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REVIEW: Discovery enriches two short films: A frenetic ‘Subway Crush’ and sophisticated ‘Waltz for Three’

Posted on January 25 by The Sleepless Critic

A simple crush becomes something more.

In a matter of three minutes on a New York City subway, Subway Crush makes a statement about ideas of perception and interpretation that continually resonates in our digital culture. It is a slice of digital life that escalates quickly and stands as a peek into a bigger picture ominously, candidly, and realistically captured by more than one person behind a phone. What is the truth behind what you are seeing and explores one of many ways information can be dangerously misinterpreted.

Still from ‘Subway Crush’ with cast composed of Mehdi Hadim, Bella Kouds, Danny Salvato, Satya Crasneanscki, Natalia Yi

Both written and directed by Oriana NG, Subway Crush and French short film Waltz for Three are two profoundly different films. Crush exhibits escalation while a subtle revelation emerges in Waltz for Three. Increasingly feverish and frenetic Crush is candidly captured as it makes a significant statement about our contemporary culture while Waltz for Three is timeless and sophisticated with a stirring emotional core. Yet both films are built in misunderstandings that long to be resolved.

With impactful direction and written by Oriana NG, Subway Crush and Waltz for Three continue to make the film festival circuit and were recently screened at the 2026 Dances With Films New York Edition on January 15-18. Click here for more information on the writer and director as well as future screenings.

A quiet encounter has a profound effect on two people.

Surrounded by distinctive finery in a gorgeous castle in France, Agnès feels isolated. Ophélie Lehmann portrays reserved, soft spoken and unassuming Agnès who is quite certain what she wants when she invites Mikaël Mittelstadt as handsome Jean home. However, it is not for the reasons one might expect.

In many ways, French short film Les Trois Valseurs (Waltz for Three) explores two worlds. This multilayered and unpredictable tale has a meaty emotional core for two likable people who have experienced a great deal in very different ways. The film takes its time, but does not drag as these two make discoveries about each other. The costuming and props, includes a distinguished victrola, an ethereal clock and a golden lighter, are delicate, detailed and gleaming and the way the two carry themselves evokes almost a dreamlike ambiance. With hair swept up and adorned in an elegant dress, stately and enigmatic Agnès is mature beyond her years while Mikaël Mittelstadt’s Jean is charming and uncertain with his whole life ahead of him. They share compelling chemistry and perceive each other in a new light as the film unfolds.

Not all the film’s questions are answered and in many ways, the answers aren’t necessary. The genuine moments that gently unfold are encapsulated in their gradual understanding of one another.

Mikaël Mittelstadt and
Ophélie Lehmann in ‘Waltz for Three’

Subway Crush and Waltz for Three were recently screened at the 2026 Dances With Films New York Edition on January 15-18. Click here for more information on the writer and director as well as future screenings.

REVIEW: Summer love is luminous in The Huntington’s ‘The Light in the Piazza’

Posted on June 3 by The Sleepless Critic

Summer in Italy brings certain charms, especially when it comes to love punctuated by a brilliant light.

Meaningfully directed by Loretta Greco paired with Daniel Pelzig’s joyous choreography, The Huntington continues heartwarming musical, The Light in the Piazza through Sunday, June 15 at The Huntington Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. This bilingual production in English and Italian runs two hours and 10 minutes including an intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Based on Elizabeth Spencer’s 1960s novella of the same name, The Light the Piazza was quickly adapted into a sweeping romantic film in 1962 starring George Hamilton and Olivia de Havilland. The film offers further details into the plot and answers a few questions left by the musical, but the musical more than makes up for it through Adam Guettel’s riveting Tony award-winning Opera-inspired score and collection of English and Italian songs. The Light in the Piazza debuted on Broadway in 2005 and was the winner of two Tony Awards including Lead Actress in a Musical.

Sarah-Anne Martinez and Emily Skinner in The Huntington’s production of The Light in the Piazza, book by Craig Lucas, music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, directed by Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco; photo by Julieta Cervantes. Running May 8–June 15 2025 at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115).

