“Sometimes, theatre makes you ask the big questions. Sometimes, it forces you to look in a mirror. And sometimes, it slaps you in the mouth, gives you a handkerchief for the blood, and says “Who loves you, baby?”
Celebrated actor, Greek, and wooer of ladies Telly Savalas, dead since 1994, is back—and you’re damn right he’s got something to say. As Savalas, Tom DiMenna is hilarious and in total control of the persona…Gut-bustingly funny from start to finish, it’s overflowing with outrageous stories, sensitive crooning, and some of the best punchlines I’ve heard.” NYTheatre.com
“An alumnus of Second City Chicago, and trained in Shakespeare at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, DiMenna has good comedic timing and classical instincts. This show is an unabashed tribute to Savalas, but it’s never mawkishly sentimental..and with tongue firmly planted in cheek, DiMenna will let you experience first-hand why Savalas still matters.” CurtainUp
Remaining Performance Schedule
VENUE #13: Bowery Poetry Club (50 minutes)
Sun 28 @ 4:15
“may well be one of my favorite FringeNYC shows to date…hilarious character interplay and original personalities dominate the piece. Fleitman has a real knack for dialogue and has managed to make even the raw spots of the show still shine. The show runs long and there are several scenes that feel like filler…(but)… It’s easily in my top three festival shows of all time and one of the best pieces I’ve seen in a long time. A little chaff-shaving and I could see this going much farther.” NYTheatre.com
” a wonderfully written adult fairy tale about keeping your dignity through the hardships of love. Unfortunately though, the production doesn’t hold a consistent reality that lets you indulge in the material; rather, it plays to its jokes, constantly references its use of metaphor, and is sometimes unnecessarily silly (i.e. bad drag for no reason). At its heart, The Average-Sized Mermaid is a delightful, modern fairy tale, and it is at its best when it lets its fantastical and sincere world drive the story.” Theasy.com
“Author-performer Tayo Aluko’s one-man show about the great Paul Robeson is at its best when it is being most political…Aluko also sings a number of songs associated with Robeson and discusses his personal life, but these elements don’t work as well, largely due to the fact that although Aluko is a good singer, he can’t begin to fill Robeson’s shoes, he is physically nothing like the towering original, and his acting tends to be on the stiff side, under Olusola Oyeleye’s perhaps too-respectful direction.
Phil Newman’s metaphorical set of scattered pieces of Robeson’s life never quite coheres dramatically, but Dennis A. Nelson does a fine job of accompaniment on the piano. Robeson’s battles are far from won, and “Call Mr. Robeson”…stirringly reminds us of exactly that.” Backstage
“As a famed singer and actor persecuted for his radical politics and civil-rights campaigning, Paul Robeson has the dimensions of an American tragic hero. And, even if a 90-minute one-man show can’t encompass the whole of Robeson’s extraordinary rise and fall, Tayo Aluko does a fine job in evoking his dynamic presence and in reminding us of the inhospitable attitude to dissent in the land of the free.
For those who know little about Robeson, this touring production offers an admirable introduction to a great pioneering performer.” Guardian.co.uk (4/5 stars)
“this is no shallow “biopic”, and we are left with a rich portrayal of a man of astonishing intellect who, in his time, had a great following…a moving introduction to a life that should be rediscovered.” Islington Tribune
“Deeply obsessive love stories aren’t rendered as comedies particularly often — they’re more likely to show up as taut films with titillating titles like Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. But when you think about it, single-mindedness of focus, taken to absurd extremes, is a crucial component of farce, and isn’t that a perfect word for describing many romantic relationships? So come up with two killer characters who really want each other and something or someone to get in their way and add an equal amount of laughs, and you have the makings of a crackling dramatic work. That’s the recipe A.D. Penedo has followed…and the results are tasty indeed.” TalkinBroadway
“Mix Mamet’s “Oleanna” with Ionesco’s “The Lesson” and you wind up with “The Three Times She Knocked.” A.D. Penedo’s intelligent and tightly written dramedy about lust and betrayal grabs from the first, although it takes a manic detour toward the end. Intensely directed by Christopher Windom, it’s an amusing cat-and-mouse game in the guise of budding romance.” Backstage (Critic’s Pick)
“The Three Times She Knocked is entertaining from beginning to end and anchored by two intensely excellent performances. It balances moments of hilarity and discomfort, and finds a way to be almost cartoonishly over-the-top (with the intensity of Eric’s love) but never for a moment unbelievable. For love is an irrational thing. It borders on insanity at times. But just how insane can it make us? And just how irrational can we each get? The Three Times She Knocked may just answer that…” NYTheatre.com
