January 23, 2020
By Cynthia Darling Taking the stage at Pangea as part of “Destination New York,” Heather Frank opens her set with a crowd favorite,
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December 21, 2019
By Allyce Morrissey “Mandy Picks a Husband” features no sound or lighting cues, no costume changes or props, and no set (save two chairs).
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December 17, 2019
By Molly Shimko “Chocoholic” is, in the following order, a bright, clever, cheeky, insightful, painful, raw, and beautiful look at addiction,
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December 15, 2019
By James Bartholomew When Franz Kafka first wrote “A Report to an Academy” in 1917, he likely didn’t expect it would ever be performed
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December 14, 2019
By Cynthia Darling One look at the stage, and we know “There’s an Accordion in My Closet” will entertain. The show
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December 13, 2019
By Leia Squillace Obligatory interactions with backward‑walking college campus tour guides can be awkward. But they reach new levels of discomfort on tours
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December 13, 2019
By Leia Squillace To those who dare think that physics and theatre are unrelated, “A Warehouse in Rochester” begs to differ. The play doesn’t just
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December 12, 2019
By Pat McAndrew Anita Giovannini takes the audience on an interesting ride that, while amusing and entertaining at some moments,
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December 12, 2019
By Kia Standard “It’s not pride. It’s not stubbornness. A man has to stand for something, believe in something. What would you do?”
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December 11, 2019
By Allyce Morrissey A kiss is all Antonio Ligabue wants. “Gimme a kiss,” actor Marco Michel demands, as Ligabue, as
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December 10, 2019
By Joshua Melendez “With Warmest Regards” is a common valediction for letters to family or friends. The musical of that title, written and
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November 25, 2019
By Dana Zhang “The Bare Knuckle” is a laidback story that struggles a bit in getting its point across. Jake Boston, who grew up
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November 23, 2019
By Kia Standard “Can you see me?” Ellen Gould asks the audience, as she enters the sparsely furnished stage. A twinkling of
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November 23, 2019
By Kia Standard What happens when one larger‑than‑life personality embodies another larger‑than‑life in the case
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November 22, 2019
By Kia Standard “So, Becky, what would you like to say to your uterus?” Becky, or “Becs,” as her friends call her, has plenty to say to her uterus after
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November 21, 2019
By Laura Mullaney One of the things I’ve always loved about theatre is its own inherent language ‑ a sort of secret code that only
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November 21, 2019
By Cynthia Darling Jim Stowell is back for a United Solo Encore performance of “The Things They Carried,” his one‑man show
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November 21, 2019
By Mikey Miller A man walks onstage, clad in dance shoes and a bedazzled vest, dressed as though he is about to audition for a production of
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November 19, 2019
By Christopher Popple Ms. Kelly plays Phoebe Wainwright, a graduate student who enters her studio apartment at Camford College, escaping
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November 18, 2019
By Chance Morgan Some art is for all audiences, and some art occupies a very specific niche. “La Sangre,” a butoh piece performed by
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November 18, 2019
By Dana Zhang Someone once told the 13‑year‑old Bo‑nita that if you have your own rhythm, no matter how scared you are, as long
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November 17, 2019
By Leia Squillace Maria Callas, the famed Greek opera singer and fodder for the tabloids, should be compelling source material
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November 15, 2019
By Kia Standard “I need to stand here and pace,” Heather tells her doctor. “This is a life‑changing thing.” She has just
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November 15, 2019
By Mikey Miller What is greatness? In “You Were Supposed to Be This Great Thing,” Warren McPherson tells us how he overcame his feelings of low
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November 14, 2019
By Leia Squillace If you didn’t know what you were in for upon entering “The Ins and Outs of Fingers, Spoons, and an Open Marriage,”
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November 14, 2019
By James Bartholomew Love, loss, life, and rebirth. Humanity, hope, devastation, and death. Naturalistic beauty and personal strength. The birth
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November 13, 2019
By Leia Squillace There is no shortage of immigration stories in the theatre at present. Such is the zeitgeist manifesting onstage. Cillian
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November 13, 2019
By Alex Miller Rachel Griesinger plays a character of the same name, who has a show called “Toilet Time Time” on Instagram.
