Recommended by Ricardo Soltero-Brown

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: Homecoming

    Cowley always feels like Shepard to me; characters with lives almost too full for their own good, heavied by hard-earned philosophical wisdoms, carrying smarts you'll never know about, passionate apathies, and apathetic passions. All they give a damn about is living their life with a decent modicum of respect. It's rather, truly altogether, honorable, but also separate and correctly independent from the man-made institutions and societal strongholds that have been developed over time. Which is both funny and tragic, because her characters are always forced to reckon with, and function in...

    Cowley always feels like Shepard to me; characters with lives almost too full for their own good, heavied by hard-earned philosophical wisdoms, carrying smarts you'll never know about, passionate apathies, and apathetic passions. All they give a damn about is living their life with a decent modicum of respect. It's rather, truly altogether, honorable, but also separate and correctly independent from the man-made institutions and societal strongholds that have been developed over time. Which is both funny and tragic, because her characters are always forced to reckon with, and function in, these human constructs of what is and isn't acceptable.

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: Counting in Sha'ab

    Emma Goldman-Sherman is a living, breathing bulldozer among dramatists, focused, hard-nosed, hard-edged, she continues proving the effectiveness of Pinter's philosophy on politically-charged fever writing. This is heart-shattering work. Sometimes you have to punch structure in the face and see what it bleeds. This is a breathless something, gasping, tight-chested. Goldman-Sherman gives it air, taste, sound, touch, sight, more. Caryl Churchill might tip her hat. As for me, I shed a tear, learned a lesson, and maybe might take a page. What was the lesson? First, always ask, "What to notice in...

    Emma Goldman-Sherman is a living, breathing bulldozer among dramatists, focused, hard-nosed, hard-edged, she continues proving the effectiveness of Pinter's philosophy on politically-charged fever writing. This is heart-shattering work. Sometimes you have to punch structure in the face and see what it bleeds. This is a breathless something, gasping, tight-chested. Goldman-Sherman gives it air, taste, sound, touch, sight, more. Caryl Churchill might tip her hat. As for me, I shed a tear, learned a lesson, and maybe might take a page. What was the lesson? First, always ask, "What to notice in chaos, anarchy?" Second, always answer, "People."

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: M-I-S-S

    You only have so much time to profess your love for someone. Make it count. Barrett has a tough, brutal, pointed, and poignant play here about the struggles so many of us will never know. These characters deserve more than a glance. It's all they, or anyone, longs for. That's the beauty, purpose, and significance of this piece.

    You only have so much time to profess your love for someone. Make it count. Barrett has a tough, brutal, pointed, and poignant play here about the struggles so many of us will never know. These characters deserve more than a glance. It's all they, or anyone, longs for. That's the beauty, purpose, and significance of this piece.

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: Spin The Bottle

    Children forget that they will grow old, as they get older they tend to believe every action will be the last of their childhood; the proof is adults still do childish things. This is no doubt one of my favorite plays by Matthew Weaver, not just for its novelty and cleverness, which it owns, in spades, but also because none of its characters is ready to acknowledge the end; each of them has deeply rooted affairs which, if only to them, are far unfinished. However, they carry that weight of long, unfolding efforts. Impressively, dramatically, correctly, they all own up.

    Children forget that they will grow old, as they get older they tend to believe every action will be the last of their childhood; the proof is adults still do childish things. This is no doubt one of my favorite plays by Matthew Weaver, not just for its novelty and cleverness, which it owns, in spades, but also because none of its characters is ready to acknowledge the end; each of them has deeply rooted affairs which, if only to them, are far unfinished. However, they carry that weight of long, unfolding efforts. Impressively, dramatically, correctly, they all own up.

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: QUINN: A MONOLOGUE FOR A GENDERQUEER ACTOR

    Asher Wyndham is quite likely the boldest and bravest writer I know, committed to a complex, complicated, not quite yet antiquated form, he over and over again proves its relevance and effect. People remember Aristotle's 'Poetics' but they forget his 'Rhetoric', and that is the importance of Wyndham. 'Quinn' should have actors fighting the impulse to cry, this character is stronger than weeping, but not above it, just like the best of humanity. Aristotle, and Sophocles, really, might be proud of this tragic figure doing all that can be done in the face of an authority for a family member.

