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A collection of short comic and dramatic one-act plays, mostly built around language, wordplay, existential questions and romantic complications. Its sketches range from a couple repeatedly resetting an awkward first meeting to three chimpanzees attempting to write Hamlet.
Ruth and Jack dance in their apartment while an unseen telephone repeatedly interrupts, rewinds and redirects their conversation. As their relationship becomes more fraught, the restarted exchanges expose opposing views about religion, ambition and marriage; a final argument ends their relationship even as they remain unable to function apart.
At a party, Jack and Jill meet and gradually reveal that they once knew each other and were romantically involved. A college English professor, heard as a loudspeaker voice, explains what the couple is really thinking as they speak.
The first act is based on The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, and the second act on The Exterminating Angel. One Saturday morning, in the fabulous apartment of Leo and Marianne Brink, the couple is surprised by the arrival of their friends, Paul Zimmer and his wife Claudia Bursik-Zimmer. They are joined by Raffael Santello Di Santicci, the ambassador of (the fictional country) Moranda, and Marianne's younger sister Fritz, an anti-capitalist political hothead. The Brinks, who don't recall inviting their guests, are unprepared to host. Leo offers to take everyone out to brunch, and they all head out. On the way to the restaurant ("The Road 1"), Marianne celebrates the glorious day. Raffael flirts with her via "an old Morandan proverb," although he's already having an affair with Claudia. Leo, Raffael, and Paul discuss the drug cartel that they secretly run. Fritz warns the group of approaching global catastrophe. They arrive at their brunch destination, a café with seemingly everything in creation on the menu ("Café Everything — Toast 1"). A waiter regretfully informs the group that the restaurant has no food or beverages and eventually shoots himself (“Waiter’s Song”). As the group seeks food again ("The Road 2"), it is revealed through a phone call that Fritz, under the code name "Apocalypse," is covertly working for the anarchist group PRADA (People's Revolutionary Anti-Domination Army) and must raise $50 million to start a world revolution to overthrow capitalism. Raffael attempts to flirt with Fritz, then serenades Claudia. Fritz overhears Leo, Paul, and Raffael discussing drugs and sees her chance to get the money. At the next restaurant, specializing in French deconstructivist cuisine ("Bistro à la Mode — Toast 2"), the group encounters a weeping waitress ("It Is What It Is") and discovers the restaurant staff is holding a funeral for the restaurant's dead chef in the back room. With no food to be had, they hit the road again ("The Road 3") and Fritz blackmails the men into giving her $50 million to start the revolution. At the next restaurant, an Italian brasserie ("Osteria Zeno — Toast 3"), their attempt to eat is interrupted by a colonel from Homeland Security and a poetic lieutenant, with whom Fritz instantly falls in love. The Soldier shares a surreal dream of his that mimics reality ("The Soldier's Dream"). When the restaurant's food turns out to be fake, Raffael suggests supper at his Embassy. Colonel Martin and the Soldier join the group. Finding themselves on the road once more in search of a meal ("The Road 4"), Raffael serenades Marianne. When they reach their destination ("Oh, Look, Here's the Embassy!"), a Bishop reconsidering his chosen vocation comes to the door looking for a job ("Bishop's Song"). As the group is seated for dinner, gunfire erupts in the distance – the result of Fritz's fundraising. On her cellphone, Fritz attempts to call off "the end of the world" only to discover that the embassy butler, Windsor, is in fact Inferno, her PRADA chief. Dinner is served at last ("End of Act One"). In the Morandan Embassy salon after dinner, the group relaxes ("Digestion") while Marianne savors the luxurious room ("Shine"). When it's time to go, everyone balks at leaving for some reason and remains inside the room ("Hesitation"). They decide to stay the night, bedding down right where they are. Fritz and the Soldier express their feelings ("Double Duet"), then retire to the room's closet to make love. In the middle of the night, Marianne has a surreal encounter with what appears to be a bear ("Interlude 1: Marianne and The Bear"). The next morning, the Colonel concludes that they're trapped and unable to leave the room – even though the door before them is wide open. In the ensuing panic, Leo has a heart attack, Windsor reveals himself to the group as Inferno, and explosions are heard. They realize it may be the actual end of the world outside. Days and nights pass inside the room as the hungry, thirsty group becomes more desperate. When water is discovered inside a wall, they dance in the downpour ("Interlude 2: Wandering"). Late one night, Marianne and the Bishop snack on book pages and have a quiet philosophical exchange ("Interlude 3: Snow") after which they enjoy a light indoor snowfall. With the group desperate to get out, Raffael is about to sacrifice himself to free them when Marianne realizes they can get out if they just reenact their steps on the evening they decided to stay ("Hesitation — Reprise"). When they've all been released from the room, the Colonel, the Soldier and the Bishop take their leave. The original group of friends returns to the road and their eternal search for food – but now they find themselves running, amidst what seems to be the end of the world.
Impoverished painter Jean-François Millet and his artist friends stage his death to raise the value of his paintings. Millet disguises himself as the Widow Daisy Tillou, generating romantic and financial complications until his friends' scheme is exposed and he returns to claim his life and love.
