Review: A Text That Never Quite Takes Flight

By Michael Block

Sexual violence and abuse is a serious subject. Finding a way to bring awareness through art is not easy. Especially if it hits close to home. That being said, not every production with relevant themes does exactly what it sets out to do. Enter Phoenix Rising: Girls and the Secrets We Keep. Presented by Living Lotus Project, the play written and directed by Laura Gosheff, finds a group of young girls brought together by circumstance as they surrealistically tackle their past.
Phoenix Rising is one of those plays that has good intent yet manages to hammer in too many concepts and ideas that hurts the overall production. Laura Gosheff’s play follows five young girls, each with a dark history of violence in their past, as they encounter ways to find hope in their futures. Through meetings with their counselor Grace, the girls are lead on fantastical journeys that open their eyes to their situation. When we learn that one of their own has found herself in the fatal situation, you'd think that would be the inciting incident that informs the production but it's not. It's just a backdrop. To Gosheff’s credit, she tries to do something different than present a weighty drama that examines difficult issues. She explores a unique style of storytelling. It just sadly didn’t work the way you would have hoped. Phoenix Rising may have greatly benefitted from a separate directorial source as well as the desire for a dramaturgical eye, as there were many textual woes. For example, with continuity being key, the girls are shocked that their sessions are about to end as the school year concludes yet have a gift ready to give to Grace. It's the little things like this that call attention to the bigger mishaps of the text. To explore the surrealistic elements, Gosheff introduces a device where Grace opens a magical book where she monologues about a woman from history that coincides with each girls’ backstory. Gosheff also introduces a plot point where Grace offers each girl a card of an influential woman to keep on their person to help their spirits. The device and plot point do not line up as the woman on the card is not the woman of the story and it desperately wanted to be as it completely minimizes the importance of the cards. Had the cards reflected the person of the surreal dream world, Grace’s influence and control would have been even more powerful. When it comes to the text itself, Gosheff has a sing songy nature to her words that had shades of after school special. And that may be due to where in time the play is set. Being set in the 80s, Phoenix Rising finds itself vainly outdated, spotlighting the sad truth that even 20 years later, little has changed. And that's not the intent Gosheff strived for.

photo by Jana Marcus

From a character perspective, there's very little active growth as the action is retelling the past and coming to an understanding. To no fault of their own, the girls were sadly cartoons. Between the era costumes and the caricature dialogue, it was hard to ground the reality within the overblown bubble. The one person who did strike a nerve by capturing the intent of her character was the incomparable Kristen Vaughan as Grace. Vaughan was like an ethereal sorceress. Despite the silliness of the surreal, you forgave it because Vaughan was just that good. She spoke and you listened to every single word she said.
As a director, Laura Gosheff was strong in honoring the intent of her text. Gosheff was high on finding the nuances of storytelling. That came through the exploration of movement. With movement by Javier Baca, Gosheff and Baca’s collaboration was stimulating to say the least. When we entered the dream worlds, the lighting from Seth Reiser was glorious. The use of the footlights and wash of color truly defined the whimsical ideas Gosheff hoped for. It was a stark contrast to the harsh fluorescents in the sessions. Sheryl Liu had some factors to work around with her set. It was very basic and accomplished what it needed to do but the second tier on the playing space caused Gosheff to lose prime staging real estate. Sound designer Julian Evans was crucial to the specificity of Gosheff’s vision. And he succeeded. Evans and Reiser were in tune, marrying lights and sound well. Angela Harner did exactly what the script called for when dressing the ensemble. Gosheff prescribed influences and they were seen on stage. But that doesn’t minimize the ridiculousness of the period. Between the hair and colors, it was hard to take the situation seriously at times.
Phoenix Rising tried to be so much more than it could be. And that was its Achilles’ heel. You can’t fault Laura Gosheff for being ambitious but ambition can only get you so far if the product doesn't translate to the stage.

Review: Don't Look Back

By Michael Block

The big question is do we need another theatrical retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice? The answer is only if it's good. Hadestown falls right in the middle of that spectrum. It's stunning to listen to. It's pleasing to the eye. But do we learn anything new? Not so much. Written by Anais Mitchell and developed and directed by Rachel Chavkin, New York Theater Workshop presents a feat of pure artistry known as Hadestown.
Taking a page from the infamous tragic romance, Hadestown defies the expectations of musical theater. Instead, we are gifted a concept album brought to life. With a folk score infused with creole soul, Mitchell's music is the centerpiece of excitement. The music is so incredible, you'll likely be intrigued enough to listen to it after you leave NYTW. But did it serve the story best? Not necessarily. Thinly tied together from song to song, the love stories of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone duel in a two act musical where a semblance of knowledge of the myth is useful, if not essential. Littering classic quotes and themes into her lyrics, Mitchell shines in idea. Her lyrics don’t necessarily further the plot but rather explore the inner thoughts of the thinly developed characters. To move the plot, Hadestown introduces Hermes the narrator. The messenger of the gods serves as the messenger of plot for the audience and relays just a single bit of useful information to the actual character. While Hadestown may not instill new information, it explores modern themes. Even through your optimism, the world isn't such a great place. It’s fascinating at times, especially when there’s a song about a wall and freedom. But it’s simply not enough. The score is filled with some power and excitement. Mitchell knows what hooks to keep running through out. But Hadestown doesn’t find life until Hades arrives. That’s when things take off. Mitchell’s great success is her ability to create ear worm worthy music. It’s likely a melody or two will get stuck in your head.

photo by Joan Marcus

Regardless of your feelings on the material, you can’t deny the extraordinary overall talent on the stage. Orpheus and Eurydice may be the love magnet that pulls you into Hadestown but it’s the marvel that is Persephone and Hades that you should stay for. Amber Gray is a smoky seductress as Persephone. The raspy wisdom of her tone was simply sensational. Amber Gray is a name to keep on your radar. As the villain of myth and circumstance,  the grate carpet was laid out for Patrick Page, who dominates in yet another sinister role. It’s rare to hear a genuine bass in musical theater but Page delivers. Playing Hermes the narrator, Chris Sullivan’s dark whimsy moves the piece along. He’s got more soul than you could ever imagine. Nabiyah Be found purity in her Eurydice. Even though she saw the worst in the world, Be had confidence. The musicality from the Fate trio breathes vivacity into the piece. Tonality and harmony, Lulu Fall, Jessie Shelton, and Shaina Taub are the pulse of the score. Perhaps he's a victim of fate, or comparatively blah material, sadly, Damon Daunno as Orpheus lacked the charismatic appeal to play the artist in love. And you could only take so much of his pingy falsetto. But that’s the nature of the indie style.
Artistry was in full bloom for director Rachel Chavkin and her masterful design team. But when it came to theatrics, you can’t help but harken back to similar tricks used in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, also directed by Chavkin formally staged in a similar circular fashion. Regardless, the magic that Chavkin provided was enough to make Hadestown a visual spectacle. But when it came to seating, artistry got in the way of practicality. If you kept your eye on the stunning tree from scenic designer Rachel Hauck, those woes went away. And when it came to the spectacle of light, Bradley King succeeded. Had you not known about the post-apocalyptic setting, you may not have understood the concept behind the costumes from Michael Krass. Whether you’re coming to Hadestown blindly or as a fan of Mitchell’s album, you can’t deny the breathtaking orchestrations from Michael Chorney and co-arranger Todd Sickafoose. Chorney and Sickafoose honored Mitchell’s integrity while incorporating hints of musical theatre within.
Hadestown looks amazing. It sounds amazing. But when it comes to adapting it for the stage, it didn’t succeeded as much as you’d wish. Hadestown the concert may have been just as suitable. Either way, purchase the album and don’t look back.

