In the Heights

Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Quiara Alegría Hudes.
Directed by Michael Bello
Produced by The Gallery Players

Nominated for: Outstanding Director, Michael Bello

Photo by Scott Cally & Bella Muccari

About the Production
In the Heights is a vibrant, touching, and thought-provoking musical that tells the story of the changing cultural landscape of Washington Heights. It makes us ask, what is home? We follow a young bodega owner, Usnavi, his cousin, and the rest of the neighborhood as they navigate the times in Washington Heights. This modern musical engages the audience, and makes them consider their own role in their families, their neighborhood community and in all of New York City.

Director Michael Bello and Producer Jonathan-Bruce King talk about staging with modern musical that is a true celebration of New York.

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What attracted you to this production?

Michael: As a Cuban-American theater artist In The Heights holds very special meaning to me. More personally, my grandparents and father immigrated from Havana, Cuba to 183rd Street in 1952, my parents met on the 181st St A stop that was upstage left, and I was born in Washington Heights. My family and I saw the show off-Broadway and Broadway, I saw the National Tour in Boston the day after my Abuela passed away, and it was the only Broadway musical by grandfather and I ever saw together. The story of In The Heights is one that speaks to me in a profound way and has a very special place in my heart. After working on the show, it became clear from the amazing group of Latino/a artists that gathered around the piece that Lin Manuel Miranda's writing spoke to us all and each of our family's culture, sacrifices, communities and love. When The Gallery Players asked me to return to the theater, after directing last year's NY It Awards nominated Next to Normal, I simply couldn't pass up the chance to bring my family and my culture to life on stage.

Jonathan-Bruce: I wanted to work on this musical because it explores a wonderful concept: what is home in the face of adversity? The theater wanted to explore the concepts of the play given the changing backdrop of our part of Park Slope. We have seen so much change in the past few years, the bodega is now a juice bar, starbucks and artisan coffee have opened up, and rents have risen astronomically. It is a musical about Washington Heights, but it could be about Park Slope.

Photo by Scott Cally & Bella Muccari

What did you want the audience to come away with after watching is production of In the Heights?

Jonathan-Bruce: I hope the audience came away with a sense of what home was to them, how their choices in living and life affect others, and how to find home within themselves.

What was your favorite part of this production?

Jonathan-Bruce: I loved working with an amazing cast and crew. Everyone had some kind of connection to the neighborhood or the culture, and were so excited to bring these characters to life.

What was the most challenging aspect of this production?

Jonathan-Bruce: This is a very big musical, and a very realistic musical. We had to make sure we were firmly rooted in realism but also could stay within budget.

Photo by Scott Cally & Bella Muccari

What was it like working with Michael Bello?

Jonathan-Bruce: Michael Bello is an incredibly adept and skillful director. His vision and specificity showed throughout the production and led to a cohesive, well thought out, and enthralling production.

You can follow The Gallery Players on Twitter - @tgpbrooklyn

Exposure

Written by Laura Zlatos
Directed by Devin Brian
Produced by Next In Line Productions LLC


Nominated for: Outstanding Lighting Design, Govin Ruben

About the Production
Exposure is inspired by the life and work of American photographer Francesca Woodman, who created a critically acclaimed body of work before killing herself when she was only twenty-two. Exposure has become more than a play about Woodman and her work however - it explores the ideas surrounding Art, and the myths of the "Tortured Artist".



Lighting Desginer Govin Ruben talks about working on this OOB production.

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What attracted you to this project?

Govin: I've worked all over the world on different productions with various companies, festivals and organizations. Exposure was the first productions from America that I was offered and I thought it would be exciting to work in New York City.

What was your favorite part of this production?

Govin: It was a very passionate group of artists who were all very dedicated to their craft. It’s always great to be a part of a team where everyone works and wants to work towards a common goal.

What was the most challenging aspect of this production?

Govin: Budget and technical limitations of the space were very challenging. However I think that that sometimes makes most designs more interesting. Exposure is a great testament to that.

What was the most noteworthy aspect of this production for you?

