This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Ruthie Fierberg: I'm Ruthie Fierberg, and this is Why We Theater.

[0:05] Ruthie Fierberg: The podcast that digs into the onstage works we love to make the offstage change we need.

[0:12] Ruthie Fierberg: After all, that is Why We Theater.

[0:17] Ruthie Fierberg: Hi everyone. Thank you so much for tuning in to Why We Theater. How are we doing? There's a lot going on. I actually want to take a moment just to breathe deep in and out. Okay? Do it with me. Big breath in.

[0:35] Ruthie Fierberg: And out. Because today we're just talking about theater to go see and enjoy. If this is your first episode, welcome. I hope you explore any and all of the incredible conversations we've been having over the past season and a half. For those of you who are longtime listeners, thank you so much for your continued support of the podcast, and more importantly, for your commitment to theater as a vehicle for change.

[1:05] Ruthie Fierberg: I hope you've learned more about these societal issues that we've been digging into. I hope you've been inspired to take one of the small actions that we've suggested because they do add up. I also hope you've discovered plays and musicals that you want to see and artists who you want to follow. So with that in mind, this is Why We Theater Now, January 2022.

[1:29] Ruthie Fierberg: It can be a challenge to make an episode of Why We Theater in time for you to see every show while it's running, and that's only if you're in New York. So here are some recommendations for currently running shows that speak to Why We Theater and some incoming New York productions to keep an eye on. And of course, once they hit New York, keep an eye out for them in a town near you.

[1:53] Ruthie Fierberg: Last week I saw The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe. The solo show first premiered in the 80s. Jane Wagner wrote the play for her longtime partner, now wife, Lily Tomlin to star in. Lily won a Tony for her indelible performance in it. And I've heard about this for years and years and years and have never seen the show. So now Cecily Strong of Saturday Night Live and Schmigadoon fame takes it on in this new off-Broadway production at the Shed.

[2:27] Ruthie Fierberg: First of all, you have to check out the Shed. There's no fee for just walking into the space. It's an arts complex at Hudson Yards, and it feels like a place where edgy art and provocative conversations happen. Anyway, Cecily plays numerous characters, including Trudy, a homeless woman who confesses that she has lost touch with reality because, quote, I found it too confining. She has teamed up with a bunch of aliens on their quest to find intelligent life in the universe.

[3:00] Ruthie Fierberg: And she travels psychically into the minds of other people in the universe. Jane Wagner's script is incredible. These philosophical one-liners cut me to my core. Her writing, these theories, these ideas were like a jackknife on the lid of my brain and a salve on my soul. And if you think Cecily is great at characters on SNL, you should witness the nuanced depth and timing of her delivery in this full-length show.

[3:31] Ruthie Fierberg: As Jane wrote in her program note, her motivation to write this play was a question: how can we save our planet if we can't even save ourselves from ourselves? So what I felt from this play was a deep sense of questioning and wonder. And as the character Trudy says, at the moment you are most in awe of all you don't understand, you're closer to understanding it all. And so I invite you to go see this show at the Shed so that you can be in awe and closer to understanding it all.

[4:05] Ruthie Fierberg: It plays now only through February 6th, so you only have a few weeks left, and tickets start at $56. Next up, Steven Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins will finish up its run at Off-Broadway's Classic Stage Company on January 29th, 2022. So you only have a couple of weeks to see it, if you haven't already. Yes, it's been sold out for months, but sometimes seats pop up online, like right now when I did my search before recording this.

[4:37] Ruthie Fierberg: And per cast members, we do have cancellations and no shows every day. So come on down and get on the list, and chances are you will get in. In case you're not familiar with Assassins, the musical weaves together the stories of history's presidential killers and would-be killers. Some did not succeed. From John Wilkes Booth to Manson follower Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme to Lee Harvey Oswald, the genius musical explores what makes someone kill a president.

[5:11] Ruthie Fierberg: This production felt like a key to unlocking our current tide of rage. Whether it is or not, I'm not sure, but there is something there. The cast is unreal, with particular shout outs to Stephen Pasquale and Brandon Uranowitz. There were mixed reviews on this one, but I loved it. You know, in the way that you love something that scares and awes.

[5:36] Ruthie Fierberg: Tickets begin at $85. Number three, David Byrne's American Utopia. It's actually going to be the topic of an upcoming episode of Why We Theater, so go see it while you can. The show is scheduled to play through April 3rd, 2022 on Broadway. And the show speaks directly to contentious issues in our world, like the killing of black people, as Byrne and his band sing Janelle Monáe's "Hell You Talmbout." But it also speaks to allyship on a number of issues.

[6:09] Ruthie Fierberg: As a whole, the show, which is, you know, part concert, part philosophical exploration, represents a rare internationalism and a beautiful musical collaboration. I also think it opens pathways in your mind. It just feels different from any other show I've ever been to. The theater has this energy.

[6:59] Ruthie Fierberg: But seriously, there's something special about being inside this theater. Tickets start at $59. Now, there are a few current and incoming shows that I have not yet seen personally, but I am dying to because they show great potential to spark the notions and the themes of why we theater. So first up in shows I haven't seen, but I really want to see. Playwright Joshua Harmon returns to the stage with his new play, Prayer for the French Republic.

