#1
Posted: 12/24/07 at 10:22am
to Andy & Tony- thanks 
E20
Speech & Debate
Black Box Theater at Harold & Miriam Steinberg Center for Theater
New Play by Stephen Karam (OFF OFF BROADWAY)
12/22 2:30 matinee
1 hour and 45 mins without intermission
Price : $20.00 (web full price)
INTRO:
A friend of mine once told me..that if someone knew something about you (dirt) ..that person has a power over you... We say that we dont care what people think of us... but it is really true? or sometimes..what people think about us.. is what really matter to us. There's a saying that a reputation takes a lifetime to built but a second to destroy. This is the theme of the new play by Stephen Karam, playing at the Roundabout's new Black Box Theater which interweaves with current issues such as teenage experiences about homophobia among the gay community, teenage abortion, rejections, alienation and lastly coming in terms with these issues.
It is my first Off-Off Broadway (?) play too. (I guess...less than 100 seats) Lately I am developing a liking to Off-Broadway shows since its more intimate, less crowded, less commercial and I dont have to climb a 3-stories high to get into my seat.
This is probably the "hip"-iest play on Broadway right now. It uses lingo such as LOL! ROFL...FYI! It talks about blogs, message boards, podcast & chat rooms..
Things I Like about the Play
1. The Story: Basically its a story of three teenagers...Solomon a closeted gay guy who is obsessed with outing a conservative politician, Diwata-teenage girl who is obsessed in starring in Mary Rodgers' Once Upon a Mattress and rejection issues and lastly Howie a "queeny" gay guy who is obsessed with gay.com chat room.
2. Sarah Steele (as Diwata)- she is very good in the play, she's very funny yet has that vulnerable part when she opened up to Howie about getting pregnant and having an abortion. Its so funny when she replied about homophobia as being soo 90's and gay guys should get over it...and its "IN" thing nowadays to be out and about and its harder for her to be accepted or fit-in being a double-minority as a female and a Filipino ( yup- she's 1/18 Filipina) BTW- her name is pronounce "Dee-wah-ta" which means...goddess or a fairy.
3. Gideon Glick ( as Howie)-Suprsisingly he got a more meatier role here than Spring Awakening as the "queeny Howie". He is probably one of the reason why I like the play so much . He is very convincing as a queeny gay guy who is really worried how his fellow students will perceive him...he tried to mask his loneliness & alienation by looking for casual sex at gay.com's chat room which for me - to find acceptance and probbably to make some $$ too. (?)
4. Jason Fuchs (as Solomon) as the closeted gay guy who hates being gay but obsessed in "outing" other people. He was very good in this role, though I felt that there was a problem with his posture (but could be a part of his character?)The part where the two guys confronted him that they knew his dark secret (getting a hand job in the male restroom by a closeted teacher) was a very good scene. His reaction... throwing up and he was all red in the face... is quite a theatrical experience... that alone is worth the price of admission. He is my favorite actor in the entire play. I was deeply moved by his character- being gay yet cannot admit to it and there's some sort of homophobia in him. His facial reaction admitting he was gay was just beyond words.
5. The Set Design - As you enter the theater.. Its basically a class room setting..
It has no platform stage.. all in an eye level. there's three chalk board and the 67 audience seats are movable seats (like the one they use in a classroom) but the last two rows are high chairs... it looks like a class room... with spotlights on the ceilings and movable classroom seats..I was a bit on the fence when I heard that the
set.. oh no! the theater is basically a classroom setting but after I saw the play. I really like the set (now I will call it set design) - I think it works perfectly and you feel like you were a part of it.
The projections on the chalk boards were really very creative. I like the part were Howie was typing at the internet (gay.com) while in his underwear at the begining of the play while the other chater's response was being projected on the screen-very creative yet functional.
6. The Lighting Design : I love the overhead projector that was used as a spotlight in during the George Michael's Freedom '90 song. Overall- the lighting really made you feel that you were in a classroom setting yet it also made you feel that you are inside a theater too.
7. The Direction of Jason Moore : just plain brilliant.. under his directions the three lead actors work perfectly together onstage.. no weak link even...Susan Blackwell is great as Teacher & Reporter. His whole staging- I really admired it --very unconventional yet very effective. I wonder what he will do with SHREK the musical?
Thing(s) I Dont Like about the Play
N O N E
In Summary: As I said in the other thread.. I am very grateful to two posters here who encouraged me to see this marvelous play.. Its not to be miss ! Its extended now till 2/08 thought its $50.00 now but its worth it . The writting is just brilliant and very contemporary.
I will end this Report with a thought from the play...Be very careful what you do in the internet....what you type .... or what you post ....you think its SAFE and its personal but its OUT THERE for the whole world to read it...it may get back to you someday or worst... it may haunt you...but in the end...who really cares? LIFE GOES ON.. Everyone has their "little secret" and dealing with it ...is really what makes us of who we are....
BTW- My 10/10 Report on MAKE ME A SONG will follow next which I saw the same day (12/22) at 5 pm matinee. I had a busy day last Saturday.