“director Jenna Worsham has elicited some fine performances…(and) Mitarotondo intrigues us repeatedly with character connections that hold the tantalizing promise of a clarity that never materializes. He has an original way with language (“May she rest in pieces,” “People sink into sepia”) and creates some splendid images (the show’s closer is stunning and affecting). Ultimately, though, “Sparrow” is too emotionally inarticulate and verbally overarticulate. Those elusive essences aren’t quite jelling yet.” Backstage
“With her Texas lilt and gentle demeanor, writer-performer Faye Lane serves up a Southern-fried cabaret show that’s sweeter than banana MoonPies and RC Cola. In fact, one might say that this autobiographical solo performance verges on saccharine if Lane’s sugariness weren’t so darned genuine.” Backstage
“While each scene carries emotional weight, the play is also filled with humor and a satisfying dose of absurdity. Under the direction of Jenna Worsham, the cast, which also includes Brenda Currin, Lila Dupree, Heather Oakley, and Ruby Ruiz, handles Mitarotondo’s lyrical script with grace and just the right amount of levity.” New York Theater Review
“There are some funny moments, but the vastness of its themes makes this a heady, contemplative piece. It seems like one of the goals of this production is to be, if not lifelike, then to be as true to the experience of being alive as possible….At times, the complex structure of the play can be fatiguing, though the gorgeously staged ending is a satisfying payoff. Those interested in an inventive, challenging piece of theatre will find a lot here to digest, and everyone should be looking out for what this innovative theatre company, The Common Tongue, produces in the future.” NYTheatre.com
“a surreal journey through the weird and wonderful mind of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet James Tate. Based on a collection of his poems, the intermissionless show unfolds in a series of short, often amusing, vignettes…the show has its ups and downs — one particularly tedious scene features unnamed characters fixing a radio with bizarre tools like a can of beans — but there’s an undeniably magical sense that permeates the show.” TheaterMania
“The first scene grabbed me and held me until the last scene. I can easily see why producers Lunar Energy chose Tate as their subject for a stage adaptation. His work is reflective and character-driven and makes for an evening of brilliantly fresh theater…Tate’s postmodern take on poetry is a good reason to start reading poetry again and Gates’s ingenious adaptation of it is a very good reason to go check out some downtown fringe theater.” NYTheatre
“Werse constructs an intricate plot revolving around a boy-scout policeman corrupted by a beautiful widow. The cynicism-laden dialogue is spoken with the right snap by the four-person cast…Along with director Marc Geller, they take the material as seriously as a handgun pointed in their faces. Daniel Dungan’s lighting, Jack Kennedy’s sound, and Ashley Rose Horton’s costumes create the appropriate dark and dangerous atmosphere.” Backstage (Critic’s Pick)
“The requirements for tales of hard-boiled 1940s movie detectives are so clearly delineated that Stan Werse can trim the number of participants to four and still file a delightfully nasty version in Noir, at the Connelly Theater. As might be expected, the work’s tone is deep-dyed-cynical and morality is up for grabs.
Audience members who’ve watched such films as The Maltese Falcon or Out of the Past…will think they’ve figured this one out. The beauty part is they may decipher some of it but not all.” TheaterMania
“Ali Kennedy-Scott is a whirlwind, an irrepressible bundle of energy, spine and spirit, in “The Day the Sky Turned Black,” her one-woman show at the IATI Theater. It seems almost paradoxical that such a bright presence could write and perform the play, an enthralling if harrowing account of “Black Saturday” in 2009, when bush fires ravaged her native Australia. Yet by the production’s end, it’s clear that there is no one more suited to have conceived and presented it.” New York Times
“In this extraordinarily simple and curiously beautiful work, Kennedy Scott switches between the narratives of five fictional people caught up in a real-life disaster. Every one of the stories is breathtakingly compelling; every one of them brings a fresh perspective, a new remembered horror and a new reason for hope…go and see The Day The Sky Turned Black, an emotional tour-de-force and by far the best of the many one-actor shows I’ve taken in at the Fringe this year. “ FringeGuru.com (from Edinburgh Fringe)
“while there are some striking moments, theatergoers might be expecting deeper, more distinct portrayals.” Backstage
“a clever new adaptation of August Strindberg’s expressionistic work A Dream Play…Therrien’s use of masks, puppetry, and the Tadashi Suzuki method of acting is inspired, giving Dreamplay the right sense of off-kilter fun and danger.
