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Nick Malakhow

Recommended by Nick Malakhow

  • WHERE HAVE ALL THE FAIRIES GONE? by Aaron Coleman
    29 Jul. 2022
    “ A beautifully rendered character study of three complex, nuanced, and recognizable humans. Like all great historical fiction, Coleman makes wonderful use of the socio-historical context he is writing within to illuminate truths about our contemporary world. The seeds of Pride and the complications and dynamics surrounding it are explored thoroughly, as are the implications and reverberations of those historical origins on contemporary intersectional queer activism. I'd love to see these characters realized onstage and to spend time with them watching a staged production. ”
  • All the Emilies in All the Universes by Ian August
    29 Jul. 2022
    “ A gorgeous play that explores the many-tentacled monster of grief in an original and very human way. Rather than replying on the huge theatrical overture of the "various Emilies" in a gimmicky or specious manner, August plumbs the irregular and murky waters of loss with specificity, nuance, and great care for the Emilies and their husband, Jeff. A heaping tablespoon of comedy and wit, in the form of the Presenter, assists the storytelling in a way that makes for compelling theater I'd want to watch. I hope to see a production of this soon! ”
  • Tiny Thin Woman Inside by C. Meaker
    25 Jul. 2022
    “ This play is amazing! Meaker uses heightened theatricality so well to draw stark attention to the ways society pits women and femme folk against one another and themselves and their bodies in so many ways. They tackle body image, disordered eating, fatness/fitness, health provider gaslighting, and a lot more. They manage to do this in a play that is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking and scary--fine lines to straddle. I also appreciated the nuanced and complex and just so natural queer representation. I'd love to see this produced! ”
  • Essential Reading for This Moment in History by Bruce Walsh
    25 Jul. 2022
    “ An incredibly creative and inventive exploration of whiteness, masculinity and masculine identity, class, academia, the evolving mythology around American identity, the intersection of tall of those things, and so much more! Eddie was quite the nucleus around which the play revolved, and his presence and maddening, harrowing, hilarious journey kept things so incredibly focused even with the pliability of space, time, and reality...allowing the piece of go in very epic and heady directions without losing its human core. I would so love to see this on its feet and in production. ”
  • This Bitch: Esta Sangre Quiero by Adrienne Dawes
    25 Jul. 2022
    “ Expansive, complex, and, above all, hilarious, this play is fantastic! It has a sprawling, satirical feel and the farce is sharp and incisive about the things it examines--class, race, ethnicity, pop culture, influencers, celebrity, and more. I so loved how the humor arose organically from the situations and relationships--the jokes were a welcome and genuine necessity to the storytelling. I also appreciated the exploration of intersections of sexuality, race, age, and gender. It feels somewhat "classical" in structure, but so, so on point for today. Some gorgeous, poignant, quiet moments punctuated the madness beautifully! ”
  • monster SLAYer by Blossom Johnson
    23 Jul. 2022
    “ A nuanced and complex rendering of a family processing grief while also looking forward to a transition of new life emerging. Isabella and Jaiden's sibling relationship and their relationships with their mom are all real and specific and full of the humor and tension that only come with family. Johnson avoids unnecessary theatrics in the plot and instead focuses on more powerful, smaller, seismic shifts. A beautifully rendered and fully-realized theatrical world. ”
  • Our Tempest by Jake Brasch
    22 Jul. 2022
    “ This piece is so incredibly hilarious and poignant. It so very much captures the existential dread of creating art both at the particular socio-cultural and socio-political moment of Spring 2021, as well as in general. The ensemble is a dynamite collection of diverse individuals that actors would sink their teeth into. The intersection of magic and Shakespeare and satire and politics is totally unique. I'd love to see this in production! ”
  • Welcome to the Wedding of Vincent and Gina by Justice Hehir
    22 Jul. 2022
    “ In this play, Hehir so wonderfully captures the inelegant rhythms of realistic speech. She examines the the social and emotional rituals surrounding weddings with a sort of natural and irregular precision. Each character in the sizable ensemble is well rendered and brings nuance and shading to the group dynamic. That said, there is this finely focused thread woven throughout in the form of Lindsay that traces how such occasions can be complex gatherings shaped and colored by potent and lasting traumas and experiences. I'd love to experience this staged! ”
  • Salutations, I'm Creative Dave by Jake Brasch
    15 Jul. 2022
    “ Incredibly funny, clever, and unexpectedly poignant. Jake Brasch examines, messes with, and refracts back the form of the small-cast, dysfunctional family drama with absolutely hilarious results. I loved the cognitive dissonance of seeing real, relatable, complex truths about identity, family, connection, and happiness being illuminated through the comedically stilted, literal point of view of Creative Dave. Lots of stage images and moments here I won't forget! I'd love to see this produced. ”
  • If nobody does remarkable things by Emma Gibson
    6 Jul. 2022
    “ Such a beautiful, timely piece. I most appreciated Gibson's subtle but continuous world building--little details of this all too plausible speculative future were delivered at key moments throughout without ever feeling like exposition. Instead, the terrifying and complex realities of this world were made clear through the thorny relationships and internal/external conflicts portrayed onstage. June's poignant monologues punctuated the play gorgeously. I'd love to see this in performance! ”

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