I will be appearing in Spacemen From Space as part of “The CollisionWorks” at The Brick starting this week. I’m really excited to be playing a straight-talking, hard-nosed government agent, trying to save the word from alien attack. There is some really excellent work being done by both Brick veterans and some new-comers.
I’ll just shamelessly copy and paste from the Brick’s website now:
A loving pastiche of 1930s-40s b-movie serials intended to keep hyper children entertained during extended Saturday matinees, Spacemen from Space: An Exciting New Serial for the Stage in 6 Thrill-Packed Episodes! combines as many elements of the straight-faced, sincerely-played episodic genre works into one big mashup of fast-moving fun – a single play made up of 6 episodes played one right after another (with cliffhanger endings, of course), that fills The Brick’s stage with a cast of 21 talented comic actors (featuring many Brick/Gemini CollisionWorks favorites, including noted performer/author Trav S.D.) running around telling this overly-complicated, barely sensical plot with absolute seriousness and belief. Spacemen from Space is a sweet, silly, simple confection designed to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, wondering what will happen next to our steadfast heroes, and if you need a break, you can step out during the four original songs performed by The Lonely Valley Boys, our band of actors, which include a couple of love ballads that younger audiences will find icky, but older ones might possibly find charming.
There is, however, a deeper, darker metaphoric level to the play – something, the playwright keeps saying, about anti-science and anti-intellectual thought in America today – but all that can and should be safely ignored (who wants to listen to that serious-minded playwright, anyway?), ‘cause jet-packs are just plain fun!
A hysterical comedy with almost no “jokes,” Spacemen from Space is an affectionate collection of clichés, made by people who love them, celebrating a world where jet packs, singing cowboys, aliens in stupid hats, g-men, robots, unfunny comic reliefs, ray guns, cliffhangers, and incomprehensible plots are still a beautiful fact of life.
The cast of this production is Alex Amery, Ethan Angelica*, Aaron Baker, Eric C. Bailey*, David Berent*, Ali Skye Bennet, George Bronos, Josh Hartung, Stephen Heskett, Ian W. Hill, Justin RG Holcomb*, James Isaac, Douglas MacKrell, Roger Nasser, Cara Moretto, Amy Overman, Yvonne Roen*, Trav S.D., Adam Swiderski, William Webber, Stephanie Willing
August 12, 17, and 20 at 8.00 pm; August 15 and 22 at 7.00 pm; August 14 and 22 at 2.00pm
approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes long (including one intermission)
All tickets: $18
All tickets available SOON at Theatermania (212-352-3101)
My busy summer continues as I will be appearing in Ian W. Hill’s production of “Spacemen From Space” this August where I will be playing “a g-man hero.”
Details to follow!
As an homage to the famous production of True West starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C. Reilly, for our “Sam Shepard” piece in Theater of the Arcade, Josh Mertz and I will be alternating roles. In case you want to see both, here’s the schedule. I won’t list the character names, as that would spoil it, instead I’ll use their names if they were the True West characters:
As “Austin”:
07/13, 07/16, 07/18, 07/23
As “Lee”:
07/15, 07/17, 07/21, 07/25
Also, the New York Times loved it. Warning, this article spoils which plays/games we are doing:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/16/theater/16video.html?_r=2&ref=theater
More details: http://www.stephenheskett.com/cast-in-theater-of-the-arcade/
On the heels of The Little One, I’ll be performing in Theater of the Arcade as part of The Brick’s Game Play Festival. The performance is a collection of five short plays about five classic video games, written in the style of five famous playwrights. Jeff Lewonczyk’s writing is absolutely brilliant and really nails the styles. And I’m directed by Gyda Arber, who is a real “actor’s director” and super-supportive. If that’s not enough, I’m cast along with the lovely Shelley Ray and several people whom I’ve been fans of for a while now but not had a chance to work with.
Anyway, here’s the details:
Theater of the Arcade: Five Classic Video Games Adapted for the Stage
An apelike brute holds an innocent young woman captive and hurls obstacles at anyone who dares approach. A glutton eats everything in sight while running away from the ghosts that haunt him. Are these the plots of classic video games, or are they searing narratives of modernist drama? In this collection of short plays, the creators of Brick hits Suspicious Package and Craven Monkey and the Mountain of Fury explore what happens when stories born of the arcade are given the high literary respect and dramaturgical rigor they deserve.
Written by Jeff Lewonczyk, directed by Gyda Arber.
Tues July 13, 8pm
Thurs July 15, 9pm
Fri July 16, 7pm
Sat July 17, 7pm
Sun July 18, 7pm
Wed July 21, 8pm
Fri July 23, 9pm
Sun July 25, 2pm
I’m playing Francis “The Dignitary” in Nosedive’s production of The Little One opening next week! Here’s the “trading card” they made for my character:
We’re playing for four weekends (June 17-July 10, Thursdays through Saturdays) at the Kraine Theater on 85 East 4th Street in NYC at 7:30 each night. Tickets are $18.
