Spotlight On...Kendra Augustin

Name: Kendra Augustin

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Education: Nova Southeastern University, BA, Theatre and Stella Adler Summer Con 2013. Does that count?

Favorite Credits: As an actress:...I'm sure they'll come. As a writer: I wrote a short called Stranger for The Stage Black NYC Festival and it won all (read: 3) the awards. So that was nice.

Why theater?: As an actress, I love it because I can try something new every performance. I'm not locked in a particular moment for all eternity. I can risk. Also, tv and film are nuts because 5 AM call times? I'll take a matinee instead. As a writer, I love it because we have a say. We're not dismissed, and 20 other people aren't rewriting my play. Well, maybe if I was a playwright in residence. Am I right? Just kidding. I have no idea what the life of a playwright in residence is. Yet. But, our words matter here. A studio can't rewrite my words. That's why we have dramaturgs. They are our guiding lights.

Tell us about Dying is An Art: It's a bout 10 minutes long. It involves three versions of Sylvia Plath. It's me personifying  the voices in her head. When people don't get mental illness, or suicide it's because they don't get the war that wages on. I wanted to show the battle that could have gone in her mind, but in a fantastical way.

What inspired you to write Dying is An Art?: My obsession with Sylvia Plath. I would see quotes from her journal and her poetry and "The Bell Jar" throughout the years (yay Tumblr) and I would think to myself, "This woman speaks a truth I can relate to. There she is in the middle of the 20th century, and I still connect to her words as if they were written in present day." Plus, I'm drawn to tragic figures. Before I even heard of the 365 Women A Year playwriting project it was if Sylvia was waiting for me to use her influence over me in some way.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I tend to write darkly comedic things. Or, at least, they are in my head. But I like Christopher Durang. So many people can't take him because he's a bit much, but I like the truth that is underneath absurdity. Same with early Lindsay-Abaire. I also like Albee. I like Chekhov. But, I also just love new works that people I know are writing, or acting in.  Something well-written. Something with talented actors I've never heard of. Or I like when theaters take risks with the overdone stuff. Take something conventional and add a fun twist. Ultimately, if your show is free I'll come see it. What I like about 365 is that it is introducing me not to just women in history, but women writers. I feel that I have been corrupted, in that, I am able to mention male writers that I like with such ease, but I have to actually dig to find an abundance of female playwrights to choose from. Now, I can probably say, I'm friends with my favorite female writers!

If you could work with anyone you've yet to work with, who would it be?: I'd like to be in a Tiny Fey and/or Amy Poehler written project. One of my fantasies was to have a guest spot on "Parks and Rec" as Donna's sister who is a black version of April Ludgate. I liked "Eternal Sunshine" so to be in something Charlie Kaufman wrote and Michel Gondry directed would be nice. I hope to do weird, obscure movies that no one watches. As far as directors I think Ava DuVernay would be a cool lady to work with. Angelina Jolie too. I think I'd like to work on a film she directs. In the world of the stage: I'd like to work with my director Daphnie Sicre, but as an actress. I bet we'd kill it. Also, there's one actor, who I think is divine, in the real world, and if I could be the Lady Macbeth to his Macbeth I would not oppose. Also, I'd like to work with myself. I always cast other people in my plays because I have no interest in being them. Probably because I know they require me to feel, and I'd rather torture other people instead.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I loved Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812. That may just be my favorite musical. Of the two that I've seen in this life. I also like to rave about Bedlam theater. The first show I saw of theirs was Sense and Sensibility, and it was such an imaginative, fun performance. I was expecting stuffy. Now, I just want to see anything they do. I just saw Josephine and I at The Public and the actress was phenomenal and heartbreaking and funny. I've never been interested in one (wo)man shows, but The Other Mozart and Josephine and I have changed that for me. They make me want to write my own monodrama. I'm going to find some black woman who has been written out of history and bring her to life at some point.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?:  I want my movie to be like "I'm Not There" where actors of different races and genders and ages play me. Emma Stone can play one version of me. Maybe Viola Davis could be another. Anybody cool. Eva Green, definitely. Shia LaBeouf and more! My movie would be called: Quiet Girl Riot probably.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I wish I could have seen Emma Stone in Cabaret. That was my obsession for a moment. I recently read The Pillowman and Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo and I would like to see those live. Speaking of The Pillowman, I want to be Katurian Katurian Katurian.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Wasting my life away on social media.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: In tv and film. Haha. But, if I was not in the arts at all I'd have committed suicide already. Or! Actually, I'm not really sure. I've tried, during sad days, to see what I'd be interested in aside from the arts, but nothing comes to mind. But, in theory, I'd like to be an explorer, archaeologist, world traveler, astronomer, college professor with three PhDs. And madly in love.

What’s up next?: Hopefully extreme wealth. Other than that: I'll eventually get to writing the plays on the four women I chose for 365 Women A Year 2015! I'll be playing Butterfly McQueen at The Sheen Center reading as well. I get to be a playwright and an actress in one night. How marvelous! Also, I'm working behind the scenes on The Other Mozart. In the meantime,  maybe I'll write a couple of short films and cast myself as the lead. Why not? Maybe I'll get a recurring role on a tv show.  Or maybe I'll write and sell a pilot. Yeah. That sounds good.

Spotlight On...Jay Stull

Name: Jay Stull

Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia

Education: A.B. in Government and one year in law school.

Favorite Credits: I directed a rarely produced Tennessee Williams play called Cavalier for Milady a few years back that was great fun; also Emily Schwend’s Take Me Back.

Why theater?: I have no idea.  I wish I knew.  Perhaps because it comes closest to being play without the intervening concerns of making participants millions of dollars.  I think that I find it fundamental in some way.

Tell us about Leave Me Green: Leave Me Green is a play about a lesbian widow who is juggling grief, alcoholism, and raising her straight teenage son alone.  For me, it’s also a play about how gay people make families, the incredible creativity involved in that process, and its seductive novelty thrust against the very stark reality of keeping those families together and alive.  Even in gay families parents die, have addictions, are at times unfit parents, and learn to be better.

What inspired you to direct Leave Me Green?: Lisi is a friend of mine and after directing a reading of the play this past summer, I felt drawn to the portrait she paints of the other side of gay marriage and gay families.  I like how familiar these characters feel.  The plot is honest and doesn’t embellish.  Also, the actors in the reading this summer were themselves inspired by the play and created a magic in the performance of it that left Lisi and I wanting to do more.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I like many types of theater, from performance art to naturalism.  I like work that is broad in purpose, even if the scope of the plot is narrow.  Having just finished tech and previews on Leave Me Green, I will say that I find the collective cooperation and sacrifice of a production inspiring. That artists can come together with little to no pay and merely with the desire to make collaborative art always makes me feel less alone and all the more grateful for the work we do.  I am inspired by many artists (most recently Trajal Harrell for his Antigone ++ series, and Emily Schwend, George Hoffmann and Greg Kozatek as frequent collaborators) but to me, today, I’d say the team on Leave Me Green - the cast, designers, and production crew - have lifted my spirits.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: It’s so funny, I don’t really think this way.  There are plays I’d like to direct, but I have such trust in New York as a deep pool of talent that I know I’d be able to find the right people for the roles. There are directors I’d love to assist but I’m too shy to talk about that here.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I would recommend Leave Me Green, first, of course.  In addition, I’d recommend The Nether by Jennifer Haley, one of the best big idea plays in recent memory, directed with elegance by Annie Kaufman. I am so looking forward to seeing Iowa at Playwrights Horizons; everyone involved in that production makes art that stays with me.  Also, my friend Cory Finley has a play up right now called The Feast that I so enjoyed when I read it last year.  I’m going to see it before it closes this weekend at The Flea.  And my friends Jerry Lieblich and Stefanie Horowitz have devised a piece called Ghost Stories that I’m looking forward to seeing next month.  It’s at Cloud City and features Emma Meltzer, among others so if you haven’t gotten enough of Emma in Leave Me Green (and how could you?), head to Ghost Stories in April.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I have no idea who would play me; I’m rather dysmorphic in how I see myself/my life.  But the title of the movie should be “Girl, Get Up Here”.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I wish I had seen the original productions of Sunday In the Park With George and Shining City.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Taxis.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: A law professor.  Or, more likely, someone with the credentials to teach but still looking for work.

