Spotlight On...Billy Lewis Jr.

Name: Billy Lewis Jr.

Hometown:  Selden NY

Education:  AMDA

Select Credits:  "Glee", Hair Tour, Spring Awakening Tour, The Who's: Tommy

Why theater?: Because I don’t know how to do anything else

Who do you play in The Portal?: The Front Man

Tell us about The Portal: It's driven by epic rock and electronic beats. Part concert, part movie, part performance.

What is it like being a part of The Portal?: It's a lot of fun being a part of a production that has never been done in NY before. It's very exciting and we're all really pumped to take this city on a journey with us into the Portal.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I'm a sucker for big, epic shows. From a classic 42nd Street with all those amazing dancers tapping their hearts out. To a fully rigged concert set up like American Idiot with the band slamming and the lights going crazy. The high-energy shows get me all revved up and re-charge me. I love that kind of theatre.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Saint Jimmy

What’s your favorite showtune?: Heaven on their Minds – Jesus Christ Superstar

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Drew Sarich. One of the greatest singers I've ever heard on a theatre stage.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I would play myself in my own biopic because honestly, I need a movie credit on my resume. It would be called, "Catholic Guilt: the Billy Lewis Story."

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I would want to see the original production of Hair. I can't imagine how crazy it must have been to experience that for the first time.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Hamilton, duh.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Any and all buffets. Love them.

What’s up next?: I have a new original song that’s coming out soon called "Landslide" that I'm really excited about. So keep your eyes and ears open for that!

For more on Billy, visit www.billylewisjr.com. For more on The Portal, visit http://www.ThePortalNYC.com

Spotlight On...Chana Porter

Name: Chana Porter

Hometown: Columbia, Maryland, Brooklyn since 2008 (and a little bit of Queens)

Education: MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College, MA in Playwriting from University of Exeter, UK. I spent my undergrad traipsing around the apple orchards of Hampshire College.

Why theater?: Theater is liminal space, the in-between. It’s the world of the imagination, the world of the spirit. As an audience we go on quests together. Discoveries are made, challenges issued and accepted. You can put anything in a play—a space of the possible. I think we need that more than ever.

Tell us about Phantasmagoria; or, Let Us Seek Death!: Teenage Mary Shelley finds herself in an unending party at Lord Byron’s villa in Geneva, a little bored, a little drunk, but stirred by being surrounded with intellectuals and poets. On a pause between romantic poetry and group sex, Byron creates a contest: Let’s all write our own ghost stories! Mary begins to write a story about a young man who makes a beautiful, perfect man from bits of corpses. As Mary brings her story to life, the Frankenstein story takes over the world of the play. Horror ensues.

What inspired you to write Phantasmagoria; or, Let Us Seek Death!?: Randy, our wonderful director, had the idea to swirl Mary Shelley’s wild life with the original Frankenstein text. Once I started reading about Mary and her circle, I was hooked. It’s such fascinating material.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love challenging, messy, beautiful, heart-opening, fearless theater. I would much rather be sincere than be clever. I want to be very serious and always go for the joke. I consider myself standing on the shoulders of Yiddish theater traditions, where you could have a really silly, punny joke, and then a dramatic monologue, and then a song, and then a ghost filled dream sequence. Theater is large! No more couches, no more kitchen sinks. I’m very inspired by the weird, wild work at New Georges, and I’m happy to recently be a New Georges affiliated artist. This winter I’ll have my first workshop at Playwrights Horizons, another major space of artistic discovery for me. My play Leap and the Net Will Appear will be directed by Tara Ahmadinejad, with music composed by Andrew Lynch, both artists I’ve long admired.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I continue to be astonished and delighted by the work coming out of SoHo Rep. That would be a dream place to work. I’m likewise emboldened by Ars Nova and their commitment to supporting the process of creating new work, and seeing it through into production.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I haven’t had time to see much of anything the past month, but I’ve heard the Underground Railroad Game at Ars Nova is amazing. Everyone go see it!

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Maria Dizzia would do an excellent job playing me. I love her warm dryness. I also have a speech impediment (I’m a person who stutters) and I think she could approach that with a light touch. Or, you know, find an excellent actor who stutters to play me. (Any excellent actors who stutter, come at me @PorterChana ! I want to know you and work with you.) Let’s call the movie of my life "Once More, With Feeling."

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I would love to learn Russian, go back in time, and watch original Chekov. Oh! And Caryl Churchill from the ‘70s.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I don’t believe in guilt but I do believe in pleasure for its own sake. I watch a lot of Steven Universe while eating ice cream. Actually, I take that back! Younger is my guilty pleasure. You caught me.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: I’m also a science fiction author, but I think if I hadn’t leap fully into the writing life a decade ago, I might be working with wild animals. I can imagine myself Jane Goodall-ing. But that’s probably very much a fantasy version of myself.  I like to imagine myself as that person, but clearly I’m not. I’m living in an apartment in Brooklyn with lots of stuffed animals instead.

What’s up next?: Leap and the Net Will Appear will be workshopped a Playwrights Horizons New PlayLab. It’s an epic fierce comedy about a woman who wants to be a lion.

For more on Chana, visit www.chanaporter.com.

Review:An A.R. Gurney Double Greekture Theater Show

By Michael Block 

To close out their long tenure at their space on White St., The Flea has offered a double showing of A.R. Gurney one acts that are thematically linked. Directed by Stafford Arima, Ajax and Squash explore the Greeks through the collegiate lens. Spanning both the main stage and the basement black box, Two Class Acts is shutting the doors with a bang.
Down in the black box, the evening begins with an intimate two-hander in Ajax. The play follows Adam, a college kid who hijacks a college classroom with his insistence on bringing his PTSD slash Israel and Palestine adaptation of Ajax to life. Meg, his professor, who happens to conveniently be a failed New York actress, decides to allow his passion project to become a reality until the iron fist of the university shuts it down due to concerns of the content. Without sounding like a complete dissertation on the Greeks, Gurney throws in a faulted romance to keep things interesting. Being an atmospheric play, Arima and scenic designer Jason Sherwood transformed the space into a classroom setting, from black box to green box lecture hall, bringing the audience into the world sitting behind tables. It was a wonderful attempt to bring life and exhilaration to the piece but the reality of the world was a bit farfetched. Were we really to believe that Adam could hijack that classroom with that much ease? And if teacher Meg allowed Adam to have that much control, how would the rest of the room really react? I’d imagine they’d just get up and walk out. Regardless of the silly rules of the world, Gurney has crafted an intense relationship play. These two individuals are driven to success yet get blinded from within the whirlwind. And when things got meta, it was slightly distracting but fun nevertheless.