The 12-person cast display boundless energy in the creation of the subversive Dreamplay experience…which, in its abstract way, asks how we are able to survive and even thrive in such a sorrow-filled existence. Dreamplay doesn’t offer answers, but it encourages us to ponder the big questions that surround our existence.” TheaterMania
“part dark nightmare, part colorful dream, and a theatrical experience that is sure to be a highlight of this season’s FringeNYC Festival. Writer-director-puppet designer Therrien has done a terrific job coordinating disparate elements into one cohesive vision, and he clearly cares a great deal for his subject matter. The play has been workshopped at the National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and premiered at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre. This time in development has paid off with a fully realized production, and one that I highly recommend.” NYTheatre
Remaining Performance Schedule:
VENUE #2: CSV Flamboyan
Sun 21 @ 2:15
Fri 26 @ 7:45
Sat 27 @ 4:30
“Playwright Cory Conley displays a bracingly original voice in his new comedy-drama “The More Loving One,” about two 20-something couples, one straight and one gay, who have each been together for about four years. Acutely observed, inventively structured, and acted impeccably under the nuanced direction of Craig Baldwin, the show is, in a word, terrific.” Backstage (Critic’s Pick)
Remaining Performance Schedule:
VENUE #8: The First Floor Theatre @ LA MAMA
Sun 21 @ 4
Mon 22 @ 8
Sun 28 @ NOON
This contemporary percussion and dance jam takes Japanese Taiko drumming and mixes it with the theatrical sensibilities of STOMP. Add tap, vocal harmonization, a dash of hip hop styling and lighting used to excellent advantage and you’ve got a rousing 45 minutes which will excite and delight even the most jaded fringe-goer… as long as they aren’t nursing a headache.
Director, Dancer, and Choreographer Yako Miyamoto (a STOMP performer herself) has already showcased COBU’s thumping athleticism in other cities, and it shows in the polish and tightly paced presentation. A guaranteed crowd pleaser, and the first show of 2011 to earn a NYCFringeGuide Critic’s Pick.
Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:
“the seven members of this all-female NYC-based troupe are in constant movement. They do cartwheels, tap dance, twirl, and even stage fight. More than anything, the performers demonstrate a dazzling array of inventive percussion, using every inch of the drums (as well as parts of the stage) to great effect, transitioning seamlessly from primal booms to jazzy rat-a-tat.
Miyamoto’s choreography sets a relentless pace, and not one of the cast members misses a beat, performing the entire set with smiles of absolute joy. Their enthusiasm—and talent—are infectious.” Backstage (Critic’s Pick)
“COBU does not disappoint. In a brief but breathtaking set, Yako Miyamoto and her all-female ensemble of drummers move fluidly from one staging to another, exploring all the ways that seven bodies and their drums can play off of each other. The fact that COBU has effectively mobilized the local Japanese community, who cheered throughout, makes their performance all the more entertaining” CurtainUp
“Watching actor-playwright Jay Alvarez perform…you may be fooled into thinking that it’s not a solo show at all, but a stage filled with a large and vibrant company of actors giving their all in telling how Alvarez’s family escaped from their native Cuba and Fidel Castro’s oppressive regime….this is one hour of totally compelling theater. It will blow away any reservations you might have about seeing yet another one-person show.” Backstage (Critic’s Pick)
“Alvarez embraces his role as the storyteller; his performance is energetic, honest, and heartfelt.” NYTheatre.com
Remaining Performances:
Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce St. (1h 05m)
8/21 @ 6:30
8/24 @ 6:30
8/26 @ 10:00
The moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived.
The 15th Annual NYC Fringe Festival is now underway and as always the NYCFringeGuide will be posting our own reviews and compiling critical snapshots from attendees, papers, bloggers, and other websites covering all the magic and mayhem.
Reviews from the first week are rolling in even faster than usual, and you’ll see the first compilations here early Friday morning. Bookmark the homepage, subscribe to the twitter feed, and join our email list so you don’t miss a single cheer or jeer.
For those wanting a few quick and dirty pointers before reviews are available, our own top picks for the week (based on pre-2011 FringeNYC productions) are:
COBU: Dance Like Drumming, Drum Like Dancing
Greenland
You’ve Ruined a Perfectly Good Mystery!
Stimulated! (Les Enfants Terribles)
PigPen Presents: The Mountain Song
Also worthy of note are the following list of the hottest selling shows thus far. Keep in mind that this is not necessarily a marker of quality, simply pre-fest popularity and buzz. A number of shows every year sell out early and still wind up stinkers. That said, if any of the shows on this list happen to be of particular interest, it would be wise to nab tickets in anticipation of potential sellouts.
