Redwood

 Redwood
Nederlander Theatre
April 22, 2025

Photo courtesy of Redwood

The Broadway production of Redwood is a mind-blowing experience.  The setting is established through breathtaking projections.  The audience is transported deep into a California redwood forest, surrounded by stars at night and greeted by the rising sun glimmering through the branches in the morning.  Hana S. Kim’s video design, Jason Ardizzone-West’s scenic design, and Scott Zielinski’s lighting skillfully merge as one, drawing the audience into a journey of the senses.  The cast is phenomenal, emotionally engaging the audience in their private beliefs and healing process.  The book, by Tina Landau, cuts right to the core of the issue, delivering a powerful impact that carries the story to a spectacular conclusion.

Jesse (played by Idina Menzel) is struggling through denial and grief caused by the loss of her son.  She is in therapy with her wife, Mel (played by De’Adre Aziza), but it's not helping.  As the one-year anniversary of her son's death approaches, Jesse takes off in her car and drives across the country.  She finds herself in the middle of a redwood forest.  She is greeted by two environmental scientists, Finn (played by Michael Park) and Becca (played by Khaila Wilcoxon).  Becca urges Jesse to leave so they can continue with their work, but Finn has a sympathetic ear.  He allows Jesse to climb a majestic redwood, where she remains for a number of days, facing what she has been running from for the past year.  

Khaila Wilcoxon & Idina Menzel
Photo courtesy of Redwood

Idina Menzel masterfully commands the stage in this role.  Her songs are potent.  Her voice is powerful.  Her character is flawed and searching.  She plays with humor and sarcasm when she needs to deflect her feelings, while delivering genuine moments of grief and revelation.  

The score, by Kate Diaz, is bold and fervent.  Most of the songs are passionately belted, but as the main character faces her fears, the tone shifts.  Zachary Noah Piser plays Jesse’s son, Spencer.  He delivers a heartfelt solo near the end of the show that quiets the noise in his mother’s head.  He is tender and direct, open and present.  The song beautifully conveys the message of the story, but it is Mr. Piser who makes it memorable. 

Photo courtesy of Redwood

This cast of five creates truthful characters with heart.  The material is rich, allowing the audience to get to know each of them.  Director Tina Landau weaves them together and focuses the action to culminate in a riveting conclusion.

Redwood is playing at the Nederlander Theatre.  Don’t miss it! 

Domenick Danza

The Cherry Orchard

 The Cherry Orchard
Donmar Warehouse
St. Ann’s Warehouse
April 19, 2025

Photo courtesy of Dunmar Warehouse
& St. Ann's Warehouse

The Dunmar Warehouse production of The Cherry Orchard is astonishing.  This adaptation, written and directed by Benedict Andrews, turns Anton Chekhov's classic into an emotionally engaging experience.  The stage is bare.  The floor and walls are richly carpeted.  The characters, while drowning in their own inability to take action to move their lives forward, are crisp, alive, and empathetic.

Liubov Ranevskaya Andreevna (played by Nina Hoss) returns home to her beloved Russia after years of living in Paris.  She fled in grief after her young son drowned in the lake on the family property.  The entire estate, including the surrounding cherry orchard, is now being sold to pay the debt.  Yermolai Lopakhin (played by Adeel Akhtar), whose father and grandfather were servants for the Andreevna family, suggests they cut down the cherry orchard and divide up the land.  They can build homes and rent the properties.  He assures Liubov that the bank will give them a loan for this endeavor, which will allow them to maintain their beloved family home.  She will have none of it.  Her brother, Leonid (played by Michael Gould), asks their wealthy aunt for a loan, but it is not enough.  Lopakhin outbids every offer on the property, leaving the family homeless and with no other choice but to move on.   