photo by Joan Marcus

Where Arima succeeded was keeping his world tight and engaging. Reality aside, Arima brought variety into his staging, moving his two actors fluidly through the room. If you have any phobia of fluorescent lighting than this is not the show for you. Lighting designer Jake DeGroot played true to reality by illuminating the space with the overhead fixtures. To close in on the more intimate moments, DeGroot eliminated the furthest units to tighten in on the pair. DeGroot’s transitions were sharp, keeping the piece moving. Costume designer Sky Switser was handcuffed with very little “off stage” time for the duo to change. Switser put the pair in an outfit that was multifunctional. Between untucking shirts and removing pieces, Switser was still able to maintain the passage of time. But Meg’s outfit, though collegiate, made her look as if she tried way too hard. And that didn’t quite seem true to the character. Meg had a bit more ease to her, especially as a former New York actress. A special shoutout should be given to prop designer Zach Serafin for those syllabuses placed at each table. There was great detail incorporated.
With four actors, two male and two female, swapping around to play Meg and Adam, my performance saw Olivia Jampol and Chris Tabet take on the student and teacher. Olivia Jampol was simply delightful. There was a great comfort in her Meg. She had a soft spot to her with just a hint of her opportunistic nature. Adam is obnoxiously scrappy and loud with an aura of pretension. He’s not a likeable character. At least that’s how Chris Tabet played him. Whether it was character or actor, there was something off about Tabet’s Adam. If his goal was for you to wish Adam to fail miserably, then Tabet succeeded. Tabet’s Adam was sadly unlikeable. With the intimate setting, Tabet had some volume control woes, amplifying every word.
Up on the mainstage, Squash is an exploration of gender roles and sexuality. With the works of the Greeks as a framing device, Dan Proctor is a literature teacher at an unnamed yet obvious college in the greater Boston-Cambridge area, who begins a battle of self-discovery after one of his students challenges him using Plato and a bit of a come one. As Dan battles himself, he has a wife at home who tries to confront the roles of gender in the late 70s. Squash is short and sweet with a lot of bite. Gurney’s play may be a period piece but he’s able to convey universal issues of today. It’s an introspective piece that is carried by strong characters. Though there are shades of stereotypes within each individual, the connections Dan has with his wife Becky and student Gerald are in a sense artificial. But rightly so. Dan is a married man with kids. Yet is it a marriage of convenience? Gerald is a young man going through his own exploration of self. It’s something people of his age go through. Dan goes through a similar search of self but his stature and age is a bit more perilous. And that’s what makes Squash compelling.
Playing the confused professor, Dan Amboyer’s Dan is dangerously aloof with great intellect but extreme lack of social cues. Amboyer has instant draw to him. He’s a magnetic performer. When you’re willingly along for the journey, it proves that the performance is a success. Nicole Lowrance as Becky had a bit of a rough exterior to her longing housewife. She was a bit standoffish and cold. But that could be due to the uncertainty of her situation. As Gerald, Rodney Richardson had an ease about him. Sporting the orange hanky in his character’s costume, Richardson was down for anything. Richardson had a wonderful stronghold when Gerald gained the upper hand on Dan.

photo by Joan Marcus

Splitting the audience into two, Stafford Arima and Jason Sherwood had some obstacles when it came to bringing this multi-locational play to life. Sherwood’s set featured a quartet of raises platforms representing the locker room, the Proctor kitchen, Dan’s office, and the bar. The varying platforms depicted the various locales with great detail. Sherwood’s attention to the various floor treatments to the furniture in each was quite fitting. Arima had a strong sense of bearings in his staging. With the aid of Jake DeGroot’s lighting, Arima moved from world to world swiftly. The only woes Arima encountered were the alleyways that he brought into certain scenes. Depending on how far your neck could turn determined if you were able to see the action when they were brought off the platforms. Sky Switser succeeded again when it came to clothing the characters. They were evocative of the period without feeling forced. And for a play that happens to be about questioning sexuality, Switser put Dan and Gerald into pieces that showed off just enough skin.
A.R. Gurney’s Two Class Acts had some issues but as a pair, they complimented one another well. Ajax and Squash provide a great night at the theater and a wonderful way to say goodbye to the space on White St.

Review: Dancing with The Loons!

By Kaila M. Stokes

The Loon is a funky dance-theater piece that makes for an all-around enjoyable evening.  There is a narrator, Robert M. Johanson, and then dancers that physical tell the story. Don’t get caught up in following the story so much as just enjoying each flick of the wrist, twitch of the foot, and topic.
The narrator asks the audience “what is time?” His monologue then consists of a rant about time being the measure of lives and time being how one perceives the world all while two performers have an intimate dance. The next topics include gender roles in the home, the monotony of life, aliens, and the loon (a bird).  The entire piece is based on “voices of the loon” put out in 1980 by the Audubon Society. As all of these interesting stories and narrations are happening the dancing almost gets more manic increasing the audiences pulse. Then at a climax of emotions the narrator loses his mind slightly going into a dance party with the other dancers. There are moments when characters break and they acknowledge this as being a show, the narrator breaks the 4th wall throughout, and the dancers break the wall with the narrator constantly. It is interesting to see the relationships on stage change and develop. As an audience member, it allows one to feel the light-heartedness of the piece.

Robert M. Johanson, the narrator, was a powerful voice that had the audience drooling over his every word. His presence on stage was undeniably captivating and it didn’t really matter if what he said made sense – the audience ate up every word.  The dancers were beautiful, each one unique in character and physicality. The center of the stage was utilized mostly in this black box style room. The other areas of the stage could have been utilized more when it was just a duet on stage. Those areas were only used when everyone was on stage at once.
The lighting, by Jay Ryan, made the piece very fun. The lights were full of enthusiasm themselves! As the pace and tempo increased – so did the lights. As the narrator became more and more unhinged – so did the lights. And when the dancers brought the story back to the reality of the room – so did the lights. The projections by Kaz PS were very unique, but not nearly utilized enough for the story telling. They acted as more of a backdrop or set replacement than a tool to guide the audience.
The Loon was a fun creative dance experiment sprinkled with theater that had amazing artists on top. This show has another weekend so take some friends and see this hour long commentary on life through the eyes of dance and storytelling! Make sure to congratulate the creators and performers for their courage (Alexa Andreas, Kelly Bartnik, Sunny Hitt, Annie Hoeg, Eva Jaunzemis, Robert M. Johanson, Vanessa Koppel, Trevor Salter, and Dan Safer).

Spotlight On...Noam Shapiro

Name: Noam Shapiro

Hometown: New York City

Education: I attended the Bronx High School of Science and then double majored in History and Theater Studies at Yale. Coming out of Bronx Science, I thought I would major in chemistry and potentially pursue a career in academia. I always loved theater but my high school offered very few curricular and extracurricular theater opportunities. During my first semester at Yale I took theater classes alongside some of my other courses and realized I enjoyed reading and talking about plays as much as I enjoyed lab work and writing essays. I’m still fascinated by science and am actually developing a play based on the race to develop a vaccine against a major virus.

Favorite Credits: A couple of years ago I directed the U.S. premiere of Caroline Bird’s adaptation of The Trojan Women. Caroline Bird is primarily a poet (she was one of the five official poets for the London Olympics 2012) and her adaptation is modern yet lyrical. The play is set in the mother-baby ward of a prison following the fall of Troy and the chorus is re-imagined as a pregnant woman. The play created an important space for the performers and audience to grapple with the persistent crisis of sexual violence against women, particularly in war zones across the world. Another favorite directing credit was a minimalist production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible that I directed in the round without any modern technical elements. Lighting and sound were created by the cast using found objects and instruments. The production also featured fourteen Puritan hymns that were arranged in four-part harmony and sung a cappella by the actors throughout the show. The production sought to explore what it might have felt like to live in a world of darkness, fear, and superstition. I really enjoyed the ensemble work that emerged out of that production and hope to revisit The Crucible again sometime in the future.

Why theater?: I make theater because of its capacity to build communities and bring people together. I believe that theater has the power to break down barriers and initiate conversations in a way that distinguishes it from other art forms. I also believe that theater is one of humanity’s greatest ways to teaching empathy, inspiring action, changing perspectives, and transforming lives. As a theater maker, I love how live performance binds audiences and practitioners together as partners in the creative process. Lyra Theater was created with this actor-audience relationship in mind. Lyra aims to empower early-career theater artists to find their own voices and share their work with the public. As we strive to launch the next generation of artists onto the New York stage, Lyra also committed to lowering barriers to entry by paying our artists for their valuable work and offering affordable tickets to the public. I hope that Lyra will become an environment where artists and audiences can come together to grapple with the pressing ethical, cultural, political, and social questions that keep us up at night. Lyra was named after a constellation because we aspire to cultivate a constellation of artists who serve as advocates for the theater as a fundamental force for good—a force that has the capacity to shape the way we think about the world.