Spotlight On...Andrew Clarke

Name: Andrew Clarke

Hometown: Montego Bay, Jamaica

Education: Edna Manley College (School of Drama) Jamaica & Brooklyn Colllege, NY

Select Credits: Fences, Flambeaux, The Black That I Am, A Girl Without Wings
                     
Why theater?: I have no choice in the matter really. I was born for this. I belong on the stage. I honestly couldn’t see myself doing anything else. Well maybe singing if you consider that a separate vocation from theatre but it is still the stage. This is when I most at home, alive and in my element. So if I am asked why theatre, I’d say why not? Why the torture? Because that’s what life would be being anywhere else.

Who do you play in A Man Like You?: I play Hassan. Somali pirate. He appears to just be a hot head, but he’s quite observant as well.

Tell us about A Man Like You: A Man Like You is a conversation between a British hostage, Patrick North, and his Somali captor Abdi, set in a windowless concrete room in Somalia. Elizabeth, North’s wife provides a counter-point to the story, from the Norths’ house in Nairobi.  The play was inspired by the events of 21st September 2013, when Somali men from the terrorist group Al Shabaab opened fire on shoppers at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, killing at least 67. Following the tragic attack the perpetrators were often referred to as 'animals' and 'inhuman', and indeed it was hard to feel they were anything different when the CCTV footage of them blowing civilians away in cold blood was released.  The same footage also showed them however washing their feet and praying in the aisles of Nakumatt supermarket where most of the victims died, a powerful reminder that however repulsive it is, those terrorists and hundreds others like them all over the world have a rationale for their actions, and that it is one that the world basically refuses to engage with. We do not really want to look inside the mind of a terrorist and properly understand what motivates him; it may be uncomfortable, painful and worse, we may discover that in some ways we even identify with his truth.

What is it like being a part of A Man Like You?: Being a Jamaican and also an immigrant to the U.S., this is quite the interesting experience. I am hearing about the event that inspired the writing of the play for the first time thanks to this production and find myself being so drawn into the story of these men who lead such different lives, come from such different realities, who share such differing views, but I hear merit in both their arguments. It is such an almost uncomfortable place to be in when you hear through the words the playwright has put into each characters mouth ideals and concepts which make you rethink your perspective on certain things or even more importantly how we have been conditioned to respond and perceive certain people and situations.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theatre that is riveting, thought provoking, makes you uncomfortable even. Theatre that causes you to question life, your choices, who you are, and the decisions you make or have made. Theatre is that mirror held up to our face that we’ve paid X amount to be shown a reflection of ourselves, sometimes one we are not aware existed or may not be willing or prepared to accept exists.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Oh the best villain one could imagine…that person that people just HATE with a passion. I wanna make folks uncomfortable, repulsed and even my friends watch in disbelief as I have transformed into this other person, this other thing. Any role that allows me to one day do that is the role I would love to play!

What’s your favorite showtune?: “Serenade” from The Student Prince

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: On this list, Cicely Tyson, Phylicia Rashad and James Earl Jones

Who would play you in a movie about yourself, and what would it be called?: Taye Diggs.  “The life and times of Andrew Clarke.”  haha

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: The original Dreamgirls.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Almost every musical currently on Broadway. Head of Pass - now closed.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Food! In general. I am such a fatty. Food will be the death of me though I want to be fit and sexy! haha

What’s up next?: The release of my debut EP. New territory, scary as hell!

For more on A Man Like You, visit http://www.red-soil-productions.com/

Spotlight On...Stephen Powell

Name: Stephen Powell

Why theater?: Theater came to me later than usual. I don't mean experiencing theater (that came early when my New Yorker aunt took me and my sisters to Broadway shows), but participating in it (when I took the leap to audition for a community theater play). That first role ignited a passion that felt important and rewarding. I've been pursuing it ever since.

Tell us about A Stopping Place: This is a piece about how our individual struggles are both the glue and the repelling force in our relationships with each other. The bridge and the wall. It tells the universal story of a person who seeks reconciliation with the past in order to face the future, and the labyrinthine path to find resolution.

What inspired you to create A Stopping Place?: The spark of A Stopping Place ignited from the nature of what an actor faces when alone on stage but surrounded by people. There is an intrinsic element of 'space', both between actor and audience and between character and object. That concept began to tell its own story about connection: the inability to reach the audience physically but to appeal to them through performance; the paradox that being alone on stage infuses inanimate objects with character of their own; the sense that the performer feeds off the performance of the audience. I find these qualities analogous to the contours of all our relationships to each other as individuals. How we act toward others is not too far away from standing on a stage and reaching out into the darkness by any means possible. I became excited by the universality this form of the "one-man" show offers, and what else the aspects of the 'theatrical' tell us about the stakes of human connection.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I say this constantly when talking about A Stopping Place: I love ambitious theater. Ambitious in form, in theme, in scope, in vision. Watching a show that makes you gasp, or cheer, or go pale is a clarion call to any actor to go back to your rehearsal space and build to those same moments.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I'm reluctant to say, because it may just come true and then where would I be?

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Great God Pan, by Amy Herzog. It played a couple of years ago at Playwrights Horizons and left me breathless. I walked out of theater resolved to seek in every future performance the nuance and depth that those six actors showcased on that stage.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: When someone finds my life worth dramatizing, I'll have to ask them!

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I will always regret missing the musical Passing Strange when I visited he city in 2008. That show was a gem that, when I saw the Spike Lee film, did for me what the best kind if theater does: it gave me a new and startling understanding of the world and myself.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Really?? Let's say... drinking coffee after sundown.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: In an office, wondering what it would be like to be in a play.

What’s up next?: Aside from a workshop with the 600 Highwaymen (the experimental theater duo) there will be an announcement soon about the next step for A Stopping Place. Stay tuned!

Review: Hoping for the Eleventh Second

By Michael Block

Parked behind a table, sitting anxiously in a chair, Padraic Lillis talks about suicide. He says the things we may not have the courage to say out loud. Through his own experience, Hope You Get to Eleven or What are we going to do about Sally? is a monologue about finding the light through the darkness.

photo by Kevin Cristaldi

Presented by The Farm Theater at the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, Hope You Get to Eleven is an emotionally driven solo piece that discusses things that can be hard to admit. Inspired by his own story, Lillis is not seeking sympathy but rather offer awareness. Lillis smartly doesn't tip toe around the subject. He brings dry humor to balance the gravitas. And there is a hell of a lot of gravitas in this play. The play came to form after his experience directing A Christmas Carol at a college where a girl from the play committed suicide. With the aftermath and his own pains finding unity, Hope You Get to Eleven began. The unique thing about Lillis’ piece is there is no moral to this story. And it’s unfair to try to offer when. Lillis tries to bring awareness to the thought of if you know you’re hurting, ask for help. He drops in the occasional fact and numbers about suicide that hammers in the idea of how dodgy the thought can be. He reminds us that someone else in the room has likely had these thoughts. Or may be having them, word for word, as he says them. And it's true. Believe me, it’s true. With the safe space of a theater, Lillis bravely shares how he found himself having suicidal thoughts despite the positives in his life. A loving relationship. A flourishing career. Opportunities to do what he loves. But when you can’t see the progress, the negative thoughts outweigh the positives. The one statistic that weighs heavy on the production is the one that inspired the title. And it’s something I wish was introduced sooner into the monologue.
From a production point of view, Lillis plays it safe in his script. Rather than reaching for analogies and metaphors, he lays it out there in a colloquial manner. He and director Scott Illingworth approach the text in a way that it seems he is talking to you. Illingworth places the table and chair on a diagonal in order to reach the two seating sections equally. It was a very strong and powerful position for Lillis to be in. For the most part, lighting designer Joe Cabrera left the lights consistent. A nice glow on Lillis. But when he goes into his bit about the bath and going under, Cabrera adds a hint of theatricality. The subtle shift was evocative and taut.
Lillis drops a quote the seemed to resonate the most with me. “Loneliness is exhausting.” Lillis’ story could be your story. It could be my story. The important thing about Hope You Get to Eleven is knowing you’re not alone. There is someone out there with open arms ready to give you a hug. You just have to find them.

