The Fat Cat Killers

Adam Szymkowicz's entertaining The Fat Cat Killers combines an incompetent-criminals comedy with a take-down of capitalism. Rather than building on or complementing each other, the two components clash, with the whole play being less than the sum of the parts. (Though the parts are frequently excellent.)

Steve and Michael work for what seems to be a large corporation. Though "work" might be more accurate. Steve, in an interview for a promotion, announces, "... it's true I don't actually do a lot at my desk these days. I kind of put off the work and no one seems to notice so I guess that's an okay thing to do. Not that it should be, but, you know, it is."

David Carl, Philip Cruise (sitting), Christopher Lee 
Photo: Scott Fetterman

After Steve and Michael are laid off, they meet at a bar to discuss their options. With the help of many beers, they hit on a plan to kidnap the head of the company, Dave Russell. They want a share of the ten million dollars he made the previous year. 

Steve: They paid him ten million and in turn he lays people off?

Michael: That's why he laid people off. Because he wants to be paid more this year.

Somehow, stumbling along, Steve and Michael manage to kidnap Russell. While smug and obnoxious, Russell comes across as superior to Steve and Michael. (It reminded me of Hitchcock's movie Lifeboat, where the terrible villain is the only character who has a clue.)

Although tied to a chair, Russell deftly spars with Steve and Michael, playing on their idiocy and greed. But while it would seem that Russell is "having a battle of wits with unarmed opponents," Michael's gun is an effective competitor. As time goes on, the incompetent-criminals comedy becomes less and less funny, and the capitalism-stinks component becomes less and less effective.

The press release for The Fat Cat Killers says, the play "was penned long before Luigi Mangione made international headlines." While it's an obvious comparison, as the fictional Steve and Michael and the very real Mangione sought to wreak revenge on an executive they held culpable for great evils, the comparison actually weakens The Fat Cat Killers. Mangione was angry that legitimate medical insurance claims weren't being okayed, causing worsened health and even death to the insured. Steve and Michael are pissed that they were laid off from their jobs, at which at least one of them was completely useless.

All that being said, I have to repeat that The Fat Cat Killers is a very entertaining 90 minutes (although its three endings made the latter part drag). It is well-acted by Christopher Lee, David Carl, and Philip Cruise. Andrew Block's direction is imaginative and largely well-paced. 

But, having seen Szymkowicz's fabulous Hearts Like Fists and Marian Or The True Tale of Robin Hood, I did want more from this play.

Wendy Caster

2025 Tony Predictions

Although we have not previously shown great acuity in Tony prediction, here we are again. Hope springs eternal!

This year’s list of Tony nominees reveals a healthy, exciting season. Looking at who wasn’t nominated confirms just how rich the season was — for example, big stars like Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga, Idina Menzel, and Sutton Foster had shows on Broadway this season, and yet not one of them received a nomination.

While the musical season lacked a Caroline or Change or Light in the Piazza or Hamilton, it was strong in creativity and entertainment. And only two nominees are based on existing IP. Two are based on actual incidents. And while Maybe Happy Ending was not created specifically for Broadway, it is nevertheless an original piece.

The best play category is just fabulous: five smart, meaningful, more or less funny, more or less serious, excellent pieces of work.

Of course, these riches make Tony predicting even more difficult than usual. Is it an exaggeration to say that every nominee deserves to win? We don’t think so, but we have considered the nominees, followed the politics, thrown the I Ching, and examined the entrails of a sacrificed pile of Playbills, and here are our predictions.
___________________________________

Note: Our choices are underlined in our discussions.

___________________________________

Best New Musical

“Buena Vista Social Club”
“Dead Outlaw”
“Death Becomes Her”
“Maybe Happy Ending”
“Operation Mincemeat”

Liz: Dead Outlaw is such a wonderfully bizarre piece; Death Becomes Her lets three famously scenery-chewing performers chew to their hearts’ content; Buena Vista Social Club is lively and is packing ‘em in; Operation Mincemeat is low-key and droll, imaginative and surprisingly moving. I’ve got no real skin in this game, but my gut tells me Maybe Happy Ending will win.

Sandra: I see this as a battle between the offbeat, quirky Dead Outlaw and the offbeat, quirky Maybe Happy Ending. Both showcase clever storytelling about the value of human (or robot) life and the legacy of that living. I think in the end the emotional resonance of Maybe Happy Ending will edge Dead Outlaw out.

Wendy: I’m going with Maybe Happy Ending. While all of these shows have their adherents, Maybe Happy Ending seems to have touched and delighted audiences in a particularly warm way.

