The first thing you can’t fail to notice upon entering the performance space for Empirical Rogue‘s production of Romeo and Juliet, is the spectacular environment chashama have provided for the company. Formerly a taxi service garage on Jackson Avenue, LIC, the space retains the character of its previous functionalism, but the translation of the environment for its theatrical purpose is all but awe inspiring. This is immersive theatre space at its most captivating. Three very simple arrangements of double rowed seats place the audience right at the edge of the action. Behind them floor to ceiling drapes of canvas enclose the space and focus attention on one corner of the performance area, where a raised office hutch serves as the play’s famous balcony setting. The raw cinder block walls are spectrally painted with fading murals and decorative effects that describe location and contribute atmosphere almost slyly – “Verona” the largest declares boldly, like some pageant-styled vermouth advertisement of the Forties. A raw building scaffold sits easily in the space, spotlights glow in constellation behind canvas walls, and a wide grill metal gate recalls you to the actuality of the location. Before the drama has begun you want to take your hat off to production designer, Dante Olivia Smith, muralist, Adam Fujita, and producer/director, Tim Eliot.  This is one of the most intelligent and graceful set designs I have come across.

Susannah Hoffman and Doug Chapman.

And very happily, all of its cleverness and lightness of touch is nimbly echoed in the performance that follows of Shakespeare’s most famous story of  the tragic, young, star-crossed lovers. Eliot has honed down the play to use just four actors, each necessarily playing several roles. The choreographing of characters to scenes requires rapid-fire role changes, asking both performers and audience to stay alert and keep their wits in order to follow the action. Rudimentary costume changes are effected in seconds behind the scenes, and on this first night of performance all ran effectively as actors disappeared through narrow gaps in the scenery to emerge moments later in alternate character from another partition. Timing is precise and impressive. Having the same actors portray different genders and different generations is engrossing to watch, but also throws into relief contrasts in the story’s culturally imposed roles and restrictions. Jacob Martin takes both the role of the impassioned and reckless Romeo, as well as that of the socially constrained and conservative Lady Capulet, Juliet’s mother. All of the actors can be commended on the stamina which they bring to bear in sustaining the charged atmosphere, and it is a special note of success that I found myself, while watching the four actors in scene together, expectant of the arrival of yet another. The sense that another character was waiting in the wings was proof of the effectiveness of the illusion they were working so hard to create.

This is a physical production and swordplay (Shad Ramsey) is vigorous and convincing. Creating the sense of a factional melee can be understandably difficult with just four, sometimes three, actors at a time. Eliot’s direction is equal to the challenge and he gives us a delightful note of chaotic confrontation at one point, when a van pulls up outside the garage, headlights blazing, the gate rolls noisily upward, and sword-wielding actors rush in. The illusions of a masqued ball and of populated public space are similarly creatively suggested with a minimum of effects and participants.

If there is a villain in the production then it is undoubtedly the acoustics in this raw space. Intimate exchanges between characters can get lost and, as there is much active space in use, the same may be said when actors are turned away from the audience. As Romeo, Martin projects the most effectively, conjuring youthful vitality and a character who is touchingly over-taken by new passions and the will to be an honorable man. There were moments though when I wished he would modulate his delivery more; not everything the young lover says is an exclamation. Susannah Hoffman as Juliet gets it right, marrying the charge to the lines. This is a full throttle performance with great range, taking us from girlish excitement all the way to womanly anguish. Her Mercutio is equally impressive, startling even as she projects a complex braggart and hot head who seems to be masking a woundedness at Romeo’s attentions towards women. Sarah Baskin gets great play out of the Nurse, driven by sympathy to imprudence, she is all attentiveness and want of wisdom. To Doug Chapman fall the less meaty roles of Benvolio and Friar Laurence, well-intentioned voices of temperance, and he dithers and agonizes leanly. As an ensemble these actors come together most effectively and in moments of pitch, the language and acting engender a white hot intensity that melts your sense of time and place, all the poise and cleverness, any need of a suspension of disbelief. It’s powerful.

