By Monikha Reyes
Set in South Philadelphia in 1955, When Lilacs Last is a coming-of-age tale of two boys struggling with their sexuality and the bigotry in society. The naming of the Walt Whitman Bridge has created a revolt in the community due to the poet’s “revolting homosexual imagery.” At the same time, Brendan, the jock, needs to understand the poetry of Walt Whitman in order to pass English. He seeks the help of Jackie, the smartest kid in school, who gets bullied for his interest in literature. Linked by poetry, the boys must suffer through their fathers’ abuse while trying to understand their own feelings.
The acting overall is unsatisfying. The actors seem more concerned with being onstage than with the play itself. They don’t listen to each other or allow another person’s lines to affect them. The movement seems rehearsed and it is distracting to watch the actors give way to their arbitrary movement. The fourth wall is often broken by the actors, which becomes uncomfortable to watch at times because it is clear how nervous the actors are onstage – some avoid eye contact and fiddle with their costumes, while others play with their nails or fingers.
In between scenes, the actors seated in the front row recite Whitman’s poetry. However, more often than not, the lines come out forced, making it seem as though the actors do not know the meaning behind them.
At times, the play itself is unbearable. The relationship between the two boys and their fathers is a bit over-the-top, and the scenes that are not as intolerable are too long, repeating the same pushing and pulling between the actors.
I would not recommend this play. By the end, I felt unmoved by the performance; it left me hanging, and not in a good way. As an audience member, the time invested did not match the return in the slightest.
Schedule and ticket information here.
By Audrey Alunan
One Thumb Out is a play that takes place in a fictional Australia. Throughout the play, average Australian citizens are conflicted about sending soldiers to aid the United States in an imaginary World War III that begins after the 9/11 attacks.
A unique aspect of the play is how the playwright uses monologues – two characters stand onstage in two different settings and speak similar dialogue at the same time, yet are engaged in completely different conversations. This technique is interesting, but makes it extremely
hard to follow what the characters are actually saying. Overall, it simply sounds like two people talking over each other.
Despite the creative qualities of One Thumb Out, it may be too complex for the average theatergoer to comprehend. It struggles to give the audience a grasped understanding of the actual conflicts at hand.
Schedule and ticket information here.
Ben’s goal is to share with us his love of magic, as he says in the play, “Magic is to make difficult things seem easy, and make simple thing beautiful.” I’m not personally a fan of magic, but Ben Whiting made me respect his art.
American Gypsy is a captivating play built on strong relationships surrounded by magic.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information
here.Masks is a powerful piece that tells the story of two juvenile dilquents and their pasts. This play is thought-provoking and hard-hitting. It shows the importance of friends and how pain can be destructive.
TG and Jason live in “the system”. TG has a lot of hatred towards his father and he uses drugs as his escape. Jason has anger management issues and is in and out of prison. They are shunned by society because of their criminal history, but never give up on their hopes and dreams – Jason wants to be a poet and TG wants to be a DJ. Throughout the play, TG and Jason transition from boyhood to manhood, and reach the crossroads of choosing between letting their anger go or allowing it to destroy them. My favorite part of the play is how they incorporate music, playing popular songs from each year they represent. They also use comedy to lighten up moments of the play.
Masks is a brilliant show with a lot of potential and an amazing future ahead.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
The stars of the show are the puppets Destiny, Linda, Domingo, and Lil’ Bo-tique; and their guitarist, Ithai. They begin the show even before the curtain rises, bickering loudly enough for the audience to hear, which instantly draws laughter from the crowd. The rest of the show is a like musical debate about each character’s perception – or recipe – of romance. Destiny understands it to be one thing, and it’s unlike what Linda thinks, or what Domingo feels, or even what Lil’ Bo-tique sees. Ithai simply listens and strums the guitar.
The Princes of Persuasion begins with a conversation about romance and goes off on random tangents that turn into songs. None of the songs relate to each other, but they are all quite funny. There is little plot to this musical (other than the central topic of romance, which you may soon forget), but it’s still an enjoyable show. The Princes of Persuasion is a good time for all audiences, especially for young kids. Though it does include a song about “animal assholes,” it’s still fairly clean and fun to watch.
