Meteor Shower

Meteor Shower

Booth Theatre

January 6, 2018

Photo courtesy of Meteor Shower

When I purchased my ticket for Meteor Shower at the TKTS booth in Times Square, I was told Amy Schumer was out that evening.  I grabbed the ticket and saw a great performance by Kate Reinders (understudy to both female roles in the play), who I happen to have seen in Something Rotten.  Steve Martin’s script is bold, funny, and thought-provoking.  Jerry Zaks’ direction is crisp and on target.  The set, by Beowolf Boritt, and lighting, by Natasha Katz, are mesmerizing.

Corky (played by Kate Reinders) and her husband, Norman (played by Jeremy Shamos), are having a glass or pre-wine while waiting for their new friends to arrive to see the forecasted meteor shower.  Pre-wine, according to Corky, is the glass of wine you have before company comes, which does not count.  When Gerald (played by Keegan-Michael Key) and Laura (played by Laura Benanti) arrive, the meteor shower in the sky is not the only fire that ignites.

Photo courtesy of Meteor Shower

The cast of four works exceptionally well as a tight ensemble.  The relationships and humor are highly dependent on their timing, and they deliver every moment with polish and ease.   Kate Reinders and Jeremy Shamos humorously portray a committed married couple who clearly went through counseling to strengthen their relationship.  Their bond is genuine.  Keegan-Michael Key is broad and over the top as Gerald, and Laura Benanti is beguiling and riveting as Laura.  Their energies merge and their chemistry is explosive.

Photo courtesy of Meteor Shower

Steve Martin successfully structures the play with scenes that revert in time.  The action backtracks, then runs forward parallel in time to the scene previously played.  Not only does this structure challenge you to think about what you are experiencing, it also creates levels of depth to the characters and situation.  Mr. Martin ties it together at the end to make a point that is potent, clear, and relevant.  The set-up is very much like Edward Albee’s Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?, where two married couples tear one another apart over drinks.  The ending is not so devastating, yet it does pack a punch of hard edge reality… with a laugh.

Meteor Shower is playing at the Booth Theatre for a limited engagement.  You have until January 21.  Check it out.  

Domenick Danza

The Qualms

The Qualms

Playwrights Horizons

July 3, 2015

Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

The Qualms by Bruce Norris takes an intense look at human nature, personal freedoms, and the need to compete, dominate, and submit.  It is a political and social encounter that is relevant, funny and, at times, awkward.  It forces you to look at those disconcerting moments and assess your deep-seated beliefs.

When Gary (played by John Procaccino) and Teri (played by Kate Arrington) met Chris (played by Jeremy Shamos) and his wife Kristy (played by Sarah Goldberg) on vacation, they invite them to a partner-swapping party they regularly host with two other couples.  As the party gets heated up, Chris gets uptight.  It gets ugly fast as everyone’s hot button issues are revealed and insecurities are enflamed.  The ensemble cast is sharp and tight.  Their timing is perfect and their characters are realistic and fully grounded.  Each has an individual moment of reveal that is genuine and true, and keeps the audience riveted.

Kate Arrington, Jerremy Shamos, and Sarah Golberg
in The Qualms at Playwrights Horizons
Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

Bruce Norris won the Pulitzer Prize for his play Clybourne Park.  The Qualms has the same rhythmic dialogue that packs a punch.  In this play he has written eight distinct characters who reflect different points of view.  This creates connection, debate, and engagement on numerous levels.  Director Pam MacKinnon finds each of these levels and magnifies their significance.  She has skillfully orchestrated the rise and fall of the action to create a naturalistic setting with humorous, realistic, and uncomfortable moments.  The open floor plan of the set by Todd Rosenthal allows the movement needed for the characters to take sides when the action builds.

The cast of The Qualms at Playwrights Horizons
Photo courtesy of Playwrights Horizons

“Shit is complex,” states Gary blatantly in a philosophic moment of near the end of the play.  That sums it up in a heartbeat.  Bruce Norris truly knows how to encapsulate complex issues into a ninety minute script.

                           Domenick Danza