Jody Christopherson
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| Photo by Ben Arons Photography; Full company photographed |
Who’s parents did call on the help of America’s favorite daytime television programs to help raise us kids to fully functioning adults? Those friendly faces on Mr. Rogers or Sesame Street perhaps acting as co-parents or a favorite babysitter at certain times? They certainly did in my household.
Coming out of a critically acclaimed run of Miles for Mary at Playwright’s Horizon early last year, The Mad Ones now brings us their newest devised development – Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie, a razor-sharp societal examination through the lens of a focus group for a beloved children’s television show, “Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie.”
Set in the late 1970s, six parents sit around a table amidst name tags and Styrofoam cups of cheap coffee. The community center room (designed by You-Shin Chen and Laura Jellinek) perfectly presents the borderline dreary mundaneness of such recreational public spaces as the focus group leader, Dale (Brad Heberlee), begins rattling off questions in pursuit of data to help the producers of “Mrs. Murray’s…” to choose between two spinoff series: “Candace’s Cabinet” or “Teddy’s Treehouse.”
Jim (Marc Bovino), Dale’s silent assistant, scrambles to scribble the participating parent’s responses on a blackboard in the background, all while mysteriously wearing a sling. The parents rattle off impressions and opinions of the show, both through their own eyes and through their children’s. The parents (played by Phillip James Brannon, Joe Curnutte, Michael Dalto, Carmen M. Herlihy, January LaVoy and Stephanie Wright Thompson) seem to be well representative of young American family structures and quickly establish a friendly rapport as they banter back and forth about their home lives and children.
As the discussion progresses from Mrs. Murray’s impact to the debate between the two spin-offs, differences begin to feel somewhat personal, alliances form, and the foundation of this micro-community begins to waver as underlying racial and gender profiling and biases begin to surface. Behaviors arise that we would easily identify today as mansplaining, fragile and toxic masculinity, and “color blindness” fostering inequality. White male perception of ownership over a public/social space is piercingly on display when Roger (Joe Curnutte) becomes sensitive around his daughter’s favorite character, Candace (a bunny perceived by the group as white), is thought to be “whiney.” Relying on condescension and the creation of discomfort as he demeaningly snaps at a playfully teasing Goria (Stephanie Wright Thompson). When he proceeds to grab the leg of Cici (January LaVoy), who refuses to cower to his inherited perception of dominance, it’s hard not to quietly snicker, in spite of the palpable tension, at his entitled sense of social power being threatened by a group of televised puppets.
It is a play of imperfect, socially conditioned beings raising imperfect, socially conditioned beings. The fact that no grand theatrical climax is arrived upon makes this piece an even more valuably intoxicating examination of cultural structures that have brought us to the reality we live in today. Instead of working to an ultimate climax in dramatic action as in a traditionally masculine structure, it ebbs and flows from moment to moment. Lila Neugebauer directs with such piercing precision creating a world where the things that go unsaid are where the ultimate truths lie. It is this astounding attention to detail devised by a brilliant group of artists that creates such a thrilling ride.