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November 13, 2019
By Danielle Crean Joshua Searle‑White demonstrates the frustration he feels when practicing meditation. After attempting to “OOOOMM”
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November 13, 2019
By Dana Zhang Ed Asner has won seven Primetime Emmy Awards ‑ more than any other male actor ‑ and five Golden Globes. To
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November 9, 2019
By Alex Miller Life comes at you fast, and sometimes blindsiding is the only way to describe when it hits you, like a subscription to
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November 9, 2019
By Danielle Crean Anna Snapp’s 65‑minute show was one of the bravest pieces of performance art that I have seen
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November 9, 2019
By Emily Twines “So Shines a Good Deed,” a storytelling performance by Mark Redmond, offers a glimmer of hope in
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November 9, 2019
By Leia Squillace From the jump, Patric Madden and Roxane Revon’s adaptation of the nineteenth‑century drama, “Lorenzaccio,”
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November 8, 2019
By Emily Twines “What It Means to Be Free,” created and performed by Willow Lautenberg at United Solo, is a piece of documentary theatre
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November 8, 2019
By Cynthia Darling Cathleen O’Malley’s “Milkdrunk” is a forthright examination of giving birth and becoming a new mother. No passive
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November 7, 2019
By Allyce Morrissey “I Found that the Sun Will Rise Tomorrow” is an exploration of autoimmune disease and chronic illness,
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November 7, 2019
By Danielle Crean Tamara Meneghini must have been put on this earth to portray the famous Queen Elizabeth, for her performance
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November 7, 2019
By Alex Miller Our lives are a series of memories, rituals, items, and the memories of other people. For Teresa Thome, her
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November 7, 2019
By Alex Miller What’s in a name? Hotness, apparently. If you’re questioning that premise, so is our protagonist after a hot man
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November 7, 2019
By Danielle Crean In “Step Mama Drama,” Allison Hetzel shares stories about step‑motherhood, and the strange comments she’s had to
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November 7, 2019
By Leia Squillace Dana Block’s storytelling venture, “Monkey Man,” unfolds the origami of her personal relationship with
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November 7, 2019
By Cynthia Darling From the moment Susan Ward appears onstage in “Wasbian,” it’s impossible not to dive right in to her
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November 6, 2019
By Molly Shimko In “Lemons,” Rebecca Gever explores her mother’s relationship to lupus, and this is where the piece most shines.
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November 6, 2019
By James Bartholomew Geli Raubal is in love with a certain someone. He’s authoritative and powerful, yet gentle and kind. A cultured
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November 6, 2019
By Allyce Morrissey She calls her 90‑minute one‑woman show a “traum‑edy.” And she knows, before you remind her,
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November 6, 2019
By Alex Miller If you haven’t heard of Harry Houdini, you must have been born yesterday. The illusionist, stuntman, and escapist
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November 5, 2019
By Alex Miller A figurehead, the literal object, is a wooden decoration at the bow of a ship, often depicted in films
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November 5, 2019
By Danielle Crean “Life Encounters 2” is a raw and emotional roller coaster ride from start to finish. The 45‑minute show,
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November 5, 2019
By Laura Mullaney Stephanie Everett is more perceptive than most college students I’ve come across. Stephanie Everett also has a brain
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November 5, 2019
By Danielle Crean Some magicians set themselves apart by performing unusual tricks, while others perform variations on familiar tricks with
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November 5, 2019
By Donasia Sykes “My name is Candace Nicholas‑Lippman. Born in Baltimore, raised in Sacramento. I love Jesus, spoken word, acting. Always
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November 5, 2019
By Allyce Morrissey A hollow is not a hole, but a place of opportunity. That is what writer‑performer Anu Bhatt has come to
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November 2, 2019
By Christopher Popple Tim McDonough shuffles onto the stage, dressed conservatively. The first time he speaks, his voice is soft and
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November 1, 2019
By Patricia Contino Emily Dickinson wrote her poems in pencil on scraps of paper. So, it’s no surprise that her scattered legacy, created in
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November 1, 2019
By Molly Shimko The vibrant Latin pre‑show music hinted at the world we were about to inhabit. as we anticipated the story of
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October 31, 2019
By Danielle Crean “Equally Divine” was one of the greatest performances I have seen at United Solo thus far. I didn’t want it
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October 31, 2019
By Mikey Miller Upon walking into the fourth‑floor theater space at Theatre Row, I found something I had yet to see during
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October 31, 2019
By Mikey Miller New York has its very own Charlie Chaplin! In the beautiful 99‑seat off‑off‑Broadway
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October 30, 2019
By Mikey Miller Incessant inbreeding undoubtedly marred the lives of many a European royal during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,
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October 30, 2019
By Melanie Weir A young boy who loved performing and Barbra Streisand, born in Greeneville, Tennessee in 1953, and raised by his Christian
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October 29, 2019
By Melanie Weir “Do comedians ever retire?” This is the question Nancy Redman asks in her solo performance, “At Wit’s End:
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October 29, 2019
By Mikey Miller The lights rise on a man, Arthur, clad in full pro athletic gear, bicycling near the George Washington Bridge. He is
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October 29, 2019
By Donasia Sykes Carolyn Meyer spent her whole life being defined by other people. Now, she’s defining herself. Discussing her past and her
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October 29, 2019
By Laura Mullaney Decked out in shimmery leggings with stars on them, and sparkly earrings to match, Pam Levin quite literally shines as she
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October 22, 2019
By Yani Perez “Confessions of a Mulatto Love Child,” written and performed by Bellina Logan, is a skillfully crafted, directed and
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October 22, 2019
By Patricia Contino The real lives of several early Hollywood starlets are more interesting than their on‑screen personas.