Set in Florence, Italy in 1953, a mother and daughter embark on an extraordinary vacation through Florence when a surprising incident leads to an encounter with Joshua Grosso as awestruck Fabrizio. It is quite the meet cute surrounded by Andrew Boyce’s detailed gold and marble architecture and an amiable ensemble. Yuki Izumihara’s lifelike projections combine with Andrew Boyce’s captivating sliding set design to revel in this beautiful country’s works of art, iconic buildings, church settings and the Italian countryside. These surroundings are exquisite and yet not overdone as gold frames hang aloft elegant Italian furniture which includes an elaborate bookcase, swaying silk curtains, lacy tablecloths and a vintage rolling gold lap tray.

Much of the musical explores the idea of feeling understood through the heart rather than the head. Through anguish, joy, humor, protectiveness and passion, this talented cast display stirring and powerful vocals in a remarkable journey while intensely expressing what each of them hold in their hearts. It is also a musical that explores love of all kinds as faith is put to the test.

Sarah-Anne Martinez is instantly enchanting as exuberant Clara. Martinez wows with her gorgeous rendition of The Beauty Is and shares immediate and endearing chemistry with Grosso as Fabrizio. Grosso simply dazzles in his rendition of Il Mondo Era Vuoto. Martinez’s wide eyed sincerity and Grosso’s benevolent charm blend harmoniously for Say it Somehow, The Beauty Is reprise and Passeggiata, a playful duet between Grosso and Martinez practicing a beloved Italian tradition on a revolving stage.

Joshua Grosso and Sarah-Anne Martinez in The Huntington’s production of The Light in the Piazza, book by Craig Lucas, music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, directed by Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco; photo by Julieta Cervantes. Running May 8–June 15 2025 at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115).

The cast occasionally confides in the audience as Emily Skinner as Clara’s mother Margaret withholds a secret about Clara. Skinner evokes the weight of her tormented decisions through her emphatic hesitancy, protectiveness and gentle compassion. Clara shares a special bond with her mother, but also one that can be strained and conflicted.

Emily Skinner in The Huntington’s production of The Light in the Piazza, book by Craig Lucas, music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, directed by Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco; photo by Julieta Cervantes. Running May 8–June 15 2025 at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115).

William Michaels as Signor Naccarelli and Rebecca Pitcher as Signora Naccarelli share great comic timing (at times sardonic) and are a complicated pair. Alexander Ross as Fabrizio’s charismatic brother Giuseppe brings lively humor to American Dancing and Rebekah Rae Robles is also impressive as mysterious Franca.

Greco’s immersive direction applies subtle and comical scenarios alongside the main plot to broaden this enchanting world such as kids playing together, doves flying overhead, a woman selling flowers or discussions among the clergy. The Light in the Piazza contains some twists and turns while maintaining its optimistic yet underlying seriousness.

The cast of The Huntington’s production of The Light in the Piazza, book by Craig Lucas, music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, directed by Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco; photo by Julieta Cervantes. Running May 8–June 15 2025 at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115).

Soaring vocals, a wonderful cast, a splendid Italian setting, and an affecting family tale combine for an incandescent event at the Huntington.

Witness a powerful tale of love, beauty, faith and much more with The Light in the Piazza continuing through Sunday, June 15 at The Huntington Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Life’s meaning through theatre in Harbor Stage Company’s witty ‘My Dinner with André’

Posted on March 25, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Dinner with a friend or a long lost and former long time mentor can have its moments.

However, when it’s co-written by multitalented comic, character, and voiceover actor Wallace Shawn and actor, director and playwright André Gregory, it becomes an intriguing venture into the power of theatre.

Harbor Stage Company presents an original adaptation of My Dinner with André live and in person at the Boston Center for the Arts in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 30. This production is 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Jonathan Fielding and Robert Knopf in Harbor Stage Company’s ‘My Dinner with André ‘ Photo by Joe Kenehan

The “inconceivable” villain Vizzini in film classic The Princess Bride, the voice of Rex the dinosaur in the Toy Story series, and Young Sheldon’s eccentric physics mentor are just a few of Wallace Shawn’s most popular roles. Though My Dinner With André was created before these later successes, this critically acclaimed 1981 indie film starring Shawn and Gregory in the title roles gained its own cult following, especially among theatre lovers. Wallace’s voice and presence is always distinctive and the writing in this piece offers glimpses of that intellectual charm, wit and humor in little moments of life’s realizations and nuances. However, it should be noted that these two characters are not necessarily patterned after this co-writing duo, even if they are named after them.