Govin: I was flying in from Istanbul; fresh from doing a large government festival in a 3000 seat theatre; then walking into the beautiful 60 seater Gene Frankel Theatre on the Lower East Side was a quick reminder of how varied this industry can be. From spectacle and scale to visceral and intimate.

One Way To Pluto!

Written and Directed by Seanie Sugrue
Produced by Locked In The Attic Productions

Nominated for: Outstanding Original Full-Length Script, Seanie Sugrue; and Outstanding Premier Production of a Play

About the Production
One Way To Pluto!, is an existential journey through the life of Peter Cooper, a hostile persona struggling to make sense of his transgender dysphoria. Falling out of grace with everyone around him, Peter plunges from shared housing to homelessness, seldom user to heroin junkie and from punk rock drummer to pathetic, washed-up rock star. Destroyed by his ego, comfort comes through a psychedelic journey to Pluto and back with Dwight, a chronic vagabond, and from an act of criminal desperateness, he befriends one of Pluto’s moons. This story is a restless exploration of one man’s search to find meaning and delves into the fight against personal delusion, addiction, and the trepidation of inferiority.


Playwright Seanie Sugrue and Company Manager, Amanda Martin share their thoughts on creating this challenging "punk theatre" piece.

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What was your favorite part of working on this production?

Seanie: Getting to work with Dan Sweeney and Bret Koheart of Acquiesce (the band), two guys who I've hung out with in the village for over a decade, were kind enough to let us use their music to soundtrack the play.

What did you want the audience to come away with after watching One Way to Pluto!?

Amanda: We wanted to offer them a time out from their financial insecurity. We believe in the pursuit of happiness and that money, materialism and capitalism shouldn't be the answers to what they are looking for.

What was the biggest challenge of working on this production?

Seanie: When I wrote the play, I wrote the part of Johnny for our dear friend James Anthony Tropeano III (Jimmie), who had worked on our last two productions. This past December, weeks before rehearsals were set to begin, he was killed in a tragic accident. The most challenging part was replacing him and rehearsing knowing that Jimmy wasn't playing his role. Most of the actors were friends with Jimmie so we had a pretty rough time with it, but we knew the show had to go on.

What was it like working with Locked in the Attic Production?

Seanie: Their commitment is remarkable. We have worked with a very brilliant and committed group of people. Many of the actors in One Way to Pluto! have been with us for the last 5 productions, including 4 original plays within a year.

What was it like working with Seanie?

Amanda: Seanie is amazing, because you can’t teach what he does.

Rizing

Written by Jason Tseng
Directed by Emily Hartford
Produced by Flux Theatre Ensemble

Nominated for: Outstanding Lighting Design, Kia Rogers




About the Production
Rizing is set many years after the zombie apocalypse in Shelter, the last living city on Earth. Infected family members, friends, and lovers have been rehabilitated thanks to a daily regimen of drugs and therapy, but the uninfected that have brought them back do not trust them. Now the drugs are starting to wear off, and Shelter’s two-tiered society is poised on the verge of all-out war. Characters on both sides must choose between rebuilding the world as it was and creating a new one by force.

Lighting Designer Kia Rogers and Producing Director Heather Cohn talk about creating this ensemble driven piece about a world divided.

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What attracted you to this production?

Kia: There were a number of things that were very attractive about this project, a new playwright, multiple locations, allegory for the aids epidemic told with zombies...

Heather: Our history with Jason and the open-gender casting of this play. The story. The opportunities for other artists involved with Flux to shine.

What was your favorite part of this production?

Kia: Of course I love working with the creative team, director and cast. We really dove into the story and created a whole new world. Everyone was wonderful to work with and brought so many perspectives into the room with respect.

Heather: Seeing two artists grow tremendously in roles that were new to them. It was Jason's first full production as a playwright and Emily's as a director.

What was the most challenging aspect of this production?

Kia: The space! We were at Access and they had a power issue with the building. I only had 16 dimmers and when the conventionals were on we couldn't run the A/C! I brought in a LED package to supplement the limitations and it proved to be the workhorse for emotional and environmental storytelling.