Fine touches abound. Live music is featured in the form of Becca Bernard, a solo cellist, sitting all-but-not-quite out of sight behind wooden pallets in one corner. The wardrobe (Summer Lee Jack) is a hybrid of contemporary wear and historical costume notes, lithely at play with a notion of dress-up and realism. In a similar vein, features of the scene-setting mural decoration archly confess to their own artificiality, their recently applied theatricality. But there is a lyricism amidst this self-consciousness. In the one instance when the space is plunged into complete darkness, a small, plastic night light that has been glowing unnoticed throughout the action, becomes the sole point of light. Keen-eyed observers might note it is a figure of the Virgin, the mother of all sorrows, herself a complex symbol of themes that underscore the drama. Utterly thoughtful, innovative, bold and tempered, Empirical Rogue and Tim Eliot have produced a memorable version of this much played Shakespearean favorite, itself the mother of all tragic romances. All one can say is Bravo! Bravo!

~~~

Related Posts:

• Macbeth, Aquila Theatre; Macbeth, Epic Theatre Ensemble
• Book Review: Best Erotic Romance
• Drowning Ophelia: She Gets On Swimmingly (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)
• The Terrible Manpain Of Umberto MacDougal: The Total Package Of Manpain (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)
• Drowning Ophelia: A New Rock Musical – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

A Dance For Rylie

Benefitting: Ali Forney Center
Produced by Stephan Davis
Written/Composed by Stephan Davis

“Rylie meets Matthew. Their lives are altered, for better and worse. They love through sickness and health. But when Rylie’s health declines, hospital policy keeps them apart.”

Show Times:

• Fri 6/1/12 – 9:00pm
• Sun 6/3/12 – 8:00pm
• Fri 6/8/12 – 4:00pm
• Sun 6/10/12 – 10:00pm
• Wed 6/13/12 – 5:00pm
• Tues 6/19/12 – 6:00pm

Answers by Stephan Davis

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?

Stephan: I came up with the title for the show based on a song that the character sings at the end of the show, thanking his partner for the beautiful romance that they have shared and encouraging him to continue to be open to love again.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite 5 people (from the past or present) to see your show – who would you invite … and why?
Stephan: 1. Harvey Milk because I greatly admire the work he did to advance gay and lesbian rights. 2. Dustin Lance Black because I am a huge fan of his work. 3. Mariah Carey as her music from the 90′s has definitely influenced my style on saxophone and as a composer. 4 & 5, My Mom and Dad as the show would hopefully change their minds about gay and lesbian relationships and issues of equality. 

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your art and was it worth it?
Stephan: I left Washington D.C. where I was pretty comfortable and established to move back to New York to pursue this show at full speed. Yes, it was absolutely worth it!

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and can you share it with us?
Stephan: Not so far!

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
 Stephan: I hope to advance consciousness around issues of HIV/AIDS and equality.

___

Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY. To purchase tickets to this or any of the shows click here.

Related Posts:

• (un)missed connections – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• See Bob Run – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Smacker And The Highway – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Naked Brazilian – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Closet – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

Accidental Incest: Someone for Everyone

Benefiting: RAINN
Produced by Daydream Theatre Company
Written by Lenny Schwartz

“Accidental Incest: Someone for Everyone” is a sick and disturbing comedy about two people who find romance in this crazy world. The problem is that they are indeed brother and sister! So they are left with a question: Be miserable or be with the one person who truly gets who you are.”

Show Times:

• Fri 6/15/12 – 4:00pm
• Sat 6/16/12 – 6:00pm
• Sun 6/17/12 – 8:00pm

Answers by Lenny Schwartz

(Writer/Director)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?

Lenny: My boss, Linda Barone, at Trinity Rep suggested the title “Accidental Incest” and said that I should write a play with that title. I added the “Someone for Everyone.” It seemed like too rich a title to pass up.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite 5 people (from the past or present) to see your show – who would you invite … and why?

Lenny: George W. Bush tops the list. Just to see his reaction to the nudity and filth. He could even bring his dad and talk about the themes of the show.

Actress Keira Knightley. You know, to sweep the stage after. She’d be good at that.

I’d invite John McCain. He owes me a beer after the last election.

Kirk Cameron – I think he would like the show!

And that guy “The Situation” from Jersey Shore. With a name like that, I just HAVE to know what the “situation” is! Must be important.

Oh and of course you, Dianna. Because you rock:)

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your art and was it worth it?
Lenny: I lost a bet with my producer for this show. So I must make good on my bet. I have to introduce each othe the shows in this run wearing nothing but my boxers. He also said I have to mention that in all of my press as part of losing the bet.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and can you share it with us?
Lenny: My shame…I thought I had no shame left. But then I found some. There it was. And now? After directing this? It’s totally gone again.

