Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:

“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

NYCFringeGuide Critic’s Pick

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

Remaining Performances:

VENUE #14: Bleecker Theatre
Wed 24 @ 2:30
Thu 25 @ 5:15

“…an irresistible show…you will continually be amazed at how well this tragic masterpiece is re-invented through vaudeville-like routines…This production reminds you that the essence of theater is not spoken words, but acting”
CurtainUp

“a comic tour-de-force. With committed actors, incredible props and more gags than I can count, the show easily entertains Shakespeare aficionados and novices alike. You will have a ball. Now, shut up and go!”
NYTheatre

“so thoughtful about character, that one almost wishes more directors would give their shows the silent treatment. Its aesthetic may be low-budget, and some of its laughs may be cheap, but Hamlet Shut Up is one of the smartest Hamlets I’ve ever seen—and certainly the funniest.”
TimeOut NY

“In the hands of director Jonas Oppenheim, the drama becomes a comedy—at warp speed. Composer Josh accompanies the play on an electronic piano, which gives the action the look of a silent film and the humor of a piano bar…”Hamlet Shut Up” is all about laughs—not language.”
Wall Street Journal

“mesmerizing…leaves you with a sense of childhood wonderment and glee that few of us would want to live without”
NYTheatre

” …Evans, the Neo-Futurist clown with a face like Buster Keaton eating sauerkraut, has cooked up a smashing pantomime routine”
TimeOut

“will have you grinning from ear to ear, or quite possibly laughing non-stop.”
Theater is Easy

“…a terrific piece of mime, superbly devised and performed by Dean Evans…”
Chicago Suntimes

“I just spent an hour laughing my face off like a little kid.”
NYTheatre

“a throwback to an era of direct, good-natured simplicity in entertainment. What ends up being winning about this show is how sincerely, intimately human it is…And fun. These guys are talented jugglers. Moreover, they actually do have some jaw-droppingly slick tricks up their sleeves”
InfiniteBody

“While the show straddles the lines between performance and performance art, it succeeds at being an excellent piece. The relation between the different female characters certainly resonates given how elegantly it’s conveyed.”
NYTheatre

“Anais Alexandra Tekerian weaves the Greek tale of Antigone into her grandmothers’ life stories to create a real-time tapestry of music, art and history…meanwhile, director Kevork Mourad draws vibrant illustrations that are projected behind her. Most stunningly of all, the piece is underscored by the haunting vocals of the Armenian a cappella trio Zulal. The strength of the piece is in the twining of these three creative threads.”
TimeOut NY

“Like any good burlesque act the show is sexually charged and filled with titty spinning, sensual dance, lots of panties and a splendid flying monkey trapeze act by Harvest Moon and Mr. Fantastic.  Though, also like many burlesque shows parts were awkward, lines dropped and while Bianca Del Rio made a kick ass host and Wicked Bitch of the West, she just couldn’t get the original story out of her head and stumbled over words. Despite that, the hour or so show proved fun, hilarious and definitely hot.”
NYPRess

“It’s all sparkly shoes and pasties, comic striptease and upbeat dancing, a joy to watch. That’s entertainment!”
CurtainUp

“It goes without saying that every year FringeNYC is going to choose some innovative, exciting, and fun productions for their festival. Conatus Productions’ Friends of Dorothy: An Oz Cabaret is, without question, all three.”
NYTheatre

The talk of this year’s Fringe may well be as incoherent as the “incomprehensible” cult Japanese gangster film it’s based upon, but that hasn’t stopped it from winning abundant raves. If Tarantino decided to direct experimental performance art, it might look a lot like this sexual, violent, action-packed slice of theater.

“To say the play was surreal is a copout, as it went beyond that and straight into Japanese weird. Of course I liked it, for the most part…I may have left the theater going “what the fuck,” but a piece of me wants to do it all over again.”
NYPress

“an immersive, inventive theatrical ride…the show links together stylized violence, haunting imagery, purposefully low budget visual/audio effects, live ambient music, and a healthy dose of irreverent humor to create a world so mesmerizing that the delivery supercedes any need for traditional story structure. Here, it is the journey that matters, and it is one well worth catching.”
NYTheatre

“a high-octane hour-long experience that’s clever, thoughtful, entertaining and packed to the rafters with violent confrontation.”
Downtown Express

Winner of the FringeNYC Award for Overall Excellence in Production (Play)

NYCFringeGuide Critic’s Pick

We have nothing but praise for this delightfully executed comedic fable of light and shadow. Of particular note are the rousing acoustic and vocal performances which add an evocative depth to the russian folkloric setting. If Neil Gaiman, Tim Burton, or the Brothers Grimm tickle your fancy, then the Nightmare Story is an absolute must-see.

Reviews – What The Critics Are Saying:

“If your taste in theatre includes sharp, artful storytelling, puppets, innovative (yet so very simple) use of lighting, live music played by the actors, non-literal while still linear narrative, comedy, and a generous helping of the macabre you’re wasting your time reading this review. Just go buy tickets before it sells out.”
NYTheatre.com

ENCORE SERIES PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Venue: The Players Theater (0h 45m)

9/10 @ 9:30
9/11 @ 5:00
9/11 @ 9:30
9/12 @ 6:00

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

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

A charming period piece blending dance, puppetry, and rapid-fire repartee is a safe bet for anyone seeking a classy nostalgic break from the standard fringe fare.

“The best show I have seen [at this Fringe], “Trick Boxing,” a screwball play about crime and boxing that features rapid-fire dialogue and bursts of whimsy”
New York Times

“Choreographed dances, a fast paced story, boxing puppets (trust me, it works), rapid-fire dialogue, wonderful characters, a top-notch love story, and two terrific actors make Trick Boxing an absolute treat.”
StageBuzz

“Their footwork, both in switching between characters and delightful dancing, is impressive and their dialogue and delivery lands enough jabs to rack up major points by the final bell.”
NYTheatre