***
Nosedive Productions Presents
The Little One
A new play by James Comtois
Directed by Pete Boisvert
Featuring
Ryan Andes - Becky Byers - Rebecca Comtois
Stephanie Cox-Williams - Jeremy Goren - Stephen Heskett
Melissa Roth - Patrick Shearer - Christopher Yustin
The Kraine Theater
85 East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Ave.)
June 17 - July 10
(Thursdays through Saturdays)
All shows at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets $18
Publicity by Emily Owens PR
I’m currently working on a reading of very interesting, mysterious and downright cool new play “Sitting Room” by Stephen Cedars at NYU.
Wednesday was a busy day! I was also cast in Nosedive Production’s play “The Little One” by James Comtois.
…I will be playing a vampire. Heck. Yeah.
From Nosedive Productions: The Little One
presents
The Little One
A new play by James Comtois
Directed by Pete Boisvert
Featuring
Ryan Andes - Becky Byers - Rebecca Comtois
Stephanie Cox-Williams - Stephen Heskett - Marc Landers
Melissa Roth - Patrick Shearer - Christopher Yustin
The Kraine Theater
8 East 4th Street
(between Bowery and Second Ave.)
June 17 - July 10
(Thursdays through Saturdays)
All shows at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets on sale soon!
I will be appearing in The Brick Theater’s Tiny Theater Festival in May in Art Wallace’s hilarious play “The Plowmans Lunch”.
Details to follow.
I will be appearing in The Ninja Cherry Orchard as part of The Brick Theater’s Fight Fest. It is an adaptation of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard… with ninjas.
I suspect it will seriously rock about as hard as this picture:
In turn-of-the-century Russia, the Ranevsky country estate must be sold for debts.
But will the family sell their beloved cherry trees?
Will the lovelorn affections of a fading aristocracy triumph over common sense?
Or will a 14th-Century Japanese assassin slaughter everyone?
Written and Directed by Michael Gardner
Assistant Directed by Gyda Arber
Fight Directed by Qui Nguyen
Co-Fight Directed by Alexis Black
starring
Aaron Baker, Alexis Black*, Alyssa Simon*, Audrey Crabtree, Dina Rose*, Eric Bailey*, Eve Udesky*, Gyda Arber, Heather Lee Rogers, Iracel Rivero, Jason Liebman*, Jorge Cordova*, Kelley Rae O’Donnell*, Ken Simon*, Lynn Berg*, Maggie Cino, Michael Criscuolo, Nikolas Priest, Patrick Pizzolorusso, Rainbow Geffner, Roger Nasser, Samantha Mason, Samantha Tunis, Shelley Ray*, Stephanie Willing, Stephen Heskett and Thomas Reid
Part of FIGHT FEST
Performances:
Thu Dec 3 @ 9pm
Fri Dec 4 @ 11:30pm
Thu Dec 10 @ 9:30pm
Sun Dec 13 @ 4pm
Fri Dec 18 @ 11pm
Sun Dec 20 @ 4pm
only at The Brick
Tickets available soon!
I’ve been cast in the Halloween production of “The Blood Brothers Present…The New Guignol“. I caught the Blood Brothers show last Halloween and it was awesome so I’m really excited to be working with these folks.
The Cast:
Ryan Andes - Becky Byers - Rebecca Comtois - Jessi Gotta
Stephen Heskett - Robert Leeds - Marsha Martinez
Ben VandenBoom - Cotton Wright
The Writers:
Danny Bowes – James Comtois (Yours Truly) – Mac Rogers
The Directors:
Pete Boisvert – Rebecca Comtois – Stephanie Cox-Williams
Abe Goldfarb – Matt Johnston – Patrick Shearer
The Location:
The Brick Theatre, 575 Metropolitan Avenue
(between Union Avenue and Lorimer Street in Brooklyn)
The Times:
October 28 – 31 (Wednesday through Saturday), 8 p.m.
Ian W. Hill (director of the production of “The Magnificent Ambersons” I did last summer) has kindly cast me in his production of the short play, “Sacrificial Offerings“. The play was written by Mr. Hill and David Finkelstein and he describes it as a “story of a drawing room séance among the upper class of many decades past.”
The show goes up in August at The Brick, more details to follow.
On Sunday I will performing in three short pieces as part of the “Playwright’s Forum” for the Festival of Jewish Theatre and Ideas being presented by Untitled Theatre Company #61.
Playwright’s Forum
Various playwrights and directors
at Marymount Manhattan
221 E. 71st St.
Sun 6/7 @ 7:00
I will be performing in the play “Doll Play” by Tony Glazer as part of the Samuel French short play festival on July 17. Tony is really great writer and he’s written a very funny play that I really look forward to working on. The festival is actually a competition of sorts and there’s the possibility that we may perform it again if we move on to the finals.
More details to follow.
More reviews have come in for Ecstasy, which I am currently appearing in.
First off, the biggie: The New York Times had some positive things to say about my performance:
[Len] could easily come off as a buffoon, but in the delicate performance of Mr. Heskett, Len is more than a joke. It’s a scene-stealing portrayal…
[ Full Review ]
Also, BackStage.com made us a “Critic’s Pick” and was positive:
…it’s an engaging play, here staged with energetic, sharp performances, directed crisply by Sara Laudonia.
