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Metropolitan VIRTUAL Playhouse The American Legacy 220
East Fourth Street ~ New York, New York
10009
Administration: (212) 995 8410 connect@metropolitanplayhouse.org |
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Metropolitan tumbles
into the 21st Century with
Metropolitan Virtual Playhouse |
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Please consider a donation
to support
future Metropolitan Virtual ventures. |
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| Presentations Past |
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| Linda
Kuriloff |
An Interview with Linda Kuriloff Writer and Performer of Marcia's Words based on interviews with Marcia A. Richard |
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| Stu
Richel |
An Interview with Stu Richel Writer and Performer of Vietnam...through my lens |
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Love Letters from the Cold War by
Joseph Ryan |
Khrushchev
and Kennedy on the
brink of the end of
the world told through their personal letters. Directed by Frank Kuhn Featuring
Jed Peterson ~ Elisabeth Ahrens ~ Sam Kitchin Musical Arrangements by Jonathan Allentoff Video Arrangement by Alex Roe Aired 12/25/22 |
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| Talkback:
The Sea Lady |
Join a talkback with Neith
Boyce's biographer Carol DeBoer-Langworthy and director Alex Roe. Aired 10/9/2022 |
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| Artist
Interview: The Sea Lady |
Join the cast and director of
The Sea Lady for a window into the process. Dexter McKinney II ~ Laura Pruden ~ Alex Roe Aired 10/1/22 |
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| Artist
Interview: East Side Stories, Actually |
Join the playwrights and
director of East Side Stories, Actually for a peek into the process! Rachael Langton ~ Tom Lavagnino ~ Natalina Lopez Christian Missonak ~ Bara Swain ~ Jonathon Ward Aired 5/23/22 |
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The
Moon is Down![]() by John Steinbeck Benefit Reading for |
Directed by Alex
Roe Featuring David L. Carson ~ Erwin Falcon ~ Andrew Firda ~ David Fraioli ~ Ian Gould ~ Jeffrey Grover ~ Michael Hardart ~ Cynthia Hewett ~ Bonita Jackson David Murray Jaffe ~ Brandt Johnson ~ Beethovan Oden Jammie Patton ~ Alex Roe ~ Zenon Zeleniuch Graphic Art by Medusa Studio Benefit Reading of The Moon is Down raised over $4000 for Direct Relief, providing aid in Ukraine and the region. Aired April 23 & 24 |
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Episodeby Eulalie Spence with post-show talk by Jennifer Burton, PhD and Monica White Ndounou, PhD |
Newlyweds Mamie and Jim Jackson
have a fine apartment and a happy marriage if only Jim would stay in more and go out less. But when he finds a new passion to keep him at home, she finds she might have to be more careful what she wishes for. Directed by Linda Kuriloff Featuring Léoh Hailu-Ghermay, SJ Hannah, Eliott Charles Johnson Monique Paige, Rahmell Peebles, Marlaina Powell Aired 2/12/22 |
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A
Christmas StockingThree Tales Well-Told by Michèle LaRue |
“A Christmas Sing in Our
Village,” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (1898) “Their Dear Little Ghost,” by Elia W. Peattie (1895) An excerpt from Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott Aired 12/18/21 |
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The Sea Ladyby Neith Boyce with post-show talk by Carol De-Boer Langworthy, PhD |
Directed by Alex Roe
Featuring Elisabeth Ahrens ~ Kevin Bernard ~ Bryson Bruce ~ Matt Daniels ~ Sidney Fortner Erin Leigh Schmoyer ~ DeAnna Supplee ~ David Murray Jaffe ~ Brad Makarowski Florence Marcisak ~ Kim Yancey Moore ~ Kendall Rileigh ~ Colin Wulff Post-Show Commentary by Carol DeBoer-Langworthy, PhD Senior Lecturer, Nonfiction Writing Program, Brown University at work on a literary biography of Neith Boyce Graphic Art by Medusa Studio Aired 12/11/21 |
| Leadlights Ensemble |
Live
Onstage at Metropolitan Playhouse
11/15/21 |
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An Interview with DW Gregory
An interview with DW Gregory, Radium Girls playwright |
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An Interview
An interview with actors and the director of DW Gregory's Radium Girls in honor of its long-delayed arrival on the Metropolitan stage With Olivia Killingsworth, Laura Livingston, Kyle
Maxwell, and Alex Roe
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| A Year
and a Half in Review Alex Roe on Making Theater on a Virtual Stage excerpted from the Eugene O'Neill Society's Panel for the American Literature Association Conference July 8 - 11, 2021 |
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with post-show talk by |