___________________________________

___________________________________

Best New Play

“English”

“The Hills of California”

“John Proctor Is the Villain”

“Oh, Mary!”

“Purpose”

Liz: Purpose just beat out Oh, Mary! for the Pulitzer, so it’s possible that will happen with the Tony, too. That said, no play this season has resonated quite the way Oh, Mary! has: there’s something to be said about the strangely timely way this quirky, campy show gleefully mangles American history on its own terms, and I’m guessing it’ll win.

Sandra: My gut says Purpose since it won the Pulitzer, but the irreverent Oh, Mary! offers a campy cheek not seen Off-Broadway (where it opened in February 2024) or on Broadway in a long, long time (I’d argue 2011’s The Book of Mormon). Its charm and craftmanship might provide some competition.

Wendy: I believe that the Tony will go to one of the shows still running: John Proctor is the Villain, Oh, Mary!, or Purpose. I think John Proctor is the Villain will take it.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Musical Revival

“Floyd Collins”

“Gypsy

“Pirates! The Penzance Musical”

“Sunset Boulevard”

Liz: I can see Sunset taking this, especially given its stagey departures from the original (including a celebrated segment that doesn’t take place on the stage itself). Gypsy could win, too, very easily. Floyd Collins is the quieter and heavier underdog here, but still, I’d be thrilled if it won. I’ll guess Gypsy because it’s Gypsy.

Sandra: Although Sunset Boulevard never really impressed me, somehow, I’ve seen it four times (Glenn Close in Los Angeles; Glenn Close in New York in 1994, Elaine Paige in 1996, and Nicole Scherzinger in 2024 — all on Broadway). But this recent production stunned me with its staging. Tom Francis’ second act walk backstage, down 44th Street through the theater is simply exhilarating, rich, inventive — and one of the most exciting Broadway moments I’ve experienced this season. So, Sunset Boulevard for the win.

Wendy: Okay, here’s a prediction I’d bet on: Pirates! won’t win. Predicting who will win is a tad more challenging. I’m going to say Sunset Boulevard because it really excited the part of the audience that didn’t hate it.

___________________________________

___________________________________

Best Play Revival

“Eureka Day”

“Our Town”

“Romeo + Juliet”

“Yellow Face”

Liz: I suspect Eureka Day won’t take this: as delightful and timely and hilarious as it was, it was also pretty light (and undersold). The turbo-charged Our Town was so poorly conceived that if it wins, I’ll be very grumpy. The award could certainly go to Romeo + Juliet, which ran well and had solid word of mouth, but if I had my druthers, Yellow Face would win.

Sandra: Romeo + Juliet successfully made Shakespeare accessible to the Tik Tok crowd. My 17-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son BEGGED me to take them. The music from Jack Antonoff and an immersive set design, where actors performed from the aisles, stage rafters, and seating gave this classic a powerful accessibility — and Kit Connor’s balcony pull-up scene created a viral moment … and engaging theater.

Wendy: Our Town is the rare nominee this year that I think didn’t deserve its nomination. It just kinda wasn’t Our Town. A friend said that she always sobbed by the end of Our Town, and this time she was only teary-eyed. I’m predicting Eureka Day at least as much because I loved it as I believe it will win.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Leading Actress in a Play

Laura Donnelly, “The Hills of California”
Mia Farrow, “The Roommate”
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, “Purpose”
Sadie Sink, “John Proctor Is the Villain”
Sarah Snook, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Liz: I appreciate that Farrow, at 80, got her first Tony nod, and Laura Donnelly’s performance as both mother and daughter was superb. But one-person shows involving lots of costume changes and shape shifting and sweat are shoo-ins, so early congratulations to Sarah Snook.

Sandra: Like Liz and Wendy, I pay homage to Farrow and her acting legacy. How wonderful it would be to see her on stage Tony night. But I take comfort in the fact that all of these performances are as solid as they come, and when Sarah Snook takes the award, I won’t cry.

Wendy: I suspect that LIz might be right that Snook will win due to sheer showy effort, and she also has a pre-existing fan base from Succession. Laura Donnelly was extraordinary, Sadie Sink was dynamic and moving, and Mia Farrow is Mia Farrow. But LaTanya Richardson Jackson provided a vibrant center for Purpose and brilliantly showed the price of committing your life to living a lie.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Leading Actor in a Play

George Clooney, “Good Night, and Good Luck”

Cole Escola, “Oh, Mary!”

