Review: Lifestyles of the Rich and Privileged

Not all good kids are good. Some use their brains as a façade to hide the bad that’s truly inside. There’s a common stereotype that all the smart kids in high school are good kids. This is absolutely not the case in Jacob Presson’s Very Bad Words. The play follows three privileged geniuses after they get tattled on for speaking their potty-mouthed minds, tarnishing their perfect reputations, and thus seeking revenge because how dare anyone do that!
The plot is pretty simple. Three kids get in trouble and play a prank on the kid who turned them in. The aftermath isn’t pretty. The kid then kills himself. Presson’s characters are smart, driven individuals who could only function as a trio. They are the offspring of the well-to-do who have no regard for consequences. When it looked like Steve, the tag-along, was going to have a complete character change, Presson decided to twist the ending and make it realistic. None of the characters change, something that doesn’t happen often and is unrealistic when it doesn't happen in plays of this nature. Hate the characters all you want, they’re real. Despite this, there were moments where the actions and reactions seemed contrived. Another scene of longer reaction time could have been used before the execution of Will, the ringleader's, final plan. The script comments heavily on the power of words and how in today’s society some of these hurtful words are meaningless. Except certain words were a catalyst for a horrible action. Presson’s characters spew very bad words in every sentence, distracting from the impact of the important words. Do they need the foul language throughout? Probably not. It seemed to be there for laughs. Let’s be honest, if you spewed out the words these three did in the school office in front of the secretary, this trio would have been expelled on the spot.
The cast of three worked well off of each other. As Will, PJ Adzmia made a despicable person loveable. Adzima is a natural, performing with great depth, from high comedy to intense dramatic. He was definitely the standout of the bunch. Adam Warwinsky’s vulnerability showed through as Steve. Though his character wasn’t consistent, Warwinsky shined when Steve displayed the paranoia side of the character. Olivia Macklin’s Taylor was annoying, which is exactly what she was written to be. In the end, she is equally, if not more, selfish as Will.
Director Jake Ahlquist does a wonderful job taking the extreme characters and circumstances and grounding them. He works the simplicity angle well. Emily Auciello’s sound design was lively and energetic, tying the scenes and monologues together nicely with Gary Slootisky’s lights.
The story is poignant. Though at times preachy, cleverly disguised through characters, Very Bad Words personifies the cruelty within these situations. You want these characters to lose and get what they deserve, but like real life, they end up winning in the end.

Spotight On...Summer Broyhill

Name: Summer Broyhill

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

Education: Bachelor of Music, Florida State University and an Internship with Georgia Shakespeare Festival

Select Credits: A whole lotta Hairspray (Broadway/National Tour), Independents (FringeNYC '12), and some awesome regional stuff: Jane in the post-Broadway regional premiere of Tarzan, Cathy in The Last Five Years at Virginia Stage Company, Kate in Kiss Me, Kate opposite Davis Gaines.  I've been pretty gosh darn lucky. 

Why theater?: You know when someone's having a revelation onstage, or reaching some hilarious or heartbreaking emotional climax and you somehow feel like they are connecting you to God, like a divine light is reaching down through them, then out to you, grabbing your heart and making it beat a little faster?  An epiphanic moment.  An a-ha moment, as Oprah would say.  I live for that.

Tell us about Killer Therapy: A ruthless assassin seeks rehabilitation by way of an overly apologetic pacifist therapist who is on her way to spin class.  They debate life's most polarizing questions of morality using push-ups, roundhouse kicks, and a mutilated orange.  Though Killer Therapy opens on a fairly wild concept, the themes are universal and incredibly relevant: must we be weak in order to connect? Must we be violent to be strong? Does being an "uncompromising" person oblige you to compromise values? And most importantly: what happens when even your therapist is unravelling?"

What is it like being a part of Killer Therapy?: Brandt created a piece that, like any good piece of writing, leaves itself open to a lot of discussion and interpretation.  What was lovely about the process was that even though I came in reading things in it that he did not intend, he didn't ignore these things.  We embraced them and let them help imbue the piece with more colors that will probably elicit more questions.  That and Katie Lindsay is pretty much the greatest director ever.  She has this magical balance of being able to coax powerful moments out of actors while having a great ear for comic timing.  Sometimes comedy and truth feel like star-crossed lovers: when they are together, it's fireworks and orchestral swells, but the two kids never can seem to sneak out of the house for long enough to be in one place.  Katie's like the friar.  Katie marries them, hoping for a better world. 

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love theater that is transformative, that shows that we are capable of rebirth, of rising from the ashes.  I love theater that makes me laugh while I cry, that says I am not alone, that describes perfectly the moment when. I love theater that makes me believe in miracles. 

