Past Performances
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Full Performances:
“In heaven you can taste the wind and hear the imperfect love song of Delilah & Venezio.”
Multi-award-winning Playwrights for A Cause writer and celebrated member of the Planet Connections community, José Rivera, (Obie winner, “Marisol” and “References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot”), premieres a new play with a powerful message spiced with magical realism. In “Lovesong (Imperfect)” Death has been declared illegal by the U.S. government, trees grow lights instead of leaves and ghosts love the living. There, two foolhardy lovers search look for a love that lasts forever in this fantastical comedy about imperfect relationships.
“Lovesong (Imperfect)” premiered in staged-reading format at Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. “This is a very significant piece,” says playwright Jose Rivera, “I’m thrilled to see its growth and thankful to Glory [Kadigan] and Planet Connections for the support,” he concluded. “Lovesong (Imperfect)” is co-presented by The Theater at The 14th Street Y.
Performed by Francesco Andolfi, Sara Koviak* and James B. Kennedy
Anna Hogan (Assistant Director), Izzy Fields (Scenic Designer), Joe Novak (Lighting Designer), Lisa Renee Jordan (Costume Designer), George Port (Sound Designer), Lytza R. Colon (Props Designer), Dispatch Combat (Fight Choreographer), Cordelia Senie (Production Stage Manager), Addison Herndon (Assistant Stage Manager), Alison Goldman (2nd Assistant Stage Manager), Throughline Creative Marketing, Helen Yee (Violinist and Original Music), Kyle Ronyecs (Board Operator)
Reviews:
About Jose Rivera:
Jose Rivera (Playwright and Director) Is a recipient of Obie Awards for Marisol and References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot both produced by The Public Theatre, NY. Other plays include Cloud Tectonics (Playwright’s Horizons), Boleros for the Disenchanted (Yale Rep), Sueno (MCC), Sonnets for an Old Century (Barrow Group), School of the Americas (Public Theatre), Massacre(Sing to Your Children) (Rattlestick), Brain people ( ACT, San Francisco), Adoration of the Old Woman (INTAR), The House of Ramon Iglesia (EST), Another Word for Beauty (Goodman Theatre), The Maids (INTAR), The Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Menier Chocolate Factory, London), Each Day Dies with Sleep (Berkeley Rep), and The Fall of A Sparrow (Planet Connections Playwrights for a Cause). His screenplay “The Motorcycle Diaries”, was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, a BAFTA and a Writers Guild Award in 2005. “On the Road” premiered at The 2012 Cannes Film Festival. “Trade” was the first film to premiere at The United Nations. For television he co-created and produced “Eerie, Indiana” NBC and was a consultant and writer on “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” (Showtime) 2019. He will be the head writer for the Netflix series based on One Hundred Years of Solitude and is at work on a feature film “Landfill Harmonic.”
DARK PLANET: Not Your Mother’s Valentine’s Day
Planet Connections’ starts out 2020 with DARK PLANET: Not Your Mother’s Valentine’s Day,” short plays unapologetically looking at life through a clever – albeit caustic – lens. Frank, Funny, Engaging, Engrossing, and Enlightening, Performing Thursdays & Fridays, February 6 – 21, at the Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 E 14th St, NYC. This event – celebrating the diversity of the performing arts & artists of NYC – will be accompanied by a special Valentine’s Day Party hosted by Planet Connections Assistant Artistic Director, Kim Jones. Dark Planet is co-presented by The Theater at the 14th Street Y.
Three Men With Guns by Monica Bauer
Shadow Dance by Jake Brasch
Fievel Dridge, The Great Orator of Fishingstill by Erik Champney
The Second Coming by Gabrielle Fox
Wild Side by Glory Kadigan
Text Angel by Drew Larimore
A Day At The Beach by Quincy Long
Reconcile, Bitch by Desi Moreno-Penson
Play With Me by Lenny Schwartz
This event will be running in rep with Lovesong (Imperfect), a new play written and directed by Planet Connections Playwrights For A Cause writer, José Rivera.
The Floor Is Lava
Powerhouse play at a legendary theater. La MaMa presents a Planet Connections production of Alex Raid’s exploration of the world of the millennial, The Floor is Lava. A production directed by Glory Kadigan, revived and presented as part of the 57th season of LaMaMa – one of the original theaters of the Off-Off Broadway movement. Performing May 09 – May 19, 2019 at The Downstairs | 66 East 4th Street; Thursday to Saturday at 8PM; Sunday at 5PM; $25 Tickets; $20 Student/Senior Tickets. www.lamama.org or call 212-352-3101
Sean, voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in high school, is not looking so successful a decade later. Reuniting with his high-school buddies at the launch party of their friend’s hugely successful app is certainly making his situation that much tenser. Set in the mile-a-minute world consumed by social media, and all that comes with it, The Floor Is Lava explores success and jealousy as seen through the eyes of a group of millennials – the world’s new prevailing demographic. This parable of 21st century norms allows us a glimpse of the true meaning of connection. “The Floor is Lava is a masterfully written play by Alex Riad.” Outer-Stage; “Not just for coders and PR flacks.” Culture Catch
Press
Alex Riad and “Floor Is Lava:” A Parable of the Next Generation
Interview with Playwright Alex Riad & Actor John DiMino
John Gutierrez & Glory Kadigan on The Floor is Lava & La MaMa Umbria
Glory Kadigan – a power-player in the indie arts community recently joined forces with a rising star – Kailah S. King
Review Fix
Reviews
Theater Pizzazz
Onstage Blog
Pup’s Books
Bios
Alex Riad (Playwright) – Alex Riad is a New York based Playwright/Screenwriter originally from The San Francisco Bay Area. He’s the Literary Fellow at The Farm Theater and member of The Actor’s Studio Playwright Unit. Theatre Credits: THE FLOOR IS LAVA (Farm Theater, 2017 Planet Connections Festival Best Play), IF YOU EVER COME BY HERE and ” When You Go”, part of ZURICH, NY ( Essential Theatre Group), STANDBYS (2013 Thespis Festival), and WHERE SHE HANGS (Rondo Theatre). Film Credits: Scenes From The Underground (Feature Film, expected 2019). TV Credits: Co-Creator and Showrunner for the web series WHAT AM I DOING HERE? Streaming Online in 2019.
