Theater in the Now

Quite possibly one of the most infamous opening lines in all of literature is “Call me Ishmael.” It starts the epic whale tale “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville. But let’s be honest with ourselves, you probably haven’t actually read it the epic metaphor-laden high sea adventure but you probably know the plot and some of the iconic characters. “Moby Dick” has been adapted for the screen numerous times, but how do you tell it on stage? Place it in the future and transport it to space! Duh! Written and performed by Chuck Armstrong and Charlie Stockman, Moby Alpha is a space retelling of Herman Melville’s drama where the only source of light is through LED space helmets.

photo by Neil Muscott

With the high seas being replaced by deep space, Moby Alpha reunites the infamous crew of the Pequod, giving them a bit of a makeover, as Captain Ahab hunts the legendary Moby Alpha. Rather than a narrated reciting of Ahab’s metaphorical journey through Ishmael's eyes, Armstrong and Stockman portray the crew and other notable encounters. To assist the audience in tracking characters, Armstrong and Stockman pair each of their characters with a specific helmet color. Even if you don’t know the source material, it’s easy to grasp onto the individuals. Ishmael is a young crewmember paired up with the maybe-cannibalistic Martian Queequeg. Ahab is in the cockpit with Starbot, a take off of chief mate Starbuck. And it keeps going. Armstrong offered a little more variance to his characters than Stockman but you can’t deny the reciprocity the duo had. The narrative that Armstrong and Stockman honors Melville yet infuses a strong essence of science fiction. They drop in references that sci-fi fans are likely to grasp instantly. Those who don’t know them, well, you’ll enjoy them for what they are.
What makes Moby Alpha a catch is the use of the helmets. Timing is everything and the LED colorscape that were the helmets elevated the comedy. They were simply fascinating. Moby Alpha is an example of necessary spectacle. Had the helmets not been what they were, Moby Alpha would likely have been a generic comedic adaptation of a boring book. The writing and comedy would not have been strong enough to carry the show. Thankfully the brilliance of lighting made it something worth seeing.

You’d be lying if you haven’t had a difficult time cleaning up the past and throwing away the things you don’t need. You say you’ll just keep a thing or two but then as time goes on, they just keep on adding up. In Francesca Pazniokas’ Keep, sisters Jane and Kara try to help their younger sister Naomi clean up her life after a tragedy. Produced by Wide Eyed Productions and Mastodon Theatre Company, Keep is a drama that hoards emotion.
While trying to cope with the loss of sister Margo, Naomi holds on to the little things, literally. Naomi has become a hoader, turning her apartment into a treasure trove of junk. From a Russian stacking doll of boxes to the remains of a pet, Naomi can’t let go of anything. When older sisters Jane and Kara arrive to help Naomi with letting go of the past and the present, instead jabs are tossed and delicate relationships are tested. Francesca Pazniokas’ play is a fascinating exploration of a mental illness that many only view as an entertaining reality show. Pazniokas goes beyond the shock value to reveal the inner struggles of an individual coping with grief. It’s easy to liken Pazniokas’ text to someone like Sarah Ruhl. The world of magical realism is ever-present. But Pazniokas sometimes gets lost in language that the plot falters. There’s a fine line between styles that Pazniokas treads. And when she gets wrapped up in the poetry of her text, the accessibility is gone and the story is lost in the mountains of junk. Regardless, Keep evokes unsettling feelings. When it comes to creating a family, the sisters were a bit one-note. They each had strong action and objective, but it never strayed. The girls lacked depth. It was a very monotonous journey playing the guilt and blame game. That was until reality disappeared to reveal the magical moments. That’s when things seemed to fall apart.

photo by Russ Rowland

The backstory that Pazniokas establishes for the sisters is a bit convoluted. Who Margo is to each sister is drastically different and thus who Margo is in this world needs to be meticulous. Leslie Marseglia gave Margo an edge of angst. And it was intense. Even when Margo had softer moments, Marseglia was rough. Even though her presence in the world of Keep was different, there was a disconnect to Marseglia’s performance that changed the perception of the play. It’s hard to say who hard a harder part, Leslie Marseglia or Kim Krane as Naomi. Krane had to portray a woman who was not all there while remaining truthful. Krane brought an essence of delicate sincerity that allowed emotion to finally burst out of her soul. Jenna D’Angelo brought the sarcasm as Kara. Of the quartet, D’Angelo’s character was the strongest and most rationale. Being the voice of reason can be boring but D’Angelo broke out of that easily. There was an empathy within the tough façade. Madison Comerzan as Jane was tediously bubbly. As the sister with the optimism, Comerzan was forced into a character that you enjoyed seeing get goofed on. Though the clarity of character was a bit mess, Comerzan was enjoyable. Individually, each actress brought something different but chemistry was lacking. Yes, we know that there is a disconnect in the family, but without context, you’d never believe the quartet were supposed to be related.
If you enter TBG Theatre and immediately feel overwhelmed, you should. Alfred Schatz’s set was a perfectly strategic junkyard of memories. As the characters learn, you should be wary of what lies beneath. The labyrinth director Stephanie C. Cunningham had to work with had obstacles, but for the most part, Cunningham triumphed. When it came to the journey of the text, there were some beats lost and transitional flaws. With a balance of naturalism within the magic, blending the two needed to be as seamless as possible. Lighting designer Cate DiGiroiamo had some trouble at times. It’s always important to see the actors but when the script has a blackout moment, darkness is believable is imperative. The stage darkness didn’t quite read. The transitional music from J. Alexander Diaz was an interesting classical synthesized vibe. And it seemed to work. It prevented the mood to drop to a deep despair.
There are times in storytelling that a plot can’t be wrapped up neatly. Sometimes it ends ambiguously. Sometimes it’s more abrupt. But whatever the case may be, it needs to feel complete. When the audience is unsure if it's the end, it's not a good sign. Keep’s ending was a telling sign of the piece. Confusion. There is a lot of promise in this piece, the execution was just not where it needed to be.

After the turn of the century, America was experiencing the prime of what was called “The Progressive Era.” It was a time of social activism and political reform where names like J.P. Morgan, John Rockefeller, and Andrew Carnegie were on the lips of Americans was the face of greed or philanthropy. It was also a time when the working class began fighting for opportunities to create their own businesses as others formed domination unions. This is the generation that is the central backdrop of Jerry Polner’s comedy Like Money in the Bank. Presented at The Studio Theatre at Theatre Row, Like Money in the Bank offers a thin comedic spin on the establishment of the Federal Reserve System.
Written by Jerry Polner, Like Money in the Bank is a zany tale about the meeting of a suffragist social reformer and immigrant mechanic that leads them on a journey of love and social change. With a tinge of theatrical storytelling and just a series of madcap conversations, Like Money in the Bank has the makings of an important and relevant piece but sadly comes across as too teachy and preachy and just plain ol’ plain. It’s evident that Polner knows his history. His dialogue reads like a textbook rather than a character-driven play. And his characters suffer for it. As does his plot. There is an immense amount of important off stage action and an insufferable believability when it came to the speed of relaying information. There were moments characters had to travel through the city of Washington, D.C. only to enter the scene with vital information moments later, some of which was shocking they were aware of. There are certain things you can forgive in theater, but it’s the little things like that you have to grunt at.

When the play reads closer to a propaganda piece, you have to be worried. This may be the case due to the plain execution of the production. Director Shana Solomon’s approach was like a generic comedy. There was no flash or panache. There were shades of it early on but there was an ostentatious missed opportunity for a vaudevillian floorshow. Not only would it tie back to the period, it would add a much needed excitement to the explanatory text. Solomon’s staging was limited due to space but she ran into many sight line issues throughout, especially in the highly comical opening scene. When your trio of actors are relegated to the floor behind a pile of money, it’s likely heads will block your view, even in the primes seats. As a whole, the set from Joe Napolitano was underwhelming. Sans a few pieces of furniture, the green monochromatic backdrop that looked like it was pulled from a different production offered nothing to the show. For a play with an Americana theme, perhaps being on point would have been a better option. With the generic period concept, the costumes by Joseph Blaha were actually the saving grace of the overall design. Not only did they match the period, they worked for the actors.
You can only fault the actors so far before you have to look back at the material and direction. The central duo of Like Money in the Bank was Louisa and Sully played by Rachel Mewbron and Michael Zlabinger. Mewbron played into the ingénue with strength role but sadly brought no essence. Zlabinger’s Sully was an Italian immigrant and thusly was asked to include an accent. At times, Zlabinger was deterred by the accent. Clarity and consistency were not his friend. When the comedy was big, that’s when Like Money in the Bank was fun. Fortunately there was a trio of actors who took the task of boldness to heart. Leading the trio was Jack Utrata. Tackling characters including a neurotic bank teller, a salty yet sweet baker, and a zippy factory employee, Utrata proved his worth as a character actor. Utrata brought an unmatched energy to the stage that allowed him to be the standout of the show. As Utrata’s counterpart, Sarah Sirota went big. She was at her finest as the baker’s wife Charlotte. Annalisa Loeffler’s quartet of characters were often scene stealers. Loeffler worked the comedic tones the play greatly desired.
There are instant warning signs when your period piece show's graphic features comic sans. No matter what, Like Money in the Bank doesn’t quite seem to know what it needs to be. History can be fascinating but how it’s incorporated into a theatrical retelling needs to be interesting otherwise watching a documentary at your leisure may be a more viable option.

