According to Lincoln Center's new LCT3 project at its slogan, it takes "New Audiences for New Artists." It also takes new critics, hence the establishment of Theater Talk's New Theater Corps in 2005, a way for up-and-coming theater writers and eager new theatergoers to get exposure to the ever-growing theater scene in New York City. Writers for the New Theater Corps are given the opportunity to immerse themselves in the off-off and off-Broadway theater scene, learning and giving back high-quality reviews at the same time. Driven by a passion and love of the arts, the New Theater Corps aims to identify, support, and grow the arts community, one show and one person at a time.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Our Time Theater is Worth Everyone's Time

Our Time Theater is for Everyone's time. What a raw inspiring night of theater was presented December 17, 2005. Our Time Theater shines with raw honest work, from playwrights who all have one thing in common, heart. One may think that because this group is for performers who stutter that they are going to see something less than real art, nothing could be further from the truth. Led by founder, Taro Alexander, these youth present honest, poignant One-Acts. They do so by avoiding sentimentality or self-pity and evoking universal truths that all can relate to.

Such fine playwrights, and to think they are all under 20! Memorable pieces include, I, Man on Stage, written by Donny Sethi. This play uses interpretive dance, song, and poetry, to captivate its audience and connect them to the struggling artist played well by Dashiell Eaves. Next came So you Think you Know me, written by Angelina-Bruno Metzger. This piece shows the duality of life; our "public" person and our "real person." Her work is full of rich text that hits the audience with its brutal honesty. Donisha Brown does an outstanding job showing the girls inner life and struggles.

After the One Acts end, the audience engages in a question and answer period with the writers. Their courage and sense of humor are a rare treat to find in today's theater. It is funny that they are depicting different struggles that are particular to them as stutterers. What they don't realize is their specific plights are universal, which allows everyone to share in the experience! This was an inspiring night and one that I am thankful to have been a part of.

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