A Brief Encounter with New York

Happy Holidays, everyone!
I'm home in sunny Southern Oregon for a couple of weeks, but I did spend one brilliant week of my winter vacation in New York City. I know. I should have been home memorizing The Misanthrope, reading a bunch of plays, and prepping for all the auditions I have scheduled, but who wants to do that when you can see Manhattan all decked out for the holidays? Little Italy, by the way is the most gorgeous Christmas scene I've ever seen.
The first show I saw was a new play called Michael & Edie by Rachel Bonds at The Access Theater. I went specifically to see my dear friend from undergrad, Jake Wilhelmi. It was a delightful way to start off my visit to the city, wrapped in Access' intimate space with the set made up of encroaching piles of books. The play was touching, and clever, and it hit a little close to home for me, being an audience member who has lost a sibling to suicide (an important exploration within the plot). I found it's dealing with this sensitive subject tactful but heartbreaking, and I was really happy to see a show that was not afraid to express the pain of depression in siblings far away.
Next it was off to Broadway!
One night on a whim I hopped on a train up to Times Square and got into Noël Coward's Brief Encounter! Having just played Elvira in Blithe Spirit the summer before, this show was really a joy. Having done that show, I was familiar with Noël Coward's whimsical style, though I admittedly have never seen the film Brief Encounter. The first number was "Any Little Fish" which is a favorite Noël Coward of mine, and it was such a joy to hear Gabriel Ebert and Dorothy Atkinson sing it. The best part of the show was their charming use of theatricality. Watching the actors create a boat on a lake, or the cherry tree blossoming above it, or the trains coming in and out of the station was such a delight.
The final show I had time (and dinero) to see was Time Stands Still. I have to say, I have dreamed of seeing this play many, many times after browsing Broadway.com. Starring Laura Linney, Brian d'Arcy, Eric Bogosian, and Christina Ricci, the play told a war photojournalist's (Laura Linney) story of readjusting (or at least attempting) to a stable world not torn apart by terror after surviving a car bomb overseas. I felt so engaged by this show. It was heartbreaking, and beautifully executed. I'll always have a very warm place in my heart for realism, and Time Stands Still left no detail unnoticed while still managing to be a little meta-theatrical and make fun of itself at times, but listen to me, I'm writing like a graduate student. The point is, I loved the show. It felt like a very real look into the destructive nature of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and it's affect of civilians involved in war, a change in perspective from the more popular affects on soldiers.
So I guess I didn't get to see A Christmas Carol, or The Nutcracker Suite this year, but I am pretty pleased with my large dose of play viewing this holiday. After so much time in Southern Ohio, this trip to the city is just what I needed. I <3 NY.
Happy New Year!

A Little Press on Holiday

Oops! Forgot to remember I have a blog!
I was interviewed for this article in The Post here in Athens!