Up Next: MOTHER COURAGE at Quintessence

Things are in the works! My '16-'17 season is starting to shake itself out - and I'm incredibly grateful that after less than a full year based in Philly, that I've been able to fill out my work calendar.  That's never a guarantee, and I know how fortunate I am that things have gotten off to a strong start here.

I'm superstitious about looking too far ahead, but my Fall project is already a lock, and I'm happy to report that I'll be on the boards again with Quintessence Theatre Group, as the "Chaplin" in MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN. Long-time Philadelphia actress, Janis Dardaris will take on the title role.  Word has it that Janis is a bit of legend in Philly, and I'm very much looking forward to working with her on this project. 

In addition, as a personal treat, I also get to share the stage, once again, with one of my very best friends, Leah Gabriel, who will be playing "Yvette". Leah and I originally met while working on a production of Bercht's SAINT JOAN OF THE SLAUGHTERHOUSES in New York, and now we get to return to Brecht together.

Finally, a bit of trivia that will, perhaps, interest only me: After Gene Wilder's death earlier this week, I was reminded that he originally met Mel Brooks while working with Anne Bancroft on Broadway in 1963.  What I did not know was that the play was MOTHER COURAGE, and the role he was playing was the "Chaplin".  Apparently, he liked to tell the story about that meeting  by first explaining that he was "miscast" in that show.  (I highly recommend you click through this link and listen to Terry Gross interview Wilder for NPR's "Fresh Air" in 2005, before he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.)

The Quintessence production will run from October 12th - November 6th, 2016 at the Sedgwick Theatre in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia.

(Below are a couple of production photos from that Broadway version of MOTHER COURAGE with Wilder and Bancroft.)

Art by Lee Cortopassi

HAPPY DAYS - Reviews & Photos

I haven't trumpted my work on HAPPY DAYS at Quintessence Theatre Group because, in all honesty, it felt a little presumptous to toot about being the second person in what is, essentially, a one-woman show.  Samuel Beckett wrote this odd little tale about a "Winnie," a middle-aged woman submerged in a mound of earth, unable to move, or avoid the harsh glare of sun.  Yes, her husband, "Willie," lives behind her, and is a constant target for her eager conversation, but he rarely engages her, and, indeed, is barely seen by the audience throughout the nearly two-hour show.  

It is E. Ashley Izard who, as "Winnie,' IS the show, in every conceivable way.  For two acts she bravely explores the optimism, courage, and frailties of her onstage persona.  It is extraordinary, rare work from Ashley, which has, understably, taken quite a bit out of her during the process.  "Willie," on the other hand, has but 19 verbal responses in the script, composed of 21 sentences and 53 words.  But his presence is felt in other ways, and not all of them by the audience.  For the first time in my career, I feel like I am truly playing a "supporting" role in a show.  My work has been as much for Ashley's benefit as it has been for the audience, and it was very exciting to build that reality with her and our director, Alexander Burns.  As fulling, in it's way, as playing "Faustus," or "Heathcliff," or any other.

Ashley truly gives a tour de force performance.  I'm honored to have been a small cog in that process.  We continue our brief June run, through this coming Sunday, June 26th at the Sedgwick Theatre in Mt. Airy.

(Also, Random Triva: It may be the only time in my career when I'm working in a show when everyone in the cast has five letters in their last name and the first letter is "I".)

Bill Chenevert for THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER:
"In the Quintessence Theatre's honed, sophisticated production - again timeless - E. Ahsley Izard, who takes on the central figure of Winnie with an impressive, tour-de-force performance, commands.  She wrings humor, pathos, and helplessness from her part in a hypnotic performance."

Tim Dunleavy for DC METRO THEATER ARTS:
"HAPPY DAYS is a strong showcase for a great performer, and Izard, with her expressive face and patrician bearing, rises to the challenge.  No matter how worn down she is, WInnie perseveres.  And watching Izard persevere is a pleasure."