Jon Michael Hill, “Purpose”

Daniel Dae Kim, “Yellow Face”

Harry Lennix, “Purpose”

Louis McCartney, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”

Liz: This is a tossup between Clooney and Escola. Clooney’s first time on Broadway is a big deal making big money, but I’m gonna go with Escola.

Sandra: I so want Cole Escola to win this. Their performance shows boldness and imagination as they create a distinctive Mary Todd Lincoln that’s both hilarious and memorable.

Wendy: I don’t think Cole Escola will win Best Play and Best Actor. This is the one I’m predicting them to win.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Leading Actress in a Musical

Jasmine Amy Rogers, “Boop!”

Megan Hilty, “Death Becomes Her”

Audra McDonald, “Gypsy”

Nicole Scherzinger, “Sunset Boulevard”

Jennifer Simard, “Death Becomes Her”

Liz: Hilty is phenomenal; Simard is a longtime favorite who never fails to send me into paroxysms of laughter. Rogers is an exciting new talent with a big future ahead of her. McDonald is adored. But unless Scherzinger so alienated voters over her evasive political posts, I suspect she’ll win.

Sandra: Does Audra really need a seventh tony? Yes, she’s a phenomenal talent who puts her own spin on this classic role but let’s share the wealth already. I think Nicole Scherzinger is the top pick here. She already won the Olivier Award, and her presence onstage is both vulnerable and commanding. And she’s got the pipes.

Wendy: I think the big question here is, do the Tony voters think that Audra has enough Tonys? And, as Liz pointed out, there’s a chance Scherzinger has alienated enough people to cost her this award. I’m going to predict Audra for this somewhat bizarre reason: Some years ago, at a Tonys party, I ended up tying for most correct predictions. I would have won solo had I predicted McDonald in Supporting Actress. So I’ve learned not to mess with Audra.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Leading Actor in a Musical

Darren Criss, “Maybe Happy Ending”

Andrew Durand, “Dead Outlaw”

Tom Francis, “Sunset Boulevard”

Jonathan Groff, “Just in Time”

Jeremy Jordan, “Floyd Collins”

James Monroe Iglehart, “A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical”

Liz: Jordan does what he can from his lounge chair, but it’s not his time. Iglehart won’t win, nor will Groff (who took this award last year). Francis was excellent, but not so distinctive in the role as Scherzinger is in hers. Durand is weird and wonderful in Outlaw. But I think Criss will win.

Sandra: I’ll be honest here. I’m a Gleek. I watched all six seasons through the good, the bad and the ugly (I’m looking at you Season 5). I vote for Blaine Anderson, um, I mean, Darren Criss.

Wendy: Criss or Groff, Groff or Criss? I’m going with Criss.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Direction of a Musical

Saheem Ali, “Buena Vista Social Club”

Michael Arden, “Maybe Happy Ending”

David Cromer, “Dead Outlaw”

Christopher Gattelli, “Death Becomes Her”

Jamie Lloyd, “Sunset Boulevard”

Liz: OMG please don’t make me guess this one. I’ll go with a pathetic attempt at wordplay, even if it evokes illicit massage parlors: Perhaps this will be Michael Arden’s happy ending?

Sandra: Jamie Lloyd, for sure. He’s the director/producer du jour this season — and, honestly, I think he’s earned the title. His stripped-down, stunning version of Sunset Boulevard made my own viewing pleasure of a show I never liked four-times the charm.

Wendy: I would predict Jamie Lloyd for Sunset Boulevard because tearing apart–uh, reimagining–existing pieces is often popular. But a lot of people hated what he did. So I’m going with Michael Arden for Maybe Happy Ending.

___________________________________

___________________________________

Best Direction of a Play

Knud Adams, “English”

Sam Mendes, “The Hills of California”

Sam Pinkleton, “Oh, Mary!”

Danya Taymor, “John Proctor Is the Villain”

Kip Williams, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Liz: Hills was beautifully directed, but I suspect it’ll go to Pinkleton or Williams — with a slight edge for Williams.

Sandra: I echo my colleagues. I think Sam Pinkleton for Oh, Mary!

Wendy: Sam Pinkleton seems likely, for Oh, Mary!

___________________________________

___________________________________

Featured Actress in a Play

Tala Ashe, “English”

Jessica Hecht, “Eureka Day”

Marjan Neshat, “English”

Fina Strazza, “John Proctor Is the Villain”

Kara Young, “Purpose”

Liz: I missed a number of these, so I’m throwing darts, here. Hecht and Young are always phenomenal. I can’t speak to Ashe or Strazza. I’ve seen Neshat in other shows, am always impressed with her, so I will root for her to get the honor, even as everyone’s deserving.

