Fringe Q&A With Nina Morrison of Forest Maiden

By Byrne Harrison
Photos by Zoe Woodworth

Name: Nina Morrison
Show: Forest Maiden
Website: www.ninamorrison.com/forestmaiden

How did you first get involved in theatre?
In college I took an acting workshop my freshman year and loved it.

Who are your biggest influences?
Guy Maddin, Pina Bausch, Stephanie Mnookin & Eliot Laurence (comedy duo GUILE), Phil Soltanoff, Shira Piven, Wes Anderson, Gus Van Sant

What is Forest Maiden about?
Forest Maiden is a cheerfully raunchy comic fable that follows three characters: a Knight, a Maiden, and the Host of a Reality Show. The Maiden has left her elf-dyke girlfriend behind in the forest when she is captured by a Knight! The Knight has been dispatched to capture this Maiden and bring her back to the Kingdom to be assessed for marriage. A Reality Show Host has been hired to professionally assess all the maidens of the Kingdom for marriage to the Prince. The Reality Show Host meets them in the forest while he is out getting some exercise, and the three of them get lost together. As they try to find their way back to the Kingdom they fight, fuck, sing, dance and discuss philosophy, television, feminism, love, God and happiness.

What inspired you to write it?
I had been trying to find a way to talk about feminism, sexism, size-ism, and homophobia (I just typed "heterophobia" then had to correct it, sighhhh!) without being tiresome and didactic. I want to make this conversation accessible and funny and still reflect how complicated and relevant all of these things still are.

Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
Zoe Woodworth (Art Director, Video Designer) I worked with Zoe in March 2009 when I was production assistant on the showcase staging of Lizzie Borden: A Rock & Roll Roadshow. She designed the video for Lizzie Borden, and I loved it.

Sharla Meese (Maiden - pictured above), Katherine Wessling (Scrollturner 1), Melanie Girton Hewett (Scrollturner 2) and I last worked together in 2006 when we collaboratively created Supernatural Break Room. They are all such talented and hilarious actors and improvisers so I was excited for us to work together again. We met through mutual teacher and friend Shira Piven.

Jamie Pizzorno (Host of Reality Show) has been my friend since freshman year in college. We last worked together in our senior year on a scene I directed for a class. We waited 13 years to continue our collaboration.

Paul Jones (Lighting Designer) I met Paul in 1998 when I first began doing improv in New York and he was the only lighting designer I knew who specialized in "improv lighting". I have worked with him on all of my shows since meeting him because he is super talented and creative and I love his work.

Jimmy Helvin (Costume Designer) is a friend of mine from high school who also happens to be a brilliant designer. We last worked together in 2004 when he designed the costumes for my play Muffin Is Evil.

Caroline Oster (Queen Mary May - pictured at right) Caroline and I met a couple of years ago, and I wrote the role of Queen Mary May for her. We didn't collaborate on the writing process, but I did take notes on some conversations which became the Queen's dialog. I transcribed her stories about a "dreadful" acting workshop taught by one of Meisner's assistants involving "rolling around on the floor remembering what orange juice tastes like..." and stories about her years at her women's college "where we were required to take a posture and weight control class" and put them all in the play.

Also, I think this is noteworthy, though not related to the collaboration question: Caroline is turning 78 on the opening day of the show, and this show is her New York City theater debut. She has been doing community theater in Iowa City for the past 50 years.

Fringe shows are notorious for their short rehearsal schedule. How has the rehearsal process been?
Well, yes, the rehearsal process is definitely short and occasionally frenzied, but it has still been a great experience. The limitations and challenges presented by the timeline have, after some wringing of hands, ultimately forced us to be creative in our problem solving. The Fringe is such an excellent festival and well worth a little hand wringing, and we have all felt very supported throughout the experience.

What's next for you after Fringe?
I am working on a new play about surrealist artist Claude Cahun and her partner Marcel Moore. They were a lesbian couple who broke into the surrealist scene in Paris in the '20s and '30s, and then they moved to the Isle of Jersey in the late '30s. Jersey was occupied by Nazis and Cahun and Moore undertook a resistance campaign that lasted 4 years until they were captured and sentenced to death, but they were rescued before being killed. Somehow I'm going to find the humor and love and accessibility of their story in my play about them. Yes. I am.

And finally, if a genie were to grant you one wish, what would you wish for?
I would wish that everyone everywhere could know what a beautiful unique magical unicorn they are.

Forest Maiden
Written and Directed by Nina Morrison

HERE Arts Center - Mainstage Theater
Sat 15 - 3 PM
Sun 16 - 6:30 PM
Wed 19 - 7:45 PM
Thu 20 - 4 PM
Sat 22 - 8:30 PM

Visit FringeNYC for more details.