What’s up next?: I’ll be directing two wonderful events as capstones to the 2015 R&D Group with The Civilians.  These happen in May and I’m beyond excited to be working with Caroline V. McGraw, Rob Handel and Kamala Sankaram.

Please include any pertinent website links

For more on Leave Me Green, visit https://www.facebook.com/leavemegreen

Spotlight On...Nick Radu

Name: Nick Radu

Hometown: Canton, Ohio

Education: BA from Queens College in Drama, Theater & Dance

Favorite Credits: Cane/Japeth - Children of Eden, Bobby - Company, Tony Wendice - Dial "M" for Murder, Philip - Lion In Winter, Oscar - Sweet Charity; All Shook Up - Director; Imaginary, Princess Pals, Lonely Moon - Writer

Why theater?: Theater is loud and quiet and crazy and fun and boisterous and exciting.  It can make you think something new, feel all the feelings or just entertain.  It means something different to each person, and that's magical.

Tell us about Princess Pals: I have always loved fairy tales.  I love asking the question, "What happens after the fairy tale?"  In Princess Pals you get to see some of your favorite princesses interact with each other, finding out what they really think of each other, their princes, what it's like to live as a princess.  I love to add comedic elements to a lot of my writing, even dramas.  Princess Pals really lends itself to not be taken too seriously, cause we're dealing with princesses, yet to be a little serious when it comes to beloved characters, real-life situations and lessons that can be learned, as they often are, at the close of this type of story.  We get to follow Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty and Zasha (The Princess and the Pea) as they live their daily lives after riding off into the sunset.

What inspired you to write Princess Pals?: Princess Pals was actually a project I started in my Playwriting 2 class at Queens College.  I wanted to really play and have fun and express who I was as a writer with characters that people already knew, yet take them to a place no one knew about.  I ended up loving it so much that I continued working on it years after college, falling even more in love with the story, and wanting to bring it to as many people as I could reach.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love theater, specifically the writing, that has great characters who we care about and who interact with each other.  I love to see a script really delve into relationship, and continually explore and challenge those relationships.  I am inspired by actors who fully commit to a character and allow openness and vulnerability to come through in their performance.  Allowing one's self to be "ugly" on stage, and truly bare it all by allowing us in, creates a connection and experience that an audience member will never forget.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I would love to work with Stephen Schwartz.  I LOVED Wicked, and Princess Pals is in that realm of what happens before/after the story we all know.  I'm currently working on a musical, and I know that Princess Pals could easily be turned into a wonderful musical.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Wicked.  I have always loved the music, and I was blown away by the production.  Also, Matilda.  It's not just for kids.  Also a fantastic show.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I envision a Matthew Perry playing me...throw in a little Matt Damon, and I think that combo will work!  The movie would be called: "Try and Keep Up"

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I really wanted to see Beauty and the Beast.  I heard wonderful things, and I love the Disney movie.  (I'm noticing a theme here!)

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?:  XBox.  I LOVE video games.  I'm kind of obsessed with the Fable series.  In Fable 3, after you become king, the second half is about your rule.  (Yep, there's a theme.  I think I was born in the wrong era.)

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Teaching. Being a kid myself, I love children.  I love to see them learn and grow and find new ways to think and be.  I would have loved an energetic teacher who was passionate and involved in the arts and always challenging me to be something more, especially as a very young student.  I find I would break the mold and really incorporate theater into each class, making it fun and interesting and worthwhile.

What’s up next?: The fundraiser for The Center is my big project right now.  I'm doing a reading of Princess Pals with an artist mixer and raffle to raise money for LGBT youth in the arts.  I want to bring awareness to the LGBT community and the youth within it who need to be nurtured and inspired, all while bringing the community of artists together to network and help push their projects forward and to where even the creators didn't see where it could go.  Then I want to put my musical, Lonely Moon, on Broadway and my screenplay, "Imaginary", in theaters.

The Rise and Fall of...Lyndsey Anderson

Name: Lyndsey Anderson          

Hometown: The simple answer is I’m a Southern girl with a Midwest adolescence and a Brooklyn adulthood.  

Education: B.A. Theatre, B.A. English: Indiana University

Favorite Credits: Lonesome Devil at Cloud City, Pizza Man (Austin Pendleton, dir.) Let Him Eat Steak at The Barrow Group Theatre

Tell us about Bread Arts Collective: We’re MacGuyver artists. Give us four clip lights, a guitar and some rope and we’ll give you a show. BREAD is a band of smart, sexy clowns with important issues on our brains and we want to party with YOU.

Tell us about Rise and Fall: Rise and Fall is a punk-speed, Bacchanalian party-show about the fate of Jimmy Gallagher and his Alaska Boys colliding with a trio of thieves at the newly-established bar, The Wealthy Fucker.

Why Rise and Fall now?: It’s an excellent time, especially here in New York City, to examine the rising trend of privilege: do whatever you want as long as you’ve got the money. This whole “best view that money can buy” philosophy is worth examining and, ultimately, worth discrediting.

What is it like to be a part of Rise and Fall and Bread Arts Collective?: It feels wonderful to know how you want to spend your time and to discover people who want to spend their time in exactly the same way.

Why should we come see Rise and Fall?: Come for the entertainment, stay for the community.

For more on Lyndsey, visit www.lyndseyanderson.com. For more on Bread Arts Collective, visit www.breadartscollective.com

Spotlight On...Penny Jackson

Name: Penny Jackson

Hometown: New York City

Education: Barnard College, BA English. Columbia University, MA English.

Favorite Credits: I Know What Boys Want (Lions Theater, Theater Row, Ego Actus Producers) Going Up (International Dublin Gay Theater Festival, 91 Central Productions).

Why theater?: Because theater can create social change and make people think. I love that theater is a community with the actors, playwright, director and the audience. Everyone is involved. Films seem not to have that same connection.

What inspired you to write We Were Very Merry: Edna Saint Vincent Millay is one of my favorite poets, and the female poet who won the Pulitzer for her plays as well. She was also a bisexual bohemian: fearless and a truly modern women of the times. I'm very interested in the writing process, so this play is about how she composed one of her most famous poems, "Recurerdo." She also has to juggle two love affairs, one with a man, and another with a woman, and deal with a journalist who believe she, along with Oscar Willde, are decadent criminals. A lot to fit in ten pages, but I have a fantastic actress who plays Edna Mary Monahan, and one of my favorite directors, Glory Chadian

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: My director, Joan Kane of Ego Actus inspires me to write every play. She pushes me further and further into what really matters in the world today. The kind of theater that speaks to you is one that is filled with complex characters and compelling stories. I am a little tired of plays about young people living in Brooklyn who can't figure out what to do with their lives. I love plays with passion - A Long Day's Journey Into Night still makes me just dissolve in tears. I also love theater that makes you think. Tom Stoppard assumes his audience is as smart as he is, and creates the most brilliant female characters in theater. Arcadia is still a classic. And of course Lillian Hellman's The Children's Hour about the power of lies.

If you could work with anyone you  have yet to work with, who would it be?: I would do anything to have Mark Rylance, the greatest living stage actor in the world, star in one of my plays.  That is my greatest theater dream.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Iceman Cometh which is now at BAM. Wolf Hall because I'm obsessed with the very naughty Henry the 8th and I adore the Hilary Mantel novels.. The Nether now playing at The Lucille Lortel theater. A brilliant and terrifying play of the future by Jennifer Haley.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Although she's British, I love Emma Thompson. She is a brilliant actress who is also a writer. My film, I suppose, because of my name, would be titled "Penny Lane."

