Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:

“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

Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:

“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

Remaining Performance Schedule

VENUE #13: Bowery Poetry Club
Wed 24 @ 7:15
Thu 25 @ 6:15
Fri 26 @ 9:30
Sun 28 @ NOON

Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:

“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

Remaining Performance Schedule

VENUE #10: IATI Theater
8/24 @ 9:15
8/27 @ 2
8/28 @ 4:45

Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:

“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

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

ENCORE SERIES PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Venue: Soho Playhouse – The Huron Club (0h 55m)
9/09 @ 9:30
9/12 @ 6:00
9/15 @ 3:00
9/17 @ 10:00
9/23 @ 9:30

Imagine the shock and dismay when poor Miss Beaumont, a southern belle from 1861, is confronted with Joe’s thoroughly twentieth-century queer sensibilities. Worlds collide when the two have to face co-habitation… of the same body in this charmingly original solo show (if you’re only counting physical bodies on the stage that is).

“There are plays you give nice reviews to, and there are ones you highly recommend. This one is one of the latter.”
NYTheatre.com

“The title suggests an evening of camp, but writer-performer Joe Hutcheson has more on his mind. Original, inventive, as touching as it is funny, this 90-minute one-man show is rich, wise, and deeply human. ”
Backstage.com (Critic’s Pick)

“one of the nicest surprises of the year for me.”
Martin Denton, Memorable Highlights of the Theatre Season

“Take one hilarious 33-year-old gay man and a flamboyant, pre-Civil War Southern debutant, mix them together into a one-man show and you have the hour and 20 minutes of flaming fun”
NYPress

Sex, trust, family dysfunction, and noodles are just a few of themes covered in this funny and moving coming-of-age tale about a young woman’s struggle to find her own place while growing up in America as the daughter of an overbearing Taiwanese mother. This darkly comedic solo show caught the eye of Variety Magazine and the Hollywood Reporter in its 2002 premiere at the HBO Aspen/U.S. Comedy Arts festival, earning Krusiec a slot on the Hollywood Reporter’s coveted list of top ten rising performers in Hollywood.

What The Critics Are Saying:

“Made in Taiwan having previously been workshopped and presented at other festivals and venues, Michelle Krusiec gives an appropriately relaxed but sharp performance here at FringeNYC. This piece is a wonderful showcase for her immense skills, especially in some of the dance and movement elements…Along with her director Andy Belser, Krusiec reminds us that no matter how many times you think you may know the story, a performer who lays it all out on the stage makes the story sound new and specific to your ears.”
NYTheatre

ENCORE SERIES PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Venue: The Lucille Lortel Theater (1h 20)

9/10 @ 7:00
9/14 @ 9:30
9/17 @ 7:00
9/18 @ 8:00

Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:

“David, who wrote the script as well, has created and brought to life full human beings who will make you laugh out loud at the same time your heart aches for them. Please go see this fabulous show!”
NYTheatre.com

“David doesn’t shy away from shtick, packing every moment with one-liners and observational quips. That said, “South Pathetic” would benefit from a bit of editing and focus. Still, David’s uproarious final abridged enactment of Williams’ play firmly keeps this “Streetcar” from jumping the rails.”
Backstage (Critic’s Pick)

ENCORE SERIES PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Venue: The Players Theater (1h 15m)

9/15 @ 8:00
9/17 @ 9:30
9/18 @ 10:00
9/19 @ 3:00

“80 minutes of funny, informative, moving, and ultimately profound theater”
Backstage (Critic’s Pick)

“The word ‘shaheed’ means martyr, and there’s no doubt Benazir Bhutto is just that. But a martyr for what? Anna Khaja’s magnificent one-woman show traverses interlocking portraits of Pakistanis that knew her directly or as a political symbol…Khaja’s acting talent in this simple but effective production combines with a notable lighting design for gripping theater.”
CurtainUp

“Khaja’s embodiment of each of her characters is clean, fully-realized, and a joy to watch…a masterful, compelling performance, allowing the complex portrait of a woman who was both loved and reviled to bloom through the words of those who knew her.”
NYTheatre

More than a simple magic show, Ben Whiting weaves slight-of-hand illusions along with a narrative tale of interpersonal connections and apprenticeship based on the life Jim Cellini, a legend in the craft.

“Whiting has woven his skillful illusions into a one-man performance that celebrates the ineffable connection between artist and audience and between mentor and protégé…”American Gypsy” is a rare bird indeed: a magic show with a heart.”
Backstage (Critic’s Pick)

“we were waiting for magic to happen, and this show more than delivered…On a rainy night in the East Village, at the Kraine Theatre, MagicMouth Theatre and Ben Whiting proved that anything is possible.”
NYTheatre

“Ben Whiting is an actor and magician who very cleverly combines his acting and magic abilities in his one-man show…His show is touching, yet goofy and fun at the same time…Poignant and amusing, American Gypsy is a show that will hopefully have a long life after the Fringe.”
TheaterOnline

“As soon as Diana Yanez dances onto the stage (mojito in hand) for Viva La Evolucion, it’s clear we’re in for an intriguing experience…The show’s strongest moments come as Yanez grapples with her love of Cuban culture while trying to discover her identity, first as a “fag hag” and then as a lesbian…Director Marjorie Duffield keeps the performance focused as Yanez rides through incredible highs and lows, making the 70-minute journey one of the more enjoyable ones to be had at the fest.”
TheaterMania