Fringe Q&A With Ben Knox of For the Love of Christ!

By Byrne Harrison

Name: Ben Knox
Show: For the Love of Christ!
Website: Fortheloveofchristthemusical.com

How did you first get involved in theatre?
At age 11, my dad took me to audition for The King & I. I got the part of the crown prince and on my pasty face they smeared brown pancake make-up that failed to disguise me as a Siamese Prince due to my chubby, pasty-white chest being exposed in my princely garb!

Who are your biggest influences?
Trey Parker, Matt Stone and John Waters.

What is For the Love of Christ! about?
It's a bathhouse brouhaha that explores the Advent of AIDS while satirizing mankind's extremes . . . and has a plethora of killer monkeys!


Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
Brian Nash makes my songs sing! We've been working together for five years.

Karen Weatherwax and Heather Collis aid me in my book-writing by reading my pages week after week, asking questions and always insisting sense be made of my madness!

Fringe shows are notorious for their short rehearsal schedule. How has the rehearsal process been?
Don't ask!!! Luckily I thrive on uncertain outcomes and surprise at every turn! Let's hope, after the inevitable transfer, we have a little more time ;)

What's next for you after Fringe?
Fame and fortune!

And finally, if a genie were to grant you one wish, what would you wish for?
To expedite the aforementioned fame and fortune, especially the fortune part--starving artist is so passé!

For the Love of Christ!
Book/Music/Lyrics by Ben Knox
Additional Lyrics & Arrangements by Brian J. Nash
Additional Book by Heather Collis & Karen Weatherwax
Director: Holly-Anne Ruggiero
Choreographer: Holly Cruz

Cherry Lane Theatre
Sat 15 - 2:15 PM
Wed 19 - 10 PM
Fri 21 - 5 PM
Mon 24 - 3 PM
Fri 28 - 7 PM

Visit FringeNYC for more details.

Review - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival)

Review by Byrne Harrison

How best to describe the glorious madness that is The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)? Perhaps, taking a page from the play's version of Titus Andronicus (which is turned into a cooking show), I can best describe it as a recipe.

Take 37 plays, toss until thoroughly mixed. Place into a hot frying pan and reduce to approximately 97 minutes. Add three actors, sprinkled with neuroses, one property mistress who would clearly rather be anywhere else, and a big bag of tricks. Heat until boiling. Shake violently, then with a smile on your face, ladle it into the laps of your dinner guests.

Even that does not begin to describe the lunacy of this wild and interactive play. Created by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, William Shakespeare (Abridged) has spawned a number of similar hits: The Complete History of America (Abridged), All The Great Books (Abridged), and Western Civilization: The Complete Musical (Abridged) just to name a few. But the original is still the best.

In the play, three actors Kurt (Kurt Rhoads), Chris (Christopher V. Edwards) and Jason (Jason O'Connell) take on the task of producing all of Shakespeare's plays in one evening. This requires grit, ingenuity, and more than a little cross-dressing. It also helps to have a slightly bored, but very efficient prop mistress (Kate Abbruzzese). The actors make their way through the comedies, histories, and all but one of the tragedies. Realizing that they forgot Hamlet, the greatest of Shakespeare's plays, they devote the entire second act to it.

Directed by Terrence O'Brien with an eye toward milking all the comedy possible out of the script, and utilizing the manic energy of the exceptional cast, William Shakespeare (Abridged) will keep you laughing so hard, you may not be able to catch your breath.

A few words of warning. If you do not like audience participation, sit toward the back. You will still have to participate, mind you, but you probably won't be called up on stage. If it is a sunny day, bring sunglasses. The tent in which the show is being produced is open on one side (it has a breathtaking view) and gets a lot of direct sunlight as the sun sets.

Featuring four talented actors, a marvellous script, and the wide-open vistas of the Hudson Valley, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) is one of the most enjoyable productions I've seen this year. Go early, have a picnic, and enjoy this fun and silly production.


The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
Written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield
Directed by Terrence O'Brien
Lighting Design by Dan Scully
Costume Design by Melissa Daghini
Sound Design by Matt Sherwin
Properties Design by Brett Travis and Phoebe Slocum
Stage Manager: David Apichell

HVSF Artistic Director: Terrence O'Brien
HVSF Executive Director: Susan Landstreet

Featuring: Katharine Abbruzzese (Kate), Christopher V. Edwards (Chris), Kurt Rhoads (Kurt), Jason O'Connell (Jason)

New York International Fringe Festival - Fun Stuff

By Byrne Harrison

As companies gear up for the start of the New York International Fringe Festival, keep an eye open for some of the fun publicity and fundraising events that they have planned.

