Press are not invited to readings or workshops or other developmental productions. Roundabout does a few readings each year of potential contendors for future productions. They are meant primarily for its subscribers. As it happens, I got an email a few months ago from some theater group I was associated with offering free tix to their reading of the Kaufman-Ferber play STAGEDOOR. And last week I got a similar email offering tix to Monday night's reading of David Rabe's Vietnam play STREAMERS.
Directed by Scott Ellis, the reading cast included Daniel Eric Gold (Richie), Nick Westrate (Martin), Ato Essandoh (Carlyle), Benjamin Walker (Billy), JD Williams (Roger), Roert Clohessy (Sgt. Rooney), Michael O'Keefe (Sgt. Cokes), Matte Osian (M.P. Lieutenant), and J.T. Arbogast (Clark).
I read the play two years ago in an NYU American Drama class. Like HURLEYBURLY, its essentially devoid of plot, more of a dialogue-infused character study. This could make for a pretty good revival, but maybe its too gritty for the Roundabout audience. The talkback session afterward had most of the subscribers pondering the play's view of gays in the military back then as well as today.
After the reading, I took the subway down to Astor and saw Old Spring Pike, John Gallagher Jr.'s (SPRING AWAKENING) band, play Joe's Pub to a sold out audience. I was pretty impressed with the four-person (3 guys, 1 girl) folk/alternative rock band, especially their careful use of four-part harmony. They mentioned that their next show will be next month at the Zipper Theatre, and that they do have a CD in the works.
From what I hear, as of next week, John Gallagher Jr. will be the only person in SPRING AWAKENING who has yet to miss a performance, since Jonathan Groff will miss like one performance. How does he maintain his voice with all that emo rock high pitch screaming?