TREES LIKE NAILS

BY MONIKHA REYES

Trees Like Nails draws you in from the very beginning, with an eerie interlude of shadows and gritty rap. Two figures appear by the flickering light of a lantern held by Robbie, who wants to show his brother Frank a very “pretty” discovery. By the time you find out exactly what the discovery is, you will be completely engrossed in this dark drama!

Trees Like Nails delves into the lives of seven suburban kids dealing with secrets. These kids hold nothing back – drugs, drinking, jealousy, desire, and even death only scratch the surface of this production. Although the young people in Trees Like Nails are dealing with slightly different issues than myself (for example, I have never found a dead body in the woods), I was still able to relate easily to the characters and situations.

I had the privilege of interviewing many of the actors after the performance. When I asked how they developed their characters, they had many different answers. Jack Moore, who plays Robbie, spoke about creating his character with high school classmate and Trees Like Nails playwright Will Snider. Working with someone that he knew as a teenager added more levels to his role. Cally Robertson pulled from memories of her past to relate to the character of curious but naïve Tracy.

I asked actor Josh Breslow, who played Frank, what it was like to inhabit such an intense role. “To not be myself is a new thing,” he said with a grin. He explained that his characters in the past have always been relatable to some degree, but in order to play Frank, he had to “play dark.” Breslow also mentioned what a help it was that everyone working on the production got along and supported each other.

Knowing that they all enjoyed what they do and had fun in the process is definitely one of the reasons why this play is such a hit. I highly recommend checking out this show!

Trees Like Nails written by Will Snider and directed by Deanna Weiner. Presented as part of FringeNYC. For more information visit www.treeslikenails.com

THE DEATH OF THE BALL TURRET GUNNER

BY SARAH SCHLESINGER

The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner, a play inspired by a poem of the same title, was written and directed by Anna Moench. The play focuses on the life and final mission of Randall, a ball turret gunner, during World War II. We see Randall at home with his family, enlisting in the Air Force, and in the ball turret during his final mission.

Randall was greatly influenced by the stories that his sister, Susan, told him. Susan told Randall about a storm so horrendous that she thought that she would die. Susan said that after seeing what seemed to be the end of the world, she experienced a feeling of complete peace. She felt ready to die because of the beauty of the sky and clouds after the storm. Randall wanted to see the beauty of the sky after the storm, to feel that complete satisfaction with his life. He had that opportunity as a ball turret gunner.

The intensity of The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner is heightened by the use of original music performed by a live orchestra. Its haunting sound remains in your mind well after the play is over. The set, consisting of only one stool, is used most creatively in the different locations depicted in the play. The battle scenes are created by simple, yet expressive choreography. With only a blue light shining overhead, the movements are hypnotic, and you find yourself wishing you did not have to blink.

I was fortunate enough to speak with creator Anna Moench. She said she read the poem The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner in high school, and it stayed with her ever since. The dialogue of the play, inspired by a poem, is intentionally poetic. Each line of the five-line poem inspired a different scene of the play.

I recommend seeing this play. Not only is the story interesting, but you might learn something. In fact, that was one of Anna Moench’s goals. She told me that it was especially important that we learn from our past, and never forget it.

WHAT IS A BALL TURRET GUNNER?

During WWII, a special compartment was designed on a fighter plane that was controlled by the smallest man on the crew. The compartment was too small for emergency equipment - like a parachute. There were several ways that things could go wrong. You could suffocate, fall to your death, be shot out of the sky, or be smashed to bits if your aircraft landed without landing gear. Needless to say, it was a very high-risk job.

The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner presented as part of FringeNYC. For more information visit www.annamoench.com

CHOOSE YOUR OWN PLAY

BY CHRIS RAMIREZ

Choose Your Own Play is a comedy that allows the audience to decide what happens in that performance. With over 80 different possible endings and multiple twists and turns, creators Timmy Woods and Greg Hundemer provide the audience with a well-executed night of improvisation.

Actors Alex Dorman and Matt Lusk delivered strong performances, playing their multiple roles with ease. Caleb George stood out with his performances as Satan and Waldo from Where’s Waldo? This guy should be on Saturday Night Live!

I was so impressed that the actors kept their energy up in the most uncomfortable theatre. Without air-conditioning, the Milagro Theatre was a sauna. In fact, some audience members left at intermission. There were also problems with the lights, which I felt left many characters in the dark or shadowed so heavily that their lines were lost. I went on opening night, so I’m confident that these technical issues will be repaired during the run.

Choose Your Own Play is hilarious and a lot of fun for the audience, especially those interested in improvisation.

This play is not for all ages. It contains adult situations and mature language. I highly recommend this play to teenagers, but be warned… it can get hot in that theatre.

Choose Your Own Play presented as part of FringeNYC. For more information visit http://www.chooseyourownplay.net/

VELVET SCRATCH - VOYAGE OF NO RETURN

BY SABRINA KHAN

Anastasia Revi’s unconventional musical Velvet Scratch - Voyage of No Return, is a fascinating and sinister tale about the small and lonesome village of Velvet Town. Velvet Town is a secluded town where struggling mothers leave their infant girls to be raised by the mayor. The girls grow up waiting for the big feast, when one lucky girl gets the chance to go out into the real world alone. The mayor chooses Margot on the day of the feast, but she dies mysteriously and is forever condemned to the underworld.

