Joe, Author at TheaterReviewsFromMySeat

About This Reviewer - November 18, 2021November 23, 2021

Complexions Contemporary Ballet 2021 (Joyce Theater)

As New York’s stages continue to fill up, it is gratifying to see audiences back in full support of their favorites or taking in a new work. I was beyond thrilled that Complexions Contemporary Ballet returned for a two week stint at the Joyce to a packed house on opening night. Their artistry and their athleticism are on full display in this entertaining and thought provoking dance.

Program A contains two parts. Snatched Back From the Edges is a world premiere piece conceived and created during the height of the pandemic. The program notes the challenges of gun violence, racial inequality and social struggles. The dances contained here are “inspired by the pain, tenacity, and advocacy for change – that inner strength that continues to propel the world forward – through it all.”

The company’s dancers are multi-national representing Italy, Australia, Canada, Columbia, Japan and all corners of the United States. This diversity is further represented by color and size. There is not a cookie cutter approach to the formation of this unit and the variety makes for exciting combinations and interesting juxtapositions. They are all, however, supremely fit as the choreography is intense, angular and energetic.

Seven sections make up Snatched Back From the Edges. The pieces are accompanied by music and spoken word, including Terrell Lewis’ Fear. “Fear used to be my ball and chain” is followed by “I have now changed.” Everyone of us has changed over the past two years. The words and the lyrics underscore the aggressive and occasionally slinky dance movements. We are asked to think not simply revel in the beautiful lighting and gorgeous bodies.

“The Future” is a song from Aloe Blacc (born Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III) which nicely sums up the introspective yet positive outlook of the piece. “There is a light at the end of this road / And I know there’s still a long way to go.” The chorus then intones “the future belongs to me” and “it’s gon’ be a beautiful thing to see.” Choreographer and co-founding Artistic Director Dwight Rhoden created a work that allows us to feel and think while taking in the visual splendor and movement.

The second half of this show is a reprise of 2020’s Love Rocks containing eight Lenny Kravitz songs. I saw the premier of this dance and it should be considered essential to this company’s repertoire. The dance is a glorious feast for the eyes and ears. If you love to watch transitions these are inventive, varied and fun. The prancing in “I Belong to You” and the gazelles in “Fly Away” are witty and command attention. This is dance as sport. How can you tell? When the dancers pause, even for a moment or two, their breathing makes it clear.

Each dancer brings his or her personal style to this type of choreography. The musicality of Vincenzo di Primo suggests every note runs through his body. Jillian Davis remains an arrestingly tall, graceful and angular presence. It is difficult to look away when she is on stage. Jarrett Reimers, in his second season, was a standout as well notably in his duets. While every dancer gets their time in the spotlight, Thomas Dilley, Brandon Gray, Terrence Matthews and Aidan Wolf were especially memorable.

Was this the tightest performance I’ve ever seen from Complexions? No. When everyone is spot on and nails the choreography perfectly, the imagery is unrelentingly cool. This is muscular, sexy, ultra-flexible and aerobically challenging dance. Complexions’ dancers work hard and the result is two hours of awe inspiring visual delights. This is dance for everyone to enjoy.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet will be performing two different programs at the Joyce Theater through November 28, 2021.

www.complexionsdance.org

www.joyce.org

About This Reviewer - November 17, 2021

One Empire, Under God (The Tank)

Off-Off Broadway – and The Tank in particular – is a place where experimentation is encouraged and celebrated. Anthony J. Piccione’s play One Empire, Under God is a wildly overwritten treatise primarily covering politics and religion. Seemingly every single current hot button topic is also thrown into the mix. The stew is jumbled with tasty bits and muddy flavors.

Four hundred years from now a born again alcoholic will rise to save America from the deranged liberal socialists. Slander and prejudice continue to rear their ugly heads in society. Jesus and Christianity will return to their rightful place as the real religion. More specifically that refers to Protestantism not the misguided Roman Catholics and other assorted heathen beliefs. Juicy material for sure.

The story follows Damian Cunningham (Trey Shields) who wants to be more active in his conversion. He receives guidance from an inky priest (Mark Verzatt). He creates a Virtue Cast and quickly there are tens of millions of followers. His ego swells and his didactic self-aggrandizement leads him to the Republican nomination for President of the United States. The basic message is simple: Republicans are good and moral while Democrats swim with Satan. (Think Breitbart 2401 A.D.)