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October 22, 2019
By Cynthia Darling Come along for a rollicking dive into the history of women’s suffrage, updated to fit our 21st‑century
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October 22, 2019
By Chance Morgan “Normal” is a word that by its nature should not have much meaning. However, for many people, that word represents
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October 22, 2019
By Kia Standard While the audience settles into their seats, Jay‑Z’s rendition of “Hard Knock Life” plays in
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October 22, 2019
By Danielle Crean “Count on Me: A Girl and Her Dog” depicts a year in the life of Brynne and her dog Prince. Although Brynne, played
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October 20, 2019
By Alex Miller In a small corner, a shawled woman‑actress, educator, director Elizabeth Mozer‑ruffles through photos,
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October 20, 2019
By Matt D’Silva “That Wonder Boy” starts as a satirical look at a farming couple that wants to have a child, but
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October 20, 2019
By Cynthia Darling Jeremy Rishe starts his evocative show “As Soon as You’re Born (They Make You Feel Small)” by mingling
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October 20, 2019
By Cynthia Darling Kane Smego’s show “Temples of Lung and Air” dazzles. He cracks his heart open to give an honest look at how
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October 20, 2019
By Mikey Miller Remember the 1990s? Those were the days before cell phones, when VCRs were in style and Clinton was in
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October 20, 2019
By Chance Morgan Tennessee Williams is best remembered as the Pulitzer‑winning playwright of “The Glass Menagerie,” “Cat on
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October 19, 2019
By Mikey Miller The lights rise, and we see a naked man traversing an invisible tightrope. The man is
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October 19, 2019
By Kia Standard As the audience settles into the theater, the stage is set with an upright bass, a drum set, and a small piano,
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October 18, 2019
By Cynthia Darling In “Time On Fire: A Comedy of Terrors (Redux),” Evan Handler enters into conversation with who he was at
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October 14, 2019
By Cynthia Darling Victoria Podesta wasn’t meant to be a caregiver. As she and her own sister point out, she doesn’t like
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October 14, 2019
By Melanie Weir A dark stage. One light shines on a pianist in a bowtie, who plays a graceful introduction. He
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October 10, 2019
By Allyce Morrissey “American Captives” may seem like an unusual title for a piece about the American
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October 10, 2019
By James Bartholomew Not many mimes are known for their storytelling prowess, but not many mimes are Bill Bowers. Once described
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October 10, 2019
By Christopher Popple In “Crooked Shadows,” Shawneen Rowe takes full advantage of the intimate and unfiltered solo form, telling a story that only
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October 10, 2019
By Mikey Miller You might think you know a lot about President Teddy Roosevelt. Perhaps you recognize him as one of America’s greatest
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October 10, 2019
By Kia Standard What’s not to love about Miss Havisham, the eccentric spinster from Charles Dickens’s classic novel “Great
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October 10, 2019
By Allyce Morrissey It seems simple – a stage set by a stack of three beer cases, one lighting cue, one actor, a couple of beers.
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October 9, 2019
By Alex Miller A multitude of musical instruments: bongos, wind chimes, and a kazoo played by Victor Y. See Yuen. He is
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October 9, 2019
By Peter Foy Although the trek to find that special someone can be long, arduous and heartbreaking, this period of yearning
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October 9, 2019
By Danielle Crean Marylou DiPietro’s “In Love with Cancer” takes the audience through her experience of being diagnosed with
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October 8, 2019
By James Bartholomew “The language of music has never been foreign to me,” declares Sean Devare, writer and performer of
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October 6, 2019
By Danielle Crean As I sat down to watch “Chaos Theory,” I knew the play would probably live up to its title. The set
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October 4, 2019
By Danielle Crean In “I Won’t Be in On Monday,” writer and performer Anne Stockton represents multiple characters
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October 4, 2019
By Mikey Miller Entering the fourth‑floor black box at Theatre Row, it’s difficult to believe that you could
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October 4, 2019
By Allyce Morrissey Before you’re allowed to enter “The Rude Awakening,” you have to complete a short “homework assignment”: write
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October 3, 2019
By Christopher Popple Returning to United Solo for its tenth anniversary season, Best Adaptation award winner “The Tall Boy”
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October 2, 2019
By James Bartholomew No one knows how to work a crowd quite like Diane Ripstein, the writer and performer of “Move on
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October 2, 2019
By Melanie Weir How many different kinds of “falls” do we go through in life? That is the question that Anita Hollander
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October 2, 2019
By Patricia Contino Teachers teach, even when the KKK comes to burn down your school. That is among the many lessons this master teacher
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October 1, 2019
By Matt D’Silva Walking into a theater that is bursting with an audience eagerly awaiting the performance to start is
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October 1, 2019
By Joshua Melendez In a small black box theatre, center stage, three bar stools are neatly stacked, one on top
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September 30, 2019
By Cynthia Darling Opening this year’s tenth anniversary season of the United Solo Theatre Festival, Janis Brenner’s profound
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September 30, 2019
By Alex Miller We are greeted by a black wall with pictures of daisies on it. Rosemary Clooney’s “Mambo Italiano” plays, and I and my
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September 30, 2019
By Danielle Crean Using music to mark specific events in one’s life is a lovely and creative way to tell a story. In “Moonage