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: The original production of My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews.

What 's your biggest guilty pleasure?: Tennis. I love watching Rafa Nadel! I'm also a huge World Cup Fan, and kind of lost contact with friends because I was glued to the t.v. set watching all the matches in Brazil.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would ____?: I love to travel. It's the gypsy in me.

Whats up next?: My new production of I Know What Boys Want, directed by Joan Kane and produced at Ego Actus, July 16th to August 2nd, at The Lion Theater at Theater Row, 410 We 442nd street. This is an exciting restating of an earlier sold-out production, and I'm thrilled that I will have the opportunity for new audiences to see this very timely play about cyber-bullying, privacy, feminism and female empowerment.

Review: The Complications of Time Travel

I think we all have a fantasy of traveling through time. To explore a time you wish you lived in. To see the future. To go back to that one moment you want to do over. Whatever it is, it’s a fun concept to explore. In Mim Granahan’s Making History, a scientist restarts a failed time machine project that alters his life when his work is a success.
Mim Granahan's wildly chaotic yet fascinating script Making History follows Patrick Tyler as he develops a time machine that actually works and severely alters the lives all he touches when he gets stuck in the past and amends his future. Patrick, who has a family in the present, ends up starting a family in the past. When he is finally able to return to the present, he discovers that the only way to make his life right is to travel back and forth to the 80s to keep both families. Granahan has a script that is engaging but to put it bluntly, it’s in the wrong medium. Making History is a script that requires attention to detail and a budget that will allow for the nuances to shine. And for that, Making History wants to live on film. Transform it into a screenplay and it becomes endearing and Patrick can jump from world to world with the magic of cinematography. In its current state, the time travel doesn't quite land and comes off as lackluster. Granahan has a brilliant conceit by blending the parallel times, but with the limitations in production, it looks messy. Regardless of the medium, the script needs a little clarity. The timeline was quite complicated and took time to comprehend. The rules of the world seemed ever changing. Perhaps it takes that keen sci-fi mind to quickly grasp, but finding a simple way for the average person to catch on could work in the pieces advantage. The morals that Granahan offers is something that is heart-warming, but with a cheesy execution, it doesn’t quite resonate.

photo courtesy of Cary Davis 

To make history, a large ensemble is necessary to live in the two times. As the link to the worlds, Patrick Tyler needs to be strong. As Patrick, Cory Boughton was out of his element. The role is a mammoth part, spanning an abundance of control even when losing it. Boughton was lost in his own world. Thankfully he had some help to ground him. As usual, leave it to the bumbling sidekicks to steal the spotlight. And Making History brought you two! In the present it was Adam Files as Freddie and in the past it was Rob Brown as Alvin. Files and Brown were radically different types of scientist and yet perfectly acted as a sidekick. Files brought a nerdy cool aura to Freddie. The young gun scientist was one of the strongest in the pack. Brown’s Alvin was that old-school comedic mad scientist that offered some brilliant moments. Though she seemed more 70s than 80s, Melissa Roth as Ione, Patrick’s bride in the 80s, gave a solid performance. Amy Overman was firm in her portrayal as future daughter Harmony. In the present, Mim Granahan and Erik Olson played wife and son Donna and Charlie. Granahan didn’t have much chemistry with Boughton and seemed to have a different acting style compared to the rest of the ensemble. Olson gave a youthful excitement to Charlie. Alexandra Cremer as the mysterious and devious Agent Pullman had a Jane Curtin-esque intrigue, holding back until a big plot twist.
Director Eric Chase took a giant script and did everything possible to simplify it due to limitations. Chase had some brilliant moments in staging where the two time periods existed simultaneously. But due to the limitations of the set and lighting capabilities, all of the pieces lived in all the worlds taking away from the time travel aspect. It was a smart choice to keep the momentum consistent and slamming into each scene, but maybe a slightly mobile set would have been a dynamic addition. The sound design by Justin Plowman fit the world brilliantly. From the soundtrack of the 80s that brings you into the start of the play to the insanely important sound effects with the time machine, Plowman’s work was a huge factor into keeping the piece together.
There’s something special about Making History. With a little bit of tightening and a cleaner vision, Making History could be a fun sci-fi piece. But without the magic of theater, Dysfunctional Theatre Company’s Making History doesn’t quite theatrical make history.

Spotlight On...Lisa Jill Anderson

Name: Lisa Jill Anderson

Hometown: Riverside, CA

Education: BFA in Acting, Brooklyn College

Select Credits: Ken Urban's Nibbler (Stable Cable - directed by Stephen Brackett); Kristoffer Diaz's Julia & Eric  (Rattlestick Theaterjam Festival); Kim Davies' The Love of Richard Nixon; Emily Daly's Barter (Stable Cable/Redrum Theater in DC).

Why theater: Because the people are smart, crazy and fun, and they don’t judge you for having a therapist.

Who do you play in Live From the Surface of the Moon?: I play Holly Phelps, a meek and achingly single young woman who has moved from small-town Ohio to the grand old city of Cleveland for a fresh start. She loves Jim Morrison, admires the poet Thomas Hardy, and when she’s not working as a secretary or part-time babysitter, she enjoys doing some writing of her own. In the course of the play, she happily attends a small party to watch the U.S. moon landing on television where she hopes to make some new friends, but finds herself in a precarious situation.

Tell us about Live From the Surface of the Moon: Live From The Surface Of The Moon, written and directed by the brilliant Max Baker, takes place over the course of two epic nights in 1969 — the night Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon, and New Year’s Eve. The play is distinctly set in the late sixties, but the gender roles and dynamics between the six characters are dangerously relevant and comparable to our society today.  Expect tears, laughter and ::spoiler alert:: pee.

What is it like being a part of Live From the Surface of the Moon?: The process has been great because the ensemble has had the opportunity to develop the script and characters with Max since September, prior to our intensive rehearsal process leading up to the production at The Wild Project in April. Max guided us through some fantastic exercises (including a 60-minute improv in which he brought in some authentic 1960s board games!!!), and many of the discoveries we made in this portion of the process have influenced the characters’ voices and the shape of the play. Max brings such a generous and collaborative spirit into every rehearsal and leaves so much room for the actors to explore. Now that the script has a pretty definitive shape and we’re gearing up for the production, the work we did in the developmental portion of the process has provided us with such a strong foundation to connect with these characters and each other.

What kind of theater speaks to you?  What or who inspires you as an artist?: Anything that takes risks and bends the rules of what is conventional, safe or expected. Elevator Repair Service. All the companies dedicated to producing new work by playwrights who are breaking conventions and taking risks. Mark Jackson (the theater-maker, not the basketball player, although I’m sure he’s great too).

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Right now, I’d have to say Karla in Halley Feiffer’s A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Gynecologic Oncology Unit At Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Of New York City is on the top of that list.

What’s your favorite showtune?: I’m not a huge showtunes gal but when I was eight I really liked to sing-a-long to “Easy Street” from Annie.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Mark Jackson. Sheila Callaghan.  Halley Feiffer.  There are too many more to list so I’ll stick with those three for now.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: It would be a docudrama that incorporated all of my AOL instant messenger transcripts from my teenage years called “He Dumped Me On Aim”.  My dear friend Collin McConell would play me.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Rattlestick’s production of The Aliens by Annie Baker.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Woodsman.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Hot cheetos and potty humor.

What’s up next?: A reading of Inappropriate Sexual Relations by Ken Urban.

The Rise and Fall of...Kelly Klein

Name: Kelly Klein

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Education: Bachelor of Liberal Arts, Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts

Favorite Credits: Anne Frank in The Diary Of Anne Frank (national tour with Barter Theatre); Maura in “Taking Woodstock” (Dir. Ang Lee); Katy in “Nurse Jackie” (upcoming, Lifetime); Meredith Webster in Let Him Eat Steak (Barrow Group, written by fellow slice Lyndsey Anderson); Sammy in Hooker Raft (Dead Herring, written and directed by fellow slice Ben Lewis).

