Oleanna

by Sabrina Khan 

Picture yourself as a professor whose ideals conflict with a student’s. What lengths would you go to in order to stay true to your beliefs?  How far would you go to protect yourself, or achieve success, if it meant betraying your ideals? How would you recognize it if you already had?

Now, imagine that you are a student whose beliefs challenge your professor’s authority. You follow your beliefs completely, but you take extreme measures. You ruin everything the professor has worked for. How would you justify your actions? 

Both the professor and the student end up in a sticky situation, so which would you rather be? In the end, whatever side you take, you’re wrong.

David Mamet’s Oleanna explores such profound questions and the invisible battle lines drawn within the professor-student relationship. Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles, who play John (the professor) and Carol (the student), both give tremendous performances in this stunning look into the complexities of academic hierarchy.

The entire play takes place in the John’s spacious office and opens as he answers a phone call while Carol waits to speak. The first act can be difficult to follow because most of the dialogue is delivered in fragments. We soon discover, however, that John is in the process of gaining tenure. Meanwhile, Carol is distraught because she is lost in the classroom and refuses to fail, at least not without a fight. A simple discussion about Carol’s grades and her inability to understand John’s book escalates into an argument about his teaching methods. Soon enough, the roles are reversed and Carol gains more control over the situation than John or the audience expects. According to her, John is guilty of sexual exploitation and now runs the risk of losing his job. At this juncture, both are sharply abused by the other and push one another to the brink of sanity and us to the edge of our seats.

The script blazes with brilliant discourse fired from both characters. As the audience, we become emotionally invested and take sides, but we find it difficult to completely support either character. As Carol provokes John, we understand his anger, and as he attempts to pacify and patronize her, we feel her degradation. One wonders if John is right about education when he says that it is just “prolonged and systematic hazing,” and one considers Carol’s right to doubt his ability as an educator. How can he conceive of such an idea while teaching those who hope to learn?  It is all a matter of power—who has it and who can manipulate it to his or her advantage.

Oleanna makes immense social and political commentary. Mamet compels us to critically view the educational platform and see that the same problems exist in every leader-subject dynamic.

It is no coincidence that the play, originally written in 1992, was Mamet’s response to the highly publicized Anita Hill - Clarence Thomas hearings. Thomas, currently an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, came under fire during his 1991 confirmation hearings when Hill, an attorney who used to work for him, testified that he had sexually harassed her. He was confirmed despite the allegations, but the truth behind them is still debated to this day.

Oleanna is an intensely powerful show sure to provoke the mind of any audience member.

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $25 Student Rush • Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th Street

Hamlet

by Zoe Wolfe

In reviewing one of Shakespeare’s most iconic and tragic tales, where does one begin? The classic “to be or not to be” speech? The star studded cast? The set? The directing? All of these must be discussed in due time, but it might be best to start at the beginning.

As the dim lights come up, you see Hamlet (only recognizable because we know that he is played by Jude Law) kneeling, looking forlorn. This puts the viewer in a highly focused, almost frightened mindset. But as Hamlet exits and Barnardo and Francisco enter, the feeling is shattered. They start jabbering away, throwing around the witty lines that Shakespeare wrote for them, putting the audience at an utter loss. They speak so quickly that it is nearly impossible to keep up with what they are saying without having read the play at least a dozen times before. In the way they speak, they could be any duo from any Shakespeare play.

All of Law’s actions, however, are carefully chosen. You know exactly why he’s moving in a certain direction, or why he’s using a certain tone of voice. His intentions and the meaning of his lines are clear, even if you can’t understand every single word he’s saying. It is evident that director Michael Grandage put a lot of thought into Hamlet’s character and that he spent a lot of time working with Law to perfect his performance. Their hard work pays off, and Law’s portrayal of Hamlet is wonderfully in tune.

