[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Write Act Rep’s Write of Spring 2024, running through June 1 at the Brickhouse Theatre.
I love the Brickhouse Theatre. Small. Intimate. Perfect for the Write Act Rep’s inaugural production of this really quite excellent group of five plays all written and directed by Write Act members.
The theme is seasonally minded. Spring and its rebirth and renewal in all its most positive connotations. But there is more at play here. Each story is nuanced and poignant, even as it makes us laugh. There are thoughtful undercurrents swirling through these compelling and consequential stories.
A Side of Karma – Three friends sit in a restaurant. Two of them a couple and one single and ever so slightly slightly unhinged. They argue. They have trouble deciding what to order and as the story unfolds the reason why they are all present in this strange dining room with its even stranger menu becomes clearer and clearer as their waiter becomes more and more impatient.
Burn and Rave – Aging friends meet for a drink, something of a routine, and three are actively accepting of their midlife, one is not. I totally identified with this play…so funny and searingly accurate!
Velma and Manny – a weirdly wonderful woman finds more of a connection with her Ken doll than the many dates she has been on…but I valued her bravery and continuing to be utterly herself in the terrifying world of dating.
Love in Flight – a couple of bird watchers find the rarest of animals while out in the wilds….love.
Spring Fever – this one’s a musical!!! Another love story, but set to music with lovely and deeply sweet performance from both actors.
I am trying to not spoil any of these plays for you, you really need to see them all for yourselves and I highly recommend that you do…they are all absolutely brilliant! Honestly, I was blown away by the beautiful writing and the wonderful nuanced performance. Often a clutch of one-act plays has a few weaker ones and a few stronger ones. But all of these plays are good…really, really good and the actors are able to do so much with this material. They seem to be enjoying every single second of stage time, which is lovely to see. Write of Spring is a gorgeous mix of plays all perfectly timed and wonderfully wrought. Bravo Write Act Rep! This is possibly the best work from this wonderfully creative theatre company I have seen!
Tickets:
https://writeofspring.brownpapertickets.com
Where:
The Brickhouse Theatre
10950 Peach Grove St., NoHo Arts District, CA 91601
When:
May 10-June 1
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm
The Team
Directed by Alicia Marie Agramonte, Susan Eiden, Roxie Lee, Anne Mesa, and Darrin Yalacki.
Produced by John Lant, Darrin Yalacki, Susan Eiden and Anne Mesa. Co-Producer Jonathan Harrison.
Music by Tomek Fior.
The Writers
Written by Susan C. Hunter, Thomas J. Misuraca, Rochelle Perry, Jorge A. Pulido, and Darrin Yalacki.
The Cast
Oraldo Austin, Leticia Carrasco, Taylor Dam, Dorian Frankel, Mary Nakanishi, Shawn Plunkett, Yvette Price,Matt Roussel, Courtney South, Adam Wasser, and Annie Zhang.