There is a lot that goes into preparing to say goodbye to a dearly departed. Between funeral arrangements and costs and writing the obituary, emotions can be at an all time high. But what if goodbye can mean a celebration? In Anne L. Thompson-Scretching's grim family drama Say Goodbye to Yesterday, the Cotton family buries the matriarch who happens to be leaving behind a large sum of money that could lead to life changes. But what happens when greed gets in the way?
Staged at the American Theatre of Actors, Thompson-Scretching's drama follows the uniquely modern yet brazenly old-fashioned Cotton family who reunites to bury Venetta Cotton, a woman who long suffered from Alzheimer's. The siblings have a patchy history that gets revealed in a significantly unnatural manner but nevertheless, the tension is a driving force of the action. There is Ruby, who served as Venetta's default caretaker and hides behind a facade of false morality. Jake is a confrontational and defensive son who may or may not be stealing money from his mother and the family store. Grace arrives with Oscar worthy tears only to be the pendulum of allegiance. Matt is the adopted white son who has a past that tore the family apart due to jealousy and legacy. And then there is the estranged Paula who has virtually been disowned for lifestyle choices. The patriarch, Marcus, is an emotionally and physically abusive alcoholic who causes more strain and pain due to his lifelong string of poor choices and selfishness. With feuding personalities present, the only worry is who gets what in the will. But when a stranger arrives, all hell breaks lose. This is a play about a family broken up by circumstance. It's a dynamic story by Thompson-Scretching but the writing is sadly filled with cringe worthy lines leading to equally uncomfortable deliveries. As the truths are revealed, there are audible snickers simply because they are presented in such a farfetched manner. And it's unfortunate because the plot is brilliant. The execution needed great help. Additionally, the play is far too long. There is so much repetition that could be removed to help streamline and shorten the play. It would help the momentum not be as rocky as it currently is. The themes Thompson-Scretching introduces are strong and current. Rather than make this a generic living room play, there is a bite to the topics. And nothing is more topical than introducing a transgender character. Though it’s pretty predictable early on, we learn that Paula no longer identifies as a female but a man named Elliot. The way Thompson-Scretching approached the character along with reactions to him was done quite well. It was realistic but it’s a shame when the audience finds humor rather than heart. An outlying theme was the idea of being different. Between Matt and Elliot, it was one of the more absorbing ideas. It made their reward viable.

photo by Victor Vauban Junior

The ensemble did as well as they could with the dialogue they were given. There was a strong familiar bond within the cast, though there were some interesting casting choices. Leading the cast was Elijah Trichon as Matt the adopted. His siblings may have taken advantage of Trichon’s Matt throughout but the adoration he shows is the glue of Say Goodbye to Yesterday. As Grace, Siobhan Crystal Alexander infused some jovial comedy into the mix. Alexander helped Grace’s moral compass waver as the plot furthered and of the three disinherited kids, you felt the worst for Grace. Kenneth Browning had an incredibly difficult task playing the alcoholic Marcus. Browning needed to discover the reality of the character but it strangely come off as a caricature. One of the more unfortunate performances came from the briefly seen Aaron the Lawyer. Stephen Staphnski seemed to milk his performance, pulling attention away from the story. Aaron wanted a backbone but his firmness went too far. It was abrasive.
Say Goodbye to Yesterday had all the makings of an important play. It sadly missed the mark in execution. Perhaps in different hands, Say Goodbye to Yesterday will make its way to the masses.

Hollywood is fond of action adventure movies where a tuxedo-clad hero battles evil villains and thugs while defeating their own personal demon, whatever it may be. The stakes are high and the situation is a bit zany, but the thrill of the game is the draw. In Rafael Spregelburd's Spam, we watch an amnesia-ridden man in a tuxedo piece together a high stakes adventure on the island of Malta.
Told completely nonlinearly, Spam is a cyber Bond caper that is wild and weird and a little bit too long. What's ultimately a journey of self-discovery, Spam is a patchwork of a dance. Though pretentiously billed as a spoken opera, or “Sprechoper”, Spam is simply a dry dramedy that fancies itself as a multimedia language play. Written by Spregelburd and translated by Jean Graham-Jones, there was something enticing about the production as a whole but something drastically off. Whether it was lost in translation, the multi-media production lacked connection. Even with some forgivable technical flaws, Spam had a sense of uncertainty, standing on rocky shores. The conceit that Spregelburd brought to the stage was the idea that the presentation was random. The order of scenes was seemingly picked out of a hotel ice container. Whether director Samuel Buggeln intended it or not, moments between days were confusingly dropped, appearing as if determined actor Vin Knight truly wasn't clear what story came next. It was flawed in the sense that the middle ground didn't read. The clarity of uncertainty needed to find an extreme. Feeling as if you're viewing an actor struggle to find his place is wholly uncomfortable. With a patchwork of story, there seemed to be many plot points to consistently remember. Between the crude talking dolls to the money-laundering girl and mafia to Cassandra to the dead language thesis, there was a lot to keep track of. How the play fell out, there would be times each beat would bring new information or there would be incredibly long breaks that it was difficult to remember what came before. With 31 potential days of stories to recreate, it was inevitable to miss some important information. Data overload you could say. Spam is a modular text. No two performances will be the same. And in a way, it’s hard to say whether the text worked or not. Perhaps the flow of show we saw did not serve the story best. Maybe a different algorithm of days makes it better. But again, uncertainty hurt the production. There was a strong commentary on society and commercialism deep within, but it felt very specific to the point where it lacked gravitas. What may have been important to Spregelburd may not have resonated with the audience. But again, this could be do to clarity or translation.

Despite feeling that he lost control at times, Vin Knight should be applauded for his grand performance. As Monti, Knight was virtually trying to piece 31 days together as character and actor. It was no easy feat. When Knight found his footing, he was mesmerizing. He crafted a character that was interesting in an everyman manner. With time, Knight will finesse his performance, but it’s something worth watching. The unsung hero of Spam was The Operator played by the spry and dry Dominic Russo. Knight was the star by Russo was the superman. Not knowing whether Russo was merely a stagehand forced to appear on stage or an actor driving the production, Russo was incredible.
At first glance, Spam appears to break the fourth wall, exposing the inner workings of the play. Samuel Buggeln’s set was part hotel room, part theatrics. And nothing is more terrifying then the eerie display of ptalking dolls. Once the play gained momentum, they blended into one another with the help of Jake DeGroot’s lights and Lianne Arnold’s projections. DeGroot did a tremendous job creating a colorscape that was intricate and interesting. Arnold’s projections played well off of the various design elements. While they did add a cool element to the show, the story could easily have been told without them. And perhaps it would have been less overwhelming. Director Buggeln tried to keep the play moving but it sadly wanted to be tighter. With all the moving parts, it was inevitable that was not going to happen, especially early in the run. With clarity being a theme of Spam, the tempo of text was rushed at times, likely to avoid running too long. But with an onslaught of information, much was lost.
To say the least, Spam is ambitious. Works of this nature can be hits or misses. Or right in between. And that’s where Spam is. No matter how long this production has been in the works, it was clear, more time was greatly desired.

FEINSTEIN’S/54 BELOW, Broadway’s Supper Club, presents The Girls in White: Songs from the Show on Friday, April 22, 2016. Set in post-depression era Texas, The Girls in White is inspired by a true story about a group of incarcerated women who form a band and become an overnight sensation through a prison-based radio program. In their newfound fame, they dream of being pardoned and set free. A story of hope and redemption, The Girls in White is “Chicago” meets “Orange is the New Black” with a country twang.

The Girls in White features book and lyrics by Michael Bradley, music by Artie Sievers, direction by Ashley Brooke Monroe, and musical direction by Ryan McCurdy. Returning to the cast after a workshop last year are Ephie Aardema (Bridges of Madison County), Sydney Blaxill (The Nomad), Michael Cerveris (Fun Home), Josh Davis (Beautiful), Ben Estus (The Book of Mormon), Haley Jones (A Complex Evening), Rebecca Knowles (Pinwheel), Bonnie Milligan (Kinky Boots), Lauren Patten (Fun Home), Jacqueline Petroccia (Always…Patsy Cline), and Brittane Rowe (The Mysteries). The band will be comprised of composer Artie Sievers, Ryan McCurdy (Once), and Erikka Walsh (Once).

