5 Things To See In March 2013

1. THE (*) INN

The shtetl turns uncanny in Hirschbein’s 1912 classic of Yiddish life, continuing Target Margin Theater's two-year exploration of Yiddish Theater. You might be expecting the farm life, the chicken-plucking and the arranged marriage, but not the S&M lust and the body-snatching wedding guests. The ( * ) Inn was an early touchstone for experimental theater in Yiddish, a sensation in Vilna, in London and in a 1917 New York production. This play is a perfect example of why Target Margin Theater believes Yiddish drama is as innovative and challenging as any in the world. It’s Tevye on drugs. Watch out. The incomparable) David Greenspan stars.

Target Margin Theater presents
The (*) Inn
by Peretz Hirschbein
Directed by David Herskovits

March 6-30, 2013

Abrons Arts Center
466 Grand Street
New York, NY 10002

Tickets: Click Here

2. POCAHONTAS, AND/OR AMERICA

With over 400 years of history, legend, and pop culture as its sources, Little Lord reconstructs the American myth of Pocahontas in their fifth full-length stage work, Pocahontas, and/or America. Taking up the mantle of the early 19th-century dramatists who invented the American theater, Pocahontas, and/or America recreates our country’s origins through the lens of the immortal Indian princess, belle sauvage, Pocahontas. Using contemporary historical accounts, 19th-century melodramas, YMCA Indian Guides, archaeological research, and more, Little Lord digs into disputed histories to find out if it’s still even possible to make a patriotic piece of theater. Part historical pageant, part roadside attraction, Little Lord corrupts over 400 years of fact and fiction to grant America the founding myth we all deserve.

The Bushwick Starr and Little Lord Present:
Pocahontas, and/or America
Written and adapted by Michael Levinton and Laura von Holt
Associate Producer / Dramaturg: Sarah Bishop-Stone
Directed by Michael Levinton

March 5-23

The Bushwick Starr
207 Starr Street
Brooklyn, NY 11237

Tickets: Click Here


3. ROGERANDTOM

One hour of mind-bending head-scratching, meta-meta-quasi-romanti-tragi-dramedy.
Question the characters.
Question the actors.
Question yourself.
Penny is Penny.
But Richard is William.
And you are just a member of the audience.
Or are you?
Just how impenetrable is the fourth wall?

Personal Space Theatrics and HERE Arts Center present
ROGERANDTOM
By: Julien Schwab
Directed by: Nicholas Cotz

March 1 - 23

HERE
145 Sixth Ave. (enter on Dominick Street)
New York, NY 10013
Tickets: Click Here


4. CLOWN BAR

When Happy’s junkie brother Timmy is found dead, Happy returns to his old clown life to ask a few questions. But can he go home again without getting sucked into the seedy clown underbelly of vice and violence?

Pipeline Theater Company presents
Clown Bar
Written by Adam Szymkowicz
Music & Additional Lyrics by Adam Overett
Directed by Andrew Neisler


March 1 – March 23, 2013

Parkside Lounge
317 E. Houston Street
New York, NY 10002

Tickets: Click Here

5. SHAHEED: THE DREAMS AND DEATH OF BENAZIR BHUTTO

Writer/performer Anna Khaja illuminates the lives and historical forces surrounding slain Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in 2007 while attempting to reunite a nation bitterly divided over the ideals of Islam and democracy. Through the monologues of eight characters that take place in the minutes before Bhutto's death--including Condoleezza Rice and Bhutto herself--we see how Bhutto's life and death resonate far beyond the boundaries of Pakistan, reshaping the world's struggle to reconcile the precepts of Islam with those of democracy.

Culture Project's Women Center Stage presents
Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benazir Bhutto
Written and Performed by Anna Khaja
Directed by Heather de Michele

Culture Project
45 Bleecker Street
New York NY 10012

March 8 — April 1

Tickets: Click Here

20 Favorite Shows of 2012

20 Favorite Shows of 2012:

1. Mission Drift 
(The TEAM/COIL Festival @ Connolly Theater)
The TEAM isn't afraid to tackle big issues, and their epic musical about the history of capitalism and home ownership in the US was no exception.  The fabulous music by Heather Christian was the icing on the already delicious cake! 

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2. The Big Meal 
(@ Playwrights Horizons)
Dan LeFranc's unofficial update of Thornton Wilder's The Long Christmas Dinner was absolutely perfect and the cast and the production equaled it in every way.

