Inferno: A New Work about Sin @ the FLEA

Ever since man could pick up a pen, the muses have inspired countless accounts of hell in all its grotesque grandeur. Why? Who knows. We are forbidden fruit junkies I guess. But every once in a while, you come across someone illustrating hell as maybe something smaller… not necessarily in scale but in concept. Like maybe there’s a little hell right inside you clamoring to get out?

Justin Giachetti wrote and directed a marvelous NEW work about sin called Inferno. Absolutely no current topic has been spared in the writing and editing of this masterful piece. I found myself squirming in my chair as images of bulimia, police brutality and a school shooting danced before my eyes in the intimate Flea Theatre down in TriBeCa.

Darin Earl II leads the ensemble as, you guessed it, Damian- a misunderstood giant of the devil incarnate. We find Earl appearing in vignette after vignette (a Sgt. General father , a pothead, a schizophrenic voice…) all the while commanding control and sophisticate nuance the duration of the sinners stories as well as his own.

Liz Carlin plays his angelic opposite Phoebe- the love of his life who sacrificed herself. Carlin is an amazing antithesis to the collection of angst-ridden sinners and provides a new scope of suicides in the afterlife. Dressed all in white against a sea of black, Phoebe quickly becomes our voice box as to what is wrong in our world.

Other stand out performances are Joe Piserchio as Gus, a heavyset boy struggling with his homosexuality in the 1950s. Piserchio’s entire demeanor encapsulates that sugar sweet generation and the evils that lie beneath. Heather Baisley and Eme Bentancur led the ensemble of lost souls with eerie finesse. Baisley’s “Mama Rose” embodiment paired with Bentancur’s alcoholic father persona could shake even the hardest of hearts to the core.  Deborah Bjornsti plays a heartbreaking shell of a ballerina, Paul Rahter has his finger to the pulse on current police brutality, Dylan Scifo makes a damned good druggie, and Jenna Moschella will scare the shit out of you.

I found myself leaving the Flea a bit wiser and a bit more at ease. With all the goings on in the world these days, we need to find answers within art and communication. This is it guys. Will I see you in hell?

Here's a little teaser, complete w. cast/playwright interviews: https://youtu.be/Oz9vDK9RARY

Oh, & here’s the dates:

Thursday, August 4 at 7pm

Friday August 5 at 7pm

Saturday, August 6 at 2pm

Saturday, August 6 at 7pm

Sunday, August 7 at 2pm

Sunday, August 7 at 7pm

Wednesday, August 10 at 7pm

Thursday, August 11 at 7pm

Friday, August 12 at 7pm

Saturday, August 13 at 2pm

Saturday, August 13 at 7pm

Small Mouth Sounds @ The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre @ Pershing Square Signature Center

In musicals, we sing because words cannot express how we feel, and when singing fails us our body takes over and we dance. What people fail to realize is that the most powerful thing we can do is be silent. (Kind of odd an odd statement since our world is a scary violent place right now.) Small Mouth Sounds brings everyone in the audience back to neutral. It’s a therapeutic retreat that none of us signed up for, yet you feel like a part of the show, and end up questioning your own self.  

The space is bare, except for six chairs. The only music you here is coming from pure nature, raindrops, rustling of the bushes, and a casual audience member. As we anticipate how this show is going to start, Max Baker (Jan) enters and simply sits. We watch him for what feels like an eternity just sit there. Yet I couldn’t look away. Slowly but sure we see the rest of the cast file in, and get just enough exposition to learn what is going on before we go on the journey of, silence.

This show has an incredible team of actors. Marcia DeBonis (Joan) gives a heart breaking yet hopeful performance. She manages finding the light even in the darkest times and you can’t help but smile along with her. Opposite DeBonis, we have, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, who somehow made me feel like I was listening to her talking. The way you watch her body transform from beginning to end is unbelievable. She took me on a journey I was not prepared for, and it was breathtaking. Every show needs a consistent heartbeat and Max Baker did exactly that. He only says about five words total the entire show, but they are the most powerful. Watching Mr. Baker on stage made me feel comfortable and warm and all I wanted to do was hug him. He was the heart of the show. Every show needs a little comedy, and Babak Tafti (Rodney) fulfills that playing a true yogi. He perfects the physical comedy, and talk about great comedic timing, which is even more impressive, because they are silent! Matching his comedic chops we have, Zoe Winters (Alicia). She plays a woman who clearly on the verge of a breakdown, might be a little snobby, yet you can’t NOT root for her. And lastly, rounding out the cast, Brad Heberlee (Ned).  Herberlee is the only actor on stage that gets a full monologue. And IT BLOWS YOUR MIND! He has such ease to his performance; you almost feel you are intruding in his personal space. From his comedic moments, to his deep secrets, you can’t take your eyes off him.