Last night I attended a cabaret at Don't Tell Mama benefiting Far Out, a new sci-fi musical comedy by Brian Breen and Michael Chartier being produced by Supreme Eyeball Productions. The evening featured the cast of Far Out singing a number of cabaret and musical theatre staples, as well as a couple of songs from the show. In addition to performing, the cast stayed around for a meet and greet, auctioned off several items (including the shirt off cast member Eddie Rabon's back), and handed out some promo CDs. While I will wait and see what Far Out is like, I will say that they have an incredibly talented cast (Nick Adams, Tiffan Borelli, Michael Breen, Ashleigh Davidson, Mary Katherine DeChiara, Jan DiPietro, Alden Fulcomer, Marcie Henderson, Holly Holcomb, Lorinne Lampert, Spencer Liff, Andrea McCullough, Eddie Rabon, Hollis Scarborough, Mykel Vaughn, and Timothy Warmen).

All in all, a terrific evening, and one that is being repeated all over the city as the various companies try to generate buzz for their Fringe shows.

If you want to get in on the fun, visit the Fringe website and find some shows that sound interesting to you. Visit their websites and sign up for their mailing lists. Visit their Facebook and MySpace pages. And above all, attend some of these events. It's a great opportunity to meet the cast and writers of this year's Fringe shows.

Review - On the Way Down (Ashberry Productions)

Review by Byrne Harrison

For people who are still in their twenties, the characters in Michael V. Rudez's play On the Way Down are facing a remarkably middle-aged problem - the sneaking suspicion that they took a wrong turn somewhere along the way and the lives they are living are not the ones they were meant to live.

Josie, Browning and Stevenson are old friends taking their annual trip to the beach. Having started out at Jones Beach in their youth, they've upgraded to East Hampton now that they are living somewhat more staid and comfortable lives. Something about this year's trip is different, however. First, Josie's husband Don decided to take the kids up by bus, allowing Josie some time with her friends. Second, and more disturbingly, everyone in New York City has decided, for some reason, to come to the Hamptons as well. Millions and millions of people, all in a relatively small area. Though never seen, their numbers lead to a crushing sense of claustraphobia, most notably affecting Josie, who already seems somewhat confused and on edge.

While the friends dance around what is bothering Josie, we find out about their lives and their past. Both Stevenson and Browning were Josie's lovers at one time. While Stevenson, an alpha male Wall Streeter, is happy in the life he has built for himself, even if it is different from the one the friends imagined, Browning is stuck facing backwards. He is still in love with Josie and spends his days remembering their time together. Josie is somewhere in between. She recognizes the good things in her life, her husband and children, but isn't quite sure how she went from being a carefree teen to a wife and mother.

Rudez's script is a bit difficult. First, he isn't going for easy answers. There are no facile explanations for what he puts on stage, no tying up of loose ends. His play seems to be creating an atmosphere, one full of loss and regret, more than telling a simple point-A-to-point-B story. It is at times confusing, but it is moving as well.

Lindsay Wolf is outstanding as Josie. A complex character under extraordinary pressue, Wolf wrings every bit of emotion and depth out of Rudez's script, and gives and incredibly moving portrayal of this surprisingly fragile person. Rocco Chierichella does a good job as the macho and somewhat boorish Stevenson. He is a less complex person, more than happy with the simple pleasures. Chierichella is best when playing off Wolf; they are extremely good playing friends who know just which buttons to push to get a reaction out of each other. Steven Todd Smith as Browning doesn't always seem to be fully present. In part, that may be due to the nature of the character; Browning seems to be an observer of life, more than a participant. However, a more nuanced performance could flesh Browning out somewhat and make him an equal to Josie and Stevenson.

Dan Waldron's direction is solid, though at times the play tends to drag and seems longer than its relatively short running time. Production elements are good, with Jessie Kressen's curtain-draped set being particularly noteworthy.

On the Way Down
Written by Michael V. Rudez
Direction: Dan Waldron
Sets: Jessie Kressen
Costumes: Campbell Ringel
Lights: Tom Bergeron
Producers: Michael Mraz, Michael Lister
Stage Management: Su Hendrickson
Assistant Costumes: Katie Gaughran
Technical Director: Nathaniel Kressen
Photography: Michael Bartelle

The Access Theater
380 Broadway, 4th Floor

Closed Aug. 9th

On the Way Down Throwdown - And the Winner Is . . .

By Byrne Harrison

Congratulations to the participants of the On the Way Down Throwdown tonight at the Access Theater. It was a terrific event, and the three companies did a great job with their entries.

First up was Rebellious Subjects Theatre with their "Audience Interactive Bar Snacks." These sweet and spicy roasted pecans were a treat, and very appropriate for a company known for putting on productions of Shakespeare's plays in bars.