Tell us about Bread Arts Collective: We are a group of multi-disciplinary and talented individuals who also happen to be long-time collaborators and friends. We wanted to create a collective that fostered each of our creative ambitions while simultaneously building our artistic community. We flirted with the idea of forming for years and finally, with our last production of Lonesome Devil at Cloud City in Brooklyn, we decided it was time.

Tell us about Rise and Fall: The show is a big party and everyone is invited! The story is about a group of criminals on-the-run who decide to stop in their tracks and create a new, perfect society. Thus, paradise is born! But then Jimmy Gallagher and his chorus of Alaskan cowboys roll into town and deconstruct what this utopia is really all about: money. With original tunes by Andrew Lynch and inventive direction by Eric Powell Holm, Rise & Fall is truly a unique evening not-to-be-missed.

Why Rise and Fall now?: I say why not? I was approached about the People Lounge residency by my friend Alyson Viva of Play These Records and I knew right away that Rise & Fall would be a perfect fit. It's immersive, sexy, provoking and, most of all, a raucous good time. BREAD proposed the project to People Lounge owner Heinz Liu, he accepted, and the rest is history. It's like the universe was telling us: OK, you think you're ready for this? Then do it!

What is it like to be a part of Rise and Fall and Bread Arts Collective?: It's a dream come true. To work with my dear friends, to stretch our limits of creativity, and to work out challenges together is a wonderful gift. I love having a community where my ability to act, direct, write, and produce is trusted and encouraged.

Why should we come see Rise and Fall?: You will have a blast! You will leave moved, happy, a bit pensive, and definitely tipsy! And we have a party after. And it's cheap! Actually, there's no reason why you shouldn't come see it.

For more, visit http://www.breadartscollective.com/upcoming.html

Spotlight On...Max Baker

Name: Max Baker

Hometown: London

Education: I received grants and scholarships, so I have no student debt

Favorite Credits: I love the credits at the end of "A Clockwork Orange"

Why theater?: My father was an actor. It seems a very natural place for me to be.

Tell us about Live From the Surface of the Moon: It's set in the living room of Don and Carol's blue collar home in Cleveland in July and December of 1969.  It's about people behaving in the ways people do when the biggest event of human history is on TV
and there's meatloaf in the oven.

What inspired you to write and direct Live From the Surface of the Moon?: I'm often inspired by conspiracy theories but I cant say for certain that was the case here. Maybe. Probably.  After all, did we ever really land on the moon? When asked to work with Stable Cable Lab, I asked if I could direct because I've only worked with a handful of directors I trust and they already have jobs.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: The theatre that speaks to me is one that recognizes that each night is it's own event. That the energy of production and audience is unique to each performance. Theatre where the actor is given the chance to harness the collective energy, and the audience feel the night is special. Theatre for me is about time.  Mike Leigh is a huge inspiration. But I can't discount everyone I've met and all the plays I've ever seen.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: My ego wants to work with Richard Kind, my super-ego wants to work with Julianne Moore and my id wants be in a Paul Thomas Anderson film.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I enjoyed Rasheeda Speaking at The New Group very much.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Yesterday it would have been called The Muller,  Today The Talker, tomorrow will be Wednesday.  I think Jena Malone would make a good Max Baker.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: A night of vaudeville.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Working in TV or film probably

What’s up next?: Live From the Surface of the Moon runs April 2-11 at The Wild Project

For more on Live From the Surface of the Moon, visit www.stablecablelabco.org

Blog Hijack- The Influences of Kapow-i GoGo

We let Kapow-i GoGo mastermind Matt Cox take over Theater in the Now to give you a peek inside his mind and the influences the powerpacked Kapow-i GoGo.

A list of the 5 most influential pieces of very nerdy things that lead to the creation of Kapow-i GoGo

by Matt Cox

I have often described Kapow-i GoGo as a play that my 14 year old self would have loved. There’s lots of silly references to all of the things I was a big fan of growing up. During the writing process, I revisited a lot of media from my childhood. From a 26 year old perspective, I was happy to learn that HEY! I had some pretty solid tastes. I also had some very terrible taste, and we won’t talk about those things here. (I’m looking at you "Mac & Me") Many of my favorite things are now considered true classics within their respective genres. ("Mac & Me" is not one of them.)

It also dawned on me that these video games/ television shows/ movies sort of paved the way for the way I write today. So, I thought I would peel back the curtain and let you all take a look back at the particular episodes/ films/ video games that really brought Kapow-i GoGo to life over the years. Or in our current case, her Extra Life!

Honorable Mentions:

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Final Fantasy VI, VIII, IX, X & Chrono Trigger

David Gemmel’s Drenai Saga

Pokémon Red/ Blue

Dragon Ball Z: Episode 95 “Transformed at Last”

I think I was 10 the first time I saw this. The story as it stands- Goku, our hero, is fighting against the terrifying Frieza, a galactic conqueror who has done a whole lot of bad things. It’s looking like there’s no way the good guys can win. Then things get worse and Frieza kills everyone’s favorite bald guy, Krillin. This sends Goku over the edge and he transforms. What does he transform into you may ask? A little thing called a Super Saiyan.

Super Saiyans would become a norm on the show as it went on, but man. The first time it ever happened my mind was blown. Stakes were raised. Character designs got cooler. And it gave me a whole bunch of new options for those characters I had been drawing in my little notebook. Upping the ante brings new life. The whole status quo changed and it made the show so much more interesting.

Star Wars: Episode VI “Return of the Jedi”

Listen, I know. We can all agree that Empire is a better movie. I know. But growing up I was all about the then final chapter of Star Wars. Ewoks are cute. I owned stuffed ones that my parents bought me after we rode the MGM studios ride in Orlando. And there’s Admiral Ackbar. He’s great! Whatever he is.

But the thing I loved the most was always the epic Emperor/ Vader/ Luke scenes. They hold up! They really do. Ian Mcdiarmid’s awesome performance as Emperor Palpatine is so great. The final battle is really cool. Force Lightning? Yeah, I enjoy that.

That weird CGI creature added in for the Special Editions who sings a weird song? That, I think we could all do without.

Reboot: Season 3, Episode 4 “Game Over”

I imagine most people don’t remember/ never saw/ will never care about REBOOT. It was this super weird cgi show with a bunch of adventures that took place inside of a computer. It’s very difficult to explain. The early episodes are fun and quirky but nothing too memorable. It was a very kiddy show.

But in the third season, it moved away from it’s network, ABC, and grew up a whole lot in the episodes that followed. The main character, Bob, was betrayed and stranded far away leaving our young hero Enzo in charge of protecting their city, Mainframe. We watched this kid go from spunky child to competent protector over the course of the first few episodes. Then, in the 4th episode, Enzo finds himself in a normal situation. He has to play a computer game against ‘The User.’ If he wins (as they always did) everyone is safe and fine. If he loses (as they never did) he and lots of other people are basically killed. In this episode he ends up in a Mortal Kombat style game.

Long story short, Enzo gets his eye stabbed out and then he loses.

Teenage Matt was super shocked and LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT. Enzo managed to escape, stranding him far away from his home. The following episodes jumped ahead to Enzo being an adult. The quirky spazzy kid was suddenly this badass renegade named Matrix. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE SHOW WAS DIFFERENT. Thinking about it now, I still love it. This is actually a huge influence on Kapow-i. The jumps in time and the idea of a kids show radically aging up are straight from Reboot.

Dragon Ball Z: Episode 191 “Save The World”

The end of the Cell Games saga. The one where Gohan beats Cell. This was one of the last episodes of Dragonball Z I watched before I grew out of it. (It was a while after before the next arc aired on Toonami.) But man, is it epic.