Schedule and ticket information here.
To top off my FringeNYC experience this year, I went to see BUNKED! A New Musical. Allow me to review this show in two words: PURE FUN.
For five camp counselors at Lake Timberlake, this summer will be the last hoorah before having to face their first steps towards adulthood. Oliver, openly gay and with a fierce wit and big dreams to match, and Anabel, the “hot-mess” sister who is just aching to break out of her prim and proper shell, are the first to arrive. The two then meet Stewart, who is tired of following his parents’ wishes, Carmen, who, underneath her touch exterior and resistant behavior is struggling with herself and an all too recent misfortunate event. Last to be introduced is Max, who has nothing but warm thoughts when it comes to camp. Each character has a unique back-story, allowing the audience to truly care. This musical has the whole package – the songs are creative and catchy, the storyline is entertaining, and the actors are outstanding. BUNKED! is a worthwhile show – you’ll be sorry if you miss it.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
Dear Harvey paints a touching picture of Harvey Milk, the activist and the first openly gay politician elected to public office.
More a collection of monologues than a play, the performance includes a solid biography recounting the major life achievements and tragic death of the politician. The rest of the play is comprised of monologues composed from interviews conducted with people who either directly knew, or were touched in some way by Harvey, as relevant photos and letters are projected onto a backdrop.
Tales of being inspired by Harvey to run for local office, organize community protests and come out to friends and family are only some of the touching topics. The most striking letter is read by a college student named Thomas, who brings a moving perspective that brings the beginning of the gay rights movement into today’s context. The essence of who Harvey Milk was is ultimately shaped from the exterior by how his legacy has reached out to anyone willing to be accepting – regardless of race, age, or sexual preference. Although this play lacks distinction between the characters, the sincerity in the message of love and tolerance is undeniable. Unfortunately, this message is somewhat disjointed by the continual series of monologues and very little actual human connection, which is ironically a major theme throughout the production. However, this play is still imperative for teenagers to see, as we are the next generation to learn and spread Harvey’s tolerance. With a little work in cohesion and character development, Dear Harvey has a promising future.
Schedule and ticket information here.
I’ve always heard that it’s difficult for Asian Americans to find work in theatre and film. So, to have the chance to speak with successful actress Michelle Krusiec was really exciting to me. She is the creator and star of Made in Taiwan, an autobiographical one-woman show that is one of the most in-demand shows in this year’s New York Fringe Festival.
Michelle has led a very busy career in television and film. She starred in the movie Saving Face, acted in The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and even travelled the world with the Discovery Channel! It all began in the suburbs of Virginia, where she grew up. She started acting professionally when she was 12-years-old. One of her earliest roles was a “token Asian role” in a car commercial, where Michelle was told that her hair wasn’t Asian enough, so she had to wear a wig.
Made in Taiwan started as a paper in college, where she was majoring in theatre and English. It turned out to be a 14-page “play of sorts” that was intended for performance. Years later, in an acting class, she had to depict an event from her life, and she chose the night her mother bit her (True story! You’ll have to see the play!). People urged her to continue working on the story, so she went back to her 14-page collection of stories. It has taken Michelle five or six years to slowly piece the story together and rework it. The play has grown since its inception, and so has Michelle. She feels that her show is more successful now than in earlier interpretations because she has a different perspective. She said, “I always thought, ‘I feel really boring and I don’t know who I am’. And I would struggle because, well, at that age, I didn’t know what my point of view was. That’s the whole point of the piece. I didn’t have a point of view.”
This multi-talented actress has been successful in television and film, yet she returns to theatre to tell a story.
Michelle explained, “The reason writers write is because they have a story to tell. And I think theatre allows for those stories to be told. You’re some facet of that story, whether you’re an actor, or a writer, or you’re setting the lights, or you’re creating the ensemble, or you’re interpreting the material. It’s all generated from a person who has a need to tell a story.”