Yeast Nation and Facebook Me are both entirely sold out.
The following have all sold out at least one performance:
Felony Friday
Hush The Musical
This One Time in Last Chance
The Apartment: A Play with Four Sides
The Bardy Bunch
Bella and the Pool Boy
Bette Davis Aint’ for Sissies
The Lost and Found
Pearl’s Gone Blue
PigPen Presents: The Mountain Song (NYCFG Top Pick)
The Bardy Bunch: The War of the Families Partridge and Brady
THE LEGEND OF JULIE TAYMOR, or The Musical That Killed Everybody!
What the Sparrow Said
Infectious Opportunity
Swarupa
Smoking Section
Bongani
Elysian Fields
2 Burn
Whale Song
While not yet selling out, these shows have also been leading in early ticket sales:
Jersey Shoresical
Winner Take All
PARKER & DIZZY’S FABULOUS JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE RAINBOW
Welcome to Eternity
Destinations
Sammy Gets Mugged
Books on Tape
Pawn
“a lot of fun, and if you’ve ever been curious what all the fuss around gaming is about (or, perhaps, contributed to the fuss yourself), this is exactly the kind of thing the Fringe does best.” CurtainUp
This is a quality romantic comedy, one that will make you laugh, show you a great time, and put a smile on your face as you leave the theatre. NYTheatre
Winner of a FringeNYC Award for Excellence in Solo Shows
NYCFringeGuide Critic’s Pick
As authentically Southern and sticky sweet as a warm slice of pecan pie, award-winning storyteller Faye Lane radiates enough effervescent aw-shucks charm to send even the most jaded theatergoer home, moonpie in hand, with an enduring case of the warm fuzzies.
Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:
“The audience left in high spirits, with bouncy music still ringing out, the very definition of lighthearted—Lane’s mission seemed accomplished.” NYTheatre.com
“With her Texas lilt and gentle demeanor, writer-performer Faye Lane serves up a Southern-fried cabaret show that’s sweeter than banana MoonPies and RC Cola. In fact, one might say that this autobiographical solo performance verges on saccharine if Lane’s sugariness weren’t so darned genuine.” Backstage
“sweet, self-aware and remarkably void of the ego trip down memory lane we’ve come to expect from these ‘growing up was tough for me’ one-person shows.” Downtown Express
Winner of a FringeNYC Award for Excellence in Music and Lyrics
NYCFringeGuide Critic’s Pick
A 9 month run at the improv-centric Magnet Theater has given this zany tongue-in-cheek tuner a chance to refine it’s comedic offerings, and with some fine tuning it could easily be blessed with a successful run outside the festival. Even now, it would be a downright sin to miss the particularly rousing gospel climax of “What would Jesus do?” which is worth the price of admission alone.
The eternal fight between Good and Evil, a vatican sex scandal, an army of killer robot altar boys, and a cheerful score to boot? Hallelujah! - Dante Amor, NYCFringeGuide
Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:
“Because of peppy performances…inventive direction…and a promising score…’Pope!’ is a cheerful, zany trifle.” Backstage
“There is a lot to like, and laugh at, while immersing oneself in Pope! An Epic Musical. Take the journey while you can—you’ll leave the theatre humming to yourself for a change, even if you feel slightly silly while doing it.” NYTheatre
“It’s wacky. It’s a family affair. And it’s proof that the musical is not dead…this romp is full of smart songs and snappy choreography, with nods to Jerome Robbins and Busby Berkeley. Be prepared for a few good laughs. Wall Street Journal
Winner of the FringeNYC Award for Overall Excellence in Production (Musical)
Original? No. Derivative? You bet. Even so, Bunked! is packed to the rafters with charm. If you are even the slightest bit jaded or cynical when it comes to musical productions this is not the show for you. It’s unabashedly twee, and yet far more polished than 99% of what is generally on offer at the Fringe. If Glee isn’t a four letter word for you, then this production will be a cotton candy confection you’ll gleefully gobble up. - NYCFringeGuide
Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:
“Bunked!” remains a frothy, giggly delight for its duration” Backstage (Critic’s Pick)
“a mostly pleasant splash of summer campiness” TimeOut NY
Winner of a FringeNYC Award for Excellence in Ensemble
Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:
“The Cooney Lumber Mill can’t seem to go an entire month without an “accident”—and its bloodthirsty secretaries are to blame. They are a cult-like bunch that engages in vicious rivalries and lesbian romances. But their motivation for killing lumberjacks once a month is never quite clear enough. Are they really only after the lumberjacks’ jackets? Is it just PMS? The gross-out humor on display reduces one’s urge to explore the ideas further.” Wall Street Journal