Sandra: I first noticed Hecht when she played Susan in “Friends,” and since then I’ve seen her several times on Broadway in The Last Night of Ballyhoo (1997), A View from the Bridge (2010) and Fiddler on the Roof (2015) — all showed her ability to infuse her characters with compassion, depth and nuance. After 12 shows on Broadway, it’s Tony time for her.

Wendy: Jessica Hecht doesn’t have a Tony. I think she should. Perhaps the Tony voters will agree.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Featured Actor in a Play

Glenn Davis, “Purpose”

Gabriel Ebert, “John Proctor Is the Villain”

Francis Jue, “Yellow Face”

Bob Odenkirk, “Glengarry Glen Ross”

Conrad Ricamora, “Oh, Mary!”

Liz: Enormously worthy contenders to a one. But Conrad Ricamora was perfect as totally-ahistorical-Abe-Lincoln, and I’d be thrilled to see him win.

Sandra: I think the revival of Yellow Face deserves an award and this is the category, where a win is most likely. I’m with Wendy on this one (Francis Jue).

Wendy: I feel like Francis Jue’s name has already been engraved on this Tony, for Yellow Face and his entire body of work.

___________________________________

___________________________________

Best Featured Actress in a Musical

Natalie Venetia Belcon, “Buena Vista Social Club”

Julia Knitel, “Dead Outlaw”

Gracie Lawrence, “Just in Time”

Justina Machado, “Real Women Have Curves”

Joy Woods, “Gypsy”

Liz: Not a freaking clue. Time to throw a dart again: Joy Woods in Gypsy.

Sandra: I’m with Wendy here. I’d like to see this show get attention and Machado adds some spice and heart to her matriarch character.

Wendy: I’m predicting Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves, partially to give the show something.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Brooks Ashmanskas, “Smash”

Jeb Brown, “Dead Outlaw”

Danny Burstein, “Gypsy”

Jak Malone, “Operation Mincemeat”

Taylor Trensch, “Floyd Collins”

Liz: I don’t see Burstein or Trensch winning this. Brooks Ashmanskas is funny and holds Smash together. But I think this one will go to Jak Malone for his generous, funny, and surprisingly moving work in Mincemeat.

Sandra: Again, I’m voting with my heart and no logic whatsoever. I would watch Danny Burstein read the phone book as they say and have enjoyed his presence in so many productions over the years — he’s done 19 Broadway shows (19!) — and I want to give the award to him.

Wendy: I’m predicting Danny Burstein because he is clearly very loved by the Broadway community.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Book of a Musical

“Buena Vista Social Club”

“Dead Outlaw”

“Death Becomes Her”

“Maybe Happy Ending”

“Operation Mincemeat”

Liz: These are all good-to-superb books, and a few — like Death Becomes Her — even improve on their filmic predecessors. But Maybe Happy Ending and Dead Outlaw are the two completely original ones — and of those two, Outlaw stays with me as especially loopy, manic and brilliantly executed.

Sandra: This is a particularly strong category as Liz mentions. I think Outlaw will win for its originality, but I’d love to see a world where Wendy’s prediction comes true. 

Wendy: I think this is where the Tony voters will acknowledge Operation Mincemeat.

___________________________________

___________________________________ 

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Marsha Ginsberg, “English”

Rob Howell, “The Hills of California”

Marg Horwell and David Bergman, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Miriam Buether and 59, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”

Scott Pask, “Good Night, and Good Luck”

Liz: I loved the Hills set, with its stairways climbing up into the heights, but I suspect the award will go to something newer and gimmickier, like Stranger Things. That’s a shot in the dark, though — haven’t seen enough of these to offer any educated guesses.

Sandra: Sometimes gimmicky works, especially when it’s slightly magical. With elaborate sets and high-impact stagecraft, Stranger Things elevates its fan-friendly material. If Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two can win six Tony Awards (including Best Scenic Design) with a play that lacks the emotional impact of J.K. Rowling’s original series, perhaps Stranger Things can prevail, too.

Wendy: I agree with Liz and Sandra that a newer and gimmickier design is likely to win, but I’m predicting The HIlls of California for its elegant old and less-gimmicky design.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Rachel Hauck, “Swept Away”

Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, “Maybe Happy Ending”

Arnulfo Maldonado, “Buena Vista Social Club”

Derek McLane, “Death Becomes Her”

Derek McLane, “Just in Time”

Liz: I appreciated the spare, evocative design for Swept Away but was most impressed with the clean lines, brightness and tidy, graceful efficiency of the set for Maybe Happy Ending.