Next up was Hip Obscurity, who referenced their mission of producing works dealing with gender and sexual identity issues by submitting a "How Do You Identify: Tapenade or Bottom?" These goat chese, fig and olive appetizers were a savory success.

Finally, hosts Ashberry Productions presented a vegan treat - "Lindsay's New Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake." Delicious and creamy, you'd never guess it was vegan.

And the winners (chosen by celebrity judges Paul Schultz, Elizabeth Hodes and Paul Capone) were:

1st Prize - Hip Obscurity
2nd Prize - Rebellious Subjects Theatre
3rd Prize - Ashberry Productions

Finally, the Audience Choice Award went to Ashberry Productions.

The winners received prize packages which included legal services, public relations services, publishing assistance, memberships with United Stages and Fractured Atlas, among other items.

All in all a great event for the audience and the participants. Here's hoping we see more events like this in the future.

Sun, Sand, Surf and Songs

By Byrne Harrison

Frequent visitors to Provincetown know to head to the Crown & Anchor's Central House Cabaret to hear Bobby Weatherbee whenever they need a healthy dose of Broadway music. Weatherbee performs every Thursday-Sunday from 9 PM to closing. If you haven't seen him perform, you have to go at least once. You'll have a great time singing along to your Broadway favorites.

For those of you who don't want to stay up quite so late, or have other uses for your nighttime hours, I recently discovered the Afternoon Music Escape at The Waterford Tavern (part of the Waterford Inn). Every Wednesday-Saturday from 4-6 PM, pianist John Thomas performs at Captain Lavender's Deck.

On Friday and Saturday, Thomas is joined by Adam Berry and Ben Griessmeyer. Charming and charismatic, Berry and Griessmeyer delight with their golden voices, humor and marvelous arrangements. Best of all, you can see Berry and Griessmeyer after their cabaret performing in the Provincetown Theater's production of Moises Kaufman's Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde.

I highly recommend attending one of Berry and Griessmeyer's performances.

2 Boys in a Bed . . . to Return August 7th - September 6th at the Art House in Provincetown

By Byrne Harrison

2 Boys in a Bed on a Cold Winter's Night returns for it's third engagement in Provincetown on Friday, August 7th. The latest incarnation features Aaron Tone and Scott Douglas Cunningham.

Produced and directed by OBIE Award winner David Drake, 2 Boys in a Bed . . . will play five more weekends this summer.

Fresh from his Director’s Fellowship at Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute Theatre Lab in Utah, director/producer David Drake welcomes actor Aaron Tone to star opposite Scott Douglas Cunningham in this summer’s return engagement of 2 Boys in a Bed on a Cold Winter’s Night at the Art House Theatre in Provincetown, MA. Tone, who received rave reviews for his performance as the volatile baseball player Shane Mungitt in the Provincetown Theatre Company’s current production of Take Me Out, will be doing double-duty as a performer in P’town this month -- with Take Me Out continuing its run thru August 20th and 2 Boys in a Bed… playing through Labor Day weekend.

A post-coital love story, James Edwin Parker’s internationally acclaimed 2 Boys in a Bed . . . explores the intimate emotions that arise between two gay men following a one-night stand in New York’s Greenwich Village, circa 1987. 2 Boys in a Bed . . . will run at the Art House for five consecutive weekends at 9PM on Fridays and Saturdays from August 7th through August 22nd, and then at 9PM on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from August 27th through September 5th. A special Sunday night performance of 2 Boys in a Bed . . . will play at 8PM on September 6th.

2 Boys in a Bed... is for adults only. The production contains nudity and sexual situations, which pretty much guarantees a good audience. Get your tickets early.

The Art House Theatre, 214 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA. All tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the Art House box office starting daily at noon, or online.

On the Way Down Throwdown

By Byrne Harrison

New York is a foodie paradise. So it makes sense that everyone, even the theatres, would want to get in on that action. After tomorrow night's performance of On the Way Down, Small Pond Entertainment and Ashberry Productions will be hosting a special foodie event.

For one night only - prepare your taste buds for the ultimate theatrical food competition. The On the Way Down THROWDOWN!

Here's how it works. Theater companies and other individuals will prepare an appetizer or dessert that will be sampled by both the audience and special celebrity judges representing both the theater and culinary communities. There will be an Audience Choice Award, declared by the tasters, and a Grand Jury prize, delivered by the special guest judges!

Prizes will be awarded at the end.