If Grandage had put as much thought into the rest of the characters as he did into Hamlet, then the play could have been truly amazing. With a number of characters, including Barnardo, Francisco, Horatio and Ophelia, all intentions are lost. The audience cannot clearly see what they want or how they are going to get it. While this might suffice in a contemporary play, the problem is blaringly obvious here. Many Shakespearean words and phrases are confusing or unfamiliar, so it would be in the director’s best interest to treat the script as a foreign language. Everything needs to be clear, or the audience will be lost.

The production’s time period is confusing, too. All of the characters are wearing somewhat modern clothes. The older men wear formal suits, while the women wear modern formal clothing. This is set against the stone backdrop of a medieval castle. This effect is not too confusing, because it seems to be trying to achieve an ambiguous time period. It gets muddled when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet’s school friends, are introduced as characters. They are dressed in dark jeans and peacoats—very 2009.

They also act like modern people, while the older actors act more reserved, either trying to maintain ambiguity or Shakespearian pomp. Through his sarcasm and sporadic bursts of energy, Law also acts with modern flair. While Grandage might have been trying to show a difference between the old and the young, his choice works against him and confuses the viewer. He could have gone one way or the other, and in my opinion, he should have chosen to direct Hamlet as a modern play, because Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are two of the best-acted characters.

While Hamlet is many things at once, and is sometimes plain confusing, it is still an enjoyable experience. Through Law’s portrayal of Hamlet, the audience gets an inside view into his character’s mind. Hamlet speaks directly to the audience with openness and a bare honesty that amazes the viewer. This play has the potential to be truly great, but it is missing the little bit of effort that it would need to reach that level.

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $35 student rush tickets. Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W. 44th St.

Our Town

by Dalia Wolfson

When you first come to the Barrow Street Theater, it seems a little shabby. But just wait a while, until the lights go down, and a man with bright, searching eyes enters the room. He is the Stage Manager (a character, not tech person) and he holds a glowing cell phone. You've probably already extinguished yours, but sit quietly and wait for him to talk, not into the phone, but to you.  Because once the Stage Manager begins to speak, he will conjure up a whole county within several square feet. Grover's Corners of the early twentieth century will materialize in front of your eyes, filling the theater, with pulsating air.

The Stage Manager directs the audience through the childhood, adolescence, and brief adulthood and marriage of Emily Webb and George Gibbs. Their relationship is sweet, like a sort of simple sugar, with a proposal over cherry soda. Eventually, that sugar of life will heat up, turn to caramel, and finally to carbon ashes.

The final act, in particular, brings an added dimension to the story (including a stunning surprise), making the audience reconsider life and the monotony of daily routines. Playwright Thorton Wilder reminds us that, too often, we don't pay attention to “clocks ticking...and Mama's sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new-ironed dresses and hot baths...and sleeping and waking up.” The audience is forced to realize that we have an obligation to truly appreciate the beauty of this water, that bird and the sound of heliotrope blossoms in the springtime.

We emerge from the theatre with a new breath. Sigh softly for the comfortable, unconscious world of Grover's Corners, summoned and snapped shut by the Stage Manager's careful words. Director David Cromer has created a masterpiece out of Wilder's script, molding the characters, settings and speech into a little microcosm that provides a patch of warmth on a cold autumn evening.

So when it is time to leave this town and enter the next one, our planet, make sure you're not just acting. For Pete's sake, live, breathe and be Wilder. Now more than ever, the earth needs an encore. 

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $20 student rush. Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow St.

County of Kings

by Monikha Reyes

The audience speaks in high murmurs, excited about the show that has yet to begin. Suddenly, to our right, Lemon Anderson silences the crowd, spitting out the first lyrics to the show. All eyes are on him as he makes his way to the stage, demanding attention as he begins the tale of his childhood.

 
County of Kings is a one-man, hip-hop, coming-of-age memoir. Lemon Anderson describes growing up with his family, the gossiping old women on his block, having sex and selling drugs. He brings close to home how easy it is to fall from the straight path when growing up with negative influences. By the end, we realized that a lesson was learned through every bad decision, and that every ordeal led to the man we saw before us. Without all of his experiences, whether harsh or tender, Lemon Anderson would never have entered the Def Poetry Jam, which started his career as a poet.

