Dear theatre friends,
This month the theatre “Springs” to life with several worth your time:
Do try “Malaise Dans la Civilisation” (‘Civilization and Its Discontents”) at the new Perelman Performing Arts Center. There will be only ten performances– half in English, half in French with English surtitles. Despite the disconcerting title, it’s described as “strange and playful” in this review of a prior performance. It’s co-presented by Theatre la Seizieme and Pi Theatre, both of Vancouver.
Ensemble Studio Theatre (E.S.T.) continues its collaboration with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, presenting science-themed plays. I’m looking forward to seeing, “Have You Met Jane Goodall and Her Mother?” True story– the Tanzanian government insisted Ms. Goodall be chaparoned while studying chimpanzees there. So, she invited her mother! Promises to be enchanting!
Primary Stages is presenting “Amerikin” by Chisa Hutchinson. A local white supremacist group requires DNA testing for new applicants. I predict chaos ensues when the results are unexpected.
Three years ago, Alice Childress’s decades old play “Trouble in Mind” was a huge Broadway success. Now, you can see another of her rarely performed plays, “Wine In the Wilderness” at Classic Stage Company. It was last seen in 1969 in a televised production.
How often do you have the opportunity to see a play by Christopher Marlowe? The venerable Red Bull Theater is holding a “Revelation Reading” of “The Jew of Malta” on March 24th. It will be simulcast to be streamed beginning the following day.
Speaking of streaming, do go to National Theatre Live to view Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove” starring Steve Coogan. I saw it this past autumn in London and was thrilled to see a brilliant film transformed into brilliant theatre. It’s equally laugh out loud funny and disturbing. Also,eerily timely despite being sixty years old.
Obie Award-winning playwright, Abe Koogler (“Fulfillment Center”) returns to The Public with “Deep Blue Sound”. It’s being presented by the adventurous company, Clubbed Thumb, which brought us “Grief Hotel” to great acclaim last year. Try it!
Last tip for the month–please go to City Center for Joshua Harmon’s “We Had a World”. Recognize his name? He wrote last year’s “Prayer for a French Republic” as well as several other wonderfully absorbing works. This could be autobiographical, but if not, it claims be a highly emotional family drama.
I’ll be back next month with more plays not to be missed!
Until then…
Carol Tambor publishes a monthly newsletter, which announces worthy shows coming to New York, along with occasional information about London theatre and, of course, the Edinburgh Fringe.