While in the underworld, Margot thinks about the circumstances of her death and tells stories of the quirky and scandalous deaths of Taluna, the town’s Greta Garbo wannabe; Elvira, the eccentric cook with a taste for human flesh; La Pupe, the aspiring ballerina with unattractively large feet, among others. These characters come to life at different times by two ladies of the underground lair, performed by Laura Morgan and Alexandra Dyranis-Maonis.

The clever and dark style of the play reminded me of Tim Burton and Edgar Allen Poe. Despite a small stage and enough time to transition between scenes, the performers are always enticing. The lacy and shredded props and detailed set design add to the mood, captivating the audience. To top it off, the instrumental music is perfect at portraying a feeling simultaneously eerie and sensual, threatening and soothing. On the whole, Velvet Scratch-Voyage of No Return is a great production, although recommended for mature audiences able to swallow the imaginary violence and sick sense of humor draped around Velvet Town.

Created by Anastasia Revi. Presented by the Theatre Lab Company as part of FringeNYC. For more information click here.

ROSALEE WAS HERE

BY SARAH ABDALLA

This summer, when school’s out, you might want to take some time off and visit Rosalee’s class! Based on a true story, Rosalee Was Here shares the experiences of Rosalee, a girl who has issues controlling her behavior. Rosalee is forced to spend all of her time with the annoying school aid, Mrs. Kimball. Rosalee frequently tries to escape from Mrs. Kimball’s watchful eye, causing the two of them to end up in the principal’s office.

The play documents the relationships that Rosalee builds with Mrs. Kimball. Even when they don’t get along, it is obvious that Mrs. Kimball cares about Rosalee and that Rosalee does not take Mrs. Kimball for granted. The play concludes with a scene that takes place at the end of the school year and really expresses their love dynamic. No matter how many difficulties they both faced during the school year, it is hard for these two former foes to part.

Despite how loud and obnoxious Rosalee is, she grew on me throughout the play, and I walked out of the play loving her! Rosalee Was Here was a remarkable play and I am delighted that I was able to see it. The acting was very realistic and the story and ideas were authentic. The concepts that were presented throughout the show made this play a truly unforgettable one. I highly recommend it.

Rosalee Was Here presented by Winterset Productions. Written by Maura Campbell and directed by Toby Ring Thelin. For more information visit www.rosaleewashere.com

CLONE

BY ROBERT SMITH

Imagine that one day you open your eyes and see an exact image of yourself. And you’re not looking in a mirror. Would you freak out? Ah…yeah! Faint? You bet! Think of devious ways to have an easier life from now on? That’s only the beginning!

Clone is a play about a lonely and unproductive writer named John who orders a clone of himself for a bit of entertainment. The play opens with John 1 (Christopher Loar) and John 2 (Aaron Hodges) onstage, making identical movements and gestures. Looking at his clone with both fright and amazement, John 1 reads the accompanying instructions. This scene was interesting because it showed the actors ability and range as they effectively made their movements as if they were in front of a mirror.

In order to test the clone, John 1 asks the clone questions that only the real John would know. To his surprise and joy, John 2 knows the exact answers, so John 1 sends John 2 to take his place at work. Things are going well for the two until John 2 begins to scheme ways to kill his owner and live life among the real.

I liked Clone because it was new and fresh with raw humor. The dialogue sounded like a real conversation and the jokes were natural. The coolest part of the play was watching two actors play the same character at the same time.

I wasn’t entirely sure what the overall message was, but I have an idea. I think that Christopher Loar was trying to convey that life is boring and you need a clone in order to have fun.

Just kidding! I think Loar is saying that you are the only one who can live your life.

Clone is a Conlab production that was written by Christopher Loar and directed by Rafael Gallegos. For more information click here.

BEHOLD, THE BOWERY!

BY SARAH SCHLESINGER

Behold, the Bowery! is a dramatic musical written and directed by Daniel Pfau, a member of the Attic Theater Company. Pfau loosely based the show on the book Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York by Luc Sante.

Set in early 20th century downtown Manhattan, Behold, The Bowery! involves conspiracy, treachery, murder, and betrayal. Live musicians play piano, guitar, and violin onstage, which gives the play a sense of authenticity. The music is haunting and sweet, with Celtic undertones.

The story centers around two characters; Julian Fisk (played by Daniel Abeles), an actor/conman who searches for ways to square his enormous debt with a dangerous gangster named Dead Horse (played by Einar Gunn). Dead Horse makes it clear that if Julian does not pay his debt, the future will not be bright.

There are funny characters and scenes in this play, which help lighten the dark nature of the plot. Characters include a Master of Ceremonies, who addresses the audience as, "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and all that fall betwixt the two," and a religious preacher who scolds the customers in a bar. In other scenes there is singing and dancing by the ladies of the Broken Nose Inn and a comedic song by the Bowery Bum.

You will not regret seeing this play. The characters were very well written and performed. Each character's emotions are vivid, making them very human and easy to relate to. The dialogue, mannerisms, and inflection of words the characters use fit the setting of the early 20th century well, like the final piece of a puzzle. As you walk out of the theater, into modern day Manhattan, you will find yourself mulling over the characters, and wondering what became of them.

BEHOLD, THE BOWERY is presented as part of FringeNYC.
For more information, visit www.beholdthebowery.com.