Adeel Akhtar as Yermolai Lopakhim
Photo courteys of Donmar Warehouse & St. Ann's Warehouse

Benedict Andrews makes bold choices in the development of this adaptation.  There is a passionate speech given by the liberal tutor, Pyotr Trofimov Sergeevich (played by Daniel Monks), that focuses on the takeover by the oligarchs, who have no concern for the working class.  Mr. Monks fervently delivers this monologue, which directly addresses the political situation that is presently out of control in our country.  In Chekhov’s original work, the table turns on the caste system, as the economic circumstances of the characters shift.  Money rules, and the power belongs to those who have more of it.  It is striking how the social conflict that Anton Chekhov wrote about in his play in 1903 Russia runs parallel to our present time.  

Nina Hoss & Sadie Soverall
as Liubov & Anya
Photo courtesy of Donmar Warehouse
& St. Ann's Warehouse

Mr. Andrews brilliantly utilizes the space, keeping the actors visibly present (seated in the audience) when not in a scene.  They are spoken about and physically referred to, keeping them connected to all the action of the play.  They fill the space as their ancestors inhabit the house and estate, exemplifying their sense of belonging. 

The cast is riveting.  The darkness that is ever-present in Chekhov’s work is there, yet it does not weigh down the action.  These actors bring a sense of optimism and hope to the bleakest of times.  When Anya (played by Sadie Soverall) and Varya (played by Marli Siu) miss the opportunity for marriage, they are disappointed but not broken.  These moments are genuine and endearing.  After the family loses their beloved cherry orchard and their home, they carry on.  They will not only survive, but they will also flourish and thrive.

The Cherry Orchard is playing at St. Ann’s Warehouse through April 27.  Get a ticket.  It is an amazing production, living up to the Dunmar Warehouse standard that we’ve experienced in the past at St. Ann’s Warehouse. 

Domenick Danza

Love’s Concordia Bar

 Love’s Concordia Bar
Theater Company Della Luna
The Flea
April 16, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Theater Company Della Luna

When you enter the theater for Love’s Concordia Bar, the cast is milling around the space, introducing themselves, chatting and stirring up trouble.  The mood is magical and enthusiastic, full of wonder and mirth.  The ninety-minute performance blasts off from there, yet holds a few deep, dark revelations.  This Theater Company Della Luna production played at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  It is now at The Flea for a limited run.

Pragma (played by Ariana Pérez), in full disguise, pushes her way into Love’s Concordia Bar.  She is stopped at the door by Eros (played by Edoardo Tesio), who informs her that the Concordia Bar is owned by Love.  In order to enter, you must be in love.  Pragma explains that she is in search of her girlfriend, Ludus (played by Mia Pelosi), who she believes is cheating on her.  Eros feels that this jealousy is evidence of her love, so allows Pragma to enter.  She is unaware of the journey of love and heartbreak that is ahead for her. 

Photo courtesy of Theater Company Della Luna

The characters Pragma run into at the bar are all ensnared in love.  The passion between Philia (played by Soraya Omtzigt) and Storge (played by Cameron Tino) is electric.  Mania & Fisima (played by Essence Blake) were so deeply in love, that Love allowed them to merge into one body.  Cindy (played by Annelise Brooks Laakko) is enchantingly in love with her prince charming, while secretly carrying on with Harmonia (played by Olivia Altair).  Agave (played by Matthew Ramos) is eight years old and eagerly in search of his first true love.  Liriope (played by Tomoka Takahashi) conducts interviews with all of them, gathering data about what it is to be in love.  Eros hands out personal letters from Love to each of them, warning them to read the letters in private.

When Agape frantically runs out of the bar in search of true love, the mood shifts.  It becomes clear that this place is an isolated haven.  There might be a specific criteria to enter, but exiting is definitely taboo.  It is not until later, when Agape returns, aged and jaded, that we gain an insight into the strict power Love holds over this confined crowd.  