    Asher Wyndham is quite likely the boldest and bravest writer I know, committed to a complex, complicated, not quite yet antiquated form, he over and over again proves its relevance and effect. People remember Aristotle's 'Poetics' but they forget his 'Rhetoric', and that is the importance of Wyndham. 'Quinn' should have actors fighting the impulse to cry, this character is stronger than weeping, but not above it, just like the best of humanity. Aristotle, and Sophocles, really, might be proud of this tragic figure doing all that can be done in the face of an authority for a family member.

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: An Acorn

    Caridad Svich again proves herself as one of American theatre's premier artists; her versatility is astounding, and her talent to serve as a conduit for the most common of voices in this country is maybe more clearly on display here than ever in 'An Acorn', one of her rawest pieces. It also has some of her best lines. Her scripts are poetry, they are literature separate from their productions which writers need to take a look at for their economy and visceral sensitivities, their implications, their guidance for actors and directors alike. This is the beauty I've needed all year.

    Caridad Svich again proves herself as one of American theatre's premier artists; her versatility is astounding, and her talent to serve as a conduit for the most common of voices in this country is maybe more clearly on display here than ever in 'An Acorn', one of her rawest pieces. It also has some of her best lines. Her scripts are poetry, they are literature separate from their productions which writers need to take a look at for their economy and visceral sensitivities, their implications, their guidance for actors and directors alike. This is the beauty I've needed all year.

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: Velociraptors in the Garden

    With all the mischief and menace of Albee, this play finds Weaver pitting the high-class mentality against a number of morally - and ultimately physically - challenging efforts and obstacles towards its almost-feeling players, and quite briskly at that. This oddly charming bit of a fever dream could practically top off or easily round out any one-act festival unafraid of both highbrow and lowbrow humor; the dark laughs are the best parts.

    With all the mischief and menace of Albee, this play finds Weaver pitting the high-class mentality against a number of morally - and ultimately physically - challenging efforts and obstacles towards its almost-feeling players, and quite briskly at that. This oddly charming bit of a fever dream could practically top off or easily round out any one-act festival unafraid of both highbrow and lowbrow humor; the dark laughs are the best parts.

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: WACKY JACKIE AND AUNT EVANGELINE: A ONE-ACT PLAY

    Wyndham captures two versions of one thing here through two characters, one a common sight within a Wal-Mart, the other more upsettingly seen in a city park. This one-act pits two diametrically opposed understandings and search-missions for the concept of home, and although at times comical, it never feels patronizing towards its subjects. These characters are angry and on edge, but impressively not cartoons or caricatures. There's an underlying desperation, a sense of being lost, hence a searching or destination-seeking on both their parts.

    Wyndham captures two versions of one thing here through two characters, one a common sight within a Wal-Mart, the other more upsettingly seen in a city park. This one-act pits two diametrically opposed understandings and search-missions for the concept of home, and although at times comical, it never feels patronizing towards its subjects. These characters are angry and on edge, but impressively not cartoons or caricatures. There's an underlying desperation, a sense of being lost, hence a searching or destination-seeking on both their parts.

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: MOSTLY CLOUDY

    Plain, pure, simple fun, which is always recommended. A brief and philosophical curiosity into modern dating, millennial discourse, and - the always tricky - gender relations; it's ultimately cerebral, but in no way untoward. Sit back, relax, and laugh a little, then see what this cloud morphs into. You might be surprised.

    Plain, pure, simple fun, which is always recommended. A brief and philosophical curiosity into modern dating, millennial discourse, and - the always tricky - gender relations; it's ultimately cerebral, but in no way untoward. Sit back, relax, and laugh a little, then see what this cloud morphs into. You might be surprised.

  • Ricardo Soltero-Brown: Open

    Dunn has a fine play here about communication; is it any easier with someone you love, does it get easier over time? It's rather effective, the moment this youthful marriage considers what it is and isn't about. The husband and wife seem genuinely vulnerable as they reflect upon and consider a proposition, as well as its implications. It's a delicate bit of soul-searching that should play out rather poignantly.

    Dunn has a fine play here about communication; is it any easier with someone you love, does it get easier over time? It's rather effective, the moment this youthful marriage considers what it is and isn't about. The husband and wife seem genuinely vulnerable as they reflect upon and consider a proposition, as well as its implications. It's a delicate bit of soul-searching that should play out rather poignantly.