[ Full Review ]
Lastly, we’ve had several positive reviews from various theatre/media/entertainment blogs:
EDIT: This is seriously exciting. We’ve had ELEVEN positive to very positive reviews.
- CurtainUp
- RetroVision Media
- flavorpill
- Theatre Is Easy
- NYC Onstage
- EDGE New York City
- offoffonline
- Theater Talk’s New Theater Corp.
- GayCityNews
- neighborhoodbee Theatre Buzz
Two reviews are up from our previews for Ecstasy by Mike Leigh (which opens tonight!) Both are very positive.
Retrovision Media and says
Lower eastside Black Box theatre aficionados are in for a treat of gritty realism…
This is a rare must see recommendation!
And Theatre Is Easy gives us a nice review as well. They were kind enough to say some nice things about my performance:
The entire cast showed great levels of talent. Special mention should be made of actor Stephen Heskett as Len. Heskett displayed a depth of character so great that an entire play could be made off of just one look at him.
I’m really excited about this play, my cast-mates are SO good in this. Every show, I just enjoy watching them.
Please come.
I have a great role in Black Door Theatre Company’s production of Ecstasy that’s opening this week with previews.
“Ecstasy covers the lives of four blue-collar friends living in 1979 London and the drunken frustration in their lives, namely that of Jean, who struggles to escape the confines of her life and the people in it. While Ecstasy speaks to a very specific time and place, the socio-economic despairs and frustrations facing each character make the story universal and timeless; especially on the eve of our own financial crisis.”
www.blackdoortheatre.com
Ecstasy
By Mike Leigh
Directed by Sara Laudonia
Stage Manager Eliza Jane Bowman
Featuring Lore Davis, Stephen Heskett, Gina LeMoine,
Josh Marcantel, Brandon McCluskey and Mary Monahan
Previews: January 5 - 8 at 8pm $15
Opens: January 9 - 25 $18
Thursday - Saturday at 8pm
Matinees Sunday at 3pm
The Red Room
85 East 4th Street
For Reservations visit www.smarttix.com
I am currently in rehearsals for Ecstasy by Mike Leigh, and we’ve started getting some press:
http://www.theateronline.com/pb.xzc?PK=19805
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Horse_Trade_Presents_A_New_Production_Of_ECSTASY_15_20081201
http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/showpage.php?t=ecst7781
I’m really proud of the work being done in this show, and I think it’s going to be something special.
We’re still trying to raise money for the production, and if you feel so inclined, you can make a tax-deductible donation by click this link:
https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/contribute/donate/1061
I will accept donations to the show in lieu of Christmas presents!
I’ll be performing a staged reading of Lisa Ferber’s “Ye Olde Madcap Inn” on Tuesday, November 25th at Hunter College. The reading is hosted by Oberon Theatre Ensemble.
More information at http://www.oberontheatre.org/staged-reading-series/:
by Lisa Ferber When sultry Voluptua Vunderhips and her mousy sister Persnickitta pay a visit to Ye Olde Madcap Inn, owners Whitlee Repartee and Portley Brisket are unaware they are welcoming a pair of husband-killing showgirls seeking the brooch of Hellebaster Madcappe. Could the sudden appearance of sexy cowboy detective Torrance Q Pinecone mean the law is hot on the trail of Voluptua and Persnickitta, aka the Twisty Bendy Dancing Bubble Sisters?
Next week we finally begin rehearsal’s for Ecstasy by Mike Leigh. I’m really excited to do this show, it’s one of those dream-projects that I didn’t think would happen. There’s a long story behind it, but basically three classmates from my classes with Terry Schreiber and I have been conspiring to do this production for over a year now. And now we are finally starting honest-to-goodness real-life rehearsals for our production that goes up in January. I’m playing a character I’m absolutely in love with. He’s sweet, he’s joyful, and he’s damaged. It’s a nice contrast to the “sterner” characters I often play.
I cannot stress enough how solid the cast is. They are very, very good and I hope we capture the same lightning in our production that we did in our “workshops.”
More details to come.
I’ve been talking some stage combat classes at the Vampire Cowboys‘ Battle Ranch. The Vampire Cowboys are a theatre group I’ve admired from afar for some time now, and I’ve been recently thinking I wanted to work the rust off the ole’ stage combat skills. When I noticed they offer classes, I jumped on it.
Qui Nguyen, a very gifted choreographer and stage combat teacher, not only focuses on the “stage” part, but he gives a good deal of attention towards the “combat” part. He works us very hard to make sure our bodies can do the work required, and he puts us through actual martial arts drills. He has many reasons for doing this, but the greatest thing I’m getting as an actor out of it is feeling what a real fight feels like. It’s important to remember what it’s like HIT someone and BE HIT by them. There’s fear and adrenaline that sometimes gets lost when you focus too much on not hitting each other and “dancing” through your fight.
He took some pictures of us working out on the Ranch’s “porch”. Here’s a couple with me and some classmates, all of whom have been really great to work with.
More here: http://beyondabsurdity.blogspot.com/2008/10/shots-from-rabid-vamps-fight-studio.html
