Joe, Author at TheaterReviewsFromMySeat

About This Reviewer - January 20, 2020January 20, 2020

Emojiland

There are musicals created simply to make you smile. Or, in the cast of Emojiland, “Smize.” That would be the character Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes. Laura Schein plays the bubbly on the surface Smize. She co-wrote the book, music and lyrics for this cotton candy confection with Keith Harrison. If you own a cell phone and have penchant for delectable frippery, Emojiland is a recommended download.

Download is the major plot catalyst which drives this show. As Information Desk Person informs, “emojis of all shapes and sizes have come together to count down the moments and count up the percentage and installation of what may be a major software update.” Immigrants are about to crash into Emojiland. Friends or foes?

Quite a few emojis have been hanging around since 1.0. This update is number 5.0. Some of them are excitedly embracing change and others are nervous. Thinking Face deadpans to Smize, “I was thinking… what do you want from the update?” Police Officer (Felicia Boswell) worries, “I hope we don’t get a fresh batch of bad characters.” Her girlfriend, Construction Worker (Natalie Weiss), coos, “If anyone can handle ’em, it’s you PoPo.” Good vibes combined with silly musical comedy sweetness are the tones effectively created here.

Then again, there is no show without conflict. We’ve all watched the Progress Bar waiting and hoping for a successful update to our cell phones. These emojis have their whole way of life about to be permanently changed and, perhaps, not for the better. Imagine you are the Princess happily lording over your internal cell phone universe. The arrival of a Prince might be an unwelcome intrusion.

Lesli Margherita (Matilda) sings “Princess is a Bitch.” She is indeed. She is also a pink wigged bauble sporting a Madonna-esque pony tail. This show is filled with delightfully conceived characters. In the supremely capable hands of Ms. Margherita, Princess rules them all. The performance is hilarious and, by itself, worth the price of admission.

Not to be outdone, a very dandy Prince arrives fully intent on assuming his privilege. The relationship between the two royals will not take on a romantic angle, for obvious reasons. Josh Lamon and Lesli Margherita are reprising the roles they originated last year at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF). Like the best monarchs, they slay with abandon.

The romcom in Emojiland is between Smize and Sunny (Smiling Face with Sunglasses). If Smize is sweetness and goodness, Sunny is all conceit and ego. He “makes your pixels start to pound.” Jacob Dickey is excellent in a confident Off-Broadway debut.

Nerd Face is also downloaded as part of version 5.0. He becomes the moral center of this story. Terrifically played by a perfect George Abud, the unending cascade of dorky lines are possibly the funniest elements in the witty script. After he joins the emojis, Nerd Face will be the first to realize that something is up with the studly Sunny and the ditzy Kissy Face (Heather Makalani, delightful in multiple roles.)

Max Crumm (Grease) is memorable as Man in Business Suit Levitating. He spends the whole show on a hoverboard. His choreography is both effortless and unfathomable. Tony Award nominee Lucas Steele channels Alice Cooper, a Victorian Grim Reaper plus the Jekyll & Hyde and Phantom of the Opera musicals in his portrayal of Skull, a sadly depressed emoji who wants his existence to be deleted.

A pile of other characters pop in and out of Emojiland. The only one that seemingly stinks is Pile of Poo (Avenue Q‘s Ann Harada). Her one number in the second act was the only dud in a tuneful pop score. (When I saw this show’s debut last year, I recall this song being a humorous turd.) Overall, however, this very talented cast does a stellar job belting out vocals and nailing their laughs.

Director Thomas Caruso’s production frames the show in technology with a fun house set design by David Goldstein and projections by Lisa Renkel & Possible (who also created the clever props). Vanessa Leuck’s brilliant costume and make-up designs are colorfully cartoonish. If you can remember back to being a wide-eyed child, Emojiland hits the senses like arriving at a carnival. There’s too much of everything. As a result, fun appears in every direction.

When I saw and reviewed the NYMF version of Emojiland in 2018, I was a big fan. It is nice to report that the upgrade succeeds. At the end of that review I wrote: “One plea: Can we add dancing lady in a red dress emoji? Please?” Kenny Ingram’s spirited choreography happily includes Man and Woman Dancing. Her dress was red. This theater nerd was smizing from ear to ear.

www.emojiland.com

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/nymf/emojiland

About This Reviewer - January 19, 2020January 19, 2020

Soul Survivor (Hiraeth Theatre Company)

Lisa (Anna Stefanic) opens the door to her home and switches on the light. A naked man is sprawled out on the floor with food. He “bellows a pained roar.” She shrieks, fumbles her groceries and quickly douses the offending brightness. When she turns the light back on, a paper shopping bag has been placed on the man’s head. “God damn it, Davey” she says. The damnation of that moment will carry through the very funny Soul Survivor.

