Recommended by Nick Malakhow

  • Nick Malakhow: Alamar

    A supremely theatrical and engrossing piece that examines several well-rendered and diverse characters. Valdes looks at race and identity, and particularly racism within various intersections of the Latine/x community, the evolving relationships we have with our families, and how race, identity, and family are tied to our conception of home. The socio-political backdrop is threaded throughout in a powerful way, and the drag show, "Ceci Slays" punctuated and shaped the rhythm of the piece. Yanni and Angel's relationships with their parents are elegantly paralleled. I'd love to see this bold and...

    A supremely theatrical and engrossing piece that examines several well-rendered and diverse characters. Valdes looks at race and identity, and particularly racism within various intersections of the Latine/x community, the evolving relationships we have with our families, and how race, identity, and family are tied to our conception of home. The socio-political backdrop is threaded throughout in a powerful way, and the drag show, "Ceci Slays" punctuated and shaped the rhythm of the piece. Yanni and Angel's relationships with their parents are elegantly paralleled. I'd love to see this bold and eclectic theatrical universe brought to life!

  • Nick Malakhow: Pulling Leather: A Queer Rodeo Fantasia

    What a nuanced and compassionate piece that examines masculinity, identity, the loneliness that can be associated with being a gay man, and complex family dynamics. Darby and Glen are such rich characters and their relationship is rendered beautifully here--what they get from one another feels real, organic, and poignant. The theatricality Brumley uses to tell this story is also thrilling, with the malleability of time/space, the balancing of spare lyricism with humorously observed naturalism, and lots of room for exciting and creative staging and movement work. I'd love to see a full...

    What a nuanced and compassionate piece that examines masculinity, identity, the loneliness that can be associated with being a gay man, and complex family dynamics. Darby and Glen are such rich characters and their relationship is rendered beautifully here--what they get from one another feels real, organic, and poignant. The theatricality Brumley uses to tell this story is also thrilling, with the malleability of time/space, the balancing of spare lyricism with humorously observed naturalism, and lots of room for exciting and creative staging and movement work. I'd love to see a full production of this!

  • Nick Malakhow: The Mermaid Hour

    A lovely piece about the complexities of family. I especially loved how in this narrative we were presented with an ostensibly liberal and accepting family whose relationships and equilibrium were challenge by Pilar and Bird's unconscious and (and semi-conscious and conscious) biases. An important reminder that left-leaning politics don't make someone immune from the toxic forces that threaten marginalized communities and identities. Every single person in this piece was a nuanced and fully rendered human, and they kept my sympathy even as they bristled against and challenged one another...

    A lovely piece about the complexities of family. I especially loved how in this narrative we were presented with an ostensibly liberal and accepting family whose relationships and equilibrium were challenge by Pilar and Bird's unconscious and (and semi-conscious and conscious) biases. An important reminder that left-leaning politics don't make someone immune from the toxic forces that threaten marginalized communities and identities. Every single person in this piece was a nuanced and fully rendered human, and they kept my sympathy even as they bristled against and challenged one another. Beautiful, funny, poignant, theatrical.

  • Nick Malakhow: Rain Follows the Plow

    An exquisite, lyrical play that makes excellent use of its original, sophisticated metaphors to explore gender, toxic masculinity, and the ways old social philosophies and practices and customs need to be reevaluated, exploded, and/or evolved. The speculative world is super compelling and evocatively painted through dialogue--I'm amazed at Nelson's ability to conjure such a sense of place and atmosphere through dialogue and carefully-chosen scenes. There is also SO MUCH to play here from a design standpoint. I'm eager to follow this play's trajectory and to hopefully see some of its bold stage...

    An exquisite, lyrical play that makes excellent use of its original, sophisticated metaphors to explore gender, toxic masculinity, and the ways old social philosophies and practices and customs need to be reevaluated, exploded, and/or evolved. The speculative world is super compelling and evocatively painted through dialogue--I'm amazed at Nelson's ability to conjure such a sense of place and atmosphere through dialogue and carefully-chosen scenes. There is also SO MUCH to play here from a design standpoint. I'm eager to follow this play's trajectory and to hopefully see some of its bold stage images in person soon!

  • Nick Malakhow: Sow and Suckling

    This certainly stands on its own outside of the "Lord of the Flies" context, but it's exciting to read in the context of the work. I love how it goes further in examining generational legacies and the persistent lasting impact of toxic social constructions of masculinity, and how those id-like impulses live within people and emerge in "normal society." I especially appreciated how it began in an unassuming fashion before slowly layering in a well-timed series of offbeat and disturbing moments, leading up to its startling ending sequence.

    This certainly stands on its own outside of the "Lord of the Flies" context, but it's exciting to read in the context of the work. I love how it goes further in examining generational legacies and the persistent lasting impact of toxic social constructions of masculinity, and how those id-like impulses live within people and emerge in "normal society." I especially appreciated how it began in an unassuming fashion before slowly layering in a well-timed series of offbeat and disturbing moments, leading up to its startling ending sequence.

