Italian American Reconciliation

 Italian American Reconciliation
The Flea Theater
October 18, 2025

Photo courtesy of Italian American Reconciliation

John Patrick Shanley’s rarely produced Italian American Reconciliation is beautifully brought to life at The Flea Theater.  Director Austin Pendleton has gathered an amazing cast to inject passion and perspective into Mr. Shanley’s writing.  The setting and time period ring with authenticity.  The cast captures the rhythms and timing in the dialogue.  It all flows naturally, building the tension and humor in each moment through the characters’ conflicting desires.

Aldo (played by Robert Farrior) tells the story of his best friend, Huey (played by Wade McCollum).  Huey is dating Teresa (played by Mia Gentile).  He is very much in love with her, but feels he needs to break up with her and get back with his ex-wife, Janice (played by Linda Manning).  He feels that when they divorced, she took a part of him, and he needs to get it back.  Huey has a plan and needs Aldo’s help.  Aldo agrees, but has a plan of his own to keep Janice and Huey apart, which he feels is best for both of them. 

Wade McCollum & Robert Farrior
Photo courtesy of Italian American Reconciliation

Robert Farrior opens the show as Aldo, directly addressing the audience.  The tone, pace, and humor of the play are immediately established.  He invites the audience in for the story he wants to tell, and informs them that it has a lesson.  He brings the lesson to a specific conclusion, after experiencing torment throughout the journey.  Mr. Farrior skillfully portrays this inner conflict, while maintaining the humor in Aldo’s perspective.  He brings vibrant life to all his scenes. 

Wade McCollum skillfully portrays the various levels of Huey’s character.  He is meek and broken with a lust for life that is trapped within.  Mr. McCollum finds moments to reveal this inner zeal and strength, keeping the audience connected to his plan to reconcile with his ex-wife.  Linda Manning’s Janice is dark and brooding with an explosive temper.  She reveals different sides of herself in scenes with Huey and Aldo, creating a full and complex character. 

Mia Gentile, Mary Testa, & Robert Farrior
Photo courtesy of Italian American Reconciliation

Mia Gentile plays Teresa with a strong sense of self-awareness, while also needing love and companionship.  These elements come into conflict when the decision she makes to break it off with Huey is turned around when he breaks up with her first.  Luckily, she has Aunt May to talk to.  Mary Testa plays this role to the fullest.  She offers advice and comfort, not only to Teresa, but also to Aldo.  Ms. Testa portrays this character with warmth and wisdom, while also maintaining an edge of skepticism, which magnifies the humor.

This play addresses the messiness of love and the need we all have for it.  It is structured and communicated in a way that is unique to John Patrick Shanley.  It is a beautifully passionate adventure. 

Italian American Reconciliation is playing at The Flea Theater through October 26. 

Domenick Danza

Liberation

 Liberation
James Earl Jones Theatre
October 14, 2025

Photo courtesy of Liberation

After a successful Off-Broadway run last winter, Liberation has moved to the James Earl Jones Theatre on Broadway.  Playwright Bess Wohl has outdone herself with this play.  She crafted a brilliant exploration into what drives the desire to instigate change and generate lasting impact.  Her characters all speak from the heart, addressing large social and political issues from intimate and personal perspectives.  Director Whitney White skillfully balances the voices, giving each character a platform to be heard.  The cast is phenomenal, creating moments of honest contact that nudges the audience into deep introspection. 

Lizzie (played by Susannah Flood) wants to tell the story of her recently deceased mother who, in 1970, started a women’s liberation group while living in Ohio.  Lizzie has a few unanswered questions about that work and experience, so she looks through her mother’s notebooks.  This transports her to the meetings in the basement basketball court of the local rec center.  Lizzie steps into her mother’s shoes and meets Margie (played by Betsy Aidem), Dora (played by Audrey Corsa), Celeste (played by Kristolyn Lloyd), Isadora (played by Irene Sofia Lucio), and Susan (played by Adina Verson).  They all share their stories, challenges, and trepidations.  Lizzie’s questions are not fully answered, so she contacts the women from the group who are still living.  Lizzie does not stop probing, finally digging into her mother’s choice to marry her father, which is more than she can handle on her own. 