Spotlight On...Ilinca Tuvene

Name: Ilinca Tuvene

Hometown: Focșani, Romania (although I moved away as a kid and most grew up in Bucharest)

Education: Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute (Two Year Conservatory)

Select Credits: Natasha in Brooklyn Repertory’s Three Sisters (Fourth Street Theater), Anna Square & Princess Soutzo in Robert Blumenfeld’s Interludes of the Heart (The Players Club), Stella Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, Carol in Woody Allen’s Central Park West, Lida in Alexandru Mâzgăreanu’s Dear Yelena Sergheyevna (The Bucharest Comedy Theater).

Why theater?: I think it’s the only place where I have the courage to fully be myself and explore who I am underneath my social layer. On a less selfish note, it is a wonderful way to give comfort, entertain, immerse someone in a different life for a couple of hours. Sometimes I think our industry is selfish and self-centered, but then I’m reminded that art does have the power to change lives, I know it did it for me many many times.

Who do you play in The Winter’s Tale: I play the love-struck shepherdess turned princess Perdita.

Tell us about The Winter’s Tale: The Winter’s Tale is a very odd play - critics call it one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays” - you don’t quite know what genre to place it in. The first three acts are incredibly gloomy, weighed down by jealousy and tragic deaths (hence the infamous stage direction - exits, pursued by a bear), while the fourth act is a perpetual party and even the serious moments where my lover’s father threatens to carve my face out with a knife have a certain lightness to them, we know deep down that it’s all going to be okay - after all, it’s Bohemia (which Shakespeare insinuates is the land of drunks and party people). In the end, it’s a beautiful story and I’m truly enjoying playing a sincere character who is full of hope and brightness.

What is it like being a part of The Winter’s Tale?: The past month of rehearsals has been a delight - the Dysfunctional Theater Collective together with director Ivanna Cullinan are wonderful, and very welcoming - it’s always intimidating to join a group that have known each other for ages and you’re the outsider, but they made me feel like home. The best thing about it is that we rehearse on Governors Island, where they have an artist residency, so every weekend feels like a mini holiday. Other than that, I am supremely terrified since it’s my first official Shakespeare, but I have faith!
 
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: When taking the Meyers Briggs personality test, I will always choose the option that says "I prefer trying new, risky solutions to old problems" - I'm part of the millennial generation (yes, I know the stigma) and one thing I love is innovation. I like pieces that express very strong opinions in unconventional presentations. Eastern Europe is quite daring when it comes to live theater - to this day one of my favorites is Silviu Purcărete’s Dr. Faustus, set in a warehouse. I find inspiration in the oddest places, but I would say that firstly I take it from my environment - the wind, an old school New York block, or (if that ever happens again) a long day on the beach. I’m also incredibly inspired by the fearless geniuses behind independent film and theater - they remind me that yes, you can. I have just seen Josh Fox’s documentary “How to let go of the world and love the things climate can’t change”, screened by HBO Documentary, and it was truly brilliant and a wake up call - our world is ending before our eyes, it’s time to stand up and do something.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I've had a long unhealthy obsession with Vanda Jordan in David Ives’ Venus in Fur. I’m not giving up until I play that role!

What’s your favorite showtune?: “Big Spender” (oh, my subconscious)

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I have followed Xavier Dolan’s career since he started out in 2009 and I would die to get to work with him. Luckily, he’s casting non-Canadians for the first time so maybe I have a chance.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Kate Winslet for when I'm being myself, Eva Green in dream sequences when I pretend I’m French and mysterious. “An ode to life”? I’m terrible with names…

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: A year from now I will be saying Hamilton. For now I’ll go with Lev Dodin’s Cherry Orchard at BAM.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Most recently, Ironbound at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Russian Literature. (HA!) No, bad TV, once I start I can never stop. I try to pass it off for work but we all know it’s not really work. And do cigarettes count? Now I think of them more as a necessity and less like a pleasure…

What’s up next?: Well, The Winter’s Tale opens July 10th part of the Shakespeare in the Theater festival at The Brick, with additional performances July 15th and August 7th. I’m also working on a script for a staged reading which we will turn into a short film with my colleagues and friends Natalie Faye and Jessica Damouni - called “Oranges in the Lemon Grove”, it speaks about the grueling experience of feeling foreign wherever you go (whether it’s your home country) and what is the idea of home. I’m also working on a new podcast on acting with the same Natalie Faye and Ran Levy. It’s called Act Three and will soon be available on iTunes!

For more on Ilinca, visit www.ilincatuvene.com. For more on Brooklyn Rep, visit www.brooklynrepertory.com

Review: Dangerous Journalism

By Michael Block

Unless you are disconnected from news media, you’ve likely heard of the Rolling Stone article saga known as “A Rape on Campus.” An article was published in the magazine about a group sexual assault at the University of Virginia that the author and publisher later discredited and retracted. The article began a firestorm that opened up a brazen discussion on campus rape culture and the power of journalism in the age of social media. Written by Kim Davies, Abingdon Theatre Company in association with The Muse Project presents Stet, an exploration of a journalist’s journey of writing the perfect cover story.
Taking artistic liberties that are slightly skewed from the real events, Stet is a relevant saga about focusing on the media perspective as a journalist writes a risky cover story about an allegation that has the ability to shatter more lives. After her editor suggests she write a story about rape culture following the tale of a young woman named Ashley, Erika goes down the rabbit hole of truths and lies in order to gain the cover story. Developed by Kim Davies, Jocelyn Kuritsky, and Tony Speciale and written by Davies, Stet is a engaging ninety minute drama where the end game is clear but the pieces to complete the puzzle are the intrigue. Stet exemplifies the frustratingly broken systems. Whether it be at the university level, the power of journalism, or the wonder that is the 24-hour news cycle and social media, Stet takes the audience on a journey through the power of words. Perhaps simply due to the nature of the story, Davies’ storytelling was done through interviews and one-on-one interactions. It's a shame that the documentary style storytelling lacked character development for Erika, or any of the characters for that matter. There are glimpses of journey as certain characters disclose their past but when it comes to Erika, she seems to have a one-track mind that gets in her own way. Despite the structure, Davies’ colloquial language fits this play perfectly. Each character has a distinct and genuine voice. Davies’ does an impeccable job keeping the stakes heightened, even if you know the outcome. With little twists and turns, what keeps you on the edge of your seat is how the individuals react to the situations. Trying to decipher the truths allows you to feel as if you are Erika herself.