The music has a great beat that made many people bob their head in unison. It’s a treat to hear blasts from the pasts as familiar songs flood from the speakers, reinforcing the decade onstage. Quick narration keeps things moving, leaving not even a yawn to be stifled.

County of Kings is definitely a show worth seeing. It will leave you with a new outlook on life.

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $25 tickets, Culture Project, Public Theater, 425 Lafayette.

The 39 Steps

by Ben Ellentuck

Calling all Anglophiles*, Alfred Hitchcock fans, and ticket buyers simply in the mood for fun: The 39 Steps is for you! 

Based on the 1935 Hitchcock film of the same title, The 39 Steps chronicles the adventures of Richard Hannay, an innocent man who, like so many other Hitchcock men, is accidentally caught up in a high-stakes international spy game. And yet the play is not a thriller. Well, not first and foremost. Mostly, it is a light-hearted comedy in which four actors play more roles than I can count. 

The actors clearly have their rhythm down. The piece strikes the right tempo—a sprightly allegretto—and is able to maintain it fairly consistently until the very end. If it gets slow, which occasionally does happen, it never stays slow for long. The actors are hams (think Bottom from A Midsummer Night’s Dream), but the play is a play for hams.

Again, this is not a thriller—this is a parody of a thriller. You will not be particularly scared. You will not cry, well, unless you have a habit of crying when watching a comedy. You will perhaps laugh, however. No, scratch that: you will definitely laugh.

 

The 39 Steps isn’t the world’s funniest evening, but there really is something in it for everyone to enjoy. This fast-paced frolic is pure entertainment. And what better reason to go to the theatre? 

*somebody interested in people from England. 

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $26.50 student rush • Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St.

Vigil

by Nat Marcus

Vigil is a new Off-Broadway comedy that revolves around the relationship between a nephew and his dying aunt. Their shaded familiarity and endearing discomfort is examined in the simple setting of her bedroom. At first glance, the plot of this play sounds like a total snore, but the chaotic way in which the play unfolds and the heaping portion of bitter comedy makes me want to hang out at funeral homes.

The play opens with Kemp, the nephew, leaving his job and home in order to care for his ailing aunt, Grace. Although this seems like an incredibly selfless and responsible thing to do, Kemp is revealed to be a bit off-center as he is clearly only waiting for his aunt to die. Grace is strangely unfazed by his abhorrent behavior, even while Kemp continually talks about death and even plans her funeral. After Kemp and Grace pass a year together in this fashion, an elderly woman across the street passes away. Something uncannily links this dead woman to Kemp, and he realizes that he might have made a mistake.

The format of Vigil is very unique, with short rambling monologues from Kemp and many blackouts, making the play very fast-paced. Both actors portrayed their characters with specificity and nuance. Grace doesn’t speak at all until the end of the first act, and even in the second act, she only speaks a few times. I commend both for holding the audiences interest throughout the whole show, with one constantly speaking and the other hardly ever opening her mouth. The set is detailed and convincing, and the subdued madcap music reflects on the dark and hilarious nature of the play perfectly.

I would recommend Vigil to anyone looking for a sharp and witty play.

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $20 student rush tickets. DR2 Theatre 103 E. 15th Street. 

The Toxic Avenger

by Zoe Wolfe 

The Toxic Avenger is a musical presented in a comic book style and is chock full of fight scenes and cheesy jokes. It has a typical comic book story line−Melvin is a wimpy guy who is pushed into toxic waste and gets super powers and is then able to save Sarah, blind librarian he likes.

Throughout the play there was a strong “go green” environmental message. Toxie (Melvin after his toxic transformation) avenges people who have been polluting New Jersey with toxic waste. While “don’t pollute the earth” could be seen as the overall message of the show, there is also the theme that true love comes in all forms, as shown through the relationship that Toxie has with Sarah. They are both misfits, but they come together in the end. I found this mix of messages confusing. Toxie’s environmental campaign could have been downplayed more, and I found myself wondering what a message to save the earth was doing in the middle of a musical.