Susannah Flood & Betsy Aidem
Photo courtesy of Liberation

The character of Lizzie directly addresses the audience at various times throughout the play.  This
personally engages the audience, keeping them fully connected to the action as it goes back and forth in time.  Susannah Flood does a remarkable job with this.  She befriends the audience, making them a part of how she tells the story.  She is fully present, emotionally exposed, and highly amiable.  

Photo courtesy of Liberation

Each of the characters is distinctly drawn, and this cast embodies every element of these specific and strong personalities.  Betsy Aidem is phenomenal as Margie.  As her character grows, she does not shed her cynical edge.  Audrey Corsa portrays the emergence of her character Dora with grace and confidence.  She truly blossoms through her participation in the group.  Kristolyn Lloyd is stoic and grounded as Celeste.  She bravely faces her challenges, yet is highly vulnerable when she lets down her guard.  Irene Sofia Lucio creates a lustful and vibrant Isadora.  As transparent as she presents herself, she is continually full of surprises.  Adina Verson is solid and fiery as Susan.  Her subtext is vivid and clear.  There are also powerful performances by Kayla Davion and Charlie Thurston.

Photo courtesy of Liberation

Most of the action of the play takes place in the 1970s and focuses on the women’s liberation
movement.  It directly speaks to who we, as a society, have become since then.  Our successes and our disappointments.  The play makes the point that our participation has value.  Great value.  Everyday value.  This is an important play. 

Liberation is playing at the James Earl Jones Theatre.  You must experience it for yourself.    

Domenick Danza

Truman vs. Israel

 Truman vs. Israel
Abzug and the Undressing of Truman
Theater at St. Clements
October 11, 2025

Photo by Darin Chumbley, PictureDLC 
Courtesy of Greenhouse Theater Center 

The Greenhouse Theater Center’s production of Truman vs. Israel is a unique glimpse into a specific slice of history.  Playwright William Spatz sets up a fictional meeting between Harry S Truman and Bella Abzug that fervently illustrates the conviction it takes to make bold and difficult decisions.  There is no going back and there cannot be any regrets.  Director Randy White uses this theme in the way the cast approaches their characters.  Strong and bold choices are made, heightening the emotional impact of the play. 

After serving as President of the United States, Harry S Truman (played by Willy Falk) brings a defamation lawsuit against a NY journalist.  Truman’s law firm sends Bella Abzug (played by Helen Laser) to his home in Independence, Missouri to review the case.  Her main objective is to get him to drop the charges.  The law firm is concerned that the trial will prove the journalist’s statements correct.  These concerns are verified when President Truman tells Bella Abzug that Jews are not allowed in his home.  Don Muller, Ms. Abzug’s assistant (played by Matt Caplan), has an agenda of his own and contradicts her when she consults with President Truman.  This puts her on guard.  When Mr. Muller interviews Eddie, President Truman’s longtime friend and neighbor (played by Mark Lotito), these concerns are magnified.  It is the discussion of President Truman’s decision to not support or arm Israel that leads Mr. Muller to take action that no one anticipated. 

Willy Falk, Helen Laser, & Matt Caplan
Photo by Darin Chumbley, PictureDLC
Courtesy of Greenhouse Theater Center

The writing is full of facts about decisions that President Truman made while in office, including the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan and the support of the state of Israel.  The tensions in the scenes where these facts are discussed are high, giving the events a sense of urgency.  Even though they took place in the past, they have lasting effects.  The characters of President Truman and Bella Abzug are highly complex and known to most audience members.  Willy Falk and Helen Laser successfully take on this challenge, humanizing these historic figures.  Their strengths and flaws are equally portrayed.  They have strong beliefs in equality and justice, while both being stubborn, boisterous, and forthright.  

Willy Falk, Matt Caplan, & Helen Laser
Photo by Darin Chumbley, Picture DLC
Courtesy of Greenhouse Theater Center

Matt Caplan portrays Don Muller with equal complexity.  The difference is that his character is fictional.  He has a gripping and heartbreaking backstory.  When it is revealed, the motivation for his unexpected action is clearly justified.

