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.

 

A Will to Live

 A Will to Live
Chain Theatre
August 26, 2023 

Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Chain Theatre took on a monumental project by adapting Helena Weinrauch’s Holocaust memoir, A Will to Live, into a one woman theatre piece.  The outcome is a production of pure gold.  The memoir was originally written in 1945.  Kirk Gostkowski, who adapted the piece, said that when he read it, the words “were fresh and unique.  It felt like a primary document, and it needed to be preserved.”  In striving for this, Mr. Gostkowski has kept the perspective pure and authentic.  This piece honors Ms. Weinrauch’s words and experiences, and reminds us of the value and fragility of life. 

We first meet Helena (played by Masha King) when she wakes up in a hospital bed in Sweden.  She starts to tell of how she got there.  The allied soldiers were piling the skeletal bodies of the deceased prisoners from a Nazi concentration camp, when one soldier noticed her body was still warm.  She was rushed to the medic, then transported to a hospital in Sweden.  She now spends the days staring at the lake from her hospital window, catatonic, hiding food out of fear of starvation, and trusting no one.  She takes us back to her sixteenth birthday.  She is living in Germany with her parents and older sister.  The Russians invade, causing her family to separate in order to remain safe.  Then the Nazis take power.  While she is at work, the Nazis sweep her town for Jewish residents, taking her parents and sister.  She is alone.  Her boss helps her obtain false papers and puts her on a train to a different city.  She hides in plain sight under an assumed identity, until she is recognized by someone from her home town.  What follows is years of torture, dehumanization, hard labor, and starvation in three different Nazi concentration camps.   She survives. 

Masha King as Helena Weinrauch
Photo coourtesy of Chain Theatre

Masha King delivers a masterful performance as Helena Weinrauch.  She is alone on stage for two and a half hours (with a ten minute intermission).  Her performance is flawless.  She ages in front of you.  You see the emotional toll on her face, and feel it in her eyes.  Her center shifts as the physical pain overwhelms her, yet she does not succumb.  Ms. King’s ability to embody these expereinces, but not delve so deeply as to cause the audience to look away, is phenomenal.  She takes the audience from one horrific event to the next, carrying the weigh and devastation, while keeping the audience connected to every step of her journey.  

Rick Hamilton has directed this piece with such skill and sensitivity that you are fully present and absorbed, yet not overwhelmed by the violence and demoralization.  You wait for the next action, hoping it will bring resolution, only to delve deeper and darker into more horrific events.  When  the second act starts, the main characters tells of the years she spent in three different concentration camps, including Auschwitz.  Mr. Hamilton brilliantly keeps the action moving at a brisk pace, keeping the audience fully engaged, while limiting the time to process the horrors taking place.  The audience has no choice but to move forward, as does the main character.  The audience hangs on her every word, taking it all in, and gathering every detail of evidence from her experiences. 

Masha King as Helena Weinrauch
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Every choice in this production was clearly made to honor the words and experiences of Helena Weinrauch.  The main character speaks directly to the audience as if sharing her story with a friend.  The other characters are heard as voice overs, keeping the focus fully on the main character.  At the age of 101, Ms. Weinrauch is still alive and living in New York City.  We hear her voice and see footage of her in the epilogue of the piece.  To hear her say how she has forgiven those who caused her harm and carries no hate is truly cathartic.  She says that hate is evil, and to respond with hate perpetuates the evil that caused the devastation.  This piece reminds us of the atrocities in our history, and speaks loudly to why we need to remember so as not to repeat. 

Over the years Chain Theatre has built a strong reputation for quality work, and this production raises the bar even higher.  A Will to Live is playing through September 16.  It is an important piece of theatre.  Get a ticket right away! 

Domenick Danza

This G*d Damn House

 This G*d Damn House
Chain Theatre
March 24, 2023 

Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Chain Theatre is producing the world premiere of Matthew McLachlan’s This G*d Damn House.  The play is a complex story of a family coming to terms with their truths.  The stakes are high and the clock is ticking as the characters do all they can to hold it together.  Director Ella Jane New works with an excellent cast to uncover the secrets that have kept this family together for years, and ultimately end up destroying them. 

Angie (played by Sachi Parker) has been evicted from her Florida home.  She has less than twenty-four hours to get out.  She called her son Jacob (played by Kirk Gostkowski) to do the heavy lifting.  He called his brother, Danny (played by Gabriel Rysdahl), a playwright living in New York City, to fly down to help him.  The brothers do what they can to avoid the memories they unearth as they work through the night sorting the trash and belongings Angie horded over the years.  When Angie’s teaching assistant, Hannah (played by Rica de Ocampo), arrives to lend a hand, it is revealed that Angie lost her job six months ago.  This begins a slow unraveling of the lies Angie has told about her eviction.  It is not until Jacob’s wife, Ally (played by Christina Perry), who is eight months pregnant, shows up at 3:30 AM that the full truth is uncovered and the unavoidable transpires. 

