The Pushover

The Pushover
Chain Theatre
April 10, 2026 

Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

John Patick Shanley’s new play, The Pushover, is intriguing and mysterious.  Burning passion fuels the action, while lust leads to bad decisions.  Or is it the other way around?  The characters struggle to find their way out from under each other’s control, only to run back when they are in need.  Director Kirk Gostkowski guides this small cast of highly skilled actors to dig deep and find the driving impulse that invigorates their character. 

Pearl (played by Di Zhu) is in the first session with her new therapist (played by Christopher Sutton).  She wears white gloves and just came from church.  She is tight with anxiety.  She admits that she is gay, attracted to strong women, and not sure if this new therapist is right for her.  He does get her to take her gloves off and tell him about Evelyn and Soochi. 

The action moves back in time to when Pearl sent Soochi (played by Christina Toth) to a resident resort in New Mexico to deliver a package to Evelyn (played by Rebecca De Mornay).  Evelyn tells Soochi she was excepting her.  Pearl previously contacted Evelyn to tell her that Soochi stole from her.  In the package is a wedding ring that Evelyn gave Pearl with instructions to return it to her if she is ever in need of terminating a relationship.  Evelyn knows what needs to be done, but instead of making Soochi disappear, she puts her to work to earn back the money she stole from Pearl.  When Evelyn visits Pearl to deliver the money, the three women confront one another with their expectations and the hard truth.   

Christopher Sutton, Di Zhu, Rebecca De Morney, & Christina Toth
Photo courtesy of Chain Theatre

Each of the characters have quirks that spark interest.  Pearl is intense and dark.  Evelyn is controlling and self-serving.  Soochi is neurotic and manipulative.  These three actors portray these qualities from their core.  Christina Toth’s Soochi gets more self-destructive as the action progresses.  She is brought to that point by Evelyn’s domination, which Rebecca De Mornay cunningly underplays.  Pearl goes back and forth from victim to persecutor, and Di Zhu plays these shifts with skillful ease.  She is the pushover, constantly being taken advantage of.  She has reached her breaking point; however, it is Evelyn who has the final compelling moment.  It is unexpected, and Rebecca Du Mornay makes it genuine. 

Scenic design by Jackson Berkley makes the Chain Theatre stage feel expansive.  His unit set transforms to different locations with quick changes of furniture.

Chain Theatre continues to build a strong reputation for high quality work with the world premiere of this new John Patrick Shanley play.  It is excellently produced.  

The Pushover has been extended at Chain Theatre through May 2. 

Domenick Danza

Rules of Desire

 Playroom Theater

 February 17, 2019

Photo courtesy of Rules of Desire

William Mastrosimone’s play Rules of Desire is a brutally honest play about the struggle for power.  The Off-Broadway production, directed by William Roudebush, is bold and direct.  The cast of three deliver strong performances of a play that pushes the audience past their comfort zone to make a powerful statement.

When Seaman Matt Cotton (played by Tristan Biber) sneaks his girlfriend, Felicia (played by McKenna Harrington) on board his ship, he is discovered by his superior (played by Christopher Sutton).  An unconventional arrangement is made to keep them both out of trouble.  When the rules of desire are broken, the power shifts in a surprising and shocking manner.

McKenna Harrington & Tristan Biber
Phtoso courteys of Rules of Desire

Mr. Mastrosimone keeps the tension building all the way through to the play’s startling conclusion.  His dialogue keeps the conflict on a constant rise, creating strong dramatic action and riveting the audience’s attention.  McKenna Harrington plays her scenes with an unnerving composure that causes explosive reaction from the male characters. One skillfully timed smile gives the audience a glimpse into her character's underlying thoughts.  Tristan Biber and Christopher Sutton’s characters are boldly written, and crumble under pressure.  These two actors portray vulnerable men who hide their weaknesses behind machismo and bravado.  The three actors play off one another very well, which is vital to this play’s effectiveness.

Rules of Desire is playing at Playroom Theater on West 46^th Street through March 21.

Domenick Danza