The play is completely serious not silly or ironic. The first act, Dawn of a New Evangelism, centers around the creation of a new political savior. There is a long, extended path to get to the Presidency including primaries, debates, vote counting, etc. Despite occurring centuries into the future, the issues are no different than today including climate change which is mentioned but not explored. The current President is a woman (Mary Miles). Her transgender Vice President is now running for the highest office. You can guess how the Republicans will paint that picture for America.

There is a large cast for this production and they function in multiple roles but also as a type of media chorus. News tidbits are flung far and wide. It is both effective in moving the plot forward and also repetitive. Most scenes in the play underscore the plotting at least twice so things often get bogged down. To say the White House scene in Act II is laborious is an understatement.

The second act, Dusk of the American Millennium, takes the play in an interesting new direction by moving time significantly forward three hundred years. The tone and situation completely changes. Like the first half, however, most scenes take too long to nail their points and move on. The experience is less like watching a play and more like sitting through a staged reading of a screenplay.

Many performances stood out and embraced the weighty subject matter with gritty realism. As the rebel alliance partners in Act II, Marcus R. Smith (General River Kalvin) and Gian Caro (Josh Garcia) render their characters with realistic and believable life. The bond is obvious and naturally played. The central character of Josh has the most depth and a backstory that plainly explains his motivations. Mr. Shields nicely conveys a conflicted and misguided Damian, the Republican leader who rises to the throne. As the transgender candidate, Clara Tan has some nice moments in an underwritten role. There is no other defining feature for them except gender.

If this highly topical play (or movie) moves forward, editing would be helpful in reducing plot repetition and scene length. Since the story is set in a distant future, a few more surprising details would be helpful in placing the events outside our current tumultuous time. The hologram device works particularly well. An ambitious effort, One Empire, Under God is meant to provoke and challenge. That the story is not so far-fetched is the dire warning here.

One Empire, Under God will be performed at the Tank through November 21, 2021.

www.thetanknyc.org

About This Reviewer - November 16, 2021

Radium Girls (Metropolitan Playhouse)

Masks. People obfuscating the truth about science and personal danger. Corporations avoiding responsibility for their actions. Lawyers purposefully manipulating the system. Women as second class citizens. Headlines from today, certainly. Radium Girls, however, takes place in the 1920’s in Orange, New Jersey. The themes are the same in this famously true story of industrial poisoning.

The United States Radium Corporation opened a factory which painted luminous watch dials for use by soldiers in World War I. The paint was created by Doctor Von Sochocky (David Logan Rankin). The young women in their teens had steady work but had no idea the risks they were taking. In order to save time and money, the girls were instructed to bring the paintbrushes to their lips or tongues to sharpen the points. They completed hundreds of watches per day.

Over time, the girls began to fall ill. Mouths start bleeding. Teeth fell out. In one of the most horrendous descriptions, entire jaws could be removed due to the deterioration. This play is about certain of the ladies who sued the company for “compensation.” For those who know this story (and I am one of them), there are no plot surprises. The horrors of unchecked capitalism still draw powerful parallels a century later.

As is typical with Metropolitan Playhouse productions, the budget is spare and creatively effective. Three tables and chairs are alternatively factory floors, offices, homes and hospital beds. Everything about this Off-Off Broadway theater suggests the past so this staging in this location works perfectly to absorb the story. The play is not a great one as the exposition, especially in Act I, is somewhat clumsy. The tale, however, is riveting.

Director Laura Livingston shines a spotlight on our COVID times by employing masks to represent the dead. They are periodically placed on the shelf throughout the play as a reminder of the seriousness of this corporate greed and indifference to human life. The technicians in the company did not suffer similar fates as they were given lead shields to work behind. The women, though, were encouraged to lick radiation all day long.

This play contains more than thirty characters with 10 actors. Half play multiple roles and all do terrific work. Ms. Livingston’s production keeps everything clear and easy to follow. The technical elements, particularly the lighting design, create an atmosphere suitable to the story. The glow on the tables was a nice touch.

