EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR (EPBB)

Ok everyone grab hold of your seats! This is a theatre experience you don't want to miss. You want to be in the insiders crowd...this is your ticket! And for FREE! All you have to do is KNOW ABOUT IT! Right now go on Facebook and like Exit, Pursued By a Bear and also go to their website: http://www.epbb.orgd

Three weeks ago I received an email from EPBB, that a new play was being produced. So I snatched up my ticket fast for this event and the play is called:

Greater Angels

by Jason Williamson

directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar

Taking the trek down to Bowling Green (NYC, not KY) was quite the hike, but the short wait outside the creepy loft building, which was filled with pure entertainment, flowing alcohol, delicious vegetarian chili, and smart direction was well worth it! The maximum capacity seemed to be about 30 people, so I felt like a queen mingling amongst the inner circle of NY THEATRE! The humble actors also poured wine as they greeted you into the space and served me dinner during the intermission.  

Critique time, I'm still a bit unsettled by the writing and I cannot tell if it is the time period, melodramatic Civil War heightened language or the need to make everything melodramatic because it's the Civil War... do you catch my drift... (granted this could be the three glasses of wine that Jonathan David poured me *my big actor crush). Anyways I was held captivated by the story because the actors were literally an inch away from me. Yet if this was presented on an Off-Broadway stage... I think I would have passed out from the two glasses of wine my love had poured for me before even making it to intermission. 

But that said, the crisp transitions kept the play moving, as well as the beautiful costumes, that kept me in the 'period' of the show. I can't wait to wine and dine at my next EPBB event! I hope that more of these theatre salon experiences pop up around NYC! I see it with my own college community, sharing work amongst Muhlenberg alumni, through the FISHBOWL COLLECTIVE!  Most of EPBB are Carnegie Mellon alumni! 

My next show this week is called:

Women of Will 

By Tina Pack

Directed by Eric Tucker

Here's a short synopsis from the website: A combination of riveting scenes and trenchant analysis, Women of Will, The Complete Journeyexplores themes of love, loss, freedom, control, violence and power through the heroines of Shakespeare’s text. Using performance and discussion, Packer traces the chronological evolution of Shakespeare’s female characters, and examines Shakespeare’s own journey and growth as a writer.

Review: The Flick vs Belleville

I have to say that Belleville wins the prize on this one. Granted these are two very different shows my heart leans towards the psychological thriller rather than the indie "real-life" drama.

I think the concept of The Flick could be a disaster in itself, the monotony of daily life running a dilapidated movie theater in Mass., but Gold found a way to make the repetitive movements interesting and Baker strengthened the characters relationships as the play went on... but I got frustrated with the quote-un-quote ribbon on top ending. I didn't need to have everything perfectly tied up, I wanted a French ending verus the perfectly 'kind of happy' American one.

Belleville's plot initially didn't excite me, since I'm not really a sucker for scary movies, but the writing kept an element of suspense, which is totally different from a cinematic quality. This play has already had a run at the Yale Rep with 3 of the same 4 actors. You can tell how comfortable they are, whether it be with each other, the text, the setting, or the direction, which allow for the realism to set in and the layered suspense to unfold.

I'm no Ben Brantley, a theatre critic for the NYtimes, just my humble opinion.

on a different note y'all should check out some great stuff my friends are involved with:

Abstract Nude a live-stream digital play by Gwydion Suilebhan, directed by Joey Brenneman

http://virtualarts.tv/wiredartsfest/abstract-nude-by-gwydion-suilebhan/

features: Anni Weisband (True False Theatre) and Cameron Perry (friend from KY)


Set in the Living Room of a Small Town American Play, by Jaclyn Backhaus
directed by John Kurzynowski, with Theater Reconstruction Ensemble

www.reconstructionensemble.org

features: Patrick Scheid (buddy from Muhlenberg College)

Don't miss these shows this Valentine's weekend!

* The Vagina Monologues presented by Co-op Theatre East directed by Ashley Marinaccio, all proceeds go to Sanctuary for Families
(Ashley and I did the site specific workshop together and this production of The Vagina Monologues will be set in a private apartment! Very intimate and provocative... awesome )

performance dates and times:

February 15th at 8:00 pm
February 16th at 2:00 and 8:00 pm 

here's the Facebook link: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/326161924161305/
here's where to buy tickets:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/321592 


* Olé! presented by Theater in Asylum conceived and directed by Paul Bedard
(This features my fellow True False Theatre company's actor in residence Ben Otto)

This is the last weekend to attend the performance at Under St. Marks Theater

here's the link:
http://www.theaterinasylum.com/ole.html

Upcoming shows I'm planning to see:

* The Flick  by Annie Baker directed by Sam Gold at Playwrights Horizon

* Belleville by Amy Herzog directed by Anne Kauffman at the New York Theatre Workshop

(Fun fact: Sam Gold and Amy Herzog are married. Awesome power couple.)



Shows I want to attend (but cannot make any promises due to time & money):

* The Foundry's Company Good Person of Szechwan by Bertolt Brecht directed by Lear deBessonet at La MaMa E.T.C

* Really, Really by Paul Downs Colaizzo directed by David Cromer at the Signature Theatre

* Hit the Wall by Ike Holter directed by Eric Hoff at the Barrow Street Theatre



Coming soon, you don't want to miss this:

* Roadkill conceived and directed by Cora Bissett, text by Stef Smith at St. Ann's Warehouse

(Get tickets now! This is a site-specific piece so there is limited seating. I did a site specific/immersive theatre workshop through Old Vic New Voices, which was led by Cora. She is an amazing actor, director, artist, singer. The play is set in an apartment! I believe that immersive theatre is going to blow up in the next couple of years, just look at the success of Sleep No More.)



Muhlenberg Plug (my alma mater):

* Shrink: Puppet Therapy by Doppelskope at the People's Improv Theatre, http://www.doppelskope.com/, Thursday February 21, 2013

* The Radiant by Shirley Lauro directed by Melanie Moyer Williams at the 14th Street Y, http://redferntheatre.org/red_fern_theatre_home.asp

(I'm performing in this show which opens Feb 23 thru Mar 10)



Curious about these projects, although they are bit mainstream:

* Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi directed by Michael Mayer at the Metropolitan Opera

(Mayer won a Tony for his direction of Spring Awakening)


* I'll Eat You Last: A Chate with Sue Mengers by John Logan directed by Joe Mantello and starring
Bette Midler

(Here's the NYTIMES article aboutit: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/bette-midler-to-play-super-agent-sue-mengers-on-broadway/)

Welcome, to Shows Your Mama Wouldn't Know About,

Why this blog?
So, my mama suggested I start a blog about cool theater found in NYC that's not necessarily on the public radar, everything else besides commercial theater. After a handful of successful recommendations, mama thought I had a knack for picking out some good plays. Going off of her word, here I am attempting to create a resource for other mamas out there as well as young hopefuls who've just moved to the city and want to see something that is beautiful, thought-provoking and inspiring.

Who am I?
My name is Rachel Berger. I am an aspiring theatre artist in the biggest theatre capital of the world, New York City. I graduated from Muhlenberg College with a B.A. in Theatre and French. After graduation, I spent a year as an acting apprentice at the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. Now, I'm trying to survive in the concrete jungle, interning at the New York Theatre Workshop, starting up a new theatre company called True False Theatre, auditioning for shows around the Island, and finding time to make money whether it be bartending, waitressing, babysitting, dogwalking...

Why trust my opinion?
Just ask my mama...