And, Rebecca Rendell for TALKIN' BROADWAY:
"Izard is absolutely riveting despite scripted physical limitations that would challenge even the most skilled thespian.  [In the second act], Isaac utters only a single word, but his brief performance is utterly heartbreaking and curiously cathartic."

Photo by Shawn May

Photo by Shawn May

DOCTOR FAUSTUS - Reviews and Photos

We got good news this morning from the theatre:  Buzz and tickets sales have been so strong that we are extending our "Devils and Saints" rep at Quintessence Theatre an additional week, through May 1st!! A really powerful, and very well received production of SAINT JOAN got us going a few weeks ago, I'm pleased to report that DOCTOR FAUSTUS has lived up to that high standard, with another round of rave reviews and audience enthusiasm.

As I'm tasked with the title role in FAUSTUS, I'm bashful about the warm reception the show is getting.  So, let me just give you the press:

Jim Rutter, for the Philadelphia Inquirer:
   "The Doctor Faustus of Christopher Marlowe's play sought all the pleasures and knowledge that mortal life could offer. Quintessence Theatre's production equals his quest by showing all the magic that a tremendous cast and imaginative staging can provide.
   "Isaac’s Faustus performance begins humble and frustrated, and by turns of his newfound power, turns devilishly charming and pitiably unrepentant.  Through his performance, Quintessence’s staging creates a lifecycle. If Marlowe’s play acknowledges friendship as the chief of earthly pleasures, then watching performances like Quintessence’s Doctor Faustus certainly stands a close second."

Mark Cofta, for the Broad Street Review:
   "Quintessence Theatre Group's "Devils and Saints" repertory is devilishly good. This fast and furious production [of DOCTOR FAUSTUS] puts a premium on spectacle, but is also remarkable clear verbally and easy to follow.  At the center of it all, on stage nearly the entire play, is Isaac's fascinating Faustus, led to ruin by his ego."

And, Neal Newman, for DC Metro Theatre Arts:
   "Add all of this into one magical cauldron and The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus gets this critic's highest recommendation. Raves all around for this one."

Both SAINT JOAN and DOCTOR FAUSTUS are now set to close the weekend of May 1st.  Performances have already begun to sell out.  So don't dilly-dally, my friends.  Reserve your tickets today and get yourself out to the Sedgwick!

Gregory Isaac as Faustus - Photo by Shawn May

Gregory Isaac as Faustus, Josh Carpenter as Mephistophilis - Photo by Shawn May

Josh Carpenter as Mephistophilis, Leigha Kato as Evil Angel, John Basiulis as Lucifer, Gregory Isaac as Faustus - Photo by Shawn May

Gregory Isaac as Faustus - Photo by Shawn May

SAINT JOAN - Reviews & Photos

It's hard to believe that it's been nearly two weeks since we opened SAINT JOAN, as the ensemble has been deep in the work of teching and prepping DOCTOR FAUSTUS since the moment JOAN was fully on it's feet, but nevertheless, here we are.  Not only have the reviews been very kind to us, we also have some gorgeous production photos from Shawn May to entice you to see the show for yourself.  Here's a dose of both:

Jim Rutter, for the Philadelphia Inquirer, calls it, "a powerhouse, actor-driven production," and adds, "Leigha Kato's Joan inspires. [Her performance] is beyond compare, a singularity of passion and energy."

David Fox, for Philadelphia Magazine, lauds, "Rebecca Wright's staging reinforces the core sense of the play as an arena for vigorous philosophical debate," and adds, "The ensemble deserves congratulations, with special praise to Sean Close and Josh Carpenter (who are best at the Shavian banter), and Gregory Isaac, (whose performance as Peter Cauchon is heartbreaking in it's emotional directness)."

And Mark Cofta, for the Broad Street Review, notes that, "Brian Sidney Bembridge's powerful lighting sculpts the action," along with sound designer Adriano Shaplin's "artful" underscoring, and Nikki Delhomme's "bold" costumes, but concludes, "Most impressive about SAINT JOAN is how it relates to today's world, nearly a century after Shaw wrote it."

