Joseph Samuel Wright, playwright, and David Carl, composer, of “Rise”

Posted on April 10, 2013 by robby

Rise_logo We all know the maxim: “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

It’s the dangers of unchecked power & blind ambition that unites the two narratives of Roots & Wings Theatrical‘s new play Rise.

In one thread: an operatic telling of the story of Elagabalus, the boy emperor of Rome who overturned gods, prostituted himself in the temple, and demanded a sex change operation—following the ego-maniac emperor, his naive formerly-chaste Vestal Virgin lover, his scheming grandmother, and his ambitious mother willfully ignoring her son’s flagrant (and dangerous) disregard for prudence.

In the other: a modern drama of an ego-maniac porn star, his naive young lover, his scheming agent, and the ambitious young lady blind to whom she hurts on her rise to the top.

…starting to see where this is going?

If you’re curious to see (and hear) more, listen in to this episode of the podcast with Rise playwright Joseph Samuel Wright and composer David Carl as they discuss empire-level intrigue, big voices in small spaces, and rising vs. rising above. Continue reading →

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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. Continue reading →

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Kristin McCarthy Parker, director of “Bears”

Posted on March 30, 2013 by robby

Most of us theatre nerds are familiar with The Bard’s famous stage direction of “Exit, pursued by a bear.”

Mark Rigney’s new play presented by Sans A Productions at 59E59 might be the first where all the exits are actually done by bears.

In the appropriately-titled Bears, three of the titular creatures — two accustomed to life in captivity, and a third just recently brought in from the wild — negotiate a post-human-apocalyptic world where there are no more meals brought by a zookeeper. When wild Susie Bear coaxes young Timmy Bear and the intellectual Growl Bear from their cage into the wild, relationships are tested as they all figure out what it really means to be a bear.

Director Kristin McCarthy Parker sat down for a chat on the mic to talk about this imaginative, striking play; listen in as she discusses the id vs. the superego, how to pick things up like a bear, and leaving behind a legacy after the apocalypse.

“We have this route, and that route, and I’m somewhere in between, and I think that’s an o.k. thing, but I don’t really know where I’m going to end up…which is great…”

Continue reading →

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Cynthia von Buhler and the cast of “Speakeasy Dollhouse”

Posted on March 20, 2013 by robby

A murdered businessman. Illegal booze. Accusations of infidelity. Political intrigue. Family secrets. Baked goods.

All ingredients for an evening in Speakeasy Dollhouse.

The brainchild of artist Cynthia von Buhler, Speakeasy Dollhouse is an immersive theatre experience that takes place in a Lower East Side speakeasy, where the events leading up to the unsolved murder of Frank Spano in 1935 — the victim was von Buhler’s actual grandfather — are recreated amongst, and with, the audience. Also recreated are a morgue, a Bronx bakery, and a swingin’ Prohibition-era speakeasy, complete with live music and burlesque dancers.

Listen in as Cynthia (and an ever-growing group of the cast) discuss time travel, directing an unwitting cast of several hundred, multiple endings, and exploring history through performance.

“Try the cannolis.”

Continue reading →

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Matthew Kreiner, Megan Lee, and Lawrence Lesher, directors of EndTimes Bunker’s “Zombie March Madness”

Posted on March 14, 2013 by robby

I love doing this podcast as a way to meet new people, and see cool shows that I might not otherwise have found about. And, of course, to share with you, dear listeners, these gems of the off-off-Broadway world, and the thoughts of the brilliant artists behind them.

It’s also fun, however, to do a little shameless self-promotion for shows I’ve made with friends now and again, too. Good things these friends happen to be brilliant artists as well.

On this episode of Go See a Show!, an interview with my fellow artists at EndTimes Productions, talking about the EndTimes Bunker’s current production, Zombie March Madness: four new zombie-themed plays, playing now at the 133rd Street Arts Center. That’s some of my original scoring for The Last Days that you hear at the top of the episode; your humble narrator sound-designed that show, as well as the “magnum opus” Zombie Frat House Bash.

Listen in as directors Matthew Kreiner, Megan Lee, and Lawrence Lesher talk about zombie classics vs. classics with zombies, doing the Harlem Shake live (and in Harlem), zombies as allegory for our reality-television-obsessed world, and theatre that goes for the jugular. Literally.

“Tennessee Williams, Schmennessee Williams.” Continue reading →

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Nick Benacerraf, Jess Chayes, Stephen Aubrey, and Edward Bauer of The Assembly’s “HOME/SICK”

Posted on March 7, 2013 by robby

HOME/SICK by The Assembly at The Living Theatre For this 50th podcast of Go See a Show!, I present to you an episode recorded half a year ago, but that might be one of the most interesting interviews I’ve done.

As part of last summer’s Underground Zero Festival, The Assembly presented HOME/SICK, a brilliant, personal, beautiful, and exhaustively researched show dramatizing events in the history of the Weather Underground.

Though I knew when I recorded it that I wouldn’t be able to get this interview up before their show closed, my apologies to the good people at The Assembly for taking half a year to post this.

