First review for BrainExplode! has come out and it’s from a video gaming website — GameSetWatch:
http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2011/07/game_play_2011_romeoo_and_juli.php
“Though the early running contender for best of show is easily BrainExplode!”
“…the acting is absolutely top-notch; [not] only do they process instructions in an entertaining manner, but their interactions with the audience are warm and inviting, with the end result being characters that you honestly want to help get through their crisis.”
“…those involved with BrainExplode! know the world of interactive fiction and respect it. Thus it truly is a game, and the best compliment I can offer for any kind is, upon watching it in action and others being engaged, you will be begging to be the next person to have their hands on that controller, or in this case microphone.”
“At the risk of sounding over dramatic, BrainExplode! represents a new standard from which all game influence theater must be judged upon.”
Another gaming website http://playeraffinity.com/pc-featured/game-play-theater-festival-brain-explode-review.html:
“Brain Explode is more than just a game, there’s a proper story and it’s enjoyable to watch even for audience members who aren’t one of the players. The performers stay in character, but find ways to help out if the audience appears to be stumped, and will play along if ordered to do something silly (At the performance I saw, one joker made Ray carry his mother’s purse for a section of the game, something Ray did not forget in subsequent scenes).”
“Brain Explode is a tricky project, and while it isn’t grand drama, it is a very unusual piece of theater. It might be a bit gimmicky, or too experimental for many theater-goers, but it is certainly of interest to people who enjoy seeing boundaries pushed.
Although interactive theater has been around for a while, this is the first project I’ve seen which uses the text adventure premise, and the show is a very clever blending of a game and a play. Adventure game fans should definitely catch Brain Explode, and arrive early in order to play.”
And from http://newyorktheatrereview.blogspot.com/2011/07/bricks-game-play-festival-brainexplode.html
“The sheer amount of planning and work that went into preparing all the worlds and alternate endings that might arise depending on the audience’s suggestion are impressive, but more impressive are the actors’ performances through such simultaneously wide and narrow parameters. For while Heskett and Melnyk must be ready to react to whatever the audience throws their way, they must also remember the long and detailed bank of information about their lives, their parents, and their relationship. Heskett’s Ray is appropriately self-effacing, and he does a fantastic job casually guiding the players to possible solutions that might get them to the next level without making it look like work. Melnyk’s portrayals of both Ginny and Ray’s neurotic mother are a real treat to watch. Whether she is playing the supportive-yet-sly girlfriend or the wildly inappropriate MidWestern matriarch, Melnyk’s energy, earnestness, and comedic timing make us genuinely care about her fate. And that of her boyfriend, and his potentially exploding brain. Jim Hammer’s costumes transport us in the unfortunate polyester of 1987, and the rest of the production team works admirably at what must have been an memorably unpredictable job of cueing lights and sound for a half-improvised play. Delightfully tongue and cheek, BrainExplode! offers what the best games always do–a chance to play.”
http://thatsoundscool.blogspot.com/2011/08/theater-brain-explode.html
“The result, then, allows six volunteers to fool around with Ray’s life as much as they’d like. For example, the evening I attended the show, the audience had spent nearly thirty minutes encouraging Ray to perform with greater than usual charisma, providing him with basic psychoanalysis, and referring to him as “Storm King,” before finally figuring out how to open the locked door. Did they then instruct him to walk through said door? No, they did not. Instead, they threw object after object through the open door, much to Ray’s increasingly snarky (and incredibly well ad-libbed) disapproval. (Most impressive is the way Heskett spent much of this scene with a blanket wrapped around his fist and a purse clutched in one arm — because the audience had never countermanded their instructions for him to do so in the first place.) Such was the genius of the show, for while it had a clear structure — and a literal countdown clock — it refused to be bound simply to the scripted scenarios: it might point, push, and eventually prod the players in the right direction, but it wouldn’t force anything to occur. Whatever happened, happened: Will Wright would be proud; there are even alternate endings (four in all) depending on the audience’s progress (and morality). ”
“…the two hours of Brain Explode! … fly by faster than a marathon session of, say, Plants vs. Zombies. The difference here, of course, is that Brain Explode! does more than distract you as it introduces new elements of “gameplay” (theaterplay?): it aims to teach us, through Ray, about ourselves…”
“I’ll be standing in a room with exits to the north, south, and southwest, waiting patiently, desperately, for this show to be remounted.”
After Galactic Girl, I’ll be appearing in a production called BrainExplode! as part of the Brick Theater’s Gameplay Festival. I am extremely excited about this show. It’s a playable piece of theater where the audience instructs me on what to do. It’s developed into a wonderful and funny character-drive piece that still manages to be a fun game.
Here’s the details!
BrainExplode!