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September 29, 2019
By Austin Kaiser The first thing Meirav Zur did was ask the audience for synonyms for the word “vagina.” “Cooter,” someone
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September 29, 2019
By Molly Shimko The lofty goal of condensing the tale of Goethe’s “Faust” into one roughly 90‑minute production is no small task, as
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September 29, 2019
By Peter Foy Vivian Nesbitt’s one‑woman show, “The Bark and the Tree,” won the award for Best Documentary Play when
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September 5, 2019
By Alex Miller In a small black box theater, the floor, walls, and ceiling set the stage before our performer ever does. The deep black everything
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August 21, 2019
By James Bartholomew At the end of “Message in a Bottle,” writer and performer Michelle Drozdick reassures her audience that
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July 10, 2019
By Alex Miller A small black stage is basked in a single beam of calming light. Its current inhabitants are a microphone and
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June 12, 2019
By Cynthia Darling Amanda Nicastro has a story to share, and it’s a tale often reserved for doctors’ charts or intimate conversations
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June 5, 2019
By Alex Miller The first thing you notice about the world‑famous Apollo Theater is the palatial
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June 5, 2019
By Cynthia Darling Just down the stairs inside the new Upper West Side restaurant, the Oxbow Tavern, awaits a theater
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May 25, 2019
By Kia Standard According to Wikipedia, the unicorn is a wild creature, a symbol of purity and grace. Its horn has the power to render
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May 25, 2019
By Allyce Morrissey “Entangled” is a play of two interwoven monologues. Greta and Bradley don’t know each other, but their stories are
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May 7, 2019
By Cynthia Darling With a name like “Sexodus,” it’s got to be good. At once comedy and straightforward sexual awakening how‑to guide,
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April 17, 2019
By Cynthia Darling To attend Baba Brinkman’s “Rap Guide to Climate Chaos,” one part of his Rap Guide Trilogy, is to be
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April 17, 2019
By Kia Standard Within the first few moments of “The Day I Became Black,” writer and performer Bill Posley sets the tone of
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April 17, 2019
By Kia Standard It has been over a decade since I last visited the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater Company. The off‑Broadway house, which
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April 9, 2019
By Kia Standard There are very few performances that shake you to your core, leaving you breathless. But “Accidentally Brave”
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April 7, 2019
By Alex Miller S.M. Kobayashi, a young woman who resembles a blend between Devon Aoki and Aubrey Plaza, enters the space.
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April 6, 2019
By Cynthia Darling “Don’t be bad, be good!” drawls a disembodied voice laced with mock sexiness at the start of
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March 22, 2019
By Kia Standard Seated on a bar stool on a bare stage, drink in hand, Tulis McCall is “At Your Service” in
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February 28, 2019
By Mehr Gunawardena “Random Acts” by Renata Hinrichs is a racially charged performance that shines a light on the experiences of
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February 22, 2019
By Kia Standard Lena Hall’s voice blows your hair back, in a good way; it’s high‑voltage, like travelling through a wind
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February 11, 2019
By Kia Standard As he enters through the crowd at Joe’s Pub, crowned with a halo of bamboo and roses, Migguel Anggelo is anything
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February 3, 2019
By James Bartholomew Colin Quinn doesn’t claim to have all the solutions, but he knows exactly what the problems are. Sex,
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January 22, 2019
By James Bartholomew It’s no secret: paying your way in the big city can be a tall order. So, when Tyler –
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January 7, 2019
By Chance Morgan We may think we know all there is to know about smoking. It’s all around us, both in our lives and in
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January 4, 2019
By Kia Standard When God created movie stars, Bette Davis was nobody’s ingénue. She was more like a dame, a flawed,
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January 3, 2019
By Dana Zhang Writer and actor Alexandra LaPlante says that many people come away from seeing “Unconventionally Intimate”
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January 3, 2019
By Austin Kaiser “St. Kilda,” now playing at Torn Page, a performing space in a brownstone on West 22nd Street in
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January 3, 2019
By Alex Miller Nathan Gebhard walks down the wooden floors of Torn Page, a historic theater in Chelsea. His outfit, designed by
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December 17, 2018
By James Bartholomew Writer and performer Max Stossel has a lot on his mind. Politics, gender, love, sapience, addictions to social media and pornography – just
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December 8, 2018
By James Bartholomew “Empath” is a show brimming with emotions, but most of them are felt by its writer and performer, David Sauvage. That’s because
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November 21, 2018
By Alex Miller There’s a keyboard‑and‑mic setup, which is the freshest thing I’ve seen in a solo play. A beautiful panoply of
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November 18, 2018
By James Bartholomew The stressful and steely edge to modern living is enough to get to the best of us occasionally, but thankfully, writer and performer Beverly Elliott
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November 17, 2018
By Kia Standard What makes a better dog? Is it loyalty, integrity, or courage? “Be A Better Dog” chronicles the life of a lovable canine that
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November 17, 2018
By Donasia Sykes Some years ago, Mihal Grass Sherman met with a theatre director to discuss a potential role. The director touched her knee against her
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November 16, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena This absolutely hilarious performance by Amber Topaz had me aching with laughter. Her energy filled the room with liberation and warmth.