In Amsterdam, the young philosopher Baruch Spinoza is interrogated by Jewish authorities over ideas considered heretical, while the community weighs his expulsion against its effort to preserve religious freedom under Dutch rule.
In a bakery, “Philip Glass” encounters an old love and her friend. Between the ordinary opening and ending, a bell triggers repeated rhythmic rearrangements of their words, parodying minimalist music and suggesting Philip's subconscious response to the reunion.
In a café, Bill and Betty's conversation repeatedly restarts whenever one responds negatively and a bell rings. Through successive attempts, they revise their views and become compatible companions.
Shy Dawn enters Don's office to learn Unamunda, a language he invented to con students. As she becomes fluent and loses her stutter, Don abandons the fraud; they fall in love and welcome another prospective student.
Across eight scenes, Trotsky repeatedly dies in comic variations on the circumstances of his assassination. The final variation turns toward tragedy as he confronts his impending death and reflects on human life.
Thomas Novachek is the writer-director of a new play opening in New York City; this play-within-the-play is an adaptation of the 1870 novel Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (the novel that inspired the term "masochism"). The play begins with Novachek on the telephone, lamenting the inadequacies of the actresses who had shown up that day to audition for the lead character, Wanda von Dunayev. Suddenly, at the last minute, a new actress called Vanda (Wanda) Jordan bursts in. At first it's hard to imagine that she will please this very particular and exasperated writer/director: She's brash, vulgar and unschooled. But she convinces him to let her audition for the part of Wanda von Dunayev, with the director/writer reading the part of Severin von Kushemski. Much happens during this dynamic reading, as lightning flashes and thunder crashes outside. Vanda shows astonishing insights into the novel and her character, and she performs what is in effect a terrific audition. They both become caught up in the characters they are reading. The balance of power is reversed, and the actress establishes dominance over the director, which is similar to what occurs in the novel.
White Christmas is a musical based on the Paramount Pictures 1954 film of the same name. The book is by David Ives and Paul Blake, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. The original St. Louis production starred Lara Teeter, Karen Mason, Lauren Kennedy, and Lee Roy Reams, and the 2004 San Francisco production starred Brian D'Arcy James, Anastasia Barzee, Meredith Patterson, and Jeffry Denman.
Three intelligent chimpanzees named Kafka, Milton and Swift share a cage while an unseen scientist tests whether random typing will produce Hamlet. They debate the experiment and attempt to understand or resist it; Kafka ultimately begins typing Hamlet's opening lines.
A collection of short comic and dramatic one-act plays, mostly built around language, wordplay, existential questions and romantic complications. Its sketches range from a couple repeatedly resetting an awkward first meeting to three chimpanzees attempting to write Hamlet.
Ruth and Jack dance in their apartment while an unseen telephone repeatedly interrupts, rewinds and redirects their conversation. As their relationship becomes more fraught, the restarted exchanges expose opposing views about religion, ambition and marriage; a final argument ends their relationship even as they remain unable to function apart.
At a party, Jack and Jill meet and gradually reveal that they once knew each other and were romantically involved. A college English professor, heard as a loudspeaker voice, explains what the couple is really thinking as they speak.
The first act is based on The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, and the second act on The Exterminating Angel. One Saturday morning, in the fabulous apartment of Leo and Marianne Brink, the couple is surprised by the arrival of their friends, Paul Zimmer and his wife Claudia Bursik-Zimmer. They are joined by Raffael Santello Di Santicci, the ambassador of (the fictional country) Moranda, and Marianne's younger sister Fritz, an anti-capitalist political hothead. The Brinks, who don't recall inviting their guests, are unprepared to host. Leo offers to take everyone out to brunch, and they all head out. On the way to the restaurant ("The Road 1"), Marianne celebrates the glorious day. Raffael flirts with her via "an old Morandan proverb," although he's already having an affair with Claudia. Leo, Raffael, and Paul discuss the drug cartel that they secretly run. Fritz warns the group of approaching global catastrophe. They arrive at their brunch destination, a café with seemingly everything in creation on the menu ("Café Everything — Toast 1"). A waiter regretfully informs the group that the restaurant has no food or beverages and eventually shoots himself (“Waiter’s Song”). As the group seeks food again ("The Road 2"), it is revealed through a phone call that Fritz, under the code name "Apocalypse," is covertly working for the anarchist group PRADA (People's Revolutionary Anti-Domination Army) and must raise $50 million to start a world revolution to overthrow capitalism. Raffael attempts to flirt with Fritz, then serenades Claudia. Fritz overhears Leo, Paul, and Raffael discussing drugs and sees her chance to get the money. At the next restaurant, specializing in French deconstructivist cuisine ("Bistro à la Mode — Toast 2"), the group encounters a weeping waitress ("It Is What It Is") and discovers the restaurant staff is holding a funeral for the restaurant's dead chef in the back room. With no food to be had, they hit the road again ("The Road 3") and Fritz blackmails the men into giving her $50 million to start the revolution. At the next restaurant, an Italian brasserie ("Osteria Zeno — Toast 3"), their attempt to eat is interrupted by a colonel from Homeland Security and a poetic lieutenant, with whom Fritz instantly falls in love. The Soldier shares a surreal dream of his that mimics reality ("The Soldier's Dream"). When the restaurant's food turns out to be fake, Raffael suggests supper at his Embassy. Colonel Martin and the Soldier join the group. Finding themselves on the road once more in search of a meal ("The Road 4"), Raffael serenades Marianne. When they reach their destination ("Oh, Look, Here's the Embassy!"), a Bishop reconsidering his chosen vocation comes to the door looking for a job ("Bishop's Song"). As the group is seated for dinner, gunfire erupts in the distance – the result of Fritz's fundraising. On her cellphone, Fritz attempts to call off "the end of the world" only to discover that the embassy butler, Windsor, is in fact Inferno, her PRADA chief. Dinner is served at last ("End of Act One"). In the Morandan Embassy salon after dinner, the group relaxes ("Digestion") while Marianne savors the luxurious room ("Shine"). When it's time to go, everyone balks at leaving for some reason and remains inside the room ("Hesitation"). They decide to stay the night, bedding down right where they are. Fritz and the Soldier express their feelings ("Double Duet"), then retire to the room's closet to make love. In the middle of the night, Marianne has a surreal encounter with what appears to be a bear ("Interlude 1: Marianne and The Bear"). The next morning, the Colonel concludes that they're trapped and unable to leave the room – even though the door before them is wide open. In the ensuing panic, Leo has a heart attack, Windsor reveals himself to the group as Inferno, and explosions are heard. They realize it may be the actual end of the world outside. Days and nights pass inside the room as the hungry, thirsty group becomes more desperate. When water is discovered inside a wall, they dance in the downpour ("Interlude 2: Wandering"). Late one night, Marianne and the Bishop snack on book pages and have a quiet philosophical exchange ("Interlude 3: Snow") after which they enjoy a light indoor snowfall. With the group desperate to get out, Raffael is about to sacrifice himself to free them when Marianne realizes they can get out if they just reenact their steps on the evening they decided to stay ("Hesitation — Reprise"). When they've all been released from the room, the Colonel, the Soldier and the Bishop take their leave. The original group of friends returns to the road and their eternal search for food – but now they find themselves running, amidst what seems to be the end of the world.
Impoverished painter Jean-François Millet and his artist friends stage his death to raise the value of his paintings. Millet disguises himself as the Widow Daisy Tillou, generating romantic and financial complications until his friends' scheme is exposed and he returns to claim his life and love.
In Amsterdam, the young philosopher Baruch Spinoza is interrogated by Jewish authorities over ideas considered heretical, while the community weighs his expulsion against its effort to preserve religious freedom under Dutch rule.
In a bakery, “Philip Glass” encounters an old love and her friend. Between the ordinary opening and ending, a bell triggers repeated rhythmic rearrangements of their words, parodying minimalist music and suggesting Philip's subconscious response to the reunion.
In a café, Bill and Betty's conversation repeatedly restarts whenever one responds negatively and a bell rings. Through successive attempts, they revise their views and become compatible companions.
Shy Dawn enters Don's office to learn Unamunda, a language he invented to con students. As she becomes fluent and loses her stutter, Don abandons the fraud; they fall in love and welcome another prospective student.
Across eight scenes, Trotsky repeatedly dies in comic variations on the circumstances of his assassination. The final variation turns toward tragedy as he confronts his impending death and reflects on human life.
Thomas Novachek is the writer-director of a new play opening in New York City; this play-within-the-play is an adaptation of the 1870 novel Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (the novel that inspired the term "masochism"). The play begins with Novachek on the telephone, lamenting the inadequacies of the actresses who had shown up that day to audition for the lead character, Wanda von Dunayev. Suddenly, at the last minute, a new actress called Vanda (Wanda) Jordan bursts in. At first it's hard to imagine that she will please this very particular and exasperated writer/director: She's brash, vulgar and unschooled. But she convinces him to let her audition for the part of Wanda von Dunayev, with the director/writer reading the part of Severin von Kushemski. Much happens during this dynamic reading, as lightning flashes and thunder crashes outside. Vanda shows astonishing insights into the novel and her character, and she performs what is in effect a terrific audition. They both become caught up in the characters they are reading. The balance of power is reversed, and the actress establishes dominance over the director, which is similar to what occurs in the novel.
White Christmas is a musical based on the Paramount Pictures 1954 film of the same name. The book is by David Ives and Paul Blake, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. The original St. Louis production starred Lara Teeter, Karen Mason, Lauren Kennedy, and Lee Roy Reams, and the 2004 San Francisco production starred Brian D'Arcy James, Anastasia Barzee, Meredith Patterson, and Jeffry Denman.
Three intelligent chimpanzees named Kafka, Milton and Swift share a cage while an unseen scientist tests whether random typing will produce Hamlet. They debate the experiment and attempt to understand or resist it; Kafka ultimately begins typing Hamlet's opening lines.