Sachi Parker, Kirk Gostkowski, & Gabriel Rysdahl
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Sachi Parker beautifully portrays the complexities of Angie’s character.  In Act I she is witty and
charming.  Her slow, aging physicality is juxtaposed by her fast-paced, energetic, non-stop talking.  Her sly smile and enigmatic gaze seduce her sons into helping her in her time of need.  In Act II, after her pregnant daughter-in-law confronts her, she shows her true colors.  She is cold, cunning, and manipulative.  This scene between Ms. Parker and Christina Perry is riveting.  It is the key turning point of the play, and these two women skillfully deliver the potent punch that shifts the action for all the characters.    

The set design, by David Henderson, and set dressing, by David Kaplan, create an atmosphere that truly reflects Angie’s character.  At the top of the show, the set is filled with boxes and shopping bags.  Piles of dirty clothes are strewn everywhere.  The old, worn furniture is completely hidden.  As the characters pack up and empty the house, dirt and stains are revealed on the walls and carpet.  The truth of the house is uncovered.  It is filthy and repellent.  The house is Angie.  When Jacob loses all patience with his mother, he shows her the dirt on his hands and says, “This is you.”  Angie is the g*d damn house.

This G*d Damn House is playing at Chain Theatre (312 W 36th St. 4th floor, New York, NY 10018) through April 8. 

Domenick Danza

macbitches

 macbitches
Chain Theatre
August 25, 2022 

Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Sophie McIntosh’s macbitches is a stark look at the inner world of an undergrad acting program.  Ms. McIntosh uses this microcosm of a societal structure to reveal how people fall into and accept the norms forced upon them in order to fit in.  The balance of power is clearly understood.  When the unraveling begins, the characters lose all sense of themselves.  This Chain Theatre world premiere production is skillfully directed by Ella Jane New.  She breaks the action down into short, clear beats, then allows them to effortlessly build to a dramatic frenzy.

Morgan Lui, Caroline Orlando, Laura Clare Browne, & Marie Dinolan
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

When Hailey, a freshman (played by Marie Dinolan), is cast as Lady Macbeth in the Drama Department’s fall production of “The Scottish Play,” the upper class students are taken by surprise.  Piper, a sophomore (played by Laura Clare Browne), invites her to a small gathering to celebrate.  Rachel (played by Carline Orlando), who is a senior, is handling her disappointment remarkable well.  Lexi, a junior (played by Natasja Naarendorp), is livid over the casting decision.  Cam (played by Morgan Lui) is also a junior, and slowly falling into a depression over the situation.  As they drink and share their drama school stories with Hailey, each one reveals the darker side of their experiences.  After Hailey tells about her final call back with the director, Rachel and Lexi decide to pull a prank on her.  The prank backfires when Rachel reveals a secret she has been keeping from Lexi for the three years of their friendship.  Blood is spilt and “what is done cannot be undone.”

Caroline Orlando, Morgan Lui, Natasja Naarendorp, 
Laura Clare Browne, & Marie Dinolan
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

These women are perfectly cast and delicately build their distinctive characters moment by moment.  Laura Claire Brown plays Piper’s optimism with genuine vulnerability.  She reveals her character’s insecurities in an intimate moment with Morgan Lui’s Cam.  These two actors have a strong connection.  They portray opposite characteristics, yet their bond is genuine and captivating.  Marie Dinolan delightfully portrays Hailey as a naïve freshman wanting to fit in.  Her comic timing is excellent.  She has a few bold moments that shift the action of the play.  This keeps the audience on the edge of their seat, waiting for the other shoe to drop.  From the opening moment of the show, Natasja Naarendorp is on fire.  This is juxtaposed by Caroline Orlando’s cool and calm portrayal of Rachel.  At the climax of the story, Rachel loses all control and Lexi cracks under the stress.  It is a powerful scene that takes the audience by surprise.  These two skilled actors successfully deliver an impactful ending that takes the entire story to another level.

Morgan Lui & Laura Clare Browne
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Sophie McIntosh creates characters who have learned how to smoothly relate on the outside, while carrying hurt and secrets on the inside.  Her writing is funny and dark.  Chain Theatre delivers the high quality we have come to expect from their productions.  macbitches is playing through September 10.  Get a ticket right away.  Performances are selling out.