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November 16, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena “Gate 64” starts with an airline announcement. We are soon introduced to Winnie, a self‑described vagrant who spends her
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November 16, 2018
By Kia Standard After nearly two decades of marriage, Jerry and Kate have their coupledom down to a predictable day‑to‑day routine. Theirs is
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November 16, 2018
By James Bartholomew “Sacrifice is a two-sided coin,” shouts Niv Petel, writer and performer of “Knock Knock.” Sacrifice is a crucial part of any
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November 16, 2018
by Carissa Chesanek “The Creeps” is exactly what it sounds like. It will pull you in and leave you feeling creeped out. Catherine Waller plays five characters,
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November 16, 2018
By Donasia Sykes Winnie, played by Jane Watt, is a vagrant performer who lost her comedy partner and girlfriend, Leslie, and performs around a gate at
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November 16, 2018
By Dana Zhang “Clara; Confessions” offers a straightforward, chronological timeline of Clara Schumann’s life. A celebrated pianist and composer beloved
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November 16, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “The Auschwitz Volunteer” tells the story of Captain Witold Pilecki, a Polish intelligence agent who infiltrated the Auschwitz
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November 15, 2018
By James Bartholomew As far as openings go, you can do a lot worse than “Natural Shocks.” The play begins with a raging storm siren as Angela, played by
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November 15, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Wake‑Up Call” is the story of Jerry Franklin and his wife, who dies about ten minutes into the story. Mr. Franklin tells us just
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November 15, 2018
By Chance Morgan “Let’s talk about sex, baby. Let’s talk about you and me.” Amber Topaz captures the audience’s attention, not only with
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November 15, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Grounded,” a play by George Brant, is about a fighter pilot who becomes unexpectedly pregnant and is given the physically safe but
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November 15, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena “Inner Strength” was a performance soaking in pain, love, and resilience. Kyra Knox, the writer and performer, wrung out
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November 15, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Clara; Confessions” is the story of 19th century Romantic composer Clara Schumann, written and performed by Viktoriya Papayani. Clara’s
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November 15, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena The Greek actress, singer, and politician Melina Mercouri was Greece’s national heroine, so Paola Hadjilambri, the actress and
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November 15, 2018
By James Bartholomew “Being‑On‑Stage” is perhaps the greatest solo theatrical adaptation of a 500‑page early twentieth‑century
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November 15, 2018
By Donasia Sykes Amy Conway’s father introduced her to video games when she was a little girl. Now she explores how gameplay can treat depression.
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November 15, 2018
By James Bartholomew With a title like “My Dead Wife” it should come as no surprise to find sorrow, grief and tragedy in abundance. But what’s far less
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November 15, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Dare To Claim The Sky” is a spoken word performance by Sharon Nyree Williams about black culture, church, childhood, and social
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November 14, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena “Being-On-Stage” is a philosophical play about the meaning of being, what it means to be a philosopher,
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November 14, 2018
By Chance Morgan “I was born a Greek, and I will die a Greek.” The powerful words and fiery passion of Melina Mercouri came alive on stage in
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November 12, 2018
By Alex Miller “Swansong,” in which André de Vanny portrays Austin “Occi” Byrne, is the story and the performance of
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November 12, 2018
By Dana Zhang Vincent Clark is the unhealthiest man alive, but he doesn’t want your pity. He doesn’t do drugs or drink alcohol, because he “is already
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November 12, 2018
By Dana Zhang “Super Awesome World” alternates between moments of frenetic energy and deep introspection. At first it treads a cliché path:
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November 11, 2018
By Kia Standard “We all have visions and dreams of where we’ll be when we grow up, but sometimes life doesn’t go as calculated.” Kayla Subica tells
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November 11, 2018
By Dana Zhang Mike Folie tells his story in pauses and starts, as though he is having a simple, intimate conversation with you. As he finishes one
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November 11, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Swansong” is about a man named Occi, whom we meet at the water’s edge where he is feeding swans. He lovingly greets Agnes,
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November 11, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Webbing” is a meditative 35‑minute show in which Eva Petrič, sings soothing music while relaxing images of beaches and dewdrops falling from
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November 11, 2018
By Chance Morgan There are few more intimate ways to glimpse into the intricacies of a culture than through a family story. “Breaking News from
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November 11, 2018
By Christopher Popple Juha Sorola’s “About Heroes” is told from two perspectives. The first is that of a young gay man growing up in an era when
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November 11, 2018
By Austin Kaiser Eliza Martin’s “O” begins with a young woman dancing and throwing flowers in the air. Suddenly a voice over the loudspeaker
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November 11, 2018
By Christopher Popple “Good Standing” begins with Austin Archer looking dejected with a letter in his hand. The letter states that his character’s
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November 10, 2018
By James Bartholomew “Even in non-existence, existence exists. Even in insanity, sanity exists,” sings Eva Petrič, writer and performer of “Webbing.”