Score : 7/0- I like it and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Harold & Miriam Steinberg Center for the Theater
The Black Box Theater
Photo by : Walter McBride
Production Photos
The Program
extended now till February 2008
E20
Speech & Debate
Black Box Theater at Harold & Miriam Steinberg Center for Theater
New Play by Stephen Karam (OFF OFF BROADWAY)
12/22 2:30 matinee
1 hour and 45 mins without intermission
Price : $20.00 (web full price)
INTRO:
A friend of mine once told me..that if someone knew something about you (dirt) ..that person has a power over you... We say that we dont care what people think of us... but it is really true? or sometimes..what people think about us.. is what really matter to us. There's a saying that a reputation takes a lifetime to built but a second to destroy. This is the theme of the new play by Stephen Karam, playing at the Roundabout's new Black Box Theater which interweaves with current issues such as teenage experiences about homophobia among the gay community, teenage abortion, rejections, alienation and lastly coming in terms with these issues.
It is my first Off-Off Broadway (?) play too. (I guess...less than 100 seats) Lately I am developing a liking to Off-Broadway shows since its more intimate, less crowded, less commercial and I dont have to climb a 3-stories high to get into my seat.
This is probably the "hip"-iest play on Broadway right now. It uses lingo such as LOL! ROFL...FYI! It talks about blogs, message boards, podcast & chat rooms..
Things I Like about the Play
1. The Story: Basically its a story of three teenagers...Solomon a closeted gay guy who is obsessed with outing a conservative politician, Diwata-teenage girl who is obsessed in starring in Mary Rodgers' Once Upon a Mattress and rejection issues and lastly Howie a "queeny" gay guy who is obsessed with gay.com chat room.
2. Sarah Steele (as Diwata)- she is very good in the play, she's very funny yet has that vulnerable part when she opened up to Howie about getting pregnant and having an abortion. Its so funny when she replied about homophobia as being soo 90's and gay guys should get over it...and its "IN" thing nowadays to be out and about and its harder for her to be accepted or fit-in being a double-minority as a female and a Filipino ( yup- she's 1/18 Filipina) BTW- her name is pronounce "Dee-wah-ta" which means...goddess or a fairy.
3. Gideon Glick ( as Howie)-Suprsisingly he got a more meatier role here than Spring Awakening as the "queeny Howie". He is probably one of the reason why I like the play so much . He is very convincing as a queeny gay guy who is really worried how his fellow students will perceive him...he tried to mask his loneliness & alienation by looking for casual sex at gay.com's chat room which for me - to find acceptance and probbably to make some $$ too. (?)
4. Jason Fuchs (as Solomon) as the closeted gay guy who hates being gay but obsessed in "outing" other people. He was very good in this role, though I felt that there was a problem with his posture (but could be a part of his character?)The part where the two guys confronted him that they knew his dark secret (getting a hand job in the male restroom by a closeted teacher) was a very good scene. His reaction... throwing up and he was all red in the face... is quite a theatrical experience... that alone is worth the price of admission. He is my favorite actor in the entire play. I was deeply moved by his character- being gay yet cannot admit to it and there's some sort of homophobia in him. His facial reaction admitting he was gay was just beyond words.
5. The Set Design - As you enter the theater.. Its basically a class room setting..
It has no platform stage.. all in an eye level. there's three chalk board and the 67 audience seats are movable seats (like the one they use in a classroom) but the last two rows are high chairs... it looks like a class room... with spotlights on the ceilings and movable classroom seats..I was a bit on the fence when I heard that the
set.. oh no! the theater is basically a classroom setting but after I saw the play. I really like the set (now I will call it set design) - I think it works perfectly and you feel like you were a part of it.
The projections on the chalk boards were really very creative. I like the part were Howie was typing at the internet (gay.com) while in his underwear at the begining of the play while the other chater's response was being projected on the screen-very creative yet functional.
6. The Lighting Design : I love the overhead projector that was used as a spotlight in during the George Michael's Freedom '90 song. Overall- the lighting really made you feel that you were in a classroom setting yet it also made you feel that you are inside a theater too.
7. The Direction of Jason Moore : just plain brilliant.. under his directions the three lead actors work perfectly together onstage.. no weak link even...Susan Blackwell is great as Teacher & Reporter. His whole staging- I really admired it --very unconventional yet very effective. I wonder what he will do with SHREK the musical?
Thing(s) I Dont Like about the Play
N O N E
In Summary: As I said in the other thread.. I am very grateful to two posters here who encouraged me to see this marvelous play.. Its not to be miss ! Its extended now till 2/08 thought its $50.00 now but its worth it . The writting is just brilliant and very contemporary.
I will end this Report with a thought from the play...Be very careful what you do in the internet....what you type .... or what you post ....you think its SAFE and its personal but its OUT THERE for the whole world to read it...it may get back to you someday or worst... it may haunt you...but in the end...who really cares? LIFE GOES ON.. Everyone has their "little secret" and dealing with it ...is really what makes us of who we are....
BTW- My 10/10 Report on MAKE ME A SONG will follow next which I saw the same day (12/22) at 5 pm matinee. I had a busy day last Saturday.
Score : 7/0- I like it and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Harold & Miriam Steinberg Center for the Theater
The Black Box Theater
Photo by : Walter McBride
Production Photos
The Program
extended now till February 2008
Updated On: 12/25/07 at 10:22 AM
