July recommendations

in-person theatre! wow!

Okay, so I said this newsletter would be bi-monthly-ish, and June/July has had an emphasis on the "ish." That's because I am directing a play that will be both virtual AND in person and I'm definitely gonna tell you about it once tickets go on sale, which will be a little later this month. For now, bask in the mystery 🙂

🚶🏽 WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN by Aleshea Harris, directed by Whitney White

presented by BAM (NY) in person

Aleshea Harris’ acclaimed, groundbreaking new work is a play, a ritual, and a home-going celebration that bears witness to the physical and spiritual deaths of Black people as a result of racist violence. Setting out to disrupt the pervasiveness of anti-Blackness and acknowledge the inherent value of Black people, What to Send Up When It Goes Down blurs the boundaries between actors and audiences. These participatory performances ask audiences to join in a spirit of openness, offering a space for catharsis, discussion, reflection, and healing.

I don't have much to add about this play especially since it is likely a very different experience depending on the audience member's racial identity. I can only speak to my experience of it as a white woman. I found it theatrically thrilling, and I was profoundly moved by it.

A note from the creators:

The play was created for a Black audience but all are welcome. The intention of the play is to create a space for as many Black-identifying audience members as possible.

💰 buy tickets here for $25
🚨 through July 11
💉 must wear a mask for the whole show

❗️ standby line:* on the day of each performance, if tickets become available, Black-identifying audience members will be given priority for the first six tickets (or three pairs) via a standby line. Standby tickets (if available) can be purchased at the box office just before the start of the show.

*the night I saw the show, several people got in off the standby line. Black audiences especially - it's worth a shot!

🚶🏻‍♀️ ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE after Henrik Ibsen by Robert Icke starring Ann Dowd (!!!)

presented by the Park Avenue Armory (NY) in person

Normally, I do not get excited about plays with celebrities as their selling points. Even less so when the plays are Ibsen adaptations. One exception is Ann Dowd, who I would happily watch read the tax code. And I am pleased to tell you that not only does she rock the screen but she is also a f***ing amazing stage performer. It's a smart, well-written adaptation that brings Ibsen's play cleanly into a contemporary context; the design is stark and well-done, and the gimmick (the audience votes at five points during the play on what the whistleblower at the heart of the story should do) is smarter and more effective than the term "gimmick" suggests. If you have $28 to spend and some time to wait in line, it's well worth it. (Or if you have $55+!)

tl;dr

See it if you want to see a titanic performer at the height of her powers, if you're interested in classic plays adapted for now, if you enjoy participatory theatre, if you like choose-your-own adventure stories, if you like stories about the underdog, if you’re an Ann Dowd superfan (like me).

💰 tickets $55+ and available here, rush day-of for $28*
🗓 through August 8
💉 must show proof of vaccination and wear a mask for the whole show
❗️ more tickets just released, buy now!

*From the Armory's website: A limited quantity of $28 same-day rush tickets are now available for purchase for Enemy of the People. In-person rush ticket sales begin 1 hour before each performance and are payable by credit card only. Subject to availability; limit one per person.

🫀 THE BODY NEVER LIES by Becca Blackwell + PEEP SHOW by Stacey Derosier

presented by Soho Rep in person

Part of Soho Rep's Project Number One, which put eight artists on staff for the 2020-21 season, these are two installation pieces. Becca's project:

is a two-booth installation of giving and receiving. In the receiving booth, one can listen to up to 100 heart beats, isolated or all together. This booth is meant to recreate the feeling of being in places of gathering (theaters, clubs, shows, churches, etc.), something our bodies have missed during this past year. The giving booth gives people the opportunity to add to a larger library of bodily sounds, be it a scream, a heartbeat, a fart, a giggle, or anything you can think of.

I love the sound of this. Who doesn't want to fart for art?

Stacey's project:

is a visual study that plays with elements from Stacey’s childhood and adolescent experiences. Stacey describes it as, “…a mirror and a window into my fascination with the compilation of memories over time and how they have come to inform and insulate the construction of myself.”

I’m very excited for both of these pieces.

💰 $5 or pay-what-you-can at the door for both installations
🗓 through July 18

p.s.

I loved the film adaptation of IN THE HEIGHTS. I thought it was a truly theatrical movie - the scale and spectacle of the film felt like a stage musical. I laughed, I cried, I left feeling buoyant.

p.p.s.

If you’re not in New York or not ready to go back to in-person theatre, fear not! The next edition of the newsletter will have virtual projects to check out.