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
Lenny: Acceptance of themselves…no matter what size shape, color, or sexual orientation. and that’s the truth.

That was something my dad always believed in. Be happy with who you are. He was so excited when he heard I was doing this show…then two weeks after I told him he passed on.

My dad always liked when I wrote comedies. He also was accepting of everyone…and made sure that no matter who was in the room that they were worthwhile human beings no matter who they were or what they may have done in their their lives.

This one is for you, dad.

___

Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY. To purchase tickets to this or any of the shows click here.

Related Posts:

• Smacker And The Highway – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Naked Brazilian – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Closet – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bubby’s Shadow – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bridge to Baraka – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

Trafficked

Benefiting: GEMS
Created by Members of Project Girl Performance Collective
Directed by Ashley Marinaccio

Show Times:

• Mon 6/4/12 – 4:00pm
• Fri 6/8/12 – 6:00pm
• Sun 6/10/12 – 5:30pm
• Sat 6/16/12 – 4:30pm
• Thu 6/21/12 – 5:00pm
• Sat 6/23/12 – 1:30pm

Answers by   various cast/staff members of TRAFFICKED including

Mildred Jones-Hamm (Performer), Monica Furman (Performer/Creator), Chioneso Bakr (Performer), Ashley Marinaccio (Director)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?

Ashley Marinaccio: Trafficked tells the story of sex slavery and child exploitation through the eyes of fifteen young women. In an ensemble devised performance constructed by interviews, research and media, the cast puts a name and face to the thousands of undocumented girls and boys who are trafficked into the billion dollar sex industry each year. We chose to call our show Trafficked because it summarizes what our show is about.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite 5 people (from the past or present) to see your show – who would you invite … and why?

Somaly Mam – She is an activist who has dedicated her life to ending human trafficking. Her work has motivated this production. We hope that through our show we can help to raise awareness of people like Somaly Mam who are changing lives each day.

Gloria Steinem – As young feminists we deeply admire Gloria and feel that she has blazed the trail to let us be who we are today. It would be an honor for her to join us.

Eve Ensler – Eve has created a movement to end violence against women. She is our biggest influence. We would love for Eve to lead a workshop and talk back with our girls.

Michele Obama – We love the work that our first lady has done to empower women and girls in the United States and around the world. We have had the privilege of performing at The White House once and would love for Mrs. Obama to see
Trafficked.

Oprah – We want Oprah to see our work! She has changed so many lives and inspires us beyond words. We hope that our work will inspire Oprah the way that she has inspired us.

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your art and was it worth it?
Mildred Jones-Hamm (Age 21): The biggest sacrifice I made for my art is moving away from suburban Michigan, away from the security of family, my university,  and friends to create a life in New York City. To develop my art in a place which I knew nothing about. Not only have I grown more independent but I also seek the importance of art and the decisions in my life. I’ve learned there is security in nothing so in order to excel I have to be fearless and make bold decisions in my life and ART. Through this experience I have become aware of my self worth as a individual, I truly believe that everything happens for a reason with this I have broaden my horizons as a thinker, artist and achiever it was totally worth it.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and can you share it with us?
 - Monica Furman (Age 16): I’m from Ukraine. I had no idea that Ukraine was a place of such immense sexual exploitation! I had never heard any family members talk about it, so I was very surprised when I came upon the information during my research for my character.
- Chioneso Bakr (Age 17): During production I learned that sex trafficking not only happens outside the US, but right inside my own city. To know that this issue is happening in my backyard, it makes the situation much more frightening.

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
- Chioneso Bakr: The show should be the type of experience where audience would want to tell others about it. I would hope they would enjoy it, feel the acting, become emotional, and understand how serious sex trafficking is.

___

Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY.  To purchase tickets to this or any of the shows click here.

Related Posts:

• Smacker And The Highway – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Naked Brazilian – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Closet – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bubby’s Shadow – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bridge to Baraka – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

The Bad Date Project

Benefiting: Food Bank for New York City
Produced/Written by Stephen Stocking & Troy Miller
Directed by Troy Miller
Performed by  Christopher Bonewitz, Rachel Christopher, Stephen Stocking, Bridget Ori, Tara Carrozza, Leigh Dunham, Michael Levi Harris, Matthew Stapleton

“Who hasn’t had a bad date? No one. Not even your grandma. The Bad Date Project takes two lonely singles on a rocky treasure hunt for love…or fun…or just some kind of connection. Created from true stories, it’s a sexy, hilarious and tragic look at dating in the new millennium.”

