The resident acting company of the Flea Theatre is the BATS. I am crazy for them all.
The 355 page script, authored by 48 writers, for The Mysteries reminded me a little of US History in high school. We spent eternity on the white folks arriving and bringing the one true God – democracy was a bonus prize – to the heathens. Then another eternity on the Revolutionary War. A chunk of change was devoted to the Industrial era and all THOSE white men who made big progress while shitting on other folks. Then on to the Civil War, for another stretch of time because who can get enough Lincoln. At which point it was spring. The few weeks remaining before school let out was a mad dash through the next hundred or so years. The war, the depression and the wars again.
Mysteries does this in reverse. These are all Biblical stories, that take us from a tad before “In The Beginning,” to “Jesus is risen – now what?” The first act covers Genesis and hurtles straight through to Mary and Joseph’s flight into Egypt without stopping to breathe. About a bazillion years. The second act covers Jesus’ life from the time he was found arguing in the temple as a boy to his arrest – roughly 20 years. The third act covers the crucifixion to Paul’s assumption of the direction of Christianity – a few years – and then morphs into Jesus meeting God and the need to bestow blessings on us all.
The plays vary in strength, but for the most part give us these icons as people. So relentless is this assault that over time that sinks in. Iskander is an extraordinary director who can move from a choreographed mob scene to a heart breaking moment of intimacy with ease and grace. He has created a place where each actor blossoms in each role – from the most ambitious, that of Jesus (Colin Waitt) to the rarely scene but always felt Lucifer (Asia Kate Dillon) to the Angel Chorus. Each actor understands how the pieces fit together. The execution is nothing short of astonishing.
The writing in the first two acts is crisp, to the point and out of the box. In Falling For You Lucifer and Gabriel (Alice Allemano) bicker over God’s favor, Lucifer arguing for the advantage of thought and Gabriel arguing for total submission. Guess who wins? Lucifer’s last words to God? I’m falling for you. We are put on notice that attention must be paid. Noah’s wife is stir crazy. And let’s not forget the collateral damage from that flood. Pharos’s daughter takes Moses home as an act of rebellion. Mary must convince a contemporary doctor that she is a virgin, when all she really wants to do is graduate from high school. The three shepherds are teenagers getting stoned and thinking large thoughts about the universe until one of them tells her brother she can’t be alone with their mother’s boyfriend. Soldiers sent to kill babies balk. Lucifer, who pines for Jesus herself, prophesizes that nothing Christ says will be recorded verbatim in his own tongue.
There is mysticism coupled with eroticism. Mary Magdalene is in everyone’s face and takes no prisoners. She is the rock that Jesus leaves behind. The Apostles fight the decision to go to Jerusalem after Lazarus is raised from the dead because they know it means somebody is going to be killed. His entrance to the city is posted on social media. Jesus asks Judas to betray him. The Last Supper actually has funny moments (thanks to Alex J. Gould). At Gethsemane Jesus puts in a call to God and is told that God is busy. Herod (a spectacular Alesandra Nahodil) is all whips, stilettos and leather. Mrs. Pilate is a born PR person and is definitely the boss of Mr. Pilate. Remorse does not save Judas.
Then in Act 3 everything slowly runs out of gas. The actors are still splendid and the direction spot on. It is the writing that suffers from being preachy and precious. It is one thing to cast a new light on Genesis and Jesus life before the crucifixion, but these writers take on a different tone when it comes to the resurrected Jesus. No one wants to lay a hand on that one. The narrative becomes confusing. Mary (Allison Buck) doesn’t want to die, and it takes more than one scene to get her to ascend into Heaven only to stay long enough for a quick hello to her son. The show seems about to end several times. However there are nuggets even here. There is a terrific scene when doubting Thomas (A. J. Ditty) doubts no more. As well there is some attention given to the fate of the Apostles (not good) and to the usurping of Christianity by Paul – the latter day saint of questionable intentions. But on the whole the third act is syrupy and over written. The piece closed with a sermon of the senses by Jesus (Colin Waitt is terrific throughout) who tells us he has no idea what will happen, but there are some pretty terrific things in this world, and God, after all, is good.
In spite of the deflated third act this is a terrific experience. Remember you get fed TWICE, and the actors eventually wear down your resistance to interacting with strangers by being congenial and talented. It is an extraordinary creation.
Drinks all around.
THE FLEA THEATER The Mysteries – by
Act I – The Fall
Dael Orlandersmith……..Song of the Trimorph (Lucifer’s Lament)
Liz Duffy Adams…………………………………………….Falling for You
Jason Williamson……………………The Eighth Day (Creation Hymn)
Johnna Adams……………………………………………………God’s Rules
Madeleine George………………………..A Worm Walks into a Garden,
or The Fall of Man
Jorge Ignacio Cortinas……………………………………Right of Return
David Henry Hwang…………………………………………..Cain and Abel
Trista Baldwin………………………………………………………….Build It
Mallery Avidon………………………………………………………The Flood
Nick Jones……………………………………………Fruitful and Begettin’
Matthew Stephen Smith………………………………..Bright New Devil
Ann Marie Healy……………………………………………The Moses Story
CollaborationTown…………………………………………..The Prophecy
Jordan Harrison…………………………………………The Annunciation
Kate Gersten……………………………..Joseph’s Troubles About Mary
Kimber Lee……………………………………………………The Shepherds
Kate Moira Ryan……………………………………………….King of Kings
Chris Dimond……………………………The Slaughter of the Innocents
Kenneth Lin…………………………………………..The Flight into Egypt
Act Ii – The Sacrifice
Erin Courtney…………………………………………Christ with the PhDs
CollaborationTown………………………………….Jesus Grows Up Fast
Craig Lucas………………………………….New Periods of Pain Part I
A. Rey Pamatmat………………………………..Something in the Water
Billy Porter/Kirsten Greenidge……………………….Transfiguration
Max Posner……………………………….The Woman Taken in Adultery
Amy Freed………………………………………….The Raising of Lazarus
Gabriel Jason Dean…………………………….Jesus Enters Jerusalem
CollaborationTown……………………………………Turning the Tables
Yussef El Guindi…………………………………………..The Conspiracy
Jeff Whitty………………………………………………….The Last Supper
José Rivera……………………………..The Garden of Tears and Kisses
Bess Wohl……………………………………………….The Denial of Peter
Qui Nguyen…………………………………………….Christ Before Herod
Marc Acito………………………………………………………….Judgment?
