one act play

REVIEW:  From comedy to complication in Erin Moughon’s ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song), Kevin Cheng’s ‘Dear Diary,’ Pascal Phoa’s ‘Last Train to Nevada’ and Kevin T. Durfee’s ‘Between the Wired Fence’ at NYC’s The Chain Theatre One Act Winter Festival

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

From traumatic to comical to poignant, Program #9 explores a variety of struggles among two people from strangers to spouses including grief, circumstances or growing apart.

Chain Theatre’s One Act Winter Festival continues both live stream and in person at the Chain Theatre in New York, New York through March 2. Erin Moughon’s Escape (The Pina Colada Song), Kevin Cheng’s Dear Diary and Pascal Phoa’s Last Train to Nevada are 15 minute One Act productions Kevin T. Durfee’s Between the Wired Fence runs 45 minutes. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Aren’t most breakups complicated?  However, this particular one is on another level.

Claire Shiell and Matthew Menendez in Erin Moughon’s Escape (The Pina Colada Song) Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Candidly directed by Perryn Pomatto, Erin Moughon’s Escape (The Pina Colada Song) shares too small a snapshot into a relationship with quickly building tension as a woman breaks the news to her boyfriend that she wants to break up with him.  What ensues is outside the expected as Claire Shiell and Matthew Menendez share some humorous moments unleashing frank relationship truths along the way building to a fascinating revelation.  Escape leaves more questions that beg for a prequel or a sequel to this one act.

Elizabeth McBryde and Kevin Cheung in Kevin Cheng’s ‘Dear Diary’ Photo by Genda Lin @gendalin

With ruminating direction by Emily M. White, the cherry blossoms are in bloom as Elizabeth McBryde as reserved Josie settles on a Central Park bench to verbalize her thoughts in her daily journal entry in Kevin Cheng’s Dear Diary.  However, her sensible thoughts are interrupted by an encounter with Kevin Cheng who is memorable as optimistic and cheerful Pablo practicing a speech. Dear Diary is poignant and funny with more to the story that Josie can reveal as disarming Pablo charms her into helping him out and they discover more about one another.

Elizabeth McBryde and Kevin Cheng in Kevin Cheng’s ‘Dear Diary’ Photo by Genda Lin @gendalin

What if escape is your last hope?

Pascal Phoa’s Last Train to Nevada focuses on a couple who are running out of options in 1942.  Their only hope of being together requires a drastic change that is sure to change both their lives.  With stirring direction by Yibin Wang, Pascal Phoa portrays an uncertain Freddy and Gwyneth Benitez-Graham as a despairing Ida from different countries in a dangerous and intolerant climate.  Phoa and Graham bring complexity to their character’s motivations as time is running out and they are in urgent need of an answer.

Pascal Phoa and Gwyneth Benitez-Graham in Pascal Phoa’s ‘Last Train to Nevada’ Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

At some point, something has to give.

Written and directed by Kevin T. Durfee, Between the Wired Fence reflects on timing and aspiration as a couple metaphorically stares at one another from two sides of a figurative fence.

Elisa Falanga and Shannon Adams-Gray in Kevin T. Durfee’s ‘Between the Wired Fence’ Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Shannon Adams-Gray offers a thought provoking performance as overwhelmed but successful financial adviser Sawyer who was once an aspiring actress.  Daniel Bishop portrays Odie, Sawyer’s spontaneous and intuitive husband who tries to help her cope as he pursues a career in performance art.  Bishop as Odie’s outlandish and over the top persona is a seeming contrast to Adams-Gray as Sawyer’s forced sensibilities, but there lies an underlying charm and clear bond in their brief stage time together.

Daniel Bishop Kevin T. Durfee’s ‘Between the Wired Fence’ Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

When Elisa Falanga delivers a mysterious package, it springs forth an eye opening reckoning for Sawyer and a new understanding on how they can both move forward.

Between the Wired Fence offers humor and insight on both sides of the fence into life’s delicate timing while touching upon the anxieties and pressures of the world and what it means to succeed.

Chain Theatre’s One Act Winter Festival continues both live stream and in person at the Chain Theatre in New York, New York through March 2.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Isolation and reflection drives Theatre Kapow’s ‘Room’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

What does “Room” mean to you?

An unusual walk, a wordless journey spoken in song, a hollow room, and bittersweet scenes from the past is just a peek into ROOM, a series of three one-act plays by two Irish playwrights.  It explores three people who see the world through their isolated circumstances yet share so much.

Directed by Rachael Chapin and Matt Cahoon, New Hampshire’s Theatre Kapow embarks on their final virtual show of their 13th season themed ‘We will get through this’ with ROOM,  a poignant and meaningful journey into loss, isolation, regret, and hope continuing to live stream through Sunday, May 2.  Click here for more information and tickets.

Through Edna Walsh’s Room 303 and A Girl’s Bedroom as well as Ailis Ni Riain’s I Used to Feel, each actor take in their surroundings, reflect on happier and more sorrowful times, and take in what they can of the present while depicting the meaning behind their “room.”