“Yanez’s friendly, welcoming presence turns the house into what feels like a living-room gathering of friends. Viva la Evolución! is a must-see for any Cubana and an enjoyable evening for all”
TimeOut NY

“Thanks to her naturally positive energy, and some very nice shaping from director Marjorie Duffield, the hour long show flies along, taking you with it.”
Theater is Easy

“funny, witty, engaging and well-acted”
CurtainUp

Ever wonder what Sarah Silverman’s daughter would be like? How about if Ms. Silverman was a Muslim lesbian, and the sperm donor was Weird Al Yankovic. Well Zehra Fazal has, and she’s proud to demonstrate it for you live on-stage.

“Zehra Fazal is a formidable artist…I have every confidence that this show will keep selling out performances at FringeNYC and will continue to bring us all closer together.”
NYTheatre.com

“Fazal is funny, with both an infectious spirit and an endearing way with song parodies.”
TheaterMania.com

“the lyrics, mixed with her comedic representations of subjects like her first gynecologist visit, her father’s take on dating and her family’s reactions to each other, wrapped up nicely into a little, definitely haraam, presentation of what is going on under that bitchy headscarf.”
NYPress

Take a well known novel from 1959 and adapt it into a fully realized one-man play? Sounds over-ambitious indeed. Clearly Brian Foyster, has no shortage of ambition or talent because he’s done just that, and done it well.

“Brian Foyster has made a remarkable one-man stage adaptation of Knowles’s novel”
NYTheatre.com

“Foyster brings the profound yet muted emotion needed to illustrate this still-moving tale — which continues to gain fans more than 50 years after its publication.”
TheaterMania.com

“Mr. Foyster creates a vivid world on a largely bare stage, peeling back the skin of a friendship to show the love and war underneath.”
Wall Street Journal

There are countless of solo shows built around personal tradgedy, but this entry into the fray doesn’t depend on sympathy or pity for it’s emotional hook. Kimleigh never plays the victim card, trading it in for the cape of a heroine whose super-power is championing triumph in the face of adversity through comedy and sheer aplomb.

“Kimleigh Smith’s one-woman show, “T-O-T-A-L-L-Y!,” is an entertaining treat.”
Wall Street Journal

“Kimleigh is a force of nature. Her energy and spirit carry the day as she tells her story, which is by turns harrowing and hilarious.”
NYTheatre

“Smith is a larger-than-life performer, always in full control of the stage. She will have you laughing, smiling and laughing some more.”
LA Theatre Review

Winner – Top of the Fringe Award
Hollywood Fringe

Winner – Fringe Award for Theatre
Hollywood Fringe

“You may think you’ve already heard everything there is to know about…Hurricane Katrina…But…Deanna Pacelli, transforms a five-year-old story into a dynamic hour of theater…avoiding sentiment and cliché, the author and actor, supported by David Travis’ muscular direction, re-create the devastation and eventual triumph of these survivors.”
Backstage (Critic’s Pick)

“a tour-de-force performance by Deanna Pacelli…captures the despair, frustration, and determination of the play’s subjects, each brought to life as a vivid individual by Pacelli under the direction of David Travis. Yet…it also explores the unique spirit that defines both New Orleans and its residents. The culture and personality of the city shine through in each story”
TheaterMania

“while I have had my heart tugged at this year at the Fringe, rarely has something just pounded at my chest until it nearly ripped my heart out…If you do nothing else this week: GET TO IT!”
NYTheatre

“skillfully ricochets from standup comedy to kitchen-sink drama…with stinging wit and masterful timing.”
Backstage (Critic’s Pick)

“Lee’s script crackles with wit and insight…funny, audacious, vivid, and crude…The result…is a funny play that provides great insight into the business of survival”
NYTheatre

It’s almost inappropriate to relate what Casey Smith does using words, when he articulates every equally inappropriate scene eschewing language altogether. A mime? Sure, if that label includes a parallel universe where Marcel Marceau stars in a show directed by Quentin Tarantino performed in an asylum for the criminally insane.

“Casey Smith has a manic energy verging on lunacy…anyone who can laugh at clowns dying, bleeding, barfing, or farting should have a wild ride.”
NYTheatre.com

“unabashedly puerile, scatological, nihilistic and as funny as hell”
LA Weekly

“Top 10 shows of 2009″
LA Weekly

“Winner – Best Solo Performance”
L.A. Weekly Theater Awards

With positive reviews to be found on virtually every site covering the Fest, one thing is absolutely clear, any shortcomings there may be in this show are trumped by the Mr. Kendall’s talent and abundant charisma.

“By the time Trent Armand Kendall’s one-man musical ends, he is wrung out and we are infused with the kind of glow that only a superlative performance can kindle.”
Backstage

“what really makes the evening sing is author-star Trent Armand Kendall, who not only has an amazing voice but also moves smoothly and skillfully between comedic and serious moments. The upbeat message of his show is that if the picture is incomplete, it’s because ‘there’s always more to learn.’ It’s a pleasure to hear him teach.”
TimeOut NY ****

“a truly excellent 90 minutes of live theatre and music”
NYTheatre.com

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