The lineup of the On the Way Down THROWDOWN includes:

Ashberry Productions

Rebellious Subjects

Hip Obscurity

Judges confirmed thus far are:

Elizabeth Hodes (Food Network Ice Age Cake Challenge and owner of Elizabeth Hodes Custom Cakes and Sugar Art)

Paul Schultz (Former food editor for the NY Daily News)

Paul Capone (Professional chef running an NYC Catering Service)

And this is just a taste of the final line-up.

"But wait," I hear you say. "How can I get a piece of this?"

Simple. Just buy a ticket to see On the Way Down, the cost of the THROWDOWN is a 1-drink minimum (with beers starting at only $3 a bottle).

"But what if I saw On the Way Down already?"

See it again! Or just bring your program to the THROWDOWN for a free admission (with, of course, a 1-drink minimum).

If you ONLY come to see the THROWDOWN, it's $5 at the door and a 1-drink minimum.

Tickets for On the Way Down can be purchased here.

Show begins at 8PM. The food competition begins at 9:45 pm.


ON THE WAY DOWN
A new play by Michael Rudez
Directed by Daniel Waldron

It’s a summer’s afternoon and all eight million New Yorkers have invaded the Hamptons for the weekend. Why everyone has come remains a mystery, but what is clear is that the situation is becoming too much for three of them to handle. Since graduation from college, Josie, Browning and Stevenson have made the Hamptons their sanctuary. With this now under attack combined with the mounting fear that Josie’s husband and children are later than expected create a turbulent atmosphere in which one of them pushes the envelope too far, and the audience is left asking themselves: “how far is too far to go to save someone’s sanity”?

With Lindsay Wolf, Steven Todd Smith, Rocco Chierichella

Performance Schedule:
Thursday, July 30th at 8PM
Friday, July 31st at 8PM
Sunday, August 2nd at 8PM
Wednesday, August 5th at 8PM
Thursday, August 6th at 8PM - and the ON THE WAY DOWN THROWDOWN @ 9:45 PM
Friday, August 7th at 8PM
Saturday, August 8th at 2PM and 8PM
Sunday, August 9th at 8PM

Review - All The Kings Men

Review by Byrne Harrison
Photos by Li Colandrea

One audience member, upon leaving the Art House after an All The Kings Men performance, sniffingly said to her partner, "How can they call themselves drag kings? There wasn't even a single dildo in their show."

Clearly, she didn't get it, and that's a pity. Because of her preconceived notions of what a drag king show must be, she couldn't enjoy the rollicking entertainment that this talented cast provided during their too short stay in Provincetown as part of Girl Splash Weekend.

Luckily, Ms. Sniffy was in the minority. The rest of the audience clearly enjoyed ATKM for what it is, an all female theatre ensemble that explores gender stereotypes using physical theatre, costume, dance, music, comedy, and lip-synch. Their sketches range from comedy (a great sketch about two boys who discover love to a Wham! song), to drama (a marvellous dance performance about saving the planet), to just plain amazing (an exceptional dance tribute to Michael Jackson that had to be seen to be believed). They explore sexual attraction, gender identity, and the nature of drag itself. And they are, above all, entertaining and talented performers who create a show that is a melange of drag, theatre, dance, and performance art.

If you are in the Boston area, keep an eye open for All The Kings Men. If you like clever sketch comedy, music, dance, and an incredibly talented group of actors, you shouldn't miss their shows. If you're not in the Boston area, ATKM does travel, so visit their website and sign up for their mailing list.

For a sample of ATKM in action, watch their YouTube promo, and look out for "Play in the Gray," an upcoming documentary about the troupe.



All The Kings Men features: Katie Allen, Julee Antonellis, Leighsa Burgin, Jill Gibson, Maria Kogan, Karin Webb

Win a Custom Song, Support New York Theatre Barn

By Byrne Harrison

Looking for a unique gift? Want an audition song that no one else has heard? Feel like supporting a great nonprofit?

New York Theatre Barn is auctioning off a song written just for you by the writing team of Anna K. Jacobs and Maggie Kate Coleman – authors of the new musical POP! The winner will receive sheet music of the song, as well as a professional recording — generously provided by MoppTopp Records.

New York Theatre Barn produces a monthly platform (NYTB at The Duplex) for emerging writers and performers at the legendary Duplex Cabaret in the West Village. They are now partnering with these artists to extend their creativity out to you, while benefiting New York Theatre Barn’s mission to investigate, develop, and advance new work.

Click here to visit the auction and bid on this unique item.