What was the trickiest aspect of this production for you?

Kia: Because this was a new work, and a new playwright, we walked a thin line between wanting to say "yes" to every possibility, and needing to have an editing hand for what would make this production stronger while giving the playwright agency to learn. It was difficult during tech, and we made some big cuts close to opening that proved completely right but it was very hard.

What is it like working with Flux Theatre Ensemble?

Kia: They're awesome. I always have all the design support I get. How everyone wanted me to be satisfied with my vision, and the concern about being in a space that is not technically advanced.

What is it like working with Kia?

Heather: Kia is one of the hardest working artists in Indie theatre and she always goes above and beyond, filling voids that aren't hers to fill. And she's a wonderful collaborator.

You can follow these artists on Twitter
Flux Theatre Ensemble - @fluxtheatre
Kia Rogers - @kialights

Late With Lance!

Produced by PM2 Entertainment

Nominated for: Outstanding Solo Performance, Peter Michael Marino

Photo by Alicia Levy

About the Production
Failed cruise ship entertainer, celebrity stalker and musical theatre fanatic Lance is docked in town for one night only, so he’s hosting a variety-talk show with special guests Liza Minnelli, Hugh Jackman and musical sensation Miami Sound Machine. But who’ll show up? Lance has suffered for his art. Now it’s your turn!


Performer Peter Michael Marino talks about this funny, warm, and insightful one-man show.

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What attracted you to this subject matter?

Peter: I was interested in spoofing the solo show genre, and managed to do that, while also poking fun at talk shows and celebrities. I was fascinated with the idea of a "regular person" being a guest on a talk show - but treated like a celebrity. I did a bunch of research on classic talk show hosts and discovered that many of them created personas as their on-air personality. This concept led to me having my old 90s character Lance come out of retirement to be the host of the show. And then that led to me creating a bigger backstory as well as interstitial bits to do in between the guests.

What did you want the audience to come away with after watching this production?

Peter: I wanted audiences to come away with a good feeling. I wanted to make people forget their troubles for an hour and to believe in the struggle of the character and to hopefully see parts of themselves in the character. It's a show about being optimistic...even when the chips are down. And for Lance, they are always down.

What was your favorite part of this production?

Peter: I love improvising with audience members who "Lance" treated like real celebrities. I did the show in NY, Orlando, Hollywood, London and a month-long run in Edinburgh. I met all kinds of people from all over the world with such diverse backgrounds and observing how they responded to Lance as if he was a real person was a real treat.

What was the most challenging aspect of this production for you?

Peter: It was tough to find the heart and the "why" at first; but after doing the show at a few fringe fests, it became clear that Lance just wanted to be loved and recognized. It was then a challenge for me to realize that Lance was essentially me. Beyond that, the character is very high energy and it was a real workout as far as singing and dancing and keeping up with the variety of people who Lance chatted with.

What is the noteworthy thing that happened during the production?

Peter: I was fortunate enough to book and interview actual stars near the end of the run. These stars included FAME & Broadway star Laura Dean; FAME star Antonia Franceschi; Chanteuse Extraordinaire Tammy Faye; and YouTube/Off-Broadway Impressionist sensation Christina Bianco! And I always enjoy hearing people GASP when Lance's wig came off at the end of the show. It  always warmed my heart. I called it the "Santa Claus" moment --- like, "Hey! That guy isn't real! But I want him to be!"

You can follow Peter Michael Marino on Twitter - @blackoutpete

Nord Hausen Fly Robot: (Invisible Republic #3)

Adapted & Directed by Ian W. Hill
Produced by Gemini CollisionWorks

Nominated for: Outstanding Performance Art Production

 Photo by Mark Veltman

About the Production
A paranoid rant? A schizophrenic’s tragic delusion? An internet troll’s computer-generated word salad? An underground history of the battle between pop culture and the military-industrial complex? All of the above? Nord Hausen Fly Robot is an investigation by Gemini CollisionWorks into a 55-page anonymous online comment left on a political website that first seems nothing more than an incomprehensible tirade, but on repeated examination suggests a poetic summary of US History post-WWII from a marginalized voice.

