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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
April 9, 2019
By Kia Standard There are very few performances that shake you to your core, leaving you breathless. But “Accidentally Brave”
Read article
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.
Read article
April 6, 2019
By Cynthia Darling “Don’t be bad, be good!” drawls a disembodied voice laced with mock sexiness at the start of
Read article
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
Read article
February 28, 2019
By Mehr Gunawardena “Random Acts” by Renata Hinrichs is a racially charged performance that shines a light on the experiences of
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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 –
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
January 3, 2019
By Dana Zhang Writer and actor Alexandra LaPlante says that many people come away from seeing “Unconventionally Intimate”
Read article
January 3, 2019
By Austin Kaiser “St. Kilda,” now playing at Torn Page, a performing space in a brownstone on West 22nd Street in
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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.
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
November 16, 2018
By Dana Zhang “Clara; Confessions” offers a straightforward, chronological timeline of Clara Schumann’s life. A celebrated pianist and composer beloved
Read article
November 16, 2018
By Austin Kaiser “The Auschwitz Volunteer” tells the story of Captain Witold Pilecki, a Polish intelligence agent who infiltrated the Auschwitz
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
November 15, 2018
By James Bartholomew “Being‑On‑Stage” is perhaps the greatest solo theatrical adaptation of a 500‑page early twentieth‑century
Read article
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.
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
November 12, 2018
By Alex Miller “Swansong,” in which André de Vanny portrays Austin “Occi” Byrne, is the story and the performance of
Read article
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
Read article
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:
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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.”
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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’
Read article
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
Read article
November 3, 2018
By Nadia Asencio Ananda Bena‑Weber’s “Fancifool” is a powerhouse. Dedicated to “all the beautiful souls” she’s encountered on
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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.”
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
November 1, 2018
By Dana Zhang In short interconnected sketches, Monette McLin tells us about Doris Marie Payne, and the intrigue that surrounded
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
October 25, 2018
By James Bartholomew School life can be hard, but it was especially difficult for Schuyler Quinn, writer and performer of “Unsatisfactory.”
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
October 22, 2018
By Mehr Gunawardena “Eulalia: A Bedtime Story” is an insightful and emotional performance by Sarah Cuneo. She portrayed the turmoil felt
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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.
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
October 18, 2018
By James Bartholomew Anthoula Katsimatides, the writer and director of “Warrior Without a Cause” introduces herself to her audience. “Destined for
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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.
Read article
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.
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
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.
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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.
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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,
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
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
Read article