Show Times:

• Sat 6/2/12 – 6:00pm
• Thu 6/7/12 – 10:00pm
• Sun 6/10/12 – 2:00pm
• Wed 6/13/12 – 8:00pm
• Mon 6/18/12 – 4:00pm
• Wed 6/20/12 – 9:30pm
• Thu 6/21/12 – 8:00pm
• Sat 6/23/12 – 3:00pm

Answers by  Troy Miller

(Co-Creator, Co-Producer, Director)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?
Troy:  As we started talking about writing and developing the play, we didn’t have a name, but the idea was a project of sorts, so as a working title we started calling it THE BAD DATE PROEJCT and it sort of stuck. But it’s also appropriate to what the show is about. It’s a study of dating. It takes work to date and to figure out how to do it well. So the word “project” seemed to have a lot of meaning to us.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite 5 people (from the past or present) to see your show – who would you invite … and why?
Troy: The woman who lives on the Upper East Side, the guy who lives in Brooklyn, the recent college grad from Columbia because our show is about them and their lives. We took their stories (and many others) and created a slice-of-life comedy that speaks about a universal truth, dating sucks!

If we were to invite industry professionals we would invite Moises Kaufman because his creation of THE LARAMIE PROJECT was inspiration to us in how to create our piece and tell our story. Elia Kazan because of his natural take on theater and his ability to balance multiple facets of creating art at once. Currently both of the co-creators are juggling three jobs (Writer/Producer/Director or Actor) and Mr. Kazan was able to do it flawlessly.

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your art and was it worth it?
Troy: Any sacrifice you make for your art is always worth it if you are following your heart and dream. The biggest sacrifice we have made for this project was time. Both Stephen Stocking and I have invested a few years of our lives in bringing this play through its stages, with all of the roller coaster events that come with bringing a show to life. And now as we are just at the tip of that big hill, we see all that was behind us and all that is in front of us, and I think it was completely worth it!

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and can you share it with us?
 Troy: I won’t speak for Stephen on this, but I learned a lot about dating; the dos and don’ts and what was acceptable behavior and what wasn’t. However, I think the funniest thing I learned as we developed this piece was how to end a date quickly. If I spoke about the play and how we were getting our bad date stories, without fail the date would be over within 15 minutes after I started talking about it. It would seem none of my dates wanted to risk any more of their likeness making its way into the play!

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
Troy:  I would hope that they walk away feeling like they are not the only one who has suffered from a bad date, that they feel a sense of connection and camaraderie with the cast and the people whose stories went into the script. Overall that they spent 90 minutes feeling good, laughing and thinking, “wow, my dates weren’t THAT bad.”

___

Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY.  To purchase tickets to this or any of the shows click here.

Related Posts:

• Smacker And The Highway – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Naked Brazilian – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Closet – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bubby’s Shadow – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bridge to Baraka – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

New York City is host to two concurrently running productions of Shakespeare’s Macbeth this Spring: Aquila Theatre‘s presentation at the Gym at Judson (April 18th – May 6th), and Epic Theatre Ensemble‘s interpretation at the 47th Street Theatre (April 20 – May 26th). A stable of many a theatrical company’s portfolio, apart from its matchless, vivid language, Macbeth as drama has much to attract aspiring ensembles, not least the challenge presented in portraying two of Shakespeare’s most unsympathetic lead roles. We watch as Macbeth and his wife are enticed into evil by the lure of power and then, as good stage villains, are punished for their crimes. The trick, however, is in making them into more than stage villains, for in that resides the case for tragedy and its capacity to ennoble human existence. It is a tricky bit of the equation as both of these productions can testify.

Aquila Theatre is devoted to the classics of western theatre, in restating their claim to preeminence as timeless pieces, triumphs of human artistry and culture. As such they tend toward language focused productions that are light on the use of contemporary stagecraft elaborations. For their Macbeth Desiree Sanchez wears both directorial and production designer hats. She is spare in her approach. A minimum of props are deployed in the expansive and lofty space  Judson’s Gym theatre offers. There is an economy and subtlety at work in the way she groups the action about the squared arena. An innovative, momentary introductory prelude scene which highlights a blood-soaked, battle worn Macbeth in one corner, and a bereft Lady Macbeth on bloodied bed sheets following unsuccessful labor in the opposite corner, acts as a startling, punched signature of this director’s suggestion for the fatal couple’s motivations. The Macbeths are traumatized people, destabilized, estranged, in search of a project into which they can pour themselves, erase the past, and reunite. This prelude dispatched in an instant, there is little other tinkering with the body of the play and all unfolds to order.