It’s fascinating when you lose the power of speech, how every movement you make tells a story. How you sit, stand, even sleep.  We also see how much noise we can actually make by not making any. Small Mouth Sounds was truly a beautiful piece of theatre. It was refreshing, inspiring, and even spiritual. Thank you Small Mouth Sounds. You have changed me.


Review By: Briana Burnside
Photos By: Sara Krulwich

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater @ The New York City Center

What happens when a mutli-millionaire starts giving away his money for relatively no reason at all?  People start to question his sanity of course!  That is exactly the case when it comes to Michael Mayer’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater.

Originally produced in 1979, Encores! Off-Center at New York City Center’s reprise of Kurt Vonnegut’s funny little play, tells the story of eccentric millionaire, Eliot Rosewater (Santino Fontana), who is the president of the Rosewater Foundation.  The Rosewater Foundation has received notoriety by funding the local artists and business ventures from poetry to science.  It is run by the youngest generation of Rosewaters and its presidency follows suit.  We learn that as president Eliot gives freely and openly to all who request, much to the bane of his father, but also suffers from many breakdowns and bouts of alcoholism.  Eliot grows weary of this life and leaves to find himself, adventuring from volunteer fire brigade to volunteer fire brigade (yes, you read that correctly).  During one drunken evening, Eliot realizes that the way he can find himself is by going back to the town that shares his namesake.  While there, he changes the lives of all of the townsfolk for the better, which of course, catches the attention of newbie lawyer, Norman Mushari (Skylar Astin).  Norman has found a clause in the Foundation’s bylaws that states if Eliot is proven insane, his millions would transfer over to his next of kin.  Mushari, sensing a hefty fee, makes it his personal business to find the other Rosewaters and prove Eliot a basketcase.

Rosewater is presented as a concert performance for just three nights only, and while their scripts were in hand, the cast does a phenomenal job of bringing this play to life.  With music by Alan Menken, you cannot laugh to such hits such as, “Thank God for the Volunteer Fire Brigade”, “Cheese Nips”, and “Rhode Island Tango”.  While the subplots are a bit hard to follow and can sometimes be distracting, the overall storyline of a ridiculously wealthy, World War II veteran with PTSD, who gives up his relationships, his dignity and his character to do everything he can to help out a town everyone forgot make this something worth seeing.  Major kudos goes to the technical team as the subtle touches, such as dimly lighting the “postcard” of the town they were in during a particular scene, really helped round out this performance.

Should you miss this installment, the amount of effort put forth in this Encores! Off-Center show makes me want to come back for more.  This reviewer truly appreciated all of the hard work of those involved.  God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater is playing July 28-30th at the New York City Center.

Review By: Renee Demaio

Photos By: Joan Marcus

Paramour @ The Lyric Theater

Spectacle. Wonderment. Awe-inspiring. These are just a few words that come to mind when thinking of the legendary Cirque du Soleil, the contemporary circus group that focuses on theatricality and is the largest theatrical producer in the world. Having permanent shows in Las Vegas and Florida, Paramour is the group’s venture to take on the Big Apple. The show combines Cirque’s signature circus arts with original songs, dance, and film, to create a new and breathtaking night at the theatre.

Paramour is billed as “A Cirque du Soleil Musical”, being the first of the entertainment company’s productions to have a fully integrated book/story attached to it. The plot follows three main players- renowned film director AJ Golden played by Jeremy Kushnier (Footloose, Rent), Ruby Lewis as redheaded singer striving to be a star Indigo James, and aspiring young songwriter Joey Green played by Ryan Vona (Once). After AJ recruits Indigo to be his new leading lady and enlists Joey to write the perfect love song for his film the three set off on a journey through the Golden Age of Hollywood, deciding between love, art, and one another. The musical features several songs, performed beautifully, but the main attraction of course comes with the circus acts.