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3. We’re Gonna Die 
(Young Jean Lee @ LCT3)
Young Jean Lee did it again, and this time she did it front and center as the lead of a rock band called Future Wife.  The songs complimented the text perfectly. Lee is certainly wise way beyond her years!

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4. What Rhymes With America 
(@ Atlantic Theater)
 Melissa James Gibson's latest play may just be her best to date. Director, Daniel Aukin once again guides another excellent cast through Gibson's unique diologue.

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5. Ich Kurbisgeist 
(Big Dance Theater@ The Chocolate Factory)
It seemed like the cast of  Ich Kurbisgeist was having just as much fun as the audience at The Chocolate Factory.  This production was magical.

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6. 3C 
(Rattlestick Theater)
You either loved  David Adjmi's 3C, or you hated it.  We loved his brutally honest and hilarious interpretation of the famous 70s sitcom, Three's Company.

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7. Broke House 
(Big Art Group @ Abrons Arts Center)
Originally presented as part of the American Realness festival, Big Art Group's Broke House actually got better upon second viewing when it was re-staged in the Spring.  We can't think of a more accurate portrayal of life in 2012 America.

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8. Three Seagulls or MASHAMASHAMASHA! 
(Theater Reconstruction Ensemble @ HERE Arts Center)
This Chekhovian mashup was smart and funny, our two favorite attributes.  John Kurzynowski is a director to watch. 

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9. Rapture, Blister, Burn 
(@ Playwrights Horizons)
Gina Gionfriddo's latest play was a sober look at several generations of women, feminists if you will, and the unintended ways in which life choices have a way of sneaking up one.  It was a pleasure to see Amy Brenneman back on stage.

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10. Uncle Vanya 
(Target Margin @ HERE Arts Center)
David Herskovits' wide open take on Uncle Vanya make you feel as though you were watching a brand new play.  The terrific cast  played gamely along, most notably Edward O’Blenis as Astrov.

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11. David Gordon: The Matter 
(@ Danspace Project)
Whether it was watching Valda Setterfield dance along with a video of her younger self, or watching dozens of NYU students simultaneously perform The Chair with Ms. Setterfield, David Gordon: The Matter may have been the most moving evening we spent in the theater this year.

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12. The Past is a Grotesque Animal 
(@ The Public)
This Argentinian import that was part of both Under The Radar and COIL festivals was a pure theatrical delight.  Performed on a continuously rotating turntable, the nimble cast of four portrayed multiple characters as smoothly as the set spun.

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13. Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 
(@ Ars Nova)
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 was more fun that any musical adaptation of War and Peace has any right to be.  It was thrillingly theatrical turn performed by the best ensemble this year.

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14. Through The Yellow Hour 
(@ Rattlestick Theater)
Adam Rapp's dystopian portrayal of a near-future Manhattan never wavered in its commitment or intensity.  From the moment you entered the theater, the set cast, sound and lighting and text grabbed you and never let go.

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15. You Better Sit Down 
(The Civilians @ The Flea)
Sub titled Tales From My Parents Divorce, The Civilians made and uncomfortable topic both touching and funny.  The cast of four, recounting their own stories, were perfect.

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16. Uncle Vanya 
(@ Soho Rep)
The second Vanya on this list couldn't have been more different that the Target Margin version.  But Annie Baker's casual adaptation worked perfectly in this quiet and intimate production.  Reed Birney, Maria Dizzia and Georgia Engel stood out in this tight ensemble.

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17. Mies Julie
(@ St. Ann’s Warehouse)
Hot, is the first word that comes to mind when thinking about Mies Julie.  Hilda Cronje and Bongile Mantsai were the steamiest couple on the NYC stage this year, and Yael Farber's production, set in South Africa, made Strindberg's play supremely contemporary.

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18. Five Lesbians Eating A Quiche 
(@ FringeNYC)
This Chicago import was probably the outright funniest play of 2012.  The ensemble was hilarious and Five Lesbians had, hands-down, the best stage effect or the year!

19. Gob Squad’s Kitchen (You’ve Never Had It So Good) 
(Under The Radar @ The Public)
Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience,  Gob Squad’s Kitchen hilariously recreated the famous Andy Warhol films Kitchen, Sleep and Screen Test until the actors invite audience members to take their place on stage and on screen.  We usually hate audience participation, but Gob Squad almost makes us want to reconsider.