Edoardo Tesio & Olivia Altair
Photo courtesy of Theater Company Della Luna

The full cast, under the direction of Edoardo Tesio, does an amazing job creating a mysterious and magical environment.  They each embody unique, complete, larger than life characters.  The music, composed by Olivia Altair, and choreography, by Bridget Spencer, set a limitless boundary within the restricted walls of this fantastical place.  The characters intertwine.  The emotions run raw.  The excitement is consistently high.

Keep an eye on this company.  They are a true ensemble of artists.  They perform with selfless ownership of the material, and skillfully blend with genuine passion.  Playwright Marjorie Murillo shared that the script, written by her and Edoardo Tesio, came from group discussions about relationship experiences and their perspectives on the meaning of love.  The letters handed out during the action of the show were the impetus they used to build each of the characters.  

Love’s Concordia Bar is playing at The Flea through April 19.  It is a uniquely wild experience. 

Domenick Danza

Balance in the Asylum

 Balance in the Asylum
The Reiter Group
The Tank
April 14, 2025 

Photo courtesy of The Reiter Group

Blanche in the Asylum is a haunting exploration of the years Blanche DuBois spent in a mental institution after the conclusion of A Streetcar Named Desire.  Playwright Tim McNeil does a deep dive into this classic Tennessee Williams character.  The detail in the writing is striking.  The portrayal is stunning.  The turn in the action is riveting.

Blanche (played by Tim McNeil) has been in the asylum for thirty-five years.  She writes poetry and dwells on the fact that she is no longer “sexed.”  She openly talks about having at one time been a nymphomaniac, but that is all in the past.  The voice of Stanley, however, echoes in her head as if it is in the present.  “We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning.”  Blanche revisits her discussion with her late husband, Allan.  She shares what she witnessed when she walked in on him, and openly speaks of his homosexuality.  Blanche is waiting for her sister, Stella, to arrive for her weekly visit.  Instead, she is visited by Dr. Joy (played by Kelly O’Malley), who is there for their daily check-in.  Balance is given her medication, and is forced to swallow a difficult truth. 

Playwright/Actor Tim McNeil as Blanche
Photo courtesy of The Reiter Group

Tim McNeil delivers a riveting portrayal of Blanche in her later years.  He utilizes impeccable timing to creates several intense moments, allowing humor to flavor the effect of his storytelling.  His Blanche is powerless in her present environment, yet empathetic in her inner world.  This brings a level of authenticity to the interpretation, as it is beautifully reflection of the Blanche we know from A Streetcar Named Desire.

Kelly O’Malley starkly introduces reality to Blanche’s world as Dr. Joy.  The lighting shifts, the mood changes, and the entire story transforms.  It is a brilliant surprise, bringing the play to a mesmerizing conclusion. 

Blanche in the Asylum played at the Tank for only one weekend.  It closed on April 14.  Keep an eye out for its return.  Hopefully, it will be back.  If you are a Tennessee Williams fan, you will find it intriguing. 

Domenick Danza

Humpty Dumpty

 Humpty Dumpty
Chain Theatre
April 12, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

In Humpty Dumpty, playwright Eric Bogosian strips four characters of everything they believe themselves to be, forcing them to face some stark truths.  The Chain Theatre production spares no expense bringing this play to fruition.  Scenic designer David Henderson creates an isolated environment, complete with every rustic comfort that would send any urbanite off the deep end.  Director Ella Jane New guides each cast member to find the breaking point for their character as they unravel and face their flaws and weaknesses.  

It is the year 2000.  Four high-powered city dwellers decide to take a week off from everything and spend it in a rural town, hours away from their daily stress.  No work.  No phones.  No computers.  Max (played by Kirk Gostkowski) is eager to start his week vacation in this rustic, cozy environment.  His wife, Nicole (played by Chritina Elise Perry), continues to connect to her office, answering calls and demanding they meet every deadline.  Their friend, Troy (played by Gabriel Rysdahl), arrives with his girlfriend, Spoon (played by Marie Dinolan), and bags full of expensive gourmet foods and wine.  When the power goes out, the handyman, Nat (played by Brandon Hughes), brings a lantern and supplies to get them through the next day or two.  Nicole is freaked out by the loss of power, while Spoon finds it relaxing and grounding.  As days go by with no electricity, yet sporadic and skeptical information from the outside world, each of them faces their breaking point.  Nat leaves in a frustrated huff, then Spoon disappears.  In a moment of weakness, Nicole asks Nat to stay at the house with her and Max, pushing them to face the truth about their relationship.  When the lights come back on, nothing is the same. 

