For six performances between February 1st and February 4th, Reveries- an immersive theatrical experience will be taking over The Tank. Described as a devised exploration of the phenomenon that is dreaming, Reveries will integrate installation art, movement, music, and theater for an exciting night that is bound to stimulate the audience's imaginations. Before you head to the show, learn what dreams mean to some of the cast and directors of the show! 




Name: Lluvia Almanza

Role on Reveries: Ensemble in the piece directed by Orlando Rodriguez

What is a dream?: A dream is a way for your brain to subconsciously process things occurring in your life.

How often do you dream?: Not often.

How do dreams affect your real life?: They give me a good laugh. When I do dream my dreams tend to be wacky.

Why are dreams important?: They provide an escape.

***

Name: Caroline Burke

Role on Reveries: Ensemble in the piece directed by Elvin James Patrick

What is a dream?: A dream is essentially your brain processing random thoughts, fears, desires, elements, both conscious and unconscious…like a little movie that your brain whips up, and only you can actually experience.

How often do you dream?: I dream pretty regularly. Honestly, often times it’s the most exciting part of the day when I get to crawl under the sheets, turn out the lights, and wonder what exactly I will dream about that night. If it’s vivid enough and memorable enough, I wake up and scribble down as much as I can before it dissipates. Sometimes the actual events are gone from my memory, but a distinct feeling remains.

How do dreams affect your real life?: Ooo good question. I wind up thinking about my dreams a lot, both the good ones and the bad ones. Sometimes the nightmares are more insightful than anything else. The ones that I am able to transcribe serve as inspiration for other thoughts, or instigate shifts in beliefs and attitudes that I have held on to for one reason or another without questioning them. If nothing else, they keep the creative energy flowing.

Why are dreams important?: On the one hand, dreams are the result of a resting brain doing what it needs to do in order to keep the body healthy. So on that level dreams are good signs, keeping the brain sharp and all that. Then, yes, it’s also important to pay attention to these little vignettes, because they are surely telling us something, and we need to listen. And then there are dreams, as in hopes and aspirations, which just like sleep dreams, can seem elusive and fleeting, but are essential to living one’s life to the fullest.

***

Name: Chris Goodrich

Role on Reveries: Director

What is a dream?: A dream is what happens to your mind when it’s free to wander. It’s a form of mental travel. I go places I’ve been, but also to new imaginary places.

How often do you dream?: I’m dreaming constantly. I get lost in stories, I daydream, I imagine the future, and I revisit the past. I don’t remember my dreams at night very often, though.

How do dreams affect your real life?: My dreams give me perspective on reality. I can live through impossible circumstances and become a different person, so I can get a wider view of the world. If I want to know how I’m really feeling, I let my subconscious mind run wild in dreams. Movies, plays, and books can have a similar effect because they take your ego out of the equation. By contrasting your life and someone else’s, whether in a dream or in fiction, you can learn a lot about yourself.

Why are dreams important?: Dreams are a chance to let your mind expand. They’re your mind’s exercises, simulations that help keep it ready for anything. They’re thoughts, but free-form, and since they’re unfiltered, they give you a chance to get to know yourself better. I think of dreams, sleeping or awake, as an open window into a person’s soul; Reveries has a lot of windows for the audience to peak into!

***

Name: Sophia Gutchinov

Role on Reveries: Ensemble in the piece directed by Chris Goodrich

What is a dream?: A dream to me is a little world you can escape to within your subconscious.

How often do you dream?: I do not dream very often but when I do they are very surreal. I think my dreams take a lot of energy so my body conserves them.

How do dreams affect your real life?: I don’t like to read too much into dreams but they affect my life in terms of analyzing what is going on in my headspace.

Why are dreams important?: Dreams are important because they can be telling of circumstances in your life. They also reveal things to us that we don’t want to admit. They allow us to relive things in ways that feel real. Dreams are mysterious and I love dreaming.

***

Name: Ali Jamali

Role on Reveries: Director & Producer

What is a dream?: Dreams are products of imagination, shaped by our desires and instincts, and influenced by the world around us.

How often do you dream?: Almost always when I'm awake and three or four times a week when I'm asleep.

How do dreams affect your real life?: Dreams are a critical proponent of my work. My art is continuously influenced and inspired by my dreams.

Why are dreams important?: Dreams can deviate our lives from a mundane daily routine. The engage our sense beyond what we may be accustomed to and allow us to view the world from infinitely many perspectives.

***

Name: Calley Luman

Role on Reveries: Director

What is a dream?: A dream to me is an altered state of consciousness where fantastic stories occur and are created.

How often do you dream?: I daydream quite constantly, often getting me into a little bit of trouble. I dream at night pretty frequently as well. I may not remember every dream and detail but I usually can’t get through a day without recalling something I’ve dreamt the night before.

How do dreams affect your real life?: Dreams allow my imagination to flourish and run freely. More often than not I have difficulty distinguishing reality from something I may have merely fabricated in a dream or daydream. It makes for some awkward conversations and insecurities on my part.

Why are dreams important?: Dreams are important because they allow us to see other than what’s directly in front of us. We can see in between moments and imagine the future. Dreams give us insight and also motivate us to live colorfully.

***

Name: Elvin James Patrick

Role on Reveries: Director

What is a dream?: Dreams, in all their forms, are direct experiences often as vivid as reality and yet somehow distinct from it.

How often do you dream?: I rarely recall dreams from my sleep, but I’m always dreaming in my waking life.

How do dreams affect your real life?: Dreams always seem to be there to remind me of what I’m really passionate about.

Why are dreams important?: Dreams are the portal to our inner visions; where thinking fails, dreams reveal to us what we were unable to process consciously.

***

Name: Orlando Rodriguez

Role on Reveries: Director

What is a dream?: To me, dreams are what is in your mind subconsciously. It can be a fear, a want, or desire that you may not be aware of. In a state of deep sleep, your mind has no control and therefore brings out these images through dreams.

How often do you dream?: Very rarely, but when I do it is either really horrifying or just very senseless.

How do dreams affect your real life?: I've had dreams in which I lose a loved one. These kinds of dreams make me appreciate what I have in the real world and to hold on to it while I'm still able to.

Why are dreams important?: Sometimes a dream can help you understand what your mind may be going through. It can bring some clarity or be eye-opening to events in your life.

***

Name: Jaspreet Saund

Role on Reveries: Ensemble in the piece directed by Ali Jamali

What is a dream?: A dream is something that can be seen in a mind's eye, usually occurring anytime during sleep. Dreams are compromised of stores, and images that are created by the mind. Dreams have an effect of making us feel certain emotions such as sadness, happiness or fear. Often times Dreams don't always make sense, sometimes they can seem confusing

How often do you dream?: I pretty much dream every night, especially when I'm tired, and often times my dreams make no sense, but always have something do do with my day, and the people I interact with on a daily basis, or people I think about.