Domenick Danza

Garbageman

 Garbageman
Chain Theatre
March 17, 2022 

Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Keith Huff’s play Garbageman, now running at Chain Theatre, is packed with twists, turns, and unexpected surprises.  Director Greg Cicchino keeps the bold action moving at a brisk pace.  Each scene builds to a high point, propelling the action into the next unanticipated moment.  Set design by Richard Hoover and Kis Knekt is visually impactful, creating a bold metaphor for the boggled and cluttered minds of the characters.. 

Buddy Maple (played by Deven Anderson) needs to get his hands on a gun, so he drops in on his old friend from high school, Dan Bandana (played by Kirk Gostkowski).  Dan asks for an explanation.  Buddy tells the whole story, which starts with his becoming a Garbageman straight out of high school, and continues to when he was hired to work at a recycling plant.  It is there he finds a severed head, which he keeps in the trunk of his car.  Buddy goes on to tell of when he backed up his work vehicle and crushed the skull of a red headed little boy, whose father took revenge by putting Buddy’s son in a coma.  Buddy wants the gun so he can kill the red headed boy’s father.  This story motivates Dan to admit he wants to kill his ex-wife.  The two men become entwined by their rage and need for vengeance, but don’t seem to be able to follow though with their plans.  When Dan gets severely depressed, Buddy grows concerned he might be suicidal, or worse.  To cheer him up, Buddy suggests they drive to Washington DC for a rally on January 6.  What ensues is recorded and broadcast to the entire country. 

Deven Anderson & Kirk Gostkowski
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Playwright Keith Huff offers a gripping perspective on the causes for rise of violent behavior in America.  He creates two characters drowning in despair and desperately seeking a way out.  The humor keeps the audience connected to the characters, yet allows them to distance themself from the action.  This gives them a chance to absorb the events that lead to the January 6 insurrection.  The final scene makes a strong statement on the harsh realities of America’s present state of mind.

Deven Anderson and Kirk Gostkowski develop an intriguing relationship between Buddy Maple and Dan Bandana.  The severity of their emotions becomes almost absurd at times, yet these two actors stay grounded in each moment, drawing the audience deeply into their reality.  They skillfully play the timing of the dark humor in Mr. Huff’s writing, keeping the action connected and the audience alert.

The Chain Theatre production of Garbageman has been extended through April 16.  The play delivers a bumpy ride, yet definitely one worth taking.  Visit their website (chaintheatre.org) and get a ticket today.  

Domenick Danza

Georgie D.

 Georgie D.
Chain Theatre
July 30, 2021 

Georgie D., now playing on the mainstage at Chain Theatre, is a poignant story of a brother and sister coming to terms with their relationship after the passing of their father.  Playwright Jessica Durdock Moreno has written a somber and emotionally driven story.  Director Rick Hamilton gathered a superb cast and captured the mood and rhythm of the writing.  

Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Thomas (played by Patrick Grizzard) rushes to the hospital to meet his sister Margaret (played by Cheryl Games) after she texts him that their father suffered a stroke and is on life support.  Their relationship is strained, not having seen one another in some time and not knowing how to handle the situation.  They stumble through small talk and a few unpleasant memories.  When Patty, an elderly neighbor (played by Constance Cooper), comes to visit their father, she calls him “Georgie D.” and shares stories of his traumatized childhood.  Not only is this nickname something they never heard before, but the unpleasant facts of their father’s upbringing are news to Thomas and Margaret.  They begin to understand why their father was cold and distant while they were growing up.  

A few months later, when Thomas and Margaret meet at a local restaurant to discuss their father’s property and remaining paperwork, the waiter, Pedro (played by David Rey), shares stories of their father’s kindness toward him and his young daughter.  Again, they hear the nickname Georgie D., as Pedro describes a side of their father that Thomas and Margaret never met.  

In the final scene, when their father’s house has been sold, Margaret and Thomas admit the truth of how much they have been there for one another in all the hard times they faced growing up.  It is clear they will be able to rely on one another with more ease and certainty in the future. 

Patrick Grizzard & Cherly Games
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Cheryl Games and Patrick Grizzard are amazing together.  Their relationship is clearly established in their first moment on stage.  While the tensions between them are deeply entrenched, their bond is clear and strongly rooted.  Their demeanor softens as the needs of each of their characters emerge.  Then the walls of defense quickly rise as old wounds come to the surface.  The work these two actors put into creating this troubled brother/sister relationship is truly masterful.

Constance Copper offers well needed humor as Patty.  The humor quickly flips as her memory loss becomes evident.  David Rey delivers genuine sentimentality when his character tell the stories of Georgie D.  It is a touching and heartfelt high point.  

Georgie D. is playing at Chain Theatre, 312 W. 36^th Street, through August 15.  It is a simple production with a bare stage and a strong emotional impact.  It is an amazingly directed and skillfully crafted piece of theatre.  Be prepared to show proof of vaccination status when picking up your tickets. 

Domenick Danza