Don’t be fooled, this is no play for the faint of heart. The fight scenes don’t have any blood, but many people are beheaded, dismembered and disemboweled, painting a pretty gruesome picture. There were also many mature jokes, which contradict the good-humored family-friendly feel the play has.

All flaws aside, The Toxic Avenger was made enjoyable by the energy and talent of the cast. They all sung very well and threw themselves into their characters. Even the two men who played the majority of the characters put an equal and abundant amount of energy into each and every character. 

The Toxic Avenger was very quirky and in some parts utterly bizarre, but if you don’t read too much into it, it is very enjoyable.

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $25 Tickets thru Nov. 24^th with the code TOPBP909. Visit www.broadwayoffers.com to buy tickets.

Oleanna

by Jahnesha Huertas

 
David Mamet’s audience-dividing Oleanna follows Carol (Julia Stiles), an academically struggling student, when she comes to her professor, John (Bill Pullman), in a desperate attempt to raise her grade. Carol doesn’t want to simply protect her GPA, but she wants to actually UNDERSTAND the material in order to understand life as a whole, John agrees to re-teach the entire semester to her during private one-one sessions, but,in the midst of doing so, he challenges all that Carol believes about life, authority and power. He refers to higher education as “prolonged hazing” and tells to Carol that all personal issues, financial struggles and sexual prejudices she has overcome to gain acceptance to the institution have been pointless.

John’s intentions are pure. He is working on receiving tenure at the institution and seems to see a bit of himself in Carol. Though they are of different ages, sexes and economic classes, they each have an idealistic sense of achievement they want to fulfill. John repeatedly has private sessions with Carol and says he wants to help her because he “likes” her. Carol then brings a suite against John for sexual harassment. She recalls everything that the audience has seen, but attaches malicious intentions to John’s words, causing the audience to rethink what actually happened.

The set realistically modeled a professor’s office. There were no set changes since the entire play took place in John’s office, but there were numerous costume changes that I found disturbing. To represent the passing of time, the stage would fade to black after and the window shades of the professor’s office would rise to show the campus outside (either sunny or winter-like to inform the audience of the season) and then close again. The actors would then return in different or altered clothing. Technically, this gave the actors time for a wardrobe change, but in terms of the flow of the story it depleted artistic continuity. For a moment, the audience was taken out of the realm of the plot, and the actors had to work even harder in the next scene to recapture the energy.

The true question of Oleanna is what is power and how does it fit into the idealistic standards we set for our lives? Carol didn’t lie in her accusations, she simply recounted what she felt had happened. Although she did report the truth, I feel she altered the facts to show her professor that, although he has the authority, she has the power. Words and actions are perceived differently and that difference in perception defines our interaction with humanity and what embodies our individual visions of what is “truth”.

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $25 Student Rush • Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th Street www.oleannaonbroadway.com

Hip-Hop Theater Festival

by Christa Tandana

Do you like hip-hop? How about theater? Well, you should check out the Hip-Hop Theater Festival! It’s three weeks of new art in the forms of spoken word, music, dance and theatre - all using hip-hop.

This is the festival’s ninth year of presenting original work from both American and international artists. One of their goals is to prolong the art of live performance by bringing new, younger audiences to the theater in large numbers.

The festival even has a youth theater night, called Young, Gifted & Hyped, presenting some new work from by high school students from NYC and around the country. It’s playing on October 6 & 7 at the Ohio Theater, 66 Wooster Street. Check out what the buzz is all about.

And don't miss Angela's Mixtape by Eisa Davis (from Passing Strange). “On this mixtape, style will dictate, we bounce back and forth in time…” Using the rhythms of music and memory, Eisa tells the story of a radical upbringing on the dividing line between Oakland and Berkeley, California -- in a family that includes her aunt, professor and activist Angela Davis. At the Ohio Theater, 66 Wooster Street, October 15, 16 & 17.