Harbor Stage Company received special permission from Wallace Shawn and André Gregory to adapt this film to the stage for the first time in the United States and it translates beautifully. It transforms it into theatre within a theatre experience and this adaptation is so naturally done, that it is hard to imagine that Dinner with André was not originally a stage production.

Set in a stylish corner booth enhanced by John Malinowski’s soft and atmospheric lighting, Evan Farley elegantly creates an authentic upscale restaurant ambiance. Framed reflective mirrors above the colorful booth and fine details of the embossed crown molding complete this inviting set design as classical music including Satie’s Gymnopédie plays gently in the background.

Jonathan Fielding portrays anxious out of work actor Wallace who is dreading having dinner at a fancy French restaurant in New York City with Robert Knopf as André, mainly because Wallace is not sure what to expect. What transpires is a sophisticated three course meal that dives deep into life’s mysterious meaning, city life, the art of theatre, the artists’ past experiences, and philosophizes about what is truly important as the next adventurous course is served. Their exchanges on humans and robots seem timeless as if this production was written yesterday.

Robin Bloodworth, Jonathan Fielding and Robert Knopf in Harbor Stage Company’s ‘My Dinner with André ‘ Photo by Joe Kenehan

My Dinner with André makes thought provoking observations on theatre and how it applies to and reflects reality and the conversation often veers into an unexpected direction which could come off as awkward had not been for the skilled instincts of these two actors and their observance and self aware comic timing. Gregory tells outlandish stories about his life experiences and experiments and how it relates to theatre. Wallace seems a little more guarded and the bemused look on Fielding’s face as Andre’s stories get more bizarre perhaps reflects the audience’s amazement among those anticipating a twist.

While Fielding’s Wallace is frank and forthright with a casual charisma as he engages the audience, Knopf’s charisma lies in his intimate and confiding demeanor with Fielding and warm exchanges with Robin Bloodworth as the attentive waiter. André seems more of an adventurer in search for greater meaning while Wallace is contented in the little things. Knopf can certainly hold an audience in his deep and animated exchanges with Fielding and their good natured debating is always done with mutual respect.

Cut out all the noise and have dinner with André, especially if you love theatre. My Dinner with André blends insightful banter, witty dialogue and subtle humor into a memorable reunion among friends.

REVIEW: Oscar nominated documentary shorts ‘Instruments of a Beating Heart,’ ‘Death by Numbers’ and ‘I am Ready, Warden’ at Coolidge Corner Theatre for a limited time

Posted on March 4, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

The repercussions of two horrific and devastating crimes and a quiet lesson in discipline are just a few of the 2025 documentary shorts nominated for the 97^th annual Academy Awards which took place on Sunday, March 2. All of these shorts are available online and now playing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts through Thursday, March 6. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Please note that this review does not include Netflix’s The Only Girl in the Orchestra who took home Best Documentary Short or the New Yorker’s Oscar nominated documentary short Incident.

A beautifully engaging documentary from the start, Ema Ryan Yamazaki’s 23 minute Japanese short film Instruments of a Beating Heart, presented by Op-Docs, is a tender and endearing piece about an audition held for first graders for a part in a musical performance Ode to Joy in Tokyo 2022. The film’s cinematography is bright and inviting offering an inside look at these adorable, excitable and impressionable children learning about discipline amid competition. Their teacher is wise and firm with the students to help them grow. The film specifically focuses on intimidated Ayame who longs to play a particular instrument in the performance. The hidden meaning behind the title will not revealed here, but it is worth seeing this wonderful and tender film.

Ayame in ‘Instruments of a Beating Heart’

“Forever will always be yesterday.”

The classroom frozen in time, the warning signs and so much more encapsulate Parkland School horrific school shooting.

Written by Sam Fuentes and directed by Kim A Snyder, Death by Numbers dives deep inside case #26 from the perspective of traumatized survivor Sam Fuentes and the nature of what it is to live through this unimaginable loss.

The numbers represent not only the facts of the case, but what they know about the shooter through evidence of his mindset and sticks to Sam’s exclusive outlook on the case while tracing a fraction of her long and incalculable road to healing.

Death by Numbers also examines the unimaginable loss, guilt, forgiveness, grief, death, and mortality as well as an agonizing and riveting encounter with the shooter. It is a unique and chilling film that is humanized by Sam’s dynamic perspective.

In 2022, Texas Inmate John Henry Ramirez counts down the days until his execution after being convicted of the murder of Pablo Castro in 2004.