Why is Lisa’s brother Dave naked? “My clothes were fire ants.” He is obviously strung out on something. His sister may be used to taking care of him but this time survival is going to be much more challenging. “They’re coming tonight. Coming for us,” Dave warns ominously. Turns out brother Dave (TJ Vinsavich) has sold his own and also Lisa‘s soul to the devil. Ding dong, the doorbell rings. “Hi, we’re here to take your souls.”

From the start, playwright Dante Piro takes the form of a modern but eccentric Charon ferrying his victims across the river Styx. This journey, however, is anything but gloomy. Soul Survivor is a broad comedy which piles on one ludicrous scene after another. Amazingly, the boat never capsizes despite the increasing burden of topping the previous segment. The plot is soundly structured but the goofy shenanigans played for laughs are the reason to climb on board this raucous trip to hell.

Liriel and Sable are the Soul Collectors who ring the doorbell before busting in to collect what is due. These ladies are fairly new at their job and not completely effective. The plot dynamics continue. Dave cannot find his sister’s soul. Where did he put it? How was he able to sell her soul anyway? She made him a mix CD when they were younger. Lisa put her heart and soul into creating “Davie’s Rockin’ B-Day Jamz.” There’s a lot of Fugees in that mix. “Fugees rule.” Lisa’s been wandering around soulless ever since.

Meanwhile, Kyle from hell is checking in on the soul collectors who are taking too much time completing their mission. Lisa is working hard to distract them. The demons are introduced to the wonder that is vodka. “Wowza” is the reaction. There’s nothing like that down in hell. They only drink “pus, acid, bees if you’re lucky.” The dialogue is quick and sharp but also silly and ridiculous. That’s the formula for laughs here.

Will Lisa and Dave be escorted to hell or can they find a loophole in the signed contract? Thank goodness Lisa’s earnestly nice boyfriend Owen (Mark Weatherup Jr.) comes into the picture to help. “I’m a paralegal, babe. This is the only time I’m cool.” Chandler Matkins makes a spirited entrance as Teddy who suspects the demons from hell are incompetent.

The laughter never flags but if you look closely, themes bubble under the surface. The importance of familial bonds. The incompetence of big bumbling bureaucracies. How your life choices will be weighed when you are gone. Why scissors are useful but potentially dangerous weapons.

Energetically directed by Molly Brown, this inspired buffoonery consistently delivers on its humorous premise. The cast is uniformly excellent. If your soul is going to be condemned, the journey to Hades will be a helluva lot more fun with soul collectors Aleigha K. Spinks and, especially, Samantha Nugent as your guides.

Need a recipe to shake off some of the winter blues? The cold? Take a trip to hell via Soul Survivor. It’s notoriously warm there, and full of piss and vinegar. Laughs are guaranteed.

Soul Survivor is running at The Players Theatre in Greenwich Village until February 2, 2020.

www.theplayerstheatre.com

www.hiraeththeatre.com

About This Reviewer - January 17, 2020

Cezary Goes to War (La Mama)

Cezary Tomaszewski has created a “musically-driven queer fantasia” exposing the dangers of masculinity, nationalism and the culture of war. La Mama is presenting the U.S. premiere of Cezary Goes to War in conjunction with the Polish Cultural Institute and Komuna//Warszawa, an independent avant-garde theater. This work will be appreciated by theatergoers who enjoy a refreshing splash of humor mixed into their subversive societal commentary.

Poland’s military draft and its archaic system of male classification is the ripe target which is mercilessly skewered here. Mr. Tomaszewski uses his personal experiences with the military draft to poke fun using music, text and dance. Four men and one woman (the pianist) enter a locker room. The classification begins in Polish with English surtitles.

Category A is a male of impeccable physical condition, height over five foot nine with a harmonious body build. More specifics? The perimeter of the shoulder when the bicep is tense should exceed the perimeter of the straightened forearm at its thickest point by 20%. There are other measurements elaborated upon. Lastly, no disfiguring tattoos.

