I am a politico freak and I have become obsessed with the upcoming election.  I follow all the campaigns, I read every article in the paper, I surf the candidate websites, I watch the debates, I follow the polls...I am relentlessly involved in the process of selecting our next president.  I don't know why.  It is not new.  I remember when I was a child I had a neighborhood newspaper called the "Orange Original".  It was written outside in my orange pup tent, thus the name, and I would scribe scathing editorials about the candidates for president.  I was 7 years old - so you can imagine what scintillating ideas I was putting forth. 

Once in awhile my two passions collide; politics meets theater.  When this happens, I am in heaven!  Lately, with the elections and the turmoil in our country, there has been a great deal of theater focusing on politics.  Let me introduce you to a few things going on in town for the politically inclined. (Please note: not all of these may be appropriate for your budding 7 year old journalists...or maybe they are)

Hillary Sighting at Theater

Last night I went to see a workshop of a new play at The Public Theater (the birth play of such great plays as A Chorus Line, Take Me Out, Topdog/Underdog, Talk Radio, I could go on and on) produced in association with a company called New Georges (Dead City, God's Ear- I [heart] the work they do).  The play was called Hillary: a modern Greek tragedy with a (somewhat) happy ending and it was about, you guessed it, Hillary Rodham Clinton.  This new play was written by Wendy Weiner (a playwright to watch) and directed by Julie Kramer (watch her too) and starring Mia Baron (Coast of Utopia) and Darren Pettie (Butley) as Hillary and Bill.  The play chronicles Hillary's life from small girl to blossoming politician to first lady and her relationship with Bill (from first kiss to first betrayl).  The play, however, is not a boring bio play - it is a hysterical romp that sets Hillary's life as a sort of epic struggle between the Greek goddesses Athena and Aphrodite.  It is difficult to describe, but it was easy to enjoy.  I loved the play.  It was funny, interesting, fascinating and (yes) moving.  I mean, it has Monica Lewinsky being turned into a cow with a tiny blue beret, who could ask for anything more?  The writing was smart and sassy and filled with clever details about the lives of, arguably, this country's most written about couple.  In the pivotal roles of Hillary and Bill - Mia Baron and Darren Pettie soared.  They were both terrific, capturing the souls and personas of their characters without moving into caricature or impersonation - at several points I forgot they were acting and thought they really were Bill and Hillary.  I just had a great time at the theater.  I know that there were some "industry types" there last night and I think that some producer would be very smart to snap this up and mount a full production.  As we head into the first caucus in Iowa and the first primary in New Hampshire, the timing couldn't be better for this play to happen now.  Hey, Mr. Producer!  Can you hear me?  Get out the check books.  Donate to your favorite candidate for Prez and then produce Hillary!  

November in December

For another dose of political theater you might want to head over to the Barrymore Theater and check out November with Nathan Lane (Butley, The Producers).  Tonight marks the first preview of the new David Mamet play about a President of the United States who is about to lose his re-election campaign.  Lane is quoted as saying, "It's like if one of the guys from Glengarry Glen Ross was elected president."  The play is being directed by Joe Mantello (Wicked) and has Laurie Metcalf (tv's Roseanne) and Dylan Baker (Mauritius) rounding out the cast. Mr. Mamet is one of America's greatest writers (IMHO) and I am looking forward to checking out this new play.  Especially since it is about an election!  The play will officially open on January 17th, 2008. 

Political Fire

In other politically themed theater news; it has been announced that Janeane Garofalo (Must Love Dogs..hey, I loved that movie), Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago) and David Strathairn (Goodnight and Good Luck) will host the return engagement of The Fire Dept theatre company's At War: American Playwrights Respond To Iraq.

The evening will be a series of short pieces written by new/emerging writers on the topic of the war.  Writers such as: Erik Jensen, Bathsheba Doran, Cory Hinkle, Rajiv Joseph, Ryan Kelly, Peter Maloney, Jose Rivera, Lynn Rosen and Jonathan Schaefer will participate in the event.  The evening will be presented by The Fire Dept. and directed by Erica Gould at The Bleecker Street Theater and begin January 21st.  I know many of these writers (I am a fan of Ms. Doran and Mr. Hinkle in particular) and expect that this will be a powerful evening.  For more info click HERE. 

Soap Box

That is it for my political theater info.  Now go out and see some shows.  Make Plays Not War! (my new slogan).  Also, and I don't mean to get up on a soap box, but...make sure you become informed about our upcoming elections, find out about the candidates,  make some decisions and then get out there and VOTE.  It is one of the most important things we can do in this country.  The next election will be incredibly important.  I don't care who you vote for (ok, that is a lie, but I won't talk about that) but I do care that you trudge to your local precinct and pull the lever (I know, they don't use levers anymore, but you know what I mean).  Just vote!  Ok, I am stepping down off the soap box.  I am down.  Wow, it was high up there.  I am dizzy.  We will now return to the regularly scheduled theater gossip and B'way news...

~ See You On The Aisle