MTV Documentary Films presents I am Ready, Warden, a stirring 37 minute documentary set in Livingston, Texas that impressively covers just about every perspective of this heinous and unplanned act, its aftermath, and a snapshot into Ramirez’s background. It is mainly told from Ramirez’s perspective, but contains interviews with the godmother who supported Ramirez when his family left, the victim’s family, Ramirez’s son born when Ramirez was on the run, and takes a deeper look at Texas’s death penalty. I am Ready, Warden also examines the complicated emotions of everyone involved in this case including what results when Ramirez tries to reach out to the victim’s son, Aaron.

All of these shorts are available online and now playing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts through Thursday, March 6. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: From loneliness to lovestruck: Oscar Animated Short films Nina Gantz’s ‘Wander to Wonder’, Loïc Espuche’s ‘Yuck (Beurk)’, Nicolas Keppens’s ‘Beautiful Men,’ ‘In the Shadow of the Cypress’ and Daisuke Nishio’s ‘Magic Candies’

Posted on March 3, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Please note that the Academy Award for Best Animated Short film winner was In the Shadow of the Cypress announced at the 97^th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2. All the Academy Award nominated films including the winner are available online and now playing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts through Thursday, March 6. Click here for more information and for tickets.

From loneliness to love struck, this year’s Oscar nominated Animated shorts mixed lighthearted comedy and tragedy covering a wide range of issues including the effects of trauma, bullying, and PTSD.

Nina Gantz’s dutch and international stop motion animated short Wander to Wonder is a poignant and strange reflection of days past. It runs 14 minutes.

Though the short is about a children’s show, it is not for young children and features some disturbing content.

Flies swarm as a group of tiny performers are trapped inside an old studio and fighting for survival where 80s Belgium children program Wander to Wonder was filmed after its originator Uncle Gilly, depicted by Neil Savage, passes away. Wander to Wonder has a sorrowful and dank feel to reflect how much time has passed since the gleam of this beautiful and eccentric, if not widely watched children’s show was on the air. Delivering moments of wacky humor, Toby Jones as Fumbleton, Amanda Lawrence as Mary and Terrance Dunn as Billybud express an inherent yearning as they reflect upon the fond memories of the program and make an awkward attempt to recreate some of them while trying to survive which can be bereft, odd and gruesome. I felt for their sad situation, but didn’t find myself invested enough in the characters as they struggle to adapt.

Written and directed by Loïc Espuche featuring bright and inviting two dimension animation, French short film Yuck! (Beurk) is a 13 minute long sweet tale about discovering first love.

A group of children revel in spying on others at summer camp and are disgusted as they watch couples kiss. However, Leo discovers he has a crush on his friend Lucie. Yuck explores the discovery, joy, confusion and heartache of life through the eyes of a child. It is a brief and endearing tale that is worth every minute.

What if you can learn the truth about life around you?

Written by Baek Heena and directed by Daisuke Nishio, Magic Candies is an insightful 21 minute Japanese CGI animated short about a lonely boy named Dong Dong who purchases a pack of mysterious candies and runs 21 minutes. However, these colorful candies have a compelling and unexpected power that takes Dong-Dong by complete surprise.

With the exception of the distinctive characters, the settings are incredibly realistic. From Dong-Dong’s textured jeans to each detailed strand in the dog’s fur to the layered patterns in Dong-Dong’s wrapped blanket to sweeping fall foliage, Magic Candies unfolds is an aesthetically pleasing manner and is a must see film that is funny, moving, silly, clever and heartwarming.

Directed by Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi, Iranian short film In the Shadow of the Cypress, winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Short, delves into the strained relationship between a father who suffers from PTSD as the result of war and his daughter which is nearing a breaking point.

Both live together in an isolated seaside house. The two dimensional 20 minute animated film boasts finely delicate details that enhance the rippling waves, the slender and stylized design of each of the characters right down to the father’s long striped beard. Its remarkable sound design embellishes a storm of seagulls, an alarming ship ablaze, and the subtle triggers that set the father off as he struggles with his harrowing conflict within. It can be slow at times, but it is worth watching for its captivating conclusion.

How far would you go to look your best?

Balding brothers Steven, Bart, and Koen travel to Istabul to have hair transplants. However, it is quickly discovered that only one appointment is available. It traces each character’s nature, insecurities, and how they handle the situation as this error becomes known.

