Production History:
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May 2010 Directed by Tim Errickson The Spoon Theater 38 West 38th Street, 5th Floor, New York City Stage Managed and Sound Designed by Jeanne Travis* Set Designed by Rebecca Cunningham Costumes Designed by Viviane Galloway Lighting and Computer Designed by Justin Sturges Properties Designed by Heather E. Cunningham and Casandera M. J. Lollar Choreography... Mark D. Lingenfelter Assistant Stage Manager... Jenny Kennedy Assistant Set Design...Jack Hilton Cunningham Assistant Costume Design...Kathryn Squitieri Publicity by Morgan Lindsey Tachco Featuring: Heather E. Cunningham, Douglas B. Giorgis*, Stuart Green, Anne Shapland Kearns, Ric Sechrest*, Alisha Spielmann, Matilda Szydagis*, Aubrie Therrien, Matthew Trumbull*, and Kristen Vaughan "I’m
off to one of my favorite theater companies: Retro Productions, which
unearths plays from the distant past and mounts them in the cozy
confines of the Spoon Theatre. I’ll gladly take one of 40 seats
and see William Marchant’s 1955 comedy The Desk Set... Director Tim Errickson’s production is quite accomplished. He understands that what makes The Desk Set wonderful is how much all these women care for each other. Errickson puts a lot of love in his production... Matthew Trumbull
(Richard Sumner)... Picture what Tony Randall was like in that
era, and you’ve got Trumbull exactly right. Bunny is played
by Kristen Vaughan, who bears
a striking resemblance to Alison Fraser (and may be just as talented).
The way Vaughan says “I love it” when referring to her job
leaves no doubt that she’s telling the truth. I also
appreciate Heather E. Cunningham
as Peg. Cunningham is a heavy-set woman who delivers a performance with
a subtext that says, “I value myself, and I won’t mock
myself or my weight by acting ridiculous. I know I’m desirable
and worth a great deal.” I’d say “More power to
her,” but Cunningham knows she has plenty of power already, and
is using it splendidly. Cunningham is also the producing artistic
director of Retro Productions, so I’m twice as grateful to her.
Can’t wait to see what goodies she resuscitates next season." -
Peter Filichia, theatremania.com "Retro Productions is currently presenting a revival of [The Desk Set] by William Marchant, and the production is great fun indeed... Director Tim Errickson's work shines, especially in terms of pacing, and the overall physical production ranks with indie theater's very best: there's a detailed set by Rebecca Cunningham that evokes the '50s-era corporate office expertly, even within the snug quarters of the Spoon Theater; Viviane Galloway's costumes are attractive and completely appropriate to time and place; lighting and sound, by Justin Sturges and Jeanne Travis respectively, are seamless and invaluable; and Sturges's computer for Act III is a delightful contraption that perfectly depicts what a light-hearted yet sober designer would have imagined a futuristic high-tech computer would look and behave like 50-some years ago... The ensemble of ten is anchored by the excellent Kristen Vaughan as Bunny, who gets the sophistication and occasional underlying sadness of the heroine just right: she's completely convincing as a brilliant gal with a heart of gold who somehow so far has failed to reel in her man. Offering terrific support are Heather E. Cunningham, Aubrie Therrien, and Alisha Speilmann as Bunny's staff—like Vaughan, they get the period and style of the play and never comment on it. (And Cunningham is especially good with the dry, throwaway lines that she's called upon to deliver as the senior staffer, Peg Costello.) The Desk Set is extremely well produced by Retro Productions, and marks another feather in the cap of this young but already acclaimed troupe." - Martin Denton, nytheatre.com
"Marchant
tells his tale briskly, with a sharp ear for witty detail. In an age
when Google rules, all this might seem quaint, but there's something
refreshing in being reminded of a time when persons were actual, not
virtual, fonts of knowledge... The Desk Set is an ambitious undertaking... [Vaughan's]
Bunny is the shining grace of this production. Never pushing her
comedy, Vaughan's subtle characterization is believably charming and,
when asked for, suitably poignant... Oh, and I'd bet on these smart
girls against Wikipedia anytime." - Karl Levett, Backstage.com
"Like all the plays put on by Retro Productions, The Desk Set (written by William Marchant and directed by Tim Errickson) has solid roots in the past... Kristen Vaughan’s Bunny is full of intelligence and fire. She masters the difficult dialogue with style and ease, completely convincing you that she loves this job and would give her life for it. Heather Cunningham does a number on the character of Peg – expanding her from a one-note good time gal into someone who runs deeper and truer. Peg is brassy and bold, but Cunningham will every so slightly allow her vulnerability to peek through, and it’s at that moment when you fall in love with her. Alisha Spielmann’s Ruthie is the new girl around the office, whose excitement about learning all there is to being a great researcher like Bunny is doused by the possibility of being downsized by Sumner’s machine. Spielmann gives Ruthie that innocence we all had at our first job, that “I’ll do anything” spirit, that youthful earnestness that we all may remember, and she does so without making Ruthie a pushover or childish. Matthew Trumbull as Mr. Sumner epitmizes the techy who comes into a new office wanting to “help everyone” but really wanting to “change everything” and naively believes there are not going to be any hard feelings as he does so. Bunny’s long time non-fiance Abe Cuttler (Ric Sechrest) does a great job at portraying the typical 50’s old boys network – he’s part of that middle manager club who slowly makes his way up the ladder by trying to create Progress without actually progressing the company forward at all... The set (designed