The character of Eddie is both a help and a hinderance to the case Ms. Abzug is building.  Since he and President Truman were friends from an early age and served in the military together, Eddie has witnessed his bravery and heard his anti-Semitic and racist remarks.  These scenes are vital in painting a vivid portrait of President Truman.  Mark Lotito plays these scenes with total honesty, having great respect for his friend while seeing past his flaws and upbringing. 

Truman vs. Israel is playing at Theater at St. Clements through January 4.  It is a timely play, offering historic facts as a framework to better understand the present. 

Domenick Danza

The Glitch

 The Glitch
The Jerry Orbach Theater
at The Theater Center
October 5, 2025

Photo courtesy of The Glitch

Kipp Koenig’s play, The Glitch, explores the unbounded capabilities of AI and the limitless power of human emotion.  The story stretches the imagination by creating a logical world where the events are fully believable.  Director Mark Koenig works with a skilled cast to ground the fantastic elements of the story in reality by creating truthful moments and honest relationships. 

Wyatt (played by Sunny Makwana) developed an AI program that can create holographic images of parents’ future children.  His partner, Wendy (played by Jacquie Bonnet), enters DNA data and additional detailed information to initiate the program.  Their AI counselor, Aurora (played by Amilia Shaw), generates scenarios for the future parents to interact with their AI child.  The purpose is to support and prepare them in their decision-making process.  When Client #10, Amy (played by Danielle Augustine), comes in for her first face to face session, Wyatt recognizes her from his childhood.  Aurora senses their connection and reprograms the data to manipulate an outcome she believes is in Client #10’s best interest.  Wendy and Wyatt are unaware that Aurora has the capability to adjust data without them.  They all find themselves in a situation they are unable to control. 

Photo courtesy of The Glitch

Wyatt is playful and impulsive, while Wendy is focused and logical.  Sunny Makwana and Jacquie Bonnet portray this dichotomy perfectly.  It is established in the opening scene, and is essential in keeping the action moving throughout the play.  Danielle Augustine plays Amy’s many layers beautifully.  She lies and stretches the truth in her earlier scenes to protect herself.  Each layer of this protection is stripped away in her scenes with Aurora, until she has to face the truth about herself in the final scene with Wyatt.  Ms. Augustine and Mr. Makwana play this moment tenderly.  After the amazingly cold and mechanical voice Amilie Shaw uses as Aurora, the human emotion shared between Amy and Wyatt is highly effective. 

Hanna Rose Doherty as Hailey 
Photo courtesy of The Glitch

Hannah Rose Doherty plays the AI holograph of Hailey, Amy’s future daughter.  As the data used to create the character is altered, so does the personality traits of the AI.  Ms. Doherty wonderfully  handles these transitions, creating a believable combination of automation and humanity.

The understanding of technological advances that Mr. Koenig implements in his writing heightens the credibility of the fanatical elements the play.  The skepticism we all have about the power of AI is feasible.  Mr. Koenig keys into this fear and makes a strong statement about how the power of human emotion is far stronger than anything AI can provide. 

The Glitch is playing at The Jerry Orbach Theater at The Theater Center thought November 2. 

Domenick Danza

Punch

 Punch
Manhattan Theatre Club
The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
September 27, 2025

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

James Graham’s play Punch is a gripping and emotional story.  It is based on Jacob Dunne’s book Right from Wrong, where he shares the events leading up to and following one action that changed his life.  Mr. Graham skillfully structured his play to keep the audience on the edge of their seat, constantly wanting more information.  Director Adam Penford, who also directed the U.K. production, builds the tension in Act I, then emotionally opens the characters in Act II. 

