"Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday" - some nice reviews!

My play "Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday" has just opened in its world premiere at HotCity Theater in St. Louis.  I'm very proud of the play and the production.

Reviews are always tough, especially with new work, but we've received some lovely press.  Here are a few of the responses:

"Four words: Go see this play!  'Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday' is the best play I have seen in a long time..." -Laura Hamlett, Playback: STL

"This is a comedy, and a good one...  a remarkable cast..."  -Andrea Braun, Village Voice

"...a funny and touching slice of life...  Director Bill Whitaker does nice work here, bringing this new play to life and gently guiding this exceptional cast.  The laughs and the tears are honest...  HotCity Theatre's production of 'Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday' is entertaining and moving theatre, and it continues through September 22, 2012 at the Kranzberg."  -Chris Gibson, Broadway World

"...the look and tenor of a domestic comedy layered on top of the emotional mysteries and unspoken threats of a Harold Pinter drama...  -Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"...an examination of one woman's desperation filtered through the prism of her life as it is, the way it was, and the hope... of finding what's missing...  a comedy, and a good one... remarkable cast..."  -Chuck Lavazzi, KDHX

Eric White as Ray and Nicole Angeli as Lynn in "Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday"
by EM Lewis at HotCity Theater in St. Louis, MO.

The Wonderful Cast and Crew of "Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday"

Lynn Hallaby -- Nicole Angeli 
Kelly Hallaby - Charlie Barron 
Margie Hallaby -- Peggy Billo*
Hudson Hallaby -- Joe Hanrahan
Gary White - Rusty Gunther
Ray Arendt -- Eric White 

Director: Bill Whitaker
Stage Manager: MJ Probst
ASM: Erica Rogers
Set: Sean Savoie
Lights: Michael Sullivan
Costumes: Jane Sullivan
Props:Meg Brinkley
Sound: Zoe Sullivan

"Song of Extinction" Opens at the Guthrie!!!

I've just returned from an amazing two days in Minneapolis, where I was celebrating opening weekend of "Song of Extinction" at the Guthrie with the fabulous folks at Theater Latte Da.  (All these beautiful photos are by Michal Daniel!)

Max Forrestal plays his "Song of Extinction."

Peter Rothstein did a wonderful job directing!  The production features beautiful performances from a stellar cast -- which includes poet-scholar-actor David Mura as Khim Phan and real-life high school student and cellist Dan Piering as Max Forrestal, Carla Noack and John Middleton as Lily and Ellery Forrestal, Garry Geiken as Gill Morris, and Matt Rein as Dr. Joshua Dorsey.

The music, the set, the sound design and the art design were all fantastic.  And the reviews have been pretty darn fantastic, too...

Khim Phan remembers.

All the right notes:  Theater Latte Da’s ‘Song of Extinction’ a touching triumph

“…filled with compassion for its characters and a delicate touch that makes [Song of Extinction] a very moving drama… To the credit of author Lewis and director Peter Rothstein, no point is belabored, no audience member bludgeoned with a message. For a work with so many layers, it’s nevertheless almost minimalist in structure, its dialogue convincingly realistic, its tone admirably restrained.”  — Rob Hubbard, Pioneer Press

Song of Extinction at the Dowling Studio: Examining the death of a family

“Making his professional debut, Piering gives a natural, nuanced performance as Max. His anger and pain are always near the surface and explode at the smallest provocation, but Piering never moves into melodrama. His focus fuels several of the show’s best moments, especially the final minutes, when the cello comes out of the case and Max finally is able to get beyond his anger and into his sorrow. The piece, composed by longtime Latte Da music director Denise Prosek, reflects that perfectly, while Piering plays it as Max would—full of anger and passion.”  — Ed Huyck, City Pages

‘Song’s’ refrain: Simple story, complex emotions

“…90 minutes of poignant worthiness … Rothstein’s second small jewel of the year… [He] shows us his articulate understanding of drama that gets inside the human psyche.”  — Graydon Royce, Star Tribune

Song of Extinction by Theater Latté Da performing on the Guthrie’s Dowling Stage

“This piece is intense, rich, affecting… [David] Mura lends the play understated resonance… Also first rate are John Middleton and Carla Noack as the Forrestals… Anyone raising a teen-ager knows how illogically volatile they can be and Dan Piering, as Max, captures this gorgeously.”  — John Olive, How Was The Show?

Ellery Forrestal looks in at his wife, Lily.

More information on this Theater Latte Da Production at the Guthrie Website.

Television interview with actors David Mura and Dan Piering on the KARE - Channel 11 website.

More about Theater Latte Da.

Khim and Lily.

Great reviews of HEADS in Denver!

HEADS has received glowing reviews in Denver -- both the play and the production. Check 'em out! And please send people to the show, if you know anyone who lives in the Denver area.

DENVER POST: "...a gripping fictional drama that raises important questions about our times."

NORTH DENVER TRIBUNE: "Heads shows us four people, each put in an unbearable situation, each reacting differently but appropriately for who they are. The four actors convincingly deliver the raw emotions of fear, anger, desperation, despair, and denial – but also something more – a deeper look at our own humanity."

DENVER EXAMINER: "...I am still haunted by the images that played out on the intimate Denver Victorian stage.... Heads is not easy to watch. The material is difficult, terrifying, and often heart wrenching – and this is the point. If you are looking for an evening of theatre that will get you thinking, that will leave an indelible impression long after the show has ended, and that will move you to tears – then this is for you.... In a season filled with bright musicals and silly comedies – Heads is a welcome, intelligent, and moving drama that is a must see."

