ANNOUNCEMENT! 85% Chance of Beth Moving Sale

I need to get rid of stuff. Therefore a Living Room Sale!

Starting Sunday (open house) and continuing on through Friday by appointment.

Things For Sale!
* Books (duh)
* Costumes/Clothing
* Dishes and Glassware, including formal china setting for 4
* Gothy Stuff (wrought iron, gargoyles)
* Witchy Stuff (candles, tarot decks)
* Hats, Gloves, and Scarves!
* Artwork
* Never opened wine
* Christmas Tree Stand
* Some small furniture, including a black painted small vanity with chair, no mirror

If you are looking for something and think I might have it, ask!

I realize that there are huge things going on this weekend, which is why people can set up a time to come over during the week. I know Staten Island is out there, but I'm very easy to get to via public transportation, and there are these fun things called bridges that can get you to my place from New Jersey.

Granted, I still might get the job I interviewed for on Thursday, but I still need to clear out the clutter.

PM me for more information or directions!

Thanks all!

The Trouble with Tachyons

My one-act play, The Trouble with Tachyons, has a reading next week at the Dramatists Guild, part of their Friday Night Footlights series. Admission is free, and I'd love to see people come on out for this!

Friday Night Footlights
The Trouble with Tachyons by Beth Derochea
7:30 pm, Friday, November 12th, 2010

The Dramatists Guild
Fredrick Loewe Room
1501 Broadway, 7th floor
New York, NY 10036

Starring Allison Abrams and Andy Schneeflock
Directed by Beth Derochea

ME, MYSELF, AND I by Edward Albee

ME, MYSELF, AND I by Edward Albee
Produced at Playwright's Horizons
August 29, 2010

ME, MYSELF, AND I felt like an old-school Absurdist play, with lots of confusion, playing with language, and insecurity of identity. Identical twins, one named OTTO and the other named otto, are at odds when OTTO declares that otto does not exist. Whether this is because their mother cannot tell them apart and has had a doctor on a 28-year long house call, or because OTTO feels he needs to break free of his family, we don't know. This is the setting for a somewhat confusing play that could have been much funnier for me.

The play moves quickly, with the family group of OTTO, otto, Mother, and the doctor zooming through the first act. OTTO makes it clear to his mother and the doctor that otto is no longer his brother, and that he is going to make a big change in his life. This sets up the conflict between OTTO and the rest of his family. The second act is a bit crazier, with the addition of Maureen, otto's girlfriend, and gallops to a finale that truly tickled my sense of the absurd. The problems are somewhat sorted out, but can we be sure that characters who are so very conscious of being in a play can truly sort out their problems?

The actors were wonderful, with much applause to Zachary Booth for his portrayal of the snarky OTTO and Preston Sadleir who undergoes an existential crisis as otto. Both of these characters were the most interesting and complicated, and the actors did an excellent job. Though the other characters were not quite as fully fleshed, the actors made me believe in these people and this extremely absurd and possibly disturbed world that they lived in.

There was a lot of laughter in the theater, though I didn't laugh every minute. But THE HAPPY ENDING had me in hysterics, and is worth a little confusion about the play. I think it might need to be marketed as Theater of the Absurd, because I heard bewildered conversations during the intermission wondering what was going on! In the end, though not a traditional play as usually seen today, I think that ME, MYSELF, AND I succeeded as a modern Absurdist piece and would be enjoyed by fans of works in that genre, such as THE BALD SOPRANO, and Albee completists.

Fringe NYC: THE SWEARING JAR

In my last post I said I had three short reviews. Well, I lied, because I wanted to put this review of a Fringe show in a separate post.

THE SWEARING JAR by Kate Hewlett. August 14, 2010

I saw two earlier workshop readings of this play, and it has been an amazing experience to see the evolution of this play from that first reading. THE SWEARING JAR has evolved into a tender, funny, sad, and silly play that I'm so glad to have experienced in all of the phases. Kate sings beautifully, and these are songs that she has written specifically for this play. All of the actors are vibrant and funny and the characters are human and wonderfully flawed. These are people you would know. They are worth seeing.

Carey and Simon both have news to share with each other--and so starts the emotional roller coaster that dips backwards and forwards through time. The audience is treated to the truly simpatico relationship between Carey and Simon, the songs sung by Carey at Simon's 40th birthday party, and the odd friendship between Carey and Owen that couldn't possibly be what it seems...could it? The play explores the nature of trust in relationships and how it is possible to do the wrong thing for the right reasons.