photo by Ben Strothmann

Erika is a tough as nails manipulative generalizing journalist. She is cold as ice. Erika has a job to do and will stop at nothing to succeed and get the cover. If her morals get in the way, she finds a way to suppress them. As our antagonist, Erika needs to have a semblance of likeability. You need to be able to know that whether she likes it or not, she has a mission. Unfortunately, Jocelyn Kuritsky’s characterization was so icy that by the time her past began to unravel, it was likely you painted her as conniving. And it didn’t go far enough to be a villain you love to hate. There was turmoil for Kuritsky’s Erika but we didn’t get to see enough of it on stage simply due to the nature of the piece. As the boss man with an agenda, Bruce McKenzie’s Phil was granted some character twists that he capitalized on. McKenzie played hardball with Erika yet was a viable confident. When Phil’s true beliefs were revealed, that’s when excitement came out. McKenzie brought a well-rounded performance. To reign in the piece, Davies didn’t go overboard with the amount of interviewees. We were given a trio of young voices that offered varying perspectives. From the vantage point of the accuser, Ashley, Lexi Lapp was smartly used sparingly. When she was present she gave Ashley a feeling of uneasiness. And that uneasiness allowed the audience to question the validity of her statements. As a frat boy trying to make a change, Jack Fellows embodied fraternity life without becoming a caricature. Playing the youthful university guidance aid, Dea Julien brought out something interesting in Christina. When talking about validity, Christina never seemed credible. But When Julien was gifted a stunning monologue, her vulnerability was onstage magic.
The moment with Christina on the floor with the recorder was on of director Tony Speciale’s defining moments. Speciale brought a fascinating use of fluidity and power levels with staging. He strategically had each character in a specific chair, placement in the room, or height to define their power in the scene. The play moved swiftly with Speciale’s strong vision and his gifted creative team. It all starts with Jo Winiarski’s scenic design. The super sleek monochromatic conference room with touches of wood and brick for color were reimagined to portray various locations. At first glance, it appeared that we were going to be stuck in a conference room for ninety minutes but Speciale, Winiarski, and the tag team of lighting designer Daisy Long and projection designer Katherine Freer made this multi-locational play come to life. Long’s looks fit the moods while Freer’s design was clean and intentional. In a world with ever-developing theatrical technology, Freer’s design elevated this production.
Stet is one of those plays that benefits from the “ripped from the headlines” formula but sometimes sticking too closely can be costly. Stet is a must see story that will fire you up in some capacity.

Review: Breaking Through Sadness

By Michael Block

Samuel D. Hunter continues his domination of New York theater with the exceptional The Healing. The groundbreaking play from Hunter and Theater Breaking Through Barriers is a living room drama that is really real. A group of friends are reunited in devastating circumstances to pack up the home of a former friend who recently passed. Their brief reunion brings discussion of the past when the linchpin of trauma reappears.
Zoe has recently died in the snow feet from her Idaho home. Her friends, many of whom have left the area, come back to her place to pack it up before the landlord fixes it up for a new tenant. Filled with accouterments and memories, this room is home to heart-racing tension as we learn the circumstances that broke faith. The Healing is an emotionally raw play about morality and losing faith. Hunter subtly layers in exposition revealing that these individuals met and unified at a summer camp where their leader in faith instilled the beliefs of Christian Science. Joan, the woman in charge, told them as children that they could pray away their disabilities. After the hard-willed Sharon exposed Joan for her practices, the camp was shut down. For those unaware with Christian Science, this religion does not believe in the practice of medicine and may be one of the many reasons for Zoe’s downfall into depression. Commissioned by Theater Breaking Through Barriers, Hunter has written a play for and about people with disabilities. While it plays a key factor in plot, what Hunter has done has written a genuine and authentic drama about real people with real emotions. And that makes The Healing infinitely more heartbreaking. This is a delicate play where the floor is filled with eggshells and evading them is near impossible. At the core, the theme of faith plays an essential role in the lives of each individual. Having someone or something to believe in drives their actions. Because of the trauma from the past, their relationships are radically altered as they denying the truths that they need one another in this moment. Each character puts up a front or façade to deny reality. From a structural standpoint, Hunter infused flashbacks into the narrative. We were able to see glimpses of Zoe. It didn’t hurt but it also didn’t necessarily propel the action further. It allowed more of an opinion to be formed while clarifying the exposition.

photo by Carol Rosegg

From top to bottom, this cast was triumphant. The ensemble lived within the overwhelming situation. As the woman who made the funeral possible, Shannon DeVido brought an edge to Sharon. Sharon tried to fight off her emotions, hoping to avoid sympathy or aid. Ironically, Sharon is like Zoe as she too had trouble seeking the help she needed. The parallels between the two were beautiful, as was DeVido’s performance. David Harrell offered a much-needed dose of humor and lightheartedness as Donald. While his character doesn’t have a giant character arch, he is the glue of the play. From the beginning, Joan is painted as this monster. Yet Lynne Lipton defies this. Her actions prior or in the moment may not have been warranted but you still manage to sympathize with her in the slightest bit. Lipton’s Joan comes off as a sweet, scared being that makes you melt. Even without her ability to apologize, you get a sense of completeness within her mere minutes on stage. It’s a mark of great storytelling that Hunter, Lipton, and director Stella Powell-Jones could achieve this so powerfully.
Powell-Jones impeccable guidance brought The Healing to great heights. With fluid direction, this piece moved yet felt lived in. Honesty was the key to Powell-Jones’ success. She granted her design team the gift of reality and a toolbox in which to work with. The scenic design from Jason Simms was intricate and deliberate. Every detail had thought. It was a very midwestern living room. From the chachkies and trinkets that filled the surfaces and walls, Simms gave Zoe a presence. The drab feeling extended into the lighting designed by Alejandro Fajardo.
The most important theme of this play is seeking help when you’re in need of help. For many people, asking for help feels like giving up but relying on others to pick up on the clues isn’t always plausible. The characters grapple with what they could have done but the sad reality is there was nothing that could be done. Hunter and Theater Breaking Through Barriers have crafted an important play in The Healing that needs attention.

Spotlight On...Ran Levy

Name: Ran Levy

Hometown: Grew up both in San Diego and Israel. By the time I was twenty I had moved so often that it’s hard to think about a place I can truly call my “hometown”.

Education: An Alumni of “The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute”. B.A in Psychology and  Sociology, Tel Aviv Academic College.

Select Credits: Giovanni in Dario Fu’s We Won’t Pay, Howard in Rebecca Gilman’s Boy Gets Girl, Victor in Noel Coward’s Private Lives, Trip Wyeth in Other Desert Cities and most recently Solyony from the Chekhovian classic Three Sisters. All characters who I feel inhabit a quirky side inside them that makes the artistic process of working on them interesting and fun! I also have done commercials for: Jersey Mike Subs, The Lift (with Al Roker), Optimum Cable, NJR Home Service etc.

Why theater: Because it’s magic. You pay for a ticket and once you enter the theatre and the lights go dark you are instantly transported to a different place, a different time, a different reali-ty. It’s live. Everything is happening “right now”, both for the audience and the actors - we are all “one”. You are never sure of how it’s going to turn out, which makes it much more exciting (and nerve wrecking). For me personally - from an actor’s point of view - theatre is a true treat: the language is richer, the characters more complex. For a month or so you get to spend a lot of time with other creative minds, which is my favorite part. And if you are gifted an opportunity to work with a great passionate director, which I have been, it’s always a growing point as an actor. I guess with competition from online streaming - Netflix, Youtube etc., theater has become a dying form of art. I still think it’s sexy…

Who do you play in Psychic Cafe: I play Lorenzo Duefacci (which means two faces in Italian…), the eccentric and narcissistic owner of the cafe. I’ve always liked playing the crazies, but I also find it challenging. It’s easy to go full out crazy but artistically that’s not always correct, it could easily be perceived as indulgent emotional “throwing up” on stage. It’s always challenging finding the balance within the imbalance so you can control it and not be controlled by “it”.

Tell us about Psychic Cafe: Psychic Cafe is a new play by Anthony Fusco directed by Anna Governali as part of the 2016 Strawberry Play Festival. The play is a crazy comedy with a big heart (which is my favorite genre to be in) based on real people and a real cafe Fusco worked at. The play follows the cafe owner with the arrival of the new cafe tarot reader and several of the neurotic regular clients that inhabit the cafe. I guess the play shows the dependency people can develop towards fortune tell-ers and how it dictates their lives and how sometimes the prophecy you do your best to avoid from happening will actually come true because of your actions.

