#playwrights horizons

[whisky-soul]

New/old video of Pedro talking about Playwrights Horizons and the first play he saw there.

[sondheims-hat]

July 31, 1983: The workshop production of Sunday ends at Playwrights Horizons after 25 performances.

[fearsmagazine]

TEETH - Review

SYNOPSIS: “Dawn O’Keefe is an evangelical Christian teen with a powerful secret not even she understands – when men violate her, her body bites back. Literally. From Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winner Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop) and Anna K. Jacobs (POP!),TEETH, based on the cult classic film of the same name, is a fierce, rapturous, and savagely entertaining new musical crackling with irrepressible desire and ancient rage – a dark comedy conjuring the legend of one girl whose sexual curse is also her salvation.” - Press Release

REVIEW: In 2007 filmmaker Mitchell Lichtenstein, the son of artist Roy Lichtenstein, unleashed his tale of a contemporary American female teenager who discovers her body possesses a physical secret when she encounters male violence, vagina dentata; a myth that is found across cultures and eras, about a vagina that has a lethal set of teeth.

In the stage adaptation of Lichtenstein’s vision, Anna K. Jacobs and Michael R. Jackson successfully retain the story's essence while making it fresh for a theater audience. In this adaptation, the lead character, Dawn's home life is restructured, with her father now portrayed as a charismatic preacher and her brother, Bard, still grappling with issues from their youth but influenced by technology rather than as a heavy metal/skinhead. These changes create a more dynamic structure for their dysfunctional family unit. Notably, the myth plays a more central role in the stage adaptation, and the supporting cast of teenage promise keeper girls serve as a Greek chorus. My guest and I both felt that the staging had a feel of Stepehen King’s “Carrie,” his novel, DePalma’s film and maybe the rival of the play. TEETH reaches its climax in a visually captivating and chaotic clash of religious conservatism and feminism, expertly staged in a way that surpasses Frank Oz's never fully realized ending in the film adaptation of "Little Shop of Horrors." Incorporating many of the contemporary social sexual issues in our zeitgeist with satire makes for an extremely entertaining and thought provoking theatrical experience.

The musical numbers were a delight. The combination of traditional Broadway musical songs and 70's and 80's pop songs in Jacobs' music was excellent. Jackson's lyrics added to the story and provided a splendid blend of humor and drama. While some of the lyrics were risqué, they never felt as shocking as something from "South Park" by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Jacobs and Jackson provided some magical musical moments that showcased the entire cast's vocal abilities. Choreographer Raja Feather Kelly did a remarkable job in creating dance routines, despite having to work in horrific moments at times.

The production design, set, lighting, SFX, and sound designs are all of Broadway caliber. The stage design employs impressive elements with subtle movements that contribute to the narrative. At certain moments, all of these elements come together to create a truly magical theater experience. The set design takes advantage of every inch of space in bringing the story to life. Most of the play's costumes are effective, they become more creative and interesting in the final act.

The cast of TEETH is nothing short of brilliant. Lead actress Alyse Alan Louis shines in her portrayal of Dawn. Her performance effortlessly blends innocence, comedic timing, powerful vocals, and a nuanced handling of sensual scenes. Meanwhile, her male counterparts—Steven Pasquale, Jason Gotay, Will Connolly, and Jared Loftin—face a daunting task. Not only do they create memorable characters, but they also navigate multiple roles and costume changes with ease, all the while delivering captivating musical numbers that showcase their talents. This ensemble cast is truly exceptional, and one can only hope that they will grace us with a cast recording of the show.

Michael R. Jackson, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winner of "A Strange Loop," has created a show that is consistently selling out. My guest, who was initially unaware of the show's premise and the creative team, was astounded upon learning about it at the end. They were also unfamiliar with the source material, which left them with a strong desire to seek it out. From my perspective, any adaptation that inspires viewers to seek out the original work is a significant accomplishment. "TEETH" ranks among my legendary theater experiences, akin to my cherished memories of attending the original Broadway productions of "Little Shop of Horrors," "Phantom of the Opera," "Les Misérables," and "Hadestown," that come to mind. "TEETH" offers an unforgettable and haunting theatrical experience that should not be missed.