The Girls in White: Songs from the Show plays Feinstein’s/54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Friday, April 22nd, 2016. There is a $15 cover charge and $20 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.

Name: Mindy Raf

Hometown: Michigan

Education: University of Michigan

Select Credits: MTV, VH1, Lifetime, Women in Comedy Festival (Boston), NY Funny Songs Fest, Bridgetown Comedy Festival (Portland), SOLOCOM (The PIT), UCB, Dixon Place, QED, Knitting Factory.

Why theater?: I would perform for family at parties when I was little, improvising characters and writing monologues for them. In 3rd grade I made kids in my class laugh at a talent show (reading from Free To Be You & Me). I was an anxious kid and I remember feeling really calm after the show like, "I need to do that more often."

Tell us about No Thank You: No Thank You is my new solo comedy show. Weaving together stand-up comedy and storytelling, it hits on themes of what it means to be yourself, let go of the need to please, and (spoiler alert) there's a tap number.

What inspired you to write No Thank You?: Last fall I performed a new half hour stand-up show for SOLOCOM festival. That experience inspired me to extend my material to an hour and write my stand-up within the context of a narrative story. I really love writing and performing stand-up and it's been a fun challenge to revisit my material and reshape it not only to be tighter and funnier, but truer to myself. It's easy for performers, especially comedians, to get caught up in what we think we should be to other people-on stage and off. So that goal (just be you) was really important to me when writing No Thank You.

What kind of theater speaks to you?: What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love when writers and performers are able to find joy and humor in the darker moments. It's so important to laugh at life and yourself-especially when things get cloudy-so artists who can pull off that fine line really speak to me.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Lilly Tomlin is a queen. I would love to act with her. She's the tops.

What’s your favorite showtune?: They're all my children. I cannot choose. What's my mood? For dancing or crying? Ahhhh. I...can't...there are...too...many. [tiptoes away from the conversation]

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I would love Mayim Bialik to play me in present and then Bette Midler to play me in future. It would be a "Beaches" reunion. (But with more tap, less death). Working title would be: Panic Attack In Spanx

What show have you recommended to your friends?:Hamilton. I think that show needs my guerrilla PR efforts right now. There are so many great comedy and storytelling shows in NYC and Brooklyn. Upright Citizens Brigade and The PIT always have great solo shows and stand up to see. And Littlefield and Union Hall are also great venues to check out if you're looking to see quality comedy and storytelling. I'm partial because they're my friends, but Rebecca Vigil and Evan Kaufman perform a full improvised musical call Your Love Our Musical. (My girlfriend just got them to perform our story at a secret proposal show. It was so impressive and hilarious) Totally worth checking out.

What’s the most played song on your iTunes?: Blue Skies, Ella Fitzgerald (1958 version) It always ups my mood.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Sleeping in/vegging out. I would love to schedule a "no alarm" day where I turn off devices and wake up only when my body tells me it's time to start re-watching "Gilmore Girls".

What’s up next?: I’m working on couple different writing projects: a pilot based on my short stories and stand up and another novel for young adults is slowly coming together. I’ll also be co-producing a new monthly stand-up show at HiFi June 2. Right now, I’m really enjoying performing comedy and getting No Thank You ready to debut.

April is here and so is another Rule of 7x7 at The Tank! Rule of 7x7: April Edition also marks the return of Brett Epstein as host! Rule of 7x7: April Editions runs April 29th at 7:00pm and 9:30pm!

The Rulers

Name: Will Arbery

Hometown: Dallas, TX + Lander, WY

Education: B.A. at Kenyon College, MFA at Northwestern

What is your rule?: Page 5 must have the same question repeated 3 times.

Why did you pick your rule?: I just think people repeat themselves. And I like when people repeat themselves. I dunno, it's just that like when people repeat themselves.

Tell us about The Alignment System: It's based off of an element of Dungeons & Dragons, which I don't play, but which fascinates me. It's about people deciding where they fall on a grid. It's also about being drunk and honest, and about reality vs. escape.

Why should we check out Rule of 7x7?: This is actually my first Rule of 7x7! When I got back to New York from grad school, everyone was telling me I should do it. I've heard such wonderful things. And there are so many great people involved.

April showers bring May _____: asthma attacks.

For more on Will, visit willarbery.com

Name: Sarah Elizabeth Bedard

Hometown: Boston, MA

Education: MFA Acting from Brandeis University, BA in Theatre and Philosophy from Providence College

What is your rule?: Something no one else is allowed to touch.

Why did you pick your rule?: It seemed like a fun challenge to have an object hold that much weight.

Tell us about Sometimes I’m Scared of You: Three women, lots of wine and a wild time.

Why should we check out Rule of 7x7?: Because it’s always a great time and an awesome way to see how seven different people challenge themselves to create new work.

April showers bring May _____: mud.

For more on Sarah, visit sarahelizabethbedard.com

Name: Cary Gitter

Hometown: Leonia, NJ

Education: NYU

What is your rule?: Tennis.

Why did you pick your rule?: Because I played first singles on, and was captain of, the Leonia High School varsity tennis team—my proudest achievement in life. Also, I own a tennis racket that can be used as a funny prop.

Tell us about Talk Dirty to Me: A guy and a girl are gonna sleep together for the first time. He's super nice. She wants some dirty sex stuff. It's a problem.

Why should we check out Rule of 7x7?: Because you can watch the suffering of seven playwrights constricted by seven arbitrary rules that inhibit their pure artistic expression. Also, it's cheap and fast and funny and awesome.

April showers bring May _____: Tears of Rage .

Name: Drew Lewis

Hometown: Hastings-on-Hudson (2 hyphens)

Education: Attended the same Undergrad as Will Arbery, but not his grad school

What is your rule?: Nudity.

Why did you pick your rule?: To get people naked.

Tell us about Friend Hug: I wrote it while flying JetBlue. It's about the blurred line that exists between friends and lovers. Nothing to do with airplanes. But now you know I was high when I wrote it.

Why should we check out Rule of 7x7?: To see all the nudity

April showers bring May _____: Nudity.

For more on Drew, visit thedrewlewis.com

Name: Rachel Lin

Hometown: New York City (by way of the UK)

Education: NYU

What is your rule?: One character goes in for a ____ as another character goes in for a _____.

Why did you pick your rule?: I enjoy watching mistakes that aren't mistakes.

Tell us about Mixed Doubles: Inspired by the Pixie's "Hey" and my own upcoming high school reunion - it's about how we can't help but do things that we know are bad for us sometimes.

Why should we check out Rule of 7x7?: Sexy playwrights. Beautiful people. Brett returns.

April showers bring May _____: Anxiety that it's almost summer, and then Fall, and then 2017 before we know it.

For more on Rachel, visit www.rachelmlin.com

Name: Catya McMullen

Hometown: NYC

Education: UNC Chapel Hill

What is your rule?: Someone performs a heroic act on page 1.

Why did you pick your rule?: I like heroism!

Tell us about Batman's Poopy Pants: The play is about a toddler who only answers to "Batman," and his teenage babysitter who has snuck a girl in to do a science project and also...maybe...get it on. The rules were great for this one and this conceit, of the toddler coming out every few minutes and causing havoc works great with it. The play is insane and a lot of fun.

Why should we check out Rule of 7x7?: It's astronomical amounts of fun.

April showers bring May _____: Buttstuff.

For more on Catya, visit www.catyamcmullen.com

Name: Colin Waitt

Hometown: St. Cloud, MN

Education: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (Masters), University of Minnesota--Twin Cities (BA)

What is your rule?: Passive Aggression.

Why did you pick your rule?: I am from the midwest. I like passive aggression.

Tell us about Bedbugs: Two roommates in the midst of a bedbug infestation prepare their apartment for fumigation when one of their boyfriends makes an unexpected visit. Bedbugs are the worst, but our funny cast is the best. The more I write, the more I realize that I enjoy laughter in the abyss. This play continues that trend.

Why should we check out Rule of 7x7?: It's all about the neon palm tree right outside the building. Also, the night is a lot of fun. This month Brett is back in town. If that's not enough to get you to The Tank, I don't know what is.

April showers bring May _____: Tourists.

