Thinking Theater NYC

Lilith in Pisces Written by Kayla Eisenberg Directed by Stephanie Cox-Connolly Presented by  Drops in the Vase at The Siggy at The Flea 20 Thomas St, Manhattan, NYC March 5-22, 2025 Morgan Zipf-Meister and Nicki Kissil. Photo by Kent Meister. It is most assuredly the season of the witch in the world premiere of Lilith in Pisces , a new, outstanding play written by Kayla Eisenberg and directed by Stephanie Cox-Connolly, making its debut at The Flea. Eisenberg’s play is a deeply moving meditation on the weight of the past, the appeals of escapism, and what it means to need connection—all under the auspices of something as innocuous as an extended interaction with a babysitter in a pleasant suburban townhouse in New Jersey. Albeit under a full moon. On the surface, Diane (Morgan Zipf-Meister, understudy for Evelyn Peralta) and Erin (Nicki Kissil) have little in common beyond this would-be brief exchange at a babysitting gig in the suburbs. But as Erin settles into Diane’s warmly lit...

It CAN Happen Here!: Hallie Flanagan & the Federal Theatre Project Written by Melody Brooks, Katrin Hilbe, Tess Howsam, Daniel Jacobs, and Susan Quinn Directed by Katrin Hilbe Presented by New Perspectives Theatre Company and Culture Lab LIC at Culture Lab LIC 5-25 46th Ave, Queens, NYC March 6-30, 2025 It CAN Happen Here!: Hallie Flanagan and the Federal Theatre Project. Photo by Al Foote III. Faced with the current, billionaire-led dismantling of the federal government in the United States, it's hard–well, harder–to imagine the level of robust financial support for the theater arts at the national level that is detailed in It CAN Happen Here!: Hallie Flanagan & the Federal Theatre Project . It's much less difficult to imagine the acts of censorship and accusations of subversion, communism, and race-baiting leveled at theater artists by grandstanding politicians out to destroy that very support. At least in the political landscape of the 1930s, as we learn at one po...

The Funny Thing About a Panic Attack Written and performed by Ben Kassoy Directed by Joanna Simmons Presented at UNDER St Marks 94 St. Marks Place, Manhattan, NYC March 6-7, 2025 Ben Kassoy. Photo credit: Richard Dean. Ben Kassoy is mesmerizing in the award-winning The Funny Thing About a Panic Attack , a genre-defying hybrid of poetry, dance, and physical performance that explores the complexities of living with panic attacks. Based on Kassoy’s 2023 poetry collection of the same name, the show breathes new life into his evocative poems. These verses, composed during the early COVID lockdown period, capture the chaos and complexity of experiencing a panic attack. On stage, the poems are brought powerfully to life by Kassoy’s magnetic presence and emotional depth, inviting the audience to connect not only with his words but also with the experience of panic itself. Kassoy’s varied verse, breaking, and flawless execution of a “Dougie” make it clear that there is something here...

Photo by Mikiodo. Northern Manhattan’s UP Theater Company, which has developed new plays and produced professional theater to its community since 2010, fully producing 16 world premieres, and gaining attention with its diverse theatrical endeavors, celebrates its 15th Season with the world premiere of Bread of Life , by Frank Pagliaro, directed by Leslie Kincaid Burby.  We may know the story of St. Peter, but what about the family he left behind? Bread of Life tells the original story of a family in Bethsaida, fractured by the Messianic message of a mysterious carpenter from Nazareth, and the fallout of fanaticism. 30 AD. The midst of Roman occupation. A mysterious messiah roams ancient Galilee. His startling message leads a father away from home, leaving his wife and son to deal with a tragic upheaval.  Bread of Life  examines the costs of religious radicalism in the context of political oppression and domestic discipline. The show runs from March 26-April 12 at Fort Wa...

Sam Hood Adrain & James Clements Photo: Pablo Calderón-Santiago What Will the Neighbors Say? is thrilled to announce the programming for “Being/Scene: Through the Fourth Wall,” a day-long gathering honoring the work and teachings of Steve Wangh on Saturday, March 15th from 2pm-10pm. The event will be held at Gracemoon Arts Theatre in Bushwick, located at 13 Grattan Street (Cellar) Brooklyn 11206. All proceeds will benefit War Child, a rights-based organization working in conflict zones worldwide, that advocates with and on behalf of children to ensure their fundamental rights are upheld. The event will feature readings of three of Wangh’s plays, a panel discussion entitled "Here We Are: Producing Experimental Theatre in 2025” and a workshop presented by Steve Wangh himself. The programming will be followed by an open wine bar reception. The event will be presented worldwide through a partnership with HowlRound Theatre Commons, who will stream...

Mary Cyn. Photo by Amanda Mustard. After the runaway success of Hotsy Totsy's 2023 art therapy forum (aka a gloriously unhinged night of burlesque), Cherry Pitz, Handsome Brad, and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On have once again gathered a troupe of brave—yet deliciously disturbed—souls to process the beauty, chaos, and sheer emotional damage caused by A24 films. A24 is a powerhouse of independent film and TV, known for its fearless originality and devoted fanbase—including the Hotsy Totsy family. From  Everything Everywhere All at Once  to  The Witch ,  Marcel the Shell with Shoes On ,  Bodies Bodies Bodies ,  Lady Bird ,  The Lighthouse ,  The Green Knight , and more, their films take us on wild, unforgettable journeys. Through the power of interpretive stripping, the Hotsy Totsy family will bare their souls (and their bodies) in a last-ditch effort to keep from spiraling completely off the deep end—and they’re taking you with them. Come get weir...