Down the category list we travel until reaching the bottom letter E. “Male, posture defective to a degree detrimental to body function.” Diseases and deficiencies that qualify include extra ribs, crossed eyes, tongue deformity leading to speech impediment and, of course, androgyny. The lists, especially for E, are quite funny and wittily presented.

Wearing aerobic gym clothes, the men will perform choreography inspired by army drills and calisthenics. The routines are a workout and the men are sweaty by the end of the performance. The vignettes include song and dance numbers composed by Stanislaw Moniuszko (the father of Polish National Opera) and also by Händel, Debussy and Shostakovitch. The staging and use of a single piano reminded me of a school auditorium environment from my youth.

The routines continue and the critique of military recruitment is broadened to a more general commentary of definitions of manliness and the male identity. In one section a sequence is repeated. Each performer showcases a unique personality. The smirks are revealing. Some of these young men might be in the Category E classification!

These personal observations expand into a sharp criticism of national pride and machismo without ever losing the jocularity of the piece. Mr. Tomaszewski’s direction is very effective at sustaining a playful tone. As a result, the material is cleverly entertaining while ridiculing long-held belief systems.

A song is sung which translates as follows: “When the sun is up/ when my helmet says good morning/ when my sword rattles in hand/ when I hear the horse’s neighing/ when the bugle calls/ oh! how happy he who these sounds and pleasures knows!” The glories and memories of knighthood do not reflect any grim horrors of war. The cast sings a lyric from Pink Floyd to punctuate the theme. “So you think you could tell, heaven from hell?”

There is a loose story arc in Cezary Goes to War whereby Cezary applies to the Draft Board for a reevaluation of his classification. All four dancers seem to represent Cezary or several variations of the artistic male. The performances are energetic and communicative. Their eyes knowingly wink at the humor and hypocrisy of a world which refuses to eliminate categorical boxes.

Early on, one says, “My name is Cezary Tomaszewski and I am musically gifted.” This show satirizes the male gender stereotype by means of a slyly subversive amusement. What clearly emerges is a celebration of the variants which make artistic expressions such as this one come to life.

Cezary Goes to War is being performed at La Mama Experimental Theatre Club through January 19, 2020.

www.lamama.org

About This Reviewer - January 15, 2020

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

I have been looking forward to seeing Tina: The Tina Turner Musical since it opened in November. I’ve seen the original, spectacular diva live in concert three times. She was always a tsunami of show biz and rock ‘n roll. Adrienne Warren portrays the title character. Her performance kicks so much ass that it nearly makes you ignore the mediocrity of the storytelling.

For those who know the rise of Anna Mae Bullock from Nutbush, Tennessee to the career-peaking phoenix as solo artist in the 1980’s, the tale will be well-known and offer little new insights. (How early her second and current husband Erwin Bach entered the picture surprised me.) This young girl is discovered by Ike Turner and whisked off her feet to join his band. The Ike and Tina Turner Revue would eventually be admitted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

What follows is a sadly depressing tale of infidelity, drugs and excessive physical violence. The ascent from those depths is what this particular celebration is all about. The story covers three decades. As such, the moments fly by quickly. There are many times, notably in the second act, where the show loses so much momentum that it grinds to a halt. The “Open Arms” number is perhaps the lowest (and dullest) point.

Adrienne Warren is onstage for nearly the entire show. She is superb in every moment from the glorious and raspy singing to the backbone development Tina so memorably achieved. The plot machinations compete with her supernova blaze. In between one excellently performed song after another, a crowbar appears (not literally or physically). This crowbar is used to help wedge songs into the story. At first, I thought it might weigh twenty pounds. The strain is so awkward and so obvious that this crowbar must weigh fifty pounds, at least.

The book was written by Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins. Ms. Hall’s plays, notably Hurt Village and Our Lady of Kebeho, are complex and effective character studies. This committee of writers achieve only basic dimensions as is the case generally with jukebox musicals. Turner’s cavalcade of hits are rearranged to fit the story. Many times the choices seem odd. When Ike proposes marriage, she sings “Better Be Good To Me.” That’s an anthem from her post-backbone period. What do those song lyrics have to do with little Anne Mae from Nutbush?

