by Karen Tortora-Lee on June 30, 2010
People go to shrinks for lots of different reasons – from those who go simply to download their gripes, thoughts, disappointments and vexations on a weekly basis to a nonjudgmental party, to those who are grappling with some serious disorders such as acute stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder, addictions of all sorts, panic attacks . . . the list goes on and on. When we meet Tom Blander (Ryan Tramont) we find that his reasons for coming to Dr. Fine (Brad Fryman) are a little different. Tom is convinced he’s possessed by a demon – and please don’t confuse this for the hallucinations of schizophrenia or the multiple personalities of a Dissociative. No . . . Tom is convinced he has a real, living, fulling autonomous demon egging him on to do Bad Things. So begins Christopher Stetson Boal’s Order (directed by Austin Pendleton) now playing at The Kirk @ Theatre Row.
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by Diánna Martin on June 25, 2010
Austin Pendleton (photo by George Hartpence)
In the fourth and final installment of our Oberon Theatre Ensemble Rep Interview Series, we’ve got a treat – actor, director, and teacher Austin Pendleton. With a body of work on stage and screen that has spanned several decades, Austin is a vocal and active member of the Off-Off-Broadway community, who has championed the need to recognize the importance of theatre at all levels. Austin is the director of Order, now extended until July 3rd at Theatre Row.
Austin took some time out of his insanely busy schedule to answer some questions about his work both with Oberon and his long career.
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by Diánna Martin on June 18, 2010
Order - Ryan Tramont as Tom Blander and Amanda Plant as Maisy Blander
Next up in our Oberon Theatre Ensemble Rep interview series is Brad Fryman, the Artistic Director of this esteemed theatre company, who produces the shows, and who essentially decides what will be running season after season. Not only is Brad producing two shows simultaneously at Theatre Row, he is also co-starring in Order, as the anything-but-sane psychotherapist, Dr. Fine. Having co-starred in numerous theatrical productions year after year with an impressive body of work, Fryman continues to strive toward providing the public with thought-provoking theatre, and if this season is any indication, then provoking the senses and minds of audiences are definitely a given.
I had a chance to catch up with Brad in between shows to find out his thoughts on this Summer Rep season and working on Order with Austin Pendleton and Christopher Boal. Here’s what he had to say:
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by Diánna Martin on June 16, 2010
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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