When Susan Racket's five-days new husband reveals vices that had been hidden during their courtship, only by adopting the manner of the Devil can she reform him. Imitation proves no form of flattery at all. Directed by Alex Roe With Andrew Firda, Charles Jeffries, Greta Quispe, David Logan Rankin, and Barbra Wengerd Artwork by Medusa Studios Aired 6/26/21 |
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East Side Stories UnmaskedStick Around The Second in a Two-Night Festival Celebrating the Life and Lore of the Lower East Side |
Izzy
Sticks With It by Rex McGregor Ava Astor meets a vocal young Irving Berlin on a sidewalk of New York Directed by Michael Hardart With Aidan Eastwood, Jamahl Garrison-Lowe, Michelle Geisler, Sarah Hankins Artwork by Jason Simms Carmen Pabon, Presente! by Nina Howes Reflections from the Life and Works of the "Social Worker from the Lord" Directed by Gloria Zelaya with Marisol Carrere Aired 6/19/21 |
East Side
Stories UnmaskedWelcome to the Neighborhood The First in a Two-Night Festival Celebrating the Life and Lore of the Lower East Side |
The
Tall Blonde with the Toy Giraffe
By Armand Ruhlman A dark and sultry night at Avenue B and East 9th. Directed by Rachael Langton With Amanda Jones, Michael A. Jones, and Jed Peterson Art by James Romberger Poppyseed By Michael Dinwiddie The Ninth St Bakery in the 1976. Welcome home. Directed by Linda Kuriloff With Adrian Baidoo and Rosina Fernhoff aired 6/12/21 |
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| Together,
Apart A Benefit for Metropolitan ![]() Two Plays by Peter Sagal with special guest Peter Sagal host of NPR's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me |
Directed
by
Alex Roe With Elisabeth Ahrens, John D. McNally, Michael Turner Tucker McCrady & Julie Pham Aired 5/22/21 |
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Her Opinion of
His Story![]() by William Dean Howells with special guest speaker Brenda Murphy, PhD Professor Emerita at University of Connecticut |
In this comedy of manner and
misguided courtship, the only thing that matters more than her opinion of him is her opinion of his story Directed by John Long With Whitney Andrews Wendy Merritt, and Benjamin Russell Artwork by Martha O'Connell Aired 5/15/21 |
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Trifles![]() by Susan Glaspell post-show talk by Linda Ben Zvi, PhD professor emerita of Colorado State University and Tel Aviv University |
As a death at a remote, Midwestern farmhouse
is investigated by a sheriff, a neighbor, and an ambitious attorney, their wives are charged with tidying up the kitchen. As they do, household "trifles" literally bring to hand the who, what, and why of a bitter domestic conflict, a passionate crime. But will the truth need to come out? Directed by Laura Livingston With Quinlan Corbett, Michael Durkin, Anne Fizzard, Susanna Frazer, Peter Tedeschi Graphic Art by Pamela Lawton and Danny Licul Aired 5/9/21 |
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Careful
What You Wish For![]() Two Tales Well Told by Michèle LaRue with post-show talk by Heather Ostman, PhD State University of New York: Westchester Community College President of The Kate Chopin International Society |
Michèle
LaRue returns to the Playhouse—this time with a pair
of vintage Tales Well Told:
Careful What You Wish For is an unlikely pairing of offerings by humorist O. Henry (author of “The Ransom of Red Chief” and about 400 other stories) and Kate Chopin (best known for her feminist novel The Awakening). In “The Rathskeller and the Rose” (1908), an enterprising actor is a little too convincing. In “A Pair of Silk Stockings” (1894), best-laid plans .... Aired 5/1/21 |
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Bertha, the Sewing Machine
GirlPART II by Charles Foster Part Two Talkback with: Michelle Granshaw, PhD Associate Professor of Theatre Arts and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Pittsburgh |
The trials
continue to the shocking conclusion! Directed by Alex Roe Featuring Becca Ballenger, Craig Anthony Bannister, John Blaylock, Diego Carvajal, Margaret Catov, Linus Gelber, Tyler Kent, Peter Loureiro, Beethovan Oden, Madelynn Poulson, David Logan Rankin, Jay Romero, Hannah Sharafian, and Tom Staggs Art by Medusa Studios Aired 4/24/21 |
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Bertha, the Sewing Machine GirlPART I by Charles Foster Part One Talkback with: Kim Miller, PhD Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at The University of the Cumberlands |
A proud and virtuous working woman cannot get a break in the envious, avaricious, and lascivious world. But that's nothing new. Directed by Alex Roe Featuring Becca Ballenger, Craig Anthony Bannister, John Blaylock, Diego Carvajal, Margaret Catov, Linus Gelber, Tyler Kent, Peter Loureiro, Beethovan Oden, Madelynn Poulson, David Logan Rankin, Jay Romero, Hannah Sharafian, and Tom Staggs Art by Medusa Studios Aired 4/17/21 |