Tell us about this translation of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui: Jennifer Wise’s translation of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui modernizes much of the archaic language in some of the earlier translations of the play without sacrificing the the script’s speed, political satire, and dramatic action. Although Wise’s translation is textually accurate, it is also highly actable and speakable for actors in 2016. Unlike earlier translations, Wise’s translation is primarily in prose, with occasional passages of regular verse. The translation also captures the Depression-era Hollywood gangster-talk of the 1930s by incorporating period-specific slang and idioms into the dialogue. Like other translations, Wise maintains Brecht’s references to Shakespeare, Goethe, and Al Capone, however, she also draws from contemporary sources of inspiration, such as the Great Recession and Iraq War. Throughout the play, Wise encourages productions to resist the temptation to overplay the allegorical relationship between Arturo Ui and Hitler’s rise. Whereas other translations retain the original Brechtian signs between each scene, which comment on the events that led to Hitler’s rise, Wise recommends that directors create signs that relate to the production’s current political moment. As a result, Wise’s translation becomes more than an allegory about Hitler. Rather, the translation serves as cautionary tale about the conditions under which fascism and populism can triumph anywhere, even in democracies with legal institutions. To quote Wise, “The resistible progress of fear-mongering gangsterism is the true story of Ui, and this story can be kept quite clear of swastikas and Hitler mustaches.” For Lyra’s production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, we have drawn from Donald Trump’s “Trump Cards,” his business maxims from "Trump: The Art of the Deal", to create the Brechtian signs that comment on the action of the show. We’ve also incorporated references to Trump, classic Hollywood gangster films, and the Nazi regime throughout the production.

What inspired you to direct The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui?: In February 2016 I spoke with several theater artists about this year’s election season. We were all concerned about the rhetoric on the Republican side, particularly the statements coming from Donald Trump. A bunch of us brainstormed how we could respond to the election and speak out against hate in our politics. People suggested canvassing, making phone calls, and volunteering. I asked how we could respond to the election as theater artists. I had read The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui several years ago and started looking up more contemporary translations of the text. That’s when I came across Jennifer Wise’s modernized translation and brought the play to my collaborators, Hope Chavez and Kyle Michael Yoder, at Lyra Theater. Lyra had been looking for a production to kick off our inaugural season and decided that Arturo Ui would be the perfect play for this current political moment. The play usually features a cast of 40 actors but we cut the play down to 8 actors to create a tightknit ensemble. We hope the play’s central warning—that demagoguery can arise in any society if people stand by—will resonate with our audiences as they head to the polls this November. Beyond its relevance to the 2016 election, I hope that the play will remind us that we must always remain vigilant against bigotry, violence, and intimidation in our society.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I’m drawn to political and activist theater that makes audiences think and feel. I love comedy and drama, but am most excited by theater that has a sense of urgency and immediacy. I’m especially moved by theater that initiates debates and leaves audiences with more questions than answers. As a theater maker, I feel strongly about bringing new voices and perspectives onto the stage and am particularly excited about developing and directing new plays and musicals. Part of what drew me to Arturo Ui was the opportunity to create a space for early-career artists to engage with and comment on this election through their art. I really admire Lin-Manuel Miranda and Oskar Eustis’ genuinely optimistic and idealistic approach to making theater. For both Miranda and Eustis, making art is an act of goodness, generosity, and compassion that should be shared with as many people as possible. Both Miranda and Eustis’ champion and create work that is driven by a sense of morality, love, and curiosity. I also admire Sarah Benson and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ work, which address the uncomfortable, pressing, and complicated questions that most people try to ignore. With every production I direct, I try to experiment with new and different forms of theatrical storytelling. For Arturo Ui, I was especially inspired by John Collins and ERS, as well as Declan Declan Donnellan and Cheek by Jowl’s innovative and joyful reinterpretations of classic works.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I would love to work with David Cromer, John Doyle, Yael Farber, John Tiffany. All four directors create extraordinarily humane, compelling, and intimate theatrical experiences. They also push theatrical boundaries by re-imagining how we tell stories—whether it’s through re-contextualizing familiar works, minimalist staging, innovative ensemble work, or conceptual design.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Last season I loved Mike Bartlett’s future history play King Charles III. The play ingeniously adopted Shakespearean theatrical techniques, including iambic pentameter and classical tropes, to imagine what might happen following Queen Elizabeth II’s death. I also enjoyed Jordan Harrison’s beautiful Marjorie Prime at Playwrights Horizons. The play explored memory and loss through a sci-fi conceit that was emotionally devestating. This past summer, I had a great time at Jaclyn Backhaus’ hilarious and thought-provoking Men on Boats, which was brilliantly directed by Will Davis, and made the case for less-is-more on stage. This season, I’m looking forward to experiencing The Encounter because I’m curious to experience how Simon McBurney and Complicite transport an audience through sound onstage.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: A young Jason Schwartzman. Since I spend a lot of time in theaters, the movie would be called “Take Ten.”

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I wish I could see the original production of Kander & Ebb’s Cabaret. Cabaret really set the bar when it comes to meta-theatrical storytelling and I would love to experience Harold Prince’s original staging. I’m also a fan of memory plays and would be interested to see the original production of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. Nowadays we’re so accustomed to writers and directors playing with time, memory, and the actor-audience relationship. I think it would be really moving to experience those theatrical techniques for the first time.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Napping during the day!

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: If I wasn’t working in theater, I would be a teacher. I love learning and part of what excites me about theater is the ability to keep on learning about the world through every project I work on. The same is true of teaching. Whenever I’ve worked with students, I always learn as much from them as from the research I conduct to prepare for each class.

What’s up next?: I am developing a play about followers of the Grateful Dead called Deadheads with my collaborator and friend, Ali Viterbi. Lyra is looking ahead towards our next production, which will be announced soon. We’re aiming to partner with diverse early career writers to bring original, relevant, and urgent theater to the stage. We’re also excited to launch a new theatrical development and reading series later this winter. In November, I will be one of the assistant directors on the 24 Hour Plays on Broadway. This year I’m a 2016-2017 Manhattan Theatre Club Directing Fellow and a member of the 2016-2017 Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Observership Class, so I’m also looking forward to working more closely with both MTC and the SDCF this season.

Spotlight On...Matthew Van Gessel

Name:  Matthew Van Gessel

Hometown:  Westport, Connecticut.

Education:  BFA in Drama from University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Select Credits:  Jene in Miss Julie by August Strindberg; Bobby Gould in Speed the Plow by David Mamet; Robert in Planet Heart by Hong Yi Tian; Melchior in Springs Awakening by Frank Wedekind

Why theater?: Theater is an artistic medium that stands out from others in its ability to reveal to spectators something about humanity and the world around them. As theater artists, we must train ourselves to be able to reflect and focus our unique perspective of the world into a palatable and accessible experience for the spectator. There are precious few moments in life when a room full of people will silently give their full attention to a person playing make-believe, but theater is one of them. The challenge of acting in theater (as opposed film, where you need only nail it once) is Sisyphean in nature and makes the returning to the playing space an almost holy practice in the struggle for honesty, vulnerability, focus, and specificity .    

Who do you play in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui?: Arturo Ui

Tell us about The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui: Arturo Ui is a parable play written by Brecht in 1941 as an allegory to Hitler's rise to power transposed to the 1930’s Gangland of Chicago. That's what Wikipedia will tell you. But what it won’t tell you is that it is also a rollicking story filled with outrageous characters and intrigue. We have taken our production and brought it up to speed by setting it in a modern-day campaign office and making clear the prophetic resemblances to Ui and our current demagogic threat: Donald J. Trump.    

