SlowLearner

VIRAL

Since you're already planning to take your own life...

... there's something you can do that will make a lot of lonely people very happy.

Part of the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival.

More details soon.

VIRAL on Facebook.

--SlowLearner

INFECT YOURSELF TONIGHT

I'm trying to get my shit together to write a proper review that gets at my feelings about Infectious Opportunity, the new show presented by my longtime cohorts Nosedive Productions, and hopefully will in a day or so.

For this morning, suffice it to say that Infectious Opportunity by James Comtois, directed by Pete Boivert, put together by the Nosedive team of Marc Landers, Becky Comtois, Stephanie Williams, Ben Vandenboom, and Patrick Charles Philucifer Willis Shearer (with special guests Ian W. Hill and Itai Sol), starring (in addition to Becky) David Ian Lee, Andrea Marie Smith, DR Hanson, Daryl Lathon, Ronica Reddick, and Matthew Trumbull is a masterful piece of theater at every level - great script, great direction, great production, great performances.

My previous favorite Nosedive show was 2005's Dying Goldfish, but this one surpassed it. I know I'm in the minority on Goldfish, but I'm not gonna be in the minority on this one. You could feel this one clicking with everyone in the room. This is a hit. The early rep on this show was that it was the most fucked up shit James has ever come up with, but that part kinda got out of the way early for me, and it quickly became the most heart-wrenching script he's written. In writing this character who is entirely despicable at the conceptual level, James has created for me his most sympathetic protagonist.

Anyone in the arts knows how easily they could turn into Wes Farley, how easy it is to value the general approval and admiration of others over a specific connection with any one person, how easy it is to say whatever thing will impress people in any given moment, and how easy it is to project a sense of authenticity rather than act authentically because the former gets the same response with much less effort. This isn't specific to the arts, but it's prevalent there. This play is being sold as a dark comedy about an awful guy pulling an awful scam - and can certainly be experienced that way - but it's actually a tragedy about what happens when the desire to be thought of well supersedes all other motivations - what kind of person that turns you into, and what kind of life it leaves you with.

Anyway, I can feel as I'm writing that I don't have my thoughts together. My point is, don't wait for the last two shows - clear your schedule and see it tonight. We'll talk some more later.

--SlowLearner

SOME DAYS...

...I wish I lived in Chicago.

Have a great opening, guys.

--SlowLearner

MORE ROBOT LOVE

First of all, can I just say what a pleasure it is to get reviewed by science fiction sites? In addition to the kind thoughts from Pink Raygun, we can now add these fantastic reviews from SF Scope and Tor.

Incidentally, while the Tor review is overall positive - it's hard to beat "unless you’ve got the cold, steel heart of a robot, you should see it now, so you can say you saw it when" - there's some pointed and detailed criticism of the first act in there as well from the reviewer, Liz Gorinsky. Playwrights often bitch about critics, and I've done my share of that, but I gotta say, Gorinsky's thoughts are carefully and rigorously argued, and I'm going to think pretty hard about them if I should get another chance to refine this script. 

Meanwhile, another rave comes to us from Theater Online, which concludes with:

Universal Robots is one of the strongest, most exciting plays I've seen in years. This one is not to be missed.

Here's the deal: I'm not trying to sell tickets at this point. Almost every remaining seat is spoken for. I'm just reiterating that we're doing this show in a tiny theater, and if you want to see it, definitely don't wait. 

--SlowLearner

WHAT'S THAT?

Not enough rave reviews of UNIVERSAL ROBOTS the other day? Think there should be two more?

Here's one.

Here's two.

I'm such a dick.

Seriously though, we sold out again last night, and that was a Wednesday. You definitely want to grab your tickets now if it seems like something you'd like to see.

--SlowLearner

NOTHING WARMS THE HEART

quite like discovering your stuff on Wikipedia when you didn't put it there.

--SlowLearner

CAN WE JUST

Sheila Callaghan, like me, opened a play recently. I just want to say this post is perfect.