How do dreams affect your real life?: Most of the time I don't remember my dreams, and most of the time they have no meaning or purpose, but if I see someone in my dream and then in the next few days I hear about them or see them then I remember parts of my dream because that person triggered it

Why are dreams important?: Good question, I think it's important to dream because when were are sleeping, the thoughts we have during that time are not forced, they are sort of free-flowing and random. sometimes they can help release the tensions of the day or guide us to what we should do or our next steps. Someone once recommended that I create a dream diary, where I write about my dreams and see the reoccurring themes. Something I want to get started on.

***

Name: Marjay Smith

Role on Reveries: Ensemble in the piece directed by Chris Goodrich

What is a dream?: A dream is an unconscious thought. This can be a forewarning or insight into something about my life or what is to come. I don’t think you are limited to dreaming only when you are asleep, but also when you are awake. I think the mind works in mysterious ways, which all work in favor of what the future may hold. A dream can also be an escape from reality. An adventure. A dream is like a seed that is planted, and then it grows and reshapes and transforms into something exquisite.

How often do you dream?: I dream frequently. At night, during the day, when I'm bored.

How do dreams affect your real life?: I believe dreams affect my real life by guiding me through life obstacles and pleasantries. My life’s passions started with a dream. I dreamed of being on a stage in a theater with a bright spotlight on me. I can still remember the feeling of joy and happiness and the feeling of being exactly where I needed to be.

Why are dreams important?: Dreams are important because I think dreams can save people. Dreams give hope when all hope is gone. Sometimes you have to dream it to believe it. Sometimes you have to dream it to achieve it.

***

Name: Rodrikus Springfield

Role on Reveries: Ensemble in the piece directed by Chris Goodrich

What is a dream?: Dreams are a composite of ideas, desires, fears, and images manifested in a free and uninhibited platform

How often do you dream?: About two times a week

How do dreams affect your real life?: It makes me more aware of myself and surroundings. Sometimes my environment affects me without me being aware of it, but it comes out in my dreams. This allows me to sometime take a personal inventory of who and what am I surrounding myself with.

Why are dreams important?: Sometimes my dreams tell me what I won't deal with in my conscious state but it manifests itself in my dreams and then I feel obligated to address it. That way at least I acknowledge what's going on with me whether it's a desire or concern.

***

Name: Dana Stern

Role on Reveries: Ensemble in the piece directed by Ali Jamali

What is a dream?: images and stories your subconscious creates when you sleep

How often do you dream?: almost every night, very vivid dreams!

How do dreams affect your real life?: I love analyzing my own dreams and reading different interpretations. They affect me emotionally but never my direct action in life. I take everything with a grain of salt.

Why are dreams important?: Because they are your subconscious speaking directly to you! Sometimes it is so deep in there we forget to listen, but it's important to explore that side of yourself, it may have something useful to share with you!

Name: Yeujia Low

Hometown: The island city of Singapore

Education: BFA in drama from NYU Tisch

Select Credits: Playing a wench from the 18th century in full costume in an immersive theater segment and offering audiences beer and sausages (Prototype Theatre Festival); playing a 12-year-old illegal immigrant boy in a play;

Why theater?: That sizzling warm glow and that larger-than-life feeling you sometimes get when you’re in a rehearsal room or sitting backstage looking at your fellow actors work.

Tell us about Rhapsody Collective: Rhapsody Collective brings together an ensemble of artists (playwrights, directors and actors) to create new plays from the ground up, which culminates in a final presentation in May. Playwrights, directors and actors each meet once a week, to work on their craft, and to explore new material from each other or existing material, in a safe and supportive environment.

Who do you play in Earth Learned Cruelty?: I play Lucy, a hipster-ish Brooklynite in the midst of breaking up with her boyfriend when…. No spoilers! Come see it May 21st!

Tell us about Earth Learned Cruelty: An absurdist play and maybe horror story and maybe political play but with lots of humanity. It’s hard to describe this play without revealing too much plot-wise!

What is it like being a part of Rhapsody Collective?: It has been wonderful getting to meet many other theater artists in the NYC theater community, and being a part of creating a wholly new play is always very exciting. Additionally, a different prompt is given to the playwrights each season, and it is very interesting how all 6 plays deal with that prompt in very different ways.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love pieces that are raw, and have a degree of strangeness or weirdness to them. Too many inspirations to list, but one at the top of my head is the music of my voice teacher at NYU,  Jonathan Hart Makwaia.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I almost feel like naming them puts a silly jinx of some sort and then I’ll never get to play those roles! So I’m gonna avoid this question!

What’s your favorite showtune?: I don’t really have a particular showtune that I love the absolute best, but I recently watched a group of 6 year olds perform “When I Grow Up” from Matilda and what a tear-jerker!

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

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I don’t think my life would ever be interesting enough to be made into a movie, and if it were, I would hope I’d just play myself! I mean, when else would I get a chance to be the lead on the big screen?? It would be called something random like “The Yellow Crawling Apple” or something just because I’m random like that.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin in Sunday in the Park with George, the off-Broadway productions of Here Lies Love, Heathers, Hamilton (I must have slept through 2014/2015)

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Deaf West Theatre’s Spring Awakening, the recent The Color Purple revival, and this is not theater but Batsheva Dance Company

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Food. I love food!

What’s up next?: performing in a really fun clowning show A Fool’s Paradise at The Brick May 30; music directing a sci-fi feminist new musical in July as part of the SheNYC Summer Theater Festival!

For more on Yeujia, visit yeujialow.com. For more on Rhapsody Collective, visit facebook.com/rhapsodycollective

On a very special edition of Block Talk, my theater collective, Rhapsody Collective gets the spotlight! I was joined by a roundtable of Cycle 5 collective members to talk about our upcoming celebration of new works at The Tank, May 18th, May 20th, and May 21st.

For more information on Rhapsody Collective presents Cycle 5: Deus Ex Machina, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2944275

To listen to the episode, visit iTunes or Soundcloud and make sure you subscribe!

And visit patreon.com/theaterinthenow to learn about the benefits of becoming a patron.