Marie Dinolan, Gabriel Rysdahl, Kirk Gostkowski,
& Christina Elise Perry
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Kirk Gostkowski, Christina Elise Perry, Gabriel Rysdahl, and Marie Dinolan do a brilliant job establishing their high-powered characters in the opening scenes.  They are all successful in their own right and have no problem exhibiting their pride.  Troy is the most pompous and the first to crack.  Gabriel Rhysdahl genuinely plays this moment with a heightened vulnerability and aggressiveness.  Marie Dinolan experiences Spoon’s downfall from the inside.  She skillfully displays this implosion with subtle panic.  Brandon Hughes portrays Nat with an underlying sense of danger and mystery.  The power shifts when he is left alone in the house with Max and Nicole.  In these scenes Kirk Gostkowki and Christina Elise Perry strip the characters of Max and Nicole bare.  Their emotions are raw.  Their anxiety is high.  Their terror is intense.  The action goes way over the top, and Mr. Gostkowski and Ms. Perry play these moments with daring honesty, bringing the action to a sudden and stunning conclusion.

This is the New York premiere of Mr. Bogosian’s play, which was written twenty-five years ago.  It remains fresh and relevant, especially in a time where technology rules our lives and uncertainty is waiting outside the door.  

Humpty Dumpty is playing at Chain Theatre through May 3.  

Domenick Danza

On a personal note: A special shout out the Stage Manager, Grace Loeb, and her crew for a great job on this very heavy prop show, which includes food.

 

Scammed Into Love

 
Scammed Into Love
Theater for the New City
April 6, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Scammed Into Love

Briana Bartenieff’s musical, Scammed Into Love, is bold, cunning, and witty.  Her writing pushes the envelope with its biting humor and pertinent message.  J.H. Greenwell’s music is striking, crossing a number of genres with a clear rock inspiration.  The collaboration between J.H. Greenwell and Ms. Bartenieff on lyrics proves highly effective.  The songs help to define the characters, focus the objectives, and move the plot forward.

Olivia (played by Maya Partridge) gets her first job straight out of business school.  She thinks it is at an insurance company, but finds out it is a scam call center.  Her boss, Lorelei (played by Audrey Latt) tells her the first rule is to not get emotionally involved with the callers.  When Olivia transfers a challenging caller to Lorelei to manage, Lorelei finds herself breaking that most important rule, risking everything. 

Photo courtesy of Scammed Into Love

In the opening scene, the characters appear two dimensional with clear and simple objectives.  The audience is fully engaged by the comic timing, clever staging, and catchy music.  As the story progresses, the multiple layers of these characters are exposed.  The audience is drawn into their secrets and deeper yearnings.  Audrey Latt delves into this exploration as Lorelei, the main character.  Her staunch, all-business exterior quickly unravels, challenging her core beliefs and toppling the life she built for herself.  She has a life changing decision to make during the second act.  The audience is riveted as she faces her inner fears.  She, along with Sandy Melissa Garcia (playing Sam), beautifully carry the action to its conclusion.

Rosie Allenson, Maya Partridge, & Braderick Morrison
Photo curtesy of Scammed Into Love

Maya Partridge’s character, Olivia, reveals her true self in Act II.  It is a surprise, even though the seeds are well planted in Act I.  Ms. Partridge pulls this reveal off with tact and humor.  Rosie Allenson and Braderick Morrison play Bella and Tommy, two ruthless employees of Lorelie.  The timing and scorn in their bickering is priceless, keeping Act I moving at a stunning pace. 