Sandra: I’m siding with the Show Showdown gang with this one: Maybe Happy Ending.

Wendy: Maybe Happy Ending, as in complete guess.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Natasha Chivers, “The Hills of California”

Jon Clark, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”

Heather Gilbert and David Bengali, “Good Night, and Good Luck”

Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski, “John Proctor is the Villain”

Nick Schlieper, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Liz: Just gonna go with Clark for the tv show onstage or Schlieper for Dorian Gray. Maybe the latter, because super newsy one-woman shows don’t lighting design themselves.

Sandra: I think Stranger (Jon Clark) could take this for the reasons above (Harry Potter BTW also won for lighting design).

Wendy: Picture of Dorian Gray (Nick Schlieper), because the lighting is so lit.

___________________________________

___________________________________

Best Costume Design of a Play

Brenda Abbandandolo, “Good Night, and Good Luck”

Marg Horwell, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Rob Howell, “The Hills of California”

Holly Pierson, “Oh, Mary!”

Brigitte Reiffenstuel, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”

Liz: Oh, who knows? More darts: Pierson for Oh, Mary!

Sandra: When a team of dressers needs to appear onstage, you know that costumes have become an essential part of the theatrical experience. While the video technology and Sarah Snook’s acting skill form the 26 characters in Oscar Wilde’s only novel, it is the quick change of the period clothing that facilitate the actress’s transformation. (Marg Horwell)

Wendy: Oh, Mary! for sure.

___________________________________

___________________________________

Best Choreography

Joshua Bergasse, “Smash”

Camille A. Brown, “Gypsy”

Christopher Gattelli, “Death Becomes Her”

Jerry Mitchell, “Boop!”

Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, “Buena Vista Social Club”

Liz: Ummmm….Smash? I’m out of my league, here.

Sandra: The dance in Buena Vista Social Club infuses the audience with the spirit of this show. It is performed not as an aside but as a key element to the musical’s storytelling, which is why it will win the Tony.

Wendy: I’m envisioning a Tonys where the awards are spread around, and I’m predicting Buena Vista Social Club here.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Orchestrations

Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber, “Just in Time”

Will Aronson, “Maybe Happy Ending”

Bruce Coughlin, “Floyd Collins”

Marco Paguia, “Buena Vista Social Club”

David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Sunset Boulevard”

Liz: Floyd Collins sounded so rich and lovely in this rendition, and I love that score so much.

Sandra: Floyd Collins deserves some recognition and like Liz I think this is where the Tony Awards will show it love.

Wendy: And here’s where I think they’ll reward Just In Time.

___________________________________

___________________________________

Best Sound Design of a Play

Paul Arditti, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”

Palmer Hefferan, “John Proctor Is the Villain”

Daniel Kluger, “Good Night, and Good Luck”

Nick Powell, “The Hills of California”

Clemence Williams, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Liz: When in doubt, as I am, go for the tech-heavy spectacle. Stranger Things.

Sandra: I say Stranger Things, too.

Wendy: This always seems to me to be a difficult category, because people have different sonic experiences from different seats. And is it about clarity, mood, or some other factor? Totally randomly, I’m going for Good Night, and Good Luck.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Original Score

“Dead Outlaw,” David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna

“Death Becomes Her,” Julia Mattison and Noel Carey

“Maybe Happy Ending,” Will Aronson and Hue Park

“Operation Mincemeat,” David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts

“Real Women Have Curves,” Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez

Liz: Dead Outlaw is currently my personal favorite, even as it’s ultimately very short, just slightly one-note (even as that one note ROCKS), and not necessarily Yazbek’s best work. While I’d love to see it win just because I dig it, I suspect Maybe Happy Ending will instead.

Sandra: I'm siding with Wendy on this one. (Maybe Happy Ending)

Wendy: I think this will go to Maybe Happy Ending.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Dede Ayite, “Buena Vista Social Club”

Gregg Barnes, “Boop!”

Clint Ramos, “Maybe Happy Ending”

Paul Tazewell, “Death Becomes Her”

Catherine Zuber, “Just in Time”

Liz: Can I vote for Great Gatsby again? No? Fine: Tazewell for Death Becomes Her.

Sandra: The costumes in Death Becomes Her give insight into the character’s POV, and those sparkle dresses in the end are to die for — if Madeline and Helen lost their immortality — and show the totality of their decisions. So, Show Showdown stands united on this one.

Wendy: Paul Tazewell for Death Becomes Her.