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The Chipwoman's Fortune![]() by Willis Richardson Post-show talk by Michael Dinwiddie Playwright and Associate Professor at NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study |
Directed by Linda Kuriloff Featuring Smeralda Abel, China L. Colston, Brenda Crawley, SJ Hannah, Roland Lane, and David Rankin Aired 4/10/21 |
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The Girl![]() by Edward Peple |
Directed
by Michael Hardart Featuring Timothy C. Goodwin, Luke Hofmaier, Perri Yaniv Graphics by Vincent Gunn Aired 4/3/21 |
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| He Said and
She Said (Revisited) ![]() by Alice Gerstenberg |
Directed
by Alex
Roe Featuring Erin Beirnard, Kelly D. Cooper, Teresa Kelsey, and Alyssa Simon with special guests: John Long and the Virtual Playhouse Early Adopters Aired 3/27/21 |
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Winter's
Night![]() by Neith Boyce followed by a post show talk with Carol DeBoer Langworthhy, PhD Senior Lecturer, Nonfiction Writing Program, Brown University Editor-in-Chief, Lifewriting Annual: Biographical and Autobiographical Studies |
Directed
by Rachael Langton Featuring Erinn Holmes, Eric Emil Oleson, Jammie Patton Art by Katie McGeorge Aired 3/20/21 |
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The Silent Waiter![]() by Alfred Kreymborg Post-Show talk led by Brenda Murphy, PhD Professor Emerita at University of Connecticut |
The
beginning is just the end... Directed by Laura Livingston Featuring Kyle Maxwell and Kevin Melendez Graphics by Anne Fizzard Aired 3/13/21 |
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Not Smart![]() by Wilbur Daniel Steele with a post show talk by Jeffery Kennedy, PhD Professor of Arts and Cultural Studies at Arizona State University and author of the forthcoming Staging America: The Artistic Legacy of the Provincetown Players |
On vacation, Fannie and Milo want to
open their marriage and elevate the locals, but when their
housekeeper tells them she is "not smart" (pregnant in the
local idiom), it's anyone's guess where they put their
sense. Directed and Designed by Mark Harborth Featuring Victoria Bundonis, Ryan Halsaver, Clara Kundin, Maria Silverman, Matthew Trumbull Aired 3/6/21 |
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The Valiant![]() by Holworthy Hall and Robert Middlemass with a post show talk by Cheryl Black, PhD Professor of Theatre at the University of Missouri |
A murderer with a
secret, ready to face society's demands, until the arrival of a girl claiming to be his long-lost sister.... Directed by Cheryl Black Featuring Bryson Bruce, Dewey Caddell, Joseph J. Menino, John Ottavino, and DeAnna Supplee Artwork by Vincent Gunn Aired 2/27/21 |
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Deceivers![]() by William C. DeMille with a post show talk by Michael Schwartz, PhD Assistant Professor of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
Nothing brings a couple together like a
little honesty. And a mugging. Directed by John Long with Alberto Bonilla, Deanna Gibson, and Todd Lawson Graphic Art by Danny Licul Aired 2/20/21 |
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Enemies![]() by Neith Boyce and Hutchins Hapgood with a post show talk by Carol deBoer-Langworthy, PhD Senior Lecturer at Brown University at work on a literary biography of Neith Boyce |
A reflection of the 1916 Battle of the
Sexes
Just in time for Valentine's Day. Directed by Laura Livingston with Kersti Bryan and Nate Washburn Artwork by Medusa Studios Aired 2/13/2021 |
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The Outside![]() by Susan Glaspell with a post show talk by Sharon Friedman, PhD Associate Professor at The Gallatin School of New York University |
At the lands end, a drowned sailor, a
woman adrift, and an expressionist farewell to the ties that bind. Directed by Rachael Langton Featuring Lluvia Almanza, David Patrick Ford, Jonathan Horvath, Teresa Kelsey, James Ross Settings by Liz Engelhardt Aired 2/6/2021 |
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The Magical Cityby Zoë Akins Post-show talk with Alan Kreizenbeck Associate Professor of Theatre, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Author of Zoë Akins: Broadway Playwright |
A story of love and lust, of rumor
and envy, of raging emotions and irreversible decisions. A play in verse about poetry itself. Directed by Michael Hardart Featuring Kelly D. Cooper, Thomas Daniels, Pete Feliz, Cliff Miller, Brian Ott, Brian Richardson, Danielle Stanek, Barbra Wengerd Settings by Anne Fizzard Aired 1/30/2021 |
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The Sleeping Carby William Dean Howells Post-show talk with Paul Petrie, PhD Editor of The Howellsian and Professor of English at Southern Connecticut State University Visit these links for more on William Dean Howells or the Railway Car Plays |