What is it like being a part of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui?: It's been a dream working on this show. Not only am I completely jazzed to be playing such an excellent part, the show is very current and gives the work a special weight of importance. I have been continually impressed by the work of the whole production team and the genius guidance of Noam Shapiro, our director. Rarely have I met a director so articulate and generous towards actors. He believes in the fostering of impulses which is something I greatly respect. The acting ensemble is top tier, and it is a gift to be able to work with them. They are constantly challenging me and pushing me to work harder; many of them play 5+ characters over the course of the two-hour evening.  

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: The theater that excites me is immediate. I'm excited by theater that is relevant or captures a moment. I’m inspired by the work of Mike Bartlett and Annie Baker, both playwrights who write in a highly current style that seamlessly marries conversational dialogue and pure poetry. They both examine themes I consider immediate, like isolation in the digital age, defining modern relationships, and even veering into political drama like Bartlett’s recent Charles III.    

Any roles you’re dying to play?:  Lete in The Ugly One by Marious von Mayenburg; Billy Claven in The Cripple of Inishmaan by Martin McDonagh; Richard II in Richard II by William Shakespeare

What’s your favorite showtune?: "Franklin Shepard Inc." from Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?:  Director: Ivo van Hove; Actor: Mark Rylance.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself, and what would it be called?:  Steve Buscemi would play me, but he would be in his high-school-skater-kid outfit from 30 Rock, and the movie would be titled "Let's Do it Next Weekend; or An Exercise in Futility"

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Probably Elia Kazan's original production of Streetcar. Heard that was pretty good.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui presented by Lyra Theater! duh.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: You don’t want to know.....  America's Got Talent

What’s up next?: Why, what you offering? Next I plan to produce a one man show called The Bread and The Beer by Tristan Bernays that accounts the return of the god of party animals; John Barleycorn.

For more on The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui visit http://www.lyratheater.org/

Spotlight On...Kyle Michael Yoder

Name: Kyle Michael Yoder

Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

Education: BA Cognitive Science, Yale University

Select Credits: Spread The Gospel (Russell), Icarus (Beau), The Crucible (John Proctor), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Lysander), Translations (Doalty), The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Davey Claven)

Why theater?: Having artists and audiences in the same room is one of the most intimate experiences you can have in the arts.  I tell stories and make theater because that intimacy opens people up to ideas and experiences other than their own and creates a space for real conversations to happen. At the end of the day, I want to understand people and to foster greater understanding between them. I studied Cognitive Science at Yale because I wanted to research the psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and economics underlying human behavior; I act, write, and direct theater because I want to continue that exploration and bring people together in mutual understanding.

Who do you play in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui?: I play Ernesto Roma, Arturo Ui's chief lieutenant and right-hand man. (Think Corey Lewandowski with a dash of Mike Pence thrown in for good measure.) Because of the ensemble nature of the production, I also play a number of other characters who I'll leave as a surprise here. :-D Lastly, alongside Noam, I'm a Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Lyra Theater, and as such also in charge of the creative direction for the company as a whole.

Tell us about The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is the story of a demagogue coming to power in a democracy. It's the story of what happens when fear is allowed to rule under the guise of security. It's the story of what happens when imaginations run wild. The play was written in 1941 and the translation we're using was adapted in 2013, but watching this production, it feels like it was ripped from the headlines of the last year.

What is it like being a part of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui?: It's amazing. As one of the Artistic Directors of Lyra Theater, it's such a joy to have such a wonderful and talented group working on our first production. Our designers have created a complex, multilayered world that really gives the actors a lot of room in which to play, and the cast has taken full advantage of that fact. Noam and I worked together during our time at Yale, and getting to work with your friends is one of the great perks of being in theater. :-)

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I am drawn to projects that engage artists and audiences in an examination of human psychology and encourage them to take social action. Artists have a unique position in the world: we are entertainers, but also facilitators of ideas. Whether we are considering some grand policy debate or the personal tribulations of our next-door neighbor, artists have a responsibility to make our audiences not only feel, but think.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Oh man, so many. Right now, I'm really eager to play Kyle in Toni Press-Coffman's Touch. I also really want to play Hamlet in Shakespeare's masterpiece and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. But honestly, I'm always on the lookout for new opportunities explore just what makes a character tick.

What’s your favorite showtune?: It's definitely a toss-up between "Let It Sing" from Violet by Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley and "My Shot" from Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Will Eno. Will Eno. Will Eno. Also Joss Whedon. Just. Yes.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself, and what would it be called?: Can I play me in a movie about myself? And can it be called, "Can I Play Me in a Movie About Myself?"?

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Violet, when it had Sutton Foster in the lead role! I CAN'T BELIEVE I MISSED THIS.

What shows have you recommended to your friends?: Before it closed, I heavily recommended The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time as a play that opened its audience's eyes to an experience of the world that is unfamiliar to many, making them more empathetic in turn. Taking a brief detour into the world of television, everyone should be watching Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. He understands that, by making people laugh, you make them listen, and then uses that platform to showcase stories and issues that need to be discussed seriously.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?:  Peanut butter. Right off the spoon.

What’s up next?: I've got a few things in the works that will be announced soon, but I'm really excited to continue building Lyra's constellation of artists with our open-submission platform and our Project Vega lab for new plays. We've got a few other exciting initiatives coming up as well, so stayed tuned!

Review: I Would Go To Hell With Anais Nin!

by Kaila M. Stokes

Anais Nin Goes to Hell is a salacious complex satire on women’s rights, desires, and society’s expectations of the female sex. First of all, if you do not know who Anais Nin is, take a quick trip to Wikipedia – she was the 1920’s version of Ruth Westheimer. She was a titillating writer who lived a bohemian life-style in a time-period where woman just received the right to vote let alone take multiple lovers publicly and write about it. The play begins with Ophelia from Hamlet suspended in the air singing about the setting of the play – hell. This part in the play was not necessarily needed nor did it add to the experience as an audience member, but the actress had a beautiful voice. Then the lights fade and reopen on Heloise, a faithless nun, and Andromeda, the daughter of the Aethiopian king in Greek mythology.  They are telling each other stories back and forth and waiting. Waiting for what? As the audience comes to find out everyone on this island is a woman waiting for a man. Queen Victoria appears with Joan of Arc then joins Cleopatra. The island is divided in two so Queen Victoria can rule with her God and Cleopatra can rule her way, in other words monotheism vs. polytheism. They all wait; wait for men, who after centuries still have not come for them. Yet, each character carries a certain blind hope that even has the audience misty-eyed and optimistic.
The waiting changes when they all see a boat off shore. Joan of Arc swims to retrieve it, even fighting off a sea monster. Who was on this boat? That’s right; Anais Nin was on this boat. This new aged thinker lands on the island turns everyone on their heads. She represents how the women want to feel, but won’t let themselves because they are too occupied with the men. Cleopatra and Heloise immediately take to her and she helps them discover what they truly want in life and how a man won’t fill that void. Ultimately, the island is divided because of Anais Nin’s beliefs. Queen Victoria, Joan of Arc, and Andromeda take off to find their men in vain whilst the others stay to believe in themselves.
Although a comedy, this play portrays all too real problems with the expectations of woman in society. The company of actors was flawless in their delivery in lines, emotions, and dialects. Each character had a story they shared about who they were and each actress delivered it with fearless integrity for the character! It was truly stunning to watch a cast of women play these women from history that we all know to be strong like stone – yet they are all brought to their knees by a man. What a commentary huh? The playwright, David Stallings, should be commended for writing a piece that has amazing female parts that are so flushed out and human. All too often women in shows lack a three-dimensional state because the story is surrounding the man. It is also a lesson in love; self-love. “We love in others what we love in ourselves” (-Anais Nin). Loving others is actually inherently selfish; loving yourself is much harder because it is pure.