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November 10, 2018
By Austin Kaiser In “An Unhealthy Man Lectures You On Medical Issues,” a man with diabetes who’s suffered several strokes offers health advice. His comic
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November 10, 2018
By Austin Kaiser Nick Daly begins “The Truth about Debbie: An Irish Wake” by singing an Irish folk song about a man accepting death, which
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November 10, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Do You Want To See Me Naked?” is about a chubby woman named Liz whose conservative religion and society pull her in one direction,
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November 10, 2018
By Austin Kaiser Written by Asher Kravitz and performed by Miha Rodman, it is a great show with sharp acting, tight writing and a million moments
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November 9, 2018
By Dana Zhang Mary Goggin’s story is nested in an immigration fairytale that recalls Irish folklore. She is a runaway princess stumbling through life
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November 9, 2018
By James Bartholomew Resolution No.1428-326 was the unassuming name given to the eviction notice that Joseph Stalin served to the growing Korean
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November 8, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena “Do You Want to See Me Naked?” features a deceptively funny performance by Elizabeth Golden that champions body confidence and
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November 8, 2018
By Dana Zhang Ada Cheng describes her sexuality as “first come, first served” as she delves into her encounters with sexuality and feminism, most of which occurred
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November 8, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena “The Runaway Princess” is the darkly comic story of Mary Goggin’s escape from her repressive Irish Catholic upbringing, her drug
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November 7, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena Eliza Martin’s “O” examines how the acting world views and treats women. This feminist piece taps into women’s defiance,
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November 7, 2018
By Austin Kaiser DonnaD Lipari began “The Medium, the Music, and Me!” with a song called “The Medium’s Blues.” She wore a dress decorated
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November 6, 2018
By Alex Miller Acid jazz blares into the darkness. Then, a green light. The figure crawling across the floor is Catherine Waller (Bertie’s sister
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November 5, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena “Et Le Lion,” written and performed by Elizabeth Seldin, is about a woman named Cecilia whose father recently passed away. She must
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November 4, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “One Good Egg” is the story of Elaine Gale, a Midwestern woman who dreams of having a family. She longs to pack the kids’
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November 4, 2018
By Donasia Sykes Mixing comedy with vulnerable truths, Sarah J. Kennedy tells you about her journey with her vagina, and invites you to think about your
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November 3, 2018
By Nadia Asencio Ananda Bena‑Weber’s “Fancifool” is a powerhouse. Dedicated to “all the beautiful souls” she’s encountered on
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November 3, 2018
By Christopher Popple “OTOSOTR” is the second war story I’ve seen at the United Solo Theatre Festival, and it easily outdoes the first
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November 3, 2018
By Alex Miller Saskia Norman is a little girl from Austria with big dreams, and an abiding love for her father. Even at age four, she knows she
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November 3, 2018
By James Bartholomew Not every animal lover is as dedicated as Lisa Wharton, writer and performer of “STRAYS: we all feel a little lost sometimes.”
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November 3, 2018
By Alex Miller Meirav Zur (Founder of English On Stage, an English‑language touring theater company based in Israel), looks and sort of
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November 2, 2018
by Carissa Chesanek Ladies, if you aren’t already hailing to your V, Sarah J. Kennedy will help change that quickly. She opens up
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November 2, 2018
by Chance Morgan From the moment director Ozzie Jones took to the stage to address the audience before the show, it was clear that
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November 2, 2018
By Nadia Asencio How does a warrior find her cause? Easy. She takes the long way. Anthoula Katsimatides’ “Warrior Without a Cause” recounts
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November 1, 2018
By Dana Zhang In short interconnected sketches, Monette McLin tells us about Doris Marie Payne, and the intrigue that surrounded
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November 1, 2018
By Alex Miller Once red and blue lights illuminate the stage, we see baby‑sized mattresses stacked three feet high. Motivational speaker and TV/radio
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October 31, 2018
By James Bartholomew “Trifling, obsolete, and flat” is how famed English poet John Dryden described “Hamlet” back in 1664. About three hundred years later,
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October 30, 2018
by Chance Morgan There are few things more ordinary, familiar or versatile than a cardboard box. They are tools for storage, for transportation, and
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October 26, 2018
By Christopher Popple “Raised By Gays and Turned Out OK!” was promoted with a picture of a toddler dressed like a drag queen, so the last person
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October 26, 2018
by Chance Morgan A kiss, to most people, is a simple gesture of love, intimacy and affection. But for Antonio Ligabue, the Swiss‑Italian painter
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October 26, 2018
by Chance Morgan “Inconceivable: The Totally True One‑Woman Semi‑Fertile Quasi‑Musical” is quite a title, and as it turns out, quite
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October 26, 2018
By James Bartholomew Without a doubt, “The Creeps” lives up to its name. Written and performed by Catherine Waller, the show tells
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October 26, 2018
By Austin Kaiser In the very funny “Diary Of A MILF (Mom I’d Love to Follow),” Meshelle is a mother and wife who wants to maintain the carefree
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October 25, 2018
By James Bartholomew School life can be hard, but it was especially difficult for Schuyler Quinn, writer and performer of “Unsatisfactory.”