For more on Colin, visit www.colinwaitt.com

Protesting is nothing new. But in a world of technology, the presence of social media can change the entire game. The fights for rights are given a face and a voice. With every share, someone learns of a battle. But not every battle can see the broad daylight. In Sarah Gancher's The Place We Built, a history that's slightly hidden from the mainstream takes center stage as a group of bohemians in Hungary fight to save their bar during a horrific transition in their country's democracy through a time of authoritarianism and anti-Semitism.
Holed up in a Budapest bar that serves as a refuge for all bohemian, gypsies, queers, and Jews, The Place We Built follows a maturing youth fighting to save their home, literally and figuratively. To put it bluntly, imagine a mash-up of some of the themes, situations, and morals of The Flea's 2015-2016 season and you get The Place We Built. The difference is, if you can get past the slight inconsistencies of dialect rules and documentary lighting rules, The Place We Built is near flawless. It's a politically charged docudrama that is raw, gritty, and purposely intense. Even with hints of character, Gancher's play is an integral plot driven piece. The characters are not nearly as important as the overall fight. It's a story about identity, heritage, and taking a stand. With an ending that is all too real, you have to be disappointed by the lack of victory, but that is the reality. Fights will fizzle as the ticking time shrinks and reality sets in. These characters wanted to do what they believed was right but being outnumbered trumps grandiose ideals. The message may feel unsatisfactory but not everyone can have a happy ending. With many decisions driven by love and exhilaration, The Place We Built watches a group of young Hungarians, lead by Aniko and Ben, who meet and take in like-minded bohemians to their Grandma parties and their ultimate creation, The Seagull, a bar and performance space. Gancher spatters the story nonlinearly with a documentary device. Sans the youngest squatters who’s presence barely gets explained, there’s a slow build up of character development but once each main character has their moment, The Place We Built takes flight. The running time may be long but if you’re engaged, it will fly by. With a backdrop based on truth and a plot that has inspiration from a real story, Gancher has to manage balance the two. With performance being a key part of the true story, infusing theatricality allowed The Place We Built movement. Between crude puppetry and cultural music, Gancher was able to evade feeling like a text book or Buzzfeed article. The necessary historical information was implemented properly, though The Place We Built could have used a dramaturgical insert to help set the scene and bring the audience into the performance prior to start.

photo by Hunter Canning

A great energy can lift a show. This ensemble was stellar at bringing the energy. The characters may not have been bound by blood but they were a family. This ensemble was the equivalent. There was an immense amount of trust and love. As a whole, this was a strong ensemble. But if you held a magnifying glass up to the individuals, there were some standouts, both for the good and the not as good. Firstly, recognition should be given to the musical talents including Brendan Dalton on guitar and drums, Ben Lorenz, who is a dead ringer of John Gallagher Jr. both physically and through performance, on violin, and Sonia Mena on accordion. The Place We Built could exist sans music but their presence made it that much better. Dalton was given a gift with the role of Mihaly. Not only was Mihaly a multi-layered character but he had one of the most fascinating story arcs. Dalton didn’t throw away his shot at crafting the strongest character within the bunch. His documentary solo introduction was one of the very last, so I suppose it’s true, Gancher saved the best for last. Utility player Brittany K. Allen continued to prove her worth as an incredible character actor. Though it’s not instantly clear due to story when a new character is introduced, Allen gave the play the comic relief it greatly desired. Gancher’s play isn’t necessarily strong in character so many of the featured players didn’t have much room to explore but there was something lost when it came to, possibly, the two most integral characters. Leta Renee-Alan as Aniko was a bit of a bore, though she finally brought the fireworks in her Act II eruption, and Tom Costello was not quite the hero Ben needed to be. You could easily blame Aniko and Ben for not being able to inspire the troops and it unfortunately reflected in Renee-Alan and Costello’s performances.
For those who may have seen Wolf in the River, the other production currently running at The Flea, you may recognize some elements from the set that is borrowed from that show. With a co-scenic design between Arnulfo Maldonado, the Wolf in the River scenic designer, and Feli Lamenca, you may have believed director Danya Taymor would be a slight disadvantage. The impressionistic design did work to create the grungy bar known as The Seagull. Taymor used all aspects of the space, smartly using the harsh corners sparingly. It’s likely you knew very little to nothing about the world of Gancher’s play yet Taymor did an impeccable job at bringing history to life in an compelling manner. You wanted to party with Taymor’s bohemians. Like the scenic design, The Place We Built borrowed lighting designer Masha Tsimring. For the most part, Tsimring’s design worked for this production with the grand exception of how the documentary light was used. Tsimring implemented a harsh diagonal white light that would then be interrupted by scene. Sometimes this light would be brought back if the speaker continued to narrate. Other times it was not. Consistency would have been nice, but it’s likely that the staging and shared space may be a cause. You can praise the musicians for their talent but you have to say thank you for the music to The Bengsons, the music consultants and arrangers. They offered the perfect mood and feel for this production.
No matter what happened in the end, you have to appreciate the fight the characters put up in The Place We Built. Their journey drove the play to success. Likewise, you have to appreciate the effort it took into building this play. Not all the pieces fit together, there were some occasional cracks. But no matter what, The Place We Built inspires.

Name: Martina Anne Bonolis

Hometown: Syosset, New York

Education: Bachelor’s in Theater and Sociology from Middlebury College, Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University Teachers College, Actors Theater of Louisville Acting Apprentice 2010 to 2011

Favorite Credits: As an actor, Famine in The End by A Rey Pamatmat at the Humana Festival. Famine, one of the four horse(wo)men of the apocalypse, was a foul mouthed, overworked, under loved, highly aggressive foodie. The absolute bile that would spew from her mouth if somebody ate her organic Kashi cereal was amazing. Rey wrote the characters after he met the actors, so I asked him why he wrote Famine like he did. His answer was simply that I seemed nice and it would be funny to watch me say terrible things. That’s the magic of the theater! As a director, my current project! I founded a theater company, the Wise Fish Theater Collective, and we are working on our own adaptation of 6 Characters In Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello. (We go up May 6th at the Robert Moss Theater. Come on down!) Working collectively on such an ambitious project, being inspired by my actors and collaborators…the experience has been magical.

Why theater?: Because theater is present and requires presence. Theater requires that audience and actors commune in the same space at the same time. In the modern world, where people are more likely to consume media by themselves and on their own time, theater demands that we return to shared experience. Also, for me, theater represents the best of humanity. Theater celebrates play! A bunch of adults will just agree to pretend to be whoever or whatever, and a bunch of other adults will agree to come watch them pretend. When you think about it, it’s completely ridiculous. That’s what makes it great! It’s a reminder that when all is said and done, what brings us together is stories, imagination, and community. I also love how theater embraces its own limitations and uses them to tell extremely nuanced stories. What does it mean to use a puppet? A mask? Theater will never be as realistic as a movie, and that gives it an incredible power.

Tell us about 6 Characters in Search of an Author: This is the inaugural piece of our new company, the Wise Fish Theater Collective. As a collective, we are interested in new, absurdist theater that explores current issues. However, we felt that before we began to explore current issues, we had to explore the medium itself. We needed a piece to serve as our base. 6 Characters is an exploration of theater and, more broadly, of art. Of what it can and cannot do, of what it means, of where it fails. As a company, we tend toward the silly, so we created our own adaptation based upon our company members’ interpretations of the original script, and it turned out rather ridiculous while maintaining its points. Heck, we like it.

What inspired you to direct 6 Characters?: I love the play and was chomping at the bit to get my mind around it. As a director, rather than an actor, I get to explore the whole piece in a different way than an actor does. Also, as our company is collaborative, I was excited to do a play about theater, which discusses theater, with a theater group discussing theater. The whole thing has become so meta that we have caught ourselves on multiple occasions in situations and conversations that mirror our script. It gets pretty bananas.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: The absurd, the surreal…anything that embraces the theatricality of the theater and is a move away from realism. I think that the truest scenes are often the least realistic. I am inspired mostly by poetry, (e.e. Cummings, Lewis Carroll, Walt Whitman) and authors (Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Milan Kundera, Kurt Vonnegut). Also music! James Blake gives me tons of feelings, and I love Motown classics and some old fashioned Allman Brothers.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: In an ideal world, Melissa McCarthy. Google her early stuff, specifically “Marbles,” and you’ll understand her bizarre genius. You know she’s willing to riff and follow a train of thought to its illogical end.

What show have you recommended to your friends?:6 Characters in Search of an Author. Jk. But seriously. But also any work done by BKBX (Broken Box Mime). Their last show, Above/Below, hit you right in the core without saying a word. Absolute beauty. Also The Royale by Marco Ramirez at the Lincoln Center Theater. His embrace of the theatrical medium tells a story that I promise will explode your brain.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I think Laura Dern because she looks like me. It would be called, “Huh. So That’s What That Is.”