photo by Jody Christopherson

The director, Antonio Minino, made the audience’s job very easy. Each moment was captured with no stone unturned. Each character took their time with the words and created a journey we all could take together through these women. Just as these women were discovering themselves, the audience was right alongside them cheering. What society paints you as, as a woman, does not define you. “You died as a mother to be painted by time as a whore” (-Anais Nin to Cleopatra).  In the midst of the heavy topics, Karen Carpenter sings to the audience from her own island in the distance. It is ironic due to the nature of her songs, funny because the cast sings along, and sad because of the lonely life she led as a woman. She was defined by men and now resided on an island by herself stuck in an eternity alone.
The lighting, by Daniel Gallagher, added to the nuance of the show and guided the audience along. Unless you were actively looking for it, the lighting just seemed to be a natural element of the scenes, which is the best kind of lighting. The sound design, by Martha Goode, projected the same thing. Subtle sounds such as the crashing of water, the distant singing, and hearts beating were among the suggestions of how the audience was feeling. The sounds increased everyone’s pulse to create a rise and fall of each scene and character. The set, by Blair Mielnik, was creative and simple. On each side of the stage hung long weathered ropes with decrepit looking wooden steps leading towards the heavens. Placed around the stage was tall golden grass and crates to sit on. The one thing that would have been nice is if those long ropes and wooden steps were used in some way. Anything on the stage should be utilized and as an audience member you were waiting to see how they were going to be used, but they never were.
Overall, Anais Nin Goes to Hell, is enjoyable and a must see at the 14th Street Y. The company is fantastic in their honest, bold, and emotional roles from women in history. One woman’s journey does not define all women, but it can be a guiding light.

Spotlight On...Susan Ferrara

Name: Susan Ferrara

Hometown: Rochelle, Illinois

Education: Millikin University; National Theatre, UK

Select Credits: The Wonder, Sans Merci, Then We Got Help

Why theater?: It's immediate; visceral. The best possible conversation to have with people you know and don't know.

Who do you play in The Pumpkin Pie Show?: A very sweet, very kind political rally go-er. There to see, in person, the man she most admires; the man running for president.

Tell us about The Pumpkin Pie Show: It's a house-a-fire ride; a political horror show.

What is it like being a part of The Pumpkin Pie Show?: I've been watching and admiring these actors and this writer for years, so to be in the same room with them is pretty cool. I saw a previous Pumpkin Pie Show a few years ago and was mesmerized by Clay Mcleod Chapman's writing and performance. B-Side was the name of the piece and it just sucked me in. Gave me nightmares for weeks.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Intimate theatre performed in small spaces are my favorite. Straight up storytelling (like The Weir) or something mind-blowing (like Hamilton). I'm inspired by the day-to-day; eavesdropping in New York is its own kind of theatre. Definitely inspired by my friends and family. When I was a kid, I could sit and listen to my Aunt Rosie tell stories for hours. My friend Ace insists that she isn't funny, but she kills me every time we talk.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I'm looking forward to playing an 80-year old super hero; someone who can bring you to your knees with a paper clip. I'll have to write that one. Am excited about the new work out there. If Sarah Kane were still with us, I'd play anything she asked.

What’s your favorite showtune?: “Right Hand Man”

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Reed Birney, Kathryn Hunter. Jesus - too many to list here.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Imelda Staunton in "I Was Never Young"

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Laurette Taylor in the 1944 Chicago production of The Glass Menagerie

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Encounter

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Anything with Keanu Reeves (and it's not even a guilty pleasure - I genuinely like the guy and would love to work with him. Wish I'd seen his Hamlet)

What’s up next?: Writing a trilogy called The Silver Kitchen (a dark family comedy); shooting minute-long teasers for a web-series called "Mean Secretary"; introducing our crack BUZZ play and team (with director Carrie Preston and Anatol Yusef, Julie Ann Emery, Susan Pourfar, Marcia DeBonis and Sam McMurray) to the world.

For more on Susan, visit susanferrara.com

Spotlight On...Shara Ashley Zeiger

Name: Shara Ashley Zeiger

Hometown: Bensalem, PA (right outside of Philly)

Education: Ithaca College, The National Theater Institute at The O'Neill Center, UCB, etc.

Favorite Credits: Awhile back I got play Toinette in a billingual tour of Moliere's Imaginary Invalid (Le Malade Imaginaire) It's one of my favorite plays.

Why theater?: I love the immediacy of theatre. It's a world that gives permission to play and effect people in ways no other medium can. You can make someone laugh whose having a bad day and feel it because they are in the room with you. You can also teach people or create catharsis. It's cool. Theatre is dangerous because it's live so anything can happen, but in that danger there's a sort of magic that happens. I live for that magic.

Tell us about Roughly Speaking: Roughly Speaking is a play with rap based on 200 interviews with the guests of Xavier Mission, most of which are homeless.  It takes place over the course of one meal service at the soup kitchen through the eyes of Lightning.bolt (lightning dot bolt) a rapper bound only by his wheel chair and a cast of diverse characters on a not so typical day. It's about a group of people over a period of time stuck in the round robin that we call "the system". There are 9 actors playing 13 characters, and there's a little bit of magical realism that takes place. (there I go again with the magic!) It's funny, it's sad, it's a lot of things.

What inspired you to write Roughly Speaking?: My husband is a volunteer director of Xavier Mission in Chelsea, so I've spent many Sundays there over the past 6 years. At first it was let's find the play about the homeless that exists and we'll put it on stage, but I couldn't find the play. I couldn't find a play that spoke the reality of the homeless in a way that was honest and truthful. I also used to be "salad girl" on the serving line a lot. The woman next to me "dessert girl" one day told me her story. This woman whom I had become friendly with I learned was a guest at the soup kitchen for many years before she became a volunteer. It was eye opening. At first it was about exploring her story. Then the more I became comfortable with the guests at the soup kitchen I decided to explore a lot of stories. Other people helped me interview early on, but I conducted most of them, and eventually I realized I had talked to over 200 people about their struggles, and fears, and hopes, and dreams, and eventually Roughly Speaking basically wrote itself.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theatre that makes me feel something. It's not about a specific genre, its about how I feel when I leave. A lot of people inspire me. Lin Manuel Miranda of course. Someone who makes his own work and plays by his own rules. As an actor, I'm constantly in awe of people like Meryl Streep and Daniel Dae-Lewis who physically become their characters. Honestly I'm inspired by kids a lot. My day job I devise new works with kids through different residencies through the Queens Theatre and am always amazed by what they come up with and how they play with abandon.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?:  Do I have to pick just one? There are soooo many.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I'm a big Third Rail Project nerd and recommend everything they do.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Maybe Julia Luis-Dryfus? We have a similar sensibility. My father in law always calls me "The Unsinkable Shara" so perhaps it would be called that.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Maybe back to 70s and see the original production of Hair? I also learned that my great grandmother traveled with a troup in eastern europe when she was young. Maybe i'd go back and see her perform. That would be cool.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Everything on TLC.... it happens.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: When I was younger I wanted to be an animator for Disney because I wanted to create characters. I feel like I'd be doing something with creating characters with visual art for sure.

What’s up next?: I'm not sure. We'll see :) I've been working on this for so long it's hard to think of a next.

For more on Roughly Speaking, visit www.ThePlatformGroup.org. For more on Shara, visit www.SharaAshleyZeiger.com

Spotlight On...Adam Knight

Name: Adam Knight

Hometown: Greenville, South Carolina

Education: University of Evansville (Indiana)

Favorite Credits: Naperville by Mat Smart (Slant, 2014), Exit Carolyn by Jennie Berman Eng (Sans A, 2011), and Beef by Lawrence Dial (Slant, 2008)

Why theater?: I was overseas and was asked this question at a dinner party where I was the only American. I put on my Sam Shepard face and said, “Because it’s the best damned thing there is.” I stand by that answer.