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October 24, 2018
By Alex Miller The Jackson 5 promises I’m in good hands before the performance even begins. “ABC” plays while I wait for one of the most original
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October 24, 2018
By James Bartholomew It’s difficult to imagine a premise more ridiculous than that of “Song of Seamus and the Psychedelic Squirrel.” The show
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October 23, 2018
by Austin Kaiser When “Ranch Dressing and Other Coping Mechanisms” began, Kelsie Huff was hiding in the bathroom stall of a church. When she saw
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October 23, 2018
by Chance Morgan Driving drums, a passionate poem, and symbols of black culture alongside domestic articles bring the audience into the world of Yvette
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October 22, 2018
By Christopher Popple Growing up in a backwater Colorado town, young Cynthia had only one real passion in life: to play the piano and become every bit the musician her
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October 22, 2018
By Alex Miller Tadeusz von Moltke (“The Blacklist,” DJ Khaled and Jay Z’s “I Got the Keys” music video) presents a poetic
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October 22, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena “Eulalia: A Bedtime Story” is an insightful and emotional performance by Sarah Cuneo. She portrayed the turmoil felt
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October 21, 2018
by Chance Morgan Ms. Horban’s fiery and impassioned performance was something quite memorable to behold. As the show’s own description in the program
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October 21, 2018
by Chance Morgan “Where are you from?” This is a familiar question to many of us, but especially to Amy Mihyang Ginther. She hates the question,
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October 20, 2018
By Chance Morgan “Everyone loves an adventure. Everyone loves to laugh. Everyone loves to feel significant, and to know that they are special.
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October 19, 2018
by Austin Kaiser “Phoenix Payne” is about a jewel thief named Doris Payne. That may already be a spoiler. In the first scene, Doris, played
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October 19, 2018
By Carissa Chesanek Grief can mean many different things to people. Pain, suffering, anger. And sometimes it can even mean freedom. “The Prostitute Upstairs” takes
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October 19, 2018
By Chance Morgan Love, legacy and identity are universal themes and rich veins for artistic exploration. In “Breaking Rules, Broken Hearts: Loving
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October 19, 2018
By Chance Morgan Schuyler Quinn’s “Unsatisfactory” has the sort of title that invites all manner of cheap jokes, but luckily the show itself surpasses
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October 18, 2018
By James Bartholomew Anthoula Katsimatides, the writer and director of “Warrior Without a Cause” introduces herself to her audience. “Destined for
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October 18, 2018
By James Bartholomew “Americans are more divided than ever” has become a common refrain about political discourse in the U.S. Regardless of what news outlet
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October 17, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena In the powerful “Hope,” Hope Salas is an Irish-Mexican divorcée who must come to terms with her mother’s death and their painful
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October 14, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena I have never seen anything quite like this before. The physical performance was encapsulating and forceful while, at the same time,
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October 13, 2018
By Nadia Asencio War shapes the narrative of a nation. The mythology associated with trauma and survival seeps into the psyche of a nation’s
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October 13, 2018
By Dana Zhang Yu Ling Wu slips seamlessly into the roles she plays onstage. One moment, she titters among the audience, greeting friends, and
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October 12, 2018
By Austin Kaiser When boys turn eighteen in Finland, they must enlist in the military. “About Heroes” is about the fear of this obligation.
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October 12, 2018
By Donasia Sykes Judy Garland. Patsy Cline. Edith Piaf. Billie Holiday. Maria Callas. Powerful women with powerful voices and sad life stories.
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October 12, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Frida Kahlo: Long Live Life” takes place in Frida’s room as she drinks alcohol, dances with her prosthetic leg, and curses at
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October 11, 2018
By Kia Standard The opening night of “Rescuers” came with a preshow disclaimer from director Gretchen Cryer, explaining that Kelly Taylor, the show’s
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October 11, 2018
By James Bartholomew On March 3, 1957, British armed forces poured gasoline into the hideout of Greek Cypriot guerilla fighter Grigoris Afxentiou,
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October 11, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena From the moment this performance began to the moment it ended, I was covered in goosebumps. Even writing about it now, I still have
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October 11, 2018
By Nadia Asencio A bare stage. A stool, a music stand, an actress. So begins Kelly Taylor’s “Rescuers,” the story of her struggle
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October 11, 2018
By Donasia Sykes Caitlin Simpson takes and owns the stage as Deborah Kerr, the 1950s movie star who is nervous and excited for her new movie,
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October 10, 2018
By Dana Zhang The show begins with a song performed by Mindy Fradkin and her “wasband” (ex-husband) Roland Mousaa. There are many songs sprinkled throughout,
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October 10, 2018
By Alex Miller On August 5, 1953, Deborah Kerr finds herself pacing across the living room of her recently-renovated home, debating, doubting, questioning her
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October 10, 2018
By Alex Miller Yu Ling Wu (“How the Fuck to Vote: A Voter’s Guide”) is a force of nature. A force you don’t want to oppose.
