Pied á Terre

Pied á Terre
Anne L. Bernstein Theater
The Theater Center
February 22, 2026 

Photo courtesy of Pied a Terre

Pied á Terre is a thought provoking  and mysterious piece of theatre.  Playwright John S. Anastasi peels back one layer at a time, keeping the audience questioning the identity and motives of each of the characters.  Director Peter Loewy builds the tension by keeping the action of each scene truthful in the moment.  The audience buys into the fallacies set up in the mind of each character, then faces a new reality as information is shared.  The cast creates empathetic characters that connect with the audience, emotionally engaging them in the action and outcome. 

Julia (played by Josephine Phoenix) enters a Greenwich Village apartment and discovers it is occupied by Katie (played by Macy McGrail), who reveals she has been living there with Jack (played by Jordan Allen Bell) for the past six months.  Julia tells Katie that she is Jack’s sister.  Katie explains that she met Jack at the grocery store when she was short on money for her purchases.  The truth is that Katie is a hooker and Jack invited her to move in.  Julie pushes for the details, trying to understand what Jack has been up to.  He gives Katie money for clothes, and takes her to museums and the ballet.  Katie is frustrated that Jack does not want a sexual relationship.  Julia finally admits she is Jack’s wife, and that he passed away a few days ago.  Katie and Julie must face facts and accept the dark truth. 

Photo courtesy of Pied a Terre

Josephine Phoenix and Macy McGrail are excellent together as Julia and Katie.  They are continually masking the truth, creating a vibrant tension with rich subtext.  They gradually open up to one another.  When they do, strong emotions flow.  There are resentments and denials, which evolve beautifully into honesty and acceptance. 

Jordan Allen Bell shows different sides of Jack’s character in the way he relates to Julia and Katie.  He is more reserved and cautious with Katie, while being relaxed and direct with Julia.  The audience gains full insight into his character by piecing together his actions in these distinct scenes.  When the truth is fully revealed, the audience understands his true objective and the deep of love he feels for both women.  

Pied á Terre is playing at the Anne L. Bernstein Theater at The Theater Center (210 W. 50 St.).  It is an engaging and skillfully crafted play.  The show runs in rep with their production of Perfect Crime, so check the website for specific dates and times.  

Domenick Danza