The spirit of the show, and the reason it’s such a world wide phenomenon, all come together in this episode. They overcome the odds, the former bad guy saves the day learning a valuable lesson about himself, the kid believes in himself, believes in his friends, believes in creating a better world, and the hero makes the greatest sacrifice. The list goes on. It’s all just great. And It’s also all over Kapow-i.

Final Fantasy VII

One summer a family friend of mine introduced me to Final Fantasy VII. I was immediately obsessed. It was one of the first stories I ever really loved. It’s huge. It’s long. It’s epic in every sense of the word. From the incredible soundtrack, to the overly large weaponry, the cast of fascinating characters, and a story that twists and turns and takes you all over the world map, Final Fantasy VII is what lies at the heart of Kapow-i’s inspiration. The show took off in it’s original run at #serials@TheFlea when I realized I could use this play to make some homages to one of my favorite things.

For every 10 people who love it on the internet, there’s another 5 who hate it and will send you death threats for liking it. (Or something like that.) I think that is the general grounds for something being a classic. So if you find yourself with around 70 hours, dust off the old Playstation and give it a spin.

Or you can just watch this video of the whole thing in five minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqdFt49s8KI

But don’t worry! Along with all of that silliness, there’s lot’s of other jokes in Kapow-i that don’t require viewings of full series or playthroughs of entire games. I like to think there’s something that will appeal to everyone.

In the end, It’s just my attempt to give everyone a chance to go on an adventure.

Kapow-i GoGo upcoming dates (All at The PIT)
PART ONE: Kapow-i GoGo Gooo!- Tuesday, March 24th 9:30
PART TWO: Kapow-i GoGo Z- Saturday, April 4th 11:00
MARATHON: The entire Kapow-i GoGo Epic in one night- Saturday, April 18th 8:00

Shameless Plug: HOURS Left to Donate to Rhapsody Collective

Hi friends, family, theater artists, and loyal fans of Theater in the Now!

My theater company, Rhapsody Collective, is merely HOURS away from ending our Indiegogo campaign and we are looking for some heroes! In less than a month, we will be premiering six brand new plays developed and created by the members of Cycle 3. Rhapsody Collective has brought together six directors, six playwrights, two dramaturgs, and a little over thirty actors to bring these amazing new works to life. To make these plays the best that they can be, we are looking for contributions and donations in our final hours. I hope you will consider donating to our campaign and join us for our plays in April. I am extremely proud of the work we have accomplished and I can't wait to share them with the world! The link to donate is below:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rhapsody-collective-cycle-3/x/187288

thank you for your consideration,

Michael Block

Spotlight On...Rob Lester

Name: Rob Lester.

Hometown: I’m a native New Yorker.

Education: Mostly the School of Hard Knocks and a small college in Little Italy called Whatsamatta U.  Seriously, my college work was in a few stages of fits and starts and stops, some loose ends not tied up when I got tied up in working for a living in my chosen field between semesters and then stopping again and again.  I did take a lot of theatre and music classes in a few different places in New York State. Mostly my education came from work experience.

Favorite Credits: I’m the writer of the story, the script, the lyrics, and the original music for all the shows presented by the theatre company called PLAY NICE! Productions.  I also direct the shows.  We’re finishing up the run of The Half-Ring Circus  March 21 at Room 53 (314 West 53 Street) and March 22 at West End Lounge at 107 Street & West End Avenue in Manhattan with 2:00 matinees. I enjoy working solo, but really love to collaborate, too, especially on songs.  One of my most prestigious partners was a rather famous man whose music I got to write lyrics to.  Unfortunately, he passed away rather young.  His name was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  You see, I was commissioned to write English lyrics based loosely on ideas originally in songs of his first  opera.  It would be intimidating to try to set words to Mozart, but this is a little opera he wrote as an adolescent, and is very lighthearted, so I took the dare.  Nowadays, my most satisfying credits and work are in putting together songs and shows that have some meaning and communicate the positive, inclusive messages that our PLAY NICE! company has as its core and to see people be moved by the work.  But my funnybone is never too much hidden.

Why theater?: What else is there?  I mean, it’s the greatest communicator and can include all the other arts and fosters teamwork and common goals.  And it’s fun.

What inspired you to write and direct The Half-Ring Circus?: Originally, in the previous century, it was just one more job I was asked to do in summer theatre.  A company was doing a one-act opera about a circus and wanted an original one-act musical comedy to fill out the bill.  So, I wrote a pretty cartoony piece about another circus, as requested.  Some directors take direction well.  This new version is expanded and more realistic and has a serious side, without giving up the humor.  I attended a benefit—a variety show-- called Robin’s Nest  to raise money for www.HelpUsAdopt.org, a group that gives grants to people of all kinds who want to adopt a child, but have exhausted their other sources and roads, but have been approved in home studies.  The singers told their personal stories about adopting or being adopted.  I was very moved and wanted to make adoption the theme of my next production.  I rewrote the play significantly to make it about not a group of unrelated people who worked at a circus and functioned somewhat like a family or team, but made them literally a family--- blended biological relations and adoptees of a few generations.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I like all kinds – as long as it isn’t pretentious and pedantic.  My heart will always be with musical theater.  Since theatre company gives 100% of its ticket sales income to charities and our shows all have themes that are life-affirming and are about integrity and kindness, it attracts people who are willing to volunteer to make that happen and have goals outside themselves.  All our company members who care enough to do that and put in the work for this higher goal inspire me every day to keep going.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: It’s a long, long list.  There is talent and energy that attract me, and fame is seductive.  But I want to work with anyone who shares our goals, whether that be one of our celebrity guest stars in a show or benefit concert --- we raise money for production expenses that way between shows—or a dedicated raw talent just starting out.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: My other job is being a reviewer, so I am regularly on record recommending shows to friends and strangers, as well as suggesting what to avoid.  It’s a way of life.  Writing to unseen people considering attending shows as if those people were friends is a writing style that can work in my head.  And feel more real than Facebook friends.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I think it would be an animated cartoon and it would be called “The Right Rewrite” because it’s all about revising and learning and finding the ideal blend of elements.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I absolutely love and respect the traditional classic musicals and read about it voraciously and collect every cast album imaginable and unimaginable.  Although I have seen films and revivals of many, I’d love to see the originals with the original casts, like the Rodgers & Hammerstein shows and star-making vehicles, like Ethel Merman stopping the show in her first role in the Gershwins’ Girl Crazy in 1930 and lots of shows there is scant evidence of – no recording, no published songs—associated with later-famous greats.  It would be a long trip in the time machine.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: There is no pun too silly, no novelty song too loopy, no trashy Hollywood movie too campy, and no French fry too crisp.  No ice cream flavor or theatre angel too rich.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: I would be unfulfilled with more free time to be filled, and on the outside looking in.  I prefer to be on the inside with things looking up.

What’s up next?:  We’ll do a staged reading of an Easter-related show and then a couple more musicals.  All our shows have intergenerational casts and we are always welcoming new talent.  People who want to know more than that can simply email me at onthejobrob at Gmail.com and we’ll take it from there.  Thanks for asking!

The Rise and Fall of...Andrew Lynch

Name: Andrew Lynch

Hometown: Minneapolis

Education: Beloit College, and the School of Life!

Favorite Credits: Lloyd in "The Disappearing Man" by Jahn Sood, and all things 3 Sticks including; "Vestige," "Paper Plane," and "Le Gourmand or GLUTTONY!"    

Tell us about Bread Arts Collective: Bread is people I love, and that's the secret.    

Tell us about Rise and Fall: Rise and Fall is so fast and fun that you hardly notice the medicine.  But it's in there alright.

Why Rise and Fall now?: Because the rent is too damn high, etc.

What is it like to be a part of Rise and Fall and Bread Arts Collective?: It's like I'm wandering around a dark, desolate wasteland with only a modest torch in my hand.  And I'm all, why am I even holding this modest torch?  In a dark, desolate wasteland of all places?  That's ridiculous.  But then I see like ten other people all wandering around the dark, desolate wasteland holding modest torches in their hands too.  Now we all do it together, and we burn a little brighter.      

