Production Photos

 

BALD DIVA!
by David Koteles
directed by Jason Jacobs
The Red Room
Winter 2004

Production Info

Theatre Askew's acclaimed produciton of David Koteles' queer parody of the absurdist comedy The Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco

Production dates: February 5 through March 6, 2004
Theatre: The Red Room East 4th Street, NYC
Cast: Nathan Blew, Tim Cusack, Julio Vincent Gambuto, Jeffrey James Keys, Jerry Marsini, Terrence McCrossan & Matthew Pritchard
Sets: Erik Flatmo
Costumes: Daniel Urlie
Lighting: Charles Foster

 

Press

2004 GLAAD MEDIA AWARD NOMINATION

[View press release]
[View nomination list]

THEATER MANIA - BEST OF 2004

The Best Plays of 2004: "While there were several praiseworthy shows on the Great White Way this year, such as Frozen, A Raisin in the Sun and Twelve Angry Men, the ones that make up my Top 10 list are all from Off- or Off-Off-Broadway." At #3: Bald Diva!: "A queer adaptation of The Bald Soprano, this play by David Koteles mimics the basic structure of Eugene Ionesco's absurdist masterpiece. However, Koteles and his cohorts in Theatre Askew completely reinvented the characters' language to incisively and hilariously comment on the gay male scene in modern day Chelsea."

The Best Performances of 2004: "Yes, it's that time of year when pundits compile Top 10 lists -- but, as usual, I'm not comfortable in labeling my list as a "best of" since I did miss quite a few shows in 2004, especially in the Off-Off-Broadway arena. Nor was I able to limit my picks of great NYC stage performances to 10; I came up with 40, including several collective citations! So please accept the following as a non-exclusionary roundup of stellar work, in chronological order of the shows' openings. On the list: "Tim Cusack in Bald Diva!: The actor's facial expressions, body language, and vocal inflections in this gay, gay, gay adaptation of Ionesco's The Bald Soprano were priceless.

THEATER MANIA

"Stylishly directed by Jason Jacobs, who co-conceived the project with dramaturg Jamee Freedus, the show is flawlessly paced and brought to vivid life by the talented ensemble cast...It's not necessary to be familiar with Ionesco's play to enjoy Bald Diva!; Theatre Askew's production stands on its own as a richly theatrical and utterly entertaining spectacle...This is a production well worth seeing, and you should get your tickets while you still can."

[View article]

HX MAGAZINE

"What also sets Bald Diva! apart from your standard gay play is the virtuosity of its writing, which won an award at the Fresh Fruit Festival."

TALKIN' BROADWAY - THE 2003/2004 SEASON IN REVIEW

" In the span of about ten weeks, from early February to mid-April, there was a string of truly remarkable new plays Off-Broadway, each uniquely demonstrating the best of what New York theatre has to offer. Any two of Valhalla, Bald Diva!, Roulette, Bug, The Moonlight Room, Wintertime, Small Tragedy, Well, and Blackbird would make for a memorable Off-Broadway season, but we got them all. A combination like this of such well-done comedies, dramas, thrillers, conventional plays, and unconventional works just doesn't come around every day (or every year)."

[View article]

TALKIN' BROADWAY

"...this production, staged on Erik Flatmo's cartoonish set...achieves both a sense of gay camp and parody while also creating a pitch-perfect absurdist feel. Equally impressive is that Koteles has provided the cast with a script that has the richness of Ionesco's work while standing firmly on its own. Under Jacob's direction, the cast rises to the occasion and flawlessly executes Koteles's work."

[View article]

NYTHEATRE.COM - MEMORABLE PERFORMANCES

"an honor roll of some of the memorable performances of the season that I will cherish . . . Tim Cusack and Jerry Marsini as a Chelsea clone couple in the clever parody Bald Diva!"

[View article]

NYTHEATRE.COM

"...Matthew Pritchard's Mary is in charge of the proceedings each of the regrettably few times he graces the stage. Operating on higher voltage than an electric chair, his banal investigative observations are charged with an intrigue that is almost occult. There is so much to enjoy in this play, but his performance is worth the proverbial price of admission."

[View article]

PRESS ARCHIVES

View press from previous productions in the Theatre Askew press archives

[View article]