Featuring a cast of 40 wonderfully talented artists, the Cirque performers are the real stars of the show. Performing mesmerizing tricks and stunts such as trapeze, contortion, trampolines, juggling, tumbling, and much more, the ensemble steals every moment they set foot on stage. The circus sections are absolutely enthralling and transport you back in time- leaving the audience feeling amazed and filled with wonder and wondering “how is that even possible?”. The dance sequences are extremely enjoyable, as the full cast comes together to show off their specific talents- whether that is singing high notes, doing four back flips in the air, or tap dancing (even in roller skates!). The number “Love Triangle” provides a wonderful hybrid of Paramour’s features, while having the three actors expressing their feelings through song a mirror-set of acrobats provide the physical exemplification of these words through their incredible movements, as the woman travels between one man on the ground and another up high in the trapeze. Identical twin acrobats Andrew and Kevin Atherton, through their absolutely astounding aerial-straps routine, present one of the standouts of the show. The two soar through the air above the audience, contorting their bodies and managing incredible feats, providing the most captivating minutes of the night.

Paramour is an all around spectacle. Aside from the amazing acrobatic and aerial routines, the design is remarkable. Playing at the Lyric Theatre, the second largest Broadway house seating almost 2,000 people, the gorgeous house provides the perfect aesthetic for the Golden Age era of the ‘30s and ‘40s with magnificent sets that transform between film sets, speakeasies, and city rooftops. The film theme is illuminated throughout the show with its use of live video, multimedia projections, and amazing lighting and shadow work, creating an integrated and immersive experience. There is always somewhere to look, around, above, even in the aisles.  

Paramour on Broadway is so much more than a show, it is an experience. For those new to Cirque, it is a good entryway, providing a sense of story to hold onto in between the incredible circus artistry, which will fill you with a child-like sense of amazement. If you’re looking for a spectacular evening of entertainment, with glitz, glamour, and gigantic talent, then hop, flip, or fly on over to the Lyric Theatre for Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour.

Review By: April Sigler
Photos BY: Sara Krulwich

The Total Bent @ The Public Theater

Attention all dreamers, outcasts, idealists, and rebels! Make your way to The Public Theater immediately and see, The Total Bent! If you are looking for a piece of theatre to question all your beliefs look no further! The Total Bent will take you on a ride that will make you rethink who you truly are as a person.

We are set into what looks like an old recording studio and all we see is a microphone with a single light. All of a sudden are ears are filled with the soothing voice of Joe Roy (Vondie Curtis Hall). The creators set you up to feel relaxed and then BAM! The band kicks in and a gospel rock fills the theater and he belts “That’s why he’s Jesus, and you’re not, whitey”.  We find out that Joe is a popular preacher in Alabama and his son; Marty (Ato Blakson Wood) is quite the opposite. The time is 1960 in the heat of the civil rights movement and Marty wants his father to make an album about protest. Throughout the show we see their struggle grow and intensify. Luckily with the brilliant music by, Stew and Heidi Rodewald they manage to give the show a satire feel with dark comedy undertones.

Ato Blankson-Wood (Marty) gives an outstanding performance. He gives off a magnetic energy that makes you root for him the entire show. We follow his journey from a teen that doesn’t like his father but too shy to truly stand up for himself, to a full on rebel (or in this case, sinner. Marty has the sex appeal to make every woman and man desire him, a true rock n roll STAR! In seeking revenge on his father, enter a sleazy music producer Byron Blackwell (David Cale) who manages to take everyone’s beliefs and throws it out the door. He loves black gospel rock and yet he asks why out of all the people in the world “why do black people still believe in god?” This causes the final break and Marty and Joe go to war. Vondie Curtis Hall (Joe Roy) gives you almost a cheesy car salesman vibe but he’s selling Jesus. “I’m a hoe and God is my pimp.” Despite his shallowness about making money and self-absorption, you still don’t hate him. Mr. Curtis Hall delivers a monologue towards the end about shooting the television  (he’s a TV preacher) because everything is a lie, essentially bringing us back to the beginning of who are we, what is our identity.

I know this seems like a lot of drama! But Thank goodness for the friends turned back up singers/dancers Andrew (Jahi Kearse) and Abee (Curtis Wiley). They bring us comedic relief whether it is a funny one liner or complete fear of papa Joe.  The band also interjects with the plot and with the audience, giving us the feeling of history with the character and its not just background music.

The Total Bent will change your life, mind and question everything you ever thought. It re- educated me and I didn’t even realize I needed the lesson. Which is a sad truth about most people today. Make your way to the Public Theater to see this important piece of theatre! 

Review By: Briana Burnside
Photos By: Joan Marcus