Tell us about In The Room: A teacher once told me, “Your problems in life are your problems in art.” I think that’s what Lawrence Dial is getting at in his play. In the Room finds seven disparate characters in a playwriting workshop. The classroom takes on a life of its own, as alliances are formed and broken, and each writer confronts his or her “unresolved issue.” How do you close that door once it’s been opened?... Also the play touches on a larger thing happening in NYC theatre. How the business of theatre is in conflict with economics and just the strain of the city. What does it say about our art that more people are interested in paying to LEARN the craft than to SEE the craft?

What inspired you to direct In the Room?: I’ve known Larry for a long time and have directed three of his plays. We often meet up and he’ll hand me a stack of pages and a glass of wine and go from there. This play was one of those stacks, and the more we talked about it, the more we realized it needed to be staged. Also it hearkens back to an earlier period of Slant Theatre Project’s history where we’d stage plays in comedy clubs or the hulls of ships, anywhere but a theatre. We’re doing this play in a rehearsal room – which is where the play would actually take place – allowing the audience to experience the piece from an intimate vantage point.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: A great traditional production of Nöel Coward can speak to me as much as something utterly insane and experimental at BAM. The main thing for me is that it needs to feel PRESENT. Why this play, why now? If the artists have answered that question for themselves, the audience is sure to follow… I try to go see a lot of art beyond just theatre. I go to the opera and to museums and particularly love the symphony. When I’m inspired by a piece of music or a painting, my way of viewing the world blossoms out, which in turn deepens my own art.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Athol Fugard’s work continues to resonate beyond the very specific world his writing inhabits. And as a director of his own work, he’s able to cull enormous meaning out of simple actions such as painting a rock or digging a trench. I’d love to be a fly on the wall and watch him work.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I was over the moon recently about Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau, The Body of an American by Dan O’Brien, and Together We Are Making a Poem in Honor of Life by Dean Poynor. I pitch them to every artistic director I know.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I’ve always thought it was so sad that Mozart was something of a secondary character in the movie “Amadeus.” And then F. Murray Abraham wins the Academy Award! Wouldn’t that be terrifying? If, in the movie of MY life, the person playing my RIVAL wins the Oscar!?

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Probably Daniel Cromer’s production of Our Town or Mark Rylance in Boeing-Boeing. I was living in the city at the time so have no excuse. It’s like heroes who’ve died – you keep thinking you’ve got another chance to see them, then they’re gone.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Esoteric studies. I’m in a Russian history phase at the moment, reading all about the Romanovs. Up next is Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Past junkets include Greek vases and Chinese poetry. None of these have anything to do with my work or life, and that’s why I love them.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: A professional bookkeeper. (That’s a common answer, right?) I like working with numbers and with accounting. In fact, it’s what I do as my day job. It’s a job which holds enormous trust, and there’s also an elegance to it. At the end of the day it all just has to balance. I like that.

What’s up next?: I’m producing a world premiere in NYC next April by an acclaimed international writer… but that’s all I can say right now! Stay tuned.

For more on In the Room, visit www.intheroom.net.

Theater in the Now at 54 Below!

In case you haven't heard, we are celebrating 5 years of Theater in the Now with a birthday bash at 54 Below THIS SATURDAY! And we want you there. As loyal supporters of the website, here is an exclusive discount. Please show your support and get your tickets TODAY! Here is the direct link to purchase!

Spotlight On...Elena Grosso

Name: Elena Grosso

Hometown: Venice (Italy)

Education: The Lee Strasberg Theater And Film Institute

Why theater?: Theater give me the possibility to be truly myself , playing somebody else, live in front of an audience.

Who do you play in Fear Fest?: I play two different characters, one is a young woman who is not ready to “leave “ this word yet, the other is a peculiar girl who is in love with a vampire.

Tell us about Fear Fest: It’s a series of different scenes all related to each other with the theme of the obscure the sinister and the horror , with a comedy twist.

What is it like being a part of Fear Fest?: It’s been very fun  working with such a diverse group of people , the experience of working for a small theater it’s always great because you get to know everyone and you get to work really hard.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love theater in general, i love it when it’s real and dynamic, given my background I am always looking for real life on stage!

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I always wanted to play Martha from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, I’ve played many time at school but i can’t wait to play it in the theaters around us!

What’s your favorite showtune?: Before every show i love listening to music and it’s always different but I have to say that for this character nothing gets me in the mood like some Foo Fighters songs.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I would love to work with Christian Bale, he is now my favorite actor.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I think the movie would be called : “How to make mistakes but always look innocent” and maybe Amy Schumer?

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I would go back to see Kim Stanley in The Three Sisters directed by The Actor Studio.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The last I recommended was Den of Thieves which is one of my favorite plays.

What’s up next?: My next project is working on my web series that shows how is the life of an Italian Actress in New York.

For more on Elena, visit elenagrosso.com

Review: The Game of Life and Death

by Michael Block

Rather than opting for a generic family drama, Leegrid Stevens levels up his story by layering in the world of 8-bit gaming in The Dudleys. A cathartic piece about the aftermath following the family patriarch's death, The Dudleys explores human emotion in a nostalgic digital world. Produced by Loading Dock Theatre at HERE Arts Center, The Dudleys is unique in execution but lacks a strong, cohesive story to carry the audience on a two-hour journey.
Told through the unique lens of an 8-bit video game of yore, The Dudleys is a play about loss and grief. A young man returns home to burry his father. He goes into his childhood bedroom and is engulfed by an old Nintendo game that has seemingly come to life. As the gamer plays, the Dudleys, the titular family from the game, engage in the aftermath of the recent tragedy, in classic game form. Between killing zombies to running from the cops, Leegrid Stevens offers a sentimental feel to the story. But there is no mystery or surprise to be had. The moment the gamer walks in and the game comes to life, the big twist becomes instantaneously predictable. While the story ultimately comes together, confusion sets in when the gamer presses start. The biggest roadblock for The Dudleys is the rules of the world. And the rules of this world are integral. Unfortunately, they don’t work. The story is essentially told out of order. The levels, or scenes, are not chronological. But in the world of video games, who is manipulating the level order and why is that allowed. Sure, from a theatrical standpoint, Stevens story order is interesting. But it doesn’t work with the concept he established. Stevens’ mission seemed to be infusing lighthearted humor into the weighty family drama. He found a way to bring that in through the gaming. His characters were defined but the dialogue was often bogged down by metaphor. For a play that relies on relationships, the familiar bond wasn’t as strong as it should have been. While each character had their personal woes and issues, they seemed to live in their own solitary world.

The Dudleys is an ensemble effort yet it was all about the individuals. The standout of the bunch was Erik Kochenberger as Vic. Kochenberger has remarkable presence on stage. He has a command that is effortless, with an ease to crafting a relatable character. Kochenberger has a cinematic charm to his performance. Marlowe Holden had a complex character with Sylvia yet Holden had the sensibility to find the positivity through darkness of Sylvia’s situation. Amy Bizjak’s eccentric Meg was a brilliant antagonist despite the confusing arc her character experienced. Erin Treadway was able to find humor within the death-hungry widow Clara. Despite the outrageous world of the play, Treadway found reality in her character.
The draw of this play is the unique visuals created by the skilled creative team. The set created by Jonathan Cottle was virtually just a canvas for video designer Reid Farrington. Farrington, along with animators David Bengali, David Mauro, Angela “Overkill” Hill, Roger Miller, Dan Monceaux, & Leegrid Stevens, captured the video game vibe effortlessly. It moved succinctly with the choreography from director Jacob Titus. The Dudleys was a tech heavy show. And it’s clear much time and thought went into the logistics. But Titus didn’t seem to handle the story as well as he did the production. Though the text was a giant factor. As much as you wanted to give sympathy to this family and the situation, there was little to give. When it came to costumes, Heather Carey found a color scheme for each individual that popped. Though the brown on Clara was a bit of a letdown in comparison to the vibrancy around her. Even if her character was depressed, a different color would have done the trick. Carey paid attention to fabrics and patterns to match the 8-bit world without becoming forced.
The technical execution of Leegrid Stevens’ play was what The Dudleys will be remembered for. It was a daring production to say the least. Perhaps it was the lack of connection to the material that caused the audience to not get on board for the ride. When the audience is unsure of whether to clap or not at the intermission break, it’s a warning sign that something isn’t working.

