Harrison, TX (59e59) and Getting the Business (Theater Row) both recommended!

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 8/13/12 at 12:06am

Really enjoyed both of these shows and I can see a longer life for both of them.

Harrison, TX (59 East 59 St Theater) has a very talented cast including Hallie Foote (the playwright's daughter) and the always wonderful Jayne Houdyshell. The three plays are all about life in Texas, set in the 1920s or 1950s. Great set design. Audience really was getting into how the aunt was telling the young lady how to act during her blind date with the guy. Quite funny how she was told to memorize certain things and then how things actually turn out. I can't get the ending out of my head. Very charming and sweet ending. Warning: The One-Armed Man has a loud gunshot (but I won't spoil what happens). The Midnight Caller is the longest of the three and quite good as well. Life with a bunch of roommates and their romantic ups and downs. Very poignant as it explains why things happened the way they did to the various characters. The characters all have their very distinct personalities. I can see this one transferring to Broadway as a prior Horton Foote show did. 1 hour 53 minutes with no intermission (and roughly a 60 to 90 second pause between each play).

Getting the Business (Theater Row) stars the great Susan Louise O'Connor. I've seen her in so many shows throughout the past several years. She totally deserves all the awards she has won. She plays a woman who has an interview at a company and then gets hired by the boss. It's a funny fast-paced comedy/drama about the goings-on at an office. She doesn't have any real resume or experience but she quickly becomes a very real asset to the boss. You soon learn what her motives are. Very short; only 1 hour 23 minutes including a 13 minute intermission. And very enjoyable. I can see this Equity showcase transferring to off-Broadway. Full-price tickets are only $18. Especially great for a "date night."

[After Eight]

Posted: 8/13/12 at 12:21am

I love Horton Foote, but these three plays struck me as minor efforts. The first two were static; the third was more interesting as a character study. Jayne Houdyshell, Mary Bacon, and Evan Jonigkeit were standouts.

Getting the Business was entirely predictable, but it was clever and well acted. It had genuine laughs, as well as some ugly undertones. Its brevity served it well.