What is it like being a part of Psychic Cafe?: It’s a great experience. I love working with Anna and Anthony, and my fellow cast members always make me laugh just by watching them during rehearsals. I’m also excited to perform at the Theatre at St. Clement’s as part of the Strawberry Play Festival.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I enjoy and appreciate the big blockbuster productions Broadway has to offer, and at the same time I also enjoy and am moved by smaller scale “Off-Off” productions with “smaller” stories. As an audience member I feel a play has a lasting effect when it involves an intimate, emotional story. I feel Inspiration comes in all forms… You can find it within a bite of food, landscape, a painting you see, a song you heard, a movie you see, some-thing you read, a conversation… It’s also very helpful to have a supportive group of peers sur-rounding you, and the more diverse the better as you are able to explore and experience more of yourself through interaction with different types of people. This might be a cliche, but I have to admit it’s the life I’ve had so far - all the obstacles and stops I had on the way, the hardships and the joy, the people I met. Some of the people remain an integral part of my life, others just flashed by never to be seen or heard again but left an eternal effect.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Petruchio from Taming of the Shrew, just so I can prove to a certain friend I can in fact be a “prick”. I’d love to play Bobby in Company if ever they adapt a non-musical version. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion even though I am far from being the type cast for that role, I would love to adapt and take a stab at it. What a wonderful piece of literature. A true treat for an actor. I keep being told I’m a good fit for any given Neil LaBute play.

What’s your favorite showtune?: Does A Night with Janis Joplin count? But no doubt one of my favorite songs is Sondheim’s "Losing My Mind" from Follies. I’ve been there.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Estelle Parsons, Nora Ephron, Michelle Williams. Constantin Stanislavski

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: "Les Misera-bles…?" I am often told I look like Zachary Quinto and Christoph Waltz… so it can be an epic biopic where both of them will play me at different ages. I’m guessing it would be called: “Because I didn't have any other choice”.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Any Bob Fosse directed musical. Lucky Guy, Nora Ephron’s last play. Oh! and Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark….

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Humans which was outstanding and I’m happy I had the chance to watch it Off Broadway, before the hype, before the Tony wins. The River -for anyone who has known true love. Crisis: Ocean Planet a production that ran at the Gallery Players and which I thought was one of the best Off-Off Broadway productions I have seen in a long time, well written and crafted. It dealt with the killer whale attack at Sea World in 2010. BFE by Julia Cho produced by Brooklyn Rep. (their first production), What a great story!!

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough Ice-cream and Youtube vid-eo clips from the 80’s.

What’s up next?: I have two productions schedule for mid July - The Waitress and Shattered, and a few commercials. I plan to just keep on auditioning and let life surprise me with what it has in store.

For more on Ran, visit www.ranmlevy.com

Review: Dangerous Games

By Michael Block

They say it's always good leaving your audience wanting more. Erik Champney did that. The three plays could easily be snippets of longer pieces but Blankets and Bedtime: 3 Restless Plays is an evening of danger through the lens of sex and lust.
As part of 2016 Planet Connections, Blankets and Bedtime united three dark one acts by Champney that analyze diverse human relationships with the commonality of sex. Beginning the evening is Champney's strongest of the trio, Sparkler. Set in 1964 San Fernando Valley, Sparkler watches the calculated romance of actor Clayton, his fake wife Carol, and his gay lover Max. A story of pointed manipulation with a backdrop of fame and stardom, Sparkler explores the "in the closet" culture of Hollywood's Golden Age and the back door dealing that comes with it. The trio of characters are individually ambitious, striving for glory, destroying lives in the process. Where love starts and ends is the heart of this story. When it comes to effective casting, Sparkler is triumphant. It's as if the cast was pulled straight from the period. As golden boy Clayton Boyd, Chad Ryan is the epitome of All-American. Clay uses his charm and attractiveness to win and it seems second nature for Ryan. Even when he is opposed by Ellie Gossage's affirmative Carol, Clay knows he'll get his way. Max Meyers was wonderful as Clay's boy toy Jack. Like Ryan, Meyers brought a charm but unlike Clay, Jack's aura was genuine. As the former Mouseketeer, Meyers ensured that Jack was in it for the love and not the glory. You know if Champney gave us another act, things would not end well for Jack.
In the second offering, Champney writes a heartbreaking tale with tinges of surrealism. The Screens brings the meeting of Allen and Damien in a psychiatric hospital visiting room. The poetic text follows the story of two seemingly strangers who discuss the circumstances that bring them together in this room and the reality of the surroundings. What was most fascinating about this piece was while there were two people present, this story was all about Allen. Dylan Goodwin sublimely balanced circumstance with reality. There were moments when Goodwin made you think that perhaps Allen wasn’t crazy.

photo by Bryan Cash

When crafting the evening, it was evident about halfway into Saitama that it may have been best to swap The Screen and Saitama in the running order simply due to the fact of the gravitas of Saitama. Nevertheless, Saitama is a dark drama about a comfort station in 1941 Shanghai. Once it's revealed just exactly what this place is, the stakes imminently rise. For those unaware of what a comfort station is it is virtually a brothel. Saitama watches Hideki as he engages in a dangerous game with two comfort women, the veteran Daiyu and the young novice Nuying. When things take a turn for the violent, fear fills the air. It takes tough skin to watch this and not feel an ounce of discomfort. It’s a mesmerizing story that seldom gets a place on the stage. For that, Champney succeeds. But as a whole, something didn’t quite sit right in comparison to the other two pieces.
Uniting these plays in an evening of restlessness is no easy feat. Director Janet Bentley used her resources well. Bentley incorporated effective staging utilizing the natural diagonal that site lines force. The tight stage didn’t allow much for variance, yet Bentley made it possible. She even took the time to capture the pulse of each story and curate them in a manner both individually and as a unit. Blankets and Bedtime didn’t need to be too intricate when it came to lights but lighting designer Gilbert “Lucky” Pearto played with color to add a burst of excitement. The other addition to the production was the intricate video design by Andy Evan Cohen. Simply due to festival constraints, the small projection didn’t have the effect that it could have on a grander scale.
Blankets and Bedtime is not for the weak of heart. Erik Champney, Janet Bentley, and Co have crafted an evening of intrigue that is bound to get you to ponder as you rest your head to sleep.

Fundraising Spotlight: The Illusory Adventures of a Dreamer

Everyone has a dream. And for me, it was to be a part of the New York International Fringe Festival. After five years of trying, I finally get my shot! We are bringing The Illusory Adventures of a Dreamer to life this August and we need YOUR HELP! If you have any dollars to spare, we would love your support to bring this play to FringeNYC. For more information and to donate, please visit gofundme.com/dreamerplay

For more on The Illusory Adventures of a Dreamer, follow on Instagram and Twitter @dreamerplay2016 and visit dreamerplay.com and facebook.com/dreamerplay2016.

Spotlight On...Lindsey Steinert

Name: Lindsey Steinert

Hometown: 2/3 New York City, 1/3 San Diego, CA

Education: BA Acting & Sociology/Anthropology, Pace University

Favorite Credits: Since it’s my first combined acting & writing credit, I’m gonna go with this.

Why theater?: Aside from being the only thing I can envision myself doing, theatre provides me with a unique platform, where I’m able to simultaneously do what I love, while encouraging audiences to see the world through a lens that differs from their own.

Tell us about Upstream Swimming: Upstream Swimming is my light-hearted, one-woman show about growing up with 2 gay dads before it was considered “cool,” and how my less-traditional family dynamic shaped me into the woman I am today. It’s not preachy or dramatic, it’s really just 80 minutes of me trying to figure out why I’m single with the help of like 13 other characters. It’s also the first solo show that’s written and performed by an actual child of same-sex parents!