She continues, “Those stories are really vital to the way we communicate with one another as human beings…Artists need to express themselves. And they need to be witnessed by someone.”
Made in Taiwan is Michelle’s story. It’s about growing up and finding out who you are. Michelle says that her play is perfect for young people. “I don’t even think you look at your life at that age,” she said, “You’re still enjoying life and you’re still dealing with whatever life is throwing at you. This story is meant to just start you along that process.”
Watching Made in Taiwan and chatting with Michelle certainly challenged me to think about my life and who I am. I could go on and on about the insight that Michelle gave, but I will leave you with some of her advice.
“Keep checking in with ‘what do I want?’ Keep asking that question.” Michelle told me with wisdom.
After seeing Made in Taiwan, I can tell that Michelle asked herself that question – and really listened to the answer.
Read Christa's review of Made in Taiwan here.
by Delaney Gibson
If the title Hamlettes evokes thoughts of, “Oh, wow, that sounds really cute,” you’re in for a major surprise. It is an insightful and creative modern adaptation of Hamlet, set in an all girls school. Playwright Patrick Shaw makes audience members feel a surprising closeness to Shakespeare’s Hamlet when three pre-teen girls -Alex, Chloe, and Ophelia - decide to start a drama club, and, of course, perform Hamlet! Being committed actors, the trio refuses to break character – ever – which leads them to a pre-pubescent tragedy or their own, full of the betrayal, angst and lies that is Hamlet.
The casting is perfect; the actors embody their characters completely, bringing the entire audience back to when we were twelve. Working with a simple, but brilliantly composed set, the play ignites questions of betrayal, love, loss, and blame, and will leave you thinking of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet – and your own life choices – in a brand new light!
Anyone interested in literature will enjoy this production. With the production’s outstanding direction, strong, and capturing script, and remarkably flexible actors, Hamlettes is a great show bordering on amazing.
[Photo Credit: Brian Hashimoto]
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
By Oumar Berte
The Nightmare Story is a play performed by college students who come from Pittsburgh to New York for the New York Fringe Festival.
The play uses magic realism to tell the story of a son who goes in search of a flower to save his mother who is suffering from nightmares. He has to find the flower because one day his mother doesn’t wake up.
The play is a mix of jokes, shadows and music. I think that the goals of the play are to show a different side of nightmares and to make people have fun – and these goals are reached.
I’ve seen a lot of plays (both high and low budget), but I’ve never had so much fun in a theatre in my entire life. The Nightmare Story is the should-see-play of this year’s Fringe Festival.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
By Michele Tram
The play Mobius takes place the week of spring break in 1984. It tells the story of 15-year-old Montgomery, his less than perfect family, and his struggle to gather up the courage to tell his controlling mom and absentee dad that he is gay. Mobius is a dramedy (drama-comedy) that will leave you with a truly lasting impression.
What is a mobius? A mobius is a surface with only one side and one boundary component. Described by Mackenzie, the mobius strip is similar to his brother’s mind with all the twists and turns of its appearance.
RJ Barnett gives a brilliant performance as Montgomery; making me root for him to achieve the happiness and independence that he is searching for. Montgomery’s intellect separates him from almost everyone, making him an outcast. His brother is his only source of comfort, but as the play unravels further, it is important to remember everything is not what it appears to be.
Every second left me wanting more and anticipating what would happen next. When the play ended and the lights came on, the cast filed out one by one to the center of the stage in a straight line to take a bow. I was silent. I couldn’t believe that it was already over.