Glory Kadigan (Director) founded Planet Connections Theatre Festivity and served as The Producing Artistic Director for six seasons. She recently directed: VIVIAN’S MUSIC 1969 at 59 E 59, CLOVER by Erik Ehn at La MaMa, BANK by Lucy Thurber, MEAN GIRLS by Lyle Kessler, and BITING THE BULLET by Regina Taylor. Kadigan is also a playwright whose work has been presented in Singapore, London and New Zealand.
Performed by: John DiMino, Andrew Goebel, John Gutierez, and Kailah S. King
Izzy Fields (Scenic and Costume Design)
Kryssy Wright (Lighting Design)
Jacob Subotnick (Sound Design)
Lytza R. Colon (Props Design)
Kim Marie Jones (General Manager)
Dylan Alexander Kaplan (Assistant to the General Manager and JMAE Promo Rep)
Lucia Bellini (Assistant Director)
Richard Sommerfield (Stage Manager)
Till We Meet Again
Planet Connections Theater Festivity in partnership with The Theater at the 14th Street Y present a powerful new play written by Glory Kadigan and directed by Broadway veteran, Tonya Pinkins:
The horrors of war confront a former WWII surgeon in Glory Kadigan‘s riveting play featuring David L. Carson as Robert, a former surgeon having served in Guadalcanal during World War 2, Kadigan’s work explores the regrets of his youth and how his granddaughter helped him confront them. Broadway veteran, Tonya Pinkins, helms this premiere at the Theatre at the 14th Street Y, 344 E 14th St, New York City.
The production features Mehret Marsh,* June Ballinger,* Perri Yaniv,* David L. Carson,* Mary Monahan, and Gina Lemoine
Press and Reviews
Glory Kadigan ( Playwright) founded Planet Connections Theatre Festivity and served as The Producing Artistic Director for six seasons. Her work as a playwright has been presented in Singapore, London, and New Zealand. Her plays have received staged readings at La MaMa, The Actors Studio, TADA, and Dixon Place. She is also a director who recently directed Vivian’s Music 1969 at 59E59, Clover by Erik Ehn at La MaMa, Bank by Lucy Thurber, Mean Girls by Lyle Kessler (World Premiere), Biting The Bullet by Regina Taylor ( World Premiere). Ms. Kadigan is a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women which looks to promote the viability of women in the arts.
Tonya Pinkins directed Paul Robeson: The Opera at TRILOGY OPERA Company in 2018. BRING IT ON at Black Spectrum Theater in 2018. Tonya’s short film “WHAT CAME AFTER which she produced, directed and adapted with Christopher Oscar Pena‘s from his play by the same name at the 2016 at Eclectic Festival. Tonya Directed EXIT: An Illusion by Marita Bonner in American Bard Theater’s “Visionary Voices” She directed “Miss Roj” from THE COLORED MUSEUM for Project One Voice at The Kimble Theater.She directed A Visit Home by Jeffrey Sweet in 2013. Tonya co-directed by EASY TO LOVE by Larry Powell in the Fire This Time Festival.FOR COLORED BOYS by Jesse Alick in 48 Hours in Harlem. She has been developing Blaine Teamer’s # BoxSeats at NYTW and in National Black Theater’s Monday Night Reading series. She has directed V-Day the Vagina Monologues at The World Health Ministry Conference in Mexico. The Klucking of Hens by Carol Lockwood at New Professional Theater, Camille Darby‘s LORD’S RESISTANCE at The National Black Theater Festival in Winston Salem. DEAD PEOPLE’s THINGS by Patricia Ione Lloyd at Red Circle Rising. Tonya is a Tony, Obie Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Lortel Award winning actor, She teaches privately.. Tonya is the author of Get OVER YOURSELF : How to Drop The Drama and ClaimThe Life You Deserve (Hyperion Books), Tonya is the Producer, Director and a Co-writer of the TRUTH and RECONCILIATION OF WOMYN Plays which will be presented at The Commons in Brooklyn on February 4, 2019 and excerpted on WBAI Radio produced by EnGarde Arts, #HealMeTooFestival March 28-April 14, 2019 at IRT Theaters and at The 14th Street Y in July 2019. To make donations to this empowering social justice project by and about womyn visit https://thefield.org/sa/620277.