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Millie in Millie, Vanda in Venus in Fur, Melody in Be a Good Little Widow, Nina in The Seagull, and Julie Jordan in Carousel.

What’s your favorite showtune?: "Finishing the Hat" maybe.  I know that's so typical.  I also really love "Brigadoon".  Like, really.  "Come to me, bend to me"?  I swoon.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I want to do a Pete Mills musical with Pete Mills.  I want to work with Alex Timbers.  I want to speak the words of Amy Herzog and Bekah Brunstetter because I want to be as witty and insightful as they are.  And I want to be mentored by Young Jean Lee.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Samuel L. Jackson.  He has always been my first and only choice.  As for the title, I dunno. 
Bad Ass Vegan Motherfucker"?  Can you say Motherfucker on this site? 

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Cupola Bobber's The Field, The Mantel pretty much rocked my world. Peter and the Starcatcher was the greatest thing I think I've ever seen on Broadway.  Belleville at NYTW was horrifying and thrilling.  And I loved Jake Lipman's Tongue in Cheek company's production of The Mistakes Madeline Made this spring.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?:  I feel like people always say either "sugar" or "bad tv" or some combination of the two in regards to this question.  I feel guilt about neither brownies nor Rupaul's drag race (I mean, except to the extent that I feel guilty about western excess generally).  What do I feel guilty about?  Spending ten dollars on juice at Organic Avenue. What on earth is wrong with me??

What’s up next?: A renaissance of wonder.  I feel it. 

Review: Totes Not in Kansas

Unless you’ve been living under a rock and have no sense of popular culture then you’re well aware of the story of Dorothy and pals, also known as “The Wizard of Oz”, and there’s no need for me to recap the story. If you have been living under a rock, welcome to the surface, and to some up the source material, Kansas girl Dorothy and her dog Toto are transported to the mysterious land of Oz where she accidentally kills the Wicked Witch of the East. Her sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, vows revenge on the teen murderer. But before she can, Glinda, the good witch, sends Dorothy on a scavenger hunt down the Yellow Brick Road to find the Wizard of Oz. Along the way she meets the brainless Scarecrow, the heartless Tin Man, and the cowardly Lion. They meet the Wizard, who’s not all he’s cracked up to be, and defeat the Wicked Witch by drowning her, all while Dorothy realizes it was all a dream. Trippy, right? Perfect piece to turn into a modern remix, right? You would think.
Haberdasher Theatre took the L. Frank Baum classic and transported it to modern day NYC. The program note gives a detailed description of how it’s going to work. Spunky Dorothy meets gun-wielding Glinda, drama queen Wicked Witch of the West “Side”, starving artist Scarecrow, emotionally damaged Tin Man, Prozac dependent Lion, and the not so wonderful Wizard. Sounds like it should work, right? Unfortunately the execution was so far off that the program note was a stretch at best. Taking the beloved story and playing with it is a risk, but could have worked if done with care. With an adaptation by Jeannette Jaquish and Hollie Klem and directed by Klem, many of their ideas seem to have never been lifted off the drawing board. There were definitely shades of a remix in The Wonderful Remix of Oz, but it was too much like watching the movie with actors in brilliantly designed modern costumes. The choices and references didn’t quite resonate as well as they needed to. The adaptation wanted to be trippy and dark. Instead, we saw a funny take up that tried too hard. Luckily the story is recognizable that the twists on the original were easy to follow, despite how extraneous they may be.
With wild ideas to play with, the cast made some choices themselves. Not all for the best. Pamela Karp took The Wicked Witch of the West to the worst possible place, making her almost unrecognizable. Alex Coelho’s heartless Tinman lacked emotion, taking the emotionally damaged bit too far. Amy Lee Sanchez as Glinda gave the good witch some sass, though with her fabulous pink gown, she could have given her more bite. Jennifer Michaels did a fine job as Dorothy. There was, however, one giant standout in the company. Jeff Foley as the Scarecrow was extraordinary. With his brilliant comic delivery and commitment to the physicality of the character, Foley shines as the highlight of the production. Only Katie Grammes wonderfully whimsical costumes could overshadow Foley’s performance.
The Wonderful Remix of Oz is not your nostalgia Oz. It had its moments where it worked, but overall it fell under the rainbow. 

Spotlight On...Nathan Gregorski

Name: Nathan Gregorski

Hometown: Scottville, MI

Education: BA in Theater Performance from Western Michigan University

Favorite Credits: Directing: Far Away (WMU), Mother Courage and Her Children (Asst. Director, WMU). Writing: The short film "Kin" (with co-writer Rachel Lambert, Distiller Films)

Why theater?: I love stories. I love stories with magic and fantastical elements. And I love the challenge of telling these stories onstage with the limitations of live theatre. How can you make someone fly in a simple black box theater? How can you jump back and forth through time and space? How can you create the illusion of castles or forests or planets without the use of elaborate set pieces? It's part staging and it's part agreement with the audience. It is so exciting to have an audience say, "I know that actor is standing on a chair but he's telling me it's a mountain so I am going to agree that he is standing on a mountain." What's better than that?