Ms. Bartenieff’s play is an inspired combination of humor, sarcasm, and social reflection.  The shady actions of the characters are common in today’s environment.  Lorelei defends herself in Act II.  Her rationalization is understandable and accepted.  She is the ‘villain’, yet the audience roots for her to get away with her crimes, especially after she atones.  It is a fascinating look at the values and principles held by our present-day society. 

Scammed Into Love is playing at Theater for the New City through April 20. 

Domenick Danza

Boop! The Musical

 Boop!
The Musical
Broadhurst Theatre
March 25, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Boop! The Musical

Boop! is an uplifting, heartwarming, and joyous new musical.  Director/Choreographer Jerry Mitchell has outdone himself with this production.  His choreography and staging set a perfect tone and succinctly frame the characters, while keeping the show moving at a brisk and lively pace.  The music, by David Foster, is lively and fun.  Susan Birkenhead’s lyrics are smart and memorable.  The book, by Bob Martin, is crisp and imaginative.  The cast is extraordinary!

Betty Boop (played by Jasmine Amy Rogers) is tired of being famous in her black and white cartoon world.  She wants to experience a normal day.  Grampy (played by Stephen DeRosa) tells her about his invention that can transport her to the real world.  He used it once, forty years ago, but warns her against the dangers of going there.  After he is asleep, she takes advantage of his invention.  She arrives in NYC Comic Con in 2025.  She meets Dwayne (played by Ainsley Melham) and is mesmerized by his blue eyes.  She then notices all the color of the world around her.  She meets Dwayne’s younger sister, Trisha (played by Angelica Hale), who is dressed as Betty Boop for Comic Con.  Trisha idolizes the Boop character, so Betty does not reveal her identity.  Trisha shows Betty around NYC, and they become friends.  Meanwhile, the cartoon world is lost without Betty, so Grampy travels to 2025 to search for her.  He meets up with his old flame from forty years ago, Valentina (played by Faith Prince).  Together they search the city for Betty. 

Jasmine Amy Rogers as Betty Boop
Photo courtesy of Boop! The Musical

When Dwayne takes Betty to a jazz club in Harlem, she is found out as the real Betty Boop.  She cannot escape her fame, no matter how hard she tries.  She gets roped into working with NYC mayoral candidate Raymond Demarest (played by Erich Bergen) because Trish’s stepmother, Carol Evans (played by Anastacia McCleskey) is his campaign manager.  Betty realizes she has a lot to say and is more than just a sexy drawing.  When Grampy and Valentina finally find Betty, she does not want to go back to her world because she has found a new part of herself in this one.  But she must, and she does, but her world will be different because of the changes she made in herself.  

Angelica Hale & Jasmine Amy Rogers
Photo courtesy of Boop! The Musical

Jasmine Amy Rogers is phenomenal as Betty Boop.  She creates a strong character who is warm and vivacious.  Her singing is stupendous.  She is endearing and larger than life.  She develops amazing bonds with her castmates, especially Ainsley Melham (Dwayne) and Angelica Hale (Trisha).  The growth of these characters through their journey together is palpable and truthful.  They each discover a part of themselves they did not know existed.  It is touching and sweet, but most of all honest and genuine.

Stephen DeRosa & Faith Prince
Photo courtesy of Boop! The Musical

Stephen DeRosa and Faith Prince are charming and fun as Grampy and Valentina.  Anastacia McCleskey is fierce and bold as Carol Evans.  Erich Bergen portrays mayoral candidate Raymond Demarest as a slick and sleazy politician, and deserves every laugh he gets.  

The costumes, sets, lighting, and projections are ingenious.  They instantly switch from a black and white world to a world full of color, creating a wild and jubilant experience.  

Boop! is fun and refreshing.  It is playing at the Broadhurst Theatre, and is sure to get numerous Tony Award nominations this season.  Go see it now! 