What inspired you to write Upstream Swimming?: When I was 14 years old I started recording my family dinners on my phone to prove that the ridiculous events and absurd conversations that transpired during the meal had actually happened. In addition to the dinner recordings, I started saving voicemails, text messages, photos and videos that captured my family during similar moments that I knew people would have to see to believe. I did this pretty consistently over the next 10 years, and what I wound up discovering was that my family is really weird; but that the weirdness had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that my dads are gay. So I felt it was my responsibility as a seemingly “normal” girl who just happens to have 2 gay dads, to share my story with others, giving them the opportunity to arrive at the same conclusion I did.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theatre with the potential to provoke social change really speaks to me. I love that people can walk into the theatre feeling one way, and leave questioning their initial stance. I’m really inspired by human beings in general. As a sociology/anthropology major, I did a lot of fieldwork as an undergrad, which lead me to realize and appreciate the power of observation. I love riding the subway with my headphones on and no music playing. It’s during the moments when people don’t think anyone’s watching, when they’re unapologetically themselves. I love witnessing that.  

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I’d love to work with Ryan Murphy. I appreciate his dedication to LGBT-themed projects.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Spring Awakening revival. It’s stunning.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Hmm…If "Upstream Swimming" was already taken, I’d call the movie “Spiraling Up,” and I would be played by my best friend, who also happens to be my 13 year old sister.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Lisa Kron’s one-woman show 2.5 Minute Ride

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Dance Moms and I am NOT ashamed.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be ____?:  Trying to eliminate the word “normal” from the American language, and encourage people to use a word that embodies the majority/average in the way “normal” fails to (such as “typical” or “standard”).

What’s up next?: Hopefully Upstream Swimming will find a more permanent home and I can continue to share my story with others. But in the meantime, I’m writing a web series with a couple friends that we plan to shoot this summer, so stay tuned!

For more on Lindsey, visit www.LindseySteinert.com. For more on Upstream Swimming, visit www.UpstreamSwimmingPlay.com and http://horsetrade.info/

Spotlight On...Melissa Moschitto

Name: Melissa Moschitto

Hometown: Natick, MA

Education: B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Favorite Credits: Directing Apprentice for Compania Atalaya’s production of Medea in Spain.

Why theater?: I love the possibility that comes with live theatre - creating new worlds, mixing genres and time zones, attempting the impossible. And I find that I am more and more appreciative of the live audience. I’m a terrible audience member when I’m at home watching the TV or a movie - I’m always multi-tasking on my phone. But in the theatre I’m fully invested, immersed and present and as that experience becomes rarer and rarer, I’m ever more appreciative of the medium.  I am also addicted to the collaborative nature of theatre-making.  As much as I sometimes fantasize about being a writer or a painter, an artist who can be solitarily creative, it just isn’t in the cards for me.  I thrive on many ideas and voices in the room.

Tell us about No Man’s Land: No Man’s Land is inspired by the true story of Jeremiah Heaton, a Virginian man who claimed a piece of desert between Egypt and Sudan in order to make his daughter a princess. It’s a critique of the aspects of American culture that made that audacious act possible, an artist’s rage against the machine. But funny.  It takes a story that has certain assumptions and unpacks them, and in doing so, it requires that the artists unpack their own preferences, biases and the kind of artists that they are.

What inspired you to write and direct No Man’s Land?: When I first heard the story, it was 2014 and I was at home with a newborn and an almost two year old. I was afraid that I’d never do theatre again. And I found myself both bizarrely jealous of Jeremiah Heaton for doing this crazy and “impossible” thing and also adamantly against the culture that created this moment, declaring that my own two daughters would never be taken in by Princess culture, that I wouldn’t become that kind of parent. Of course, flash forward two years and despite my best efforts my girls are completely obsessed with fairy tales.  The show became an investigation of what it means to be an artist that responds to the world - what are our responsibilities and where do we get our permission?  How do the stories we tell pave the way for dreams to come true?

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love theatre that has its roots in movement and physical storytelling, theatre that transports me to a world I don’t know or helps me see the world through new eyes.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?:  I’d really love to observe British director Melly Still and choreographer Doug Varone.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The last show I recommended was Locusts Have No King at INTAR (sorry, it closed in May!).  In addition to a gripping storyline, there was some great good old fashioned stage magic which made it really exciting to watch!

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: "The Longest To Do List" starring Sandra Bullock.  (Well, you caught me two weeks out from our performance!!)

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I love this question!  I always regretted missing Medea starring Fiona Shaw.  And more recently, the Deaf West production of Spring Awakening.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Facebook (winces).

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Trying to be a writer and probably missing theater.

What’s up next?: Catching up on live theatre!  There’s probably some adage about how working artists don’t have time to see art. Add a couple of toddlers into the mix and it’s not always easy to get to a show.  But I’m hoping to fill my summer with all kinds of art!

Review: It's Friendship, Friendship

By Michael Block

They say college, or university depending on where you're from, is where you can meet the friends that will last forever. That's the source of story in Amelia Bullmore's melodramatic Di and Viv and Rose. Playing the Studio Theater at Theatre Row, Di and Viv and Rose chronicles the lives of three friends over the course of a couple decades.
Written by Amelia Bullmore, Di and Viv and Rose follows the three titular characters as they live their lives as roommates turned best friends turned virtual strangers. Broken into two long, drawn out acts, Di and Viv and Rose tackles the importance of friendship no matter the circumstance. The play by British scribe Bullmore may reach a certain demographic but there was something about this iteration of her script that didn't elevate her words or story. Directed by Leta Tremblay, the production is slow moving. Sadly, it just flat lined, lacking any semblance of dramatic peaks and valleys. While the play felt lived in, the pacing called attention to the unnecessary beats. And that unnecessary beat is the act long epilogue no one really wanted. With the first act clocking in at about an hour and a half, Bullmore’s second act jumps place and time drastically to give snapshots of the crumbling lives and bonds. It just didn’t match the simplicity of the first act. Everything Bullmore offers in the second act could easily be summed up in a few lines prior to the end of the first act and nothing would have changed. We simply just don’t learn anything substantially new. And that’s a waste of writing. The way Tremblay seemed to tackle the script was a blend of 80s and 90s dry television shows mixed with some bad after school specials. That feeling was evoked by the painful transition music from Beth Lake. The sappy mood of the play brought the energy to a strange level. The living room designed by Reilly Horan worked well for the space, forcing the doorway deadspace where the risers end. But the straight on set caused some site lines. Horan’s harsh yellow ton of the lighting was unsettling. It felt like a filter added to a photo.

photo by Sydney Angel

There is breathtaking chemistry and trust on stage. As a unit, the trio kept the story tight. You care about the girls as a trio. But when you hold a magnifying glass up at each individual story arc, they don’t seem to resonate. Whether it was the accents that were put on or the characterizations, something was amiss. As tomboy Di, Olivia Levin was the strongest of the three. Levin’s Di gave a fervent performance finding realism in the character. Raven Pierson’s Viv had a two act transformation. Her first act straight-laced Viv was bland a bit robotic but by the time the character found a new life in New York, Pierson finally infused some spunk into the character. It’s evident that Leslie Erin Roth is an actress who is committed to bold choices. Being able to tap into Rose in the way she did was commendable. But when all was said and done, Roth’s Rose was like an adult version of Cindy Brady. Dim and a caricature.
Di and Viv and Rose is a show for a certain audience. If you’re someone who enjoys simplicity, this show will give it to you. But if a simple story is of no interest, Di and Viv and Rose offers nothing new.

Tony Awards 2016 Highs and Lows

As expected, the 2016 Tony Awards were all about Hamilton. While the show didn't tie or beat The Producers mark of twelve awards, they still stole the show. But what about the rest of the night? Here's my Tony highs and lows!