--SlowLearner

FOLKS LIKE UNIVERSAL ROBOTS

There are two weeks - nine performances total -  left in the run of UNIVERSAL ROBOTS at Manhattan Theatre Source.  Friday and Saturday tickets are running out, with Wednesday and Thursday seats close behind, so get your tickets now. 

This coming Saturday, February 28th we have added a 2PM MATINEE in addition to our remaining  performances on Wednesday through Saturday, February 25-28 and March 4-7. PLEASE NOTE: ALL EVENING PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT 7:30 PM.

I think you should see this. I think you should consider seeing it this week, as next week we're going to sell out every show and we will be extra-unhappy turning folks away when there were empty chairs the third week. To support my recommendation, I offer you the following testimonials from around the internets:

Read Pink Raygun on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS:

"Universal Robots isn't campy, cheesy sci-fi.  It's a work that is capable of shaking you to the core, forcing you to examine your own humanity, ideals, and faith."

******

Read NYTheatre on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS:.

"The well-directed (by Rosemary Andress) ensemble cast slides smoothly from character to character and from scene to scene, whether a play within a play, a café, or a mad scientist's basement.

At its core the play is about what it is to be human and the nature of humanity is not an easy thing to take on. Rogers definitely comes out on top and deftly weaves his complicated tale...the play wraps up in a surprising end that is anything but robotic."

*************

Read Jimmy on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS:

"How does Rogers & Company pull this off? I think because the philosophical, historical and spiritual elements never take place at the expense of the story. This also means you don't need to enter the theatre with a doctorate in mid-20th Century history or any knowledge of the Kapeks' work or biographies to follow the play.

This truly is the stuff of Great Theatre (Title Case intended). For those who missed the workshop production, I can't stress enough that you really need to see this. "

************

Read NYU Computer Science and Robotics Professor Yann LeCun on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS:

"Riveting from beginning to end!

Each little dialogue and detail that seems gratuitous at first turns out to have major consequence for the future of humanity. The play feels like an elaborate scaffolding in which every small part plays an important role in keeping the construction together"

Read Backstage on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS (admittedly, I cherry-picked here, but hey, there were genuine cherries to be picked):

"A beautifully written character, Jo falls in love with a doomed waiter and then helps create the world's first robot, Radius, in his image. Portraying her as wry and lonely in an all-male circle, [Jennifer Gordon] Thomas easily turns Jo into the play's heart and conscience as she struggles to understand what she and Capek have sprung on the world. As Radius, Jason Howard matches Thomas' performance, seamlessly transforming from a terrific imitation of a robot into a bewildered creature that doesn't understand the mercurial nature of humans. Likewise, [Esther] Barlow is a delight as the headstrong and desperate Helena and eventually a heartbreakingly naive and courageous robot."

*************

Read Zack Calhoon on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS:

"A great piece of theatrical writing that rivals not only the paragons of the science fiction genre, but the literary titans of theatre world (Albee, O'Neill, Williams, etc.). Go see this play. Go see this play. Go see this play!!!

This extraordinary script sings in the loving hands of its director, Rosemary Andress who seamlessly weaves the scenes together utilizing a wonderful three quarter thrust staging. I' ve seen and been in a few productions at Manhattan Theatre Source, and believe that this is one of the best seating set ups I've seen there in years.

Now, writing a play where more than four or five characters are given complete and dynamic story arcs is a Herculean feat in the literary world. Rogers and his superb cast (costumed to perfection by Nicky J. Smith) make it look easy. Jason Howard gives the performance of his career as the warm-hearted Radosh, and the heartbreaking prototype, robot Radius. As Radius, the specificity of the evolution of Howard's movements and vocal inflections had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. Jennifer Gordon Thomas's portrayal of the heartbroken Jo is the other highlight of the evening. Through her stillness and emotional intensity, Thomas turns in a deeply moving performance. I was also struck by the versatility and inventiveness of Nancy Siriani as the enigmatic Rossum."