Artistic Director Ian W. Hill talks about tackling this stream-of-consciousness offering and finding the beauty in it.


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What attracted you to this project?

Ian: I was obsessed with the original anonymous text found online, and I believed that the time and place were right for it to be shared with the world in this form.

What was your favorite part of this production?

Ian: The close collaboration with an exceptional group of actors who were willing to trust in a very singular and often inexplicable vision for the piece, and not afraid to work very hard to polish a rough stone into multifaceted, gleaming clarity.

What was the most challenging aspect of this production?

Ian: Delving into the words of a mentally-ill person, and pulling from their beauty and pain a pure theatrical experience.

What is the strangest thing that happened during this production?

Ian: There are almost too many strange things to mention -- the cast and crew still speak to each other in a shorthand of phrases from the text that will have no meaning to anyone who didn't spend months working on it. Our own in-joke patois.

What did you want the audience to walk away with after watching Nord Hausen...?

Ian: A combined sense of despair and hope at the past present and future of our country -- a sense that things have gone horribly wrong, but there is still beauty, and ideals, and people who care, even in the midst of madness.

What was it like working with this company of artists?

Ian: We made a remarkable piece of theater out of a madman's beautiful but difficult online rant, and continued our quest to make theater that is both basically indefinable/indescribable except by the production itself, and deeply satisfying to audiences of all kinds.

You can follow Gemini Collision Works on Twitter - @geminicollision

Electronic City

Written by Falk Richter
Directed by Ildiko Nemeth
Produced by The New Stage Theatre Company

Nominated for: Outstanding Performance Art Production

About the production
Electronic City is a romance set in the liminal spaces of modernity, exploring the difficulty and complexity of belonging in a world fractured by the pressure of high-speed travel, communication and commerce.  With this work, Richter asks us to consider our isolation and alienation as we are tossed by the whims of global capitalist structures, particularly communication networks and media. Richter’s characters confront what it means to seek identity and belonging in a society where consumption and business have displaced memory, tradition, and spirit.

You can follow New Stage Theatre Company on Twitter - @ NewStageNYC

 

 

How to Live on Earth

Written by MJ Kaufman
Directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt
Produced by Colt Coeur

Nominated for: Outstanding Sound Design, M.L. Dogg; Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role, Charles Socarides

About the Production
Four individuals will be chosen for the mission of a lifetime. The only catch: they can’t come back. As applicants compete, they wrestle with what this means for their families, partners, and finally, themselves. What does it mean to leave Earth forever and what happens if you don't get to go after you've already said goodbye? How to Live on Earth is a play about our unrelenting obsession with the next frontier and the desire to give your life for something greater than yourself. Inspired in part by the Mars One project to colonize Mars by 2025, this piece is a funny, wry, and deeply truthful portrait of the fears and hopes that drive us towards exploration and expansion.

Designer M.L. Dogg and Actor Charles Socarides talk about creating a futuristic world.

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What attracted you to this production?

M.L.: I really wanted to work with the director and the company. The subject matter was interesting. I liked the script.

What was the most challenging aspect of this production for you?

M.L.: It had a lot of technical elements that all had to work together, and in my area there was a lot of work to put it all together. It was easily my biggest show last year.

What was it like working with Colt Coeur?

M.L.: They're very creative, smart, and friendly, and work really hard to put their shows up. It was a lot of hard work, but we felt really proud of it, and I'm happy that it and the company are being recognized.

Charles:  Writer MJ Kaufman and director Adrienne Campbell-Holt are highly collaborative. Colt Coeur is a fantastic company.

Office Politics

Written by Marcy Lovitch
Directed by Aimee Todoroff
Produced by One Wild Jew Productions

Nominated for: Outstanding Set Design, Sandy Yaklin


 
About the Production
When a white male co-worker makes an off-the-cuff racially insensitive remark to his boss’s black female assistant, what seems like a harmless joke snowballs, suddenly catapulting the ad sales office of a women's magazine into turmoil. Threats are made, loyalties tested and contrasting beliefs about power, race and class surface, resulting in an explosion of shocking reveals, lies and accusations, ultimately leaving their department in utter shreds.