SAINT JOAN is scheduled to run through April 22nd, and is produced by the Quintessence Theatre Group at the historic Sedgwick Theatre.  Tickets range from $15-$34.

Leigha Kato as JOAN (Photo by Shawn May)

Andrew Betz as the Dauphin, Leigha Kato as Joan (Photo by Shawn May)

John Basiulis as the Inquisitor, Alan Brincks as Brother Martin, Gregory Isaac as Cauchon (Photo by Shawn May)

Aaron Kirkpatrick as LaHire, Josh Carpenter as Bluebeard, John Basiulis as The Archbishop

THE GOOD GIRL at 59E59

I don't boast about it much, but I am one of the producers for a small NYC theatre company fondly named Joyseekers Theatre, and right now, we have a powerhouse little show enjoying a limited run at 59E59 Theaters.  THE GOOD GIRL, by Emilie Collyer, directed by Adam Fitzgerald, is a dark comedy, sci-fi piece about a woman who works as a madam to a sex robot, the maintenance man who is hired to make repairs, and what happens when the robot begins exhibiting unusual -and illegal - human-like behavior.

(PURCHASE YOUR $18 TICKETS HERE)

My friend and colleague, Leah Gabriel, has shouldered the vast majority of the work getting this project off the ground and running so smoothly - including being featured onstage in the show alongside Giacomo Basessato (with the off-stage robot voiced by Tamara Sevunts).  I'm truly in awe of the size success of her accomplishment.  I'm not the only one.  Glowing reviews have poured in from the critics...

THE NEW YORK TIMES:
"A feminist sci-fi comedy that darkens considerably as it goes along...Ms. Collyer has written a clever examination of sex, longing, memory, gender roles and violence."

THE HUFFINGTON POST:
“Adam Fitzgerald's fast-paced direction and the high-key acting keep the audience riveted.”

NY THEATER GUIDE:
“Leah Gabriel gives a commanding performance as Anjali, providing the perfect measure of conscience and calculating ambition to make her character’s course of action believable. She shares a natural chemistry with Giacomo Baessato that effectively serves the momentum of the plot.”

THEATER PIZZAZZ:
“Collyer’s play with the expert acting and direction keeps us off-balance, riding the seesaw with the characters, tense for the next moments of revelation.”

This is, currently, the final week of performances for THE GOOD GIRL.  It must close at 59E59 this Sunday, February 28th.  Tickets are only $18, and with limited seats available, they are selling fast.  If you are in New York, please go see the fine work on display.

And Finally, a plaintive request: Producing Theatre in New York City - even on the modest scale of THE GOOD GIRL - is incredibly expensive.  Sadly, even strong ticket sales are not enough. Please take a moment, click through this link to the Joyseeker Website and make just a $20 charitible donation to help us defray the costs of the production.  This helps us not only pay rent for the performance space, but also provide reasonable salaries to production staff and designers.  We cannot thank you enough for your support!

Up Next: FAUSTUS and Quintessence's Spring Rep

I'm excited to be returning to the Quintessence Theatre Group on the north side of Philadelphia this spring.  They have invited me back as part of their ensemble for their upcoming Spring Rep.  I'll appear, first, in George Bernard Shaw's SAINT JOAN (beginning March 16th), and then will perform the title role in Christopher Marlowe's DOCTOR FAUSTUS (beginning on March 30th).  Both shows will then run in rep through the end of April.

I am thrilled to be back again at QTG, but confess that FAUSTUS presents a daunting task.  The character and the language are both incredibly layered and complex, but more than that, Marlowe is a particular favorite of artistic director, Alexander Burns.  (It's a fact that his Instagram handle is actaully @marlowephl, but you didn't hear that from me.) The ensemble will be helping him bring Marlowe to the Quintessence stage for the first time.  I'm honored to have been asked along for that ride. 