Heidi Kranz in ‘A Girl’s Bedroom’ Photo courtesy of Matthew Lomanno Photography/Theatre Kapow

In A Girl’s Bedroom, ethereal special effects portray a rich countryside and more as Emily Karel reflects on a significant childhood memory.  Karel offers a captivating portrayal as the girl as her world becomes vast in her small, colorful bedroom.  Her bright inflections, enthusiasm, and surety are also tinged in sadness and loneliness as she reminisces on her young life.

Heidi Krantz embraces an emotional journey of loss and misunderstanding in I Used to Feel.  In this brief musical portrait, Krantz evokes the frustration and heartache of misunderstanding due to a disability and the longing for connection again in any way possible.  The visual imagery tied into a solitary clarinet makes this piece particularly poignant.

Peter Josephson in ‘Room 303’ Photo courtesy of Matthew Lomanno Photography/Theatre Kapow

Perhaps the most powerful piece is in Room 303.  Peter Josephson delivers a raw and moving portrayal of a bedridden man reflecting on his past and his future in his current circumstances.  His journey calls to mind those who have been sick and alone with only the comfort and betrayal of their thoughts and imagination in these uncertain times.  Anxious and bitter through his steely and weakening eyes, Josephson struggles with his recollections as his world becomes smaller.

Theatre Kapow’s ROOM continues live streaming through Sunday, May 2.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Unpredictable, humorous, and insightful, Lyric Stage Company’s ‘The Roommate’ not your average odd couple

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Don’t underestimate Lyric Stage Company’s The Roommate as a frothy chick lit piece about middle aged women.  The innocent splash of coffee on the promotional poster does not begin to describe this thrilling drama.  With unexpected twists and two exceptional leads, Jen Silverman’s The Roommate is so much more than that.  The Lyric Stage took the audience from an Argentinean prison in Kiss of the Spider Woman in September to the welcoming setting of a rural kitchen in Iowa for The Roommate, but both settings have their share of dark secrets.  The Roommate features an odd coupling of one woman who is overwhelmed by life and the other who wants to change hers completely.

The Roommate poster

The Lyric Stage presents ‘The Roommate’ Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage Company

Directed by Spiro Veloudos and laden with funny, relatable moments, Jen Silverman’s The Roommate, a one act, 90 minute drama with no intermission, continues at 140 Clarendon Street in Boston, Massachusetts through November 18.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Surrounded by a little too cheerful, inviting Iowa kitchen decorated in mismatched floral décor and what looks like a working island stove, the setting, cleverly designed by Jenna McFarland Lord, could be an extension of Paula Plum as frenzied, relentlessly upbeat Sharon.  Having never had a roommate before and in her mid 50s, it is easy to relate to her nervous twittering and chatter as she waits for her roommate to arrive.

The Roommate Adrianne Krystansky as Robyn as Paula Plum as Sharon at the table

Adrianne Krstansky as Robyn and Paula Plum as Sharon Photo courtesy of the Lyric Stage Company

Dressed in a floral blouse and apron, Sharon is the picture of country living, her hands always busy with an occasional nervous laugh masking melancholy and loneliness.  Paula Plum steps seamlessly into the role of this complicated woman enhanced by her gasps, her excited utterances of glee, and her flicker of self awareness that brings Sharon to exuberant life.

When collected, quiet, and artistic Robyn arrives, Sharon considers how different their worlds are.  The Roommate contains as many humorous moments as it does dark ones and a particularly amusing highlight surrounds the two women’s backgrounds.  Sharon brows rise when Robyn describes her Bronx background while Robyn becomes startled over potential Iowa tornadoes while Sharon brushes them off.  Their quirky, malleable chemistry has a life of its own and it evolves and transforms throughout the play.

The Roommate Paula Plum as Sharon and Adrianne Krystansky as Robyn smoking

Paula Plum as Sharon and Adrianne Krstansky as Robyn Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage Company

Dressed in dark colors and Doc Martins which match her black hair styled in a bob, Adrianne Krstansky portrays Robyn close to the chest, a mysterious, stealthy woman mature beyond her years where every personal detail is a painful revelation.  Krstansky gives an understated performance which simmers as the play progresses.  Each one of Krstansky and Plum’s conversations is a palpable tug of war, and one can’t help but hope that traditional, sheltered Sharon will somehow win.   However guarded Sharon and Robyn are, both are longing to relate to one another and the end result reveals more about themselves than they could have possibly imagined.

The Roommate Paula Plum standing as Sharon and Adrianne Krystansky as Robyn

Paula Plum as Sharon and Adrianne Krstansky as Robyn Courtesy of the Lyric Stage Company

The Lyric Stage Company proudly presents The Roommate continuing through Sunday, November 18 at 140 Clarendon Street in Boston, Massachusetts.  Click here for tickets and more information.  Subscriptions and dinner packages are also available.  Follow The Lyric Stage on Twitter and Facebook for their upcoming productions and more.