[7:32] Ruthie Fierberg: Josh is an exciting writer because he goes a lot of places people don't want to go. His shows, Bad Jews, Admissions, and Skin Tight could all have episodes on this podcast, and I hope someday we will get Josh on the pod. Maybe now is the time. Maybe this one is it. Tonight, performances begin for Prayer for the French Republic. David Cromer, who won a Tony Award for The Band's Visit, directs.

[8:00] Ruthie Fierberg: And the plot reads, quote, in 1944, a Jewish couple in Paris desperately awaits news of their missing family. More than 70 years later, the couple's great-grandchildren find themselves facing the same question as their ancestors. Are we safe? Following five generations of a French Jewish family, Prayer for the French Republic is a sweeping look at history, home, and the effects of an ancient hatred.

[8:28] Ruthie Fierberg: That's enough to get me excited, particularly because that's a question I ask myself all the time. Are we safe? Tickets start at $99, but Manhattan Theater Club has a 30 under 35 policy that is definitely worth checking out. Alright, along with being obsessed with Josh Harmon, I am obsessed with Dominique Morisseau, as faithful listeners out there already know. If you want to know why, just go back and listen to the Pipeline episode from season one and be wowed by her genius.

[9:06] Ruthie Fierberg: She is, in fact, a MacArthur Genius grant recipient. Her play Skeleton Crew is currently in previews on Broadway at Manhattan Theater Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theater. Here's a little bit of the plot for you. In 2008, Detroit, a small automotive factory is on the brink of foreclosure, and a tight-knit family of workers hangs in the balance. With uncertainty everywhere, the line between blue collar and white collar becomes blurred, and this working family must reckon with their personal loyalties, their instincts for survival, and their ultimate hopes for humanity.

[9:43] Ruthie Fierberg: This one is directed by Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and I've been obsessed with him since the production he helmed of August Wilson's Jitney. The show stars Shantae Adams, Joshua Boone, Brandon J. Dearden, Adesola Osakalumi, and the Felicia Rashad. Off-Broadway, Dominique will welcome the New York premiere of her play Confederates. Now I'm skipping forward a little bit in time to stay on the Dominique theme.

[10:14] Ruthie Fierberg: Confederates will begin performances February 22nd at the Signature Theater Center off Broadway. The play goes back and forth in time from Civil War to present day and tracks two black American women to examine, quote, the reins that racial and gender bias still hold on American educational systems today. And if you listened to Pipeline, you know that Dominique was a teacher herself, so she has lots to say on education, and I cannot wait to continue discussing her work on that theme.

[10:47] Ruthie Fierberg: Speaking of shows coming to Signature Theater, the new musical Black No More begins performances January 18th. John Ridley, Oscar winner for 12 Years a Slave, writes the book. Tariq Trotter, aka Black Thought, writes the lyrics, and he also writes the music alongside Anthony Tidd, James Poiser, and Daryl Waters. Tony Award winner and icon Bill T. Jones choreographs. I mean, could you look for a better roster of talent?

[11:17] Ruthie Fierberg: Apparently you can, because the show stars Brandon Victor Dixon as Max and Tariq Trotter himself as inventor Dr. Junius Crookman. Max wants to try Crookman's machine that will solve America's race problem by turning black people white. Yeah, it's gonna be intense, and I think it's gonna be amazing. Get your tickets now because even though the show begins January 18th, it's only scheduled to run through February 27th. Tickets begin at $38.

[11:49] Ruthie Fierberg: Looking ahead to February, the last show I want to keep an eye on is Sanaz Tusi's new play, English, which bows off Broadway at Atlantic Theater Company. I haven't seen any work by Sanaz yet, but this plot and its themes intrigue me. This is from the website. English only. This is the mantra that rules one classroom in Iran, where four adult students are preparing for the TOEFL, the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

[12:20] Ruthie Fierberg: Chasing fluency through a maze of word games, listening exercises, and show and tell sessions, they hope that one day English will make them whole. But it might be splitting them each in half. Performances begin February 4th and tickets start at $67. Links to information and tickets for all of these shows will be in the show notes. There are also many ways to find discount tickets.

[12:46] Ruthie Fierberg: Whether that's through TDF and a membership, go to TDF.org or at their in-person TKTS booth. You can also look for discounts on websites like Playbill, Theater Mania, etc., Today Tix. Just Google around for discounts on tickets and you will likely find one. We want to make theater affordable and accessible while also paying all of the people who make it fairly. So take a look.

[13:15] Ruthie Fierberg: And if you're nervous about going to the theater right now, I get it. It's a scary time again. But I want you to know that I feel extremely safe in a theater, and there's a reason why. And that's because I know all of the precautions theaters have taken to make it safe. Theaters haven't done a great job publicizing all of their safety protocols, so I actually wrote about it. And a link to that article is also in the show notes.

[13:42] Ruthie Fierberg: If you go see one of these shows, tweet me at Ruthie's A-Train, DM me at Ruthie Fierberg, and tell me what you thought. Next week we're back with another full panel episode. Until then, thank you so much for listening and just keep theatering.

[14:00] Ruthie Fierberg: Why We Theater is a product of the Broadway Podcast Network. It's edited and mixed by Derek Gunther. If you like the show, subscribe at bpn.fm, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And don't forget to leave a review and tell your friends. Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Special thanks to Dory Berenstein, Alan Seales, Lee Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Wesley Birdsall, Elena Mayer, and Suzanne Chipkin. For more resources for change, info about our guests, and more, visit us at YWeTheater.com.