Tell us about Orbiting Astral Bodies?: Orbiting Astral Bodies begins with the Moon's announcement that she is leaving planet Earth. She feels forgotten, unloved. She is tired of watching everything but having no part. So she decides to go off on her own. Luckily, the government is building a new silicon moon to replace her. Moon 2.0 will control the tides and record the months and light up the night, so no biggie, right? Depends which of the other five characters you ask. Mark opposes the Moon's leaving, going so far as to chain her to the Earth. Warren wants to go with the Moon in an effort to slow the passing of time so he can discover his true purpose. Meanwhile, Gillian is afraid of...everything. She collects travel books but won't get on a plane. And her friend Claire falls in love with Allen, the man of her dreams found in her dreams. But is he real or illusory? These interwoven stories explore characters seeking safety in a mad world and asking, "Can we replace something real with something fake?" Oh, and it's funny.

What inspired you to create Orbiting Astral Bodies?: Orbiting Astral Bodies came out of the typical post-collegiate wanderings and ponderings. I myself was in that limbo space of "What do I want to do with my life? Where do I want to go?" The world around me seemed to be in shambles, there was war, the economy was in the tank, then there was the oil spill in the gulf, and eventually Occupy Wall Street. There was a lot of shit going down (can I say "shit"?) and I felt pretty powerless in the big grand scheme. So I decided to write a play about the end of the world. But I wasn't concerned with the big-picture issues like the science of the moon leaving or the politics or the grand global reaction. I'm a fan of stories like Another Earth or The Road that explore big events from a microcosm. Like those stories, I wanted to follow a few characters as they struggled to accept (or curb) the oncoming new reality.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I enjoy theater that embraces the fact that it is theater. As theater artists we are given this wonderful opportunity to do things that can't be done on television or in cinemas and I love when a play takes that opportunity and runs with it. As an artist I'm inspired greatly by music, I listen to a lot of it while I'm writing. Also by other plays and I read a lot of books. I read a lot of news because truth really is stranger than fiction.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Matthew Weiner, the creator of "Mad Men". The man is a genius. I would kill to write an episode. And I would love to write a musical with singer/songwriter Josh Ritter.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The last show I went gaga over was The Other Place with Laurie Metcalf. God, that play. I saw it at the Lortell and when it came to Broadway I ran out to see it again. It was heartbreaking and beautiful and her performance was unbelievable. And that ending was like a knife in the heart no matter how many times you saw it. Top of my list to see at Fringe this year is Lula del Ray, a mix of puppetry, projections, live actors, and music set in the American West. I'm sold.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Lifetime Presents: Jason Priestly in "For Dear Life: The Nathan Gregorski Story". And I want Kellie Martin in it.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I love Taylor Swift. And please don't misunderstand me when I say that. Because I really do love her more than I can possibly tell you. We're talking album-on-repeat I-want-to-be-her-best-friend obsession.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: I've been watching "Breaking Bad" and the meth business seems promising. That's gonna turn out okay for him, right?

What’s up next?: Currently I'm working on my first feature film with my co-writer, Rachel Lambert. I'm also working on my next play (it has to do with a game show) and I'm dabbling with some short stories.

Review: Funny Love

First comes love. Check. Then comes marriage. Hmm. Then comes baby in a baby carriage. Not gonna happen. And that’s basically Trish and Rick’s relationship in a nutshell. In The Adventures of Boy and Girl, Trish and Rick are over but through hilarious snippets, we see why.
Written by youngsters Alec Grossman and Rachel Kaly, the script is nothing short of entertaining. If you read this play on paper, you’d probably say, “Oye this again?” but with the brilliant aid of director Patrick Vassel, The Adventures of Boy and Girl is a hit. And thankfully, there were two brilliant comedic actors on stage who embody the perfect couple. Matthew Goodrich and Margy Love lifted Grossman and Kaley’s words and turned it into an outstanding and hilarious comedy. Goodrich and Love have an insane amount of chemistry as Rick and Trish. They are able to riff off of each other flawlessly. Love plays the typical girly-girl Trish with spunk. Goodrich, with the boy next door good looks, plays the nonchalant douchebag Rick easily, but it’s when he reveals Rick’s secrets, there’s no wonder Trish has fallen for this teddy bear of a guy.
Grossmand and Kaly have a way with keeping recurring jokes funny and relevant throughout, something that can be hard to do. Again, having two tremendous talents on stage help make this triumphant. April Bartlett’s set works wonders for the fast-paced comedy. Boxes and boxes filled with momentos and chachkies are strategically placed and revealed at pristine moments of the show.
If you’re looking for a funny, yet short, night out, check out The Adventures of Boy and Girl. With two spectacular performances, you’ll be sure to laugh your butt off.