Spotlight On...Jill Bianchini

Name:  Jill Bianchini

Hometown:  Cheltenham, PA

Education:  NYU (Drama)

Favorite Credits:  Ann in Balm in Gilead, Suzy in Hot L Baltimore and Lee in Marvin's Room.

Why theater?: Because I love everything about it:  the first table read, the rehearsals, the research, the collaboration, putting on the costume for the first time, even the point during rehearsal when I feel lost can be exciting... and of course, the thrill of an audience.  But mostly, it's about the money.

Tell us about The Motherf**ker with the Hat?:  It's just good, wholesome family entertainment.  Bring the kids!  Kidding.  It's a dark comedy about love, fidelity, sobriety, friendship, moral codes and other hard things about being an adult.  It's funny, poignant and beautifully written.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?:  I just want to be moved.  I want to be entertained, to laugh, to be awed.  I am especially inspired by Lanford Wilson, John Patrick Stanley, Sam Shepard, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?:  I'd like to do a remake of Midnight Run with Cate Blanchett.

What show have you recommended to your friends?:  Any show directed by Peter Jensen.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?:  Bea Arthur (the Maude years).  "And Then There's Jill!"

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I'd see the original production of Runaways at The Public Theatre, because my sweetheart Evan Miranda was in it.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?:  Cookies and cocktails.

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

What’s up next?: Cookies and cocktails.

For more on The Motherfucker with the Hat, visit http://tschreiber.org/the-motherfucker-with-the-hat/

Review: A Bloody Circus Mess

By Michael Block

Have you ever wanted to see a spooky dance circus? Well Hideaway has delivered something unique in Slumber, a haunted delight ready for Halloween. With a mix of acrobatic tricks and choreographed treats set to a pulsating score, Slumber brings the audience into their world of visual wonder. But when you remember that directors Josh Aviner and Lyndsay Magid tried to incorporate a story into their little floorshow, the proverbial tent comes tumbling down.
Playing the stunning House of Yes, Slumber is an energetic night of performance from a talented troupe of acrobats and dancers who use the architecture of the space to tell the story of a girl who has a taste for blood. The painfully thin follows Mabel after a kinky night with a hunky guy leads her on a power trip of murderous revenge against her mean girl friends. Throwing in arial acts, contortion, dance, and much much more, Slumber pleases those thrill seekers but dies when it tries to be something greater than it can be. Like another similar New York based company that seems to experience similar traps, Company XIV, Hideaway tries to explore story and theme through the art of circus and burlesque while aspiring to be the next Cirque Du Soleil. The trouble that Aviner and Magid experience is trying to make this a flawless piece. Unfortunately the execution leaves much to be desired. To cover up the holes and set ups for the next act, Slumber suddenly breaks the fourth wall through monologues by Mabel. Whether it was weak writing or Lee Hubilla’s inability to improv, the direct addresses were nothing short of uncomfortable. That’s not to say she’s not charming or engaging, the material Hubilla had to work with was simply not flattering. As an emcee, her banter with the audience needed finessing. The concept is enthralling, but if the draw is the intrigue of circus and dance why even introduce a story?

Directors Josh Aviner and Lyndsay Magid incorporate an electronic pop score to accompany the acts. It’s a smart choice for this style of performance. But once again, concept aside, the execution was what held Slumber back from being successful. When the first image is your performers laying down on a raised stage and the majority of your audience can't see it, you know you're in for trouble. Moving from act to act, you may have had a glimpse of a hope being lowered or a rigger running across the stage to set the Chinese pole. It hurts the illusion. The specific routines were catered to the specific artist. And at times, it destroyed the momentum. Especially when discovering an intermission was about to come. This proved that much needed to be reconsidered. The individual pieces can be restructured as, from a story perspective, one murder didn’t always lead to another. At first glance, House of Yes looks like the perfect venue for this show, but as the night proceeds, you discover there's only so much it offers. Safety is important but when giant glow tape corners are visible at all times, it’s just unfortunate. There’s no denying that choreographers Keone Madrid and Mari Madrid’s dances were some of the most extraordinary and most polished moments. They were fresh and energetic, keeping the spirit the piece alive. The lighting design by Dan Alaimo evoked the feeling of a Brooklyn dance party. But when you walk into Slumber, the mix of reds and blue lights give you the illusion of wearing 3-D glasses, and a bit of a headache.
If you like danger and the potential of a catastrophe, these performers will deliver. And perhaps whip you with a silk. There's no denying the spectacular talent in the blood. Joren Dawson surely knows how to work a pole. You simply can't keep your eyes off him, especially after that magical Spider-Man drop-in. Olga Karmansky was the Queen of the Contortion. Her Act II number was mesmerizing to say the least.
So how do you improve something like Slumber? Bring in an expert that knows how to execute an event like this. Hideaway has something potentially great on their hands but this product was not it. There are far too many flaws that detract from the beauty. But if the goal is to pull the wool over the untrained eye, audiences looking for a good time will likely have fun. But don’t think you actually get a say in who lives and who dies. That’s just a gimmick to attempt to explain the immersive.

Review: Aided By Visual

By Michael Block

Brian Quijada has upped the solo storytelling game in his beat-infused narrative recounting a tale of identity. Presented by Ensemble Studio Theatre, Where Did We Sit On the Bus? by Brian Quijada explores his journey as he tries to piece together who he is.
In this nearly ninety-minute play, we hear Quijada's beautiful use of language accompanied by live beats and music as he proves he's an effortless entertainer. Where Did We Sit On the Bus? takes the audience on an intimate journey through Quijada’s struggles as a child of color and frames his piece through questions of race and culture in modern history. It's a revealing story that taps into Quijada's core. And yet he seemed to lack an emotional connection. That's not to say he didn't feel something, but there was a sense of neutrality that emanated to the audience. Quijada is a very "matter-of-fact" narrator. His focus is on the musicality of his words. Sometimes it gets in the way of a genuine demeanor when he opts for something crisp, clean, and calculated. No matter what, Quijada was engaging, and shined brightest through his musicianship. He possesses a skill that not many have: actually being a multi-faceted performer. Unfortunately, his skill set didn’t translate into the writing. Quijada’s text lacks bearing. There is a bit of a bookend, but the journey in the middle is wonky.

Despite an okay script, Where Did We Sit On the Bus? is a great production. Hands down, the visuals carried this show from start to finish. For a solo show, the technical advancements were mesmerizing. Director Chay Yew tightly choreographed the piece, which moved Quijada fluidly through the space and the stories. The white, diamond floor from scenic designer Angelica Borrero-Fortier was the perfect canvas for the extraordinarily marvelous projection design from Liviu Pasare. Sure, it’s not the first time it’s been done, but Pasare’s decision to project onto the floor and not onto the wall allowed for some striking designs that paired well with Diane D. Fairchild’s precise lighting. Yew ensured that there was something to focus on visually in case the story didn’t resonate.
You have to wonder if the production had not been what it was, would Where Did We Sit On the Bus? have had the same effect as the Ensemble Studio Theatre’s production had? Likely not. But credit must be give to Chay Yew and his design team for elevating Brian Quijada’s play.