The story centers around Grace Fryer (Olivia Killingsworth) and Kathryn Schaub (Grace Bernardo). Grace is the “good girl” type while Kathryn is tougher and more questioning. Both actresses excel in their characterizations. No matter what their individual personalities, the impending result will be the same. Watching them is both heartbreaking and illuminating. Grace was the one who can be described as lead plaintiff.

A young vibrant woman with a full life ahead of her dropped out of school to work in the factory. She and her boyfriend (Kyle Maxwell, excellent) are planning their future and getting engaged to be married. In concentrating the story around one particular relationship, the harm perpetuated by this company cuts deeply.

Arthur Roeder (Kelly Dean Cooper, also excellent) climbs up the ladder and becomes the head of the company. The stock price, the company’s image, the legal maneuvering and the coverups are all addressed here. Advertising is defined as not just presenting a product; “it’s the way you promote it.” From the mouth of this CEO: “scientists, government; they have no idea what it takes to run a business.” For some audience members, familiarity will bring contempt.

There is a nice touch at the end of this story when the CEO and his daughter are talking. She mentions that science has come so far since the terrible events which struck these ladies in their prime of life. Perhaps she is partially correct. But she says this while lighting a cigarette. History repeating itself again and again. Now is the time to shed light on the story of the Radium Girls. We must look at the past with eyes wide open if we are to imagine a potential future where fellow human beings are more important than corporations and profits.

Performances of Radium Girls are scheduled through November 21, 2021.

www.metropolitan playhouse.org

About This Reviewer - November 13, 2021

Woman In Black (McKittrick Hotel)

There are few venues for live immersive entertainment as interestingly moody and fun as the McKittrick Hotel. My first experience, over a decade ago, was Sleep No More which is still running. The audience literally runs around a hotel. Other shows happen on different floors. Woman in Black is in the Club Car space. It is subtitled “a ghost story in a pub.” The English pub setting is ideal.

Apparently this show has been running in London for thirty years and was made into a movie starring Daniel Radcliffe. A fairly large sized audience grabs drinks and takes a seat facing the stage. An older man named Arthur Kipps (David Acton) comes out and begins reading his manuscript. He informs us that the story must be told as “I cannot carry the burden.”

A younger man, The Actor (Ben Porter), comes on stage to provide guidance to the purposefully boring resuscitation of this nightmarish tale. It is meta theater. It is fun for a moment or two. However, it goes on far too long before they jump into the story. We came for the “howlings and shrieking and groanings and scuttlings.” They do arrive in the form of an old fashioned creepy country house ghost story.

The Actor becomes the Solicitor who travels to the house via horse and carriage. The older man takes on the new character of the driver. They bounce along the unpaved roads in a spirited bit of whimsy. Both performers play multiple parts, changing jackets and hats along the way. Unfortunately the first act goes on far too long. All five of us were dying (pun intended) to get out of very uncomfortable chairs.

The solicitor arrives at the scary mansion and discovers there is much paperwork to go through. He tells us that his “main sensation is one of tedium.” We agree but for the wrong reasons. This play takes a very long time to get where it is going. Is the payoff worth the wait? No but the packed audience might disagree with my assessment.

There is nothing remarkable about the old school ghost story plot and the mysteries which are revealed. There are some effective scares allowing the audience jump and scream. That they do so vigorously means they really, really want to scream. I did not scream.

Both actors are reprising their roles from London. They are both intense and enjoyable to watch. The lighting (Anshuman Bhatia) and, especially, the sound effects (Sebastian Frost) are top notch. All of the ingredients are present for a delicious fall fright fest. The story length, however, sinks this one. Towards the end, revelations are thrust out in a mad dash to the finale. I was happy when it ended, sorry to say.

I did have one unexpected chuckle. When Mr. Porter was traversing the audience in fear, his face seemed an exact replica of Hugh Skinner who plays Prince William in the outrageous sitcom, The Windsors. Wishing you were watching something else is not a nice thing to say no matter how true.

Woman in Black is running at the Mc Kittrick Hotel until January 30, 2022.

www.mckittrickhotel.com

About This Reviewer - November 12, 2021

Is This a Room

On June 3, 2017, a 25 year old Air Force intelligence specialist named Reality Winner was visited by the FBI at her home in Augusta, Georgia. They had a search warrant. She was suspected of leaking proof of Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election. Is This a Room is a staged play based on the verbatim transcripts of that recorded encounter.