SAINT JOAN will be directed by Rebecca Wright.  Everyone was still buzzing about her recently completed production of THE METAMORPHOSIS when I first arrived at QTG for THE THREE MUSKETEERS a year ago. I'm really looking forward to being in the room with her.  The rest of the rep's ensemble will include folks either very familiar or completely new to me: John Basiulis, Andrew Betz, Alan Brincks, Tom Carman, Josh Carpenter, Sean Close, Ife Foy, Anita Holland, and Leigha Kato.

AND, it's true, I let out the metaphorical equivelent of a serious SQUEEEEEEEEE, when I discovered that not only has Brian Sidney Bembridge been enlisted to design lights for both shows, but Nikki Delhomme will also create costumes for SAINT JOAN.  Both are incredible talents that I had the pleasure of working with on several different occasions in Chicago some years back.  It's always a pleasant surprise to be reminded how small the theatre community real can be.

It's already less than a month until first rehearsals.  I've got a lot of memorizing to do before then...

M O O D with Lloyd Mulvey

Last month I arranged a little photo shoot with the handsome and talented, Mr. Lloyd Mulvey at his Harlem studio.  We didn't have any terribly specific goals in mind other than, as Lloyd subsequently summed up:  M O O D.  

We took a couple of hours and fooled around in the room.  I changed clothes a few times along the way.  I shaved for the first time in three months.  We got some fun stuff.  (And by the way, did I mention that Lloyd Mulvey is a talented fellow?)

THE MANDRAKE Production Photos (& reviews!)

THE MANDRAKE is open! And we've been running in repertory with ROMEO & JULIET (featuring the same cast of 9 actors) for more than a week.

Our notices for both shows have been very good.  Rachel Beecher, for DC Metro Theatre Arts calls our MANDRAKE "a humorous theatrical home run."  Rebecca Rendell, for Talkin' Broadway calls it "a laugh-out-loud funny and downright dirty evening of theater." 

Review for ROMEO & JULIET have been just as good.  Jim Rutter, of the Philadelphia Inquirer calls it "a superbly acted production," with "phenomenal performances from the entire cast."   Kelli Curtin, for Theatre Sensation, states that ours is "an exceptional production of the show." 

Finally, Mark Cofta, reviewing the repertory as a whole, calls MANDRAKE "Inspired lunacy," and says that "witnessing this capable ensemble perform two demanding classics," is a feat that is, "a credit to not only the cast, but also to Alexander Burns, the director of both plays."

The Repertory runs through, at least, November 8th! You can check out the rep schedule and tickets sales here, at Quintessence's website, and a sample of Shawn May's production photos of THE MANDRAKE are below.

Connor Hammond as Siro, Alan Brincks as Callimaco

Gregory Isaac as Nicia, Josh Carpenter as Ligurio

Gregory Isaac as Nicia

Sean Close as Brother Timothy, Emiley Kiser as Lucrezia

Connor Hammond as Siro, Josh Carpenter as Ligurio, Gregory Isaac as Nicia, Sean Close as Brother Timothy

Romeo & Juliet Production Photos

We are in the thick of everything at Quintessence now.  The Fall Rep is now half up, with ROMEO & JULIET having opening a week ago, and the opening night of THE MANDRAKE still a week away.  It's been both awesome and exhausting.  R&J is really starting to hum and I've got a few production photos shot by Shawn May to whet your whistle.  More to come, my friends...

(And you can see more of Shawn May's production photos in Quintessence's Facebook Album by clicking HERE.)

Connor Hammond and Emiley Kiser

Gregory Isaac and Josh Caerpenter

Connor Hammond, Jahzeer Terrell, and Alan Brincks

Jahzeer Terrell

Emiley Kiser and Gregory Isaac

Anita Holland and Emiley Kiser

Gregory Isaac and Emiley Kiser

Upcoming Work! This Fall at Quintessence...

I'm pretty happy to formally announce that I've been booked to return to the Quintessence Theatre Group in Philadelphia this Fall!  They produce a two-show repertory to kick off their season every year, and this year's offerings are Shakespeare's ROMEO & JULIET and Machiavelli's THE MANDRAKE.  Quintessence artistic director Alex Burns will direct both shows.

