Amy and the Orphans
Written by Lindsey Ferrentino
Directed by Scott Ellis
Roundabout: Laura Pels Theatre
March 20, 2018 Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5.
Amy and the Orphans was damn near the best show I have seen in a long time. I know there are those who do not value the comedy and would only say that ratings of 💉💉💉💉 ro 💉💉💉💉💉 must go to a drama – because of their profundity, but I disagree! A great night in the theatre is a great night in the theatre!
I have to admit that part of my reason in going to see Amy and the Orphans was to see how a woman with Down Syndrome would actually work out in a full theatrical production. My very limited experience with those living with Down Syndrome convinced me that this was impossible. But I was wrong! Continue reading Amy and the Orphans→
Good for Otto
Written by David Rabe
Directed by Scott Elliot
The New Group at the Pershing Square Signature Theatre
March 21, 2018 Production website
💉 out of 5.
As a MFA Playwright from Penn State – and now a high school teacher of playwriting, I always run into the same problem with beginning writers. When given the choice to write about what they want to write about, young students seem to gravitate to setting their play in the psychiatrist’s office. The reason is clear – rather then writing a story with some conflict – rather than SHOWING us the story – they would rather put a wild, kooky outragious character on a psychiatrist couch and just drill them with questions to get a monologue out of them. It is cheap easy playwriting. You don’t have to SHOW us you can just TELL us – and that is not what our art form is about. Continue reading Good for Otto→
Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo
Written by Edward Albee
Directed by Lila Neugebauer
Signature Theatre
March 21, 2018 Production website
💉💉💉💉 out of 5
It is so great to back in New York and back in the theatre. After a break of a few months it was so wonderful to curl up on a snowy Tuesday evening to watch essentially two characters tear through some language to create some beautiful Albee-esque existentialism. The play was a combination of two one acts – the later being the classic “Zoo Story” that EVERYONE reads in college and debates for hours and EVERY young male actor gnashes their teeth (literally) to tell the infamous “dog story”. What was new for me – was to see the play, “At Home” that was written as a precursor to the “Zoo Story” and gives us a bit of character background to the rather flat and enigmatic Peter. Continue reading Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo→
All good things come to and end. For the extended holiday break I was able to bank in a dozen shows – – from the awesomeness of Mark Rylance, the beauty of The Band’s Visit to the dinner theatre of Party Face and the what-the-hell of Cardinal and all wonderful things in-between – not to mention some good ol’ nudity in a shower. God is good. Theatre is good. NYC is good and cold. And now its back to Florida to pay the bills and plan March!
Cardinal
Written by Greg Pierce
Directed by Kate Whoriskey
2nd Stage
January 14, 2018 Production website
💉 out of 5.
In all the plays in all the world – why would anyone chose to do this play? I just don’t get it I am not sure what someone in authority was about when they read this play and said, “This is what I need to commit valuable time and resources to.” Why? Why? Why? This was one of those plays that I sat in the middle of a full house and peeked out to my fellow audience members to see if anyone was getting more out of this play then I was – cause I wasn’t getting anything. I was not interested in any of the characters or their struggles. I didn’t believe them and certainly didn’t believe the “development” of the story. There wasn’t an ending moment (much less a climax) where everything came together except a gun shot that no one on stage seemed to care about and the concern on the freshness of hospital muffins. Continue reading Cardinal→
Amy and the Orphans
