The Disappear

 The Disappear
Audible Theater at Minetta Lane Theatre
January 21, 2026

Photo courtesy of The Disappear

Playwright/Director Erica Schmidt creates truthful and humorous characters in The Disappear.  The relationships are compelling and realistic, allowing her theme to be viscerally understood.  Love, fame, and creativity can easily disappear in a moment, unless effort and value are put into their viability.  When they’re gone, they can be rebuilt or recreated.  If that is not possible, a simple fabrication can keep things in perspective. 

Filmmaker Benjamin Braxton (played by Hamish Linklater) finds his muse in young upcoming actress Julie Wells (played by Madeline Brewer).  His wife, Mira (played by Miriam Silverman) is tolerant of Ben’s indiscretions.  She is fully dedicated to their twenty-year marriage.  Ben’s producer, Michael Bloom (played by Dylan Baker) refuses to cast Julie Wells, and drops the project.  When Ben starts a new project to feature Julie, she insists he hire Raf Night (played by Kelvin Harrison Jr.) to star with her.  Raf is big box office, so Michael Bloom agrees to back it.  When Raf insists Mira, who is his favorite novelist, writes the screenplay, the creative process gets extremely complicated. 

Hamish Linklater & Miriam Silverman
Photo courtesy of The Disappear

Hamish Linklater plays the role of the neurotic, self-possessed, egotistical movie director to perfection.  His timing and mood swings are both humorous and genuine.  Miriam Silverman balances his quirky character by being grounded and sincere.  They are wonderful together.  The dynamic of their relationship is clear from the very first scene.  The complications they face cause them to poke at and spar with one another.  Again, this is both comic and genuine, until it hits the point of no return.  They admit the truth, make a spontaneous decision, then face an imperative transformation. 

Anna Mirodin, Madleine Brewer, & Hamish Linklater
Photo courtesy of The Disappear

Madeline Brewer is charming as Julie Wells.  At first, she comes across as naive and flirtatious.  As the action rises, her controlling and manipulative side is revealed.  Ms. Brewer portrays this dichotomy beautifully.  Kelvin Harrison Jr. has a strong presence as Raf Night.  He seduces Mira, getting her to agree to write the screenplay with Ben.  Mr. Harrison and Ms. Silverman have strong chemistry, adding a layer of intrigue to the plot.  Raf opens up to her about his background, giving Mr. Harrison a chance to dive into the complexities of his character.

The character of Michael Bloom acts as a foil for the conflicts.  Dylan Baker builds a dynamic character in this role, making it an effective catalyst for the action.  Anna Mirodin plays Dolly, Ben and Mira’s teenage daughter.  She observes all the events of the story, even though she is unseen by her parents.  She reflects the turmoil they are feeling and sets up the transformation they all need to experience.

The Disappear is playing at Audible Theatre at Minetta Lane Theatre though February 22.  The characters are well developed, and the performances are equally strong. 

Domenick Danza

Orpheus Descending

Orpheus Descending
Theatre for a New Audience
Polonsky Shakespeare Center
July 15, 2023 

Photo courtesy of Theatre for a New Audience

Theatre for a New Audience’s production of Tennessee Williams’ Orpheus Descending is pure poetry.  Director Erica Schmidt gives distinctive voice to each character by finding their individual rhythm.  The pace is steady, drawing the audience deeply into the yearning of the main characters.  The tension builds as each character faces their need to escape their repressive circumstances and find freedom. 

When Jabe Torrance, owner of the town’s dry goods store (played by Michael Cullen), is taken seriously ill, Vee Talbott (played by Ana Reeder) introduces his wife, Lady (played by Maggie Siff), to a young man who can help her in the store.  Valentine Xavier (played by Pico Alexander) is a drifter, looking for work.  When Carol Cutrere (played by Julia McDermott) gets a glimpse of Valentine, wearing his snakeskin jacket and playing his guitar, she tries to lure him away from the dry goods store.  She warns Valentine of the dangers he will find there, but he does not listen.  He just turned thirty, and says he has given up the wild life.  Lady allows Valentine to live in the back room of the store.  She opens up to him, telling of when the men in the town burned her father’s vineyard to the ground, killing him.  She was then sold to her husband, and has been trapped in the dry goods store ever since.  When Jabe reveals the truth of his involvement in the fire at the vineyard, Lady throws herself at Valentine, seeking freedom and revenge. 

The Cast of "Orpheus Descending"
Photo courtesy of Theatre for a New Audience

The tension of the piece is created through the contrast in the portrayal of the characters.  Pico
Alexander’s Valentine is smooth as silk.  Maggie Siff’s Lady is tough as nails.  Julia McDermott’s Carol is wild with abandon.  Ana Reeder’s Vee is cogent in her beliefs.  This is a large cast of strong, skilled actors.  Each actor on stage adds a distinct rhythm and pace in their interpretation, tightening the pull of the dramatic tension, while impelling the action to build to a shocking conclusion.  

Orpheus Descending is beautifully directed and performed.  It is playing at Theatre for a New Audience’s Polonsky Shakespeare Center in downtown Brooklyn through August 6. 

Domenick Danza