During her rock bottom period, Tina was working as a maid to support her children. She sings “Private Dancer” about being a prostitute. Crowbar, I tell you, crowbar! The staging of that number is bad johns circling in chairs on a turntable.

Phyllida Lloyd directed this production. There are some decent ideas such as the summoning of the spirits and family from Anna Mae’s past throughout. They are conjured up, however, to just stand and stare. With the exception of the exciting opening and closing sequences, the set is a miss. The large stage is often a giant space of nothingness. Projections on a screen are largely out of focus imagery. This may be a meaningful thematic choice but I found it distracting, ugly and oddly abstract for a by-the-books biography. (Complete transparency – I still own a hardcopy of I, Tina published in 1986.)

Did I mention that Adrienne Warren kicks major ass? Despite everything that is wrong with this show, she is an absolute star. Her stage presence combines blinding power wattage with strong acting chops that enable this underwritten story to flow. She is ably supported by Daniel J. Watts as Ike and Ross Lekites as Erwin Bach.

At the opening of this musical, Tina is chanting backstage prior to a concert. The year is 1988. The show returns to this moment. A scintillating set reveal precedes the reason we all came to see our diva. Adrienne Warren blows the house down. We conclude “we don’t need another hero.”

To be fair, the audience around me seemed beyond thrilled with the show so that should be considered. As a concert, this is a gloriously realized homage and joyously redemptive nostalgia trip. As a full-fledged Broadway musical, however, Tina is far too flat in too many places. This may be a show which requires seeing the original company. Just be warned. The highs are mountainous and the lows are river deep.

www.tinaonbroadway.com

About This Reviewer - January 13, 2020February 5, 2020

The Truth Has Changed (Under the Radar Festival, The Public Theater)

Near the end of his oral dissertation on the arc of misinformation and propoganda in America, Josh Fox makes a concluding statement. “We are the first generation to know what the global apocalypse will look like.” Your proclivity to agreeing with that idea will inform your affinity to The Truth Has Changed.

When listening to one sided downloads of information, I try to maintain a healthy degree of skepticism. The terrain covered in Mr. Fox’s monologue is quite large. His opinions are thoughtful and unabashedly liberal. His ability to communicate outrage is extremely effective. This is a personal story and a frighteningly universal one. I felt the weight on my shoulders by the end. These are heavy times.

“How do we know what’s true?” That’s the simple question which starts this account. Josh Fox is a famous documentary filmmaker and activist. He begins by discussing frackers coming to the Delaware River, the source of much drinking water in our area. He made a film Gasland in 2010 focusing on impacts felt in communities where hydraulic fracturing was taking place.

Fracking releases hydrogen sulfide and methane gas. Since that is not a naturally occurring event, rational minds might want to understand the side effects. Seems a logical question to ask. Mr. Fox did that and filmed conversations with people across their kitchen table. A scratchy feeling going down a man’s throat. Nine stillborn calves. His documentary would win a Sundance Film Festival prize and receive an Academy Award nomination.

The most riveting part of The Truth Has Changed is recapping what happened after film was released. The oil media machine’s 721 page hit sheet refuting the film. Death threats. Ecoterrorists burning down his parent’s shed. A conclusion that Gasland was “propoganda that the Nazi Goebbels would be proud of.” Q&A segments on Fox News editing and misappropriating his words. Then, a sad realization that the government started buying into the hyperbole; notably, Obama, Biden and Hillary Clinton.

Misinformation is not a new strategy in America. Mr. Fox makes this history clear. Lying about the weapons of mass destruction used to sell the Gulf War. A faked Gulf of Tonkin incident which allowed President Johnson to expand the Vietnam War. The Sedition Act of 1918 which enabled the government to incarcerate Eugene Debs for speaking out against World War I. His views are crystal clear: “war is always sold as a lie.”

This jam-packed information download moves from the oil wars to environmental concerns. He viewed the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico from the air despite the FAA’s initial blockade. The scale was immense. His commentary: “if they can cover up the greatest environmental disaster in the U.S., what chance does the truth have?”

Climate change is extensively discussed in The Truth Has Changed. Steve Bannon and Cambridge Analytica’s activities resulting in Facebook posts spreading misinformation using your personal pyschographics. The spreading of fear in “supersized kaleidoscopic doses.” A fueling of stochastic terrorism which is the public demonization of a person or group resulting in the incitement of a violent act. In our twitterverse, this is a wholly believable evaluation of America right now.