Ars Nova Presents
MRS. MURRAY’S MENAGERIE
created by The Mad Ones and Phillip James Brannon, Brad Heberlee, Carmen M. Herlihy, and January LaVoy
directed by Lila Neugebauger
Cast
Jim – Marc Bocino
Jim – Marc Bocino
Ernest – Phillip James Brannon
Roger – Joe Curnutte
Wayne – Michael Balto
Dale – Brad Heberlee
June – Carmen M. Herlihy
Celeste “Cici” – January LaVoy
Gloria – Stephanie Wright Thompson
Scenic Design – You-Shin Chen & Laura Jellinek
Costume Design – Ásta Bennie Hostetter
Lighting Design – Mike Inwood
Sound Design – Stowe Nelson
Prop Design – Emmie Finckel & Noah Mease
Wig & Makeup Design – Algreda “Fre” Howard/Faces By Fre, LLC
Composer – Justin Ellington
Lyricist – Michael Dalto
Core Artistic Collaborator – Raja Feather Kelly
Dramaturg – Sarah Lunnie
Casting Consultant – Lauren Port
Production Stage Manager – John C. Moore
Assistant Stage Manager – Bryan Bauer
Through May 11, 2019
Monday-Wednesdays @ 7pm; Thursday & Fridays @ 8pm; Saturdays @ 3pm & 8pm; *April 23 & 24 @ 8pm
Ars Nova at Greenwich House (27 Barrow St)
Tickets: $35 and up
arsnovanyc.com; 212-352-3101
 perfectly presents the borderline dreary mundaneness of such recreational public spaces as the focus group leader, Dale (Brad Heberlee), begins rattling off questions in pursuit of data to help the producers of “Mrs. Murray’s...” to choose between two spinoff series: “Candace’s Cabinet” or “Teddy’s Treehouse.” Jim (Marc Bovino), Dale’s silent assistant, scrambles to scribble the participating parent’s responses on a blackboard in the background, all while mysteriously wearing a sling. The parents rattle off impressions and opinions of the show, both through their own eyes and through their children’s. The parents (played by Phillip James Brannon, Joe Curnutte, Michael Dalto, Carmen M. Herlihy, January LaVoy and Stephanie Wright Thompson) seem to be well representative of young American family structures and quickly establish a friendly rapport as they banter back and forth about their home lives and children. As the discussion progresses from Mrs. Murray’s impact to the debate between the two spin-offs, differences begin to feel somewhat personal, alliances form, and the foundation of this micro-community begins to waver as underlying racial and gender profiling and biases begin to surface. Behaviors arise that we would easily identify today as mansplaining, fragile and toxic masculinity, and “color blindness” fostering inequality. White male perception of ownership over a public/social space is piercingly on display when Roger (Joe Curnutte) becomes sensitive around his daughter’s favorite character, Candace (a bunny perceived by the group as white), is thought to be “whiney.” Relying on condescension and the creation of discomfort as he demeaningly snaps at a playfully teasing Goria (Stephanie Wright Thompson). When he proceeds to grab the leg of Cici (January LaVoy), who refuses to cower to his inherited perception of dominance, it’s hard not to quietly snicker, in spite of the palpable tension, at his entitled sense of social power being threatened by a group of televised puppets. It is a play of imperfect, socially conditioned beings raising imperfect, socially conditioned beings. The fact that no grand theatrical climax is arrived upon makes this piece an even more valuably intoxicating examination of cultural structures that have brought us to the reality we live in today. Instead of working to an ultimate climax in dramatic action as in a traditionally masculine structure, it ebbs and flows from moment to moment. Lila Neugebauer directs with such piercing precision creating a world where the things that go unsaid are where the ultimate truths lie. It is this astounding attention to detail devised by a brilliant group of artists that creates such a thrilling ride. Ars Nova Presents MRS. MURRAY’S MENAGERIE created by The Mad Ones and Phillip James Brannon, Brad Heberlee, Carmen M. Herlihy, and January LaVoy directed by Lila Neugebauger CastJim - Marc Bocino Ernest - Phillip James Brannon Roger - Joe Curnutte Wayne - Michael Balto Dale - Brad Heberlee June - Carmen M. Herlihy Celeste “Cici” - January LaVoy Gloria - Stephanie Wright Thompson Scenic Design - You-Shin Chen & Laura Jellinek Costume Design - Ásta Bennie Hostetter Lighting Design - Mike Inwood Sound Design - Stowe Nelson Prop Design - Emmie Finckel & Noah Mease Wig & Makeup Design - Algreda “Fre” Howard/Faces By Fre, LLC Composer - Justin Ellington Lyricist - Michael Dalto Core Artistic Collaborator - Raja Feather Kelly Dramaturg - Sarah Lunnie Casting Consultant - Lauren Port Production Stage Manager - John C. Moore Assistant Stage Manager - Bryan Bauer Through May 11, 2019 Monday-Wednesdays @ 7pm; Thursday & Fridays @ 8pm; Saturdays @ 3pm & 8pm; *April 23 & 24 @ 8pm Ars Nova at Greenwich House (27 Barrow St) Tickets: $35 and up arsnovanyc.com; 212-352-3101){kind=link}