Spotlight On...Jeff Foley

Name: Jeff Foley

Hometown: Port Jervis, NY

Education: AA degree at SUNY Orange

Select Credits: The Cherry Orchard (Lopakhin, Apprentice Players); Christie in Love (Constable, andcompany); The Lombardi Case 1975 (O'don, Live IN Theater)

Why theater?: Theater is my outlet. I have tried many other types of creative outlets but I always come back to the theater. The way it resonates with me is unlike anything else I've ever experienced. The physical and mental transformations that can take place are highly appealing. So I don't sound like I'm trying to understand the ocean, Theater... is creative crack!

Tell us about The Wonderful Remix of Oz: It is exactly that, a remix. Our director, Hollie Klem, has created a spectacular spin on the timely tale we all know and love. Dorothy is a sassy sarcastic orphan who consequentially finds herself in the land of "Oz" (New York) via tornado, and she meets up with freaks, Guido monkeys, a starving artist, a hot heads, and gentle and courageous cub star. It's truly a remarkable show to be a part of, my only regret is that I will never see this magic as an audience member. It needs to be seen.

What is it like Being a part of The Wonderful Remix of Oz?: To tell you the truth, it's like being cast on SNL. I know that sounds out there but the truth is, I think those folks have a blast laughing and playing before they go live. The whole process of Oz and working with all these incredible actors on this clever show has given me some of the funniest memories I have. Oz is one of my blessings

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: The type of theater that speaks to me is interactive theater. I like playing with the audience and I respect actors who stay in character despite all the external factors that have the potential to pull them out. My inspiration as an artist is Jim Carrey. Why? I don't need a reason but I'll give you one. He made me smile at a time when I had nothing else to smile over.

Any roles you are dying to play?: Hamlet, Biff, and Kevin Bacon's son... in a movie of course, otherwise that would be weird.

What's your favorite showtune?: "Coffee Break", How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. I'm an addict.

If you could work with anyone you've yet to work with, who would it be?: Pina Bausch, you said anyone....

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "Expect Average"

What show have you recommended to your friends?: TV - "Breaking Bad", theater - Motown The Musical

What's your biggest guilty pleasure?: Call of Duty

What's up next?: I have two features coming out this year, "The Kids Get Dead" and "Kingdom Come". I'm currently in two other plays and in rehearsals for another. Live IN Theater's The Lombardi Case 1975, Drama Desk nominated The Ryan Case 1873, and The Murder of Venus Xtravaganza 1988.

For more on Jeff, visit http://jefffoley.webs.com/

Review: Take a Trip to the Mysterious Peninsula

When you watch a character live a life of struggle and hardship, you hope it ends with a happy ending. But not every story has a happy ending. Tiago’s story certainly didn’t. Peninsula follows Tiago, a Brazilian migrant worker in Michigan, on his journey to escape his past and make a life for himself. On his way, he encounters a privileged eighteen year old Tommy who falls for him and would do just about anything for him in order to get him.
Peninsula, written by Nathan Wright, is carefully constructed through monologues and flashbacks that help share Tiago’s story. Wright’s script is beautifully balanced by smart dialogue and beautiful poetic passages. Director Nadia Foskolou marries the colloquial and the poetic seamlessly, adding some stunning physical work from her actors. With no set to be had, Foskolou requires the audience to imagine the multi-locational world, which she is successful at creating. There is beauty in the simplicity. This was greatly aided by Drew Florida’s lighting.

The ensemble of six is quite strong. While it is Tiago’s story, each supporting character brings ample substance as a catalyst for Tiago’s ending. Josue Gutierrez Guerra as Tiago brings heart to the hopeful Brazilian. Kellan Peavy brings great passion as Tommy, the kid who just wants to be loved. Peavy fights the whiny nature of the text, bringing compassion and determination. Angela Atwood and John Zdrojeski serve as wonderful comic relief to the oft heavy piece. Vanessa Bartlett and Mac Sinoway are strong in the flashbacks to Tiago’s time in Brazil, but it’s Bartlett we wish we saw more of throughout.
Peninsula is not your average Fringe show. It’s actually good. Nathan Wright’s script is engaging, leaving you wanting to know what happens next. If you have a chance to check it out, Peninsula is highly recommended.