___________________________________

___________________________________  


Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Jack Knowles, “Sunset Boulevard”

Tyler Micoleau, “Buena Vista Social Club”

Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, “Floyd Collins”

Ben Stanton, “Maybe Happy Ending”

Justin Townsend, “Death Becomes Her”

Liz: Knowles for sure: the lighting makes that production.

Sandra: Hey, look at us: we all agree again. We’re on a roll. (Sunset Boulevard)

Wendy: Jack Knowles for Sunset Boulevard.

___________________________________

___________________________________  

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans, “Buena Vista Social Club”

Adam Fisher, “Sunset Boulevard”

Peter Hylenski, “Just in Time”

Peter Hylenski, “Maybe Happy Ending”

Dan Moses Schreier, “Floyd Collins”

Liz: Just because I love when this happens, I’m voting for Hylenski. Which one? Do I have to guess? Happy Ending if so, but as always, I’ll wonder if, should he win for one and not the other, he’ll still beat himself up for losing?

Sandra: Buena Vista Social Club for the win because the show is literally about the music. The sound embraces a pure, exuberant joy that stays with the audience long after the last notes.

Wendy: Hey, Floyd Collins should get something, right?

___________________________________

___________________________________  

We Do The Same Thing Every Week

From the press release for We Do The Same Thing Every Week:

Dick and Jane are bored on a rainy Sunday afternoon. A six-foot tall cat shows up, and hijinks ensue. Later, elsewhere, Dick and Jane are bored on a rainy Sunday afternoon. A six-foot tall cat shows up, and hijinks ensue. Everywhere, space is a false vacuum waiting to decay. Try not to think about it while your boredom gnaws away at you. We Do the Same Thing Every Week is a one-act comedy about repetition, boredom, and the delicious, refreshing taste of Coca-Cola®.

I loved this show. I found it witty, surprising, silly, and appealingly bizarre. The writing, the directing, the acting, the puppets and puppeteering, and the design elements are all intelligent, beautifully executed, with a fabulous attention to detail. 

Jessica Nesi, Robert Leverett, Kate Budney,
Tora Nogami Alexander, Casey Worthington,
Justin Choi
Photo: HanJie Chow

I am not exactly sure what We Do the Same Thing Every Week is. My friend called it "Dr. Seuss meets Dr. Who," and that's a fabulous one-line description. And I'm sure it's full of themes and meanings and insights. 

But I don't want to analyze We Do the Same Thing Every Week. Having that volume of creativity and skill paraded in front of me for 90 minutes was a complete joy, and I just want to hold on to that experience. I hope you choose to experience it too.

(The show runs through May 17th. Information about tickets can be found here. Tickets are less than $32 including a fee, which is certainly a bargain!) (You could take 27 friends to see it with you for less than one ticket to the Denzel Washington-Jake Gyllenhal Othello!)

Wendy Caster

Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.

Caryl Churchill is not in love with the sound of her own voice. (Many playwrights are, along with many people in every walk of life.) While Churchill has a tremendous amount to say, her writing is spare and suggestive. And with this spare language, practically gossamer, yet incredibly vivid, Churchill is entertaining, insightful, and compassionate. And political. Her brilliance lies lightly on the stage, yet it shines. 

Proof of Churchill's wisdom and skill is currently on display at the Public Theater through an evening of four one-act plays focusing on oh so many things, but mostly the challenges of being human. They are not overtly related to one another but full of echoes and emotional quotes, and the evening coheres into one multi-layered play.

Deidre O'Connell
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Public Theater website has a brief description of the plays:  "A girl made of glass." "Gods and murders." "A pack of ghosts." "And a secret in a bottle." Those descriptions are insufficient yet completely sufficient. The plot is not the point. Life is the point. 

Adelind Horan, Ayana Workman,
Sathya Sridharan, Japhet Balaban
Photo: Joan Marcus

James Macdonald, who frequently directs Churchill's plays, is a full partner in the brilliance of the works. The design elements are perfect for the plays and beautiful and impressive in themselves. Miriam Buether designed the scenery, Enver Chakartash designed the costumes, Isabella Byrd designed the lighting, and Bray Poor designed the sound. 

John Ellison Conlee, Adelind Horan,

Deirdre O’Connell
Photo by Joan Marcus

The cast includes Japhet Balaban, Ruby Blaut (alternating with Cec​ilia Ann Popp), John Ellison Conlee, Adelind Horan, Maddox Morfit-Tighe, Deirdre O'Connell, Sathya Sridharan, Junru Wang, and Ayana Workman. They’re all fabulous.  Special kudos to Deirdre O’Connell for her breathtaking performance as a god who is really annoyed at being blamed for human misbehavior, particularly since she doesn’t even exist. 