  • Nick Malakhow: Conjoined

    I loved the darkly comedic and unsettling use of horror tropes here to explore the dissolution of relationships, the ways we struggle to be honest with one another in relationships, and how we try and cling to relationships that need to be dissolved. The escalation into dark satire is effective and hilarious. I also appreciated the centering of queer characters and relationships in a way that acknowledged queerness and what that brought to Gerald and Louis' relationship without pathologizing it--that they were the norm in this world, and their queerness was simply part of their identities.

    I loved the darkly comedic and unsettling use of horror tropes here to explore the dissolution of relationships, the ways we struggle to be honest with one another in relationships, and how we try and cling to relationships that need to be dissolved. The escalation into dark satire is effective and hilarious. I also appreciated the centering of queer characters and relationships in a way that acknowledged queerness and what that brought to Gerald and Louis' relationship without pathologizing it--that they were the norm in this world, and their queerness was simply part of their identities.

  • Nick Malakhow: Lazy Eye

    I loved this haunting, funny, and unsettling piece that crossed genres to explore the effects of self doubt, mistrust, and mental health on relationships. The dream sequences captured the weird, messy specificity of dream logic, and Jean's journey through this juncture in her relationship with both Elise and her friends was poignant and real. The use of surreal and semi-fantastical elements highlighted the themes explored--particularly self-doubt. I'd love to see this onstage!

    I loved this haunting, funny, and unsettling piece that crossed genres to explore the effects of self doubt, mistrust, and mental health on relationships. The dream sequences captured the weird, messy specificity of dream logic, and Jean's journey through this juncture in her relationship with both Elise and her friends was poignant and real. The use of surreal and semi-fantastical elements highlighted the themes explored--particularly self-doubt. I'd love to see this onstage!

  • Nick Malakhow: marked green at birth, marked female at birth

    What a spectacular ensemble piece! I loved its poetry, complex structure, and deftly rendered cast of characters. The use of the characters to voice male voices on AIM was also a brilliant detail that underscored the central thread here--the toxic, long-lasting, deleterious effects of the cis-het male gaze. Sagan-Gutherz's text vacillates between complex and lyrical monologues to astutely-observed naturalistic scenes to sequences with the potential for play with movement and physical poetry. They bring together such unique and disparate theatrical elements into a coherent aesthetic vision. I...

    What a spectacular ensemble piece! I loved its poetry, complex structure, and deftly rendered cast of characters. The use of the characters to voice male voices on AIM was also a brilliant detail that underscored the central thread here--the toxic, long-lasting, deleterious effects of the cis-het male gaze. Sagan-Gutherz's text vacillates between complex and lyrical monologues to astutely-observed naturalistic scenes to sequences with the potential for play with movement and physical poetry. They bring together such unique and disparate theatrical elements into a coherent aesthetic vision. I would so love to see this staged on its feet!

  • Nick Malakhow: Brackish

    A gentle and haunting piece that explores family, race, generational divides, the complexities of being outsiders in a hostile environment, and so much more. The intimate ensemble is full of well-developed and nuanced characters. The tension around the selling of the restaurant and the next steps in this family's existence is ever-present and escalating, but it manages to maintain itself without contrived theatrics or melodrama. Rather, little important seismic shifts between and within the characters keep things moving briskly. I'm so eager to see this on its feet one day soon!

    A gentle and haunting piece that explores family, race, generational divides, the complexities of being outsiders in a hostile environment, and so much more. The intimate ensemble is full of well-developed and nuanced characters. The tension around the selling of the restaurant and the next steps in this family's existence is ever-present and escalating, but it manages to maintain itself without contrived theatrics or melodrama. Rather, little important seismic shifts between and within the characters keep things moving briskly. I'm so eager to see this on its feet one day soon!

  • Nick Malakhow: i didn't make this

    As a queer, multi-racial artist currently based in Boston, I found oh so much to relate to and resonate with here. Even beyond that very specific experience, anyone who reads this will gain important insights into the intersection of identity and art. To be specific--the complexities of feeling like you are commodifying and coopting your own identity to market yourself as an artist to a market that, ultimately, doesn't value what you truly have to give. The conversations in this play are necessary. The satire was funny and gentle. The inclusion of dance is an exciting opportunity.

    As a queer, multi-racial artist currently based in Boston, I found oh so much to relate to and resonate with here. Even beyond that very specific experience, anyone who reads this will gain important insights into the intersection of identity and art. To be specific--the complexities of feeling like you are commodifying and coopting your own identity to market yourself as an artist to a market that, ultimately, doesn't value what you truly have to give. The conversations in this play are necessary. The satire was funny and gentle. The inclusion of dance is an exciting opportunity.