Best Performance: James Corden’s Opening Number
The night was filled with some incredible performances but James Corden stole the show and proved his worth as a recurring host. Corden’s bit reminded us that we can make it and be anyone we want to be. And if you didn’t tear up when the kids transformed into the nominees in the musical acting categories, you may not have a heart.

Worst Performance: She Loves Me
There really wasn’t a bad performance but in terms of selling the production, She Loves Me didn’t quite dazzle. The medley was cute but even the other revivals had some more spark.

Best Speech: Frank Langella

The Tony’s were especially emotional being mere hours following the tragedy in Orlando. Many called attention to it but it was Frank Langella and his infinite years of wisdom that grounded us all and reminded everyone that we’re all one collective soul.

Cringe Worthy Moment: Christopher Fitzgerard as Michael Arden
In the age old tradition of showing the nominees on camera as their name is announced, we all collectively cringed during the reading of the Best Director of a Musical nominees when the camera panned on Christopher Fitzgerald instead of Spring Awakening director Michael Arden. #tonyfail

Best Joke: Law & Order Bit 
We all know that New York actors have a reputation of being called for an episode of Law & Order. James Corden capitalized on this by calling out celebs in the audience and bringing up a side by side of them now and during their appearance on Law & Order. By the time we reached Danny Burstein, Corden shared not one but SIX appearances by the six-time Tony nominee.


Best Low Blow: Steven Martin
As we learned from Tony winners Reed Birney and Jayne Houdyshell, sometimes it takes years or decades to make it on Broadway and feel recognized. If you’re Steve Martin you just “do what I did, already be famous.” For all of us aspiring and emerging artists, it was a sad reminder of reality.

Weirdest Moment: Andrew Lloyd Webber on tambourine 
So this Ham4Ham thing. If you’re not in the know (basically anyone who hasn’t tried to win Hamilton lotto tickets), you have no idea what this phenomenon was. Having the shows perform a song NOT from their show outside the Beacon Theater was strange. But when the Best Music nominees started the trend, everyone was playing their signature instrument. Except Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber who was playing tambourine. Shake that tambourine ALW, shake it like good.

Best Dressed: Lupita Nyong’o
She may not have won but her outfit won the night! The Oscar winner looked stunning in her floral inspired gown. She proved she is a star on stage and on the Red Carpet.

Worst Dressed: Daveed Diggs
This is Broadway’s biggest night. Dress for the occasion. Diggs’ jacket would have been perfect for something like the Grammys or the VMAS. The Tony’s? Not so much.

Biggest Upset: Leslie Odom Jr. Wins Best Actor in a Musical
All signs were pointing that Lin-Manual Miranda was going to get the trifecta. He had already won two during the evening and he was heavily featured in the show’s number. Leslie Odom Jr. was not. So when Odom Jr.’s name was read, many people’s predictions, excluding myself, were happily wrong.

Best Presenter: James Corden
This is a bit unfair to name the host but James Corden rocked the Tony Awards. He will be on the top of CBS’s list until his show goes away. And I think we’d all be ok with that!

Worst Presenter: Barbra Steisand
Go with me for a second. The presenter has two jobs. First, to pronounce names properly (we’re looking at you Travolta). The second is to open the envelope and say the name of the winner. Babs the lioness forget the second part. Yes, it was inevitable that Hamilton was going to win, but it’s part of the tradition!

Review: Walking By Theater History

By Michael Block

If you’ve ever seen a Broadway show, chances are you never realized the history in the buildings that house them. Many of these Broadway houses have been around for decades. Sure they may have had a facelift or two and some cosmetic surgery, but the intrigue remains. For the Broadway fans in all of us comes Broadway Up Close, a walking tour that takes you around the theater district as you learn the history of the theaters.
Because there are 40 Broadway houses, Tim Dolan and his Broadway Up Close team offer different “acts” that break down the theaters by area. I was fortunate to get an almost private tour. Tim guided me and an adorable older couple from Los Angeles from 41st St., home of the Nederlander to 43rd St., where there’s a fascinatingly complex theater called the Belasco. In about two hours, Tim and his team provide the almost complete history of nearly ten locations including current and retired Broadway theaters. At each pit stop, you learn the intricacies and pasts of location. From legendary shows occupying the space to tales of the owners or architecture, it’s clear you get all of the facts. What’s great about Broadway Up Close is along with the itinerary of facts, you have the opportunity to interact with your tour guide, asking the burning questions you’ve been longing to ask. And no, there’s no secret way of getting Hamilton tickets. Some of the story highlights from Act I include the saga of David Belasco’s apartment above the Belasco Theatre to the wondrous journey down 42nd St. the Empire Theatre took from Burlesque venue of yore to movie house of today.

If you love your experience so much, Broadway Up Close has a way to take your memories home with you. Dolan has compiled a comprehensive companion book with the stories from the tour along with a surplus of stunning pictures, many of which you don’t get to see on the tour iPad the guides are equipped with. To put it bluntly, the souvenir program is a dramaturg’s wet dream. There is a care and passion on each page. The stories are equally exciting on the page as they are on the tour. And it also serves as the perfect coffee table book to share with your friends. Maybe even intrigue them to take the tour themselves.
If you’re a theater fan, Broadway Up Close is a tour you do not want to miss. Whether you’re a tourist visit New York or a native of the Big Apple, you will thoroughly enjoy this adventure. I hope I get the chance to go on Act II and Act III of the tour!

Spotlight On...Emma Rosenthal

Name: Emma Rosenthal


Hometown: Ridgewood, NJ


Education: Northwestern University, BA in Theatre


Select Credits: Peter And The Starcatcher, Les Mis, West Side Story (Drury Lane Oakbrook); Brigadoon, Candide (Goodman Theatre); The Threepenny Opera (Marvell Rep); Our Town (Williamstown Theatre Festival)

Why theater?: This is a bit heady, but I've always thought of sociology and theatre as two sides of the same coin: Sociology is the science of studying people and Theatre is the art of studying people. Theatre (and the arts in general) teaches you to put yourself in the headspace and heart space of other people; you start to imagine other people's hopes and other people's pain, and you realize how much we all have in common (I may or may not have stolen that last bit from a speech President Obama gave because he put it far more eloquently than I ever could). Also, theatre in particular is so special and unique because it's immediate; it's fleeting, it's ephemeral, and it gets people talking. Each performance is its own thing; no two audiences will ever see the same play, and that's pretty remarkable.

Who do you play in Liberty?: Emma Lazarus, the poet responsible for "The New Colossus" (the poem that's written on the base of the Statue of Liberty)

Tell us about Liberty: An exciting new musical that doubles as a history lesson!

What is it like being a part of Liberty: It's really wonderful to be a part of a brand new musical, especially since I've been lucky enough to be a part of Liberty since its earliest stages (2011). There are a couple of people in the cast who've been with the show a bit longer than I have so they'll be able to speak to this more than I can, but it's been thrilling to see how the show has grown and changed over the years. Some changes have been quite small while others have been monumental (no pun intended). It's also an added bonus to have a newly acquired, fairly extensive knowledge of an event in our country's history that I'd had very little knowledge of before. Thanks, Liberty!

What kind of theater speaks to you? Who or who inspires you as an artist?: Super old school musicals and ensemble based storytelling (a la Peter And The Starcatcher and what's happening in the wonderful city of Chicago, my home).  I'm inspired by my friends and my family. It's not lost on me how fortunate I was growing up and how fortunate I've been and continue to be. In terms of artists that I look up to, I'd love to be some combination of Carey Mulligan, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Laura Benanti when I grow up. Also, I have and will drop anything to see Mark Rylance do anything anywhere ever.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Jessica in Hand To God, Julie Jordan in Carousel, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Phoebe D'Ysquith in Gentleman's Guide...