ANNA K. JACOBS is a composer-lyricist from Sydney, Australia. She wrote the music for POP! (Yale Repertory Theatre, scheduled 2009) and STELLA AND THE MOON MAN (Sydney Theatre Company/ Theatre of Image/ Australian Youth Orchestra, 2005), which won a Helpmann Award. Her music and lyrics have been featured at Joe's Pub, The York Theatre, Theatre Row, NYTB at the Duplex, Barrington Stage, Goodspeed, Don't Tell Mama, The Darlinghurst Theatre, and the Art Gallery of NSW. Current projects include music for HARMONY, KANSAS, a full-length piece about a gay men’s chorus in rural Kansas, and lyrics for SHOOTING FROM THE HIP, a song cycle commissioned to open the 2010 Sydney Festival. She is a graduate of NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program and the University of Sydney, and also studied composition at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Anna is proud to be represented by the Australian Music Centre and MorningStar Music Publishers. Member: Dramatists Guild of America.

MAGGIE-KATE COLEMAN (Bookwriter, Lyricist, etc.) Recent works include POP! with music by Anna K. Jacobs (Yale Repertory Theatre, scheduled 2009), STEPMOMMY DEAREST, a song-cycle written with Jacobs, and FROM A CHILDHOOD, written with Erato Kremmyda, (Montclair State University in April 2009). Her work has been featured at The York Theatre Company’s NEO Cabaret (with composer Daniel Maté), Joe’s Pub, Barrington Stage, Laurie Beechman Theater, Prospect Theater Company (with Julia Meinwald), Goodspeed Musicals, The Darlinghurst Theatre, and New York Theatre Barn. Current projects include RAINSONG, a dance theatre piece with composer Erato Kremmyda and choreographer Clare Cook; an adaptation of Ludwig Tieck’s DER BLONDE ECKBERT; and a full-length musical inspired by poems from Rainer Maria Rilke's Book of Images. A graduate of Ithaca College and Tisch School of the Arts at NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing program, she also trained at the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. Member: Dramatists Guild of America.

NEW YORK THEATRE BARN (NYTB). Under the direction of Joe Barros (Artistic Director) and Reed Prescott (Executive Director), New York Theatre Barn is a not-for-profit theatre company dedicated to the investigation, development, and advancement of new evocative works. New York Theatre Barn launched in April of 2007 and has since grown and evolved. In just two years, NYTB introduced a monthly springboard event for emerging writers and performers (NYTB at The Duplex), presented concerts and staged readings (including the musical BIG FAT CAT with Bruce Vilanch and I MARRIED WYATT EARP with Tovah Feldshuh, directed by Tony-nominee Graciela Daniele) and produced a fully realized productions (including WOOD at NYMF with Tony Award winner Cady Huffman). Recent productions include the musical parody HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT MOVIE WOULD MAKE A GOOD MUSICAL? at the Julia Miles Theatre and Bridget Bailey’s one-woman play CHILD OF HUNGRY TIMES (nominated for two Planet Connections Theatre Festival Awards).

Review - Assholes and Aureoles (Midtown International Theater Festival, InterAction Theater, Inc., and Off The Leash Productions, LLC)

Review by Bryan Stryker

When a play has a title such as Assholes and Aureoles, you know you're not in for a squeaky clean Neil Simon experience.

A series of eight interwoven scenes involving domestic abuse, child molestation, rape, self-identification, sexual harrassment, and more are served up with an extra twist of the knife. Just when you think you know where a scene is heading, it veers off in the opposite direction. This thoroughly engaging (not to mention laugh-out-loud funny) piece comes from the delightfully warped minds of its performers, the spritely Diane Kondrat, her performance partner, the Amazonian Karen Irwin, and playwright Eric Pfeffinger.

"What must it feel like to do such good...and be so hot," muses Kondrat during a monologue, as she holds up an 8x10 glossy of Chris Hansen, host of the "Dateline NBC" program's "To Catch a Predator" series. The wide-eyed admiration and adulation for the investigative reporter glistens from her eyes and you can't help but laugh. From there, she launches into a sexual fantasy involving Hansen as if he was a member of a junior debate team competing at a regional competition in Rochester.

Irwin shines during her monologue about a woman who is about to be raped but is able to deftly fend off her attacker by claiming it wouldn't be rape, as she would consent to the act.

"But it'll be rough," she growls as the rapist.

"That's the only way I like it," she drawls.

The seriousness of the subject matter and the subversive take Irwin gives the matter makes you squirm while laughing at the same time.

With four solid scenes under their belt, Irwin and Kondrat tackle what is termed in the playbill as "The Long Scene" set in a woman's domestic abuse shelter. Kondrat plays the harried social worker interviewing volunteer Irwin, and takes her through a role play scene of how to handle certain situations. Kondrat's abused wife with an "undeterminable Eastern European accent" and Irwin's social worker soon include other characters like the redneck husband, an Irish coworker, and a good old boy cop.