Nicolas Keppens’s Beautiful Men is a two dimension 19 minute international comedy drama short which combines cut out stop motion and white board animation and contains some adult content and nudity. It is at times a candid short that explores just how far one would go for self improvement.

Each of Academy Award nominated films including the winner is available online and at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts through Thursday, March 6. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Family and the future loom over short films ‘Three A.M.’ and ‘Pumpkin Pie’

Posted on January 15, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Whether it is at 3 am or all day long, it is a gnawing feeling that will not go away.

Both directed by Karin Trachtenberg, worry and anxiety take a front seat in short films Three A.M. and Pumpkin Pie where characters in two vastly different situations reach out for support in a time of crisis. Both films are approximately 11 minutes. Pumpkin Pie will makes its world premiere at the East Village New York Film Festival on Sunday, January 26th at Under St Marks Theatre. Click here for more information and for tickets. For further details about these two shorts, click here for Three A.M. and here for Pumpkin Pie.

Bobby Raps delivers a foreboding music score infused with chirping crickets on a night that is all too still at Three A.M. in a residential neighborhood. However, two mothers’ minds are reeling. This short drama tackles some harrowing troubles in contemporary society as these characters attempt to cope in various ways. One of the film’s best features is the apprehensive tone at the beginning that seemingly leads in one direction yet reveals another. Julia Trueblood as Tish and Sara Burd as Gwen admit why they can’t sleep in a snapshot that leave enough questions for a longer film. Barbara Blumenthal-Ehrlich’s introspective script does not pass judgment on who is handling the situation best, but banks on the emotional weight of this relatable piece.

Julia Trueblood as Tish in short film, ‘Three A.M.’ Photo credit to Karin Trachtenberg

Sara Burd as Gwen in ‘Three A.M.’ Photo credit to Karin Trachtenberg

Pumpkin Pie is a lighthearted, yet distressed look at life’s pressures drawing parallels to Three A.M. where two characters are dealing with their circumstances in different ways. Written by Jessica Moss with zany direction by Karin Trachtenberg, Jimmy Jackson’s peppy piano infuses Pumpkin Pie with a brighter but no less relatable tone as a holiday emergency threatens to ruin Thanksgiving according to Hilary Dennis as frantic and over the top Adelaide.

Hilary Dennis’s wild depiction of Adelaide is a scene stealer as Adelaide audaciously attempts to navigate entry into a closed bakery on Thanksgiving Day where pies are scarce. Trueblood is an impressive foil as sensible Margot, a baker who is counting on some peace and quiet which should be on every family holiday menu. However, Thanksgiving family dread is baked into every pumpkin pie and these two characters develop an interesting rapport as they discover that they may have more in common than they think. Nothing half baked about Pumpkin Pie and the final scene is invaluable to conclude this initially outlandish scenario.

Hilary Dennis as Adelaide in short film ‘Pumpkin Pie’ Photo credit to Karin Trachtenberg

Julie Trueblood in short film ‘Pumpkin Pie’ Photo credit to Karin Trachtenberg

Pumpkin Pie will makes its world premiere at the East Village New York Film Festival on Sunday, January 26th at Under St Marks Theatre. Click here for more information and for tickets. For further details about these two shorts, click here for Three A.M. and here for Pumpkin Pie.

REVIEW: Chain Theatre’s Winter One Act Festival presents Sarah Hoogenraad’s dark comedy ‘Celebrity Crush’

Posted on March 4, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Who’s on the celebrity list?

Some couples have a ‘pass’ from their partners when fantasying about celebrities. One person might get a pass from the other if by some possibility one gets a chance to meet or even date a famous celebrity and Lizzie Nguyen as Shannon never dreamed that this might actually happen. Self absorbed, giddy, and giggly, Shannon and her roommate Amy, depicted by Sarah Hoogenraad who is also the playwright, will find out dreams might not live up to reality and that over sharing can be more than dangerous.

With careful direction by Rebecca Wilson and co-produced by Chandler Holloway, Sarah Hoogenraad’s dark comedy Celebrity Crush (#15) was part of Chain Theatre’s Winter ’24 One Act Festival took place from February 8 through March 3 virtually as well as live and in person at The Chain Theatre, 312 West 36^th Street in New York, New York. Click here for more information.