How lucky we are that Caryl Churchill is still writing. The first time her work blew me away was in 1979. Over 45 years later, she is still amazing and somehow always new.

Wendy Caster

Blind Injustice

That the American justice system is worse than broken--dangerous, dishonest, racist--is not news. Some innocent people have been coerced into confessing, others have accepted plea bargains rather than risking decades in prison, and still others have been convicted at trials based on corrupted evidence. Witnesses may lie to protect themselves; they may be forced by police to lie; or they may just be wrong. It has been estimated that 6% of the people in prison are innocent. With an estimated 1.8 million people incarcerated in the US, that comes to approximately 108,000 innocent people imprisoned.

Photo: Erin Baiano

As horrifying as those statistics are, they have the weakness of all statistics, which is that they do not contain emotions, or people, or families.

The brilliant opera Blind Injustice, which received its New York premiere last month in an electric MasterVoices production, is full of emotion and people and families. Based partially on the book of the same name and focusing on six innocent people who were exonerated after spending years or even decades in prison, the opera mixes fact and fiction, often using exonerated people's actual quotes in the vivid libretto by David Cote (dramaturgy by Robin Guarino). The exonerated people are Nancy Smith, Derrick Wheatt, Eugene Johnson, Laurese Glover, Clarence Elkins, and Rickey Jackson.

Photo: Erin Baiano

Scott Davenport Richards's extraordinary scores utilizes jazz, blues, and hip-hop to allow the full expression of emotion of the people depicted. There is something particularly satisfying in seeing these characters being able to express themselves full-voice, full-heart, and loud. I can't think of a better medium for telling this story.

Everyone involved with this production was at the top of their game. The volatile combination of feeling pain from the content and sheer pleasure at the artistry gives the audience the sort of emotional cognitive dissonance that may be felt at the very best art.

Photo: Erin Baiano

I found the audience response representative of this experience in a particular way: people gasped twice. The first time was when the 120 MasterVoices singers, seated in the section of the audience behind the stage, stood to sing. I knew that they were there, and I was thrilled. For the people who didn't realize that they were there, it must have felt magical. The second time they gasped was when one of the exonerees was asked how long he had been in prison, and he answered, "thirty-nine years."

I hope that Blind Injustice is picked up by opera companies everywhere. Audiences deserve to experience the artistry and need to hear the stories.

Wendy Caster

 

The Price

I am not a fan of Arthur Miller's. But I like to revisit works to see if I've missed something. Having recently reread Death of a Salesman and seen the The Village Theater Group production of The Price, I haven't changed my mind. In fact, watching The Price reminded me of how grateful I am for the relatively recent model of the 90-minute show, pared down and subtle, sleek and deep.

Janelle Farias Sando, Bill Barry
Photo: Joe Pacifico

Not all shows should be short. Some truly require and fill the time they take. Death of a Salesman is one. Purpose, currently on Broadway (see it!) is another. The Price is not. It is repetitive and blunt and repetitive and, oh yeah, repetitive as it shleps along its two acts. Paring the show down to 90 minutes could only help.

Mike Durkin
Photo: Joe Pacifico

Fitting snugly in the "adult children deal with the past" box, The Price centers around a crowded attic of stuff (nicely designed/assembled by the Village Theater Group). The main question is, how much is this all worth, financially and emotionally. The characters are two brothers--estranged, of course--and one's wife, along with Solomon, an antique/junk dealer who is going to buy everything in the attic. He is a real character, late 80s, Yiddish accent, tremendous presence but physically frail. He is comic relief, voice of reason, and plot device all is one. The four people interact in various combinations, and, yes, secrets are revealed and relationships are tested. Meanwhile, Solomon keeps trying to buy the items as cheaply as possible. 

This is an all-too-familiar play structure, but Miller did write it years before the gazillion other plays in which secrets are revealed and relationships are tested. There's a reason this structure has lasted; dysfunctional families are endlessly interesting to watch when the play is well-written. The Price provides some interesting scenes and interactions; if only there were fewer of them!

The Village Theater Group is a brand-new entity and well-worth watching I think. While I had complaints about this production (the pacing didn't help any), there was much to like and reasons for optimism for future productions. 

The main strength is the cast, in particular Bill Barry as the non-favorite son who has not made much of his life. (Miller's belief that being a police officer is a form of failure is a little offensive, though I buy that this family might feel that way.) Barry is excellent. The role is an emotional roller coaster, and he acts the dips and climbs and twists and turns with total believability. Everything he does is real, and the performance centers the play beautifully.