Take a look at www.hhtf.org to see what other shows are going on thru October 17th. This is an event you don’t want to miss!

***NEXT WEEK ONLY 2 FOR 1 SPECIAL FOR YOUNG, GIFTED & HYPED, THE WORD BEGINS & ZOMO THE RABBIT. Use 2FOR1 code for advance sales only & tickets cannot be mixed & matched between the shows.**

Broadway Comes to Egypt

by Sarah Abdallah

 
When I think of theater in New York City, I think of Broadway. When I came to Egypt, I knew that there was no theater district and that seeing theater was uncommon.  To my pleasant surprise, while on a bus, I came across a huge poster that read “Broadway Comes to Egypt”. “Broadway comes to Egypt?” I asked myself with plenty of doubt. I wanted the bus to go backwards to give me a chance to reread the poster, but it kept moving. I did some research and found out that excerpts from the Broadway shows Grease and West Side Story were going to be presented at the Roman Amphitheatre. I was so excited and I purchased tickets from the box office. Yes, there is a box office in Egypt. 

Once I entered the theater, they checked my ticket and looked through my bag. I waited for an usher to guide me to my seat, but then I realized that I was not at a Broadway theater. Here I could sit wherever I wanted. Without a second thought, I headed straight to the front of the theater. I had never seen either Grease or West Side Story before, so I was excited to learn a little about both shows. 

Unfortunately, these performances did not encourage me to see either! The music was fine, and I must give credit to the actors for their hard work, but I was hoping for a story or at least a summary of the show. I actually couldn’t even understand the story behind each song. After referencing what seemed to be a playbill, a few aspects of the performance became clear to me. I realized that the Jets were a New York City gang in West Side Story and that one of the props was a hairdresser because one of the characters from Grease was a beauty school dropout. 

After seeing this dull show, I don’t know if I am too crazy about seeing Grease or West Side Story. On the other hand, I think it’s important for me to see both shows and give them a chance. I ought to assure myself that this was simply a bad representation of the songs. 

Oh well. At least I got to see some theatre in Egypt! 

Sarah Abdallah was a writer for PxP when she attended high school in New York and is currently a foreign correspondent while continuing her studies in Egypt.

Avenue Q

by Jahnesha Huertas

Sex. Love. Racism. A dwindling economy. Life after graduation, suddenly realizing that four years of college tuition has gotten you nowhere. These are just a few topics explored in the musical Avenue Q. Not exactly what first comes to mind in a play that features various muppet-like puppets and a Sesame Street-like set.

Princeton has just arrived to Avenue Q after graduating college, and while looking for an apartment and a job, he realizes that he also must find his purpose. He is determined not to just get by in life, but instead embark on something that he feels passionate about. He meets Kate Monster, who is on a mission to establish a school to build the self-esteem of monsters every where. They begin a whirl-wind romance jaded by a harlot of a blues singer and two “bad news bears”.

Meanwhile, the other residents of Avenue Q have their own problems to deal with. Christmas Eve and Brian prepare for marriage, Gary Coleman ponders his failure as a celebrity and what used to be of his fortune and Rod and Nicky (think Bert and Ernie) hit a snag in their friendship. I was expecting to see a plethora of puppets attached to strings controlled by puppeteers lurking unseen in the shadow, but to my surprise, the actors onstage acted as puppeteers. Some of them played more then one character when both puppets where onstage and their ability to change characters instantly really showcased their talent. For instance, Carey Anderson’s sweet Kate Monster was miles away from her portrayal of saucy singer Lucy the Slut. The actors dressed in dark colors to contrast with the brightness of the puppets and the set. This definitely made it easier to forget that the actors were there and put the focus on the puppets. The multiracial cast was refreshing to see as it modeled a realistic New York setting.

Avenue Q was unexpectedly touching. With a humorous plot, it allowed the audience to connect with their inner-child while answering some grown-up questions about life, friendship and love in our fast paced lives.