Emily Davis portrays Reality Winner and that is her uncanny but actual name. The performance is excellent. Since we know she went to prison, there is not a sense of mystery in this show yet Ms. Davis almost makes us believe she knows nothing at the start. From jitters to wet terror, we watch her as the layers unfold. The tension is palpable.

Agent Garrick (Pete Simpson) is the main questioner. He attempts awkward social banter to get the conversation rolling. He is accompanied by Agent Taylor (Will Cobbs) and Unknown Male (Becca Blackwell). Each of these men nicely inhabit the characters as spoken. There is a bumbling governmental goofiness to their physicality which suits the words. Unknown Male, who talks little, blurts out the show’s title in a question, “Is this a room?” The moment is bizarre, means nothing and is never answered.

There is a great deal of tension built as the agents circle and prowl their victim. She is not really a match for them but attempts to be elusive for a time. The set (Parker Lutz) is intentionally minimal so this is about the dance between the hunters and the hunted. The direction by Tina Satter keeps the language and movement swirling.

The official transcript is redacted in many places. The show handles that through sound (Lee Kinney and Sanae Yamada) and lighting (Thomas Dunn). That is effective as a presentation of the mystery which we are not cleared to know about. It is also frustrating as the transcript never allows us to understand the severity of the leak. Reality believes people have a right to know this “history.” Why we are not allowed to know is a question that should be answered in society where the government is advertised as “for the people.”

The play clocks in at slightly more than an hour. Is This a Room is certainly stylish and well acted. Did it make me think about these issues in any new way or shed any new light? Not really.

As we watch major political and governmental figures ignore subpoenas from Congress, it is perhaps important to reconnect with Ms. Winner’s story. She is the first person imprisoned under Trump’s Espionage Act. She leaked classified information; there is no question of that. Are there bigger and more serious crimes out there? The wealthy and politically connected have a lot more chance of eluding the questioners than did this young woman. That is our America. Let’s continue to argue about vaccines and masks while the laws remain unequally applied for all citizens.

Is This a Room is running through November 27, 2021 in repertory with another transcript inspired play, Dana H. on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre.

www.isthisaroombroadway.com

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/danah

About This Reviewer - August 27, 2021

God of Obsidian (Gideon Media)

A warning before the play begins. God of Obsidian is about a “psychologically abusive gaslighting relationship.” What follows is a dark descent into one woman’s slow but steady freefall.

Alice and Nathan are walking to his home. They discuss “old gnarled Brothers’ Grimm” fairy tales. When crossing the “rickety bridge” Alice mentions that “there has to be a troll, right?” This is her first visit to Nathan’s house in the obvious early stages of a new relationship.

Inside there is a trunk which cannot be opened. The foreboding imagery is not subtle nor is the dialogue. A comment about “grinding the axe” results in an eye-rolling response: “you can grind on me all you want.” The playful banter continues but will soon change course. Nathan, in addition to being a tad goofy, is a shrewd control freak.

Cutting off ties to Alice’s friends and coworkers begins the slow roll down the hill. A series of mental torments are designed to strip away Alice’s readily apparent confidence. Nathan does seem to care for her. Caring and owning, however, are not the same thing for most people as is in evidence here.

Nathan’s gift of gab reveals itself to be truly disturbing. Over three chapters which span a few years, the mind games intensify. The verbal manipulation from Nathan’s personal viewpoints repulsively draw the listener in. What makes God of Obsidian particularly interesting is the natural believability of the situational spinning. Words and thoughts and even facts are turned upside down and inside out. The warning given is justified.

Mac Rogers’ play centers its energy on emotional distress and does not involve physical threats at all. Mr. Rogers also performs the role of Nathan and his slime factor is very, very high. The word twisting manipulations are extraordinary. As Alice, Rebecca Comtois is equally effective balancing a disappearing strength of character with nervous self-awareness. This audio play is definitely a character study in gaslighting featuring two excellent performances.