Domenick Danza

Conversations with Mother

 Conversations with Mother
Theater 555
March 19, 2025 

Photo courtesy of  Conversations with Mother

Conversations with Mother, a new play by Matthew Lombardo, is a genuine and touching portrayal of the relationship between a mother and son.  It is a series of phone conversations and in-person discussions between the two characters.  They can be sarcastic, impatient, funny, and short-tempered with one another, yet their relationship is firmly built on a foundation of mutual respect, trust, and care.

Maria Callavechio (played by Caroline Aaron) gets a call from her young son, Bobby (played by Matt Doyle), while he is at sleep-away camp.  He hates it and wants to come home.  She says, “N-O.”  He calls again to tell her how much he misses her, and she still says no.  When he makes up a juicy lie about how a camp counselor is luring him into his cabin at night, she races to pick him up.  Bobby often calls his mother when he is in trouble and in need of help.  She promises she won’t get mad if he tells her the truth, but of course she always does.  This doesn’t stop him from telling her the truth the next time.  Their relationship takes a big step when Bobby moves to New York City to become a playwright after his father passes.  When Bobby gets involved with an abusive boyfriend, his mother implores him to break it off.  He adamantly refuses.  She cuts him off until he does.  Bobby’s mother pushes him to pursue his dream, and drops everything whenever he need her.  She confides in him when she decides to stop her cancer treatment.  It’s his turn to be supportive, and he does not let her down.  Their conversations continue even after she passes. 

Caroline Aaron & Matt Doyle
Photo courtesy of Conversations with Mother

Caroline Aaron is direct and firm as Bobby’s mother.  She persistently plays every tactic in the Italian mother’s handbag.  She gets under Bobby’s skin, and Matt Doyle’s reactions range from tolerance to exasperation.  He rarely loses his sense of humor with her.  He is open and honest, so when he does cross the line, it is spontaneous and hurtful.  Mr. Doyle’s character ages throughout the play.  These changes are subtle and effective.  He and Ms. Aaron’s connection flourishes with every scene.  Their trust grows deeper after a serious confrontation or mean interaction.  That is why this piece works so well.  It is truly authentic.

Conversations with Mother is a well crafted piece with an unexpected ending.  Director Noah Himmelstein finds poignancy in humor.  The timing is natural.  The pacing is swift.  The heartfelt moments are truthful.  It is playing at Theater 555 through May 11. 

Domenick Danza

A Streetcar Named Desire

 A Streetcar Named Desire
Almeida Theatre
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Harvey Theater
March 15, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Almeida Theatre
& Brooklyn Academy of Music

The Almeida Theatre production of A Streetcar Named Desire, now playing at BAM’s Harvey Theater, is a stark and daring interpretation of this Tennessee Williams classic.  To put a new stamp on such a well-known piece of theatre is no small undertaking, and director Rebecca Frecknall has skillfully succeeded.  She gathered a powerful cast with the courage to boldly make their mark on these iconic characters.  It is an emotionally driven experience.  

When Blanche (played by Patsy Ferran) visits her sister, Stella (played by Anjana Vasan) in New Orleans, she meets her brother-in-law, Stanley (played by Paul Mescal) for the first time.  They are immediately at odds.  Blanche is demure and from the old South, while Stanley is a blue-collar worker who bowls on the weekend.  Blanche breaks the news to Stella that they lost Belle Reve, their family estate.  Stanley suspects Balance of hoarding money from the sale of Belle Reve, so he starts asking around about her.  She had to leave Laurel, Mississippi when she was dismissed from her job teaching English at the local high school.  When Balance starts keeping company with Stanley’s friend, Mitch (played by understudy Eduardo Ackerman), there is hope for a fresh start for Blanche in New Orleans.  When Stanley reveals the scandalous secrets he uncovers about Blanche, any hope for her is lost. 