I had a pretty incredible time working with QTG this past spring on THE THREE MUSKETEERS and I am really thrilled to be back with them again to kick off their 6th season.  The Rep will feature a 9-actor ensemble and Four of my Musketeer castmates (Alan Brincks, Sean Close, Connor Hammond, and Anita Holland) will also be returning, and we're joined by several other Quintessence mainstays (Josh Carpenter, Ashley Izzard, and Emiley Kiser).  Jahzeer Terrell will also make his Quintessence debut to ensure that I am not, still, the newest member of the QTG roster.

ROMEO & JULIET will open on September 30th.  THE MANDRAKE will start up on October 14th.  Both will then run in repertory through, at least, November 8th at the Sedgwick Theatre in Mt. Airy neighborhood on the Northerly side of Philadelphia.

QTG Season VI graphic designs for ROMEO & JULIET and THE MANDRAKE by Goodloe Byron

NYIT Award Nominations!

We recently got a little bonus news! SHORT LIFE OF TROUBLE, the show I was in early last summer, has received a nomination for "Outstanding Ensemble" from the New York Innovative Theatre Awards for the '14/'15 theatre season!!

The NYIT Awards are the Off-Off-Broadway awards, and they cover a large range of participating productions during their 12 month judging cycle.

It's been over a year since we closed SHORT LIFE, and rehearsals began in April last year, but I was first invited to an early workshop of the script waaaay back in July of 2013.  Now we get to keep talking about it all the way to the NYIT Awards Ceremony in mid-September.  (You'll find photos and selected music recordings from this show if you click here.)

It was an honor to be 1/9th of that cast, and I was equally honored to have my name listed on the big screen with each of them tonight at the nomination announcement party.  And, we'd have been much diminished without the support of our creative & production staff: Eric P. Holm, Jill Woodward, Kat Holland, Anastasia Romantsova, Michael McGee, Peter Mills Weiss, Christina Rene Polhemus, and Brian Morvant.  

Congrats to ALL of the nominees! See you in September!

Photo by Anastasia Romantsova

Praise for Quintessence's THE THREE MUSKETEERS

As rewarding as this process has been, until a week ago, we lacked that crucial final element: our audience.  I almost always enjoy the creative process, and it is often very gratifying in and of itself, but the end result of the work is, hopefully, to entertain, to stir emotion, to provoke thought.  Given the alternatives, we would all much prefer to succeed at these goals than not, and I am pleased to report that our production of THE THREE MUSKETEERS by the Quintessence Theatre Group has received resounding, universal praise.

Wendy Rosenfield, for the Philadelphia Inquirer writes:
"What is it about The Three Musketeers that still captures our imagination? Quintessence Theatre Group's new adaptation makes some excellent arguments for its continued longevity...  What prevails in these Musketeers is their joie de vivre. This production covers only the book's first half, leaving open the possibility that the Musketeers may soon ride again. Let's hope they do, and that once again, they bring this fantastic team along with them."

Lynn Hoffman writing for the BroadStreet Review:
"The production in the round is a masterpiece, intimately presented in the jewel-box Sedgwick Theater. As is usually the case at Quintessence, the cast is superb."

Kathryn Osenlund for Curtain Up:
"Quintessence's own in-house adapters have connected this series of astutely curated dramatic scenes. It would have been so easy to make a muddle of it, but [they] have achieved an admirable clarity with their script. Deftly directed by Alexander Burns; [with] remarkable dual performances by the strong cast."

Mark Cofta for the City Paper:
"The bare stage allows maximum space for Ian Rose's terrifically witty battles, including a five-on-four sword fight that's a work of choreographic brilliance.  [This show] is never dull."

And the production has been "Barrymore Recommended" by Philadelphia's prestigious professional theatre awards program.

And we've only just begun! I'm having a great time, and I'm looking forward to playing with this cast and crew for most of the next month. Come see for yourself!