As a theatrical experience, Josh Fox weaves a lot of information into a very full but ultimately digestible download. Personal stories resonate best since they are fresh information to consume. There are a lot of teaching moments which occasionally feel like classroom lecturing. If you are interested in finding some truths – or at least challenging your beliefs – this show has much to offer. My attention was held throughout.

The oil industry is “using the DNA of the last mass extinction to fuel the current one.” This show is depressing. Josh Fox, however, is pushing for change. “Change is truth.” His plea? “Dive in.” As Australia burns these past weeks, why is it that science is under attack? The only explanation I can get my head around is corporate profits and short-term greed. The truth has indeed changed. What’s next?

The Truth Has Changed is part of the Under the Radar Festival at The Public Theater. The last performance is January 19, 2020. The show will be performed at Miami Dade College from March 12-22, 2020.

www.publictheater.org

www.mdclivearts.org

About This Reviewer - January 12, 2020

salt. (Under the Radar Festival, The Public Theater)

In February 2016, two artists paid $3,000 to travel on a cargo ship. Their goal was to retrace the routes of the transatlantic slave triangle from the United Kingdom to Ghana to Jamaica, and back. salt. is the lyrical rumination of that journey.

Selina Thompson has written the “story of my diaspora.” Her very existence is tethered to “a people swept up and scattered across the world.” She readily admits to her anger. A citizen of the United Kingdom, her vision of Europe is one that is awash in blood. A continent built on suffering, massacre and death.

Personal stories of racist experiences are used to introduce the person who will ultimately take this journey. Her grandmother’s remembrance of being the only black child in school is particularly nauseating. Over and over, she intones, “Europe pushes against me. I push back.”

Ms. Thompson and an unnamed filmmaker partnered on this adventure. On their ship were six white Italian officers and eighteen Filipino crew members. Communication was difficult but the recognizable word “nigger” comes up at the dinner table. There is no phone. No internet. No windows in their locked room. Thoughts will germinate.

A block of salt provides the visual and physical manifestation of her rage. The anger is directed toward everyone on the ship and then more broadly. Imperialism, racism and capitalism decide who matters. How do you crush centuries of history and the remaining crystals of hate still providing ample flavor to a morally undernourished human race?

Ms. Thompson’s sea journey takes her to Ghana. She visits the notorious Elmina Castle “where people went through the door of no return.” Built by the Portuguese in the latter stages of the 15th Century, the Dutch captured the fortress in 1637 and changed its purpose. The building fueled the ever-growing slave trade with the Caribbean and Brazil. What is it like being inside this facility as a descendant of slavery? It’s like “being inside a migraine.”

A question asked stuck in my head. “What should a site mourning the slaves look like?” The poetry used to express feelings in this story are touchingly rendered yet stay firmly planted on the edge of outrage. That balance is nicely handled by the unapologetically strong presence of Rochelle Rose. Dawn Walton’s direction is a successful blend of emotional mysticism and controlled expressions of disgust. Salt in the wounds, so to speak.

This show effectively raises concerns about the world today. “Black Lives Matter because black death isn’t over.” I expect the listening experience of this piece will be greatly varied depending on your personal development. We all see things from our individual filters. On the cargo ship, the Italians are considered white people. Stories from my immigrant relatives suggest that classification took some time. Admittedly, however, that took a lot less time than four hundred years of unconscionable oppression.

salt. is hard. salt. is necessary for life. salt. fuels our seas. salt. is an essential nutrient. salt. is highly recommended. I listened. I learned something. I felt something. I had admiration mixed with sadness and joy. Selina Thompson’s voice will be undoubtedly be heard through your personal lens. Hear! Hear!

www.publictheater.org

About This Reviewer - January 11, 2020February 5, 2020

The Unknown Dancer in the Neighborhood (Under the Radar Festival, The Japan Society)

Glimmers of hopefulness can be found in this unique theatrical event. Disheartenment, however, permeates The Unknown Dancer in the Neighborhood. This contemporary dance theater piece is a commentary on individual lives amidst the ambiguously indifferent and disconnected mobs in a gloomy metropolis. Early on we hear that “hopeless people talk about hopeless things.”

Suguru Yamamoto is a young playwright and director from Japan. His signature style uses projected words to communicate his character’s thoughts. This use of texting alludes to the millenial generation’s preferred method of communication. He then adds movement, photography, lighting and minimal props to tell the story.