But it seems it was somewhat serendipitously timed, as the show was one of the last to occupy The Living Theatre’s space on Clinton Street, which was recently shuttered. Reports of the demise of The Living Theatre as a company have thankfully been greatly exaggerated (guilty as charged; see the GSAS! Facebook page for my mini-obit on the company), but whatever the current state and future of the company, here’s wishing all best to Judith, Brad, and everyone at The Living Theatre for this next chapter of the company’s long and amazing history.

Listen in as director Jess Chayes, dramaturg Stephen Aubrey, designer Nick Benacerraf, and actor Edward Bauer, all core members & artistic directors of The Assembly, discuss complicated empathy, theatre as a political act, and why the company looked to a radical political movement from over 40 years ago to create a play in the relatively peaceful U.S. of 2012.

“I don’t trust a mission statement that you can achieve on the first try.” Continue reading →

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FRIGID New York 2013

Posted on February 26, 2013 by robby

A bit of a different podcast this time out: in this episode, GSAS! interviews artists from seven of the thirty — yes, 30 — plays that are part of this year’s FRIGID New York festival, presented by Horse Trade Theater Group.

It should be noted, FRIGID isn’t just another festival. The participants are chosen at random, so no silly politicking is involved; and, all participants keep 100% of the box office sales for their show. Try finding that kinda deal as a performer anywhere else in this town. Very cool format. Hats off to Horse Trade for making this happen every year since 2007.

Kicking off the marathon of mini-interviews is Erez Ziv, Executive Director of FRIGID and Managing Director of Horse Trade, followed by, in order:

— director Nikki DiLoreto & playwright/performer Antonia Lassar of The God Box
— co-director/producer/performer Bricken Sparacino of Sisters Grimm: Fables of the Stage
— director Christina Massie, performer Emily Tuckman, and performer Sarah Jacobs of Commencing
— playwright & performer Nikhil Tilwalli of A Panda Suit, Pythagorus, and Plenty of Puns
— playwright & performer Chris Harcum of Two Lovely Black Eyes
— playwright & performer Lucas Brooks of VGL 5′ 4″ Top
— playwright & performer D’yan Forest of My Pussy is Purrin’ Again Continue reading →

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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. Continue reading →

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Meghan Finn, Cory Einbinder, and Kalle Macrides of Adhesive Theater Project’s “The Service Road”

Posted on January 17, 2013 by robby

For this episode, Go See a Show! braves the wilds of DUMBO to check out Adhesive Theater Project‘s world premiere production of Erin Courtney’s The Service Road, which takes place just down the road a piece in Prospect Park in the wake of a tornado that touched down in 2010.

Sitting amidst the puppets, personal effects, and temporary tattoos of their dressing room at Voorhees Theater, I spoke with director Meghan Finn, actor/Artistic Director Cory Einbinder, and actress/Executive Director Kalle Macrides about this unique piece of theatre.

Listen in as Meghan, Cory, and Kalle (with a special surprise appearance by Big Headed Toddler puppeteer Caroline Tamas) discuss the luxury (and illusion) of having time, creating & playing a video puppet (the aforementioned toddler), developing a play about a storm in Brooklyn in the midst of another storm in Brooklyn, and the amazing opportunities presented by Adhesive’s residency with Theatreworks at City Tech’s Entertainment Technology Department. Continue reading →

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The Cast & Crew of Perchance to Dream Theatre’s “Antigone”

Posted on January 10, 2013 by robby

This episode of Go See a Show! features the first-ever hat-trick on the show — the third episode featuring members of Perchance to Dream Theatre (listen to the first and second episodes here & here).

Joining me in the seating of Shetler Studios Theatre 54 to discuss the company’s own adaptation of Sophocles’ Antigone are director (and, speaking of hat tricks, fellow Sabres fan!) Emma Schimminger, set designer Luc S. Hotaling, and actors Megan Lee, Bret McCormick, Leanne Mercadante, Lauren Pennline, Brian Sheppard, and Kevin Paul Smith (with a quick shout-out from Stage Manager Aaron Salley).

Listen in as the cast & crew talk about how to create a modern version of a Greek classic collectively as a company, learning to be honest with each other for the sake of the work, and “day-dreaming” with the harsh deadlines of a 24-Hour play festival. Continue reading →

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Go See a Show!

The off-off-Broadway podcast

Category Archives: Directors

Joseph Samuel Wright, playwright, and David Carl, composer, of “Rise”

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

Kristin McCarthy Parker, director of “Bears”

Cynthia von Buhler and the cast of “Speakeasy Dollhouse”

Matthew Kreiner, Megan Lee, and Lawrence Lesher, directors of EndTimes Bunker’s “Zombie March Madness”

Nick Benacerraf, Jess Chayes, Stephen Aubrey, and Edward Bauer of The Assembly’s “HOME/SICK”

FRIGID New York 2013

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

Meghan Finn, Cory Einbinder, and Kalle Macrides of Adhesive Theater Project’s “The Service Road”

The Cast & Crew of Perchance to Dream Theatre’s “Antigone”