We first meet Jacob (played by Will Harrison) as he is telling the story of a night of heavy drinking and drug use.  He is irresponsible and pompous.  A few times in his telling of the story the lights change, revealing a circle of his peers.  He continues to tell the story, but he is humble and self-aware.  This back and forth continues and we realize we are experiencing Jacob’s emotional state at the time of an event, juxtaposed to his remorse and guilt when sharing it in a group therapy session.  Jacob tells of his upbringing, and we meet his mother (played by Lucy Taylor).  She is warm and caring.  Jacob starts to have trouble in school, and he is diagnosed as dyslexic and on the spectrum.  He gets involved with a wild group from the neighborhood.  One night, when Jacob is nineteen, after drinking and partying, he steps in to defend a friend outside a bar.  Jacob knocks out a young man with one punch.  When this young man, James, dies from a brain injury, Jacob is convicted of manslaughter. 

Will Harrison & Lucy Taylor
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Will Harrison stunningly portrays the multiple sides of this very complex character.  The younger Jacob is loving and gentle.  As an adolescent, he faces challenges and makes poor choices.  As a teen, Jacob is irresponsible and violent.  After he serves his prison term, Jacob struggles with guilt and self-acceptance.  He works hard to get his life on a productive track.  Mr. Harrison draws the audience in.  They see the recklessness that leads to that one heinous act, yet never stop caring about him and his wellbeing. 

Lucy Taylor plays both Jacob’s mother and his parole officer.  She instantaneously shifts between these two very distinct characters.  Both have a strong relationship with Jacob.  Ms. Taylor and Mr. Harrison develop these relationships beautifully. 

Victoria Clark & Sam Robards
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Victoria Clark and Sam Robards play Joan and David, the parents of James, the victim of Jacob’s punch.  The conflict in their relationship lies in the way they face this tragedy, yet their commitment to one another is unwavering.  Ms. Clark portrays Joan as warmhearted and persistent.  She prods her husband to face their grief in ways he cannot.  David gently resists, holding his ground even though he knows it is what she needs.  Ms. Clark and Mr. Robards brilliantly handle these scenes with tenderness and devotion.  They are wonderful together, illustrating the strength and tenacity it takes to face their pain.  

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

The ensemble work in this production is phenomenal.  All the actors, except Mr. Harrison, play numerous roles.  The action is seamless, which holds the non-sequential sections of this story tightly together.  In addition to the actors previously mentioned, there are strong performances by Camila Canó-Flaviá, Cody Kostro, Piter Marek, Kim Fischer, Jacob Orr, and Amber Reauchean Williams. 

The tone changes and the pace shifts in Act II.  The characters work fearlessly to understand and resolve the traumatic actions they caused and experienced.  It is an emotional powerhouse. 

Punch is playing at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre through November 16.  You must see this play! 

Domenick Danza

This Is Not a Drill

 This Is Not a Drill
A New Musical
The York Theatre
The Theatre at St. Jean’s
September 17, 2025

Photo courtesy of This Is Not a Drill

The York Theatre production of This Is Not a Drill is a humorous and emotional journey through the events of a highly traumatic situation.  Vacationers and residents of Hawaii face the unimaginable when an emergency alarm is sent out across the island.  Yes, this is based on the true event we all read and heard about in 2018.  The music and lyrics by Holly Doubet, Kathy Babylon, and John Vester are a combination of upbeat songs and emotional ballads, which create an electrifying atmosphere.  The book by Holly Doubet and Joseph McDonough weaves the tales of different characters into one cohesive story with a poignant message.  Director/Choreographer Gabriel Barre places clear focus on the characters so the audience can follow their personal journeys and relate to their renewed awareness. 

Chris Doubet & Matthew Curiano
Photo by Carol Rosegg, courtesy of This Is Not a Drill

Aloha!  Welcome to paradise, where people travel to escape their lives and rediscover themselves.  Jessica (played by Felicia Finley) travels to Hawaii alone.  Her husband backed out of the trip at the last minute.  She knows in her heart that he is having an affair.  Tony (played by Matthew Curiano) had to drag his partner, Chris (played by Chris Doubet), from his job responsibilities to enjoy a week away.  Chris can’t put his phone down, but Tony doesn’t let him get away with it.  Their foster son was recently returned to his biological family.  They are each coping with their loss in different ways.  Sophie (played by Aurelia Williams) and Derek (played by Gary Edwards) honeymooned in Hawaii.  Sophie hopes to rekindle their lost passion.  Derek is having health issues that are taking over his emotions, not to mention the alienation from his son, who Derek cannot accept is gay.  These hopeful vacations are brought to a sudden halt when the island receives an emergency notification that they are under attack.