Although Mobius contains nudity, it is the raw emotions of the characters that is sure to resonate in your mind long after it is over.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
Two Girls, a play written and performed as a one-woman show by Gabrielle Maisles, chronicles the lives of two young women growing up in South Africa during the turbulent apartheid era. One of the girls, Lindiwe, rallies alongside her fellow black South Africans for equality among the races. Corinne, a young Jewish girl whose family employs Lindiwe’s mother, supports the anti-apartheid cause as well, aspiring to one day fix South Africa’s many issues. Following Nelson Mandela’s election as President of the “new” South Africa in April 1994, Corinne, Lindiwe and many other South Africans believe the battle for justice has been won. They soon face the sobering reality, however, that several of the country’s problems would persist long after Mandela’s inauguration, including the AIDS epidemic and soaring unemployment rates. Lindiwe eventually marries a South African revolutionary and bears a daughter. Corinne marries a physician and has a daughter and son. Corinne and her family later emigrate to Boston at the height of another momentous political situation – the 2008 presidential race between Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain. Lindiwe accompanies Corinne and her family to Boston in order to earn a college degree and money to support her unemployed husband and daughter back home. Corinne and Lindiwe find themselves engaged in the revolutionary spirit of the U.S. election and promoting change, once again, in a country that so desperately needs it.
I was surprised to find one actress playing not only Corinne and Lindiwe but also every other character in the play. I commend Gabrielle Maisels’s efforts in memorizing an incredible amount of dialogue and commanding the stage with great ease. Other than Maisels’s impeccable performance, however, I found the storyline difficult to follow. The transition between characters was muddled and it was challenging to decipher the heavily South African accented dialogue.
While Two Girls has a great deal of potential, it sadly fails to deliver due to the limitations of being portrayed by a sole performer.
Schedule and ticket information here.
Playing By Air is a thrilling performance that makes you question the impossible. The four jugglers astound with their unique tricks.
Each juggler tells a story, combining juggling with music, lights, colors, magic, comedy, and even a little bit of puppetry. By fusing these elements together, they create a mystical aura in the theater. It is a small, intimate space, and the bright colors of the props and set illuminate the theatre as the music blends with the mood.
My favorite part of the show is the partnership between the music and juggling. The genres range from electronic to folk, and the performers are still able to juggle with the rhythm. The performers play the violin and oboe in very odd ways. They balance music stands and instruments on their faces. They use a Chinese yo-yo called the Diablo. This gives the show an extra flare by using something new that really impresses the crowd.
Playing by Air is a hidden jewel in the 2010 FringeNYC Festival.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
By Serra Akyuz
When Last We Flew revolves around the lives of two teenagers: Paul, who has to hide from his mother that he’s gay; and Natalie, who has to hide the confident, strong woman inside of her. These two teenagers from a small town in Kansas experience for the first time what it feels like to clip on wings and fly. Fly out through the roof and become the bird that was suppressed inside.
The play is funny, the dialogue is smart, and the story is inspiring. The actors are entertaining and their presentation of their characters’ journeys is spot-on. Although the scenery lacks props (except for a bathroom toilet and a few chairs), the cast fills the stage with something that isn’t tangible, but more valuable: the ability to engage the audience. Harrison David Roberts’ story is a small town Kansas version of Tony Kushner’s play Angels in America.
When Last We Flew challenges us to break the cage of the birds within us and evolve into something unstoppable.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
With a slight southern accent, he tells the story of the summer of 1942 at an all-boys boarding school. As in the novel, Foyster takes on the role of Gene, the narrator, but he often interjects himself, becoming Phineas, Gene’s best friend or other, less important characters. Even though he is just one person and does not change clothes, it is always clear which character he is. There are times when the difference between Phineas and Gene is just a leg being extended. Foyster captures the feelings of both young men very well. He has a reckless but nervous energy about him and he isn’t afraid to dive into the characters.
As the play progresses and the close friendship between Phineas and Gene is compromised, having one actor play both characters shows the audience just how similar both of the friends are. Their friendship falls apart over petty jealousy and some misunderstandings. Phineas and Gene seem to be very different people, but their similarities are revealed. These similarities are not a flaw in Foyster’s acting or an inability to separate the two characters, but rather a deep understanding of the two friends.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
The Girl in The Park is a play performed by an intimate cast of four, who perhaps are a little too intimate.