By Ed Malin

The Tank, in association with Glass Bandits, is now presenting Charleses by Carl Holder at the Brick Theater.  Meghan Finn  directs.  Charleses is a play full of, well, men named Charles.  It has a striking, spacious set designed by Peiyi Wong, which serves as a humble cabinet-making workshop but also has a skeleton of a roof.  Similarly, the play is full of amazing silences and tableaux, just like real life with real men.
The elder Charles (Richard Toth) is discovered in his workshop, finishing a piece of furniture.  The rotary phone rings, presumably announcing the birth of his son.  (The play never shows us any women, instead allowing us to focus on the relationships of the XY chromosome people.)  Without missing a beat, Charles puts together a cradle.  When the lights come up again, he is rocking Charles 2 (Mike Shapiro), a grown actor who will go through an accelerated childhood before our eyes. Charles may be a self-made man of few words, but his smiles and gestures of victory make you want to smile, laugh and cry. Charles tries to teach Charles 2 how to say their name, with charmingly futile results.  A few minutes later, Charles 2 is learning to ride a bike. Next, a drum beat punctuates a scene where Charles and Charles 2 enter a deli, order sandwiches and wax metaphysical; it scans nicely and feels very ordered, the way our ancestors lived and thought of themselves. Soon, Charles 2 is learning to drive a car and gets a distant-feeling shaving lesson from Charles.  But is it Charles’s fault he doesn’t make small talk?  As they wipe off the shaving cream, Charles asks Charles 2, “What else would you like to talk about?”
Soon enough, the stork brings Charles and Charles 2 their very own Charles 3 (Fernando Gonzalez).  Charles 3 will also have to learn to say their name, ride a bike, try to pee against a tree and order a deli sandwich, but he is very much his own person. Charles 3 is sensitive and prone to question the existing order.  For example, Charles 3 does a school film on the history of logging and cabinetry work in his community.  Charles 3 sympathizes with those who, according to him, lived simply doing the only thing they knew how to do; Charles, in contrast, gets bored when Charles 3 has technical difficulties during the presentation.  Later, when Charles is not around, Charles 2 tells Charles 3 that their patriarch “grew up in a time when all men had to be bad. He even was made fun of for having a feminine job like cabinet making.”

photo by Josh Luxenberg

This play patiently and benevolently gives each generation its say.  We see the adolescent Charles 3 gay cruising on the internet. The elder Charles has a stroke but, no matter how long it takes him to articulate his thoughts, he is willful and dignified. Eventually, Charles 3 goes into medicine, at a time when people seem to have more difficulty connecting with each other. Charles 3 is seen somewhat listlessly telling a computer to read his email; 90% of the messages are marked “ignore”.  We also see a retrospective of each generation discovering the neighborhood sandwich shop (no menu, just order) and its specialties. Clearly, some things don’t change, and that’s OK, too.
Charleses is a well-written and exquisitely directed and performed play.  If you haven’t had a “show don’t tell experience” in a while, please go see it.  I’m sure you will be left with the pleasurable task of learning to like three nice but flawed people.  They are solid, and totally different from each other, and speak as often as not in facial expressions. Nevertheless, all of the family members, sandwich makers, the local barber, etc. are names Charles. Are YOU set in your ways?  Is being super-progressive a form of intolerance?  These producing organizations are always moving forwards, so it is a great joy to see them deliver this work.

By Michael Block

When I was a kid, I distinctly remember a store called Motophoto. It was a photo development shop. There were a few of these stores in our area. I remember the excitement of going after vacations or events to get hard copies of our memories. But as time went on and technology evolved, this store disappeared like a whisper in the wind. In Eat Drink Tell Your Friends' Photo & Supply, a similar shop is on the verge of closing its doors set against the backdrop of a changing society.

photo by Chani Bock

As part of The Tank's Flint and Tinder series, this experimental work from Eat Drink Tell Your Friends is a surrealistic puppet show about closing up shop and the sense of community that this one place brought as time and people change. If you go in blind to Photo & Supply, you'll be bound to get lost and have to play a game of catch up. With no dialogue, well comprehensible dialogue that is, this story is told entirely through physical puppetry and some sound and music accompaniment. Directed by Andy Manjuck, Photo & Supply is on its way to being something worthwhile. The vantage in which they're telling this story is unique. But there were some faults and flaws that pulled the show backward. First and foremost, the Eat Drink Tell Your Friends team did a commendable job in the space. You must be able to get rid of belief to fully engage with this piece. But the lighting and scenic design occasionally forced the illusion to break. The unfortunate light leak that seeped over or the ability to see the body despite the attempt to go pitch black in the back, even having to walk in front of the puppet platforms sadly affected the overall aesthetic. But the vision Manjuck brought displays great hope when the execution in the entirety of the elements can be achieved. Puppets and shadow work were at the forefront of the piece. When you have no words to tell the story, there needs to be some sort of soundscape to subside. Just look at the hit The Woodsman. But there were many silent beats. Sure, there is a power in silence if it's earned. There needed to be more of an underscore pop, whether it was from sound effects or music. This isn't a show to play on mute. There was daring craftsmanship but the puppets lacked a common vocabulary as they each seemed to live in a different world. The puppeteers ability to concoct this story through limitations was strong, especially with the central puppet Phyllis. It was her story and her physicality was compelling, even if tedious. Infusing a less passive activity into her could help the momentum. The best puppet of the bunch was the red dog. Talk about coming to life. If that personality matched the rest of the show, Photo & Supply could be next level.
Photo & Supply is a great example of the courageous work that comes through the Flint & Tinder series at The Tank. But this one wasn’t as polished as it could have been. Keep your eye out for the next incarnation as Eat Drink Tell Your Friends has a unique perspective in storytelling.

Name: Gabriel Vasquez

Hometown: New York City

Education: SUNY Purchase

Favorite Credits: Sweeping the floor at the Performing Garage.

Why theater?: Because it’s the weirdest art form! I always feel funny about thinking that but it’s really how I feel. I was about to say something about how it’s happening right in front of you, but that’s also the reason theater is so sloppy and bizarre. There is so much pretending going on and not many options for masking it. And while it is physically happening in front of you, the spontaneity was very likely sucked out in a long rehearsal process. AND even though it was rehearsed for ages, it’s impossible to make people look exactly where you want them to. You also can’t hide the light plot or any of the other things that remind you it’s a play.The list goes on. So maybe I’m a masochist, but figuring out how get around those issues and be honest about this fake thing I’m making is the most exciting thing in the world. It’s a goofy, funny way of telling stories that requires creativity and a sense of humor. And it reminds me that I like people.

Tell us about What Makes Us Feel Good: Well, first of all, it’s a true story. Sort of. The show follows William Bradford Bishop’s quest for masculine freedom after murdering his family and is chronicled by a group of actors in the form of a children’s show. Joined by his loyal friends, Johnny the Cow and Mrs. Teapot, they seek a place where they won’t be plagued by negative feelings. Simultaneously, the actors portraying these roles try to get through the show without voicing their deepest personal secrets. The demonic talkback looms from the background. A life sized squirrel appears.