Set Designer Sandy Yaklin shares her thoughts on this production that addresses one of the most complex subjects of our society.

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What attracted you to this production?

Sandy: I was very excited to work with the director, Amiee Todoroff and working with the complexity of the set changes.

What was the most challenging aspect for this production for you?

Sandy: The number of locations, limited storage and fairly realistic look.

What was it like working with this company?

Sandy: Aimee, Justin, Will, Molly and the rest of the production crew were just great people to work with.

You can follow Sandy on Twitter - @BadSandyProd

Romeo And Juliet

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by David Marantz
Produced by The Drilling Company

Nominated for: Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role, Anwen Darcy

Photo by Josef Pinlac

About the Production
This outdoor production of Romeo and Juliet was presented in Bryant Park and seen by almost 15,000 people in the summer of 2015. A modern interpretation, the warring families are divided by class and wealth.

Actress Anwen Darcy and Artistic Director Hamilton Clancy talk about presenting this Shakespearian classic as a modern class conflict.

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What attracted you to this project?

Anwen: Taking a well-known role, like Mercutio, and getting to be unapologetic in how fearsome and rambunctious and sexual that character is, and do it as a woman, without sacrifice. That was such an interesting challenge, because there was a fear the audience might respond to it really really badly- and they didn't.

Hamilton: It was our first production on the HBO Stage of Bryant Park and we wanted to be one Shakespeare's most classic and celebrated plays. We had done Hamlet the year before so Romeo and Juliet was the logical choice. Casting a woman in the traditionally male role of Mercutio was the most exciting choice of the production.

What did you want the audience to come away with after watching this production of Romeo & Juliet?

Hamilton: We wanted the audience to discover the Motagues and the Capulets feud as a feud that resonated in today's socioeconomic politics of the the 1% vs the 99%.

Photo by Josef Pinlac

What was the most challenging aspect of this production?

Anwen: The most challenging thing was going up against people's expectations of what Mercutio should be- you get a certain subset of people who see him as the personification of rowdy male behavior, and so to come at that as a woman, and to embrace that facet of his personality without apologizing for being a woman, was a really interesting challenge.

Hamilton: It's very challenging to brave the elements in any out door production.
This one had a different element than we had faced before.
Bryant PArk/HBO stage became very warm on matinee days and we were forced to move the production, for those perormances off the stage and onto the grass. Our audience was right with us as many of them sat to the side in the shade and forced us to literally act closer toward the cooler parts of the park.

What was it like working with Anwen?

Hamilton: Anwen Darcy showed tremendous courage and versatility in embracing the role of Mercutio, customarily played by a man , as a female "bro" friend of Romeo's. The role called for Ms. Darcy discover and overtly sexual character as well as engage in complex fight scenes . Anwen Darcy is awesome because she is simply one of the toughest actress you will ever find.

You can follow Anwen on Twitter - @DarcyFever

Steve: A Docu-Musical

Written and Performed by Colin Summers
Directed by Nessa Norich
Produced by New York Neo-Futurists

Nominated for: Outstanding Solo Performance, Colin Summers; Outstanding Original Full-Length Script, Colin Summers; Outstanding Production of a Musical

Photo by Hunter Canning

About the Production
Steve: A Docu-Musical chronicles the true story of Colin Summer’s 8-year online correspondence and artistic collaboration with Steve, a “Gen X” Australian. Together, Steve and Colin have written hundreds of songs. In Colin’s account of their unconventional relationship, Steve’s original songs and emails paint a vivid picture of a fascinating character. A refreshing exploration of the artist within all of us, Steve: A Docu-Musical reveals the potential for human connection sparked by a simple Google search.


Performer and playwright Colin Summer and Producer Yoshi Kuroi briefly give their thoughts on this modern musical.