Set in Los Angeles, Celebrity Crush’s dark humor and zippy storytelling keeps things light even when Shannon and Amy realize that the celebrity scene can be less than glamorous. With a fitting music soundtrack which includes perfectly appropriate Crush by Jennifer Paige, Celebrity Crush has a modestly colorful set and humorous props to add lightness to the progressive intensity of the production. Hoogenraad and Nguyen share some wild moments and they have a natural rapport together. Miciah Wallace, in a dual role, is especially engaging as Kyle boasting that snappy catchphrase, ‘Smile because you’re with Kyle.’

The Cast of ‘Celebrity Crush’ Lizzie Nguyan, Sarah Hoogenraad, Miciah Wallace, and Matthew Sheaffer Photo credit to Sarah Hoogenraad

It would have been nice to have known what led to Shannon’s date and to get to know the cast better to be more invested in its outcome, but perhaps Celebrity Crush could expand its storyline or become a series in the future.

Sarah Hoogenraad’s dark comedy Celebrity Crush (#15) was part of Chain Theatre’s Winter ’24 One Act Festival took place from February 8 through March 3 virtually as well as live and in person at The Chain Theatre, 312 West 36^th Street in New York, New York. Click here for more information.

REVIEW: New York City Indie Theatre Film Festival Short Films: Reilly Anspaugh and Daniel Rashid’s ‘Chauncey,’ Michael Quinn’s ‘Brooding,’ Rachel Handler’s ‘Unlucky in Love’ and more

Posted on February 23, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

The eighth annual New York City Indie Theatre Film Festival returned this year and ran from February 15 through February 18 at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at the A.R.T/New York Theatres at 502 West 53^rd Street in Manhattan. Here are some reviews of a portion of the shorts. There are 34 films in all. Click here for more information and to see the winners of the festival.

Lindsey Hope Pearlman in ‘Placemat’ Photo by Lindsey Hope Pearlman

Lindsey Hope Pearlman and Sean Welski’s Placemat

Sometimes life can become a mundane daily grind.

Fueled by an upbeat and ultramodern score by Andrew Lynch, Lindsey Hope Pearlman as Lindsey fantasizes about a rich and exciting existence. Wearing glasses and a blue and yellow floral blouse by Elizabeth May, Placemat takes a humorous look at finding excitement in the little things with an effective twist.

Reilly Anspaugh and Daniel Rashid’s Chauncey

Zoe has a new boyfriend, but is also hiding a secret.

A different take on a coming of age tale blended with rom-com energy fueled by Daniel Rashid’s vintage, playful and catchy soundtrack, Chauncey is a charming story featuring Reilly Anspaugh, Daniel Rashid, Miya Kodama and Doug Tompos about what it is to reveal the real you and some things one does not have to outgrow.

Overdue

Two people facing a tough time encounter each other in a bar. Louis Robert King’s bluesy soundtrack and Jeanine Bartel and Howard Hendrix Powell’s playful chemistry make this production shine. Directed insightfully by Melissa Skirboll, Overdue boasts a myriad of meanings for two people searching for hope.

Anna Capunay’s Your Silent Face

Sometimes music can create change. Your Silent Face focuses on a Peruvian mother, depicted by Anna Capunay, who is struggling with the decisions happening within her family. Though the production addresses trauma, mental illness and depicts some family turmoil, Your Silent Face expresses each character’s point of view in a balanced manner. The production is lightened by the upbeat and retro rhythms of the Bootblacks.

Michael Quinn’s Brooding

Brooding is a searing drama and horror story about a talented nature photographer named Tara who is struggling. Her boyfriend Matthew, portrayed with a mix of stoicism and concern by Joseph Basquill, wants to get to the bottom of it. With an eerie sound design by Bailee Herrera, music by Griffin Robillard, and sound mixing by Devin Greenwood, Brooding has squeamish and haunting moments boasted by the cold stare, exhaustive mood swings and explosive temper notably portrayed by Hadley Durkee as Tara with an ending difficult to see coming.

Kwame Berry’s Ursula

Presented at first as a True Hollywood Story, Ursula is a drama about grief and trauma as a family fights over what to do with the family house.