What inspired you to direct What Makes Us Feel Good?: I have been absolutely obsessed with this piece since I read an early draft about two years ago. My mouth has actually watered at the idea of directing this since 2015. The playwright Brett and I work together often, so when the Tank showed interest in the piece, it seemed natural that I'd direct it. This is the first time this show is going to be on its feet, so it’s a chance to test it out before potentially doing a longer run.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I like work that is wild and unapologetic. I always want more of whatever it is you’re dishing out. I can’t think of a single instance where I thought a play went “too far”. And dancing. I think every play should have dancing. A selected list of companies I have found to be inspirational: Elevator Repair Service, Little Lord, Nightdrive, The Rude Mechs, Title:Point, Radiohole, Forced Entertainment. Things in life I find inspirational: failure, trash tv, Lifetime movies, the B-52s, Jordan Tannahill’s book “Theater of the Unimpressed”, YouTube binges.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I’ve never told anyone this before, but I sometimes fantasize about collaborating with Mark Mothersbaugh on musical about his theory of devolution.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I told everyone to see Frontiéres san Frontières at the Bushwick Starr. I also thought Sam Gold's The Glass Menagerie was exquisite.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: One time a very drunk girl told me I looked like John Mayor, which I found hilarious. So I think I would have John Mayor play me in a movie called “One Time a Very Drunk Girl Told Me I Looked Like John Mayor, Which I Found Hilarious”.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I’d go back to 1966 to see the America Hurrah trilogy at LaMama. Or 1984 to see the Wooster Group’s L.S.D. (...just the high points).

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: The Food Network and cherry coke zero.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be____?: an accountant, according to my mother.

What’s up next?: What Makes Us Feel Good in April, a one-act with Rhapsody Collective in May, and a residency at The Drama League to develop Such A Tragedy over the summer.

For more on What Makes Us Feel Good, visit http://www.thetanknyc.org/theater/708-what-makes-us-feel-good/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/1290007511091460/

by Michael Block 

I've never really been to Providence, Rhode Island. I've been stuck on an Amtrak train for a few hours right outside the station after striking an Amtrak worker. Not really a great moment. So I've been to Providence, but not really. The kids of Nightdrive are going to tell you about their version of said titular city-town in Providence, RI. As part of the The Tank's Flint and Tinder series, Providence, RI is an ode to the place that many visit and others call home.
Written by Skylar Fox and Simon Henriques, Providence, RI tries to paint the New England hamlet as an "everytown" through playful vignettes that eventually tie together. Whether you know the place by heart, the energetic five-piece ensemble builds a world with boundaries. Though those walls get shattered, especially that fourth wall. Playing an assortment of denizens, and creatures, the cast takes the audience on a tour of the town after spike taping it on the floor of the theater. From there, the play, broken into three "parts", a generous term for acts, feels like a whirlwind. Though the titular location is the loose thread, the overwhelmingly larger event is the town's celebration of the Dog Park Massacre one hundred years ago. It's also jokingly referred to as the 50 After 50. Without a doubt, this piece desperately needs to be edited down with more cohesion and clarity. There are moments and beats that are interesting as a singular vignette but in the big picture, there are hordes of questions that arise. From the family role swapping to the extravaganza that was the third part, what made sense to the creators didn't always shine through for the audience. Fox and Henriques have a unique voice together. Their ability to incorporate humor and poetry kept the piece afloat. It's playful dialogue yet tragically full of itself. As fun and cute as pancakes, lollipops, and making the audience play along in the game on stage, when the show creeps close to a third hour, the message that is trying to shine through gets lost in the clouds.

photo by Christopher Annas-Lee

One of the scribes, Skylar Fox, took on the directorial role. His vision was ambitious to say the least. When it came to staging, it was busy and chaotic, often upstaging itself. Whether it was lost in translation or another body was needed, the boldest and most cumbersome moment was the audience becoming family bit. Late in Part III, we watch the long lost siblings reunite and bring their family along for the ride. With only five performers, the audience took on the role of the family and were brought on stage. The idea was clear yet the execution was fatal. By the third go around, it was obvious the game bring played but the amount of time it took to bring rows and rows of people on stage sucked out all the momentum that was previously established. If you're familiar with The Tank, you know it's a glorious black box space. Fox's transformation of the space was brilliant. The wood paneling on the walls brought a new spirit to the space. What it was supposed to evoke is debatable but nevertheless it brought vivacity before the play began. At first glance everything points to something set in the 70s but the costumes from Corina Chase look like a haggle of hipsters hijacked The Tank. But I suppose it's true, fashion comes and goes and comes back again.
There was immense trust and compatibility in the five piece ensemble. But as a whole, the quintet provided some presentational performances, especially at the start. Imagine a sing-songy Our Town and that's how the show began. Once this conceit was abandoned, each actor brought their A game. Far and away, Zina Ellis was the strongest most well-rounded performers. Ellis’ grounded presence captivated, bringing an allure to her storytelling. Co-scribe Simon Henriques served as the lone male on stage but it was his portrayal as an existential squirrel stopped the show.
There's great promise in this piece. It just needs fresh guidance from a new source that can truly capture the message Nightdrive is trying to convey. Skylar Fox and Simon Henriques were too close to truly bring Providence, RI to all its glory.

If you're looking to get your stocking stuffed, Rule of 7x7 has a holiday treat for you! This Thursday, December 15th, Rule of 7x7 will be gifting you with TWO performances at 7:00pm and 9:30pm! And without further ado, The Rulers!


Name: Brett Epstein


Hometown: Hamden, CT


Education: BA (Theatre, Writing) Providence College


What is your rule?: Each play begins with a character holding an item/prop in silence for 10 seconds. Then that character says "I think this is good" or "I think this is bad."


Why did you pick your rule?: Alex Gould told me it would be dope if all the plays had to start similarly and we see where they went from there. I totally agree.


Tell us about Holidays With Adam Driver: Adam Driver returns to his hometown to visit his two brothers who've never left their hometown. Inspired by my dear friend Cary Gitter who's reminded me of Adam Driver since I met him!


Why should people come to Rule of 7x7?: Different rules, different writers, different actors, different directors every time. But always a free beer!


New Year's Resolution for 2017?: Do a plank for 2.5 minutes.


For more on Brett, visit www.itsBrett.net




Name: Cary Gitter


Hometown: Leonia, NJ


Education: BFA and MA from NYU


What is your rule?: Somewhere in pages 8-10, the characters experience the tenderest moment of their lives.


Why did pick your rule?: Because I want to see more tenderness on the American stage.

Tell us about Big Date: Two college girls getting ready for a big double date. They're best friends. One's white, one's Latina. The night before Trump's inauguration.