Wataru Kitao performs all of the characters in this one person show. His first is that of a gorilla who is beating his chest and scratching his rear. He quickly transitions to a photographer taking pictures at a zoo. A “trashy couple” is in the way of his photograph. They are comparing the gorilla’s butt to a pomegranate. A “fat stupid kid” is overly excited by the gorilla and knocks down an elderly man. There are “no apologies from the snotty kid’s stupid mother.” Within the first few minutes of this show, the state of our society is put on trial. “This kind of action should be purged.”

In a series of escalating scenes, characters will interact with each other. The story will broaden from the zoo animals to a girl being called ugly. The “old codger” is followed. He goes to a strip club. An analysis is offered about the similar nakedness found in strip clubs and zoos. Some dry humor is squeezed into this ever-changing tale.

The darkness of an uncaring world looms everywhere in Nagai, “the most dangerous place in Japan.” At a train station, a young girl falls onto the tracks. A boy tries to help but no one will join him. Trains are packed with people and their indifference. Mr. Kitao even plays the train noting, “because I am a train, delivering is my pleasure.”

A woman from the strip club is stabbed. There is a massive hostage crisis in the town’s library which does not end well. The “ugly” girl will send an insulting text about her mother. Bleakness is pervasive. In Nagai, “everyone is equally worthless.”

This commentary illuminates a worldview but confusion unfortunately emerges. There are many indiscernible characters. Stream of consciousness words are spoken or projected for reading. The flow is non-linear adding another layer of disconnectedness. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the dance choreography sometimes felt incongruous with the text. The movement is certainly emotional. This piece is very conceptual. The disparate elements simply did not come together for me.

I could appreciate the vision and themes being explored in The Unknown Dancer in the Neighborhood. Fully embracing this multi-media dance theater production was challenging. Fans of experimental work may find a treasure of interesting concepts to admire here. However, the muddled and shifting focus combined with the show’s length pushed me away rather than pulled me into the story. The creatively assembled perspectives of a bleak view of humanity could not withstand the tedium of this production.

The Unknown Dancer in the Neighborhood is part of the Public Theater’s Under the Radar Festival. The show is being performed at the Japan Society through January 14, 2020.

www.publictheater.org

www.japansociety.org

About This Reviewer - January 10, 2020January 10, 2020

Susan (Under the Radar Festival, The Public Theater)

“Hi, my name is Ahamefule J. Oluo, spelled exactly how it sounds.” That tongue-in-cheek line begins Mr. Oluo’s richly detailed memoir about his mother Susan and his childhood. Co-written with Lindy West, this piece is a series of stories. In between them, his musical compositions are songs which punctuate the introspection. He tells the stories, conducts the jazzy ensemble of nine and also plays the trumpet.

Mr. Oluo is a warm and funny man, now in his thirties. Various life experiences are shared. His parents met while at college in Kansas. They were married for seven years and had two children. His father was an international student from Nigeria. He abandoned his family when Mr. Oluo was one month old. They never saw each other again.

Parts of this story are sad, personal reflections and the stunning music has a gorgeous sweep of melancholy intricately woven throughout. Joy and exultation, however, also weave their way into the mood. As Mr. Oluo notes, “you can’t snap your fingers and reverse the defining trauma of your life.” With wit, charm and candor, Susan becomes an homage to his mother who never remarried.

The first musical break sets the tone for this show. “Land Called She/Susan 1” is a melancholic jazzy number. The musicians and singers overtly feel this music deeply and I was swept along with them. Instead of becoming a depressing tale, Mr. Oluo’s memoir is a stunning and illustrative celebration of the triumph of perseverance and love. By the end, it’s quite hard not to shed a tear of happiness.

The family was poor and lived in the suburbs of Seattle. The area was violent and drug infested with none of the “pizzazz of the city.” “Scary and boring” is the worst combination to grow up in, he dryly remarks. Humor, both self-deprecating and knowingly astute, pepper this storytelling. As a result, their difficult journey is lightened and entertaining. The vignettes are vividly detailed and often hilarious, such as a description of one Halloween party.

Now a father himself, Mr. Oluo understands that “parenting is guessing.” Susan is a woman who was always “caring so much and guessing so hard.” He taped conversations he had with his mother which are included in this show. She comes to life as we listen. This is a richly realized portrait written by someone who was unconditionally loved as a child.