The play revolves around the twisted, romantic lives of these four people. Allan is forced to encounter the Girl in the Park, but ends up kissing her, then confessing the kiss to his wife, Hannah. However, Hannah also has a secret - she's been sleeping with his brother, Will. When Allan moves out to pursue a relationship with the Girl, she repeatedly warns him that she is nothing but trouble, yet Allan jumps to take that risk. The Girl never truly reveals her name to the audience.
Allan's life is never the same after the kiss. Through the twists and the complications, this play has a simple message: one moment can completely change the status quo.
Overall, I have mixed feelings about this play. Each individual scene was humorous and very well-acted. However, each scene was not in chronological order and switched back and forth from "three months earlier" or "later on that night". The show is difficult to follow and the audience is forced to put the pieces together.
The show ends three months in the past and leaves the ending open to interpretation. The playwright had a unique concept pertaining to the personality of each character, but the play simply needed straight-forward closure.
Schedule and ticket information here.
Drew Moore is the new kid in town who attracts chaos everywhere he goes in Hip Hop High - The Musical. Soon after moving to a new town from Philly, Drew finds himself facing trouble after he witnesses the robbery and the murder of his local bodega man. He quickly recognizes the murderers as Trench and his crew from school. Throughout the show, we see Drew face a battle within himself over whether or not he should keep his mouth shut or tell the detectives who did it. At the same time, he sets his eyes on Kassie - better known as "the next Christina Aguilera." Meanwhile, we see Drew's friend, Pyro, trying to persuade Drew into joining his dance crew.
The storyline has been done million of times and leaves plenty to be desired. The first rap battle seems a bit familiar to that one of Eminem's in 8 Mile and the whole feel of the musical is almost the same as the Step Up movies. Nevertheless, this show is able to stand on its own with a surprise twist at the end.
The great amount of talent that the actors have is completely astonishing.The young actors stand out, but so do the adults, who do a bit rapping of their own.
If you're looking to see a show that requires you to connect emotionally, then this probably isn't the right choice. However, If you're looking to have a careless fun time while watching a show, then this is most definitely the right show to see. Hip Hop High - The Musical is an hour and ten minutes of pure excitement.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Loud music fills the theater. Moments later, the lights are slowly dimmed and faintly in the background you can hear several voices echo throughout the theater. Monetizing Emma has begun.
Monetizing Emma is a play that takes place three years from now. It tells the story of an independent, witty, sarcastic 15 year old teenager named Emma. Emma is at that age when indecisiveness and uncertainty begins to settle in, making her question every decision that she makes. Emma, like a majority of teenagers, is worried about the costly tuition of Ivy League colleges. Her concerns are put to rest when she is recruited by Genius Trust (GT) as a result of her ability to be a “good asset.” However, things are never quite what they appear to be.
Monetizing Emma is a play teenagers can relate to because at one point or another in our lives we seek independence to make our own decisions and choices. Nitya Vidyasagar, who plays Emma, brilliantly captures the conflicting emotions that teenagers feel.
I have a confession. Before seeing this play, I researched Monetizing Emma and stumbled upon the many awards this play has received. This meant that I already had high hopes for the play before it began. Often times, with high hopes, comes great disappointment. Monetizing Emma lives up to its praises and every second of the play kept me engaged with its witty humor and sharp one-liners. This modern comedic play of Monetizing Emma is definitely not to be missed!
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
The lines are quirky and funny at some points, and meaningful the next. The conversation between characters are true to the play and the time - so much so that I can picture people I know saying the same thing. For example, one of my favorite characters, the teacher, Mr. Browning, is definitely a cross between the TV character House and my own English teacher. The characters have their own personality - they aren't two-dimension - and the acting is a treat to watch.
The plot is refreshing. How many plays do you know show the taboo of a teacher-student relationship circled around college, death and Hamlet? Whether you like the play or not, by the end, you will step out of the theatre with a better knowledge of Hamlet.
In Loco Parentis is a must-see, two-thumbs-up show. Every second is worth watching.
*Plog Pick
Schedule and ticket information here.
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