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: The all female version of Julius Ceasar set in a psych ward that was at St. Anne’s Warehouse. I can’t believe I missed it! Arrrgghhhh.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Kissing my dog directly on the mouth. Also I do a lot of bird watching, which I’m only guilty about because it’s supposed to be nerdy. But ask yourself this; who is the real nerd? Somebody who knows the difference between a song sparrow and a hermit thrush, or everybody else?

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Doing mental health advocacy! I am also a researcher, currently working on a research involving OCD and memory. So I guess just that full time. Also I would have loved to have been an astronaut but I think I missed the window.

What’s up next?: Our next production will be chosen in the next two weeks! We have some awesome possibilities, but I’ll keep them secret until we can officially announce. And here's our Indiegogo!

For more on Wise Fish Theater Collective and 6 Characters in Search of an Author, visit www.wisefishtheater.com

Theater in the Now is expanding! And through expansion means new voices! Please welcome our first new writer, Kaila M. Stokes!

Kaila M. Stokes has been in the theater and dance world since she could walk. Kaila was part of theater programs growing up in Orlando & Jacksonville and went on to attend Douglas Anderson School of the Arts High School for theater, where she caught the directing bug. Kaila was a dual major in Directing and BFA Acting at Marymount Manhattan College, where she still guest directs to this day. Throughout her time in college, she worked as a marketing intern for numerous nonprofits around the city including MCC Theater, The Women's Project and American Opera Projects. After graduating in 2011, Kaila worked as the Marketing Associate for TADA! Youth Theater, then gave Los Angeles a try, working with Santa Barbara Dance Institute. After 2 years in Los Angeles, Kaila missed NYC and returned to TADA!, where she currently works as the Director of Marketing. Since establishing herself, Kaila is ready for new challenges, such as writing reviews for theater productions around the city and freelance graphic design. She is thrilled to join the Theater In The Now family.

by Michael Block

Everyone's journey through grief is different. There's no formula in how you grieve and how long you spend at each step but rest assure, you'll make a stop at each. When it comes to blame, it's human nature to place blame on others or yourself. In Elizabeth Van Meter's emotionally draining Thao's Library, Van Meter finds a way to displace the blame through a selfless act for a stranger halfway around the world.
Like a companion piece to the documentary of the same name, Thao's Library is the solo show act about Van Meter's spirited journey to Vietnam to give the gift of love through books. After the sudden loss of her sister, famed child aviator Vicki Van Meter, Elizabeth tries to find a purpose in life. Thanks to a layover, Elizabeth visits an old friend who shows her a picture of a young woman in Vietnam who has a countryside library. While one relationship fades to memory, a new one flourishes as Elizabeth and Thao form a bond you can only see to believe. Thao’s Library is a sweet story that is destined to tug at your heart. The content is beautiful. To bring the piece to the stage, Van Meter introduces her piece through dueling narratives. First, her journey to Thao. Second, her relationship with her sister. To keep the audience intrigued, Van Meter sporadically crafts her piece bouncing from narrative to narrative. In the Thao narrative, Van Meter keeps things pretty straight forward and honest. We get the full story. In the Vicki narrative, Van Meter institutes a bit of mystery. We don’t learn until pretty late about Vicki’s untimely death. We know that Vicki plays an integral part into Elizabeth’s journey but it’s fairly vague until late in the play. With one narrative being so present, the other being so elusive, trying to tie the two together until the grand reveal is hard. Thao’s story is more compelling. While the cryptic nature is theatrical, it may not service the unfamiliar audience best. What ties the three women together is how three separate people struggle with pain through the lens of three separate situations. Van Meter explores pain through the lens of physical, mental, and emotional. That’s the thread that brings them together. If the mystery is desired, perhaps beginning the piece with some sort of tie in to universal pain unifies the entirety. Finding the key to understanding is almost a prevalent part to Van Meter’s piece. Discovering the why and how is something we all go through so viewing someone put voice to a personal situation was rewarding in a cathartic manner.

photo by Maria Baranova-Suzuki

Having knowledge of the source documentary likely helps the stage play, but for those unaware, Van Meter layers in some photos and video. You are almost emotionally ambushed through the use of multi-media. This play is successful due to it. Without it, this story may not have resonated the way it did. Hearing is one thing, but seeing opens up the opportunity to tap into the heart. The projection design by Van Meter and director Joe Ricci was visually stunning. Whether through tears or smiles, you will emote. With the nature of the piece being pretty static, Ricci ensured that the transitions were sharply defined. Lighting designer Ed McCarthy did an impeccable job exploring looks that transported Van Meter through her locales. McCarthy certainly capitalized on moods. Something worth noting is space. The Lion is a giant theater with high ceilings and a pretty hefty stage. Ricci and Van Meter did an unbelievable job filling it and minimizing scenic assistance. Van Meter is a pretty decent storyteller but she manages to own the space.
Thao’s Library is a personal story yet it’s not. Whether you connect with Elizabeth Van Meter or not, you’ll leave the theater eager to watch the documentary and learn more about Thao.

by Michael Block

Not everyone can say they've seen the world but Bill Bowers sure can! In Bowers'All Over the Map, presented by All For One Theater, a gay mime from Montana recounts his international tales of intrigue that include a bunny mime, The Happy Hooker, and a nudist colony. And that’s just the tip of the ice burg.

photo by Maria Baranova-Suzuki

With stories for days, Bowers has seen it all. In All Over the Map, Bowers takes the audience on a journey through 50 states and 25 countries as he takes his show on the road, meeting an eclectic array of personalities and gaining experiences that will stick with him for life. Written and performed by Bill Bowers, All Over the Map is wonderfully entertaining led by a whimsical performer. All Over the Map is all over the timeline, jumping from year to year where a cast of batty characters and inexplicable encounters fuel the narrative. All Over the Map doesn't rely on a forward-moving story. The tales could easily be flip flopped with one another and the message will still be had. The central theme is truly embrace the unexpected. And with every story Bowers shares, you truly can't believe what could happen next. With the content interchangeable, Bowers has room to play and do what he does best: entertain. Even when the mood gets somber or more internal, he manages to captivate. There's an ease to Bowers’ storytelling. No matter the tone or content, Bill Bowers is comfortable. You can tell he is a seasoned veteran whether playing verbal storyteller or mute mime.
All Over the Map utilized some video projections to help assist the audience with location and time. Designed by Bryce Cutler , it was cutesy. Unlike the other show running in All For One Theater's rep season, if the video wasn't present, All Over the Map could still succeed. And that's at testament to Bowers’ performance prowess. Simplicity was director Martha Banta's secret trick. With only five chairs from scenic designer Ryan Howell, Bowers built a world. Lighting designer Ed McCarthy found beauty in color and focus. By differentiating the looks, tightening in on Bowers allowed the intimate moments to capture hearts.
When you leave a solo show feeling as if you now are the performers best friend, it's safe to say the objective was accomplished. In sixty minutes, Bill Bowers welcomed the audience into his life with open arms. It's evident he has more stories to tell and I look forward to the next show and the new lot of material. It’s safe to say that Bill Bowers is world class.

photo by Matthew Murphy

Name: Benjamin Eakeley 

Hometown: Short Hills, NJ 

Education: B.A., cum laude, from Yale, where I double majored in Music and American Studies. The American Studies department let me give a lecture recital on Gershwin’s popular music as part of my senior thesis…so I guess they first taught me the value of singing for my supper! 

Favorite Credits:  I had the time of my life doing the recent Broadway revival of Cabaret with Alan Cumming and the most extraordinary group of actors. I understudied Clifford Bradshaw and performed the role opposite Michelle Williams, Emma Stone and Sienna Miller. This means I got to make out with all of them, too. That was pretty special.   My Broadway debut was also thrilling: I was the standby for Anthony, Tobias and The Beadle in John Doyle’s revival of Sweeney Todd, so I had to learn the score on piano and clarinet, as well as vocals, text and blocking for each character. I made my debut as The Beadle, and Patti LuPone started hitting on me during the “Sweet Polly Plunkett” scene in the second act. And I thought: “Holy crap! I’m making my Broadway debut and Patti LuPone is feeling me up in front of 1000 people. Now FOCUS!!”   But the show I’m most proud of is my solo cabaret, Broadway Swinger. It’s the first time I’ve had real autonomy creating a program, and it has been so rewarding working with my brilliant collaborators James Olmstead, JV Mercanti and Tim Murray. And the show is about sex in the 1960s, so the research has been really fun.  

