American Theatre of Actors

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April 26, 2019

Mr. Asher here continues to mine the subject of human sexuality, but lightning has not struck twice. That is chiefly due to Asher’s misguidedly grandiose direction (with associate director Mika Kauffman) emphasizing stylish spectacle at the expense of the clunky plot. It also slows down the numerous scene transitions. One ends, there’s dragged-out showy lighting and loud music, characters often walk around and then finally it’s on to the next scene. [more]

Diary of a Madman

January 23, 2018

Soviet born actor Ilia Volok is quite personable and definitely commands the stage; his performance is heroic but it is so intense and his accent is often intrusive. Comical and sensitive portions are overshadowed by the perpetual ranting. It’s 70 minutes of an actor’s bravura performance as he plays a character mentally unravelling and the plot gets sidetracked. There’s a lot of histrionics that don’t pay off. [more]

A Pregnant Pause

April 22, 2016

In theory, the material that "A Pregnant Pause" attempts to provide commentary on is thought-provoking. However, this production is one which unfortunately stumbles and falls within its very first minutes and never recovers. Calvin Knie and Carla Duval play the lovers Bob and Susan, respectively. Though the duo deserve some credit for their efforts, there is hardly any chemistry to be found on stage, and thus the entire premise on which the play is founded is hardly believable. Knie turns in an absolutely enigmatic performance as Bob, one which is confusing and muddled, lacking clear intentions and any kind of subtlety. He constantly resorts to screaming and yelling, a confusing choice which is often unfounded and simply out of character. [more]

Defendant Maurice Chevalier

February 11, 2016

His great grandnephew, the French-born and raised Alexis Chevalier has written this well researched play with music that is based in part on Maurice Chevalier’s memoirs. It is structurally problematic with fantasy episodes, extraneous musical and dance sequences, and numerous often-lengthy scenes that don’t cohere. The dialogue is straightforwardly purposeful imparting historical facts and details with occasional bursts of poetic qualities. [more]

The Black Book

September 17, 2015

"The Black Book" follows the faculty of United University while they attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding a difficult student named Collin Archer and a suicide on campus. Drama instructor Axel Cooper works together with his co-workers Arthur Chase, Julie Edwards and Riley Andrews to decipher the boy's disturbing set of clues. As the action rises, motives are questioned, allegiances are challenged, and the lines between reality and delusion are blurred. Time and space spiral out of control in a climax beyond (or maybe just shy of) the point of coherence. [more]

Out of My Comfort Zone

June 24, 2015

As with all productions by the Children’s Acting Company & Academy, the cast is comprised entirely of children and teenagers—in this case between the ages of 12 and 16—and for all its innocence and simplicity, the charm in this production is its sheer authenticity. Children and teenagers are by nature unfiltered, and to have kids playing their own age on stage is the recipe for an afternoon of uninhibited fun. For the most part, this is an impressive outing for a group of young and aspiring artists, and many of the cast members have already worked professionally in TV, film, or on-stage. [more]