A comedy
of multiply
mistaken identity among a group of unlikely traveling companions: another of Howells's Railway Car Farces exploring his fascination with class, status, and society. Directed by Alex Roe Featuring Dylan Brown, Kelly Cooper, Ken Ferrigni, Andrew Firda, Sidney Fortner, Ben Gougeon, Michael A. Jones, Bex Odorisio, and Peter Tedeschi Artwork by Medusa Studios Aired 1/23/2021 |
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Aftermath![]() by Mary P. Burrill with post-show talk with Koritha Mitchell, PhD |
A family harbors a dark secret;
a hero soldier returns unexpectedly from war. Directed by Timothy Johnson Featuring Ryan Vincenti Anderson, Anthony T Goss, Linda Kuriloff, Nia Akilah Robinson, Lawrence Winslow, Kim Yancey-Moore Settings by Pamela Lawton Aired 1/16/2021 |
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Will and
Testament |
A tribute to Christina Crosby, PhD
and A commemoration by Eugene O'Neill Excerpts from A Body Undone: Living On After Great Pain read by Lianne Kressin and "The Last Will and Testament of Silverdene Emblem O'Neill" read by Alex Roe Aired 1/9/21 |
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Holiday Tales |
Four
Holiday Tales by O. Henry, Sholem Aleichem, Carrie Jane Thomas, and Augustus M. Hodges Read by Michèle LaRue, Kim Yancey-Moore, and Suzanne Toren Aired 12/12/20 |
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The Widow's Veilby Alice Rostetter with post show commentary by Cheryl Black, PhD Professor Emeritus of Theater History, Dramaturgy, and Acting at the University of Missouri |
With neighbors who delight in gossip and a
deep, dark fascination with the glamour of grieving,
it's difficult to say whether death is a tragedy... or an opportunity. A peek inside a New York tenement building during the Influenza epidemic of the early 1900s. Directed by Laura Livingston with Michael Durkin • Erica Knight • Noelle McGrath • Barbra Wengerd Settings by Vincent Gunn Aired 12/5/2020 |
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Thanksgiving Feast 2020The Downfall of Justice and Aunt Betsy's Thanksgiving Post Show commentary by Timothy H. Breen, historian at the University of Vermont and Michael Dinwiddie, Playwright and Associate Professor at NYU |
Downfall
of Justice Directed by Alex Roe with Ken Ferrigni • Regina Gibson • SJ Hannah • Melissa Hurst Jon Lonoff • Ron Moreno • Erin Leigh Schmoyer Aunt Betsy's Thanksgiving by Katherine Davis Chapman Tillman Directed by Linda Kuriloff with Marie Louise Guinier • SJ Hannah • Michael Hardart Lauren Marissa Smith • Lily Santiago Aired 11/28/20 |
Self-Sacrifice![]() By William Dean Howells with post show talk by Paul Petrie, PhD Editor of The Howellsian and Professor of English at Southern Connecticut State University |
How far
will one woman go to prove herself unworthy
of the man she loves? And what if she can't? A comedy of the best intentions by the Dean of American Letters! Directed by John Long Featuring Viena Aiello, Taylor Alden, Dylan Brown. amd Kim Fischer Settings by Martha O'Connell Aired 11/21/20 |
The RectorBy Rachel Crothers featuring a post-show talk with Anna Andes, PhD Associate Professor of Theatre and Women's Studies Coordinator |
The rector is the most eligible
bachelor in the parsonage, but he will not be bullied into
a union by the town's grand dames. He will reveal his
heart only to one, whose acceptance of his proposal is as
great and small as the fall of a sparrow. Directed by Alex Roe with Cynthia Hewett - Helen Highfield - Michelle Geisler - Florence Anne Marcisak - Alice Rothman-Hicks - Sheila-Joon Azim - Michael Turner Artwork by Medusa Studios Aired 11/14/2020 |
Shell Shock![]() By Eugene O'Neill featuring a post-show talk with Eric Fraisher Hayes Artistic Director of the Eugene O'Neill Foundation |
A desperate act of battlefield heroism,
a tortured memory of selfish recklessness: Which is the truth? A probing play of memory, motive, and true heroism with a Hitchcockian twist as a stricken soldier confronts his history and humanity. Directed
by Eric Fraisher Hayes
With Rafael
Jordan ~
Willem Long ~ Jed Peterson
Aired 11/7/20 |
The
War of the Worlds:The 1938 Radio Script by Howard E. Koch based on the novel by H.G. Wells |
A series
of explosions on Mars, and an unidentifiable
object falls to earth in Grover's Mill, NJ. What follows would be impossible...in this World. Directed by Mark Harborth Featuring Joshua Nicholson, David Patrick Ford, Gilly Caulo, Ryan Vincent, Anderson Mitch Tebo, and Matthew Trumbull Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com) Aired 10/31/20 |
Vote the New Moonby Alfred Kreymborg featuring a post-show talk with Kreymborg scholar Drew Eisenhauer
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It is time for a new moon, and the
citizenry must vote!