Not every story is told through the lens of rose colored glasses, however. When Susan begins “dating” her brother’s prison cellmate, there are frequent trips to Clallam Bay Correctional Facility. One particular day looms large in the memory. It’s a gut punch.

Susan was a gifted singer which may be the source of Mr. Oluo’s musicality. His trumpet playing is soulful. As brought to life by all of these musicians, the score is transporting. The two vocal soloists, okanomodé and Tiffany Wilson, contributed the lyrics. The songs are beautifully sung and emotionally resonate with the story. Neither the story nor the songs overwhelm each other. There is a harmonious balance. I found myself always in the moment, absorbing the impressive depths into which these performers lead me.

Mr. Oluo does not shy away from the fact that his own journey took some unfortunate turns along the way. He starts the show by telling us that he has just gotten married. Everyone applauds. He then adds a full disclosure that this was his third marriage. He looks at the audience. “Yeah, much different response!” I was captivated throughout this memoir which sounded and felt wholly authentic, magnificently successful and marvelously touching. The ending was beyond glorious.

Susan is part of the Under the Radar Festival at the Public Theater and is running until January 13, 2020.

www.publictheater.org

About This Reviewer - January 9, 2020January 9, 2020

Grey Rock (Under the Radar Festival, The Public Theater)

Imagine a world where the Palestinian flag is planted on the moon. In Amir Nizar Zuabi’s play Grey Rock, one of his characters says “its so preposterous, it’s brilliant.” Apparently this is my week for traveling into outer space, having just seen Or, An Astronaut Play, at the Tank. Both plays explore dreams while commenting on societal oppression. In this interesting exploration, the improbable is embraced from a voice not often heard on American stages.

Commissioned and produced by U.S. based Remote Theater Project, Mr. Zuabi is Palestine’s leading playwright and director. This play celebrates the alienable right to dream. For he and his people, “our dreams end at the checkpoint.” Grey Rock is a visit to a world and those minds we hear about but seldom experience in the theater.

Yusuf (Khalifa Natour) is jogging at the start of this play. His daughter Lila (Fidaa Zaidan) wants to know why. His wife and her mother passed away a few years ago. Dad is mysteriously coming and going from the house. Does he have a ladyfriend? Not exactly. He is romancing his fantasy of building a rocket. His ambitions are to fully reach the moon, not to create “a suborbital rocket.”

In his shed, blueprints and parts are being collected. Money is a concern as he tries to fund his dream. People in this small town are beginning to talk. Is he working for the occupation? He is expending so much cash that the rumors are intensifying. Is he a collaborator? His daughter has to defend him to her fiance Jawad (Alaa Shehada), an ordinary business man. Why, she asks pointedly, does she have to disprove this lie? Instead, why don’t the accusers have to prove that he is actually a collaborator? In the internet age of America, we all can certainly relate to her dilemma.

Ivan Kevork Azazian portrays Fadel, a local food delivery truck driver. He accidentally sees what Yusuf is working on. He wanted to be a mechanical engineer and received a full scholarship to Rice University. Love got in the way of his dream. He’s now in his mid-twenties and unattached. The thought of participating in this once-in-a-lifetime project is exciting. Together, the two continue developing the rocket in secret.

There is obviously a significant amount of risk in building a rocket anywhere. In Palestine, the stakes are unimaginably high. Why did America reach the moon? How can someone dream so big? Yusuf’s passion is in direct conflict with his country’s oppressive regime. “We compromise so much we can’t imagine what it’s like being a free people.”

The plot of Grey Rock is romantic both in its thoughtful depiction of fantastic dreams and in its much less successful soap opera love triangle. A conflict scene at the end is completely unnecessary. The philosophy, however, remains the central and most interesting aspect of this tale.

Yusuf ponders the American dream and the difference that is the Palestinian outlook. In order to progress, he surmises, his people need to detach from this old land and its prophets. America, by contrast, is not backward looking. Their citizens can dream. That is how they reached for the moon and succeeded.

That perspective is timely as Americans fight everyday between moving forward or backward in their beliefs and governance. Palestinians may have their ancient prophets but plenty of religions have their ancient books. Christians who feel morally obligated to dominate the American way of life are doing so with teachings from two thousand years ago.