Tiffany Adams depicts tough and driven screen star Ursula with finesse and LaVeda Davis makes a brief but lasting impression as Ms. Tate. Based on Kwame Berry’s Ursula: A Dysfunction in Two Acts, Kwame Berry’s complex portrayal as quiet, sympathetic, and mysterious Dominic make the character easy to root for as the production progresses. With an eerie and foreboding score by Vin Scialla and Darius James, Ursula is presented with originality, intrigue and a thought provoking revelation.

Rachel Handler’s Unlucky in Love

With upbeat direction by Catriona Rubenis-Stevens, Unlucky in Love is a lighthearted musical foray into one small town flash mob planner’s search for love with engaging narration by Imani Barbarin as Lucy Loveless. Rachel Handler as sensible Lisa Edmunds and Lashi as Wendy Lindell share breezy chemistry with a meaningful conclusion.

REVIEW: New York City Indie Theatre Film Festival Short Films: Matthew Modine’s ‘I Am What You Imagine’, Ryan Spahn’s ‘Router,’ Don Castro’s ‘Your Blue Heart’ and more

Posted on February 18, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

The eighth annual New York City Indie Theatre Film Festival is back this year and runs from February 15 through February 18 at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at the A.R.T/New York Theatres at 502 West 53^rd Street in Manhattan. Here are some reviews of a portion of the shorts. There are 34 films in all. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Intermission

Ryan, portrayed by Michael Barringer, is smoking. In a white fur, a bun on top of her head, and large earrings, chatty Laura, portrayed with finesse by Laura Butler Rivera, has something to say about it.

In fitting black and white cinematography, Intermission is an unpredictable and seeming tongue in cheek foray into smoking. It is also a humorous and fascinating film featuring Rivera and Barringer who have peculiar chemistry. Rivera is mysterious, quirky and shrewd in a conversation with unexpected results.

Ryan Spahn’s Router

Hearing strange noises?

Being alone in the house can be creepy. A creak, shadows on the walls, and was that a scream? With intriguing cinematography by Thomas Brunot, just the glow of a cell phone to light the way and a cryptic message drives this twisty tale for a wifi signal. The wide eyes of Britt Vicars and a spooky and original score by Pablo Signori build the tension and reeling suspicion as Vicars inches her way in this battle through the dark.

Don Castro is LITO by the window in ‘Your Blue Heart’ Photo credit to NYCITFF and Don Castro

Don Castro’s Your Blue Heart

With expressive black glasses and red flip flops, Don Castro as Lito is making breakfast alone in the kitchen. Your Blue Heart is a moving journey into memory. Spoken in Filipino and shot in Woodside, Queens, Castro and Ron Flores as Rey have a sweet rapport featuring stirring and original music by Paul Aranus.

Kate Szekely in Still Photo credit to NYITFF and Kate Szekely

Ash Singer’s Still

The battle to be still with the jarring feeling of anxiety is overwhelming. Heart racing and breathing can be deafening. Still delves into the life of Kate Szekely who is arduously trying to shake that terrible feeling through various methods including the meditative phrase ‘I am surrounded by abundance.’ Composer Shira Bouskila and Somer Bingham’s haunting and unique sound composition ebbs and flows throughout the film in relatable unease, dread, and calm.

Matthew Modine’s ‘I am What You Imagine’ Photo by Adam Rackoff

Matthew Modine’ I Am What You Imagine

I am what you Imagine is a vivid, kaleidoscopic and visceral journey that explores the true meaning of life from the very beginning. With mesmerizing editing and visual effects by Terence Ziegler as well as surreal photography by Matthew Modine and Kevin Joseph Grossman, I am What You Imagine is a powerful film that should be experienced rather than explained and boasts a surprise ending.

Jeff Hathcoat and Ellen McQueen in ‘Late Sleeper’ Photo credit to NYITFF and Peter Hardy

Peter Hardy’s Late Sleeper

What happens to a late sleeper? A shadow sits at the window.

Filmed in black and white, Peter Hardy’s Late Sleeper delves into this concept with creepy creativity and intriguing results featuring Jeff Hathcoat and Ellen McQueen.

REVIEWS: Harbor Stage Company’s striking ‘Northside Hollow’ and Liv at Sea Productions presents absorbing ‘Liv at Sea’

Posted on January 28, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

The thrill of feeling engulfed in a theatrical experience is just what Harbor Stage Company delivered when disaster struck as part of their tense drama Northside Hollow in an already intimate setting. Harbor Stage Company’s Northside Hollow brought fascinating and immersive storytelling to the stage with authenticity and occasional humor.