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What prompted you to write this musical?

Colin: I kept telling my friends this story until I realized I had to make it a real show.

What attracted you to this production?

Yoshi: I love real and human stories about technology making people's lives better and connecting people to one another. Steve: A Docu-Musical is nothing if not a tale of the Internet connecting two unlikely artists who would never have found each other to collaborate without the connectivity of our age and the charismatic creations they made together.

You can follow the New York Neo-Futurists on Twitter @nyneofuturists


 

Dvorak In America

Conceived & Directed by Vit Horejs
Produced by GOH Productions


Nominated for: Outstanding Original Music, James Brandon Lewis

About the Production
Dvorak In America depicts Antonin Dvorak's life during his tenure as the first Director of the National Conservatory of Music of America in NYC, and his three-year stay in the US (1892-1895). This musical play uses objects and puppets to depict the characters as we follow Dvorak’s quest to discover the true American sound.

Composer James Brandon Lewis and Executive Director Bonnie Sue Stein talk about creating a biographical play with music based on an historical figure.
 

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What attracted you to this subject?

James: What attracted me most about Dvorak in America is the courage Antonin Dvorak had in the Late 1800's to make the statement that the source material for American Symphony can be found in the folk melodies of African and Native Americans .

Bonnie: Vit Horejs, Artistic Director of Czechoslovak American Marionette Theatre, has always been intrigued by the years that the renowned composer, Antonin Dvorak spent in the USA from 1893-1895, and the ideas that the composer had about the music of “Negroes” and “Indians”, being quintessentially American. Vit wanted to tell this little known story, of how Dvorak was brought to the USA to serve in the National Conservatory of American Music and was so impressed with spirituals and other types of music that already existed. 

Growing up in Detroit in the 1950s, I was exposed to the immense Black-American culture that paved the way for so many new genres of music. I was attracted to this project as much as Vit, and I wanted to do it to learn more about the history and how we could tell this story with a contemporary twist.

What did you want the audience to come away with after watching Dvorak in America?

Bonnie: I want the audience to have questions – to want to know more about Dvorak and his influences and to understand that the train of musical history in the USA was based on many of his ideas in the 19th century. I want the audience to come away with the suspended belief that a violin case can be a character in a play, and to believe in the power of objects as puppets and characters.

I also want audience to question the issues of race and equality as it has developed and not developed through the history of the USA in terms of culture.

What was your favorite part of working on this production?

James: Favorite part of working on the is production was composing for it of course .I enjoyed the process of researching Antonin Dvorak music , and then assimilating my compositions as well as arrangements to the actual production of Dvorak in America . The parring my compositions with script was very insightful and cue based process of which i gained new insight into another world of compositional form .

Bonnie: I love this play and the way the objects and puppets are used to create ambiance and various scenes. The music is a particularly vital part of the show, since the play is based on a famous composer, and we wanted to show both his music and how his music influenced generations to follow. I am fond of the discreet use of the various blatantly racist stereotypes of the time to echo our own 21st Century world. The costumes, scenery, acting, music and the whole gestalt of the play are wonderful…I loved watching the set designer Tom Lee, develop his incredible backdrops with real Dvorak sheet music, and I am very fond of the use of the music instrument cases as part of the scenery.

What was the biggest challenge of working on this production?

James: The most challenging part of working on this production was just being new to working on a theater production , Lots to learn and it was a little overwhelming at first but then i settled in and got to work .

Bonnie: Challenging was the scale of the show. A large theater like the Ellen Stewart at La MaMa needs to be used in a smart way to encompass and transform the space. I have been working on various productions in this theater since the 1980s and am very happy how we were able to transform it for DVORAK IN AMERICA, thanks also to Tom Lee and his smart spatial design, and to the music and puppets.

It was also a challenge to know which part of the history to tell and what to leave out, to be able to really convey the story and the time period in a theatrical play with objects and puppets!

What was the strangest thing that happened during this production?

James: I ended up acting a small role, completely not what I thought I would be doing. Of course but very rewarding, and insightful .