***************

Read Joe Bendell on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS:

"A richly satisfying play, highly recommended to those who enjoy the work of Stoppard and Michael Frayn's recent plays.

Rogers' play is a heady brew of ideas and ethical issues, but it also packs an emotional punch, thanks to a great cast. Particularly touching are the scenes between Jennifer Gordon Thomas as Jo Čapek and Jason Howard, first as Radosh, the barkeep she fancies, and then as Radius, his robot doppelganger. David Ian Lee and David Lamberton, as Čapek and Masaryk respectively, also effectively convey the deeper humanity of their famous characters. Their scenes discussing the Christian subtext Masaryk perceives in Čapek's work are in fact, some of the highpoints of the play.

Though it addresses some pretty advanced concepts, director Rosemary Andress never lets the proceedings get bogged down in dry intellectualism. In fact, Universal seems much shorter than its actual running time."

Read NYU News on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS (more cherry-picking, but they really liked the performances):

"Jason Howard is noteworthy; he plays dual roles: cafe owner Radosh and an increasingly intelligent robot named Radius. His quiet, understated acting early on in the play allows him to play heartbreaking scenes as the story progresses, struggling to understand the world around him in such a way that we are drawn along with his painful realizations. It is one thing to watch an actor play a feeling, but it's another entirely to have the actor draw you along from one thought to the next.

Ben Sulzbach, as the good-hearted inventor Peroutka, brings simplicity and childlike honesty to the script. These two and the other well-acted characters give enough human life to the script to allow audience members to suspend their disbelief."

*************

Read Mike Mariano on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS:

"Mac Rogers has taken a historically notable play—a play that was cultural currency; a play that gave us a concept we still employ daily—and turned it into something elegant, heartbreaking, and beautiful.

I wrote about the workshop production of Universal Robots last year. The cast and script are largely the same, but new director Rosemary Andress brings to the work vivid stage pictures that make the play even more spellbinding."

******************

Read The VIllage Examiner on UNIVERSAL ROBOTS:

"Rogers re-imagined version is smart, scary at times and theatrical. Kudos to an excellent cast, that includes Jason Howard as Radius, the hard-working robot who learns how to take over the world. "

I really think you should see this play, and not not see it. I think you will feel that your time was well-spent.

The Great War has just ended. Czechoslovakia is a republic with an elected president and a thriving artistic community that includes celebrated playwright Karel Capek. But history cracks wide open when a young woman walks into Karel's life with a strange mannequin in a wheelchair… a mannequin that gets up and moves all by itself.

A science fiction thriller, love story, political allegory, redemptive tragedy and fast-paced entertainment, Universal Robots offers a compelling, alternate history of the Twentieth Century, starting with the invention of the robot in 1921 and chronicling the extraordinary consequences of that invention, which changes the world forever.



Tickets: $18 

Director: Rosemary Andress
Starring: Esther Barlow, Jason Howard, David Ian Lee, David Lamberton, Michelle O’Connor, Ridley Parson, Nancy Sirianni, Tarantino Smith, Ben Sulzbach & Jennifer Gordon Thomas
Production Mgr: Saundra Yaklin
Set Designer: Raul Abrego
Lighting Designer: Kia Rogers
Sound Designer: Ien Denio

more information at:  www.universalrobots.net

--SlowLearner

I, ROBOT

Check it out!

MAKE A BIG NOISE

I was pleased to see Martin Denton's rave review of Andrea Lepcio's Looking For The Pony this evening. I have managed to miss many of this plays iterations over the past several years, but I did see I think was its original ten-minute form, at Manhattantheatresource's Estrogenius Festival back in 2002. It was, and remains in my head, the best ten-minute play I've ever seen. It made me actually respect the whole concept of the ten minute play. It packed more innovation and emotional depth into ten minutes than I thought possible. I'm glad to know it survived to full length intact. 

--SlowLearner