The ending seemed metaphorically heavy handed as did some of the set up. Running at just over one hour in total, God of Obsidian delivers many riveting scenes with crisply dramatic dialogue. Director Jordana Williams has layered this tale with realism which is why the story and the characters get under your skin. That is the intended effect and why this production is worth a listen.

The first part of God of Obsidian premieres August 27, 2021. The second and third parts will air over the following two weeks. This audio play is available free on demand across all major podcast platforms and the Gideon Media website.

www.gideon-media.com

About This Reviewer - August 17, 2021

Alma Baya (Untitled Theater Company No. 61)

Science is a topic in today’s world with wildly divergent views on what is fact and what is fiction. The threat of personal danger during the current – and escalating – COVID pandemic is omnipresent in the news each and every day. Edward Einhorn’s Alma Baya asks us to consider personal risks in a credible science fictional scenario.

An invitingly simple and effective set design by Mike Mroch immediate places the action in the future. Two women live inside a pod. Their names are Alma and Baya. Whether or not the “machine” is working opens this play. A horn sounds signaling lunchtime. The ladies reach in for their rations. A discussion implies a fear of limited supplies of food and water.

Who are Alma and Baya? What are they doing in this pod? Where exactly are they? And why? Answers to those initial questions come later in Mr. Einhorn’s one act play. Before that, however, a crisis ensues.

A Stranger appears outside the pod. The shadow suggest it may be human. A knock follows. Should they let in this unknown entity? The dilemma is immediately clear. The spacesuits worn outside only last a few hours. Left outside this person will die. Brought inside, on the other hand, brings an unknown entity into a two person living space. Supplies are limited and “the crops are gone.”

Alma and Baya have very different viewpoints on the correct way forward. Protectionism versus compassion. While unspoken, Alma is a pseudonym for alpha. Baya, the softer hearted one, is the beta of this pair. The quandary goes even further. Alma and Baya’s spacesuits are no longer functional. This stranger may be able to help with the crops. Dwindling supplies versus unknown risk. (The science of virus vaccination versus conspiracy theories of microchip insemination a reasonable current parallel.)

The set up of this play is tight, realistic and clear. The predicament is not necessarily unique in science fiction but the current pandemic lends an air of caution which makes the timing of this play prescient. Who is this Stranger and what dangers do they pose? Who is this Stranger and what benefits can they bring?

Since this is a three character play, those uncertainties will be explored in a fairly expected way. The premise of who, what, where and why these ladies are in this pod, however, is a very satisfying science fiction conceit.

Alma Baya is nicely directed by the author. Frederico Restrepo and Hao Bai’s lighting design adds the appropriate mystery and menace to the proceedings. Two different casts are featured during this play’s run. JaneAnne Halter, Maggie Cino and Nina Mann were all good with Ms. Halter’s Baya perhaps the centrifugal force which evolves the story line most significantly.

Mr. Einhorn’s plot ideas are the most enjoyable aspect of this piece especially for fans of moral conflicts in science fiction. There are enough unknowns to allow the audience to fill in the background or imagine what happens thereafter. Like an effective short story, Alma Baya satisfies yet leaves room for expansion of what’s outside this particularly troublesome pod.

Alma Baya will be performed live at A.R.T./New York through August 28, 2021. A live stream taping will be also be available online from August 18 through September 19th.

www.untitledtheater.com

About This Reviewer - August 13, 2021

The Karens (The Muse Collective)

The never ending pandemic aroused many emotions in each of us. Those feelings also manifested themselves in bizarre, often erratic and mind-numbingly imbecilic behaviors. A prime example is that lunatic screaming hysterically in a supermarket while throwing groceries out of her cart. She did give us a laugh. She also made us cringe. Peter Gray’s new comedy The Karens will bring those hopefully suppressed memories back.

For those who missed 2020, a Karen is a noun in addition to a name. The term is pejorative “for a woman seeming to be entitled or uncompromising beyond the scope of what is normal.” At the play’s beginning a helpful clue reminds us that she is “frequently sporting a ‘speak to the manager’ haircut.” The comedic possibilities are endless.

Mr. Gray introduces three Karens in his story. They are indeed suffering and insufferable. But they are not the middle aged white privilege variety we’ve come to gawk at like feces eating primates at the zoo. These Karens are younger and each bears the burden of carrying the dreaded moniker. Imagine the horror of having that name and its heavy burden today.