Sneaky Snake Productions
July 14 – 30, 2011
The year is 1986, and renowned game designer Ray Pinter has a problem: his brain has been wired to explode in 60 minutes. In this fully interactive theatrical experience, audience members will navigate Ray through a live-action adventure game, giving him commands as he confronts futuristic technology, supernatural antagonists, and his own personal demons. Combining the best aspects of interactive fiction and live theater, this is an ambitious new form of storytelling that will resonate with anyone who has ever been drugged, kidnapped, and given an hour to prevent their brain from exploding. From the creators of the sold-out hit Game Play show, Adventure Quest!
Thurs 7/14, 8pm
Fri 7/15, 9pm
Thurs 7/21 8pm
Sat 7/23 8pm
Sun 7/24 7pm
Wed 7/27 7pm
Fri 7/29 7pm
Sat 7/30 9pm
$15
Very excited to be starting rehearsals tonight for Galactic Girl in: Attack of the Starbarians by Jon Hoche, which will be playing at The Brick Theater as part of their Comic Book Theater Festival next month.
Here are the details:
June 11 – 30, 2011
Written and directed by Jon Hoche
In a futuristic world reeling from a dark infinite civil crisis, Galactic Girl leads the charge in bringing peace and order to the cosmos. She’s the best at what she does with a booty that just don’t quit. Under the command of General Fu Fu, Galactic Girl journeys to the planet of Starbaria with her compatriot Pixel and new recruit Moxie-5 to capture the leader of the savage Starbarians. Unexpected obstacles lead team Galactic Girl on a wild ride. Come see Galactic Girl in: Attack of the Starbarians, a Sci-Fi adventure jam-packed with hot girls, great fights, dances breaks, laughter, and so much more.
70 minutes
Sat 6/11, 9pm
Sun 6/12, 4pm
Wed 6/15, 7pm
Thu 6/30, 9pm
$15
I’m really excited that I’ve been cast in Galactic Girl in: Attack of the Starbarians! which will be part of the Comic Book Theater Festival at the Brick.
More details to follow!
I will be appearing in one of the four pieces in Trav S.D.’s Tent Show Tetragrammaton. I was in Spacemen From Space with Trav, and I’m thrilled and honored to be acting in this show he’s written.
Details!
Freaks! Mummies! Witches! Fortune Tellers! Voodoo! Live music! And that’s just in the lobby!
You’re invited to an evening of four original one acts, written and directed by Trav S.D., exploring themes of identity and transformation as expressed through American folk culture…tall tales, superstition, theatrical stereotype, popular theatre forms (like the traveling tent show and freak show) and various form of American folk music…. The plays include:
• THE STRANGE CASE OF GRIPPO THE APE MAN. This play premiered in La MaMa’s Experimental Play reading series under George Ferencz’s direction in 2007, and was first runner up in the Bob Dylan Days Creative Writing Contest (Hibbing, Minnesota) in 2008. It concerns two fly-by-night hoodlums who exhibit a monstrous idiot-savant who possesses a genius for music and impersonation. But the tables are hideously turned with a twist out of O. Henry and E.C. Comics. The cast includes: JAMES HABACKER (proprietor and host of THE SLIPPER ROOM), CATHERINE MICHELE PORTER* (of Peculiar Works Project and Dixon Place) BOB LAINE, STEPHEN HESKETT, and introducing TOM BIBLA as the APE MAN.
• THE BALLAD OF JASPER JAXON. A folk mini-operetta in the style of Woody Guthrie’s Dust Bowl Ballads, and performed by Trav S.D., Josh Hartung, et al, this play was given its first reading in earlier form by the And How! Theater Company in 2007, directed by Arthur Aulisi. Based on a true story, it treats of the world’s worst bank robber, who winds up being exhibited as a mummy in carnivals posthumously.
• UNIVERSAL RUNDLE. This play was given its first reading at Soho Think Tank’s Sixth Floor Series in 2006. Based on a section of Sir James Frazer’s The Golden Bough, it tells the story of a voodoo priest and bluesman who lives deep in the Louisiana bayou, anxiously awaiting the usurper who will overthrow him. When the devil arrives, he comes in a surprising disguise. The play stars TIMOTHY MCCOWN REYNOLDS*, JEFF LEWONCZYK and HOPE CARTELLI (Piper McKenzie Productions and the Brick Theatre).Featuring the talents of ART WALLACE as “The Old Cracker in the Chair” and songs by Trav S.D.
• STREGA NONA stars SARAH MALINDA ENGELKE* (of Supermajor and Dye Violets) as the “Little Baby Grandma Witch” who reads your fortune in her magical pot of spaghetti and serenades you out with her accordion. The evening’s digestif. CAROLYN RASHIP directs
Set/ costume design: Julez Kroboth
Light/ sound design: Frank Cwiklik
Fight choreography: Adam Swiderski
Postcard design: Laird Ogden
Stage Manager: Aaron Heflich Shapiro*
WHAT: Trav S.D.’s Tent Show Tetragrammaton,
WHEN: March 17-April 3, Thur-Sat: 7:30pm, Sun: 2:30pm
WHERE: La Mama E.T.C., 74A East 4th Street (btw Bowery & 2nd Ave)
TIX: $18/ student and seniors $13
INFO/ RESERVATIONS/ PURCHASES: 212-475-7710 or www.LaMaMa.org
* Appears courtesy Actors Equity Association
I am currently appearing in “Raising Cane: A Family Portrait” as part of The Brick Theater’s Fight Fest. I’m not only acting in it, but I directed the fights as well. And boy are their some fights!