The performances are vigorous, emotive, well spoken and, most importantly, psychologically grounded. If you have an ear for Shakespeare this is a wonderful production to hear his words delivered eloquently and with conviction. Rebecca Reaney as Lady Mabeth is nuanced and bold, spectacularly benefiting from Peter Meineck‘s well-judged lighting, which is at once lavishly theatrical and self-disciplined. Guy Oliver-Watts, working to uncover an aspect of post traumatic stress disorder in the role of Macbeth, has a more complex part. He is thoroughly convincing, but in so doing projects a weakened, dependent quality in the man who would be king and, strangely, this deflates the character somewhat, puncturing the fullness of the play’s tragic reach. He is doing well what he has been directed to do but herein lies the rub, and a very fine rub it is for the measure of what might be deemed tragic theatre. The rest of the cast are for the most part assured in their roles, with Peter F. Gardiner, (Banquo), James Lavender (Macduff), and Rachel Barrington (Lady Macduff) especially commendable.

Coincidentally the notion that the Macbeths, and especially Lady Macbeth, are grieving former parents, is made central in Epic Theatre’s version of the play. This idea is evident in the presence on stage of a small shrine with a framed photograph of a toddler, to which Lady Macbeth touchingly returns for some of her scenes. Also, it is manifest in the large projected photo image of the Macbeths, tenderly converging about a drowsy infant, which is thrown up on the broken surface of the rear wall. This projection is relentless, hanging like a grey cloud above the proceedings, at once lugubrious and sentimental. Interpretation, with a capital I, is the strategy of this production. Set in a more contemporary world, we are treated to off-stage electronic voices in ear pieces, and a video screen displaying action elsewhere. The Weird Sisters are a heterogeneous mix of sexes and ethnicities, and hang about the stage throughout the action on overhead ladders and walkways, like jaded demi-gods, stonily unmoved by the unfolding drama below. Innovation appears one of director Ron Russell‘s chief concerns with his production. In the banquet scene where a guilty Macbeth is plagued with visions of the murdered Banquo, the bloodied apparition is suddenly encountered in a dance embrace by the newly crowned king. This shift works dramatically, as do some of the other re-imaginings. Richard Easton as Duncan, hailing from the video monitor, is a treat as a telegenic royal talking head, at once hammy and calculating. However, a growing awareness dawns as it becomes plain that Russell as director, engaged with innovation it seems for innovation’s sake, completely loses the plot in the finest sense. This might have been more immediately evident if I had read the production’s publicity notes which describe the play as “a brutal and darkly funny exploration of the banality of evil.” Really? Macbeth? Funny? If the line had been offered by Mel Brooks I might have taken closer note, but otherwise it seems merely, but utterly, wrong-headed. And how wrong-headed becomes dismayingly clear in due course as Russell stokes up moments of sour humor (one of the witches sings her lines in a borrowed tutu as a karaoke turn) and rubbishes any solemnity. It’s as if the idea of theatrical tragedy is unknown to him. The most damaging turn occurs amidst some rapid fire scene shifts toward the conclusion which require one actor to change swiftly between two characters. This is done on stage by the actor (James Wallert) taping and un-taping a fringe of hair to his brow to distinguish between roles. In the duration a cry is heard off stage. Jumping from left to right, Wallert, fringed one moment, un-fringed the next, delivers the news of Lady Macbeth’s death. It is, richly, a Mel Brooks moment, and there was more than one chuckle in the audience.

Can Russell actually hear the language Shakespeare is putting in his characters’ mouths? The evidence is scarce and the actors suffer from the inability to sound as if they mean their words. Who is to blame them if the director has no feeling for the real emotion of the play? Apart from Easton in the role of Duncan, and Julian Rozzell, Jr. (with presence to burn) as one of the witches, everyone seems merely focused on unburdening themselves as rapidly and succinctly as possible of their Shakespearean metre. Russell is not the director who can marry them to their lines. As Macbeth, Ty Jones actually commences the soliloquy – “Is this a dagger I see before me?” – with his back to the audience. No chance here for an actor to convey facially the extremity of the moment. Russell, it seems, is not interested in psychological subtleties (witness the never-changing backdrop projection) merely the chance of creating something different. Well sad to say, something different definitely this way comes, but you’ll be lucky if the pricking you feel is confined to your thumbs.

Related Posts:

• The Terrible Manpain Of Umberto MacDougal: The Total Package Of Manpain (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)
• Menders: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors – Good Menders Make Great Theatre
• The Knocking Within: 4 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (Times Square International Theater Festival 2012)
• The Bardy Bunch: The War Of The Families Partridge And Brady (Fringe Festival 2011)
• Macbeth – Behind Every Good Man . . .

There’s a reason that the second rule of Fight Club is the same as the first rule of Fight Club.  Because Tyler Durden (and by extension, author Chuck Palahniuk) understood that it’s human nature to break rules.  First rule of Fight Club – don’t talk about Fight Club.  Second Rule of Fight Club:  DO NOT talk about Fight Club.  So what did people do?

