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 →

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 →

Party Face
Written by Isobel Mahon
Directed by Amanda Bearse
New York City Center Stage 2
January 13, 2018
Production website
💉 out of 5.

Before you judge – let me explain – I had an open slot – and this was a new play – and the tickets were $132 but only $28 on TDF so that was a seemingly good deal – and it was in previews, which is fun – and it did star Hayley Mills who was in Parent Trap so that’s good.  Right?

I walked in the small theatre of Stage 2 at City Center – and the set looked great – close, intimate, elegant – but almost too good looking like they were hiding something.  Then clue #2, I overheard the house manager talking to a friend saying “I hope you are okay with this – but she is so lovely to work with.” Continue reading Party Face →

The End of Longing
Written by Matthew Perry
Directed by Linda Posner
Lucille Lortel Theatre
June 15, 2017
Production website
💉 out of 5.

There is nothing more uncomfortable then being trapped in a small space with a die hard alcoholic.  Nothing they say has any meaning. Nothing they say is funny.  They make you uncomfortable.  They are narcissistic.  They go no where.  They mean nothing – and most of all – the next morning your left with a headache and a desire to resurrect those lost hours.

This play is bad.  Bad acting, bad story, bad delivery, and dreadful cliches.  Clearly this play was written by a TV star because no scene could develop or sustain itself beyond eight or so minutes.  Time that would be better spent on the commercial break.

You certainly do not care about these people.  You do not take a journey.  Truly you just get to spend time with a drunk convincing you he’s worth the 95 minutes.  He is not.