What is it like working with GOH Productions?

James: It's truly a family. Very helpful and encouraging you to push yourself and ask of yourself the things that may expose what you may not feel confident doing at first but then you discover another layer and drive that helps shape new insight and gives you courage to push and touch the intimate place to then give all of who you are to the piece and to your fellow cast members. Truly a family.

What was it like working with James?

Bonnie: James Brandon Lewis is one of the most awesome composers and sax players that I have ever met in my life – and I have worked with countless famous and not so famous musicians. James is the real deal. He is dedicated, disciplined and destined for greatness. This was his first theatrical endeavor and I am certain he has the skill and insight to work on more plays and visual presentations, as well as music-only performances.

The ensemble of this show was stellar to work with, and I am thrilled that we were able to create such a gorgeous, meaningful show together. Vit Horejs is a visionary director, puppeteer, story-teller and playwright.

David Carl's Celebrity One Man Hamlet

Written by David Carl & William Shakespeare
Directed by Michole Biancosino
Produced by Project Y Theatre, PM2 Entertainment and Richard Jordan Productions

Nominated for: Outstanding Solo Performance, David Carl

Photo by Jeanette Sears

About the Production
Having triumphed in Celebrity Big Brother, survived Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, taken on Meatloaf and Donald Trump, Keanu Reeves’ favorite costar now undertakes his biggest challenge yet: performing all the parts in Hamlet with outrageous songs and homemade puppets. Carl channels the ultimate Hamlet-ized Busey .

Writer and performer David Carl and director Michole Biancosino talk about creating this offbeat and hilarious one-man show.


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What attracted you to this project?

David: I have been a fan of Gary Busey since I was 10 and Hamlet since I was 15. I started making solo shows 5 years ago and 3 years I got this idea and I knew that I had to do it because it made me laugh every time I thought about it.

Michole: David Carl's Celebrity One Man Hamlet was a crazy idea that came from David Carl's infatuation with Hamlet and a certain off-kilter celebrity. The show is born out of an obsession with Shakespeare and the way celebrities will often be cast in the leading role of a show to sell tickets, so it becomes "their" version of whatever play. The project started as a one-time showing at SOLOCOM (at the PIT) created by two old friends - Michole Biancosino and David Carl - and then grew from NY Fringe to Edinburgh Fringe to a current run at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. It has taken on a life of its own.

What was your favorite part of working on this production?

David: Working with my director Michole Biancosino is a true joy. She is passionate, hilarious, brilliant and one of my best friends. I also loved building all the puppets, and really getting to play Gary Busey is one of the great joys of my life. I play him with pure, aggressive positivity and that is extremely fun.

Michole: It is an insanely funny show. We love doing it for people. We love doing it for ourselves. It is actually a remarkably accurate reading of Hamlet and yet it is a Hamlet turned on its head. We love that people have an unforgettable night at the theatre.

What was the biggest challenge of working on this production?

 

David: We've done over 45 our shows at festivals or comedy theaters where you have to get on and off stage in 15 minutes due to a high volume of programing. The few times that we got to set up and take down without rushing were pure bliss.

Michole: It was hard to stop laughing. It was also hard to cut the show down. We have about 30 more minutes of material that we don't use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is the oddest aspect of this production?

David: Everything about playing Gary Busey doing Hamlet by himself is odd. My personal favorite is when school groups come who have recently read Hamlet. They laugh harder than anyone and there's no sound in the world like the cathartic laughter of someone who was recently forced to read Hamlet.

Michole: Yes! It is still happening. Still running. Still going. Hopefully it will have a long life.

What was it like working with Project Y Theatre

David: Michole Biancosino is a powerhouse. I compare everything else that I do to my experiences working with her.

What is it like working with David Carl?

Michole: David Carl rocks. He just does. He is an insane performer. He does an improvised talkback at the end of each show with audience. He is so talented and slays every show. He also made all his own puppets for this show.

You can follow these artists on Twitter
Project Y Theatre - @ProjectYTheatre
David Carl - @dcorreycarl