Mike Durkin is strongly effective as the dealer, as is Janelle Farias Sando as the wife. Cullen Wheeler, as the successful brother, is  miscast. He seems to come from a different reality. 

Other than the pacing, director Noelle McGrath gives the play a fair and thoughtful hearing. The design elements are all good.

It's 2025 and theatre has been "dying" for at least a hundred years. Yet, in a truly weird moment in history and in the midst of a terrible economy for the arts, co-founders Daniel J. Condon and Andrew Beregovoy have added a new theatre group to the mix. I wish them well. 

Wendy Caster

Garside's Career

In Garside's Career, written by Harold Brighouse before the first World War, Peter Garside is a skilled mechanic and avid Union member in 1914 Midlanton, England. He has just completed a university degree, an unusual achievement for a member of the working class. The Union and Garside's friends recruit him to run for Parliament, and why not? In addition to his degree, he possesses excellent oratory skills, prodigious energy, and much charisma. Garside wins, and off he goes to Parliament to fight for unions and the working man. Just one problem: his ambition and ego are every bit as big as his talent and charm.

Daniel Marconi and Amelia White

Photo: Maria Baranova

This is the Mint at its best, finding a worthy forgotten play and bringing it to life with top-notch direction, acting, and production values. In these days of shows being revised, rethought, and adapted (and occasionally destroyed), watching a thoughtful, respectful, excellent production of a smart, interesting, heartfelt play is a special treat. Thanks as always to the Mint for giving us so many of these special treats.

Sara Haider, Avery Whitted, Melissa Maxwell

Photo: Maria Baranova

Interestingly enough, Garside's Career represents a certain set of values in a way that undercuts those values, without, I think, meaning to do so. [here be spoilers] While clearly in favor of unions and fairness and hard work and being true to one's neighbors and friends, the play presents money and status as so seductive that Garside succumbs in about 30 seconds. He ends up in debt and neglects his role in Parliament to chase money. Eventually, the Union and his friends force him to resign from Parliament. He goes into a huge big-boy tantrum, furious at anyone who would interrupt his pity party. After a week of this, his old girlfriend, a solid, hard-working, unimaginative woman, reappears, ready to take him back. First she calls him on his shit, then she sets conditions. All she asks is that he give up everything that makes him him: ambition and ego, yes, but also talent and creativity. She wants him back in the world of mechanics, and, chastened, he agrees. So, he throws away everything he could do and be. Yes, he messed up, big time. But baby with the bathwater! With the support of his wife-to-be and the rest of the community, he might be able to learn to use his talents for good. More to the point, he will never stick to these agreements. Sooner or later, he will explode back into himself. Probably sooner. [end of spoilers]

The fact that I cared enough to argue  with a play that is over a century old shows the value of the Mint's work. Yesterday's plays have much to say to us today. And first-class productions are always welcome.

Wendy Caster

After Endgame

Photo by Josh Goleman. Design: Armistead Booker

When playing chess never move your pawn to F4 since it makes your king vulnerable and, as Kevin James Doyle advises, "If you're playing anyone even decent at chess, they're going to know you don't know what you're doing — and they're going to destroy you."

Doyle, a comedian, actor and chess instructor, starts After Endgame with this anecdote, a 70-minute conversation on chess, comedy and the deceptions present in life and the games we play. While knowledge of chess allows you to engage in a match before or after showtime on the boards that dot the tables surrounding the stage, the performance aims to amuse all, especially the neophytes.

Besides offering basic game strategies, Doyle entertains by interweaving the history of chess with his own experience as a teacher who’s completed more than 6,500 lessons with students as young as 3 and as old as 94. Jokes about why he can’t play a pedophile on “Law & Order” (What parent would hire Mr. Kevin as a chess teacher afterward?) are mixed with stories about master chess players such as American Paul Morphy to the 1956 Game of the Century that established a 13-year-old Bobby Fischer as an emerging presence when he sacrificed his Queen to beat the twice-his-age Donald Byrne.

Photo by Josh Goleman

Along the way, Doyle recounts what happened when a rich investor sponsored his trip to Singapore, where he taught chess to the local elite and their offspring as he sought financing for a chess-inspired business. The basement bar extends the lesson with a Chess Museum of sorts that features images of past games and champions that Doyle curated with director Cory Cavin and set designer Charles Matte.

After Endgame is playing at the SoHo Playhouse’s Huron Room (15 Vandam St., NYC) through March 8, and then on March 30 and 31 at The Lyric Hyperion (2105 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles). [See the After Endgame trailer]