Theater Online - New York Theater Reviews

Friends Always Creating Theatre is a very positive and optimistic name for a new emerging theater company. When hearing that title, we envision a community of artists who are together with the overall goal of creating top work. We envision artists who are focused on the creative process and not on the progress. And we envision artists who work together to eventually change the world.

A Six Pack + One, performed this past weekend at the Joria Mainstage on West 36^th Street, was the first production of F.A.C.T. The production consisted of seven new 10-minute plays. Each of these seven plays was performed with very minimal scenery and did not have any connection to each other. They were fully staged, but unfortunately they were not 100% fully committed.

It may be unfair to criticize much of what was done in this production because each of these plays was brand new and only had ten minutes to establish a story that could affect people. Perhaps if any of the plays were expanded into a full-length play, it would be different. It was easy to predict many of the endings and plot twists that emerged. However, the production solidified the idea that art is a process and every play has to go through many little workshops such as this to get to a final product that is as near perfection as possible. The production was not Broadway-level, but it wasn’t claiming to be. It was a reminder how art is always changing and it is crucial to get as many opinions as possible because everyone has their own take on something. As an artist, you may be working on something you think is profound and poignant and no one reacts how you want them to. Or you could be working on something you think is superficial and your audience is completely touched by it. You never know.

Some of the plays definitely have a lot of potential, though. The highlight of the evening was the play Joy by Audra Lord. While it was a silly plot, actors Toni L. Stanton and Jack Dyville committed to the sillyness, which was a story about the Tooth Fairy meeting a woman at a gay bar. It was an absolutely absurd situation, but it came from a very truthful place by the two actors, so it was touching, even though it was unrealistic. The other highlights were Betty Hudson and Kelly Kay Griffith in the play In One Door! Out the Other! They both played multiple roles and made really strong character choices that distinguished the different roles. Thumbtacks and Pushpins by Gregg Pasternack told the awkward story that everyone faces when stuck talking to someone they don’t particularly want to talk to on a bus or train. Actors Simone Zvi and Marcus Conerly found the vulnerability in the characters.

The quality of the writing of Friends Always Creating Theatre definitely needs work, but it was definitely really strong for a first production. There was certainly a community of actors and friends supporting this company and that is crucial to the creation of new and exciting art.