Though Fringe is over, I think that THE SWEARING JAR will have a life beyond Fringe and I look forward to another New York production!

Recent Theatrical Outings

And again, sorry it has been so long since I've posted here. I have a proper review that will be posted later, but for now, here's three shows that I recently saw and enjoyed.

NEXT FALL by Geoffrey Nauffts. June 9th, 2010
This lovely play circles around the relationship between Adam (Patrick Breen) and Luke (Patrick Heusinger). A very New York play, with a certain amount of culture clash providing most of the laughs. The action of the play moves back and forth through time, with the main action in the waiting area of the hospital where Luke was brought after being hit by a cab, and the flashbacks starting with Adam and Luke's first meeting at their friend Holly's party.

(paraphrased quote)

LUKE: I'm actually an actor.
ADAM: Hmmm, black pants, white shirt, serving tray--yep, you're an actor!

I really enjoyed the evening as a whole, and the play as well. Sadly, it has closed, but keep an eye out for regional productions!

~*~*~*~

RED by John Logan. June 13, 2010
RED tells the story of Mark Rothko during the days when he was creating murals for the Four Seasons Restaurant, and his changing relationship between himself and his assistant Ken. (Note: When I say Rothko here, I'm talking about the character as played by Alfred Molina, because I don't know anything about the real artist except for what I read in the program.)

On his very first day, Ken is treated to a tirade by Rothko about what he should read to understand art. Quite a bit of this play is tirades by Rothko, and I was very impressed with Alfred Molina's ability to fill the room. Second to last row and I could hear every word. Rothko tells Ken he needs to read history, religion, mythology, drama, novels, poetry, all in order to understand art. He also stresses that he is not a mentor or a teacher, but an employer. Ken seems to understand this, but still, Rothko goads him to open up in ways that change their relationship.

Rothko also rails against the museums, critics, galleries, and the people who buy his work. He has utter contempt for them; believing that they cannot or will not take the time to understand his work, that they only buy it for the prestige. He believes that his work will transform the Four Seasons into a holy place for his art, and Ken points out that the Four Seasons is a restaurant, and expensive restaurant.

Probably the most electrifying scene in the play was when they out a blank canvas up on the...thing...stand...huger than an easel, big contraption that the paintings hang on, and together apply the base coat of dark red. Everyone applauded because painting on stage is amazing!

I was riveted for the full 90 minutes. Eddie Remayne as Ken deserved that Tony for holding his own with Alfred-fucking-Molina.

Again, closed, but if you ever get the chance to see Alfred Molina on stage, do it!

Both of these plays were birthday present plays!

Yes, it has been a while...

Just wanted to keep updated here about my play submissions!

* Application to Women's Project has been turned in
* Monologue submitted to Coffee Black Productions evening of monologues in February
* Full length version of LOVING CASSIE submitted to Bridge Theater Company

I'm working on a number of plays, and of course will post any productions and other submissions here as well!

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Wishful Thinking in the Keagan One-Act Festival

The Keagan One-Act
F e s t i v a l

February 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th @ 8:00 p.m.

The Keagan Theatre Company presents its first Annual Festival of One-Act Plays; which opens on February 11th at 8:00 p.m. The evening offers a diverse and unusual range of works to captivate and entertain. Thirteen company actors take part in this highly theatrical and thought provoking exploration. The Keagan One-Act Festival was designed to celebrate and support the achievement of emerging playwrights and directors.

In the Shade of a Blue Umbrella
written by Roberty Maley, directed by Ellery Schaar

The Loan
written by Burton E. Swartz, directed by Stephen Riscica

From the Same Cloth
written by Ashley Michael Rogers, directed by Annie Ward

Chances Are
written by Kimberly Ong, directed by Rob Anderson

My Last Ten Minutes On Earth
written by Tom Messner, directed by Stephen Riscica

Wishful Thinking
written by Beth Derochea, directed by John Hawthorne Smith

Take My Breath Away
written by Ashley Michael Rogers, directed by John Hawthorne Smith

A Writer's Imagination
written by Erik Christian Hanson, directed by Annie Ward

E i g h t P l a y s
$15

Donation Button for Loving Cassie

For those of you who wish to help defray the costs of production, here is a paypal button!

Just in case, do send me an email stating how you want your name in the program. We will have a special thank you page in the program for everyone who donates before August 5th. August 5th is when the final programs need to be printed, just so you know!

Donation button is expired

Thank you all so much!