Grey Rock may be a play about dreams, oppression and the Palestinian way of life. I found the questions and commentary to be worldly and universal. The Under the Radar Festival focuses on presenting different perspectives and stories. This play enabled me to experience life from creative artist’s foreign worldview while simultaneously jarring my own. I heard a warning loud and clear. That’s something to really think about.

Grey Rock is being performed at the Public Theater until January 19, 2020. Grey Rock will then travel to the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis (January 23-26), the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (January 30 – February 1) and to the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia (February 6-9).

www.thepublictheater.org

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/ohmysweetland/amirnizarzuabi

theaterreviewsfrommyseat/or,astronautplay

About This Reviewer - January 7, 2020

Or, An Astronaut Play (The Tank)

Or is a conjunction used to link alternatives. Life is a conundrum which offers no definitive paths or guarantees of fulfillment. That is the territory explored in Johnny G. Lloyd’s cleverly shaded Or, An Astronaut Play. An individual can choose to be a teacher or a doctor. A policeman or a politician. The odds of success for achieving those dreams are varied depending on station or circumstance or even dumb luck. This play is about how life works, or is supposed to work, or doesn’t. Or, maybe it’s really just an astronaut play.

Tom (Harrison Unger) is the stereotypical embodiment of the straight, white American male. He’s obviously not the brightest bulb but he is getting a promotion at work. He shares a cubicle at SnackyCakes with his live-in girlfriend Claire (Tay Bass). When the play opens, he is taking a quiz online. Claire comments, “people still do those?” After answering some basic questions such as picking a favorite color, Tom gets his answer. His recommended career is astronaut.

“That’s big news, isn’t it?” Tom believes the choice of astronaut makes sense as “I always liked space movies.” Instead of going to work, he enrolls in astronaut school. He meets Daria (Caturah Brown), an intense, focused student who is black. She works in the Admissions office to pay her tuition. She has been dreaming of becoming an astronaut for twenty years.

Claire is very upset about Tom’s spontaneous new direction but decides to follow his pursuit. She’s clearly not sure what path her life should take but strongly desires human connections. What will happen to their relationship if they are sent on separate missions? The fourth member of this class is Paul (Jonathan Cruz). He is self-defined as a hobbyist and a dabbler. Is his passion to travel to outer space more or less committed than his time doing origami?

Unfortunately for the trainees, the school is downsizing and only one candidate will be chosen for a mission ranging from five to one hundred years. Will Daria, clearly the intellectual standout, fulfill her childhood ambition? Will Paul finally proceed down a solid path forward. Does Claire want to be an astronaut or just gaze at the pretty stars?

Tom knows that there are “twenty, or thirty, different things I could do.” A good looking young white man with inborn expectations of success can “literally do anything.” So why pick astronaut? “This is the first thing that chose me. That’s how life works, right?” While this play is nominally about a space race, larger questions about life, fairness, ambiguity and privilege orbit around these characters.

What makes Or, An Astronaut Play so intriguing is its tone and structure. The lightness of the dialogue suggests a witty little trifle filled with dashes of absurdism. The themes are not heavy handed but instead float in the vast void for the listener to absorb. Asked but not answered: “when you’re adrift how will you pretend everything is ok?”

Izmir Ickbal’s effective and sleekly science fictional set design and Bailey Costa’s lighting design nicely frame this story and its various locations. As directed by William Steinberger, the clear use and movement of four chairs makes the many scene changes transition smoothly. All four actors deliver fine performances. Each evolves quickly and often in a quirky manner. The tone is consistent – funny and thoughtful – with an underlying punch of knowledge gained through life experience. Twenty somethings realizing there is no one path in life. Is there any path? How your brain manages that crisis of information may determine happiness and, or, fulfillment.

In our universe, there seems to be more than adequate space for us all. In the crowded gamble that is life on Earth, the competition is harsher, or, perhaps, systemically rigged. Mr. Lloyd’s play is enjoyable to follow from the fun asides to the more serious observations. The tone is neither too jokey nor too serious. Balanced like life, I guess. Adding in an excellent ending, Or, An Astronaut Play is a Venus-sized theatrical piece which provides Jupiter-sized pleasure.

Or, An Astronaut Play will be performed at The Tank through January 26, 2020. Patrons are strongly advised to dress lightly as the small theater can get very, very warm. A coat check is provided and highly recommended.