HURRY! This show ends on September 13th!
www.avenueq.com

Don't Step on the Cracks

by Sarah Schlesinger

Don't Step On The Cracks is a collection of several different sketches related by the common idea of what maturity might mean. Separate stories are told throughout the show, each one weaving part of a large tapestry of combined experience, humor, youth, depression, joy, fear, and wonder. Every story has a different purpose and explores different outlooks on life. One of the sketches was a poem by Shel Silverstein, divided up and told out of order, giving the audience an entirely new perspective of the tale.

The individual pieces are all very strong and can touch everyone who hears them. The actors were magnificent and created incredibly believable characters. One comedic sketch involved the audience, which was very entertaining to watch. The introduction and the epilogue link all the individual stories together and related the sketches to the larger picture of the performance.

Childhood, which is very often forgotten and overlooked by the adult world, is the focus of this play. We are shown what is lost when we make the transition from childhood to adulthood, and also what is gained. The scenes of this performance linger in your mind, with quotes of the characters running through your head. Comedy and tragedy are equally important and both are explored with intense detail, and brutal honesty and respect. I highly recommend this play, as it makes you both laugh and think—a winning combination.

http://www.fiveflightstheatercompany.org/

Fancy Footwork

by Ben Ellentuck

Two Irish boxers. (Not dogs.) One (stylized) fight. Blood, sweat and tears. (But mostly sweat. Also, no tears.) A fiancée, Marguerite, rooting for Joe, the young underdog, and a deceitful manager, Larry the Lid, rooting for the champ “Tornado” Tom. In the middle, your host, the referee and trainer. Thus goes the basic setup of Fancy Footwork, by Irish author, playwright and screenwriter Miriam Gallagher, now rounding out its run in the Fringe Festival.

The play is short—40 minutes short—but just long enough for one to get thoroughly fed up with the ridiculous Irish accents, ranging from entertainingly-bad to just-plain-bad. It’s hard, even with an open mind, to imagine why the play (which was first performed in 1983 at the Dublin Theatre Festival), is being done at FringeNYC more than 25 years after its world premiere. And with a non-Irish cast. Putting on accents.

The answer may lie in the ceremonial allure of the piece. The fighters’ chant, “King of the Ring! King of the Ring!” attains a ritual, almost cultish status by the end of the play. The chalk used to mark the boundaries of the boxing ring is an instrument of some sacred rite. We are unfortunately unable to immerse ourselves in the mystery of this rite as we are whisked away by the melodrama of Joe and Marguerite’s relationship, as well as that of “Tornado” Tom and Larry the Lid, but the mystery remains—as does the allure. There are some interesting and potentially very rewarding directions to dive into here. This production, however, does little more than dip its toes in the water.

While I wouldn’t describe the experience of seeing Fancy Footwork as particularly fun or enjoyable, it isn’t particularly terrible, either. After all, some of that allure of mystery does manage to eke its way out into the audience. It certainly isn’t a torturous experience—provided you can stand sweat. A lot of sweat.

http://www.dreamdayfilms.com/fancyfootwork/

Alchemist of Light

by Grace Lisandrelli

Alchemist of Light follows the true story of cinematic special effects pioneer Georges Méliès, and his wife, Jehanne, and their struggles in 1914 France at the onset of World War I. When Méliès faces eviction from his cinema due to low attendance, he makes plans to produce his fantastical moving pictures in America. While departing the theater one day to meet an American movie mogul, Méliès receives two unwelcome guests: Leon, a cynical pickpocket with a tortured soul, and his reluctant accomplice, Otto, a German exchange student forced to hide his identity amidst the anti-German tumult. Fortunately, four additional people, each from a very different walk of life, wander simultaneously into the theater.

What follows is an onstage depiction of the conflict between reality and fantasy. As Méliès attempts to convince his audience of his onscreen magic, he contemplates whether providing an escape from the harsh realities of life benefits society or simply gives people false hope. Ultimately, the play poses a question for its viewers: in times of universal suffering, is it best to remain grounded in reality, or can fantasy serve as a crucial means to transcend suffering?