While the actresses magically throw themselves into these characters, I couldn't help but think that I've seen the same "actress-playing-multiple-parts-in-one-scene" bit done before and much better (Kristine Nielsen in Durang's Betty's Summer Vacation comes to mind). The timing seemed off during the performance as if it should have played much quicker with less transitioning between character changes.

Additionally, "long" is a bit of an understatement for the scene, as the it dominates the running time of the show and could have been trimmed by a good five to seven minutes while still maintaining the integrity of the scene. Sadly, the momentum generated by the actresses during their first four scenes is lost during this segment. The goodwill generated from the audience during the prior scenes seemed to slowly dissipate, and the final two scenes dealing with suicide and political correctness did not get the response that it could or should have.

Leonora Trey deftly maneuvers her players across the stage with minimal props and staging. Through the two chairs, a card table, modular boxes, and a few pieces of fabric, Trey, along with lighting designer, Marc Tschida recreates the staging for each scene making it easily recognizable and identifiable within the first few moments of each vignette.

Assholes and Aureoles is a delightful comic romp that requires you to leave your sense of right/wrong, black/white, good/bad at home, and embrace a slightly skewed view of some taboo topics.

Assholes and Aureoles
Written by Eric Pfeffinger
Creative Consultant: Nell Weatherwax
Fight Choreographer: Adam Noble
Lighting Designer: Marc Tschida

Featuring: Diane Kondrat and Karen Irwin

WorkShop Theater Company - Jewel Box Theater
312 West 36th Street, 4th Floor

Review - Pretençión (Pinchbottom and Collective: Unconscious)

Review by Byrne Harrison
Photo by Ted D'Ottavio

Burlesque is generally not what one would consider a highbrow art form. But imagine if it were. In Pretençión, Pinchbottom's latest theatrical burlesque being presented as part of the undergroundzero festival, burlesque impresario Jonny Porkpie imagines a world where burlesque is every bit as pretentious as Cirque du Soleil (not that they are ever mentioned by name). But, egads and alas, Nasty Canasta and Tigger!, performers in this cirque de burlesque, have lost their pretension. And without pretension, all that's left is just, well, boobs.

Enter Jonny Porkpie, the man who can save the cirque and help them to retrieve their pretension. He urges Nasty and Tigger! to use their imaginations to enter another world (one remarkably similar to Oz and which contains Jonny Porkpies of the North, South, East and West) where they can find their lost pretension, with the help of the lovely Naughtia Nice and unwilling audience member, Arrogant Mick. As Nasty, Tigger!, Naughtia and Mick travel through this land of imagination, they encounter its numerous inhabitants, most of whom happen to be lovely young women (the various guest stars, each with an amazing burlesque number).

Will Nasty and Tigger! get back their pretension? Will Arrogant Mick learn to loosen up and use his imagination? Are we ready to live in a world with more than one Jonny Porkpie? Is all of this just a flimsy excuse to showcase some of the city's hotest burlesque talent?

The answer to most of the questions (all, if you happen to be Jonny Porkpie) is yes.

Porkpie has spun a cute tale with just enough plot to make the show interesting, but not so much as to weigh it down. With a lewd wink and a sly nod, he makes fun of everything, himself included, and makes sure the audience has a good time.

Nasty Canasta, Naughtia Nice and Tigger! give solid and amusing performances, as does Arrogant Mick, who starts the show as an audience member. Mick plays a good foil to Jonny Porkpie's Willy Wonka-esque character, and shows off a remarkable voice during the musical finale, though he alone out of the cast doesn't strip down.

The July 16 performance featured Amber Ray as a gleefully malevolent bunny, Julie Atlas Muz in a Balinese inspired dance, Ms Tickle in a white feathered costume that was the most amazing of the evening, and the always amazing Gigi La Femme in a naughty spanking number.

Though Pretençión has closed, look for Pinchbottom's upcoming Marx Brothers inspired show A Day on the Boardwalk, A Night at the Sideshow in August. For information, visit Pinchbottom's web page.

Pretençión
Script by Porkpie
Set Design: Pink Inc.
Press Photos: Ted D'Ottavio
Directorial Assistance: Greg Cicchino
Stage Manager: David Bishop
Stage Kittens: Sapphire Jones (Wed, Thurs), Jasmin (Fri), Lefty Lucy (Sat, Sun)
Presented in association with Collective: Unconscious and Tom Keenan
Associate Producer for Collective: Unconscious: Vik Keenan

Starring: Nasty Canasta, Jonny Porkpie, Naughtia Nice, Arrogant Mick, Tigger!