The Show is Open! The Reviews are In!

I've been too busy making theater to blog! But "Song of Extinction" is now up and running -- entering the 2nd weekend of a 6-week run at [Inside] the Ford. I went to the show last night, and was so proud of my actors. They are doing some beautiful work, and the show is finding its natural flow, I do believe! Technical elements are smoothing out, the actors are listening to each other and present with each other... I'm very pleased.

It's always scary, waiting for the reviews to come out. But we've received some lovely marks. Here are some highlights:

"After the actors had taken their bows and left the stage, the audience continued to sit in stunned silence. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. It takes a pretty powerful play to generate that kind of response. A silence so profound as to be understood as an overwhelming tribute to an extraordinary production." -- Cynthia Citron, CurtainUp

"Lewis' lyrical text explores inner psychological states with remarkable eloquence and clarity -- ably depicted by a first-rate Moving Arts cast." --Philip Brandes, LA Times

"GO! E.M. Lewis’ haunting drama unfolds on a set bracketed by shadowboxes filled with butterflies, bells, maps, plants and pictures of Cambodian refugees... [her] smart and honest script is one small push from collective transcendence.... Aided by Stephanie Kerley Schwartz’s fine set, director Heidi Helen Davis finds beauty in death, staging it as a boat ride into the jungle with showers of butterflies — a gorgeous counterpoint to Phan’s pronouncement that “extinction is a very messy business.”" -- Amy Nicholson, LA Weekly

"...Lewis has successfully folded one profound theme after another into an illuminating play on harsh, yet heartfelt, themes... great performances... exquisite new play." -- Asian Taco Chick, LATaco.com

"...the relationship built between Max and Khim over the course of [Song of Extinction] is dynamic, charming and vulnerable —truly notable.... Director Davis takes the audience on an ethereal ride through death, resentment, acceptance and, finally, some peace. Each piece of this puzzle is beautifully crafted.... Lewis’s writing has given the director so much to work with..." -- Edie Gramean, SoCal.com

"...Song Of Extinction is an exquisitely poetic and deeply moving new play.... the unforgettable work of its two leads and the visually stunning direction of Heidi Helen Davis make Lewis’ follow-up to her previous Infinite Black Suitcase and Heads a winner..... Scenic designer Stephanie Kerley Schwartz and lighting designer Ian P Garrett do striking work, as does composer Geoffrey Pope.... exquisite writing and the gut-wrenching work of Kunitomi and Faught make Moving Arts’ production of Song Of Extinction one that will haunt you long after the lights have fallen on a father and his son." -- Steven Stanley, Stage Scene LA

"Lewis weaves a mesmerizing tale that gently plucks on the universal chords of the human condition, namely grief and acceptance and the wisdom it imparts from the experience that is both personal and shared. It is the journey then, brilliantly illuminated by director Heidi Helen Davis, and not the end, that strikes a resounding note as powerful and delicate as the beating effect of a butterfly’s wing." -- MR Hunter, StageHappenings.com

"Composer Geoffrey Pope's original viola composition, rendered by Renata van der Vyver, haunts the stage.... Turning in the production's finest performance, Darrell Kunitomi is remarkable as Phan. His understated subtlety is thoughtful and caring at times while dryly sardonic at others. Kunitomi's scene with Yeghiayan... is truly heart-wrenching." -- Dink O'Neal, BackStage West

We were a pick in Flavorpill, and Greg Mellon did a lovely article about the play for the Long Beach Press Telegram. There was an article about me in this month's LA Stage Magazine, and an article about the War Plays Project (with pictures) in this month's Dramatist Magazine. The KUSC interview I did about the play with Brian Lauritzen is podcast on their website. LA City View (TV channel 35) has a new pilot series called "LA Live" that focuses on cultural events in the city, and will be coming to interview a few of us and see the show on Saturday night. Jackson Musker from KPCC's Off Ramp saw the play last night and liked it, and is going to be talking with several of us on Sunday about the play for his radio show.

A huge thank you to LUCY POLLAK, who is our publicist (thanks to the wonderful Winter Partnership with [Inside] the Ford, through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission). She has been beating all the bushes, getting the word out about our little play, and I appreciate *enormously* all of her work and dedication.

I chatted with Michael, the Ford's house manager last night, who complimented our Moving Arts producers for the wonderful job they're doing. They're organized, on time, and professional. Everything at the theater looks beautiful -- the lobby decoration, the food presentation, the programs. They have rounded up volunteers from Moving Arts company members and beyond to hand out programs and serve cookies and coffee and such.

So many people work so hard to make a play happen. Director (thank you, Heidi!), designers, producers, actors, tech folk, stage managers, publicists, volunteer assistants... And then people come. Hoping to be told a good story.

I hope people are going to come and fill our seats! I hope they'll like the story that we are telling together.

Other weekend events:

Tonight -- dinner with Emilie Beck, who is directing my upcoming reading of Catch at the Blank. Then we're seeing Will Eno's play Tragedy: A Tragedy at Son of Semele.

Tomorrow -- be at [Inside] the Ford at 6 to talk to LA Live people, then go over to WriteAct Rep for opening night of the Freeway Series, which includes my short play The Edge of Ross Island.

Sunday -- meet work folks for lunch, see Song at 3 with them and Jan from San Diego, then participate in the Talk-Back with composer Geoffrey Pope at 5. After that, talk with KPCC's Mr. Musker.

Whew! Will I do dishes this weekend? I don't think so...