It's not often that I get to premiere three shows in a single theatrical season but this year was a happy exception. And so, after Click opened at The Tank in September and My Bedroom Is an Installation at Imago in October, I rounded out the fall with Price in Purgatory: A Live Radio Play at 53 Above. Directed and sound-designed by the truly inspiring Douglas Wagner, my final show of the year featured actors Jmar Reid, Sai Cameron Gatrall and Mike Pinney and played to enthusiastically full houses on Nov. 4 and 5 -- despite the weird showtimes of 1pm and 6pm respectively. Reviews were positive; interviews, relatively painless.
Critic Jim Catapano over at Art Independent wrote "The play is both hysterically funny and intensely thought-provoking..."
Showtones Callie Stribling noted "The show is extremely entertaining even for those without a taste for horror."
Nitelife Exchange's Bart Greenberg praised the show for being "witty and smart" and nodded to "shades of Shaw’s Don Juan in Hell..."
Words4Culture blogger Jen Bush referred to Price in Purgatory as a "devilishly good piece of theatre" and "brilliant" in her interview with me, Reid, and Pinney.
Reporter Lee Walker Helland talked of the show at some length with Weekend Edition host David Furst on NPR when discussing upcoming events worthy of attention.
Helland also included the show in her Gothamist roundup "15 fun things to do in NYC this fall that won’t break the bank."
Stage Whisper host Andrew Cortes and I discussed the show for a half-hour on his podcast.
The image above is from a dress rehearsal of the production with actors Jmar Reid as the Spirit Guide, 11-year-old Sai Cameron Gatrall as God and Mike Pinney as Vincent Price. Costumes are by Adanne Spencer-Johnson; set design signage by yours truly.
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