Why theater?: Theatre is collaborative. Unlike film or television, it depends on a live audience for survival. The audience gives actors information that changes the nature of the show every night, and this is what makes theatre special—each performance is unique. Once the final curtain goes down, this group of people in the audience and people on stage will never be assembled in the same configuration.  In terms of intimacy, cabaret is collaborative theatre on steroids. The audience is directly in front of your face (or at your feet), and they literally become the pulse of the show. I thought it would be difficult speaking directly to audience members in Broadway Swinger but it turned out to be a non-issue. During the show’s debut I looked out and saw this sea of beautiful, smiling faces—how could I not use them?! Bye bye, fourth wall! Boom.  

Tell us about Broadway Swinger: Broadway Swinger is a nightclub act that takes the audience on a romp through the swinging ‘60s. I sing with a four-player band of world-class jazz musicians (piano, bass, reeds, drums), and together we chronicle the unbuttoning of American society as revealed in stage musicals from the 1960s. And along the way, we sing from some of the most classic scores of all time—Oliver!, She Loves Me, Funny Girl, Cabaret, Hair, Promises, Promises, to name a few. The music is extraordinary. We sold out our debut in January, and I am so excited to do our encore performance—with great new songs!—at Feinstein’s/54 Below on May 9. 

What inspired you to create Broadway Swinger?: I have a special connection with theatrical music of the 1960s. Three of my four Broadway credits to date are musicals from the ‘60s (She Loves Me, Cabaret and On A Clear Day, You Can See Forever) and I happen to think all questions in life can be answered by studying The Apple Tree. But the biggest influence on Broadway Swinger was my music director and orchestrator, James Olmstead. James and I met doing a production of White Christmas at the Engeman Theatre a few years back, and he plays with technical bravado and a rare and profound sense of rhythm. In White Christmas I found myself singing “Love and the Weather” and “Blue Skies” with an ease I had never experienced. Singing with James I feel anything is possible. He brings out the best in me.  

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?:  My parents took me to see a fair amount of cabaret growing up, and I was lucky to have seen a number of the greats in small rooms—Susannah McCorkle, Bobby Short, Michael Feinstein, Barbara Carroll, Andrea Marcovicci. And I have to include Elaine Stritch and Alan Cumming as cabaret performers who have inspired me in more recent years. To me, the most moving cabarets are the shows where I have walked away with a deeper understanding of a composer, a time period, or my place in the world. I wrote Broadway Swinger with this in mind—and I think the audience walks away not only having had fun, but also with more of a sense of how music and society both evolved in the 1960s.  I feel similarly about Theatre with a capital “T”: it has a responsibility to entertain me or provoke me, but the best shows will do both. I’m still thinking about The Pillowman 11 years after I saw it on Broadway. That’s good theatre. 

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: John Tiffany. 

What show have you recommended to your friends?:  She Loves Me, of course! Although I’m incredibly excited about Tuck Everlasting, which was composed by one of my closest friends, Chris Miller. I am so proud of him, and EVERYBODY should buy a ticket to see his show! 

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?:  Hmm…I’ve always been hoping to play Prince William in the E! True Hollywood Story of his life, so it’s hard to think the other way around. How about Dan Stevens-playing-me-playing-Prince William in the E! True Hollywood Story? 

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?:  I would go back and see Barbara Harris and Alan Alda in the original 1966 production of The Apple Tree. (sigh)  

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: The guys in my dressing room at She Loves Me call me The Cookie Monster. 

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?:  Just as poor. I would be an architect! 

What’s up next?:  She Loves Me has been extended to July 10, and then I’ll hopefully head out of town for a little vacation. I have two movies scheduled to be released in 2016—My Art and The Unattainable Story—and with any luck Broadway Swinger will get to travel a bit. I am ready to take this show on the road!!

For more on Broadway Swinger, visit http://54below.com/artist/benjamin-eakeley-broadway-swinger/

by Kaila M. Stokes

When you hear the words “wordless piece of theater” in 2016 it can be a little off putting and make you hesitant to attend. I am here to tell you that you should run not walk to see 59E59’s Butterfly part of their Brits Off Broadway run of shows. This haunting dance-theater piece hits all of the emotional buttons that you want as an audience member. Butterfly is created and directed by Ramesh Meyyappan. The direction was very precise yet still felt organic and instinctual. There was never a forced moment or rushed scene, even though it would have been very easy to do since it is wordless. Movement and breath move the story forward from beginning to end. It is clear that endless hours of rehearsal went into making this piece natural.
The story of Butterfly is inspired by Madame Butterfly by John Luther Long. It is the dark and thought-provoking tale of a kite-maker (Naomi Livingstone) that has an admirer, a client (Chris Alexander), that brings her gifts. Yet the kite-maker falls in love with a butterfly catcher (Ramesh Meyyappan). Their relationship turns south even after the kite-maker tries to adapt to the butterfly catchers way of life and the client refuses to let their relationship end. She is left traumatized in the darkness of her own reality and the reality that the butterfly catcher land he client left behind for her to wither away in. Naomi Livingstone (Kite-maker) was so focused and based in reality that as an audience member you were routing for her. She transformed from a simple kite-maker into a beautiful butterfly that was condemned to be caught and displayed for another’s liking. Naomi’s movement is the only way the audience knew about the events occurring on stage. Without her, the story would have been stagnant. But it wasn’t, it was physically inspiring and emotionally jarring to watch what her character went through. The expressions on her face and the change in her physicality let us know the pain that she was enduring. Ramesh Mayyappan (Butterfly catcher) and Chris Alexander (Client) turn her world upside down in very different, but extreme ways. Ramesh and Chris are their characters of course, but also act as prop and set facilitators. Their parts were less about conveying emotion and more about driving the plot and show through the set and props. After the kite-maker’s world has been turned upside down and she is left with nothing, Ramesh and Chris come back as puppeteers. This was more than impressive and visually striking as you can see in this photo. They work on one puppet together. They were so in sync and in tune with one another’s movements, it was like they were Siamese twins that have been living this way their whole lives. The puppet itself is quite creepy, on purpose of course. This added to the disturbing nature of the story.

The transitions are done through music and lighting. The first scene was quite long for set up purposes and the music was repetitive for the first fifteen minutes. I would have liked to break up that portion of the music. The music held back this portion of the piece because you were very aware that it was the same bars over and over again. After the characters, relationships and plot were set in motion, the music pushed the show along in a fluid and beautiful way. The actors were as connected to one another and their breath as they were the music. The lighting was minimal and dark; it was almost unnoticeable at times where it could have changed. It may have been a choice to be so minimalistic with lighting, but the music changed with scenes to progress the story and identify different moments and so the lighting should have as well. It seemed to stay the same. It would have added to the beautiful performance if there was a transformation with the lighting as there was with the characters since it starts out light and fluffy and turns into such a dramatic and intense piece.
In the end the captured becomes the capturer and is emotionally ripped apart and gutted by the events in her life. The ending was not inspiring, not up lifting, it did not make you want to be a better person and it was certainly not happy...it was real. Butterfly is symbolic of many people’s lives that get caught in the cog of life events. It makes you think, I highly suggest taking an hour out of your evening to see this one of kind dance-theater piece.

by Michael Block

It's likely at some point in your schooling you were likely required to read Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis". For those of you who haven't, the single line summary is simple. Kafka's metamorphic metaphorical saga follows a man who transforms into an insect-like creature as he attempts to adjust to his horrific presence. Lifting this idea into a freely adapted stage play, InVersion Theatre’s Gregor follows a young hipster-esque man who becomes a burden on his family after metamorphosing into an unseen creature.
Written by Willaim Steinberger and the whole InVersion crew, Gregor is a modern, but not entirely, reimagining of the Kafka classic with a backdrop of a traveling freak show. Gone is the physical bug making way for a metaphorical leech on society. Filled with an overabundance of concepts, Gregor is a tonally baffling play that never really finds its footing. To begin, Steinberger sets his play through a failed attempt to recreate a poor touring company production, which in turn just appears as random items thrown together last minute. This conceit invites a meta-theatrical ambiance where the fourth wall is shattered willy-nilly. The MC and players take part in an apropos freak show only the freak in question is seemingly a desperate actor found off the street portraying the titular character. Taking the themes from Kafka’s text, Steinberger shifts from bawdy comedy to obscure drama with no qualms. With the commentary of the freak show and the constant momentum halting, Gregor seems to have thrown too many ideas into a blender in hopes of a smooth product. Sadly it’s just lumpy and hard to take down. Aside from the natural disconnect, the conceit Steinberger explores has some holes, namely in the use of the MC. The MC is an accent-laden Eastern European woman who controls the show yet she drops into the role of Greta where it’s a drastic turn. There is something odd about this device. Without the MC as the MC present, there is no one steering the ship. The metaphor of the MC as a controlling society gets lost when the MC is Greta. While it would not be as meaty of a role, having a separate player to portray Greta would have been much stronger. From a text standpoint, Steinberger litters his script with references that disconnect from the period of the world of the play. Because clarity doesn’t precisely define time and space, understanding relies on audial and visual experience. It’s yet another element of disconnect. The commentary of who Gregor is compared to what he appears to be is possibly the strongest thesis of the InVersion production. It allows for a personal interpretation to be formed. It’s just a shame that it got swallowed up by the rest of the production.