TEETH contains intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, and strong language. Age Recommendation: Teeth is appropriate for audiences ages 17+. The play runs approximately 1 hour and 55 minutes with no intermission.. Performances are Tuesday through Sunday at 7:30 PM, with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 PM. Tickets are $120.00 plus $2.00 fee. Tickets are now on sale at https://my.playwrightshorizons.org/events. For more information, visit www.playwrightshorizons.org/shows/plays/teeth/#play-body.

Review By: Joseph B Mauceri

[droughtofapathy]

"Welcome to the Theatre": Diary of a Broadway Baby

Teeth

February 28, 2024 | Off-Broadway | Playwrights Horizons | Evening | Musical | Original | 1H 40M

I saw Steven Pasqual get his dick bitten off by a vengeful vagina with teeth and then get it shoved down his throat. Other things happened. A lot happened, actually. And the show's technical elements are really delightful to witness. That all being said, I just don't think I like Michael R. Jackson's writing style. The thing about this show is that I enjoyed myself, but I didn't like it. It's in previews right now, so things are still in flux, and according to the talkback, there's going to be a new ending starting today. Which is good because the ending really fell apart for me. It was funny and fun in parts, but I couldn't really recommend it to anyone. It's basically a sex comedy/satire/Carrie-esque horror, but the music was just so repetitive and felt like the same old stuff from this creator, whom I'm not terribly fond of anyway. (Also he's like...being really divisive on twitter right now so maybe he's got some stuff he needs to work out.)

This was my last show of the month, and it's been a ride, let me tell you.

Verdict: Enjoyable, But Left No Lasting Impression

A Note on Ratings

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Can I Help You?

Schools ask their students the strangest essay questions sometimes. The experience of tutoring anxious teenagers through how to answer them requires a balladier, singing his lived experience to a crowd as though it were the Middle Ages. (10 minutes)

Milo Cramer’s show School Pictures was recorded at Playwrights Horizons.

By Milo Cramer

Song:

“Don't Ask Me” by Joe Jackson

* * * *

[Take 10 minutes and listen. Just wonderful.]

[nonesuchrecords]

In celebration of the Playwrights Horizons production of Gabriel Kahane's Magnificent Bird / Book of Travelers, which opened yesterday, Nonesuch releases a recording of his song “Give Us the Ballot” today. You can hear it here.

“‘Give Us the Ballot’ was written in October 2020, among the same batch of tunes that led to the album Magnificent Bird,” Kahane says. “With another election on the horizon, I thought this was the best moment to release a song that describes my relationship to voting, at a time when it is easy to become cynical about our sclerotic political landscape.”

[caroleditosti]

'Wet Brain' by John J. Caswell, Jr., a Review

'Wet Brain' at Playwrights Horizons has fantastic elements making the work a unique must-see.

Julio Monge in Wet Brain (courtesy of Joan Marcus) A family in crisis with no way out except love and forgiveness, is the focal point of the play Wet Brain by John J. Caswell, Jr. Directed by Dustin Wills (award-winning director of Wolf Play) the drama is presented by Playwrights Horizons and MCC Theater until June 25. The production reveals the knotty human condition in all its raw, ugly,…

[frontmezzjunkies]

Playwrights Horizons Scores Big with Norris's Complicated Downstate

#frontmezzjunkies reviews: #BruceNorris's #newplay #DownstatePH @phnyc d: #PamMacKinnon w/ #GlennDavis #KToddFreeman #FrancisSuinan #SusannaGuzmán #TimHopper #SallyMurphy #GabiSamels #EddieTorres #PlaywrightsHorizons @SteppenwolfThtr @NationalTheatre