Why should people come to Rule of 7x7?: Because it's the single greatest theatrical event ever conceived of, and it could have been dreamt up only by Brett Epstein.

New Year's Resolution for 2017?: Write better plays.

For more on Cary, visit https://newplayexchange.org/users/8520/cary-gitter


Name: Rosalind Grush


Hometown: Los Angeles


Education: BA from Columbia University


What is your rule?: A fart?


Why did pick your rule?: Well, the rules were due at 4pm on a Saturday. I work a lot during the week so I didn't have much time, and that particular Saturday morning, I was meeting some friends at a rugby bar because the brunch place next door was full. Turned out there was this Ireland vs New Zealand match on: Ireland hadn't won against New Zealand for 111 years and had finally beaten them the week before, and this was their first rematch after Ireland's victory. It was a shitshow. The place was packed and everyone was wasted. I sent in my rules blackout drunk, slightly before being asked if I wanted to be in a foursome with the folks at the table next to mine. To be fair to myself, farts are always funny.


Tell us about Not A Nativity Play, Part II Of Rosalind's Reproductive Cycle: I thought I would branch out from what I usually write about - abortion, which for the record I strongly support - and write about something else for a change. What's the opposite of abortion? Staying pregnant! America hates women in general, and REALLY hates pregnant women. I have known women offered almost no maternity leave (for places that even have maternity leave policies) and who haven't had jobs waiting for them on the other end of their pregnancies (or whose role is "reimagined" while they're gone and basically get forced out). Plus I've been having a lot of trouble with my health insurance and doctors lately, and odds seem pret-ty good that it's only going to get worse. And so Part II of my Reproductive Cycle was born. It's a comedy. An Odyssey comedy. A hero's journey comedy about pregnancy in America. 


Why should people come to Rule of 7x7?: It's always an incredible night with lots of great people on stage and in the audience, and I can't wait to see what my wildly talented fellow writers are cooking up! And I may be biased, but also The Tank is always doing something cool.


New Year's Resolution for 2017?: FLOSS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD


For more on Rosalind, visit www.thetanknyc.org




Name: David Jackson

Hometown: Denver, CO -> KY -> NYC

Education: Fordham University

What is your rule?: "We're not that different."

Why did pick your rule?: In this post election era, I want to write about Americans coming together. Since the country seems to be coming apart at the seams. Also while I was writing my rule suggestions, I was watching an interview with Michael Che re: his "Black Jeopardy" sketch on SNL with a Trump supporter on the panel, and he said the point was, "We're not that different."

Tell us about The Conversation Not Heard 'Round The World: Donald Trump meets Barack Obama at the White House. Barack begs him to consider his own legacy, while Donald asks if he can put a bust of himself in the Oval Office. Melania Trump meets Michelle Obama and asks for parenting advice since she says, "Barron keeps playing dress up like ISIS." Chaos ensues as the two conversations we never heard come through loud and clear.

Why should people come to Rule of 7x7?: It's a great place to see several short new plays in one night. Seven, in fact! Plus there's a bar essentially on stage.

New Year's Resolution for 2017?: Do better than 2016.


Name: Rachael Mason

Hometown: New York, New York

What is your rule?: Someone quotes a poem.

Why did you pick your rule?: I chose this rule because poetry is fun!

Tell us about The Test: The Test is about a couple being put through the ultimate test.

Why should people come to Rule of 7x7?: 7x7 is such a fun and lively theater experience. It really feels like a rollercoaster and everyone is on board!

New Year's Resolution for 2017?: To learn a new language

For more on Rachael, visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClAwt8GaUxivVWplVBl_JCA





Name: Sam Perwin

Hometown: Miami Beach, FL

Education: B.A. in Literature from Harvard.

What is your rule?: Vitamins.

Why did pick your rule?: I wanted an everyday object that could be interpreted in many different ways: as a prop, as a moment, etc.

Tell us about Buried Treasure: It’s a strange little romp involving a dead grandfather, a skull, a long lost manuscript, and Keats. What do they all have to do with each other? Come find out!

Why should people come to Rule of 7x7?: This experience has been like putting a puzzle together, but it’s like everyone’s doing a different puzzle with the same pieces. Come see what we’ve put together!

New Year's Resolution for 2017?: More writing, more yoga.

For more on Sam, visit www.samperwin.com




Name: Lizzie Stern

Hometown: New York, NY

Education: BA: Williams College

What is your rule?: Snowman

Why did pick your rule?: Snowmen are underrepresented in the theatrical canon. My rule for next time will be snowwomen and non-binary snowpeople.

Tell us about Run Wild: Annie and Max go on a run in Prospect Park. They train for a 5K. Annie's single, mostly friendless, and dealing with an invisible mold infestation. She wants to win the race. But maybe the win she really wants isn’t the one she’s after.

Why should people come to Rule of 7x7?: You'll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll see seven brand new plays!

New Year's Resolution for 2017?: Take more action, big and small

For more on Lizzie, visit https://newplayexchange.org/users/10962/lizzie-stern

In today's Blog Hijack, The Blockheads Artistic Director Lucio Nieto talks about their latest production!

This October, The Blockheads partner with young artists to shed light on domestic violence with their world-premiere of James McCliondon’s new dark fairytale, Pooka.

Theater in the Now sits down with Lucio Nieto, Artistic Director of The Blockheads: Young Artists’ Collective, to talk about their first original play, partnering with students from United Nations International School, raising awareness on domestic violence, and their next step as a collective after receiving their non-profit status through Fractured Atlas.

When did you discover James McClindon’s Pooka?:

In November 2015 we placed a call on Playbill.com seeking undiscovered plays with a passion for social justice, the ability to engage with a 21st century audience, and challenge conventional ways of thinking. We received around 200 submissions and out of the lot, we presented three as a reading series in May of this year. With James’ blessing, we’ve continued working on his piece. This will be our first production of a new play.



Tell us about the partnership with UNIS and what inspired the creation of the costume pieces?

I was lucky enough to know Tim Hall, the middle school’s Theatre Arts teacher. He directed Lion King last year at UNIS and I was immediately awestruck when I saw the production design. I’d learned that the set was designed by the extraordinary Madalena Parreira with the construction of the pieces by the middle and high school students in the art department. When we approached Madalena about a possible partnership, she was just as thrilled as we were to introduce this project to her talented students. It’s been an unforgettable three weeks with Madalena and these incredible young artists. This partnership has been inspiring to the Blockheads and we are looking forward to the next opportunity we have to work with them.



As a collective, part of your mission is to increase awareness on social justice issues through your work. What can the audience take away from Pooka?

