One theatre company very near and dear to my heart is Oberon Theatre Ensemble, now celebrating its 13th season bringing invigorating theatre to New York City. Their M.O. is usually a Rep that involves both a play by The Bard and an original piece or revival. The last few years they have been doing their Reps at Theatre Row.

This year is very exciting for the company; they are again on 42nd Street, and they bring us Othello, directed by Prospect Theatre’s Cara Reichel (yes, THAT Cara Reichel), and Order, by Christopher Stetson Boal (of 23 Knives fame), directed by Austin Pendleton (yes, THAT Austin Pendleton – is there any other?). The pairing of these two plays is perfect; both involve men that strive to do good, but end up committing the most atrocious of crimes – both with their dearest “friends” whispering in their ear to bring about their own end. Only in Order . . . one must be careful not to mix friends with demons . . .

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Read the rest of Oberon Theatre’s “Othello” And “Order” At Theatre Row: Interviews With The Madmen (And Woman) Behind The Curtain (892 words)

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Post tags: Austin Pendleton, Cara Reichel, Christopher Stetson Boal, Oberon Theatre Ensemble, Order, Othello

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York City’s premiere eco-friendly theatre festival, connecting artists and audiences with diverse dynamic charitable organizations. The Planet Connections experience entertains, enlightens and informs.

This Summer I was quite fortunate to be able to direct a play for one of my favorite theatre companies, MTWorks, who hired me to direct Carol Carpenter’s Good Lonely People for the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. It was such an honor to work on this important piece for MTWorks, of which I am a company member. I was also delighted to be a part of Planet Connections’ quest to bring awareness to our environment and give back to the community.

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Read the rest of Planet Connections Q&A: Good Lonely People (889 words)

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Post tags: Carol Carpenter, Good Lonely People, mtw, MTWorks, planet connections theatre festivity

On Monday, May 17th, the New York Innovative Theatre Foundation will be bringing down the house with a fabulous fundraising benefit at Caroline’s on Broadway – Cabaretion!. There will be food, open bar, and a line-up hosted by Jackie Hoffman that includes Taylor Mac among many other awesome performers;  but to top it off, the NYITF is honoring playwright Christopher Durang! That’s some serious fun!

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Read the rest of Cabaretion! The Innovative Theatre Foundation’s Gala Benefit Honors Christopher Durang (320 words)

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Post tags: Cabaretion!, Caroline's, Christopher Durang, Innovative Theatre Awards, IT Awards, Jackie Hoffman, New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, Taylor Mac

I was just having a conversation with a fellow actor who is also the Literary Manager for one of my favorite theatre companies, and we were discussing how incredibly difficult it is to stage a successful production of Titus Andronicus. Considered by most to be Shakespeare’s most bloody and violent play; one based on the many faces of revenge while still maintaining the despair of an almost Lear-like character whose mistakes compound upon one another to bring about the demise of his family and himself, ultimately. Despite the gore, the mutilation, the madness – American Globe Theatre’s production of Titus is remarkable in its simplicity and ability to tell one of my favorite tales in a manner that is palatable and WORKS.

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Read the rest of Titus Andronicus: The Bard Would Be Proud, Methinks (697 words)

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Post tags: American Globe Theatre, dianna martin, John Basil, Titus Andronicus, William Shakespeare

Leslie Goshko

Storytellers. Monologists. One-Woman Shows. The lines blur in the art forms because they are often one in the same. Sometimes the difference is subtle, and I find that sometimes it has to do with how much is taken from personal life stories. An actor (hopefully) personalizes the choices he or she makes on stage; but when you are actually sharing personal tales of your life, then you are no longer acting; you are re-living those events, and hopefully, enlightening the audience with how truly bizarre/beautiful/hilarious/tragic those events are. I found Vodka Shoes (written and performed by Leslie Goshko) to be a really beautiful piece that went beyond the story of an alcoholic father and somewhat dysfunctional family; it was about how that family survived through its love – and all the little things that kept the our narrator, Leslie Goshko, sane along the way.

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Read the rest of Vodka Shoes Fit All Sizes (Frigid Festival 2010) (444 words)

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Post tags: dianna martin, Frigid Festival, Leslie Goshko, monologist, one-woman shows

Brian McManamon as Andrew

Frigid Festival has really stepped up their game this year, is what I was thinking as I descended down the stairs from the Red Room, still reeling from the one-man show It or Her by Alena Smith. The medium of madness is one that has so many artistic possibilities, and when performed well it can be a goldmine for the audience. Nuances and colors of the human condition can be given a larger leash with which to run. Nothing is as delightful, for me, as a luscious character study set into a well-told tale. This production is all that and more.

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Read the rest of It or Her: Madness Reigns Supreme (Frigid Festival 2010) (484 words)

© Diánna Martin for The Happiest Medium, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Alena Smith, Brian McManamon, dianna martin, Frigid Festival, Jessi D. Hill, one-man show

Lauren Roth as Clair and Tyler Hollinger as Chris

What do you get when you pair a narcissistic, yet emotionally fragile sex addict with her wanna-be-normal husband, whose penchant for punishing women is taken out on his wife’s lover’s girlfriend? The result is something even more bizarre and difficult to follow than that opening sentence. Kaleidoscope Theatre’s “Sex and Violence” did its best to shock the audience into submission, but unfortunately it really just backfired because all of the sex and violence in the world won’t fill in the enormous gaps in the plot, script, acting and character development.

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Read the rest of It’s Everything But The Kitchen Sink In “Sex And Violence” (480 words)

© Diánna Martin for The Happiest Medium, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: dianna martin, The Kaleidoscope Theatre Company, Travis Baker