What does this have to do with August Schulenberg’s new play DEINDE?  Simple.  DEINDE – a sci-fi story of quantum biologists who use a  Dineural Entangled Intelligence Network DEvice [a "clumsy acronym, really, not even a real E at the end"] to “loop in” in order to juice their brains so that they can be smart enough to cure a virus that has been killing the world’s population – begins with four simple rules:

1. When using DEINDE do not think of anything other than work.
2. Do not keep the connection to DEINDE live outside of work.
3. Do not use DEINDE to communicate with each other.
4. Do not use DEINDE to accss the world online.

Sounds so easy to follow, right?  So did “Don’t talk about Fight Club” and we all know how that turned out.

The rest of the play is about how those looped in to DEINDE systematically break the rules as they find themselves becoming addicted to the unnameable and unbelievable power that overtakes them, courtesy of this strange and wonderful and terrifying new level of understanding.

The play itself begins with a chess match – a conventional one –  which then thematically unfolds throughout the entire play, on a much more subtle level.  In the first scene the game is being played on a recognizable board and the notion of checkmate has no hidden meaning or agenda. On one side of the board we have Cooper (David Ian Lee) who plays a very analytic and thoughtful game where he tries to see every available move before he proceeds. However he doesn’t have the intuitive leap to be able to move beyond what is in front of him in order to win the match.  On the other side of the board there is the older, wiser Malcolm (Ken Glickfeld) who is the embodiment of 95 years of trial and error.  This dictates not just how he plays a chess match, but how he moves through life.  While it seems that he is using intimidation and brio to distract his opponent in actuality he doesn’t need this slight of hand – he’s won the game anyway, based on his innate knowledge which comes from something that can’t be taught – something that can only be experienced.  By zeroing in on the fatal flaw of his opponent rather than relying on the limitations of his own body of knowledge, he is able to win the game.

DEINDE featuring Isaiah Tanenbaum, Ken Glickfeld, David Ian Lee, Rachael Hip-Flores, and Nitya Vidyasagar (Photo credit Justin Hoch)

DEINDE works with this theme throughout the play;  constantly pitting two sides against each other with much higher stakes, and a checkmate which implies not just the end of a game but perhaps the end of human progress.  The battle is between information vs. intuition, intelligence vs. maturity, wisdom vs. knowledge.  If you’re paying attention it’s easy to see how the moves will play out – but nonetheless thrilling to watch as they unfold.

There’s a lot of science here – this is, after all, a sci-fi tale, but it’s laid out in a way that is conversational, interactive and engaging.  If some of it goes over your head, well, that’s almost the meta-point.

DEINDE is what would happen if Charly and Sybil had a love child who evolved at the speed of light.  If you remember your high school reading assignments, Flowers For Algernon dealt with Charly (or Charlie), a learning-disabled man who is chosen by a team of scientists to boost his intelligence.  As Charly becomes self aware, and soon hyper-intelligent he becomes disenchanted both with his former self as well as those around him whom he once admired.  Similarly, Jenni and Mac – the young, eager (already brilliant) quantum biologists who undergo the DEINDE process find themselves on this same road – unable to return to the blandness of the existence they had before they looped in.  So they simply don’t.

As they further break the rules they become reliant upon the technology, even as they surpass it.  Those around them,  once considered mentors, colleagues and advisers are now considered troglodytes.  Speaking with them is like ”talking through tar” to Jenni and Mac who are on an accelerated path – always.  Further, as they break rule number 3 they find themselves justifying their own behavior to (and with) each other, as they now are “one person in two bodies” who still speak out loud to each other, but in unison because it “feels grounding, like we’re still human in some meaningful way”.  Further they decide they are there “not … to abolish the law but to fulfill Man’s destiny”.  Yes.  They are THAT GOOD. Or so they think.

But there are consequences for breaking the rules.  Not punishments.  Consequences.

Throughout the play in every way director Heather Cohn balances precision with chaos.  Will Lowry’s set and scenic design is awash in mathematical equations, written in a steady hand and proving the undeniable.  Electronic devices are clear lucite and allow for anything since they are beholden to nothing.  Martha Goode’s sound design brings scenes crackling to life with music that is classical, indicating moments which are very calculated and decisive, straightforward and blunt.  This makes the dischord which begins once the rules are broken all the more salient and pronounced – where things once were clear and ordered they are now explosive and uncontrollable.

Similarly the acting is in perfect balance; a composed and measured Nabanita (Nitya Vidyasagar) is in perfect counterbalance to the (at first) bouncy, youthful, Mac (Isaiah Tanenbaum) and Jenni (Rachael Hip-Flores) who move quickly to manic and frenzied.   Cooper and Malcolm do fantastic work in the middle ground, showing both compassion and tolerance in the face of a technology that is terrifying, wonderful and unquantifiable.

Another strong Flux Theatre Ensemble production which melds science with sentiment and allows the “what if”s to paint a picture of possibility.  Beautiful and meaningful – not to be missed.