These three high school chums get together on zoom to catch up during the summer of 2020. They proudly boast “we’re the Karens.” They lament the good old days when being a Karen meant style, sophistication and a certain joie de vivre. Then comes the punch line. Being a perfect Karen also meant not admitting to not knowing what “joie de vivre” means. Listen hard as there are dozens and dozens of zingers to be found.

X, Y and Z are the distinguishing markers for this trio. Karen X is black and describes herself as a “critically acknowledged life coach” and aspiring social media influencer. The Latina Karen Y is the CEO of “Party Girl Karen LLC.” Karen Z, the white one, now wants to be called Karen Zed. She is a yoga instructor. Each is branding and rebranding themselves. If there were hash tags when they were in high school, “it would have given my life purpose.”

The structure of Mr. Gray’s comedy swings from zoom meetings to social media posts particularly from Karen’s X and Z. Using their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talents (and a pussy hat from the women’s march), they unite to “dismantle white supremacy.” Why? “So all the little girls who don’t know they could be like us could be like us.”

That these three are racially diverse adds to the fun but also gives them pause. Maybe they should add a Middle Eastern Karen to their group so they can “eat falafel without guilt.” The juiciest part of this satire is using the concept of the older Karens to put a harsh spotlight on the next generation of Karens in full obnoxious development. How many hash tags do you need to be perfectly woke?

Many life lessons are shared. Karen Zed gives tips on one of her videos. First on the list is fighting the urge to speak to a manager. Her advice is to go lower on the totem pole and make that person’s day. In her second tip, she tells us to avoid using the term totem pole. Racial adjacencies are frowned upon. When The Karens is at its best, the dialogue is an eye-rolling, smart-alecky treat.

When things get serious in the last third, however, the fun diminishes somewhat. The game night plot diversion forces Karen Y to abruptly change her personality which does not really gel. An intervention does help these “washed up shallow influencers.” One of them realizes “if I just opened up a little I could be the face of the well-intentioned incompetent.”

As the three Karens, Morgan Danielle Day (X), Felicia Santiago (Y) and LaurenSage Browning (Z) all have great moments to shine. Director and Editor Michael Alvarez appropriately lays the satire on thickly. The videos are a hoot, especially Karen X’s nature walk and Whole Foods parking lot excursions. When she reveals that she “wants to be that bad ass bitch on her Instagram bio,” the new generation of insufferable Karens are laid bare for all to see.

Karen Zed might win the award for most laughs as she is written and played with dim-witted brilliance. Peter Gray’s The Karens is entertaining even if it, like an aggrieved Karen in aisle 12, hangs around too long with diminishing pleasures. I suggest grabbing an “anti-racist cocktail” and savoring the abundant witticisms. Copenhagen, after all, is a “backwater place with universal health care.”

The Karens is presented by The Muse Collective. The show is virtually streaming August 13 – 27, 2021.

www.the-muse-collective.com

About This Reviewer - August 11, 2021

Give Me Away (Gideon Media)

“Is That Thing Screaming?” This question is the title of the first episode of Give Me Away. It does not take long for the listener to find out the answer. Mac Rogers has written a science fiction audio series which successfully combines ordinary life with otherworldly mystery.

Graham (Sean Williams) and Morgan (Hanna Cheek) are the married couple on a supersonic highway to divorce. Their children are grown. Hanna wants to engage in some counseling. She heavily researched the course called Rebuilding Intimacy. Graham is not keen on sharing personal information with other couples in small group therapy. They are on opposite tracks heading in separate directions. So far, life is ordinary, if stressed.

All of a sudden outside everyone seems to be on their phones. A large object has appeared on Earth which looks like a “big block of nothing.” After sixteen days the army plans to attempt entry. All of this sounds like a standard sci-fi opening premise. However, most of this UFO mystery plays in the background. When Graham and his friend are talking at a bar, the news on the TV mimics cable coverage as if this story were really happening.

The family and relationship drama between two unhappily married adults and their now grown but not yet self-sufficient children are the crux of this story early on. Then the large object opens up on its own. From this foreign entity, screaming can be heard. Many, many screams. Tormented screams. What exactly is this thing?