One for the red, one for the blue... over and over and over. From election year 1920, a "toy play," indicting a whole dysfunctional system! In honor of our own, of course.... Directed by Alex Roe Featuring Matt Daniels, Chris Harcum, Lisa Barnes, Ivanna Cullinan, Mark Hofmaier, and Marty McDonough Artwork by Medusa Studio Aired 10/24/2020 |
Representing T.A. Bucka short story by Edna Ferber with post-show disucssion
author
of with Julie Gilbert Ferber: Edna Ferber and Her Circle |
Emma McChesney, a woman in the man's
world of traveling sales, sits in another dreary
small-town hotel room; facing another solitary,
predictable supper; skirting another male-filled lobby.
Her daydreams of a home and domesticity take shape before
her. . . . Will she or won’t she? read by Michèle LaRue Aired 10/17/20 |
Xinguby Edith Wharton adapted by Kimberly Wadsworth with post-show discussion led by Ute DeFarlo and Laurie Foote of The Mount Edith Wharton's Berkshire home |
The members of the Hillbridge Ladies'
Cultural Club have their petty disagreements, but they
are united in their enthusiasm for today's guest: the
renowned and provocative author, Osric Dane. That none
of them have read her latest book--the subject of
today's meeting--should hardly stand in the way of their
showing off their wit and insight. When Mrs. Dane
arrives, her disdain for the small town ladies is
palpable, and it is only the newest, frankest member who
navigates a comeuppance as none but Edith Wharton could
so deliciously conceive.
Directed by Suzanne Toren
Featuring Rachel Botchan ~ Kersti Bryan Allyson Johnson ~ Emily Jon Mitchell Carol Monda ~ Romy Nordlinger Greta Quispe ~ Gabra Zackman Aired 10/10/20 |
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The Clodby Lewis Beach Followed by a talkback with guest scholar Erin Stoneking. Assistant Professor of Gender & Race Studies at the University of Alabama Read More About the Play. |
Late at night on the Mason-Dixon Line, a
desperate, wounded Union spy sneaks into the home of Mary
and Thad Trask. Close behind are a two Confederate soldiers, bent on forcing the Trasks to give up a man they don't know they're hiding. The lives of the soldier, the couple, and 30,000 soldiers lie in the balance as the tension builds. But with a long day behind her and another one about to start, Mary just wants to get to bed. Directed by Alex Roe Featuring Brad Fraizer, David Logan Rankin, Suzanne Savoy, Joshua David Scarlett and Thomas Vorsteg Aired 10/3/20 |
Woman's
Honorby Susan Glaspell Followed by a talkback with guest scholar J. Ellen Gainor, Longtime leader in the International Susan Glaspell Society and Professor of Performing and Media Arts at Cornell University
Read More About the Play.