The use of Méliès’s actual cinematographic works and the vaudevillian background music in this production transport the viewer to the very beginnings of the film industry. The character development is exceptional. Tom Lock in particular gives a spellbinding performance as Leon the pickpocket. His carnal emotionality leaves one on their edge of their seat waiting for his next movement.

Alchemist of Light will appeal to theatergoers of all ages, as it has a little something for everyone: comedy, passion, drama, enchanting technological and musical features, and even a mermaid! I highly recommend it!

http://proseandcontent.com/

Muffin Man

by Melissa Miranda

Muffin Man is an amazing musical about Lyla, a barista at The Perky Coffee Bean, who falls in love with Justin, a muffin man and old family friend. Lyla is scared to tell Justin how she feels, but is helped by Sadie, the owner of The Perky Coffee Bean, to be true to her feelings. Lyla's life is topsy-turvy, but with the help of her true friends, she realizes the importance of speaking from the heart.


Teenagers should see this play because it will make you wonder, “Is this how I would act in the same situation?” The performers' voices were so good that they gave me goosebumps. The audience was laughing the entire time at the non-stop jokes. If you like to laugh and hear great music, then this is the show for you.

Muffin Man was the first Fringe show that I have ever seen, and I have to say, II absolutely loved it. Muffin Man is a must-see Fringe show. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

http://muffinmanthemusical.blogspot.com/

The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism In About An Hour

By Sarah Schlesinger

The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism In About An Hour is an incredibly funny and thought-provoking show. Written and performed by W. Kamau Bell, this one-person show was a dynamic combination of stand-up comedy, technological innovation, brute honesty and audience interaction.


Since Obama's inauguration as President, some people have been saying that we live in a "post-racial" era. Kamau is quick to point out that this means absolutely nothing; post-racial is not a real word (he checked the dictionary), and racism is still rampant in America. Bringing in personal stories, popular culture, and politics (with a lot of laughs) Kamau's point is proven beyond the shadow of a doubt. Not only does Kamau talk about racism towards African Americans, but also towards every other minority group; everyone who's "different". He touches on sexual orientation, religion, and discrimination of every sort and explores how all of this effects us as a people and as a nation. He uses well-timed slides to emphasize his points, which is a great affect.

I most definitely recommend this show. It's something that every person should see, regardless of race, because we are not in a post-racial country by far. There is no better way to see the truth than to see it through humor, and this show has more than ample amounts of both. Your cheeks will be sore from laughing, guaranteed.

http://www.wkamaubell.com/

The Unlikely Adventure of Race McCloud, Private Eye

by Christa Tandana

The McClouds are an infamous family of top notch secret agents in the Perfect Academy…except for Race McCloud. Race lives a very average life in his very average office/apartment as a detective. After a slump in cases, he was recently hired by an anonymous client to capture the Green Suit Jacket Man. When he is left to babysit his above average teenage niece, Cookie McCloud, his life begins to get a little more…interesting. When the McCloud family goes missing, Race and Cookie set forth on an adventure that starts out with Green Suit Jacket Man and winds up digging up a few family secrets.

The second act caught my attention more than the first. Up until this point, the narrator had been used to provide both smooth transitions into the scenes and comic relief. However, here he added much more depth to the meaning of the show by breaking the wall between him and Race McCloud. He left the audience thinking about how we are all the narrator of our own life, and it is up to us to make it as interesting as we want.

The style of the play was like a comedic comic book…on stage. You usually see more of this in film or cartoons, but it was really interesting to see it performed by live actors. Many of the actors portrayed multiple characters very well. I was not too impressed with Fiona Kearns’s acting skills as Cookie McCloud, but she did okay for such a young actress.