Paul Mescal, Patsy Ferran, & Anjana Vasan
Photo courtesy of Almeida Theatre
& Brooklyn Academy of Music

Patsy Ferran portrays Blanche as strong and determined.  This bold portrayal allows Blanche’s lies to be fully transparent.  Her vulnerable moments are truthful and empathetic.  Anjana Vasan’s Stella is an equal force to Ms. Ferran’s Blanche.  They go head-to-head a number of times, and always seem to meet on mutual territory.  Paul Mescal’s Stanley is grounded and secure.  Sparks fly the moment he and Blanche set eyes on one another.  The battle between them over Stella is clear and visceral.  Blanche strongly pushes back against Stanely, and neither of them back down.  Due to the way Stella responds to Stanley’s uncovering the truth about Blanche, the stakes are raised to a brilliant height.  These three actors create strong-minded characters, urgently driven and strikingly resolute.

Photo courtesy of Almeida Theatre 
& Brooklyn Academy of Music 

Tennessee Williams’ timeless writing shines with newness through the lens of this production.  Ms. Frecknall brings the deeper motivations to the surface, allowing the richness of the text to vibrantly ring.  The ghosts of Blanche’s past that haunt her every move are literally seen throughout the production.  They erode her confidence and ensnare her in her own fantasy world.

A Streetcar Named Desire is playing at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Harvey Theater through April 6.  Get a ticket!

Domenick Danza

Dakar 2000

 Dakar 2000
Manhattan Theatre Club
New York City Center Stage I
March 6, 2025 

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

The Manhattan Theatre Club production of Dakar 2000 is a one hour and twenty-minute roller coaster ride of truth and lies.  Playwright Rajiv Joseph has written an impeccable two-hander.  His characters quickly intertwine and are unable to separate.  The events of their three-day connection changes the course of more than just their lives, and leave one of them with more questions than answers.

When Boubs, a Peace Corp volunteer (played by Abubakr Ali), crashes his jeep on the road to a small village outside Dakar, he knows he is in trouble.  He was transporting supplies without the proper authorization.  He is taken to the main office to meet Dina (played by Mia Barron).  She is concerned about his well-being, yet continually grills him on the details.  She is charmed by his naivete and impressed by his ability to lie his way out of a bad situation.  To help prevent his being sent back home, she gives him a file of paperwork to fill out with a list signatures and fingerprints to gather.  This will make it look like she requisitioned the transportation of supplies prior to his accident.  He gratefully takes the file and gets right to work.  He meets up with her two days later.  After they share personal stories, she asks him to meet her at a hotel in Dakar on New Years Eve, with the implication of a more intimate encounter.  At the hotel, Dina sets Boubs up on a mission with a questionable outcome. 

Abubakr Ali as Boubs
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Abubakr Ali is charismatic, gullible, and suave as Boubs.  He opens the show alone on stage.  It is present day.  He tells a few stories, then admits most of them are lies.  This sets the tone for the rest of the story.  His character is confident and grounded.  When he then takes the narrative back to Dakar in the year 2000, he is a fast-talking twenty-five year old, immature and silly.  This transition is smooth and impressive.  The audience is fully on his side, even though, since he already told us, we know he lies.  

Dina Barron & Abubakr Ali
Photo courtesy of Manhattan  Theatre Club

Mia Barron is sharp and slick as Dina.  During her initial interrogation with Boubs, she carefully listens and observes.  She glibly weaves her way into Boubs’ trust.  The audience is very aware that she is also lying, but doesn’t know how much or why.  We are more aware of the dangers than he is, yet we are equally manipulated into full involvement.  Ms. Barrow is skillfully in control of the action.  She is the only one who knows where it will lead, and we stay connected to her with the hope of finding out. 

Director May Adrales paces this piece so the rhythms in the dialogue drive the intent.  The audience is fully engaged from the moment it starts, and becomes riveted as the action unfolds.  The theme and culminating message are strongly related to present day political occurrences. 

Dakar 2000 is playing at Manhattan Theatre Club’s New York City Center Stage I through March 23.  You must see it! 

Domenick Danza