Guest stars:
Wed 7/15: Angie Pontani, Dirty Martini, Mat Fraser, Peekaboo Pointe
Thu 7/16: Amber Ray, Gigi La Femme, Julie Atlas Muz, Ms Tickle
Friday 7/17: Bambi the Mermaid, Clams Casino, Jo Boobs, Ruby Valentine
Sat 7/18: Darlinda Just Darlinda, Harvest Moon, Legs Malone, Leroi the Girl Boi
Sun 7/19: Creamy Stevens, Gal Friday, Little Brooklyn, Madame Rosebud


PS 122
150 First Ave.

5th Avenue Theatre Cancels July 23rd and 24th Previews of Catch Me If You Can

By Byrne Harrison

The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle has announced the cancellation of the first two previews of Catch Me If You Can, the new musical based on the 2002 Dreamworks film. According to the Seattle Times, this is due to the death of Teresa Butz, sister of Norbert Leo Butz, who was killed during an attack in her South Park home. Her partner was also injured, but was treated and released.

Norbert Leo Butz, a Broadway stalwart and Tony Award winner most recently seen on Broadway in Speed the Plow, is scheduled to star as Carl Hanratty opposite Aaron Tveit as Frank Abagnale, Jr.

Our prayers go out to his family in this difficult time.

Review - The Hunger Artist (Human Group and Horse Trade Theater Group)

Review by Byrne Harrison
Photo by Romina Memoli

"I have to fast, I can't do otherwise."

Imagine that you have a unique talent. One that leads to acclaim from the masses - even though they don't quite understand it. You bask in that acclaim; it becomes your sustenance.

And then, tastes change and it all disappears.

What would you do with that aching need to perform?

This is the world of the hunger artist (Nick Fesette). Once renowned for his asceticism and his ability to fast, he is now looked upon as a mere oddity; just another circus attraction that you pass on your way from the big top to the menagerie. Where his impresario once set up his cage in the middle of the town square and people came from all around to watch, he is now just another attraction at a circus, sitting alone and forgotten, as the crowds hurry by him with cursory, incurious glances.

While this seems like a curse to the artist, it soon becomes a blessing. Now freed from his impresario's watchful eyes and his limit of forty days for any fast, the hunger artist can finally reach his true potential. He begins a fast that will be longer than any he has ever completed.

But will anyone, including the hunger artist himself, ever realize what he has achieved?

Adapted from Kafka's short story, "Ein Hungerkünstler," Nick Fesette's The Hunger Artist is a dark and expressionistic piece. Using only a bare, straw-covered stage, Fesette turns The Red Room into a cage, with the audience peering in through imaginary bars. At times, the hunger artist puts his arm through these bars, inviting us to marvel at how thin they are. And though he performs for us and makes us laugh, the bars that separate him from us are not nearly as strong as his disdain for people like us.

This disdain is starkly illustrated by the way he sees the impresario and the people who come to observe him (Julia Crockett, William Slater Welles, Stephen Arnoczy). Loud, crass, and awkward in movement, they are grotesque, nightmarish creatures, who at once sustain him and torture him.

Fesette gives a visceral and mesmerizing performance, inspiring a range of emotions from sympathy and disgust. Crockett, Welles and Arnoczy also excel, especially given the completely unrealistic acting style called upon by the play. Their Weimar-flavored costumes, no designer is credited, complete the effect, and help reinforce the difference between them and the hunger artist, who is clothed only in a pair of black leggings.

While Fesette has created an affecting piece of theatre and excels as an actor, the weakness in The Hunger Artist is in its direction. A short play, lasting only an hour, The Hunger Artist nevertheless occasionally drags, most obviously when dealing with the "others" being portrayed by Crockett, Welles and Arnoczy. Giving the actors odd bits of business - repeating phrases, fainting on or otherwise interacting with the audience, stylized movement - is effective in setting them apart from the hunger artist and showing how he feels about them, but a little bit goes a long way. Although this short show would be even shorter if some of their business were trimmed, it would more easily hold the audience's attention.

Expressionistic and experimental, The Hunger Artist is a challenging production that will not be to everyone's liking. But in a world of realistic theatre, it's nice to see something so completely theatrical, and Human Group is to be commended for staging it.

The Hunger Artist
Performance authored by Nick Fesette
From the story by Franz Kafka
Additional texts by Sarah Kane, Tadeusz Rozewicz, Georg Buchner
Lyrics for "Baal's Song" by Bertolt Brecht
"Panther's Song" by Winston Cook Wilson
Original Music: Winston Cook Wilson
Lighting and Stage Management: Randi Rivera
Produced for Human Group by Lindsey Hope Pearlman
Publicity: Emily Owens PR

Featuring: Nick Fesette, Julia Crockett, William Slater Welles, Stephen Arnoczy

The Red Room
85 E. 4th Street

July 16, 17, 18 - 8 PM