photo by David Slotnick

Andreas Damm gave his all as Gregor. Literally shaking and throwing himself across the room after laying in a roadbox during the entirety of preshow, Damm brings immense physicality. While he doesn’t get to show off his text prowess until later, it’s a reward when it comes. Playing the world of cross-dressing physical comedy, the tag team of Michael Calciano and Melissa Cesarano have fun. And that’s all you can ask for a performer who’s given whacky material. Marisa Brau, to no fault of her own, offered a speckled performance. Brau took on two personas that lacked any connection.
Playing adaptor and director, William Steinberger had a concept and ran with it. You have to commend him for that. But what Steinberger placed on page didn’t quite translate on stage. Another collaborative eye could have been useful. Visually, lighting designer David Levitt playing with endless possibilities of the Gallery at The Access Theater. Striking looks, utilizing harsh cold and happy warm looks brought out an array of moods. The evocative soundscape from Ben Ferber was a great mix of horror and circus to create something eerie.
Credit should be given for ambition but Gregor didn’t quite reach its potential. Finding just exactly what this play is will be essential for the production to move to the next level.

Some people are naturally hometown homebodies. They’re people who live their entire lives in the place they grew up. Some people fight to escape the monotony of home to forge a new life someplace else. We all know those people. For those who “got out”, they gain a different perspective on those who are still there. They want what’s best for those who are still stuck so they’ll do what they can to rescue them. Such is the case in Leah Nanako Winkler’s exceptional Kentucky, a co-production from new work powerhouses Ensemble Studio Theatre, in association with Radio Drama Network, and Page 73. A young woman, living a free life in New York, returns home to save her sister from a marriage to a man she barely knows.
In Kentucky, Hiro, a strong-willed young woman approaching 30, returns to her Kentucky country home to be the bridesmaid to her sister Sophie. Only Hiro has a plan. Hiro wants to save her sister from a hometown life, marriage to a virtual stranger, and their emotionally abusive father. But when Hiro sets foot in the place she once knew, things don’t go exactly as planned as her past catches up to her and she discovers whether she’s truly moved on from the pain of the past. On the surface, you could say Kentucky is a play about family and your roots but deep down, this is a play about loneliness and accepting loneliness. There is an excitement and charm to Nanako Winkler's language. The accessibility draws an immediate bond with the audience. This may not be your family but they represent something familiar. Kentucky has a natural cinematic aura to it. With constant location changes, you can imagine this play on the big screen. The characters and situations within Nanako Winkler’s text fall into a very sitcom style of comedy. But there is an edginess to it. It’s a welcome tenacity that allows the themes she explores to break through. Through the humor, Nanako Winkler infuses a commentary on the roles of husband and wife and the facades people create through religious walls people hide behind. Wherever you fall in your personal beliefs, the observation is relevant. Additionally, the use of regional views and culture is quite fun. Hiro sees these people as hillbillies yet they don’t necessarily view themselves as such. They are just happy-go-lucky people eager to get through life. Drugs and alcohol are present as a means to cope with the lack of opportunity. And that’s why Hiro wants to get Sophie out of this potentially damaging world. The weight of the themes gets lightened up through the humor but there is one aspect of Nanako Winkler’s script that is utterly jarring and that is the use of Sylvie the cat. When examining loneliness, Sylvie plays an integral role in Masako’s narrative. Masako, Hiro and Sophie’s mother, feels, after everyone has abandoned her, the only thing she has in life is her cat. But the use of an anthropomorphic cat felt out of character in comparison to the rest of the show, especially in Sylvie’s send off, which was just too indulgent. Does the cat have to go? Maybe. Or maybe a puppet is the right direction.

photo by Jody Christopherson

To put it bluntly, Kentucky has a giant ensemble cast. Another reason for the cinematic feel. As the heroine of the story, Satomi Blair's Hiro was the most realistic surrounded by a colorful cast of comical characters. This highlighted the reciting of her text and the unsympathetic manner of the character. Blair plays into the stereotypical cynicism. In any other world, Blair’s performance may stand out but the boldness forced her into the background. The standout performance of Kentucky comes from the plucky and beautiful Sasha Diamond as optimistic sister Sophie. Diamond glimmers with hope. This is someone to keep an eye on. One of the strong themes within the play is the idea of family. The fascination of watching the dynamic between Mean dad James played by Jay Patterson and brainwashed mom Masako played by Ako. The stark differences between the two and the unnerving relationship added a gripping element to the story. There is a natural sense of theatricality to Kentucky that Leah Nanako Winkler imparts. The Kentucky Greek Chorus of Sophie’s bridesmaids set the perfect tone, and melody, for the play. Comprised of Merissa Czyz, Samantha Sembler, and Shannon Tyo, the trio went beyond creating one voice. They crafted characters built from manufactured happiness. They were impeccable.
It’s safe to say that Kentucky was sublimely constructed and adoringly envisioned. Director Morgan Gould infused a spark of life in her staging, keeping the play moving, driving excitement and soul in every beat. Gould guided her company to find characters that had a colorful persona yet were grounded by reality. Tackling the ever-changing location shifts, scenic designer Nick Francone created a world that combined whimsy with practicality. It was a country-fried set with a wall of strategically placed accouterments including lit block letters spelling Kentucky and nostalgia and antiques that get highlighted per scene. Though the University of Miami football needs to be replaced immediately for a University of Kentucky Wildcats football. Matching the needs of the play, lighting designer Ryan Seeling explored color to create a pallet of various looks and moods. The string lights were a welcome addition to the Podunk country bar feel. The costumes from Suzanne Chesney were interesting. Working regional flair with bright colors and patterns into the design was brilliant. Putting Hiro in all black virtually the entire show showed a contrast of worlds but it also forced her further into the background.
Leah Nanako Winkler hammers in the idea of Wildcat pride at various points of her play. And it’s clear there is an exuberant amount of pride and joy that came out of this production. Kentucky has not only put Leah Nanako Winkler on the map but ensured her as an important player in contemporary theater.

Name: Amy Jo Jackson

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX/Littleton, CO

Education: The Boston Conservatory

Selected Credits: Two prior solo concerts at Feinstein's/54 Below; among many other appearances at the venue, served as the hostess of the 54 Below Concert Lab last summer. Ursula in The Little Mermaid (Arkansas Rep), Dani Girl (EPBB), Nymph Errant (Prospect), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (SpeakEasy Stage - Elliot Norton and IRNE nominations for Best Actress in a Musical), Gretchen in Boeing Boeing (Twice! Seven Angels; Twin Tiers). As dialect coach, she is best known for work on Kinky Boots (Bway, 1st National, Toronto productions).

Why theater?: I've always had a lot of interests, but never really wanted to DO anything else. Theatre is also a great medium to reach people and touch lives, often without your knowledge. With this show, I'm partnering with an amazing organization called SHE'S THE FIRST - Half the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards sponsoring a young scholar in a developing country so that she can be the first in her family to graduate high school. I've linked their website below. Check them out!

Tell us about I Want To Be Your Man: It's a concert of music that was all originally performed by men. Showtunes, pop songs, rock, jazz standards...there's a lot of variety. And a medley. There's a big ol' ridiculous, massive medley about halfway through the show.

What inspired you to create I Want To Be Your Man?: I tend to play a lot of men on stage anyway, and usually do at least one gender-bent song in my cabarets, so it seemed exciting to just go full tilt boogie and make the whole show an exploration of material written for dudes. I find it really freeing to perform men's material, whether that's rock music, Shakespearian speeches, or musical theatre, as it's often written to be more aggressive, emphatic, direct, and unapologetic than material written for women (I'm talking in VERY broad generalizations, obviously). It's exciting to have permission to be as aggressive and exuberant as I want to be on stage within the parameters of the songs my MD (Brian J. Nash) and I have chosen.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I have really eclectic tastes (which will be WILDLY obvious to anyone who has seen one of my shows). I like good writing, essentially. I'm drawn to full, vivid worlds and stories. As to what inspires me, there are so many amazing people working in the theatre and the arts today from whom I draw inspiration, which is THRILLING. I'm inspired by the women playwrights and directors and theatremakers who are out there right now, blazing trails and making room for all of us, who are creating spaces where more and more voices are acknowledged as valid and worthy. I'm inspired by the diversity we're seeing on Broadway this season!! I'm inspired by other playful storytellers. I'm inspired by living in New York City.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I'll stick to male roles for the purposes of this concert...Ricard II, Mercutio, The Emcee, Frank N. Furter, Dogberry, Malvolio, Jud Fry, Henry Higgins, Jamie Tyrone, Autolycus, Caliban, Gaston, Officer Lockstock, Harold Hill, Edmund in LEAR, Captain Hook, Sam Byck...I could go on. I shan't.

