11 Off Broadway Plays to See in July
In his new show, staged in an intimate basement space, the playwright and actor Carl Holder shuffles the autobiographical-solo genre by picking out prompts and questions written on a bunch of index cards and enacting them. The result is, by turns, emotional, funny, wrenching, not adverse to interpretive dancing and occasionally interactive. Decked out in an Adidas tracksuit, Holder holds the 90-minute production together thanks to a performance that feels openhearted. 'Out of Order' is underground in every sense of the word, and unexpectedly heartbreaking. (Through July 22, East Village Basement)
Hot Festival
Created in 1992 by Dixon Place's founding director, El Covan, the Hot Festival would be a miracle of longevity by any standards, but it's particularly impressive by Off Off Broadway ones — all the more since the annual event focuses on queer theater, which lands the double whammy of being perennially underfunded and under attack. The festival presents queer-focused shows at various stages of their artistic lives. Among the ones likely to be further along the creative journey are the New York Neo-Futurists' 'The Infinite Pride' (July 9), a special edition of their long-running show 'The Infinite Wrench' — an ever-evolving patchwork of 30 very short plays performed in about an hour. Another promising entry is David Dean Bottrell's 'Teenage Wasteland: Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen' (July 16), in which the actor recounts his coming of age in the Bible Belt of the 1970s (Through July 25, Dixon Place)
'Berlindia!'
A production whose credits includes an entry for 'choreography and techno' may well pique the interest of adventurous theatergoers. Here said choreography and techno (by Mia Pak and Nicholas Webster) are deployed in a new play with an absurdist tinge by Daniel Holzman, directed by Noah Latty and produced by Emma Richmond (who also worked on Kallan Dana's buzzy recent show, 'Lobster'). The cast of 'Berlindia!' includes Mike Iveson ('What the Constitution Means to Me') and Pete Simpson ('Is This a Room'). Add that this is playing at the Tank, a haven for hard-to-describe theater that's steps from Penn Station, and most tickets cost under $40, and you have something worth gambling on. (Through July 27, the Tank)
'Open'
In one of the summer's most welcome surprises, Crystal Skillman's wondrous monologue returns six years after its premiere at the Tank. It's not so much a revival as a reprise, since the production brings back the original team of star Megan Hill ('Eddie and Dave') and director Jessi D. Hill. The first easily holds our attention as Kristen, a woman who attempts to channel her anguish and grief through magic tricks. 'Open' is a love story with an aching heart — let's welcome back this delicate slice of summertime sadness. (July 8-27, WP Theater)
'Joy: A New True Musical'
There is something inspiring about Joy Mangano's life and entrepreneurial spirit: A decade after the movie 'Joy,' in which she was played by Jennifer Lawrence, comes this new musical starring Betsy Wolfe (most recently of '& Juliet'). Wait, you haven't heard of Mangano? She is most famous for unleashing the self-wringing Miracle Mop onto America's dirty floors. The musical's book is by Ken Davenport and its score by AnnMarie Milazzo (best known for her orchestrations and vocal arrangements on Broadway). Intriguingly, the choreographer Lorin Latarro directs, while Joshua Bergasse (a recent Tony nominee for 'Smash') handles the choreography (Through Aug. 17, Laura Pels Theater)
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