←Recommendations of An Appreciation

Such an unexpectedly touching show. If you are a patron of the arts this show will touch you. If you happen to be an artist then this show will move you far more than a normal theater-goer. Beautiful.

Very interesting and almost creepy. Lots of symbolism to dive into. A well executed original concept.

A theatrical Marina Abramović-like piece of theatre. Lovely. I can see this working in so many spaces. "Beautiful".

What seems to be an everyday civic art unveiling becomes a moving and breathtaking moment of the power of imagination – and the power of art. I love that the mysterious piece of artwork is unseen, except in our own imaginations. And how beautiful that the audience becomes the art that the actors are moved by – such an intense connection.

What does a Creator have, when everyone mercilessly criticizes his work?...then we find out the "work" is the audience itself! A very amusing play on the theme of art appreciation.

Sometimes the point of going to a gallery is to appreciate good art, and sometimes it's to BE SEEN appreciating good art. There's a vast chasm between the two, and Steve Martin brilliantly gives us both experiences in this rich and delightful short play. The dialogue in the beginning is sharp and funny, and the payoff at the end is — well, it's a work of art.
Bravo!

I saw this performed at a short play festival this weekend, and it just happened to be the perfect opener for post-pandemic times, even though it’s not about that at all. Emotionally pitch-perfect, funny, and bit pointed, too. I admire Martin’s more experimental work and this is one of his best. Recommended!

Set in the nexus where art, politics, money, patronage, jobs and media meet, this acerbic and poetic piece gives dramatic voice to an elusive experience. The wit of succinct and devastating dialogue, from the nervous unpaid intern to the wealthy patrons considering their next investment, at a new art exhibition gracefully serves up plum roles for a large cast. After characterfully covering a range of topics, everything binds together into a dynamic and dramatic reflection of what still gives art, an age old market, its value in a twenty first century world.

STEVEN G. MARTIN captures the incongruity of how people act when they are about to be shown for the first time an art piece for which they came to see. One might expect great anticipation, in-depth talk of what the artist might have painted, and the dramatic buildup to the unveiling. In “An Appreciation”, we find politicians talking about bills and their own publicity, patrons lamenting the wine chosen, and others totally engrossed in anything but what they are supposedly excited to enjoy. When the art piece is unveiled, everybody reacts as if there are no shades of gray. Beautiful.

In a word, “beautiful.” Martin’s plays celebrate life and the intersection of artist and audience in a way I’ve never encountered elsewhere, and “An Appreciation” not only shares this quality, but it is masterful in its simplicity, speaking volumes without lifting a finger. It lets us, dares us to do the work, and it is magical. I imagine that experiencing this as an audience member would not only be utterly unique, but give the total strangers a shared unifying euphoria. I hope everyone one day will get to experience this play live. We could use it.