RAISING CANE: A FAMILY PORTRAIT
A PLAY IN TWO ACTS, WITH FIGHTS
Part of the Brick Theatre’s Fight Fest 2010
(a festival dedicated to showcasing the art of stage combat)
MORE INFO ON FESTIVAL: http://www.bricktheater.com/fightfest
BUY TICKETS HERE: https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/790725
A Pug Mike Samantha Production
Written and Directed by Stephen Cedars
Fight Directed by Stephen Heskett
Set and Costumes by Kerry Gibbons
Lighting Design by Zack Brown
Blood Effects by Stephanie Cox-Williams
Stage Managed by Noni Culotta
Music By Jeff Davis and Stephen Cedars
Photography by Christina Latimer
STARRING
Justin Anselmi
Alex Amery
Catherine Grace Clark
Jesse Geguzis
Brandon Guidry
Stephen Heskett
Gillian Hurst
Jonathan Payne
William Webber
In the tradition of early John Waters and Troma Films, Raising Cane: A Family Portrait follows the familial dysfunctions of simpleton in-breeds who love nothing more than beating each others’ brain’s out. Camp humor and grotesque combat combine to explore the question of whether we stick with family cause we love ‘em or if we love ‘em because we can’t escape.
PERFORMANCE DATES
Thu Dec 9 @ 8pm
Sat Dec 11 @ 8pm
Tue Dec 14 @ 8pm
Sun Dec 19 @ 8pm
TICKETS ARE ONLY $15! BUY THEM HERE. https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/790725
ALSO AVAILABLE BY CALLING 866-811-4111 OR AT THE DOOR
THE BRICK IS LOCATED AT 575 METROPOLITAN AVENUE, IN WILLIAMSBURG, RIGHT OFF THE LORIMER L / METROPOLITAN G
I’m thrilled that in addition to appearing in “Starboat” at the Vampire Cowboy’s Saturday Night Saloon, I will also be appearing in Temar Underwood’s “The Ghost of Henderson Manor”!
Check the infos below…
I’ve been cast in the serial short play “Starboat” by the dreamy James Comtois to be produced over the next few months at the Vampire Cowboys’ Saturday Night Saloon. Directed by the formidable Pete Boisvert.
To avoid spoilers, I’ll just say that I may or may not be appearing in each episode of the play.
First episode is coming up soon… DETAILS:
For its ninth season, Vampire Cowboys brings back its extremely popular series, The Saturday Night Saloon, a monthly party at THE BATTLE RANCH featuring brand new genre-bending serialized plays by NYC’s hottest indie theatre artists.
The shows hit every third Saturday night of the month from September through January.
The Saloon is always free, the all-you-can-drink beer (or until we run out) is always only a mere five dollars, and the shows are always inventive.
Season 4 of the Saturday Night Saloon kicks off on September 18th at 8 p.m.!
at THE BATTLE RANCH
405 Johnson Avenue, 2nd Floor
(2.5 blocks from Morgan stop off L train)
For a map, Click here.
THEATRE WITHOUT RERUNS!
Season 4 includes six all-new exciting serialized plays including:
THE GHOST OF HENDERSON MANOR
written & directed by Temar Underwood
(The Brokenhearteds)
CONTROL ROOM
by Mac Rogers
(Universal Robots; Viral; Hail Satan)
directed by Jordana Williams
(Member of Gideon Productions)
DEATH VALLEY
created by Adam Scott Mazer & Dan Rogers
(Butterfly, Butterfly, Kill Kill Kill!)
STARBOAT
by James Comtois
(Infectious Opportunity; The Adventures of Nervous-Boy)
directed by Pete Boisvert
(Co-Artistic Director of Nosedive Productions)
JACK O’HANRAHAN & THE ONE-SIDED WINDOW
by Brent Cox
(Dog & Pony Show)
directed by Padraic Lillis (Member of LAByrinth Theater) & Courtney Wetzel
KILLER HIGH
by Crystal Skillman
(Hack, Vigil, The Telling Trilogy )
directed by Hope Cartelli
(Co-Artistic Director of Piper McKenzie Productions)
SALOON SCHEDULE
September 18, 2010
October 16, 2010
November 20, 2010
December 18, 2010
January 15, 2011
Produced by
Lex Friedman, Qui Nguyen, Abby Marcus, Robert Ross Parker, Daniel Rech
Poster Artwork by Jeremy Arambulo
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