~~~

Related Posts:

• Menders: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors – Good Menders Make Great Theatre
• The Seduction Of The 60s Lives On In “The Lesser Seductions Of History”
• 4 Cents Review: Blessings Abound At Jacob’s House
• The Real Thing – Where Art Meets Life
• The Stranger To Kindness: City Of Strangers (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

The American Play

Benefiting: Sanctuary for Families
Produced by The Dirty Blondes
Written by Ashley J. Jacobson

“A sinister tale of a burgeoning friendship in an increasingly sociopathic society hell-bent on making monsters of its men and objects of its women.  What would Partick Bateman do?”

Show Times:

• Mon 6/4/12 – 6:00pm
• Thur 6/7/12 – 10:30pm
• Thur 6/14/12 – 4:00pm
• Wed 6/20/12 – 8:30pm
• Fri 6/22/12 – 6:00pm
• Sat 6/23/12 – 6:30pm

Answers by Alexandra Siladi (Director),

Ashley Jacobson (Playwright),

Elizabeth Sarkady (Manager)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?
Alexandra Siladi: Our show was inspired by American Psycho – playwright Ashley Jacobson decided on this specific title because we also realized this story was a capsule of modern American life. It is about white men, a demographic who not only who founded the country we live in, but continue to decide on the laws & regulations that govern its citizens. We see this play as a comment on American society and how in 20 years since American Psycho was written, not only has the story of Patrick Bateman been embraced by a large majority of those who know it, but it has become an iconic vision of the American male’s greatest concerns: image, sex, power, and money.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite 5 people (from the past or present) to see your show – who would you invite … and why?
AS: Bret Easton Ellis, because he wrote the book that is our inspiration in addition to being one of the most prolific writers of our generation, Christian Bale because he’s the inspiration for the film and our play’s image, Marilyn French the author of The War Against Women written years before the hashtag was part of our lexicon, Donald Trump Jr. because he would make a great Bateman and might be inspired to support the arts, and…

Ashley Jacobson: Quentin Tarantino, because I think he’d really like it.

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your art and was it worth it?
AS: The biggest sacrifice I’ve made for my art was my life – I’ve given myself up not only for this play, but for theater. It’s great exploring the mysteries of the human condition through the performing arts, I don’t see any other way.

AJ: As a writer, the artistic process is solitary, confining, alienating. You can’t do it with friends, of for me, a crowded room. I sit alone and stare at a computer screen and let the voices in my head guide me. Especially with this play, I think the sacrifice has been a bit of a social life, and a lot of my sanity. I dream about these people and hear their voices. It’s rewarding to hand it over to the production team and let them inhabit that world for a while.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and can you share it with us?
AS: In the beginning, my goal was to bring American Psycho to life as essentially a one-person play told by multiple actors. From this seed, it has become a play about two fully formed characters that are able to exist as a comment on the same darkness that exists in the book. Also, we’ve discovered that live actresses make a better chorus than mannequins.

Elizabeth Sarkady: The original idea of the play came about before our company, The Dirty Blondes. After our company formed and we came back to this project, we noticed that the fact that this was a script about men penned and developed by women gave it a subversive feminist agenda.

AJ: After the first round of auditions, the entire production team was really depressed and freaked out by the show. It was a turning point in the writing process because we realized that we had created such a dark world, but we weren’t offering an alternative. We were just painting a picture of a cartoonish cruel world as if it was exact and inescapable. We had a little bit of an email therapy session, and I went back to the drawing board. From there, we added scenes and words that became the heart of the play; that made it more human; more touching and much more powerful.

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
AS: We hope the audience experiences not only the Brechtian ideal of “alienation” (which we’re going for with breaking down the fourth wall) but that they are moved to look at how their behavior in even the most subtle forms of expression or language can impact the series of events that leads to violence. Violence begets violence, and we hope that the audience might not just turn their head to this fact, but try to stop it and show some kindness, which is not an easy feat.

AJ: Alex puts this perfectly. I just hope people are touched. The play points to so many elements of our daily lives – sexism, bullying, capitalism, etc. The takeaway message, though, is that it is all about how we treat each other, the damage we do to each other for the sake of “survival.” Kindness, and live-and-let-live can be a form of survival as well.

___

Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY.  To purchase tickets to this or any of the shows click here.

Related Posts:

• (un)missed connections – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Smacker And The Highway – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Naked Brazilian – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Closet – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bubby’s Shadow – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

The Taint of Equality, ~or~ I Want Your Sex

Benefiting: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
Produced by Cross-Eyed Bear Productions
Written/Directed by Duncan Pflaster

“Adrian and Javier are a gay couple who don’t believe in marriage- but everyone assumes they’re married. When they realize they’ve never actually opened up their “open relationship”, they decide to each go out and get laid, with hilarious and erotic results. Featuring an all-male cast of 13 in an epic satire of modern gay society. Warning: Nudity.”