Well, we open our show in October, which happens to be the month raising awareness on domestic violence. Of course, as fate would have it, one of the central themes in Pooka is exactly that. With the unique creations from the team at UNIS, we are holding a silent auction at the end of the run selling the hand-crafted pieces designed by the students. All of the proceeds will benefit Safe Horizons–the nation’s leading victim assistance organization. Their mission is to provide support, prevent violence, and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families and communities.



What can we expect next from The Blockheads: Young Artists’ Collective?

As of right now, we are presenting Pooka as our work-in-progress. It’s been such a blast getting this play on its feet. With only two performances, we are presenting something that could potentially be re-mounted next Spring with a larger budget and an extended run. Hopefully, now that we are recognized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit status under Fractured Atlas, our next step is to fundraise for our upcoming productions. As a company, we are learning the mold of our business model. We will be accepting submissions from playwrights this Fall to hold our 2nd New Works Festival in early 2017. We are hungry to develop new text and explore fresh ideas with emerging playwrights.



Details on Pooka:

When?:
October 8th at 9:30pm
October 9th at 7:00pm
Tickets: $8 online | $12 at door
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2603179

Where?:
The Tank
151 W 146th St. 8th Fl
New York, NY 10036

Who?:
Written by James McClindon
Directed by Lucio Nieto
Produced by Michael Finnigan & Alicia G Lopez
Assistant Directed by Gisell Arismendi
Associate Produced by Louise Oliver
Music by Chris Gorman
Art Design by Madalena Parreira (UNIS)
Light and Sound by Michael Witherell

Cast:
Dustin Nichols
Antony Cherrie
Alicia G Lopez
Natalie Stringer
Michael Finnigan
Joan Jamison
Abraham Winter
Lance Styles
Agatha Casiano

Visit www.weareblockheads.com to learn more about The Blockheads.
Instagram / Facebook / Twitter: @weareblockheads

You've got one night only for Rule of 7x7: A May One Show Stand on May 26th at 9:30pm at The Tank. To get you ready, here is another edition of The Rulers!


Name: Will Arbery

Hometown: Dallas, TX + Lander, WY

Education: BA: Kenyon College // MFA: Northwestern University

What is your rule?: "This exact line of dialogue: I don't believe you."

Why did you pick your rule?: You wouldn't believe me if I told you. I mean it's the craziest story. It would take at least five hours to tell the short version.

Tell us about Landline: It's about that light tight giddy feeling of talking to someone that you like on the phone. I'm also continuing my obsessive exploration of the theatrical vocabulary of phone calls. It's also about trying to tell someone about how weird your family is. Also, it's directed by the wonderful Kate Hopkins and starring the weirdo-geniuses Lilli Stein, Jack Plowe, and Rachel Lin.

What's your favorite thing about Rule of 7x7?: The audience! They're incredibly supportive and responsive.

MAY the ____ be with you: Guilt.

For more on Will, visit willarbery.com


Name: Matt Crowley

Hometown: Beverly, MA

Education: Kenyon College

What is your rule?: A terrible Southern accent.

Why did you pick your rule?: Terrible Southern accents abound, so why not include one that's intentionally bad?

Tell us about The Artists: I've been in LA for the last year and a half and I wanted to reflect on the NYC theater scene and a bit of my experiences with it. I also had a couple of half-formed play ideas kicking around in my brain, and a ten minute play is a great place to utilize them.

What's your favorite thing about Rule of 7x7?: This is my first one, so I'm looking forward to seeing the diversity of pieces springing from the same 7 rules.

MAY the ____ be with you: Borscht?

For more on Matt, visit http://mattcrowley.weebly.com/


Name: Brett Epstein

Hometown: Hamden, CT

Education: Theatre + Writing at Providence College

What is your rule?: After the halfway point of the play, a new character enters... accompanied by his/her own theme song or random sound cue.

Why did you pick your rule?: I wanted to a) see how a new presence would shake up the writers' plays halfway through and b) laugh at all the random sound cues they choose.

Tell us about Voicemail: Dan McCabe and I play writer-roommates. Tyler Gardella is sexy-and-weird. A voicemail has something to do with it, too.

What is your favorite thing about Rule of 7x7?: Literally every moment. Picking playwrights, allllllll the e-mails, the day the plays are due, teching all day, being with everyone all day, writing for it, watching the other plays, seating audience members on the floor, seating audience members on the stage, giving wacky house speeches, hanging out at The Tank after the show, riding the 1-train with Evan Maltby after the after-party. All of it! 7x7 is the NYC accomplishment of which I'm most proud. #RuleOf7x74Life

MAY the ____ be with you: You. May the you be with you. You do you. Is what I'm saying.

For more on Brett, visit www.itsbrett.net


Name: Cary Gitter

Hometown: Leonia, NJ

Education: BFA and MA from NYU

What is your rule?: Spasms

Why did you pick your rule?: Because there aren't enough spasms on the American stage.

Tell us about Donut Hell: Have you ever had a job you hated? A psychopathic boss bent on your destruction? Do you love donuts but hate them too? Have you ever been to New Jersey? Worn an apron in public? Then Donut Hell may just be your Long Day's Journey Into Night.

What's your favorite thing about Rule of 7x7?: The jam-packed, rowdy, inebriated, delightful, laughing audiences. And Brett's preshow speeches.

MAY the ____ be with you: Donut hole


Name: Anderson John Heinz

Hometown: Memphis, TN

Education: NYU BFA dramatic writing

What is your rule?: Celine Dion

Why did you pick your rule?: I’ve always been a fan of Celine Dion. I’ve recently, specifically, found myself listening to “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” more than any functioning human should. Not to get weird, but that video definitely scarred me as a child. I still cower whenever I see a man on a motorcycle. But in a fun way!! Celine’s voice is limitless.

Tell us about Frozen 2: Frozen 2 is a sequel to the highly popular film "Frozen", but as a play and super dirty. It concerns a darling gay couple and their desire to have a child of their very own.

What's your favorite thing about Rule of 7x7?: Writing plays with rules is fun because it makes my brain think about things in a different way and different is always fun! That's my favorite thing about it... so far!

MAY the ____ be with you: little fried chicken drumstick emoji

For more, visit www.andersonjohnheinz.com


Name: Charly Evon Simpson

Hometown: Born in Queens, but raised in Bergen County, NJ

Education: MFA (in progress): Hunter College, MSt: Oxford, BA: Brown

What is your rule?: Kiss on page 3

Why did you pick your rule?: Um. Honestly…because I think there should be more kissing in the world. Specifically there should be more people kissing me. Unfortunately I am not acting in any of the plays so this rule isn’t really helping me, but I might be helping someone else.

Tell us about House Rules: It is a little play about bringing a boy home to meet your sisters.