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20. Port Out, Starboard Home
(@ LaMama)
A creepy cruise may either sound oxymoronic or redundant depending upon your point of view.  In a way Port Out, Starboard Home by Sheila Callaghan makes a case for the latter but definitely letting you laugh (often) throughout.

Preview: Target Margin's 2012-2013 Season

The invaluable Target Margin will dedicate it's 2012-2013 season to exploring Yiddish theater.

First up is their terrific TM Lab, at The Brick from October 17 - November 3, presenting new interpretations of such plays as God, Man, and Devil by Jacob Gordin, Dukus by Alter Kacyzne, and After Midnight by Samuel Daixel. The Lab will also feature a few free events including Panel Discussion: The Other Yiddish Plays with Debra Caplan, Caraid O’Brien, Alyssa Quint, and Nahma Sandrow.

In the spring, Target Margin Artictic Director, David Herskovits, will direct The Haunted Inn a 1912 play by Peretz Hirschbein at Abrons Arts Center. The Haunted Inn will run from March 6-30, 2013.

Plus, their season brochure (?) artwork is awesome!

For tickets and information about Target Margin's 2012-2013 Season: Click Here

Best of 2011: #13 - The Tempest (Target Margin)

In May, the invaluable Target Margin presented Shakespeare's last play, THE TEMPEST, at Here Arts Center, for which they built their version of The Globe.  It was a spirited and magical production that I wish more people had the pleasure of seeing.

Last Chance: Here At Home & The Tempest

This weekend is the closing for two excellent shows that Ludlow Lad can highly recommend.

31 Down's HERE AT HOME is an hypnotic and disorienting piece about war. It is expertly directed and designed.

And Target Margin is finish off their 20th Anniversary Season with Shakespeare and THE TEMPEST complete with a Globe-like reconstruction and an original score.

Both shows are worth checking out before they disappear.

Target Margin Lab @ The Brick

Target Margin Theater is celebrating their 20th Season this year, and kicking things off is their LAB SERIES at The Brick in Williamsburg:

THE YELLOW SOUND
by Wassily Kandinsky
Lead Artists-Kate Sinclair Foster & Mary Neufeld

A visual soundscape of giant puppets, psychedelic colors and indistinct beings.

Thursday, 11/4 at 8pm
Friday, 11/5 at 8pm
Saturday, 11/6 at 8pm
Sunday, 11/7 at 7pm
Monday, 11/8 at 8pm

THE MAGIC FLUTE (A Sound-Op Era)
adapted from the opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Lead artist-Kate Marvin

Kann Musik bezaubern? Could a flute be the key? Does the “flöte” put the “zauber” in TMT? (And what’s going on with the Freemasonry?)
A zauberoperatic journey through fire, water, and glitter starring theremins, opera singers, ukuleles, dictaphones, melodicas, maestros with big hair, speakers of Transrational German, wind-up dolls, toy pianos, Stage Managers in tights, Sound Demons in tuxedos, Freemasons in fake beards, and the sound of magic.

Wednesday, 11/10 at 7:30pm
Thursday, 11/11 at 8pm
Friday, 11/12 at 8pm
Saturday, 11/13 at 8pm
Sunday, 11/14 at 7pm

THE MOTH AND THE FLAME
by Clyde Fitch
Lead Artist-Yuri Skujins

Written in the late 19th century, this relentlessly chatty and darkly comedic play looks at the strivings--financial, social, and otherwise--of that era's plucky New Yorkers and their curiously modern concerns and timely dilemmas.

Tuesday, 11/16 at 8pm
Wednesday, 11/17 at 8pm
Thursday, 11/18 at 8pm
Friday, 11/19 at 8pm
Saturday, 11/20 at 8pm

Tickets are only $12 if you buy before Halloween!

Click Here for tickets.

Last Call: Target Margin's THE REALLY BIG ONCE

David Herskovits' meditation on the famous and frustrating collaboration between playwright Tennessee Williams and Elia Kazan on Camino Real closes this weekend. The Really Big Once is a must for both theater history fans and fans of Target Margin Theater - and Ludlow Lad admits to being both. The five-person cast (especially John Kurzynowski and Steve Rattazzi) trade roles effortlessly playing Kazan, Williams, characters in Camino Real, Herskovtis, reading e-mail correspondence from the Williams estate, and about two dozen others. So don't miss it.

For tickets and info: www.targetmargin.org

Opening Tomorrow: (oh my god I am so)THIRST(y)

Target Margin Theater's production of...

