Lawrence Lesher, director, and Todd Michael, playwright, of “Vice Girl Confidential”

Posted on May 15, 2013 by robby

Grayce Productions presents "Vice Girl Confidential," by Todd Michael, directed by Lawrence Lesher A powerful crime boss. A crusading District Attorney. A tough-as-nails madame. The corruption of a small-town girl. Stool pigeons. Vice. Drag. Dames.

With a play entitled Vice Girl Confidential, you should expect these elements.

Gracye Productions gives you the goods with the re-mounting of their Fringe Festival hit, now directed by Lawrence Lesher, with a revised script by Todd Michael (who also plays the aforementioned madame, Stella Fontaine).

Listen in as Lawrence & Todd discuss the importance of timing in physical humour, how Vice Girl Confidential changed over time, and the fun challenge of hiding the risque elements of a play (in a world where sex & violence are usually out in front).

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Gracye Productions presents

Vice Girl Confidential

by Todd Michael
directed by Lawrence Lesher

thru May 19, 2013
Tuesday–Friday at 8pm
Saturday at 2pm and 8pm
Sunday at 3pm

The Studio
Theatre Row
410 W. 42nd Street
Manhattan

tickets available via TeleCharge

Grayce Productions presents "Vice Girl Confidential," by Todd Michael, directed by Lawrence Lesher, photo by Chris Kateff photos by Chris Kateff

Grayce Productions presents "Vice Girl Confidential," by Todd Michael, directed by Lawrence Lesher, photo by Mary Lopez photos by Mary Lopez

William S. Yellow Robe, Jr., playwright, and Ryan Victor Pierce, actor/producer, of “Wood Bones”

Posted on May 14, 2013 by robby

The Eagle Project presents "Wood Bones" by William S. Yellow Robe, Jr.

When I asked playwright William S. Yellow Robe, Jr. to describe what his new play is about, as you’ll hear at the start of this episode, he responded that it’s about the spirit of the land, that the earth (and structures, like the “wood bones” that give the play it’s title) has spiritual energy created by what happens to the land.

Told through a series of flashbacks throughout the 20th century in and around the house with the street address of 121, Wood Bones tells the stories that give the house its spiritual energy, and gives that energy a physical presence (literally — the spirit of the house is a character onstage).

Listen in as William, along with Eagle Project founder & Artistic Director (and actor in the show) Ryan Victor Pierce, discuss making theatre inclusive, the spiritual energy of the land, and accepting that you don’t know — but you have the opportunity to learn.

“Everything is alive.”

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The Eagle Project presents

Wood Bones

by William S. Yellow Robe, Jr.
directed by Bob Jaffe

Thursday, May 9th through Saturday, May 18th, 2013
nightly at 8pm (no show Monday)
Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2pm

June Havoc Theatre
Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex
312 West 36th Street, Floor 1
Manhattan

tickets available via SmartTix

"Wood Bones," by William S. Yellow Robe, Jr., photo by Ashley Marinaccio

photos by Ashley Marinaccio

August Schulenburg, playwright, and Kelly O’Donnell, director, of “Honey Fist”

Posted on May 14, 2013 by robby

Flux Theatre Ensemble presents "Honey Fist"

I love seeing people I recognize onstage.

And though I’m not from Marble Head, outside of Boston (pronounced ”Mahble Head, outside of Bahston”), playwright August Schulenburg has written some beautifully complex, and very familiar, characters in his funny, tragic, compelling new play, Honey Fist.

Listen in as Gus and director Kelly O’Donnell discuss where Gus’s “most autobiographical play” (that’s not autobiographical) came from, the late-night last-minute carving of bongs, and why Honey Fist is running in rep with Sans Merci (hear the Sans Merci podcast here — and, listen to Gus & Kelly’s first outing on the podcast, about Adam Szymkowicz’s play Hearts Like Fists, here).

“Wha, you think you’re bettah than me?”

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Flux Theatre Ensemble presents

Honey Fist

by August Schulenburg
directed by Kelly O’Donnell

thru May 18, 2013, in rep with Sans Merci; see the full schedule here

4th Street Theatre
83 E. 4th Street
Manhattan

tickets available via OvationTix

Flux Theatre Ensemble presents "Honey Fist," photo by Ken Glickfeld

photos by Ken Glickfeld

Jeremy J. Kamps, playwright, Danny Sharron, director, and Lillian Rodriguez, actress, of “What It Means to Disappear Here”

Posted on May 8, 2013 by robby

Ugly Rhino's "What It Means to Disappear Here" For the second episode in a row, GSAS! heads to the nation of Colombia (via the magic of theatre, of course), this time with Ugly Rhino’s What It Means to Disappear Here.