Near the end of the first episode, we learn that this large object functions as a “penitentiary mainframe.” Inside, souls are imprisoned indefinitely. Are they souls or aliens? Or minds? After the fourth episode that mystery may be closer to revealing itself.

In order to save these aliens from unending torture, humans are being recruited to act as vessels for download. Is this risky? What will happen if we let these “prisoners” out? Those questions surely will be explored in later chapters.

Mac Rogers’ story challenges us to consider more than the science fiction dilemmas. Graham thinks about applying as a host human. The reactions of those around him, particularly his family, inform this drama as significantly as the evolving technology premise. Through a series of quick scenes – and back and forth time perspectives – an eerie yet realistic scenario unfolds.

I enjoyed the first four episodes and certainly plan to see where this intriguing plot is headed. Jordana Williams’ direction is tightly paced so each thirty minute episode moves swiftly while doling out new information in an enjoyably measured way. The only distraction for me is the dialogue of certain older characters coming across as too young for their age.

Season one is nine episodes long. I have listened to the first four which are currently available. The balance will premiere weekly beginning September 17th. I presume you are not a billionaire going out of this world on your personal rocket ship this summer. (It’s the latest thing!) Give Me Away can certainly fill the void for an extra terrestrial adventure. Let’s hope the potentially very juicy plot thickens even further in future segments.

Give Me Away is presented by Gideon Media and can be accessed through their website or your favorite podcast provider.

www.gideon-media.com

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/grassesofathousandcolors/gideonmedia

About This Reviewer - August 8, 2021

Replacement Player and The Christensen Brothers (Open-Door Playhouse)

In person theater is returning to our world. Finally but slowly. Even Broadway is starting up again with many openings scheduled in September. The coronavirus variants be damned (or so we hope)! In the meantime, there is still plenty to enjoy via streaming or podcast. I recently checked out Replacement Player and The Christensen Brothers from Open-Door Playhouse.

Founder Bernadette Armstrong created this podcast to allow playwrights without agents to get produced. The “open door” of their brand. Both of the productions I saw were recorded in Glendale, California. Each lasted about ten minutes. The short duration of many of these pieces should be an incentive to jump in the water for a quick swim.

Replacement Player is part of their Prison Play Series. This comedy was written by Scott P. Siebert of the Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio (and adapted by Daniel Lambert). A performance at a small community theater is threatened when one of the actors quit. The role of Bill is a “secondary” one but important nonetheless in a two character show.

Dan (André Sogliuzzo) is the exasperated and self-important lead. He opens by asking the audience a question. “Does anyone out there want to be a star… or star adjacent?” The line which follows: “what does adjacent mean?” The laughs are low key and effective. A man named Rick (Abdul-Khaliq Murtadha) volunteers and joins Dan on the stage. Let’s simply say that the replacement player idea does not go as smoothly as hoped.

A surprise twist is delightful and the two member cast – and the listeners – will will find out whether “hopefully it ends better than it started.” The second podcast was written by Michael J. Moore. The Christensen Brothers also offers a twist to savor. Two brothers (Matthew Scott Montgomery and Blake Krist) are in a car changing radio channels while bantering back and forth. It has been a long day of driving.

The road contains trees, fields, cows… and is “kinda creepy.” A man (Daamen Krall) appears on the side of the road. Should the brothers stop? This person wants to be left alone despite being outside in the middle of the night. Why? You will have to listen and discover that for yourself. The payoff is haunting and flows nicely from the set up.

Both of these plays are well structured and will definitely be appreciated by fans of short stories. Sometimes brevity is welcome especially when the appetizer sized portion is this tasty. Here are two examples where a writer has completed his story arc in under ten minutes. I listened to a longer recording earlier this year called The Canterville Ghost. These podcasts can surely be enjoyed during destination travel alone or with others.

All of the performances and the production quality are uniformly very good. The storytelling quickly sets the mood. Open-Door Playhouse productions are free. Donations are encouraged. Have ten or twenty minutes to spare on the way to work or travelling on vacation? You, like Rick, can be a voluntary participant during one of those overly long driving days.

There are now three dozen Open-Door Playhouse productions which can be listened to on their website or via your preferred podcast provider.

www.opendoorplayhouse.org

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/thecantervilleghost