Sevan K. Greene………………………………………………..The Remorse
Jenny Schwartz……………………………………….The Road to Calvary
Act III – The KINGDOM
Craig Lucas………………………………….New Periods of Pain Part II
Don Nguyen……………………………………………The Death of Christ
Lucas Hnath…………………………………………The Harrowing of Hell
Bill Cain…………………………………………………………..Resurrection
Lloyd Suh…………………………………………………….The Next Supper
Ellen McLaughlin………………………………………….The Appearance
Jordan Seavey……………………………………………Thomas Doubting
(or, Doubting Thomas Doubts His Doubt)
Billy Porter/Kirsten Greenidge……………………………….Ascension
Meghan Kennedy………The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene
Sean Graney…………………………………………………………Pentecost
Eisa Davis……………………………….Walking Away from the Mirror
and Forgetting What You Looked Like
Lillian Groag……………………………………………..The Death of Mary
Najla Said………………………………………..The Assumption of Mary
Laura Marks…………………………………………………The Coronation
Michael Mitnick……………………………………….The Last Judgment
José Rivera………………………………………….Sermon of The Senses
Angel Chorus
Julia Anrather, Matthew Bovee, Jessica Cannizzaro, Anna Dart,
Jacklyn Rae DellaTorri, Julie Ann Earls, Anya Gibian,
Lauren Hayes, Adelind Horan, Sarah Keyes, Jessie MacBeth,
Andy Miller, Emily Nash, Rebeca Rad, Ned Riseley, Brittane
Rowe, Xan Russell, Sarah M. White
Justin Ahdoot………………………………………………….Kenny, Mathias
Alice Allemano…………………………………………………………..Gabriel
Janice Amaya…………………………………Yocheved, Mary Magdalene
Jaspal Binning…………………………………………………..Adam, Thief 1
Megan Branch………………………………Samantha, Marxist, Servant
Dominique Brillon…Myriam, Hannah, Chiding Angel, Midwife Angel
Allison Buck………………………………………………………………….Mary
Matthew Cox…………………………………………………..Abraham, John
Ricardo Davila…………………………………………………….Jude, C.N.A.
Asia Kate Dillon…………………………………………………………..Lucifer
A.J. Ditty…………………………………………………………Doctor, Thomas
Sam Garber…………………………………………Yenta, James the Great
Tyler Gardella………………………………………………………..Beelzebub
Alex J. Gould………………………………….First Person, Isaac, Matthew
Alex Haynes…………………………………………………….Justin, Andrew
Kyle Hines………………………………………..Herod Underling, Lazarus
Lindsley Howard………………………….Anna, Collie, Semiotician, Girl
Jon Huggins……………………………………………………Caiaphas, Paul
Matthew Jeffers………………………………………………………………God
Rory Kulz…………………….Ishmael, Nathan, Bartholomew, Prophet
Leemore Malka………………..Handmaiden, Becky, Farrin, Historian
Zac Moon………………………………………………………………..Al, Philip
Alesandra Nahodil)…………………………………Eve, Theologian, Herod
Karsten Otto……………………………………………………………….Joseph
Tara Pacheco……………Noah’s Wife, Debbie, Manjula, Pilate’s Wife
Eleanor Philips………………………………………..Sarah, Martha, Andy
Peter Sansbury……………………………………………………Noah, Judas
Alex Seife……………………………………Cain, John the Baptist, Pilate
Eliza Simpson………………………………….Vanessa, Mary of Bethany
Matt Stango………………………….Guard, Mick, Annas, A Bad Person
Stephen Stout……………………………………………………………….Peter
Kate Thulin……………………………………………..Hagar, Rachel, Bobby
Elijah Trichon……………………………Abel, Demon/Roman, Soldier 2,
Simon the Zealot, Another
Paul Thomas Truitt…………………………………………..James the Less
Colin Waitt…………………………………………………………………..Jesus
Ed Sylvanus Iskandar concept and direction, Jill Rafson dramaturgy. David Dabbon music direction and arrangements, David Dabbon original music Chase Brock choreography, CollaborationTown additional creative support, Michael Wieser fight direction, Amy Jo Jackson voice and text direction, Jason Sherwood scenic design Seth Reiser lighting design, Loren Shaw costume and hair design Jeremy S. Bloom sound design, Marissa Bergman props.
AT THE FLEA THEATER – Jim Simpson artistic director Carol Ostrow producing director, Performances run April 3 – May 25 (41 White Street between Church and Broadway in Tribeca). www.theflea.org