Dramaturgy by Jon
Lonoff:
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The Prisoner faces a long sentence, but he
could cheat it if only he would say where he was and whom
he was with. He refuses, committed to preserving "a woman's honor." But who wants him to? Not The Shielded One, not The Scornful One, not The Silly One, not The Motherly One, not The Cheated One, not even The Mercenary One. But will he believe it's not about him? Glaspell's experimental play of personified icons broke new ground and popped the bubbles of men's arrogance in 1918. It is not done yet. Directed by Rachael Langton Featuring Viena Aiello, Kathy Christal, Christina Eskridge, Maggie Anne Gillete, Zarra Kaahn, Jacob Shipley, Rebecca Simpson-Wallack, Danielle Stanek, and Lawrence Winslow Virtual settings by Rifka Milder Aired 9/26/20 |
| Eugenically Speaking by Edward Goodman ![]() With a post-show talk by Dr. Kim
Miller
Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at The University of the Cumberlands |
Una Braithewaite, daughter of a railcar
magnate and convinced of her superiority, independence,
and the privileges they afford, has a plan to live up to her ideals by marrying below her station. Driven to flout social conventions and follow her "natural" inclinations, she brings George Coxey, a conductor from her father's own line, to come to her home. There, she proposes, to both men at the same time, that she and the George join in matrimony. But the conductor has a secret that foils her plans, and leads to a surprising challenge to the status quo. Directed by John Long Featuring Bob Mackasek ~ Tammy McNeill ~ Eric Williams Backgrounds by Medusa Studio Aired 9/19/20 |
| Cocaine by Pendleton King ![]() with post-show discussion
led by Jeffery Kennedy, PhD
Professor of Arts and Cultural Studies at Arizona State University and author of the forthcoming Staging America: The Artistic Legacy of the Provincetown Players |
Nora and Joe have hit bottom. A failing prostitute and a washed-up prize fighter, living in a one-room attic off The Bowery, they are hopelessly in love. They are also out of money, food, and the "stuff" they're addicted to. The landlady offers Joe a temporary way out; Nora has another, more permanent proposal. Directed by Michael Hardart Erin Beirnard ~ James Ross Settings by Vincent Gunn Dramaturgy by Jon Lonoff:
Aired 9/12/20 |
AUGUST SURPRISES Four performances, pre-recorded, from the Alphabet City Series of East Village Oral Histories August 8, 15, 22, and 29, 2020 |
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| PUNKS and PIPES The Fabulous LuLu LoLo as Lucille Consorti, owner Veteran Pipe Covering and Karl O'Brian Williams as Hilly Kristal, the creator of famed rock club CBGB's HUGH and the ART of MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE Alex Roe as Motorcycle Repairman Hugh Mackie |
BOUNCING BACK
Cate Weinberg as Guitar Doctor, Richie Baxt THE POOR MAN'S BUTCHER Jared Houseman as Essex Street Market butcher Jeffrey Ruhalter |
| In the Season by Langdon Mitchell ![]() |
Young love in old London is too delicate to last.
A surprisingly modern play from just before the Modern era, featuring tender hearts, missed opportunities, misunderstandings, and just a glimmer of hope. Aired 8/1/20 Directed by Alex Roe Tess Frazer Timothy C. Goodwin Benjamin Russell Settings by Pamela Lawton Dramaturgy by Jon Lonoff:
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| The Smoking Car by William Dean Howells ![]() with post-show discussion
led by Andrew Ball, PhD |
Mr. Roberts is entrusted with a priceless
package by a stranger on his train: her infant child. She is particularly anxious, and her tale is not particularly convincing, but he's barely paying attention. What could possibly go wrong. Directed by John Long Howard Pinhasik Marlaina Powell Jen Reddish Hannah Sharafian Blaine Smith Settings by Martha O'Connell Aired 7/25/20 Dramaturgy by Jon Lonoff:
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| THE
PEOPLE by Susan Glaspell ![]() This reading benefits the |
"The People" may be on their last legs.
The alternative, radical journal of news, arts, and letters faces declining readership, dwindling funding, and a depressed editor, whose enthusiasm for the people is waning as fast as "The People's" resources. Confronting a devoted but leery staff--themselves idealistic and cynical at the same time--he is ready to throw in the towel. But when everyday readers from across the country show up in the office, perhaps The People can rise to the challenge. A paean to the valiant effort to reach across our physical and cultural divides to connect and inspire the solitary is as energizing and hopeful as it was 100 years ago--maybe only moreso. Aired 7/18/20 Directed by Alex Roe Craig Anthony Bannister, Adam Bradley, Quinlan Corbett, Erinn Holmes, Teresa Kelsey, Jon Lonoff, Tod Mason, Beethovan Oden, Madelynn Poulson, Jack Sochet, Diane Tyler, and Terrell Wheeler Backgrounds by Danny Licul Music by Michael Kosch Video Operator Rachael Langton with post-show discussion led by Cheryl Black, PhD |
| THE APPLE TREE by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman ![]() ![]() |
Popular storyteller Michèle LaRue "returns" to Metropolitan with one of her signature Tales Well Told. In "The Apple Tree," the rigorous principles of the disciplined homekeeper Sarah Blake are pitted against the outright indolence of her shiftless neighbors across the road. But who keeps a happier home is best measured by the life that flourishes under their care. with post-show discussion led by Louise Heller Aired 7/11/20 |
| East Side Stories: Inside Edition The 15th Celebration of the Life and Lore of the Lower East Side New plays inspired by the neighborhood we still call home ![]() |
Part One: Arrival Aired 6/26/20 Cola'o by Paloma Sierra Jorgé Luis Berrios and Yazmín Morales Vicente directed by Gloria Zelaya Fulltime Active by William Jess Russell Ako, Michael Basile, Randy Cordero, and Suzanne Toren directed by Mark Harborth Part Two: Evolution Aired 6/27/20 Grassroots by Robin Rothstein directed by John Long Maxwell Bartell, Alia Shakira, and Kim Yancey-Moore backgrounds by Danny Licul East Village Trader Joe's by Jessica Moss directed by Rachael Langton Ollie Cochado, Lianne Kressin, Jammie Patton, Sushma Saha, and Perri Yaniv backgrounds by Randy Wong-Westbrooke |
| WHERE THE CROSS IS MADE by Eugene O'Neill ![]() |
Nat Bartlett is ready
to give up on his father, grounded sea captain Isaiah,
who cannot give up his fixation on a treasure lost
years ago in the South Pacific. Convinced the
"treasure" was worthless, if it existed at all, and
that it will surely never be found, he calls in a
psychiatrist to justify committing the old man. But
when his sister discovers the plan, and his father
confronts him over his disbelief, the colliding forces
of devotion, doubt, and obsession shock these helpless
mortals into a whole new realm.