This unconventional adventure story is filled with crazy characters, a fun plot, and often cheesy, but funny jokes. If you’re in the mood for something different, comical and enjoyable, The Unlikely Adventure of Race McCloud, Private Eye is sure to please.

http://www.racemccloud.com/

Penumbra

by Monikha Reyes

The lights dims as the audience hears the voice of a little girl announcing the show and smiles echo through the crowd. A telephone rings and is answered by a woman who tells her son to take it, and that it is his father. Anthony Fascious Martinez runs onstage, acting like a child, excited to finally speak to his father. And as he rushes through the details of his day at school, the line is cut. And so begins Penumbra.

A one-man Hip Hop musical, Fascious takes you through his childhood. Raised by his mother alone in the Bronx, he deals with death and pain. Through his music and acting, he translates to the audience the ache and the hurt he feels for his grandfather, for his father, and for everyone and everything else he has lost.

Through rap, though hardly ever rhyming, the beats that resonate from the speakers fill the theatre. The songs blend with his words perfectly and the lighting and sound effects only add to the atmosphere. I felt drawn into the story, sitting at the edge of my seat waiting for the next word.

I recommend this show to anyone who would like to see something new and different. I guarantee that this show is unlike anything that is out there and that you will be able to relate to at least one part. There is swearing and some sexual behavior, but rather than hinder the show, it only strengthens the performance.

Amusing, powerful, and definitely memorable, if you’re looking for something refreshingly original, come see Penumbra.

http://www.fascious.com/

Mars: Population 1

by Sarah Schlesinger

Mars: Population 1 is for the most part a one-person show, not counting an additional actor appearing near the end. James Allerdyce wrote and directed the show, as well as playing Captain Thomas Galloway, the astronaut who is assigned the mission to walk on Mars.

Upon trying to enter Mars's atmosphere, Thomas Galloway hits a storm that forces him to crash-land onto Mars, which disables any source of communication. Miles from the original landing site and unable to fix the ship or call a rescue, Galloway slowly comes to believe that he will not live through his mission.

The show begins comically, with Galloway saying that before his mission, he went into the ladies' bathroom to "boldly go where no man has gone before!" The performance turns serious very quickly. Galloway begins to hallucinate, as he desperately tries to cope with his fear of death and lack of oxygen. Galloway is a very easy character to relate to. He dreams of something more, yet his sheer humanity in the face of death is bittersweet. You do not want to see this character die. You want him to live and his mission to succeed, not just because you grow to like him, but also because of what he represents: our eventual journey to Mars. The sound and lighting systems play a very important part in the play, as Allerdyce's only solid prop is a chair; all other props are pantomimed. Regardless, you get a very firm impression that Galloway really is in a space ship.

However, despite all it has to offer, I do not recommend this play. The ending shifts the entire reality of the play in a rather jolting way. It is disjointed from the plot and breaks the entire mood of the performance. I would say to leave five minutes before the ending, because in this case, the journey is far better than the destination.

www.JamesAllerdyce.com

Baby Wants Candy Improvised Musical with Full Band

by Sabrina Khan

Baby Wants Candy The Completely Improvised Full Band Musical is sure to be on everyone’s list of Fringe favorites. A totally different show every time you see it, the cast performs an entirely improvised 60 minute musical based on any title that the audience shouts out.

Immediately I questioned, "Wherever could they go with something like 'A Scotsman in Thailand'?" But the response was just as immediate. The band played an oriental theme and the actors assumed floral positions and spot-on (what they jokingly called) choreography. From then on, there was non-stop laughter (and tears from too much laughter) at the dramatic comedy that ensued.

The six-person ensemble, made up of three women and three men, often played multiple roles and opposite genders yet never once confused the audience. This just made the show even more hilarious. There was never a dull moment as these talented performers sang ridiculous yet catchy songs right off the top of their heads. The band, directed by acclaimed musician and pianist in this production, Jody Shelton, was just as incredible, composing a perfect yet never before heard or rehearsed soundtrack along with the actors' inventions.

Recommended to theatre lovers and mature audiences, Baby Wants Candy The Completely Improvised Full Band Musical is a crowd pleaser that will not disappoint. Although teens will definitely enjoy it, a fair warning goes out to those not interested in vulgarity. Don't miss it!

http://babywantscandy.com/