Aurelia Williams & Gary Edwards
Photo by Carol Rosegg, courtesy of This Is Not a Drill

Aurelia Williams and Gary Edwards share genuine moments of loss as Sophie and Derek.  Their needs and desires are clearly expressed.  Matthew Curiano and Chris Doubet have a humorous rapport as Tony and Chris, even though their conflict and bickering is truthful.  Felicia Finley opens her heart as Jessica.  She is full of vigor and optimism, even though she knows her marriage is in trouble.  The personal challenges these characters face are all put into perspective when the alarm is sounded.  The scene in the emergency shelter gives them all pause to face their fears and previous choices, and realize what is most important in their lives.  This scene is a highly effective turning point for the story.  The cast skillfully portrays serious moments that lead to tender revelations.

Caitlan Burke, Kelvin Moon Loh, and Sam Poon play Leilani, Kaleo, and Ikaika, a Hawaiian family who are employed at the island resort to entertain the guests.  Ikaika is not comfortable putting on a phony front for the tourists.  He is resentful of his parents, and wants to leave the island.  The family conflict is truthful and divisive, and these three actors portray it sincerely.  The action that Ikaika takes not only leads to their resolution, but is the climactic moment for the full storyline. 

Photo by Carol Rosegg, courtesy of This Is Not a Drill

Lukas Poost brings energetic humor to the character of Anonymous Button Guy, the man who hits the emergency alarm.  His performance is solid, creating an overly dominant male character in a few short scenes.  The high humor of these scenes works very well in contrast to the personal and realistic emotion portrayed throughout the piece.

This Is Not a Drill is playing at The Theatre at St. Jean’s on the Upper East Side through October 11. 

Domenick Danza

False Steps

 False Steps
A Ballroom Comedy
Theatre at St. Clement’s
September 13, 2025

Photo courtesy of False Steps

False Steps is a sharp and stylized comedy that utilizes ballroom dancing to set the tone and pace for a cleverly conceived story.  Candace H. Caplin and Kim St. Leon’s writing is full of laughs, passion, and mystery.  There are unexpected twists, turns, pirouettes, lifts, and dips that keep the audience wanting more.  The flashy costumes and lighting effects are surpassed by the energetic performances of this marvelous cast. 

Sophie Applebaum (played by Candace H. Caplin) is a wealthy widow who takes up ballroom dancing.  Her daughter, Rae (played by Sarah Hogewood), is a playwright.  She goes to therapy because she can’t get her play finished.  Every conversation she has with her therapist (played by Jason Daley Kennedy) centers around her mother.  Rae walks in on her mother and the dance instructor, Paulo (played by Ronny Dutra), in a compromising position.  Rae is shocked and suspicious.  The housekeeper (also played by Jason Daley Kennedy) sends Rae to a private investigator, Herschel (again played by Jason Daley Kennedy).  Herschel does his research on Paulo, and Rae does a fair amount of snooping.  When Sophie announces that she is going to marry Paulo, Rae confronts her mother directly, causing her to collapse and be rushed to a hospital.  Rae and Paulo find themselves in a hospital waiting room, and in a compromising position of their own. 

Sarah Hogewood, Ronny Dutra, & Candace H. Caplin
Photo courtes of False Steps

The ensemble of four ballroom dance couples makes this a wonderfully original experience.  They are choreographed throughout the show, changing scenery, appearing and disappearing.  They create a rhythmic atmosphere of grandeur and passion.  The choreography (by Ronny Dutra) in the second act advances the story by illuminating the dreams and inner thoughts of the characters.  The audience is transported in these moments, falling deeper into the fears and desires that drive the action.  These dances are beautifully staged and skillfully delivered. 

False Steps, A Ballroom Comedy is playing at Theatre at St. Clement’s through September 28.  It is a fun, energetic, and sharply stylized production. 

Domenick Danza