What’s your favorite showtune?: This is an impossible question. The musical theatre tracks with the most plays on my iTunes are probably "Donna" from Hair and "It Was a Good Time" from Liza With A Z.

What’s your favorite song to sing in the shower?: I don't really sing in the shower unless I'm warming up for something specific. Lip trills, mainly. Boring, I know. I do like to play music while I'm showering, though, because there is no such thing as listening to too much Michael Jackson.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Janet McTeer. We're about the same height (six feet tall), and she is such a badass. I really admire her.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: This has already happened, actually. It's called "Auntie Mame," and stars the great Rosalind Russell.

What show have you recommended to your friends?:The Humans. It's a great example of excellent collaboration between all departments - writing, directing, acting, design, and stage management/deck crew. Nothing is truly featured more than anything else, and each design element complements what the actors are doing...Everyone is really on top of their game over there.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?:"Murder, She Wrote." Murder mystery shows in general, but MSW tops the list for sure.

For more on Amy Jo, visit amyjojackson.com. For more on She's the First, visit https://www.shesthefirst.org/

Be warned. Bodies will appear in their natural state. If you are uncomfortable with nudity on stage then stray away from Body: Anatomies of Being. For one hour and forty minutes, that’s all you’ll get. But if a discussion on the human form is something you’re interested in, blessed unrest’s latest offering may be up your alley.
Conceived and directed by Jessica Burr with text by Matt Opatrny in collaboration with the ensemble, Body: Anatomies of Being is theatrical performance art that examines beauty, skin, augmentation, deformation, and life with a backdrop of the human form. With a commentary of connection through anatomy, Body: Anatomy of Being is part movement piece, part character narratives, and part X-rated lost exhibit at Wonders of Life at EPCOT. Burr and Opatrny’s piece offers some interesting ideas. The informative portions of the show are raw, exploring fascinating themes that break down humanity to its core. But in the end, no matter what words were spoken on stage, Body: Anatomy of Being will be remembered simply because the nudity. In a sense, this play is simply indulgent. Artistic? Yes. Necessary in this form? That's debatable. You almost have to wonder if the narrative can work with a fully clothed ensemble that disrobes when completely necessary or if the creators tested the ability of doing anything they wanted by using the excuse of “performance”. There is something powerful about the use of bare body in theater when it furthers the plot or narrative. In the case of Body: Anatomy of Being, the extensive use of nudity diminished one of the most beautiful narratives. That being the story of Nadezhda, a model and cancer survivor. The romance between Nadezhda and Doctor Williams is a story that could easily be lifted for a play of it’s own. But once you see Nadezhda and learn her story, that’s when the power of body affect the audience. But when there’s a monotony of human figures, it simply loses its impact. Regardless of the use of body, the Opartrny’s text experienced a series of unfortunate events. From a character standpoint, Body: Anatomy of Being had an ensemble that resembled the Garry Marshall holiday trilogy where an ensemble cast are so loosely connected that it becomes laughable when the ties are revealed. In fact there are two characters that don’t even tie in! Together, the various concepts felt nonsensical. While they did melt into one another, the structure could easily have been moved around or eliminated to tell a similar story. Ending a play can be hard especially when trying to find the right note to end up. Body: Anatomy of Being and an exuberant amount of endings and may not have left on the right one.

photo by Alan Roche

The only way to describe this ensemble was courageous. To do what they did takes a feat of heroism. Breaking down the walls of vulnerability to share a piece they believed in is reward in itself. Some of the ensemble did a better job forming a compelling character, predominantly due to story arc. Catherine Gowl and Tatyana Kot made a case to get a spinoff for their characters Doctor Williams and Nadezdha. As Helen the anthropologist, Natalie Ivana Escobar had a Bill Nye the Science Guy demeanor during her information segments. They were tantalizing.
Playing the role of conceiver and director, Jessica Burr’s idea came into fruition. The execution was realized but it didn’t always translate properly. One of the key games Burr seemed to play was the game of disrobing. To keep the secondary characters active in the background, the actors were seen taking off or putting on their clothes. When in doubt, that was Burr’s default. While it was a safe activity, it was distracting. The other controversial directorial decision was the bringing the house lights up early on. Due to the nature of the piece, the audience was already likely uncomfortable already so to bring the nude actors directly address the audience and call attention to the situation may have been an attempt to unite but instead alienated. Visually, Body: Anatomies of Being was stunning. The simple scenic design by scribe Opatrny was comprised of a series of blank canvases. It tied into one of the plot lines as well as being a strong metaphor for the play. The lights from Jay Ryan were the most aesthetically pleasing and consistent element of the show.
There is no doubt Body: Anatomies of Being is a polarizing piece. This is not a safe production. It’s daring and provocative. It’s bound to start a conversation. It just may not be the one blessed unrest had hoped for.

And the 2016 Hamiltony goes to...yes, that's right. A Hamilton joke to kick off the article. To no surprise to anyone, Hamilton broke records this year collecting 16 nominations. While it's safe to say that the Best Musical category is a lock, this year's story all about who has any chance of beating Hamilton. In the play world, if you did an Arthur Miller play, you did fine. Some tight races but no real shocks. Here is the list of the nominees.

2016 Tony Award Nominees

Best Play
Eclipsed
The Father
The Humans
King Charles III

Best Musical
Bright Star
Hamilton
School of Rock-The Musical
Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Waitress

Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller's The Crucible
Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge
Blackbird
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Noises Off

Best Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening

Best Book of a Musical
Bright Star: Steve Martin
Hamilton: Lin-Manuel Miranda
School of Rock- The Musical: Julian Fellowes
Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed: George C. Wolfe

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Bright Star: Music: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Lyrics: Edie Brickell
Hamilton: Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
School of Rock-The Musical: Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Lyrics: Glenn Slater
Waitress: Music & Lyrics: Sara Bareilles

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Gabriel Byrne, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jessica Lange, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Laurie Metcalf, Misery
Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed
Sophie Okonedo, Arthur Miller's The Crucible
Michelle Williams, Blackbird

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Alex Brightman, School of Rock-The Musical
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Reed Birney, The Humans
Bill Camp, Arthur Miller's The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off
Richard Goulding, King Charles III
Michael Shannon, Long Day's Journey Into Night

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Jennifer Simard, Disaster!
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin
Christopher Oram, Hughie
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge
David Zinn, The Humans

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Es Devlin & Finn Ross, American Psycho
David Korins, Hamilton
Santo Loquasto, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
David Rockwell, She Loves Me

Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Michael Krass, Noises Off
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Tom Scutt, King Charles III

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Ann Roth, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Katz, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Justin Townsend, The Humans
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's The Crucible
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho

Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Jonathan Kent, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge

Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan

Best Orchestrations
August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

Tony Nominations by Production
Hamilton - 16
Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed - 10
She Loves Me - 8
Long Day's Journey Into Night - 7
Eclipsed - 6
The Humans - 6
Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge - 5
Bright Star - 5
King Charles III - 5
Noises Off - 5
Arthur Miller's The Crucible - 4
The Color Purple - 4
School of Rock - The Musical - 4
Waitress - 4
Blackbird - 3
Fiddler on the Roof - 3
Spring Awakening - 3
American Psycho - 2
The Father - 2
Dames at Sea - 1
Disaster! - 1
Hughie - 1
Misery - 1
On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan - 1
Thérèse Raquin - 1
Tuck Everlasting - 1

Review: An Intergalactic Whale Tale

Review: Hoarding Secrets

Review: A Not So Progressive Rom Com

Review: The Inheritance Game

Review: You've Got Spam

The Girls in White: Songs from the Show at Feinstein's/54 Below!

Spotlight On...Mindy Raf

The Rulers: A Sneak Peek into Rule of 7x7: April Edition

Review: A Bohemian Rhapsody

Spotlight On...Martina Anne Bonolis

Introducing Our New Contributing Writer Kaila M. Stokes!

Review: Finding a Purpose

Review: Traveling Man

Spotlight On...Benjamin Eakeley

Review: Butterfly, It Will Affect You

Review: Kafka's Freak Show

Review: Take Me Home, Kentucky Road

Spotlight On...Amy Jo Jackson

Review: Bare Essentials

2016 Tony Awards Announced