Since Thursday, i have seen 5 readings, 2 productions, and a concert at NYMF - all but one have closed:
ILLUMINATI LIZARDS: i really wanted this to be more fun than it was, i think the production values were too high in some ways, and it'd be better off as a scrappy little basement show. Brian Rooney and a couple others seemed to really get it right as far as camp level / over the top comedy, but in general this was a miss for me.
LADYSHIP: We saw this on Saturday afternoon when the leading LADY was out sick, so they did a concert version with one of the writers filling in. I liked it quite a bit, the songs were enjoyable and the cast was very strong. Book-wise it may have fallen into some cliche traps, but in these circumstances, it was easier to ignore..
SAVAGE (CONCERT): I was very excited about this, it's a story i have not heard - Wanda Savage, native american sharpshooter, vaudeville star, and silent film actress... unfortunately the result was a disappointment. Even allowing for the fact that this was a concert, with limited dialog and stage directions, we are given no clear idea of the events of Wanda's life, much less any insight into it. The show has a nice sound, but the lyrics need a helping hand, there are prosody issues throughout. I'd hope the creator moves forward with this, perhaps with new collaborators?
Note: the Beechman is COLD. Like icy arctic breezes cold, if you see something there, come prepared.
READINGS
FREEDOM SUMMER: Black and white activists fighting for civil rights in Jim Crow Mississippi in 1964, leading to the deaths of 3 of them. The show felt very very new, and somehow incomplete, like it was act 1 (and it was only about 75 minutes). i'd be interested in seeing a more fully realized version. More historical context would help - i think the authors assume the audience has knowledge that they may not.
QUEEN E: Strong leads with weak support, it was a fun feminist bible story about Esther and the origin of Purim (something i was only slightly familiar with) with a modern flair and humor. Some aspects felt like a kids show, but not entirely, and i hope they decide which way they want it to go. This could be a successful seasonal family show
EVERYTHING IS OKAY: Millennial angst. Not my cup of tea. Nope. THEIR description calls it a 'hot mess musical', i'll leave it at that.
THE DISAPPEARING MAN: This was the event i was most excited about, and it lived up to it. It is a kind of dark folk opera about a traveling circus during the 1930s. The cast is excellent. The songs are great. The story is compelling. There is one more presentation, Thursday at 10:30 am (!) and if you can go, GO. (here's info and a recording of an earlier version: https://jahnsood.com/theater/the-disappearing-man/)
HERO: the delightful surprise for me thus far. A kinda meta superhero origin story that also dips into issues of race, sexuality, gentrification, and family. Pop songwriting, offbeat sense of humor, a really good time. I wish this still had performances, i'd be sending folks there.
I'm missing KAFKA'S METAMORPHOSIS today due to a cold, and seeing another, non-NYMF, reading tonight.
This week has in store:
readings: BROTHER NAT, UNDERGROUND, BISLAND & BLY, and ABDUCTION
concerts: JOE ICONIS in concert and hopefully FINDING BEAUTIFUL
i'm up in the air about the 2 productions this week, BLACK HOLE WEDDING and LEAVING EDEN - happy for any reports!