Show Times:

• Fri 6/8/12 – 6:30pm
• Wed 6/13/12 – 10:00pm
• Sat 6/16/12 – 10:00pm
• Mon 6/18/12 – 7:30pm
• Thu 6/21/12 – 10:00pm
• Sat 6/23/12 – 6:30pm

Answers by Duncan Pflaster
(Writer, Director)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?
Duncan: It actually took a long time and I went through several titles- It began life called Fidelity, was called Sex and Sensibilities for a while, then went through a number of options that weren’t quite right: One Touch of Penis, The Salad of the Bad Young Men, I Am Into Champagne, Wang the Drum Slowly, and then I tentatively settled on the somewhat bland Equality for the first draft and private reading with my playwright group… but then I read an interview with Paul Rudd in US Weekly where he mentioned the awkwardness of doing nude scenes and pitied the poor soundman who had to look at his hairy taint- and BAM, “The Taint of Equality” it was. The pun sounds vaguely dirty and makes people giggle, but the other meaning resonates with the Gay Marriage themes of the play. And the subtitle of course is from the 80s George Michael song- since he’s struggled in his personal life with some of the same fidelity/monogamy issues as my characters (and is mentioned in the play), that just seemed to be appropriate.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite 5 people (from the past or present) to see your show – who would you invite … and why?
Duncan: (Singer) George Michael, (Playwright) Noel Coward, (Composer) Stephen Sondheim, (Columnist) Dan Savage, and (Gay-for-Pay Porn Star) Paul Carrigan- each of them inspired parts of the play, and I think they’d get a kick out of it.

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your art and was it worth it?
Duncan: Oh man, it seems like I’m always sacrificing something to make my shows happen. I’ve been averaging two full-length shows per year the last few years, and it’s been more and more of a difficult battle. Frankly, though I’m extremely proud of all the plays I’ve done and have been very lucky to work with such great people through the years, it’s been feeling less and less worth it as I go on. I’m considering giving up producing my own work and just doing something else for a while.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and can you share it with us?
Duncan: Well, I wrote the first draft of this play in 2 months, which is the shortest amount of time in which I’ve ever written a full-length play (I usually average about a year), so that was unexpected; I didn’t know I could write so quickly. I’m still working on more drafts of Nothing Human, the other (more dramatic) play which I took a hiatus from to write Taint.

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
Duncan: I hope they are entertained, but also leave thinking about the issues; they’re presented in a hilarious way, but deep down it’s a serious show that presents philosophical questions about relationships and what they could look like.

___

Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY.  To purchase tickets to this or any of the shows click here.

Related Posts:

• The Empress Of Sex – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• (un)missed connections – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Smacker And The Highway – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Naked Brazilian – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Closet – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)

The Count of Monte Cristo

Benefiting: UJA of New York
Produced by Provident Productions
Book, Music & Lyrics by James Behr
Composed & Arranged & Musically Directed by James Behr

“The Count of Monte Cristo, a musical based upon the famed Alexandre Dumas novel, now comes to the Broadway stage! Come see the beloved and thrilling story of love, revenge and redemption in this prize-winning and critically acclaimed new musical.”

Show Times:

• Tue 6/12/12 – 6:30pm
• Sat 6/16/12 – 8:30pm
• Sun 6/17/12 – 4:00pm
• Mon 6/18/12 – 7:00pm
• Thu 6/21/12 – 9:00pm
• Sat 6/23/12 – 3:30pm

Answers by James Behr

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?
James: The title is based upon the book, “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas, which the musical is adapted from.

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite 5 people (from the past or present) to see your show – who would you invite … and why?
James: Richard Rodgers – because I admire his music so much

Franklin Delano Roosevelt – Because I admire what he accomplished as President

Winston Churchill – because I admire his determination and contributions to history.

Moses – Because he is such huge factor in religion and morality.

Philip J. Smith, Chairman, Co-CEO, The Shubert Organization – because I would like to have my musical produced.

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your art and was it worth it?
James: I gave up a very lucrative profession to do what I am doing, and have put thousands of hours of my time and talent into what I’m trying to accomplish as an artist. What it worth it? I like creating, but I am still awaiting the opportunity to be taken seriously and given a fair chance to be seen.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and can you share it with us?
James: Well, I knew it was going to be very difficult to get the attention of the entertainment industry, but even so, I did not expect it to be as challenging as it has been to get producers to communicate and be open-minded to a new work based upon such a famous story.

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
James: A sense that there are new musical, like The Count of Monte Cristo that respect the great traditions of Broadway and deserve to get attention and help from those in the industry capable of making things happen. There is a sad tendency now to support the rich and famous and ignore new talent simply because they are unknown.

___

Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at 45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY.  To purchase tickets to this or any of the shows click here.

Related Posts:

• (un)missed connections – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Smacker And The Highway – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Naked Brazilian – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• The Closet – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)
• Bubby’s Shadow – 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 Planet Connections Festivity)