Grippingly directed and written by Jonathan Fielding and Brenda Withers, Harbor Stage Company presented Northside Hollow from Tuesday, January 11 through Saturday, January 20 live and in person at Boston Center of the Arts (BCA) Plaza Black Box Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The production was 1 hour 20 minutes with no intermission and had some mature language. Click here for more information and Liv at Sea Productions with Harbor Stage Company presents Liv at Sea currently running through Sunday, January 28.

Industrial lights and mysterious headlamps play a crucial role in the production’s immersive authenticity as well as the feeling of sheer engulfment in a catastrophic event. Strewn metal, wooden pieces and tight passages create a realistic pit and an arduous challenge to overcome.

The chilling tension took hold minutes into the production and the audience becomes a part in Gene’s mutual distress. Injured Gene portrayed with frank cynicism, humorous likability, and a wonderful drawl by Robert Kropf, is a miner in peril. He is trapped in a collapse and is too injured to climb out alone. Volunteer EMT Marshall, depicted with insightful practicality by Alex Pollock, arrives to rescue him, but can they escape and how did this collapse happen in the first place?

Northside Hollow L to R Robert Kropf and Alex Pollack Photo credit to Edward Boches

The twists and odd turns are quite compelling and though the show is mildly predictable, the execution is extraordinary. With grime caked on his face, Kropf captures Gene’s stubbornness, worn demeanor, sardonic humor, and sheer exhaustion as he helplessly asks for the impossible – a burger. Gene shares fascinating camaraderie with spiritually centered, focused and sensible Pollack as Marshall. Brimming with emotion and perspective, both actors deliver powerful performances as they contemplate faith, relationships, mortality, music, morality, and life’s intricacies while merging their skills in an attempt to conquer the loneliness and fear of this moment.

Harbor Stage Company presented Northside Hollow from Thursday, January 11 through Saturday, January 20 live and in person at Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) Plaza Black Box Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The production was 1 hour 20 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and Liv at Sea Productions with Harbor Stage Company presents Liv at Sea is running through Sunday, January 28.

REVIEW: Liv at Sea Productions presents absorbing ‘Liv at Sea’

It is the kind of silence that could only mean that something has changed.

Two people in metaphorically two different places in their relationship stand in a stark and bare room. One is at the precipice while the other is helpless witnessing it. Both are in agony and one is longing for water.

Paige O’Connor and Nick Wilson in ‘Liv at Sea’ Photo credit to Edward Boches

Affectively written and directed by Robert Kropf, Liv at Sea continues live and in person at Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) Plaza Black Box Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, January 28. The production has some mature language, runs 90 minutes with no intermission, and contains a brief strobe light sequence. Click here for more information and for tickets.

With bare feet on sand colored carpet, introspective indie music weaves cleverly in and out of this production by sound designer Joe Kenehan as Liv hesitates to share her true feelings. With cheerful lighting in unexpected places by John Malinowski, the unembellished staging features an at first blank canvas that comes to life mixing cinematography by Adam Foster and art to illustrate metropolitan and creation while the symbolic black and white costumes add a single splash of color for renewal.

Paige O’Connor as Liv in ‘Liv at Sea’ Photo credit Edward Boches

The audience is arranged in the center while the action is refreshingly not limited to this stage. A dramatic tale told out of sequence and largely unconventional which includes the quirky, romantic, artistic, and brooding dreamer Liv, depicted with nonconformist charm by Paige O’Connor. While O’Connor’s long gazes and deep and contemplative silences can weigh down a room, anxiety-laden and chatty Nick, portrayed by Nick Wilson, bends over backwards to lighten it with humor. Many of their exchanges are strained and tense and yet both characters are distinctive and likable. Wilson is particularly funny as he delves into an uninvited guessing game with Liv. In charming glasses and a beard, Wilson is sympathetic and earnest as he struggles to understand his restless and distant live-in girlfriend.

‘Liv at Sea’ Photo credit to Edward Boches

A mysterious stranger, depicted by Jack Aschenbach, appears to provide a complicated bright spot in this production. Serious, romantic and perceptive, Ashenbach unleashes a new side in O’Connor’s Liv that comes with risk in what the future holds.

Liv at Sea is an absorbing journey that explores the nature of relationships at its root and bloom as well as its endings, beginnings, and the restless uncertainty in-between with hope and ruefulness.