Why should we come see Rise and Fall?: I was fortunate to see this show before I was in it, and it's one of my favorite shows.  Some theatre feels like a lazy ride on a merry-go-round, and you're all yawning and shit.  This ain't that.  This is a tight rope, death defying, roller coaster to hell kind of show.  Are you not entertained?

Spotlight On...Lisi DeHaas

Name: Lisi DeHaas

Hometown: New York, New York

Education: BA in Theater and Dance from Amherst College. Tamalpa Institute, Anna Halprin Life/Art process. Warner Bros Writers Workshop/One-Hour Drama.

Favorite Credits: Solo-performance: Et Tu Barbie, Recipe For Grief, Studly. Plays: Three Ring, Balloon Man and Cat Lady, Minerva.

Why theater?: I crave the intimacy of creative collaboration. I am shy so prefer to share my truth and hear other’s truth in relative safety of a theater. I believe in the magical transformation of strangers into community as they see a show together.  I love the ritual of sharing what matters to us in each other’s presence. The mysterious persistence of that desire is comforting to my soul.

Tell us about Leave Me Green: Leave Me Green explores the relationships among a group of New Yorkers touched by loss. It takes place in the winter of 2009 in New York City: when Gay marriage was not yet legal in New York. It centers on Rebecca Green, and her son Gus, who have just lost their third family member, Inez, to the war in Iraq. It addresses issues I have written and performed about over the last two decades: gender and sexual identity, how the personal is political, GLBT rights- specifically marriage equality and the importance of speaking openly about our families. It’s a good old American “kitchen sink” drama. It’s a story about a non-traditional family struggling with grief, in a traditional dramatic container.

What inspired you to write Leave Me Green?: Leave Me Green, is a dramatic reflection of my worst fears. What if I lost my life partner and was left a single parent? What if grief overcame me and I became an active alcoholic? What if my son felt betrayed by not knowing the origins of his birth story? The play formed out of my recent experience mourning three sudden deaths in my family, one of which left my nephew without his mother. As I struggled with my own grief, and my family’s grief, writing the play became an affirmation of the fullness of life. It was in and of itself a practice, a commitment to living.

What kind of theatre speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theatre that isn’t afraid to get personally political in service of the greater good.  Lisa Kron’s, Well, Fun Home. Doug Wright’s I am My Own Wife. Suzan Lori Parks, Father Comes Home From The Wars. I like theatre that is physical, embodied, an emotional journey for the performers and the audience. I loved the Anne Washburn and the Civilians', Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play. I love virtuosic spectacle. Musicals. Melodrama. Theatre of the Absurd. Drag. Transformation. Catharsis.  Work that opens our mind and heart simultaneously.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I would love to study playwriting with Paula Vogel, Marsha Norman, Kara Lee Corthran. I’d also love to work with The Civilians and Anne Bogart & SITI company. Also Bill T. Jones. I love his artistic activism and community based work especially. He’s a hero of mine.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Fun Home. Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play. Father Comes Home from The Wars.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Connie Britton. “The Prodigal Redhead.”

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed what would it be?: The original 1957 production of West Side Story because my dance teacher/musical theatre guru Lee Theodore played Anybodys.

What is your biggest guilty pleasure?: New York City Diner cake. Multiple layers. Excessive frosting.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Miserable

What’s up next?: Back to writing my next play.  One day at a time.

For more on Leave Me Green, visit www.facebook.com/leavemegreen

Review: Manipulation 101

by Michael Block

Emotions can take a toll on a person’s decision making. The mind can play tricks when you become attached to an idea of someone or something. A gut reaction can alter the lives of others, sometimes for the best, other times, not so much. In Battalion Theatre’s production of Erica Lipez’s clever dramady The Tutors, the lives of three twenty-somethings are examined as the titular characters take on their biggest challenge: themselves.
The Tutors follows roommates, web entrepreneurs, and tutors Joe, Toby, and Heidi as they deal with three separate entities that control their every waking move. When Milo, a bratty rich kid blackmails his dual tutors Joe and Toby, a chain reaction of emotions is set off revising relationships. Heidi, who has turned into a homebody with a client turned imaginary friend, tries to regain her sanity from her isolated state. The Tutors, a piece that has rightly found life in New York, is an exceptional script that is poignant and engaging. It’s a wonderful examination on longing and companionship. Director Gadi Rubin uses a barebones set that worked for storytelling. While the design by Kyu Shin looked more thrown together than connected, the simplicity allowed for the story to remain a focal point. As far as staging goes, Rubin’s use of the trio of revolving doors was a useful and strong approach. With such abnormal architecture to navigate, using the doors to their advantage made them part of the world. Rubin’s approach to the script was interesting. There were moments that the felt drawn out that slowed the piece down, losing the impact of the more intimate moments. But when Rubin and his cast found the nuances of Lipez’s script, they were fantastic. Despite some plot mishaps, Rubin’s vision for the piece was quite strong.
The five piece ensemble did a fine job discovering the characters in Lipez’s world. Kullan Edberg was perfect as lost Heidi. Sure her character was borderline Harper Pitt, but Edberg's reality factor was powerful. Edberg had a charm about her that made her plot line a great central focus. Giving the arrogant yet captivating Joe depth, Dan Gonon had an ease about him on stage. Gonon’s Joe was the glue that kept the characters together, shockingly despite the character’s calculating nature. With Gonon’s likeability so strong, you could see why the other characters were drawn to him. Both Milo and Joe are emotional manipulators but use two very drastic tactics. Michael Greehan as Milo lacked the age believability, which truly diminished the impact of age and power. The character is rich, literally and metaphorically, but Greehan’s monotonous approach detracted from the strength and command he had at times. As Toby, Gerrit Thurston was either so natural or so forced, that his performance came off as a bit strategic. Toby is quite possibly the most put together and sane characters but Thurston’s pining for Joe, a critical aspect of his character, was lacking. That being said, Toby’s care and admiration aided in Thurston’s strongest moments on stage.
Battalion Theatre’s production of The Tutors is overall quite strong. Though choosing a script with an already established New York life over a new work is a bummer, this show is still worth checking out.

The Rise and Fall of...Giverny Petitmermet

Name: Giverny Petitmermet

Hometown: San Diego, Ca

Education: BFA in Acting/minor in Art History from Boston University

Favorite Credits: The Witches (The New Collectives), The Burning House (dir. Gina Rattan), and Wake (Aisling Arts)

Tell us about Bread Arts Collective: We are a group of theatre artists that have all worked together though the years. We finally decided to make the collaboration official. Our goal is to do good work, with people we love, and maybe make some dough.

Tell us about Rise and Fall: This piece started as a Columbia MFA in directing project of Eric Powell Holm. We threw the first production together in 6 days. So it had a wild, fly by the seat of your pants feeling to it. Despite any feelings of doubt, it all came together, and the audience loved it. The positive response led us to remount the show a few times, one night only sort of affairs. And now, here we are, at People Lounge, giving it a proper run.

Why Rise and Fall now?: Why not? It's a fun show, in a fun space, we have fun doing it and the audience has fun watching it.

What is it like to be a part of Rise and Fall and Bread Arts Collective?: It has been interesting seeing how Rise and Fall has grown, changed and morphed over the years. It's nice to have a piece to come back to and visit, like and old friend. Being part of BREAD is lovely. It is a gift to be able to do work with people you love and respect. It can be trying to make decisions as a group of 11, but this is a great group with which to figure it out.

Why should we come see Rise and Fall?: It's fun. It's a party. It thrives on a full audience. Butts in seats is a great thing.