Like many of his early works, this 1918 play heralds O'Neill's later themes and craft. Directed by Frank Kuhn Joe Candelora, Michael Hardart, John Ingle, Dena Miller, Julie Pham, with additional characters painted by artist Pamela Lawton and backgrounds by artist Danny Licul with post-show talk by Alexander Pettit Editor of the Eugene O'Neill Review Professor of English University Distinguished Teaching Professor Affiliated Faculty in Women's and Gender Studies University of North Texas Aired 6/20/20 |
| COMPROMISE by Willis Richardson ![]() |
Jane Lee has compromised with her white
neighbor, Ben Carter, again and again. When he
accidentally shot her eldest son, she accepted the deal
her husband made to compensate. When her husband drank
himself to death with the money, she swallowed her
resentment. When her second son set out to take revenge,
she equivocated with him. And now her daughter is pregnant by that same neighbor's son. And she is still willing to strike a bargain to get her children to a better place. But it wouldn't take much to convince her she's compromised enough. Directed by Timothy Johnson Anthony T. Goss ~ Linda Kuriloff, Al-nisa Petty Lily Santiago, and George Sheffey with post-show talk by Rashida Z. Shaw McMahon Associate Professor of English Associate Professor of African American Studies Wesleyan University Aired 6/13/20 dramaturgy by Jon Lonoff: |
| EVER
YOUNG a ferocious comedy by Alice Gerstenberg |
The lioness does the hunting
in the pride, and the longer she lives, the fiercer she
becomes. Mrs. Payne-Dexter rules the veldt. Mrs. Dorchester is a deferential, if muddled soldier; Mrs. Blanchard roams afar, but within the rule; and Mrs. Courtney-Page is the fearsome queen of the coming generation. The claws are always sharp when these widows and divorcees meet, but this afternoon at the Royal Poinciana Hotel (Palm Beach), one reveals a broken heart and a tender hope she's cherished for decades. The instinct of these ready predators is keen... and acting on it, they discover the secret to staying ever young. Directed by Alex Roe Rosina Fernhoff ~ Sidney Fortner Wendy Merritt ~ Kim Yancey-Moore Backgrounds by Pamela Lawton Aired 6/6/20 |
| CONSTANCY by Neith Boyce ![]() Dodge, Reed,
Boyce
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Rex literally knocks at the
window of Moira, a lover he jilted months before. Hoping
to fan the passionate flames of their affair back to a
blaze, he's once again ready for anything--anything but
to be seen for what he actually is.
The story of a woman who has
learned bitter lessons from heartbreak, and is ready to
give a little instruction of her own to a man who once
had her heart, and now has her understanding.
Inspired by a real rendez-vous between Mabel Dodge and John Reed.
with post-show conversation led by J. Ellen Gainor Professor of Performing and Media Arts at Cornell University Aired
5/30/20
Directed by Laura Livingston Elisabeth Ahrens and Paul Bomba
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| THE
POT BOILER by Alice Gerstenberg ![]() |
Prosperous and
prolific playwright, Mr. Sud--an inveterate
hack--offers to let a hopeful neophyte, young
Wouldby, attend a first read and rehearsal of his
new play.