Initially set in a café in Cartagena (where the audience sits, along with the actors), What It Means… is the story of Yulieth, a young Colombian woman who is meeting Mitch for the first time — the norteamericano man who wants to buy her as his wife. Through a series of flashbacks-and-forwards, along with some brilliant use of radio broadcasts, the audience follow the paths that brought Yulieth & Mitch to that initial meeting, and its aftermath.

Listen in as playwright Jeremy J. Kamps, director Danny Sharron, and actress Lillian Rodriguez discuss eavesdropping on a marriage deal and writing a play about it, focusing on the human story, and what makes somebody care.

“What is the role of theatre…in a drama bringing forth political issues…what is our role in the off-off-Broadway world, bringing a play like this?”

“To me, it is the role.”

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Ugly Rhino Productions presents

What It Means to Disappear Here

by Jeremy J. Kamps
directed by Danny Sharron

Thursdays & Fridays, thru May 17, 2013 @ 8pm
added performance, Saturday, May 18

Port Royal, underneath Park Slope’s Tea Lounge
837-839 Union Street, Brooklyn

advance tickets available via BrownPaperTickets, or $18 at the door (cash only)

Ugly Rhino's "What It Means to Disappear Here," photo by Michael Bernstein

photos by Michael Bernstein

Anna Greenfield, playwright & actress, & Lee Sunday Evans, director, of “All Girls”

Posted on April 5, 2013 by robby

"All Girls," by Anna Greenfield Collaboration Town was last on the podcast with the crazy epic The Deepest Play Ever: The Catharsis of Pathos. This time around, their show All Girls brings things to a much more personal level to great effect with this lovely, personal piece about three young girls on the verge of entering high school.

It may be “all girls,” but of course all are invited. And as you’ll hear in the interview, playwright/actress Anna Greenfield and director Lee Sunday Evans want to be sure this show is accessible to all (and they succeeded).

Listen in as Anna & Leigh talk about sensitivity to voices, “struggling with the process of becoming,” writing something so you can act in it, and being honest.

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Collaboration Town & Sister Scars present

All Girls

by Anna Greenfield
directed by Lee Sunday Evans

featuring Zoe Costello, Anna Greenfield, Judith Hawking, and Anna Ryan Konkle

thru April 13, 2013
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm

The Kraine Theater
85 E. 4th Street
New York, NY

tickets available via SmartTix

"All Girls" by Anna Greenfield, photo by Anne-Louise Marquis

photos by Anne-Louise Marquis

Greg Kalleres, playwright of “Honky”

Posted on March 28, 2013 by robby

Honky is a play about relationships: about the relationships between five people, and about the relationships between who designs, buys, wears, covets, sells, and markets basketball shoes.

But hovering over — or rather, sitting squarely on top of — all of these relationships is the issue of race.

It’s the kind of show that provokes wild, and/or uncomfortable, and/or silent laughter, at different times, from different people, for different reasons.

And while it doesn’t shy away from a difficult subject, Honky is hysterical, insightful, dramatic, and fun.

Listen to this episode of GSAS! to hear playwright Greg Kalleres discuss quiet audiences, brave actors, and advertising.

“You may fail, but you’ve certainly got the right to try.”

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Urban Stages presents

Honky

by Greg Kalleres
directed by Luke Harlan

thru April 14, 2013
Tuesdays thru Saturdays, 8pm
Saturdays & Sundays, 3pm
full calendar & tickets available via SmartTix

Urban Stages
259 W. 30th Street
New York, NY

"Honky" by Greg Kalleres, photo by Ben Hider photos by Ben Hider

Jon Stancato, director, and Kiran Rikhye, playwright, of Stolen Chair Productions’ “The Man Who Laughs”

Posted on February 11, 2013 by robby

In this episode, GSAS! visits the incongruously-located Urban Stages (who’d think you’d find a cool downtown-style venue just down the street from MSG?) for Stolen Chair Theatre Company‘s production of The Man Who Laughs, billed as a “live silent film for the stage.”

And that’s exactly what it is — black & white sets & costumes (and make-up), brilliant live accompaniment by pianist Eugene Ma, dialogue cards to impart important spoken lines, even silent-film-era-style camera angles. And then there’s the free popcorn.

Listen in as GSAS! talks with director Jon Stancato and playwright Kiran Rikhye about encouraging the audience to get into costume, how to write a play without dialogue, and re-discovering the magic & possibilities of past performance styles.

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Stolen Chair Theatre Company presents

The Man Who Laughs

written by Kiran Rikhye, adapted from the novel by Victor Hugo
directed by Jon Stancato

Urban Stages
259 West 30th Street (b/w 7th and 8th Avenues)
New York, NY

thru February 24, 2013
Thursdays–Saturdays, 8pm
Sundays, 2pm
special Valentine’s Day performance: Thursday, February 14, 8pm

tickets available via SmartTix

Stolen Chair Theatre Company's "The Man Who Laughs"

Jonathan Draxton, playwright & performer, and Kevin O’Rourke, director, of “Soldier”

Posted on December 21, 2012 by robby

Soldier by Jonathan Draxton The theatre is “a place for seeing;” a place where we can ask the big difficult questions about what it means to be a human being in the world we’ve collectively made.