What's your favorite thing about Rule of 7x7?: The enthusiasm for it. I love that actors love to be a part of it, that writers love to be a part of it, and directors, etc.

MAY the ____ be with you: I mean, I’m a Star Wars nerd so it has to be force. Sorry I’m not more creative….

For more, visit www.charlyevonsimpson.com


Name: Sofya Weitz

Hometown: Los Angeles

Education: BA from Loyola Marymount University, MFA from Northwestern University (playwriting & screenwriting)

What is your rule?: the play must end in a physically compromising situation

Why did you pick your rule?: I think one of the keys of comedic short plays is really in the stage directions - something physical your characters can do that inform their dialogue/action - so putting them in a physically compromising situation is entertaining to me and also drives the action. And at the end of the play, it's a place to get to!

Tell us about I'm Alive: gender-based performance art, a harmonica & a cat?

What's your favorite thing about Rule of 7x7?: I love getting restrictions for my writing. It really forces out the creativity. Having the rules for all the shows brings everyone together - you're all in on the same jokes and you're keyed into the consistency during the performance.

MAY the _____ be with you: Free drinks.

For more on Sofya, visit www.sofyaweitz.com

by Kaila M. Stokes

In a small theater at the top of the 8th floor in a doorman building in the heart of Times Square, is The Tank. This non-profit home for the arts is where many emerging artists produce shows. Whether We Like It Or Not is written and performed by Ariel Lauryn and Lucy Shelby, college friends turned comedy-duo.
As the house lights, stay on, the show begins with two very apparent quirky girls trying to find their way to the stage. As they enter, almost ripping the curtain down, Stella, played by Ariel Lauryn, was shocked to see the audience. Immediately the audience was a part of this production. As Stella stammered around pointing out people in the audience she knew, real or fake we will never know, Blanch, played by Lucy Shelby, knowingly watches her in excitement. The chemistry between the two actresses is apparent off the bat. They had a little Lucy and Ethel vibe going on.
The plot that is marketed is “A blonde and a brunette walk into a living room, with lots of old, smoldering secrets, sisterly love-hate and a gun.” The actual plot is a play within a play that should be a fifteen-minute SNL skit and not an hour and a half production. With that being said the show starts out very clever. Blanche invited all of Stella’s family, loved and hated, from Indiana to do a reading together. Slowly, and I mean slowly, the plot develops. The real reason behind this event is that Blanche wanted to showcase her talent or lack thereof and upstage Stella…AGAIN. As time goes on the slap-stick comedy increases, the characters become unhinged as secrets new and old are revealed and the stage is torn apart.
Ariel Lauryn and Lucy Shelby are clever and funny, but their show lacked a purpose. As soon as all of the horrible things that Blanche has done to Stella were revealed, why didn’t Stella just leave? Blanche didn’t do anything physical or verbal to try to and make Stella stay. Why was Stella even friends with Blanche ever? Blanche seems like a terrible person that doesn’t have many redeeming qualities, except sex appeal, which was humorously not sexy. As an audience member, you grew to loathe Blanche and judge Stella, a similar feeling during Street Car Named Desire.
What Ariel and Lucy did a great job of was listening to each other and their surroundings. Because of the slapstick nature and the involvement of the audience things are bound to change every performance. A cell phone rang and it was commented on, a theater-goer got up to use the restroom and it was noted and shoes, butts and objects were flying everywhere! There is no doubt that these two of have talent, but the production Whether We Like It Or Not was like watching the same joke over and over again. The joke is funny the first time, stick with that. It would have been more compelling to have seen the funny joke turn into a serious drama.
If there had been a director, a lot of the flaws in the writing could have been brought to light. Blanche might have not been so one note and Stella might not have been so stale. The lights were minimal, yet served the purpose for the space and production. The set also minimal was utilized well by the performers, not an inch or object went to waste. Whenever an object is on stage that is not utilized it is a missed opportunity. One should always support local theater, artists and spaces that promote new forms of expression. For that reason alone maybe you should see Whether We Like It Or Not, or maybe NOT.

The canon of Greek comedies and dramas have played a historic role through time. Some have even impacted other disciplines including psychology. Freud coined the term "Oedipus Complex" that describes the love of a son for his mother. But how did Oedipus fall for mother dearest? Ask Matt Minnicino. In Matt Minnicino's Wrecks, presented by Underling Productions, the origin of the Oedipus trilogy is explored through a modern lens.
Written by Minnicino, Wrecks is a unique spin on the Oedipus story that blends modern tongue with heightened ideas. An oracle on her first day gets the epic task of prophesizing a young Oedipus. When she learns what the prophecy states, she tries to guide Oedipus to a different ending. Wrecks is a humorous and modern take on the action prior to the prequel. But the way it is presented, complete knowledge of the source material is immensely essential. Minnicino's text shows great promise. He has done a great job excavating the origin. But the tempo of information forces beats to fall to the wayside. The precision of movement proves the tightness of the text but there were moments that desired to be lived in further. Time and location were liminal. And in a sense, it worked. Being a prequel to the Odeipus cycle, we know where it should occur but Minnicino and director Meghan Blakeman explored ambiguity through text and the mix of costumes from Jason Frey.
Simplicity was Blakeman’s vision. With that was comprised merely of a rehearsal cube and two fabric drops, Blakeman relied on the text to drive the story. The lighting design from Sara Watson seldom utilized grand stage washes, opting for more striking symmetrical  looks, especially in the Oracle scenes.
Despite being an ensemble show, the focus stayed primarily on Oedipus and The Novice. Taking on Oedipus was the well-rounded Travis Johnson. Johnson put a geeky spin on the character. Taking on the spritely novice, Phoebe Gonzalez embraced the whimsy of Minnicino’s text. There was something rewarding in her interpretation. Avoiding a weighty performance was a winning choice by Gonzalez. The other strong showing came from Billy Fenderson as Laius. The dominance in his character was mesmerizing. Fenderson’s engagement of the text allowed him to control.
Wrecks is a work in progress. There is promise to Minnicino’s story. With a little more work, this could be a piece that sees another life.

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


Name: Will Arbery

Hometown: Dallas, TX + Lander, WY

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

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

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

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

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

April showers bring May _____: asthma attacks.

For more on Will, visit willarbery.com


Name: Sarah Elizabeth Bedard

Hometown: Boston, MA

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

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

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

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

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

April showers bring May _____: mud.

For more on Sarah, visit sarahelizabethbedard.com


Name: Cary Gitter

Hometown: Leonia, NJ

Education: NYU

What is your rule?: Tennis.

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

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

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

April showers bring May _____: Tears of Rage .


Name: Drew Lewis

Hometown: Hastings-on-Hudson (2 hyphens)

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

What is your rule?: Nudity.

