Stage Takes

Catharsis Theater Collective is the theater company set up by Ryan Lisman. Ryan has a selective taste, yet allowed members of this company to preview scenes from projects that they eventually hope to produce. I have been eager to see this project. The scenes did not disappoint. Similar to my most recent reviews from the 30 Or Less Fest, I will write a few sentences for each show. Ryan did a good job hosting. One night was filled with audience interaction, the other he set up a stand-up comedy set. I would have liked to know a little more about the scenes before they started, such as, at what point in the plot do they take place or where the characters are coming from. The following reviews are just my opinion and not a fact, for entertainment purposes only:

“The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog” written by Thomas Yungerberg was a great opener, and one of my favorites. The show was about a man who appeared nervous to bring a girl into his life. I thought Isabella Costa and Spencer Weitzel made really interesting choices and tapped into the inner lives of these characters; also their chemistry was great. One thing I thought was super unnecessary was the spotlight that shone on the characters during their monologues; took us out from the realism.

“A New Testament” written by Ryan Lisman was quite weird. Very hard to alllow the suspension of disbelief with this one. It is about a nun who battles with her sexual desires. She gossips with Sister Imogen about their disagreements with the suppression of desire, and then Dylan, a student, reveals the affair they have together. Hayley Keenen is very talented, as seen in another show, but this character left her with some cartoon-like, awkward choices to make. Heidi is a great choice to play the the nun, as evidence by the powerful use of silences, aggressive stares. But I felt this piece needs more subtly, less on the nose action.

“Sub Rosa” was written by one of Ryan’s friend’s from grad school, Christian Krenek and directed by Veronica Matthews. Being a therapist myself, I had trouble viewing this play objectively, with regards to ethics. It is about a therapist, played by Marilyn Sanabria, trying to get information about one of her client’s sexual desires from a man/trainer, played by Casey Alcoser, that the client used to role play with. I really liked Casey Alcoser’s performance, the character was calculated and Casey was able to portray the seductive persuasion of the character very well. Although, when we look at a script, we probably analyze what these character’s objectives are and how they will achieve it. Therefore, I was confused at Dr. Emily Kendall’s approach. I felt that there was a weird sexual tension between these characters that was unnecessary. Sanabria, nonetheless did a good job with what she had to work with. Kyle, played by Alcoser, concluded the play with a very thought provoking monologue and I thought that was what made this play work.

“The Conquered” is written and directed by Audrey Cirzan. I really liked the concept, and Audrey [Cirzan] is perhaps one of my favorite writers that I know personally, with her Fringe show The Roost being a hit. Yet, I felt like the actors were reading the script rather than interpreting it. Theo Fay and Scout Gutzmerson are both terrific actors but it seemed this show did not allow them to explore. It was very dialogue/conceptual heavy, and I found myself listening to the words rather than the emotions in between. The characters spoke in such a way, without pauses, that didn’t give space for feeling in between. I wondered what this would have looked like under different direction.

“Must Come Down” was a very nice piece. It is hard to suspend disbelief when seeing adults playing high schoolers, but they did a good job. Two students, one had tried to kiss the other and got punched in the face for doing so. In their dialogue, the bully comes in touch with his own sexuality. S.E Perry knocked it out of the park with his comedic relief, as he plays the principal who struggles with wanting to keep the school’s inclusivity and projecting a classical army sergeant type.

“Dog of Carnage” by Benjamin Schwartz and directed by Natalie Nicole Dressel was another favorite of mine. A court scene where a couple battles out for custody over their dog. Absurdist, wacky, and a social commentary on contemporary culture. I thought the actors, Spencer Weitzel and Hayley Kennan, gave strong performances that mixed in with the flavor of goofiness in the writing. Really great physical humor, dance breaks, and commitment to the bit. Good use of lighting as well.

“Walking Shadows” was excellent. A piece that leaves you thinking. Both Scout Gutzmerson and Brandon Pascal gave excellent performances. Absurdist, two characters rummaging through the craziness of writing. A play that is rminiscent of David Ives’ “Words, Words, Words”.

Closing out was Ryan’s piece “And What of the Children?” which he plans to bring to Hollywood Fringe. I don’t know what to say of this — maybe that’s a good thing? Courageous, controversial subject matter. Just because I do not agree with some of the character’s points of views, does it mean I cannot take in the story? Having known nothing of the plot — it is probably not a show I would go see: a family upset that one of the individuals has a secret Only Fans account. Could be a lot more comedic, now that I think of it. Good performances by Isabela Costa, Audrey Cirzan, and Riley Introcaso. but now that I think of it, why do the characters not see the comedy in all of this? [On a side note, I have heard a criticism about the film, “Rabbit Hole,” based on the play by David Lindsay-Abaire, where it failed in not finding any of the humor of the original play). I will say, having seen this scene, I am excited to see how the full play will turn out.

What Ryan did was very special, a chance for artists to experiment with their work. I spoke with Ryan, who said he has not seen any of the shows until opening night, which is interesting, and I’m glad artists were given freedom to experiment. Excited to see what’s next for Catharsis Theater Collective.