Spotlight On...David Stallings

Name: David Stallings

Hometown: Galveston, Texas.

Education: Theater.

Why theater?: Theater is who I am.  I started acting at the age of 5 in Community Theater and by the time I was 11, was doing Summer Stock in Regional Theater.s  The craft and tradition of Theater is in my blood.

Tell us about Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell: This play is a comedy with heart.  It follows some powerful women in the afterlife who are all struggling with the concept of change and how they can continue to evolve even after the great deeds, loves, and circumstances of their lives have past.

What inspired you to write Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell?: So many things.  My mother for one is a strong influence in my writing.  She was a single parent in the South who struggled to raise 2 boys without much help.  When I was 14, she gave me the novel "Tess of the D'urbervilles," and always was an influence on my love of literature.  Then of course there was college.  I took a philosophy class where the male professor said that, "Women do not make good philosophers because they pay too close attention to detail."  This really upset me, so the next course I took was "Women in Philosophy" with an amazing female professor.  I learned about Heloise, Anaïs Nin, Sappho--it was one of my favorite classes.  And of course, being a theatre person, I wondered why most of our existential comedies are dominated by male characters.  We have Waiting for Godot and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, but I wanted something with women.  This had been my thought for years.  Then one day I was reading Delta of Venus on the Subway and the entire play just hit me at once.  I blushed and laughed and went home and started writing.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Magic speaks to me.  I don't respond to Theater that mimics film.  I embrace Theater that allows itself to be Theatrical and alter form.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Sam Mendes is certainly an idol.  Also Mark Rylance, Maggie Smith...I like the Brits.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Fun Home, I loved the Public's Troilus and Cressida this year, Curious Incident is stunning.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I imagine a young Vivien Leigh and the film would be called, "Everything will be fine if you listen to me" or "Fleeing the South."

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: The original Macbeth
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What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: This is tough...I rarely allow myself to feel guilt anymore as it dominated my life as a closeted gay boy in the South, but I guess Guacamole?

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: an alcoholic.

What’s up next?: I am acting in Eric Ehn's new play, Clover at La MaMa in December.

For more on David, visit www.stallingswrites.com. For more on Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell, visit www.mtworks.org.

Review: Sharon Needles' Spooky Show

By Michael Block 

She's creepy and she's kooky and she's the Queen of House Haunt. To celebrate everyone's favorite October holiday, Sharon Needles returns to the Laurie Beechman Theatre for The Sharon Needles Halloween Special.

With her spooky music along with holiday favorites, The Sharon Needles Halloween Special honors the dark and scary through song and story. What works about this show is the consistency in spontaneity. Sharon Needles is able to infuse a spur of the moment jokes into her perfect brand of off-color humor. Between the hot off the presses "grab her by the pussy" quote from Donald Trump to Alaska's temper tantrum and bribery on the recent episode of "RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars 2", Sharon Needles incorporated it flawlessly. Many of the stories she shared were inspired by Halloween, scary movies, or the treats of the holiday. But she killed when she read other Drag Race Queens. That's what the audience was truly waiting for. And they were few and far between. Though the brilliant milking she performed in "Sweet Transvestite" brought the house down. She may have set the record for longest pause between "antici-" and "pation." This show would not be complete without costume changes and Sharon delivered three haunting looks. Sharon Needles' has a wonderful rapport with her crowd, making them feel comfortable in the discomfort, something only she can pull off.
The Sharon Needles Halloween Special is a creepy and kooky comedy that is a thematic success. Even the man on the keys gets his face beat with a skeleton. If you weren't ready for a haunted Halloween, you are now!

Review: A Little Bit of Heaven & Hell

By Kaila M. Stokes

Hit the Body Alarm is an avant-garde look at one person’s perception of heaven, hell, and the in-between. As the audience assumes their seats the actress, Winsome Brown, is at the microphone singing, creating sound bites, and making other weird noises that include metal on metal and chewing food. The sound mixer, also on stage, smashed all the sounds together to create noisy chaos. Winsome Brown was incredibly talented with accents, foreign languages, and has a certain ease standing on stage looking into the eyes of her audience. It takes an unteachable confidence that comes from years of performing to be able to portray that.
Then the show began. Huge amounts of plastic tarp were used as the set. What was interesting was that the beginning of the show is “Satan’s Fall From Heaven To Hell.” The actress took her place behind the tarp with wings on and was suspended by a rope & hook. Using lighting, the sound effects created from earlier, and voice over; the audience was swept into a world of dark mysterious confusion. You could see her shadow through the tarp creating an effect of her falling through clouds while the voice narrated the story of Satan’s fall. The stage managers, also on stage, moved the plastic from one position to another as scenes transitioned. Disappointingly that was the only time the tarp was used in an interesting manner pertaining to the text.  The next five parts of this mysterious play included: Hit the Body Alarm, Satan Addresses the Fallen Angels, Elaine, Satan Arrives on Earth, and Eve’s Dream.

photo by Theo Cote

It was hard to follow exactly what was happening since the actress was in and out of roles that did not seem to tie into one another. The ideas were there, but it landed differently. The set should have been used more. The idea was unique and original with the plastic – it metaphorical fit so well. The narration should have been shorter and less theoretical. The narrator should be the one to cut through the smoke & fog to produce the facts. The stories themselves, felt long and winded. It would have been nice if the stories tied together more. The scenes were only identifiable by what was written in the program.  An audience member shouldn’t have to look at a program to figure out what is going on.
The artistry of having the stage managers and sound mixer on stage was appreciated. It was a true testament of how much the “behind the scenes” work actually means for the show being performed. Hit the Body Alarm is not for everyone. Windsome Brown is undoubtedly a seasoned artist. Like many forms of art, people can interpret as they will, but she clearly stays true to herself. If you like avant-garde and would like to see a portrayal of heaven to hell and the in-between then head to The Performing Garage.

Spotlight On...Christine Zagrobelny

Name: Christine Zagrobelny

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Education: BA Dramatic Arts, UNC-CH

Favorite Credits: An immersive play about office life/culture (in development), The Splendid Adventurers Club (one-act, Everyday Inferno Theatre Company), Breathing Corpses (John Strasberg Studios)

Why theater?: I love the connection with/relationship to the audience and working on something that can never be perfect and it is never ‘done’.  Through the rehearsal process, we get to create this work that is the sum of hundreds of decisions made both individually and collectively about the beats, characters, relationships, blocking, design.  What comes out of it is both wholly unique to the group of artists and much deeper than anything our individual efforts could have created.

What inspired you to direct The Importance of Being Earnest?:  First and foremost, it’s an absurdly fun play and a perfect farce.  But also, in re-reading Earnest, I was struck between the similarities in the presentation of the younger generation in the play and our society’s obsession with the eccentricities and foolishness of millennials.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theatre that speaks to me: Immersive/interactive theatre. Stories I haven’t heard before. Theatre that digs into the complex, unsolvable things that weigh us down a little bit every day.  Narratives that break away from realism and provide puzzles for the actors and director rather than answers. The artists I collaborate with continually inspire me as an artist with their talent, unrelenting kindness, and unstoppable hustle.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Rachel Chavkin

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Small Mouth Sounds at The Pershing Square Signature Center

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Barrow Street Theatre’s Our Town

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?:  I like toasting cheese on bread on a daily basis, I feel no guilt ☺

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Well, from 9-5pm I am a software developer for Fractured Atlas.  So, realistically, if I wasn’t doing theatre, I would be a software developer with free time ☺

What’s up next?:  The Instigators production of The Importance of Being Earnest at The Secret Theatre

For more on Christine, visit http://www.christinezagrobelny.com/