Soldier, written & performed by Jonathan Draxton and directed by Kevin O’Rourke, isn’t afraid to ask one of those very difficult questions: can we understand, and possibly forgive, someone who participated in some of the most appalling crimes in recorded human history? The play unfolds as a Nazi SS officer, waiting on the banks of the river Styx, recounts stories from his family & military life, all the while asking members of the audience for coins to pay for passage across the river for his men & himself.

Listen in as Jonathan, Kevin & I talk about provoking & inviting the audience into the performance, attempting to get at the humanity of a soldier, and “going through the fire.”

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The Plowmen present
Soldier

Directed by Kevin O’Rourke
Written, performed and produced by Jonathan Draxton

December 11–22, 2012
HERE Arts Center
145 Sixth Avenue
Tickets available from the HERE website

Soldier by Jonathan Draxton, photo by Kenna Draxton

Kelly O’Donnell, Gus Schulenburg, and Adam Szymkowicz of Flux Theatre Ensemble’s “Hearts Like Fists”

Posted on December 11, 2012 by robby

…is this thing on?

Apologies that Go See a Show! has been out of commission for the past couple of months. But never fear — we’re back!

And speaking of “never fear,” the podcast makes its triumphant return with an episode about a comic-book-superhero-noir-thriller presented by Flux Theatre Ensemble: Hearts Like Fists.

Listen in as Flux founders Kelly O’Donnell (director), Gus Schulenburg (actor, “Dr. X”), and Adam Szymkowicz (playwright) talk about development of the play with Flux, writing & “getting there” with difficult scripts, and roles that know what they want.

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Flux Theatre Ensemble presents

Hearts Like Fists
by Adam Szymkowicz
directed by Kelly O’Donnell
Nov 30 – Dec 15, 2012

The Secret Theatre
44-02 23rd Street
Long Island City, NY 11101

tickets available via OvationTix

Andrew Goffman, playwright & performer, and director Charles Messina of “The Accidental Pervert”

Posted on July 9, 2012 by robby

It might seem surprising to hear that an off-off-Broadway show has been running for three years, to consistently packed houses. Then again, when that show is a frank, honest, laugh-filled discussion of a young man’s coming-of-age story via his Dad’s porn collection and his own subsequent addiction to said porn…well, you know there’s going to be a little something in there for everyone.

In this episode of Go See a Show!, we’ve got an interview with playwright & actor Andrew Goffman, the self-described title character of The Accidental Pervert. His autobiographical one-man show is part theatre, part stand-up, (almost) entirely true, and all heart.

Listen in as Andrew and director Charles Messina discuss the broad appeal of a show about a kid’s connection to his father through porn, the porn-addicts in trenchcoats who are disappointed by the show, becoming an electrician by necessity, and how to keep a show that’s been running for over three years fresh.

Oh, and stick through to the end to hear Andrew’s “sexy voice.”

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“…if you ever forget your lines, just start moving. Start cleaning up the stage. And a lot of these off-Broadway theaters need cleaning anyway…”

The Accidental Pervert
Fridays & Saturdays @ 7pm
The 13th Street Repertory Company
50 West 13th Street – between 5th & 6th Aves

All Seats $30
Tickets available via OvationTix, or call 212-352-3101
or, visit the 13th Street Repertory Box Office

Go See a Show!

The off-off-Broadway podcast

Tag Archives: Playwrights

Lawrence Lesher, director, and Todd Michael, playwright, of “Vice Girl Confidential”

William S. Yellow Robe, Jr., playwright, and Ryan Victor Pierce, actor/producer, of “Wood Bones”

August Schulenburg, playwright, and Kelly O’Donnell, director, of “Honey Fist”

Jeremy J. Kamps, playwright, Danny Sharron, director, and Lillian Rodriguez, actress, of “What It Means to Disappear Here”

Anna Greenfield, playwright & actress, & Lee Sunday Evans, director, of “All Girls”

Greg Kalleres, playwright of “Honky”

Jon Stancato, director, and Kiran Rikhye, playwright, of Stolen Chair Productions’ “The Man Who Laughs”

Jonathan Draxton, playwright & performer, and Kevin O’Rourke, director, of “Soldier”

Kelly O’Donnell, Gus Schulenburg, and Adam Szymkowicz of Flux Theatre Ensemble’s “Hearts Like Fists”

Andrew Goffman, playwright & performer, and director Charles Messina of “The Accidental Pervert”