Mr. Inkwell pursues a desperate and dishonorable plot to sully Miss Ivory, cheat her father of a fortune, and break her promises to the upright Mr. Ruler. But what of Mrs. Pencil, his former lover? The plot thickens, Sud editorializes throughout, and the actors strain to make something of the nonsense. Then someone finds the revolvers. Another day in the theater. with post-show conversation led by Dorothy Chansky, PhD Professor of Theatre History, Theory, and Criticism at Texas Tech University Aired 5/23/20 Directed by Alex Roe Mike Durkin ~ SJ Hannah ~ David Murray Jaffe Olivia Killingsworth ~ Jen Reddish ~ Jay Romero Tom Staggs |
| SUPPRESSED
DESIRES by Susan Glaspell |
Henrietta and Stephen were
happily married, until Henrietta discovered
psychoanalysis. Now no stone -- dream, utterance, look, shrug -- will be left unturned on the quest for its hidden meaning. But when sister Mabel, visiting them for a spell, catches the disease herself, the couple are in a fight for their wedded life. A comedy of close quarters with two much time on our hands. with post-show conversation led by J. Ellen Gainor Professor of Performing and Media Arts at Cornell University Aired 5/16/20 directed by Michael Hardart Sarah Hankins ~ Lian Marie Holms ~ John Long Dramaturgy by Jon Lonoff |
| THE PARLOR CAR by William Dean Howells |
Miss Galbraith and Mr.
Richards, recently separated lovers find themselves
confined to the same compartment of a railway car on the
way to Albany. Mortifying though it may be, it
is also a chance to look a little more closely at the
reason for their spat. And when the car is de-coupled from its train, stranded on the lonesome track ...well, who knows what may happen. with post-show conversation with Polly Howells Aired 5/9/20 directed by Alex Roe Melody Bates ~ Jed Peterson ~ Stu Richel Dramturgy by Jon Lonoff |
| MAYDAY! DOUBLE FEATURE |
Fourteen by Alice Gerstenberg A society grand dame, her eligible daughter, and their unflappable butler prepare for a dinner for fourteen. But when one guest cancels, leaving a table of unlucky thirteen, the game is afoot! A comedy of extreme disproportion. directed by Laura Livingtson Becca Ballenger ~ Brenda Crawley ~ Andrew Firda backgrounds by Vincent Gunn Criss Cross by Rachel Crothers A steel-tempered writer is asked to give her consent to the marriage of her ward to an artist of great promise and passion, but middling accomplishment and drive. All she must consider is the true weight of her own love. directed by Alex Roe Erica Knight ~ Trevor St. John Gilbert ~ Erin Leigh Schmoyer Aired 5/2/20 |
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OLD LOVE LETTERS
by Bronson Howard |
The time for burning old letters has come
for a young widow, yearning to put her past behind her. But what if one of them came to life? A tender and loving tribute to second chances by the author of The Henrietta (Metropolitan Playhouse, 2013) Aired 4/25/20 directed by Alex Roe Eric Emil Oleson ~ Meredith Sweeney |
| OVERTONES by Alice Gerstenberg |
Unquestionably the author's most famous
play. Two women, one married to a wealthy man of affairs the other to a struggling painter, meet for tea. If only they'd left their alter-egos at home. Aired 4/18/20 directed by Alex Roe Amanda Jones ~Tyler Kent Clara Kundin ~ Kendall Rileigh |
| Hearts by Alice Gerstenberg |
A game of social distance, 1917 style.
It's a gamble for one of four card players, seeking to be accepted into her small town's impenetrable Society, where the stakes are far higher than the wagers. To win at hearts, you must give yours away.... or capture everyone else's. Aired 4/11/20 directed by Alex Roe Elisabeth Ahrens ~ Regina Gibson Marie Louise ~ Alexandra O'Daly hosted by Benjamin Russell |
| The Rope by Eugene O'Neill
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Abraham Bentley is a miserly farmer
whose son and son-in-law are set on getting revenge for his ill treatment of them and getting his fortune...if he really has one. The only witness is a perfectly guileless 10 year old girl. Aired 4/4/20 directed by Alex Roe Noelia Burket ~ Talia Cuomo
Jamahl Garrison Lowe ~ Marty McDonough ~
David Logan Rankin
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| He Said and She Said by Alice Gerstenberg ![]() |
Set
against the backdrop of the Great War, when a loyal
husband and wife hear insinuations that their dearest
unmarried friend has turned her sights from her young
man overseas and is now set on breaking up their happy
home, friendships foreign and domestic are strained to
the breaking point.
Aired
3/28/30
directed by Alex Roe
Erin Beirnard ~ Kelly Dean Coopeer
Teresa Kelsey ~ Alyssa Simon |
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