2009-2010

ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD
By Tom Stoppard
Directed by Cat Parker
October 15 – November 22, 2009

“…a robust and exhilarating revival, under the expert direction of Cat Parker. The production is loaded with energy and keeps the humor quotient high, whether based in low comedy or high. Eric Percival and Julian Elfer make a fine team as the title characters…[and]…Erik Jonsun makes a thrilling New York stage debut as the Player. The supporting ensemble of 14, portraying the troupe of itinerant actors and some of the pivotal characters from Hamlet, is uniformly strong.”
Martin Denton, nytheatre.com

“Eric Percival and Julian Elfer have made a fine hand out of the cards they’ve been dealt, leaping into the text with nimble legs and tongues. …As Rosencrantz, Percival manages to make each moment fresh. Elfer, on the other hand, doesn’t even make “moments”–he’s immersed so fully in the role that his exasperation is pure, seamless entertainment.”
Aaron Riccio, thatsoundscool

“The current production of R&G at the T. Shreiber Studio does full justice to the work, from Cat Parker’s clear direction and clever use of the small theatre space to the top-notch cast led by Eric Percival as Rosencrantz and Julian Elfer as Guildenstern. Of particular note is the performance of the Player by Erik Jonsun, who brings a level of ruefulness, melancholy, and emotion that inflates a potentially one-dimensional character to full humanity. The T. Schreiber Studio was not previously on my radar, but from the quality of this production, I definitely plan to go back.”
Wendy Caster, ShowShowDown

“Both Mr. Percival and Mr. Elfer excel at the remarkable and remarkably derivative Beckettian dialogue. Mr. Percival is the comedy mask of the pair. Blissfully unaware and choosing to remain that way, Rosencrantz is the voice of the audience. Julian Elfer brings more than enough intensity to Guildenstern. He is a “mass of prejudice” even in the eyes of his friend. The charismatic Erik Jonsun maneuvers his troupe of Tragedians, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, and the audience, seated in the round like members of the Danish court, into realization: “Don’t you see?! We’re actors – we’re the opposite of people!” “
Kate Shea Kennon, Stage Mage


THE CHERRY ORCHARD
By Anton Chekhov
Adapted by Carol Rocamora
Directed by Terry Schreiber
February 25 – April 4, 2010

“Young (and not so young) actors biting hard into the most actor-y of texts under the direction of a teacher who believes deeply in the craft…it was impossible for me not to enjoy moments of Terry Schreiber’s fast-paced and energetic production of The Cherry Orchard.”
David Winitsky

“Schreiber brilliantly navigates the balance between comedy and tragedy that makes this play, like all of Chekhov’s best work, so human and so humane.”
NYtheatre.com

“[Julie Garfield] seemed to channel Vivian Leigh’s breathtaking performance as the eerily similar Blanche DuBois; at other times, she was her own unstoppable, unmoveable force – a raging tornado of talent and theatrical grace.”
Review Fix

“Whether you’ve seen zero Chekhov plays or all of the main ones a dozen times each, there is much to glean and discover in this incisive revival.”
Martin Denton

“A Classically Superb Spectacle…beautiful and truly worth seeing.”
Olga Privman

“At the end of the day, what I found myself watching was a group of young actors diving headlong into the emotions of the text, proudly throwing themselves up against the walls of Chekhov’s emotional architecture.”
theasy.com


JOKING APART
By Alan Ayckbourn
Directed by Peter Jensen
May 20 – June 27, 2010

“BOTTOM LINE: An intelligent British comedy about friends you love to hate, and hate to love; it succeeds on all fronts.”
Markus Paminger

“Chalk up another success for the T. Schreiber Studio. Its latest production, Joking Apart, does full justice to Alan Ayckbourn’s hysterically sad, sadly hysterical story of the golden, lucky Richard and Anthea and their not-so-golden, not-so-lucky, frankly envious friends.”Show Showdown

“…the play is a riot, and director Peter Jensen and actors Alison Blair, Michael J. Connolly, Anisa Dema, James Liebman, Sebastian Montoya, Michael Murray, Stephanie Seward, and Aleksandra Stattin manage both the heartbreak and the humor with assurance.”Wendy Caster

“The play succeeds on all fronts. The acting is genuinely hilarious and subtle with wonderful performances from all cast members…This one is very highly recommended to anyone interested in an intelligent retro comedy.”  –Theatre Is Easy

“The Schreiber Studio production is exemplary, as we’ve come to expect from this fine company. Director Peter Jensen keeps the pace moving briskly and smartly and never over-emphasizes or overdoes anything; he lets the play’s dimensionality blossom within its oh-so-ordinary trappings.”Martin Denton

“With an expertly acted and efficiently staged production, Alan Ayckbourn’s extraordinarily smart and cunningly perceptive comedy, Joking Apart, provides a blissful two hours and change at the theatre.”Andrew Cohen

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