For more on Giverny, visit http://www.givernypetitmermet.com/

Review: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

by Michael Block

We all have fears. Whether we acknowledge them or not, they exist deep within us. Facing our fears, that’s the challenge. In Cory Finley’s hauntingly electrifying The Feast, an artist’s psyche is put to the test as he’s haunted by the unknown creatures that may live in the pipes in his toilet.
Matt, a young artist in New York, finds his life crumbling in front of his eyes as his girlfriend is cheating on him, his career isn’t quite budding, and there are strange noises coming from within his toilet. The Feast is a darkly absurd thriller about fear and the unknown. From scene to scene, Finley gives us clues and hints as to what exactly Matt is or isn’t hearing. On paper, you may laugh at the conceit but Finley knows how to keep the audience engaged and spooked. Sure, there are moments of hilarity, but his play of reality is what keeps the piece moving. Finley layers his script with subtle jabs at art and the fears artists have. The characters that exist in The Feast are quite thin. They fit certain roles and hit certain plot points that are necessary for a thriller. But what The Feast lacks in character substance it greatly makes up for in excitement. What director Courtney Ulrich and Finley do well is keep the fear factor at an extreme. With clever staging techniques at the ready, Ulrich is able to spook and scare with the greatest of ease.

photo courtesy of Bjorn Bolinder

Playing Matt, the man with a sense of the unreal is Ivan Dolido. Dolido had an extraordinary task of carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Dolido kept up the intrigue as you followed along his bizarre journey. As an assortment of characters that infiltrate Matt’s mind, Donaldo Prescod kept it varied and interesting. From a plumber to psychologist, to the other man, Prescod balanced the real and unreal quite well. As girlfriend Anna, Marlowe Holden was charming. Holden’s Anna was strong and had nice chemistry with Dolido.
To create the world, scenic designer Andrew Diaz used every inch of the long space to create an apartment. And Ulrich used it to her advantage. The ambiance crafted by lighting designer Scot Gianelli was eerie, especially as the world become more absurd. When the meaning of the feast is finally revealed, things get weird in all the right ways. Hints at the arrival of the sewer creatures mean the fun is about to begin. Like every thriller, a storm means a blackout and a blackout means impending doom. With the lights out, Ulrich uses some tricks for a wonderful swap-out and a scream-fest final moment. If the goal was to scare the audience in the end, Ulrich and Finley went above and beyond. Playing upon the fears of those sitting in the audience added an incredible aspect to an already exciting night at the theater. I couldn’t help but smile knowing something was coming from the darkness.
The Feast is a thriller that lets the absurd excel. For those thrill-seekers out there, this one’s for you. Whether you like it or not, the end will stay with you, perhaps even haunt you for nights to come.

Review: One Last Fight

by Michael Block

No one likes when a good thing comes to an end. But all series have to find a way to wrap their journey up nicely. And Kapow-i GoGo, Matt Cox’s epic series, is no different. In the finale, our hero Kapow-i GoGo finds herself, once again again, having to save the world from the forces of evil. Only this time, it’s a family affair.
In the final episodes of Kapow-i GoGo, evil has completely taken over and life, as we knew it, is no more. The reign of Madame Blood has put the entire world in turmoil and the blissful life Kapow-i had is over after her wife, Queen Cloudberry, and daughter, Giggle GoGo, are kidnapped. To stop Madame Blood and her evil minions including the two-faced jester Koffley, Kapow-i assembles a team of avenge-seeking foes and allies from her past, to rescue her loves and save the world, again again. Cox’s third part cleverly gives nods and pays homage to his origin. But keeping things fresh while trying to neatly find an end was not as clean as the previous two parts. Regardless, the final part of Kapow-i GoGo is still a blast. As in the progression from part 1 to part 2, the darkness factor has increased once again. The colorful world goes dark, as does the plot. You thought death was a theme in part 2, the end of nearly every character is found in part 3 including many fan favorites. Cox allows these characters to go out poetically though. The most poetic and heroic is the aww-inducing Mr. Smiles. As the end drew nearer, sentimentality took over and storylines were neatly tied and the cheers were still as loud as they were when we first met Kapow-i and friends.

photo courtesy of Cristina Pitter

Part 3 was all about family. And the GoGo blood run deeps. Back battling her evil family as Madeleine Bundy as Kapow-i. Bundy is quite grounded in part 3 but those moments where she slips back into young Kapow-i are some of her finest. For a large portion, this part is about the legend of mommy dearest, Madame Blood. Amy Jo Jackson is a mighty fine villain. Her presence rivals any villains of the past. From her killer vocals to her wicked strut, Jackson knows evil. Blood’s granddaughter, Giggle is expertly played by Andy Miller. The ensemble player turned superstar focused in on a single character for this part and owned it. Like Bundy, the child-like voice adds a wonderful layer of hilarity, even when getting in on the action. Alex J. Gould offered some wonderful physical moments as Koffley. Gould is light on his feet and when he is in puppet master mode, he was quite good. Everyone’s favorite 32 year-old brother Hiccup GoGo is back and funnier than ever. Mike Axelrod continues to make a plea for his own series. There were many in the final part that reprised some of their previous fan-favorite roles that garnered some brilliant moments including Asia Kate Dillon as Blade Gunnblade, Evan Maltby as Tuxedo Gary, Tara Pacheco as Twig, Eliza Simpson as Queen Cloudberry, Keola Simpson as Chief Treehorn, and Colin Waitt as General President Thunderbolt. Some of the finer moments included Waitt’s Thunderbolt and his remote control robot and “The Avengers” sequence where the punch line was obvious but still hilarious. Matt Cox and Karsten Otto where back as Team Trouble but things got real for the duo. In true “Of Mice and Men” fashion, Mr. Snuggles said goodbye to his best friend. But fear not, Mr. Snuggles found a new best pal and co-trouble maker in Maltby’s Tuxedo Gary.
Saying goodbye is never easy, but there’s a bright future for a life for Kapow-i GoGo. Whether it be a new venue or a different medium, expect more. As Cox leaves Kapow-i, he sets up a future spin-off for Giggle GoGo. If Giggle doesn’t get her own series then pray that Cox creates a new universe of characters.

Review: Love, from Start to Finish

by Michael Block

Love. The starting point of nearly every musical. Finding a new way to play and sing about love is a challenge. How do you bring a new perspective to the theme? In Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda’s Long Story Short, the journey of love, from first date to, spoiler alert, death do us part, is explored in a sugary-sweet two-hander.
After an evening out welcoming LA newcomer Charles into town, Hope finds herself back at Charles’ tiny studio apartment and into his bed to take a nap after feeling ill. Charles promises to wake her up in an hour, but instead drifts off and dreams of a life, a future, a love, with his newfound friend. Long Story Short, based on the play An Infinite Ache by David Schulner, is a musical love story set in a dream. And what Milburn and Vigoda have created is nothing short of a dream. Long Story Short spans from the beginning of a relationship to the end of a marriage with every bump, heartache, and thrill along the way. What makes Long Story Short special is through a long journey, it’s believable. There are certainly hokey moments but they are made up for in sentimentality and tragedy. With Schulner’s play as inspiration, Milburn and Vigoda still put their own stamp on the tale of partnership and time. The theatrical pop score was fresh and lively, but sadly, there were no standouts that would be the show-defining.

photo courtesy of Matthew Murphy

Regardless, the music was effortlessly brought to life by the lovely duo of Bryce Ryness and Pearl Sun. Ryness and Sun were up for the challenge of playing life-long friends, lovers, companions, and everything in between. Ryness’s goofy demeanor as Charles began as that loveable man-child but as Charles grew up before your eyes, so did Ryness. His transformation from lost in a world of fun to an adult with responsibility and morals was natural. Sun’s Hope started off as that typical woman in love but when her life took a turn for the worst, Sun gave a performance to remember. The moment of initial grief was heart wrenching. Watching her grieve alongside Charles yet find solitude was one of her finer moments on stage.
Following a couple through their highs and lows sounds like a rough thing to watch but director Kent Nicholson made it anything but. Nicholson did exquisite work guiding Ryness and Sun through their emotional journeys. He found the moments to make both characters either the good guy or bad guy and yet still made you fall for them both. Nicholson’s staging was also quite keen to detail. Using David L. Arsenault’s wonderfully transformative set, Nicholson slyly allowed time to move and the pieces to fall perfectly back into place without notice. The simplicity of Arsenault’s set allowed Nicholson to use the entirety of the space.
Long Story Short is a pretty romcom musical for the lover in all of us. It certainly has potential for staying power and life after production.