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

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

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

April showers bring May _____: Nudity.

For more on Drew, visit thedrewlewis.com


Name: Rachel Lin

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

Education: NYU

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

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

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

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

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

For more on Rachel, visit www.rachelmlin.com


Name: Catya McMullen

Hometown: NYC

Education: UNC Chapel Hill

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

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

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

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

April showers bring May _____: Buttstuff.

For more on Catya, visit www.catyamcmullen.com


Name: Colin Waitt

Hometown: St. Cloud, MN

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

What is your rule?: Passive Aggression.

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

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

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

April showers bring May _____: Tourists.

For more on Colin, visit www.colinwaitt.com

To celebrate and appreciate the present, one must look back at the past. For over sixty years now, New York City has been blessed with free theater in Central Park through Shakespeare in the Park. In the greatly ambitious The Battle of Central Park from Current Harbor, the public battle between city planner Robert Moses and theater artist Joseph Papp is explored through a narrative bio-dance piece with text by Andrew Massey and choreography from Annalisa Ledson.
Using a plethora of texts as source material, The Battle of Central Park takes the audience back to the early days of the beloved Shakespeare in the Park when Papp hoped to continue to perform his work for no admission while Moses demanded he charge the audience a fee to help with the “upkeep” of the park. This showdown lead to an epic court battle where accusations of communism, the backlash of the public, and the ultimate creation of an iconic amphitheater reigned. The Battle of Central Park is a piece that is certainly educational in content but thin in execution. Playwright Andrew Massey does a wonderful job curating the information, leading to a fascinating exploration into two dominating forces but simply lifting quotes in narration form was passive. Adding in Annalisa Ledson’s movement and dance boosted the piece physically but it came at the expense of fine-tuned storytelling. The Battle of Central Park is not for the easily distracted. But for those who can capture it all, there is an interesting story deep within. The Battle of Central Park is all about progression. With movement driving the story, director Jamie Watkins relied heavily on stage pictures to display artistry. And there often were some striking images. There were times when it was a bit slow moving from vignette to vignette but when the beats moved fluidly into one another, that’s when The Battle of Central Park was at its best.

photo by Steven Pisano

Though there was an ensemble present to portray an array of characters, Watkins guided the two named personalities well. Jon Huggins as Robert Moses and Nick Trotta as Joseph Papp did an impeccable job at characterization. It’s evident that they did their homework. Huggins and Trotta went big with Moses and Papp highlighting diction, physicalization, and most importantly, personality. Because of the nature of the truth, it’s a shame we never saw Huggins and Trotta truly go toe to toe. The Battle of Central Park is a text and dance extravaganza. With that, this ensemble was filled with dancers and movers with not the strongest acting skills. The way the piece was broken up, each performer was granted moments of playing storyteller. It was clear who was truly up for the acting challenge, including Christine Pardos and Julia Schonberg. And with Shakespearean text dropped in, those who seemed more dance oriented suffered.
From a production standpoint, Current Harbor did a phenomenal job transporting The Tank from black box space to the world of The Battle of Central Park. There was a clear color conceit from the show. With beiges and fall colors seeming to dominate the scenic elements and period-inspired costumes from Michael Minahan and Preesa Adeline Bullington, there was a clear vision. Using the backdrop alone would have been sufficient but the addition of the projection from Watkins and Minahan was a bit troublesome. The busy backdrop literally killed the images. If the images were important for story, it took some deciphering to make out specificities. And if your focus was on the projections it meant you weren’t seeing or hearing the story.
It sounds contradictory to say but The Battle of Central Park longs for something active in order to get to the next level. The passive storytelling and busy movement didn’t quite service Moses and Papp’s story as best it could. The generalities are sweet but Moses and Papp are the meat.

With a backdrop of the Bronx fires of the 70’s comes a tale of hope and escape with a sick beat. Written by Donaldo Prescod, The 1's and 2's is a period piece that still rings true. Following the infamous “Bronx is Burning” era, Prescod's story watches the youthful denizens of the borough as they pass their time with music, love, and a little bit of danger.
Presented at The Tank, The 1's and 2's watches the rise of Trevor, a young but troubled Caucasian man, who yearns for a life of music, despite the abundance of obstacles standing in his way. Riddled with temptation and a colorful cast of personalities, Trevor leads a new life when opportunity manifests. With decade references dropped and on display, Prescod harkens back to a time still familiar. Prescod has taken the time to craft a clear character-driven play. The personalities he has imagined are interesting to watch. But where character thrives, the plot is a bit muddled. What began as an episodic theatrical series at #serials@theflea, The 1's and 2's may be maximized in musical beats but lacking in plot beats.  Prescod's play is filled with lots of character and content jammed into ninety minutes that feels as if there are missing moments that confuse some character journeys. There are aspects that get rushed, causing question of how we got from point a to point b. With so many characters introduced that play a significant part in the overall story, Prescod tries to give them their time to shine but in turn he sacrifices moments where Trevor's story needs to be. And it's a bummer because The 1's and 2's has strong potential. Perhaps Prescod needs to consider exploring the episodic format, this time on screen. No matter where it goes, pinpointing and eliminating the trite dialogue could be beneficial.
Energetic is the only word that captures the intensity on stage. This company was living. As Trevor, Craig MacArthur Dolezel was dynamic and spirited. Dolezel’s strong comedic skills played a big part in the character of Trevor. With with a Stifler-like laugh and a bit of a bad boy streak, Dolezel was a hero you wanted to watch succeed. Where Trevor had an edge to him, his perfect opposite cousin Kelly was endearing and an instant fan favorite character. And that’s likely do to the perfect performance from Brandon Flynn. Flynn was simply adorable as Kelly. While the love triangle felt a tad contrived, Terralon Walker as Wendy was at her best with Flynn’s Kelly. Walker gave Wendy a soft and sweet side that paired well in the romantic moments with Kelly. Falling into the trap of forced storylines, Nathalie Carvalho and David Pegram as Gladys and Carlos respectively did a fine job as friends and foes.
Director David Monteagudo allowed simplicity be the driving force of The 1’s and 2’s. He didn’t need anything else aside from crates, boom box, and colorful accessories to evoke location and time. He kept the energy high and the action exciting leaving you wanting more. The lighting by Patrick Mahaney was simple too but at times offering a general wash left you desiring a tad more theatricality and tightness. Monteagudo kept his staging fairly contained so when the stage was bright, the intensity of the piece faltered.
The 1’s and 2’s is a story that still rings true despite the specific time. Donaldo Prescod has shaped a world where the characters are the strongest aspect. Fleshing out the plot is the next step to bring The 1’s and 2’s to its full potential.