Francis Guinan, Glenn Davis, Susanna Guzmán, Eddie Torres, and K. Todd Freeman in Bruce Norris’s Downstate at Playwrights Horizons. Photo by Joan Marcus. The Off-Broadway Theatre Review: PH’s Downstate By Ross “Ready? Take your time.” And it’s off to the uncomfortable races with Steppenwolf‘s brilliant transfer of Bruce Norris’ Downstate, a new complex and challenging piece, co-produced by The…

[retrofalsettos]

Mary Testa posting this collage of Miss Goldberg means there are way more pictures from In Trousers 1979 that the few that I’ve seen scattered around the internet for the past four years and i will never sleep soundly again

[erikahenningsen]

May or may not have already bought tickets to five separate performances of Teeth

Update: six

[astoryofcolumbine]

Today, our thoughts are with Sam Neill following his cancer diagnosis. Sam Neill was mentioned in our show (See clip), and "Event Horizon" (1997) is an integral part of our production. In addition to including Eric Harris and Susan Dewitt watching the film at Eric's home on April 17th, 1999, several scenes in our show are named after quotes from the film. We wish him and his loved ones the best during this difficult time.

[patina-millers-biceps]

I just really want to know who the people over at the The Shed had to fuck to get the rights to you know what

[phierecycled]

Some programme pages from the 1981 Playwright's Horizons and 1987 London production of March of the Falsettos!

[droughtofapathy]

"Welcome to the Theatre": Diary of a Broadway Baby

In the Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot

October 26, 2024 | Off-Broadway | Playwrights Horizons | Matinee | Play | Original | 1H 30M

A show about aging, queer characters specially crafted to give underrepresented actors work should be right up my alley, but the danger of writing for types is that the story suffers. Set in a vague (frankly undercooked) near-future world where the water is rising and "The Corporation" controls the only real means of communication (because despite the grid going down, people can still order their Amazon Prime packages?), seven warehouse workers are just going through the motions. I wanted to like it. I went in expecting to enjoy myself and a stage full of older people and not a man in sight. There were going to be ladies kissing on stage. But this play is a half-baked muddling of themes and ideas that go largely unexplored. There is a small subplot about trying to undermine the factory with sugar in concrete, but it barely goes anywhere and it's treated as an afterthought. The play's central queer romance lacks chemistry, build-up, and even interest. Neither actress seemed particularly attracted to the other. Each of the seven characters are surface-level at best, with most of their substance coming from short and meandering monologues that intersperse the choppy, non-chronological action. The monologues add very little to a play that already feels too brief to really accomplish anything, let alone achieve successful worldbuilding or character connection.

The set design does most of the heavy lifting with its simple but effective layout. A working conveyer belt suspended near the ceiling trundles boxes from one side to the other, and a garage door hatch opens the factory up to the parking lot out back.

There's so much about this premise that could be great as a speculative take on climate change, corporate greed, and women over fifty moving through life invisible. But the dialogue is awkward, the backstories disjointed, and the romance just not believable. As for the way the plot unfolds, it's more baffling than satisfying. For once, I think it should have been longer. I also think the format should have been scrapped and retooled entirely. The director seems either inexperienced, or simply disconnected from the script, and the inclusion of an intimacy coordinator didn't seem to help conjure up any...intimacy. At the end of the day, I'm inclined to be kinder given the cast representation, but it's as if that was the only thing the playwright put time and effort into. Write a play around characters, or around story, or around any number of things, but don't write a play with the sole intention of just casting certain people without also doing the work to make their time and our attention worthwhile.

Verdict: Well...I'm Glad I Saw It

A Note on Ratings

[godlessondheimite]

I thought of an idea for a play so bad and desperately topical that I'm surprised it hasn't already been mounted at Playwrights Horizon.

[nonesuchrecords]

Ahead of the Playwrights Horizons production of Gabriel Kahane’s Magnificent Bird / Book of Travelers comes a new recording of "Red Letter Days," out now. You can hear it here. The previously unreleased track, along with others from his October 2020 song-a-day project, will be performed by Kahane as part of the NYC theater’s staged presentation of music from the Nonesuch albums Magnificent Bird and Book of Travelers September 24–October 6; tickets are on sale now here.