The Rise and Fall of...Kate Gunther

Name: Kate Gunther

Hometown: Dousman, WI (via Milwaukee, WI)

Education: BA Theatre Arts/Visual Art University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Favorite Credits: Rise & Fall (Jenny Smith, Bread Arts), Romeo and Juliet (Juliet, Onomatopoeia Theatre Co.), Macbeth (Witch/Banquo/Porter/Malcolm, Drunk Shakespeare), Tis Pity She's A Whore (Classical Actors Ensemble)

Tell us about Bread Arts Collective: Bread is a collaborative group of artists and theatre makers, coming together, creating visceral, exciting work, from the hearts and minds of some of the best people I know--Not just as actors, or writers, or artists, but as humans, truly some of the best around.  It is the official title given to something that grew naturally, and delightfully over time through a million little connections and various projects.  It's a community, coming into it's own, and taking what was a loose conglomerate, and declaring proudly, "These are my people".  We create and support strong, thoughtful, passionate work that we hope invites people in, and interacts with the world around us.

Tell us about Rise and Fall: Rise and Fall has a long history.  It came about a few years ago as a project for company member Eric Powell Holm while getting his MFA in Direction at Columbia University.  Inspired by the operetta Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny by Bertolt Brecht, Elisabeth Hauptmann, and Kurt Weill, our Rise and Fall is a very modern, reimagined  version of the tale, originally written by Eric Powell Holm and Ian Storey, and adapted by the ensemble.  Since it's first rendition, it has been remounted, and seen various changes, but has largely maintained the original cast and concept.  It's about money, lust, capitalism, power, whiskey, and sex.   Rise and Fall is the story of our hero 'Jimmy Galagher, and his crew of Alaska Boys, come face to face with a charming band of criminals, and the harsh realities of money and love in our time.  It's playful, larger than life, and yet heartfelt.  It's very immersive, ensemble and audience driven.

Why Rise and Fall now?: Rise and Fall, with out trying to, became something of a cult party show.  We loved doing it so much the first go round, and got such great feed back, that it only seemed natural to bring it back.  When that happened, a demand grew for it to be a repented event.  It had followers, it had an expectation of being a center point in a night of art and frivolity.  Three separate evenings over the course of several years, Rise and Fall came back; so when the opportunity for a more public venue and greater public audience came about, the team rallied with a resounding yes.  It's a show that craves an audience and a following, and the People's Lounge has afforded us just that.  It's a great show to introduce a larger world to Bread through, and it's a perfect show for theatre audiences in nyc today.  The way people see theatre is changing.  Rather than paying hundreds of dollars to sit in the orchestra at a Broadway show, audiences are seeking out interactive, immersive work.  They want to be intimate, they want to be invited to the party.  'Rise and Fall' does that, it's a party show.  It's also relevant to today.  Strip away the fake mustaches and the punk rock and it's a tale about what power is and money and friendship and love mean in a capitalist modern world.  Yes there is a lot of cross dressing and hair and sweat and whiskey, but there is also a lot to reflect on and connect with.

What is it like to be a part of Rise and Fall and Bread Arts Collective?: It's a family.  It's like getting to work with your best friends, and your idols all at the same time.  It's supportive and exciting and inspiring.  You look at who you're in a room with and can't help but smile.  Last sunday an audience member came up to me to introduce themselves and I asked if they had a good time.  He said yes, and more so, what he loved was how evident what a great time we were all having as well.  We love to work together, we love to bring the audience into that.

Why should we come see Rise and Fall?: You should see Rise and Fall because it needs you.  It's a show that needs people, the energy back and fourth.  You should see it because it's refreshing, it's so terribly live, it's that kind of show that reminds you why live theatre matters, why it could only exist in this form.  It's the kind of show that will make old lovers of theatre remember what they loved in the first place and allow new comers to fall in love for the first time.

Spotlight On...Christopher Heard

Name: Christopher Heard

Hometown: Orange, California

Education: Hagen Core Training Program at HB Studio, BFA English and Creative Writing, Chapman University

Select Credits: Film: "The Curse of Duncan Carbunkle"; Theatre: Balm in Gilead, Happy New Year

Why theater?: I'll only ever have a limited number of experiences as the person I've grown up to be. But in the theater those limitations disappear and my possibilities for experience are endless. And they occur daily. I love the frustration and serenity that come about in realizing the work is never over and in the theater you're afforded that concept. You're allowed the opportunity to grow night after night. And the more time you spend with anything you love the sexier it gets.

Who do you play in Pretty Babies?: Jason

Tell us about Pretty Babies: Pretty Babies is like a really fun car ride through the ugliest part of town. In between all the drugs and sex it's about what we allow other people to do to us, what we think we need from them, and what we do in order to get what we want from them. I think it crosses some big boundaries we have about what acceptable urges are and acknowledges behavior that should be unacceptable, yet a lot of us allow it into our lives every day. It's about control. It's about expectations. I'll keep going if you give me an eightball...

What is it like being a part of Pretty Babies?: As an actor I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of this play. Antony's words and directions are succinct and weighted and the rest of the cast is very giving and adventurous. This is a huge challenge for me, professionally, and I'm lucky to get the opportunity. But on a character level, it's like devolving every day into the smartest monkey in New Jersey.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: When something or someone really surprises me onstage, or I see someone onstage get genuinely surprised by what's happening to them, I connect to whatever I'm being offered. The kind of theater that seems to forget it's even theater speaks to me.  I'm constantly inspired by my friends and family, and people I know in extreme or unique circumstances. But music also really inspires me when I'm working on something. I can't get enough of Childish Gambino right now, or Father John Misty, and Every Time I Die is basically a part of everything I work on. If I have a "process" they're definitely a piece of it.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I'd love to work on Phil from Hurlyburly, Eddie from Fool For Love, or a role like Doug from Gruesome Playground Injuries. And if they ever do a remake of "Tombstone" I'll have a Doc Holliday self-tape ready to submit. I want to be in a Western real bad.

What’s your favorite showtune?: I never really listened to showtunes until I lived in Seattle, where my roommate introduced me to Funny Girl and everything Streisand ever made by singing all over our apartment at every waking moment. When I was teaching her how to drive she'd put onSpring Awakening to keep her calm so I guess my favorite showtune is "Whispering" because it kept her from crashing my car and killing us.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Christopher Nolan, Louis C.K., Paul Thomas Anderson. I just have to get around to returning their calls. Within my personal sphere of influence though, I'd love to work with Reed Birney, a brilliant actor and teacher of mine, and an actor/writer friend of mine named Zach Wegner, who's been a huge inspiration to me.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: The role would be divided among all my actor friends like that movie about Bob Dylan. Everybody gets a shot. And the title would have to be some awful pun like, "Never Heard of Him" because my life is one long string of awful puns and dad jokes.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I'd love to see Uta Hagen do Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? because I've heard so much about it, and to see her mash on her own technique, where it all started for me. Also, I missed The Glass Menagerie last year which I know was a real mistake.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I saw Michael Shannon and Paul Rudd in Grace a couple years back and couldn't shut up about it. At the moment I'm telling everyone I know to watch "Broad City", "Black Mirror", and ESPN 30 for 30 documentaries.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I have a lot, and I don't feel that guilty about them. Philly cheesesteaks, geocaching, tequila, stray dogs, the show Parenthood. Yeah, so what.

What’s up next?: Premieres of a short film called "Forget-Me-Knot" directed by Jennifer Farrugia and three episodes of a web series called "Just My Luck" directed by Frank Delessio. And a possible reprisal of Beach Trip, a play by Perry Guzzi.