What’s your favorite show tune?: It's a tie; either "Johanna"from Sweeney Todd or "Make Our Garden Grow" from Candide.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Jim Corti and Tom Vendafreddo, the dream team at the helm of the Paramount Theatre in Aurora (just outside of Chicago). Katie Spelman and William Angulo, two young and brilliant choreographers who are redefining how to tell stories through dance and movement.


Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: The movie would probably be called "My Amplitude Lacks Altitude" (though that sounds more like a comedy special). No idea who would play me...probably someone yet to graduate from my high school theatre company (go New Players!)

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: The original Sweeney Todd.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: It's since closed, but the last thing I was shouting from the rooftops for people to go see was Hand To God.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Croissants and America's Next Top Model

What’s up next?: Teaching myself pastry. I've already conquered macaron, eclairs and creme pâtissière. Croissants are next on my list.

For more on Emma, visit www.emmarosenthal.com

Review: How to Make a Feminist Porn

By Michael Block

Sometimes we make plays that are personal and for ourselves. And other times we create art for a specific generation. In The Living Room's #liberated, a group of high energy ladies sit around and gab about hot topics but when one has a brilliant idea, their lives are turned upside down. #liberated is a feminist play to end all feminist plays.
What starts out as a women's group who do rage Zumba, eat Chinese food, and drink wine all while talking about feminism turns into a viral revolution via the creation of a feminist porn. But when the trolls attack, their ideals and will are put to the ultimate test. Created by The Living Room and conceived and scripted by Lillian Meredith, #liberated is a devised play that actually worked. It was personal yet accessible that was carefully constructed with a burst of energy. The play begins as a social media trending play with the ladies of a women’s support group sitting around voicing their opinion. When a new girl joins the group, the dynamic is suddenly shaken up. The girls decide to create a feminist porn that they ultimately put out for the world. And that’s when social media starts to destroy their lives. #liberated offers a strong commentary on objectification, sex, gender roles, and the great power that is anonymity on the Internet. When the play deviated from a Facebook conversation, the text and ideas were at its best. The only major woe was there was very little semblance of character development.  Rather the characters served as a unit. Certain characters had little journeys and moments of growth but in the end, they were one. But this isn’t a play about characters. It’s about social awareness.

photo by Jefferson White

There was nothing but energy on the stage at IRT. The sextet had a blast playing, bringing colossal harmony to life. The ensemble, comprised of Tamara Del Rosso, Zoe Sophia Garcia, Lillian Meredith, Gabby Sherba, Taylor Shurte, and Madison Welterlen, each actress brought a different dynamic to create a cohesive unit.
With a play being in development for a number of years, the final product was a collaboration between two directors in Rachel Karp and Jaki Bradley. Both Karp and Bradley were sharp in their vision and allowed the fun of the piece to shine brightly as the dark beats loomed later. But what #liberated should be celebrated for is offering one of the best overall designs in the space’s history. For those who may frequent IRT, it’s a black box with a plethora of potential but equally filled with hindrances. To start, if ever there was a place you wanted to live, this set was it. Scenic designer Frank Oliva presented a stunningly modern living room with clean lines playing off of squares and rectangles. Based on what Oliva created, this Brooklyn abode is probably out of many artists’ price range. Nevertheless, the ingenuity of the design should be applauded. From creating walls via curtains and the wood treatment to the floor, Oliva is a surefire winner. With beams to evoke a ceiling, lighting designer Scot Gianelli was limited where exactly to place lights. The use of the track lighting in the set was practical and still allowed for a number of looks. But what set his design apart was the color pop on the back wall. It made the space luxurious. The sound design from Ben Vigus rocked. Literally. From the evocative track choices to the amplified bass, the intent behind every choice Vigus made was spot on. You could simply say the script didn’t give costume designer Heather McDevitt Barton many options but she dressed the girls well. Each had their own distinct feel that brought out their personality. It may not have been a glorious design but it worked for this piece.
#liberated is slow to start. It literally begins like the sidebar of trending topics on Facebook. But once momentum and plot are introduced, #liberated is off to the races. The goal of this play is to start an important conversation. And that they did. The Living Room should be beaming with satisfaction with their accomplishment.

Review: Siri Army

By Michael Block

Imagining a world overrun by robots seems passé. It's a popular trope in the science fiction world. Gideon Productions resurrects the story in a revival of Mac Rogers' Universal Robots. Playing the black box theater at the Sheen Center, Universal Robots finds inspiration from dramatist Karel Capek to create an allegory play framed within science fiction.

photo by Deborah Alexander

Produced by one of the leading science fiction theater lovers in New York, Gideon Productions, Universal Robots by Mac Rogers receives a new imagining that feels flimsy and tired. Freely inspired by the life and works of Karel Capek, Universal Robots tells the story of artists and scientists who develop a new innovation that will allow them to be free to create and invent while these mechanical beings serve as workers. With a backdrop of Czechoslovakia between the two World Wars, the robots are programmed to battle on the front line to avoid Nazi occupation but when the war is over, the robots develop a mind of their own and take over the human race. Universal Robots is a commentary on politics, science, and humanity through the lens of theatrics. Whether it was that this production didn't quite find its footing or if the script could still use some tweaking, Universal Robots lacked the wonder that the most recent Rogers-Gideon Productions collaboration, The Honeycomb Trilogy, offered. Broken up into two acts, Universal Robots could easily lose and fine-tune some of the extremely long exposition beat at the top to reach the intrigue of the robots sooner. And let's be honest, the robots are likely why you're seeing the show. With the The Honeycomb Trilogy design team returning and helmed by Jordana Williams, this design collaboration didn't offer the same brilliance. Using a world that felt like a mix of Orson Welles and H.G. Wells, the aesthetic felt bland. What was ingenious was the promotional propaganda posters designed by Pete Boisvert and Rebecca Comtois were smartly continued into the production, highlighting the industrialized world. But Sandy Yaklin’s scaffolding scenic design caused some staging woes, primarily at the café. Due to the placement and angles of scenic elements, Jordana Williams created some unpleasant stage pictures with the abundance of actors present at times. And for scenic elements that provide natural levels, Williams seldom used them opting for the second level of the black box at the extremes of the theater. While a good idea, it did cause site-line issues. Having the scrim present, lighting designer Jennifer Linn Wilcox utilized it to add some pops of color. The costumes from Amanda J. Jenks kept period for the humans but she gave some sad excuse for robot costumes. Yes, the source material was the origin of the robot and contains a strong commentary on the parallels between robot and human, but you couldn’t help want something more than turtle necks. And some color pallets were reminiscent of the second and third parts of The Honeycomb Trilogy.
Universal Robots was part science fiction and part love story. It’s the mark of Rogers’ genius to marry the two styles. When it came to the love between Hanna Cheek’s Jo and Jason Howard’s Radosh and Radius, it wasn’t titillating enough to sell the story. From alien to robot, Howard is the go to for he nonhuman. Unfortunately he gave a one-dimensional performance. Siri had more personality than Radius. Cheek has a natural gruffness that boded well for Jo’s defensiveness but when it came to the romantic side, it was guarded. When it came to great performances, Sara Thigpen was head over heels. As the sole gender-bending role, Thigpen’s characterization was exceptional. She was reserved yet authoritative.
You hate to compare but you have to. After something so glorious, the next offering needs to be just as good, if not better. If you're coming into Universal Robots with fresh eyes, you'll likely have a different perspective. But if you saw The Honeycomb Trilogy, be prepared to be disappointed. Universal Robots was lacking that spark you’ve come to expect.