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October 9, 2018
By James Bartholomew “Inheritance: A Litany” has all the right DNA for a truly spectacular solo performance. Aptly described by writer, performer,
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October 8, 2018
By Christopher Popple “Sixty minutes until showtime,” a woman announces to our main character, Joe, who is getting ready to perform on stage in front of a large crowd
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October 8, 2018
By Kia Standard “Let me tell you a story. My mother was a very white, very blonde, very blue-eyed Englishwoman. My father was a beautiful dark-skinned black man with
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October 8, 2018
By Austin Kaiser Mindy Fradkin wants older people to feel confident and shrug off discouraging remarks they may hear about aging. When Mindy applied for a job, a man at
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October 7, 2018
By Nadia Asencio Alan Altschuler’s “Bigfoot Stole My Wife” promises a comedic and “poignant saga” about a man who delves into his past relationships
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October 7, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena The audience flooded the intimate space, beaming with anticipation. The ASL interpreter was ready for action. But I left Theatre Row
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October 7, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “The Terrible Legend of Victoria Woodhull” is about the first American woman to found a newspaper, address Congress, and run for president. She
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October 5, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “The Things They Carried” was adapted from a book to a performance by Jim Stillwell, who left the stage covered in sweat.
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October 5, 2018
By Alex Miller An unseen narrator. The ominous, low glow of three azure halogen bulbs. A barely visible figure arranging furniture. It’s 1970, and we’re
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October 5, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena The description for this show reads “Joe Charnitski has given two eulogies in his life. Both were for men named Joe Charnitski.” As Joe recounted
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October 4, 2018
By Alex Miller Confronted with a subject as complex and multifaceted as “the mulatto,” the archaic term that describes a person who is the product of miscegenation,
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October 4, 2018
By Kia Standard Brad Forenza’s play “Squeaky” takes the term “captive audience” quite literally. It opens with a lone figure entering from the back of
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October 4, 2018
By Nadia Asencio Lois Robbins’ “L.O.V.E.R.” begins with a woman climaxing atop a washing machine, setting the tone for the rest of the story. The middle-aged
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October 3, 2018
By James Bartholomew It takes courage to be an actor. Not to mention talent, dedication, and a whole lot of resilience. But as Eleni Kourti, writer and performer of
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October 2, 2018
By Christopher Popple Jim Stowell assumes the role of American war veteran and novelist Tim O’Brien in this theatrical re-telling of his famous book “The Things They
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September 30, 2018
By James Bartholomew How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. But if you asked Cynthia Shaw, she’d probably tell you something else. She’d say it takes
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September 30, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Madman” is the story of a confused teenager who receives a copy of Nikolai Gogol’s novel, “Diary of a Madman.” The book inspires him to
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September 30, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “Runaway Princess” is about a girl who immigrates from Ireland to a Bronx in a 1970s. As a teenager, Mary Goggin left her
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September 29, 2018
By James Bartholomew On May 7th, 1990, the front page of the New York Post read: “So Long, Angel! Marlene Dietrich is dead at 90.” Twenty-eight years
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September 26, 2018
By Austin Kaiser If I say, “My Mom makes me remove my shoes before I enter the house,” and then step back and expect that to paint a picture for an audience, I’d be
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September 26, 2018
By Christopher Popple Running across the stage in athletic wear, MESHELLE hollers and stretches, enjoying a brief reprieve from her chaotic life as a mother of three
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September 25, 2018
By Alex Miller Based on a series of short stories by Ron Carlson, the title alone sounds like the perfect summer blockbuster. Forget “Jaws” because
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September 24, 2018
By Nadia Asencio To call Jake Austin Robertson’s “Madman” a solo performance is to mislead; it’s a tour de force populated by a vibrant cast of distinct
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September 24, 2018
By James Bartholomew Even before writer and performer Jose Sonera takes the stage in “PRINZE,” there’s a palpable sense of authenticity
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September 23, 2018
By Donasia Sykes Wearing a white and blue floral skirt, Foster Lawrence announced, “When I was 18, I fell from a fifth-floor window in Manhattan, and I don’t know
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September 23, 2018
By James Bartholomew “This was not the plan,” confesses Ryan F. Casey, writer and performer of “What Happens To Boys In Chelsea,” a bold and powerful
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September 22, 2018
By Alex Miller Freddie Prinze, Sr. shot himself in the head in 1977. But tonight, he’s alive. Kurler Warner’s set design is simple: a blue light casts an ominous
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September 17, 2018
By Austin Kaiser This show is about Anne and her twin boys. One has autism and the other doesn’t. Davey, Anne’s autistic son, wouldn’t make eye contact with her. He
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September 15, 2018
By Chance Morgan The United Solo Theatre Festival opened its 2018 season this past Thursday, September 13th, with “A Train” by Anne Torsiglieri, a returning show that
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October 11, 2015
By Michael Miller The sixth United Solo Theater Festival has already been underway for over three weeks, but it will continue on up to November 22, offering an even greater
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December 26, 2012
By Michael Miller With one hundred productions spread over five weeks, I rather doubt that anyone has seen all of the United Solo Festival. After the sessions I previously
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November 1, 2012
By Michael Miller October and November are now firmly established as solo theater season in New York. United Solo, now in its third year, has grown by one third—to over
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