(oh my god I am so)THIRST(y)

****
(mostly) by Eugene O’Neill
directed by Michael Levinton

Three desperate souls adrift at sea await the cruel, cruel fate bestowed on them by an angry God. A comedy which may or may not have absolutely nothing to do with race.

@ The Chocolate Factory
5-49 49th Avenue
L.I.C., NY 11101

For Tickets: Click Here or call: 212-352-3101

Coming Soon: The Theater of Tomorrow

Target Margin Theater's 2009 Lab Series is devoted to American avant-garde work of the first half of the 20th Century. As they explain:

Long before Camino Real American theater artists were pushing the boundaries of their form. In our 2009 Lab, Target Margin Theater looks at some of the enormous range of work that sprang up in the early twentieth century. With the little theater movement, the WPA theater project, living newspapers, rising feminist consciousness, and the spread of European avant-garde movements in art, waves of American writers, actors, designers, directors, and musicians dreamed of a new theater: the theater of tomorrow we have inherited from them today.

The Lab includes (among other things) the following works:

A FAMILY OF PERHAPS THREE

by Gertrude Stein directed by David Herskovits

There may have been three of them. There may have been a play. There was then a play. The founding mother of us all teases out a memory and a story that is no story. We are all in this family of perhaps three.

Selections from COLD KEENER

by Zora Neale Hurston directed by Donya K. Washington

Drawing upon her folkloric studies, Hurston creates an angular structure. “Like African dance,” the pieces are linked through their differences in this collection of plays, as she abruptly changes the setting, mood and language to suggest the variety of ways to express black culture.

(oh my god I am so)THIRST(y)

(mostly) by Eugene O’Neill directed by Michael Levinton

Three desperate souls adrift at sea await the cruel, cruel fate bestowed on them by an angry God. A comedy which may or may not have absolutely nothing to do with race.

ARIA DA CAPO by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Ásta Bennie Hostetter and Julia Jarcho revisit this modernist/pastoral mashup to snack on high style, violence, and macaroons. Performing with TOM.

TOM by e.e. cummings

directed by Kathleen Kennedy Tobin

Cummings’ never-performed scenario for a ballet based on Uncle Tom’s Cabin, staged for puppets and paper cutouts. Performing with ARIA DA CAPO.

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT

by Zora Neale Hurston

A collaboration between TMT and the Bronx Prep Charter School, teaching artist Andrew Simon and his students from the South Bronx have cast themselves in Hurston’s short play set in a one room schoolhouse, culminating in a raucous, exuberant finale.

***

STEIN/WILDER NIGHT

(3 plays, 2 writers, 1 ticket!):

BONNIES OVER THE WATER

conceived and directed by Natalie Robin and the company. He was writing OUR TOWN. She was giving lecture tours around the world. But they had a lot of time to talk about their kitchens. Inspired by letters between Gertrude Stein and Thornton Wilder, two dilettantes tap dance their way into the closest of friendships.

PULLMAN CAR HIAWATHA

by Thornton Wilder directed by John Kurzynowski

In Wilder’s 28-character one act, a train car and it’s passengers chart the pulses of American life as they collide physically, metaphysically, geographically, meteorologically, astronomically and theologically. Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. New York City.

TELEPHONE/LANDSCAPE

(after Gertrude Stein) directed by Will Fulton

It’s about time Gertrude Stein put her money where her mouth is. Starting with the seed of Stein’s “For the Country Entirely,” designers will play a game of theatrical telephone until it all comes together into one cacophonous landscape of creative voices in dialogue.

All of this will happen May 17 - June 6 at THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY in Long Island City!

For Tickets: CLICK HERE

Tuesday Talkbacks at Foreman/Zorn ASTRONOME

The Richard Foreman and John Zorn's music/theater collaboration, ASTRONOME: A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, begins performances this week. The limited run is February 5--April 5 2009.

Each Tuesday, after the show, Foreman sits down with the next generation of cutting edge theater makers to discuss his work, its legacy and the future of art. Talkbacks are free.

Talkback Tuesdays:

February 10: John Collins (Elevator Repair Service)
February 17: Sally Oswald (Paper Theater and Play a Journal of Plays)
February 24: David Herskovits (Target Margin Theater)
March 3: Young Jean Lee (Young Jean Lee's Theater Company)
March 10: Scott Gillette (Radiohole)
March 31: Yehuda Duenyas (National Theater of the United States of America)

For Tickets & Info: CLICK HERE

Looking Forward to 2009

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