeable, and informal approach to writing allows for an entertaining and informative read.

One of the things I like most about this website is the layout. Despite some ad appearances, it is simplistic and easy to navigate: most recent posts appear at the top of the page, and links to different categories are listed in the sidebar. However, my favorite part of this blog is the personality behind the writing. Oftentimes, bloggers can get hypercritical of whatever they’re reviewing, and their writing seems more robotic than human. Hill, on the other hand, goes further than the cliché “thumbs-up” or “thumbs-down” review. For one off-Broadway play, he interviewed the playwright, Nikole Beckwith. He asked her questions including her motivation behind writing Everything Is Ours (a scene from which is shown below), the story behind the set’s design, and her experience working in London. Because Hill chose to go beyond what is directly presented, he enticed a new sense of appreciation for the effort behind this production, as well as a persuasive argument as to why someone else would enjoy seeing this play.

In addition to his down-to-earth writing style, he includes his humble opinions about the particular styles of the actors. In one of his topics, called “Tony Picks”, he discusses why he believes some performers are more than worthy of a nomination for the prestigious award. His use of language like “gosh darnit” and “crazy moving” reminds me that he is just as much a fan of the theater as he is a blogger, which is a fact that can frequently be lost in the blogs of others.

When I read blogs, I look for ones that are going to keep me entertained as well as informed. Hill’s blog goes above and beyond what I originally expected, because he writes what everyone else is probably thinking. For example, in one post he admires the concentration and willpower of Paul Downs Colaizzo, who wrote the first half of a play in a tumultuous environment. Hill’s tendency to admire the arts instead of solely criticizing them presents him as a more trustworthy blogger, and I am sure that his 316 followers will agree.

Overall, this blog proves to be interesting, entertaining, and one of a kind. Hill uses exciting language while keeping his posts short and sweet. It was impossible for me to lose track of the posts’ main ideas—I could not take my eyes off the page, simply because I didn’t want to. I highly recommend Hill’s site for anyone looking for a quick, humorous, and informative read.