“The Five Lesbian Brothers’ raunchy, gory satire from 1993, The Secretaries, is currently playing in a spirited revival at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. A new era and a new cast (and the bare-bones production values of FringeNYC) blunt the chain-saw sharpness of the original, but only a little, and a play that was born in a time when killer-lesbian movies (some of which are name-checked in the play) seemed to be everywhere holds up well in the Age of True Blood….The direction by Mark Finley keeps things moving, though there are scenes that could be more focused, and he cannot prevent the play from losing some steam as it goes on, a problem even in its original incarnation…These are minor quibbles. The sold-out audience I attended had a great time with this murderous crew, and I suspect you will too.” NYTheatre
“a wild and dangerous concoction of lesbian pulp fiction, campy non sequiturs, and misogynist stereotypes exploded from within. The current production, directed by Mark Finley, is also one of the sexier shows of the summer…Finley successfully taps into the smart, aggressive spirit of the Lesbian Brothers — an opening computer-age Greek Chorus scene is spot-on — but he’s less adept at keeping the pace and energy up throughout the production. Missed cues slow the action down and some of the actors overdo the noir aspect of their characters at the expense of something more unpredictable.” TheaterMania
“This sort of comedy needs speed and polish, which the capable cast could provide if it were given the proper support. There’s a revival here waiting to happen, but this particular incarnation is destined for the chipper.” TimeOut NY (3 Stars)
“while there are some zestful—and even unconventional—flights of fancy in the piece, the comedy is really nothing more than a meandering excursion into wan camp…the play, unevenly guided by director Mark Finley, has zigzagged unconvincingly and uncompellingly from scene to scene. The ensemble…give spirited and smile-inducing performances, but it’s not enough to elevate this anemic romp.” Backstage
“The play is very funny at times, with some of the most talented comic actresses around…but somehow it seems a bit lifeless, perhaps due to very long pauses between scenes, or perhaps the show has simply lost a bit of its bite and shock value in the last 17 vivid years.” BroadwayWorld
Winner of the FringeNYC Award for Excellence in Performance - Geraldine Librandi
In a Nutshell: A humorous punchy drama that transcends it’s occasional cartoon like characterizations with high production values, snappy pacing and a solid cast.
Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:
“a poignant domestic drama… the entire ensemble is well-cast and seamlessly inhabits these Boston folk…What this play lacks in happiness, it gains in emotional honesty.” Wall Street Journal
“What starts out as a blue collar ethnic comedy ends up being a profoundly moving rumination on loss, regret, and grief…Lost and Found succeeds on the strength of an impressive team effort.” NYTheatre
“Lost and Found, at the Fringe NYC, burns with some amazing performances that strain at the confines of The Cherry Pit Theater. And, as benefits the story, the set and the space can barely contain the characters.” Reviews Off Broadway
“The music is mostly wonderfully catchy rock ‘n’ roll, which is certain to get toes tapping…The cast is spectacularly funny, perfectly selling the tongue-in-cheek style…While the script is very funny, the storytelling falters a bit…at times the script feels as though it was written to include a random song that Oliver had on his back burner, instead of letting the music come from the situations. With a tighter structure and perhaps a trimmed second act without an intermission, the show could be a powerful piece of theatre; right now it’s merely one of the funniest shows around.” BroadwayWorld
“At least there are pistols, sheriffs, and sinister landowners on display in Viva Los Bastarditos!…Much of the script is beyond twee (superheated marshmallows feature as weapons), but it includes at least one genuinely great song (‘Western Mass’) and several other hummable ones.” Village Voice
“a fun rock musical that doesn’t pretend to have any heavy meaning…It is a welcome silly mix of farce, standard musicals, and rock opera that will slap a smile on your face from the get-go and keep it there ’til the final bows…If you have a penchant for Family Guy and love Rocky Horror, you’ll love this show.” NYTheatre
“You lose track of who’s winning in the often very winning and wacky rock musical Viva Los Bastarditos, but really, who cares? It’s too long and too loud, but I give it a long and loud round of applause for its loopiness and off-kilter killer instincts…Not everything works, but you admire the cheekiness…The songs work, but some could use some tweaks and tucks and sharpening to bring them to the level of the wit and slyness and method-to-the-madness in the dialogue…see www.bastarditos.com for more and to hear the songs. But a word to the wise: these are wise guys and some of the songs can’t be appreciated out of context as regular songs.” CabaretExchange