by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham) is amazing, right down to the letter (or, should I say, the letter opener). With props designed by Heather Cunningham and Casandera M. J. Lollar the ambiance is almost like another character of the play. The texture of the wood and the old fashioned (though cutting edge at the time) office implements take us back to the energetic time when the future was screaming toward us like a Boeing 707... We can take away a lot from this time capsule of a play as we all learn to adapt to the changes in the world around us... So come and see what you can learn about your future by taking a vivid and exciting glimpse at the past and The Desk Set." - Karen Tortora-Lee, thehappiestmedium.com "When I went to see The Desk Set, there were some things I was expecting... I was expecting incredible sets, with details down to the drawer pulls. I was expecting articulated costumes, with period perfection down to the jewelry. And I was expecting powerful performances in drenched period styles... Everything I had seen from Retro in the past prepared me for the possible psychological damage I would encounter... Incredibly, instead, I just laughed all the way through it. They have proven they can handle turgid, taught drama, with stakes as high as murder at the hands of a madman and the killing of a child by an angry God, so for them to pull back and use their incredible skills to create a light office comedy – it’s actually an incredibly brave move... Matthew Trumbull is marvelous, and Kristen Vaughan is as good as I’ve ever seen her. I marvel at how lucky we are to have actors of this much aptitude and art gracing our humble stages, I feel like both Matthew and Kristin ought to have, long ago, given up our ghettos for more celebrated houses. It’s actually a real testimony to Tim Errickson as a director that so many of the actors are so pitch perfect in this production. Ric Sechrest was phenomenal. As a dutiful mamma’s boy, and a suitor too innocent to see his opportunities, Ric’s open face and purity was perfect. Had the actor played this role with any darkness, he would have come across as taking advantage, as almost abusive. The entire ensemble dovetailed into the production effortlessly, but the most astonishing transformation was done by Heather Cunningham... I’ve been following Heather’s work over the last few years, and had you told me, before I saw the show, what her role was, I wouldn’t have believed you. Heather has played the innocent and the ravaged, and has always plumbed the depths of her own shock and misery in such a way that my heart was just shattering... A woman, alone at a table, eating a donut… you wouldn’t think it could move me to tears, but it did... So, suddenly, she’s the femme fatale? ...and yet she knocks it out of the park. Tim also wrestles constant action and motion out of what is actually a very, very small playing space. One gets the sense of a constant storm of questions and demands are flying into this giant company, and our characters are pushing the information from one side of the stage to the other, like waves crashing. There’s never a lull, never a pause, and thanks to the wonderful direction, the staging is matched perfectly with the performances to create that pace... This is the perfect introduction to one of the smartest and most articulate production companies making theater at the Off-Off level. More than that, if you really want smart established scripts, and you’re accustomed to really high production values, then you NEED to start seeing Retro’s shows." - Sean Williams, seanrants.com  Nominated for 6 2010 New York Innovative Theatre AwardsClick here for more photos |
  Pictured: Kristen Vaughan and Matthew Trumbull. Photo by Jordana Zeldin  Pictured: Alisha Spielmann, Heather E. Cunningham and Aubrie Therrien. Photo by Jordana Zeldin  Pictured: Kristen Vaughan and Matthew Trumbull. Photo by Jordana Zeldin  Pictured: Ric Sechrest and Kristen Vaughan. Photo by Jordana Zeldin  Pictured: Matthew Trumbull and Anne Shapland Kearns. Photo by Jordana Zeldin  Pictured: Matthew Trumbull and Matilda Szydagis. Photo by Jordana Zeldin |
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| May 2010 WOMEN AND WAR Directed by Peter Zinn The Spoon Theater 38 West 38th Street, 5th Floor, New York City Stage Managed by Jenny Kennedy Sound Designed by Jeanne Travis Set Designed by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham Costumes Designed by Rebecca Cunningham and Casandera M. J. Lollar Lighting Designed by Justin Sturges Publicity by Morgan Lindsey Tachco Featuring: Lowell Byers, Heather E. Cunningham, Lauren Kelston, Casandera M. J. Lollar and Elise Rovinsky "The whole cast is very strong... I was amused and charmed by Lollar's performance of the WWII fiancée waiting for her lover to return home, and I found myself crossing my fingers right along with her. Rovinsky's performance of a nurse dealing with the wounded in Vietnam brought me to tears. For her, the war wasn't fought in the fields of rice patties, but against her own emotions and fatigue as she struggled to stay strong for her patients. As soldiers begged to be washed before they died, and as they lost limbs and friends, she had to support and be strong for them. As she retells her experience, she seems horrified at her own words as they come out of her mouth, as if she is just owning up to the experience for the first time. Rovinsky's performance is so fresh and moving; she's a tremendous actress to watch. I was also very impressed by Lowell Byers, the one man in the production. He plays every male role in the script, and switches from character to character flawlessly. It is fun to watch him transform from a pumped up "Phili" kid recently deployed to Vietnam, to a strait-laced 40s boy in France, to a depressed pilot in South Korea. It is interesting to watch as his posturing and facial expression changes from person to person, and he pulls it off so well it is as if you are watching entirely different actors... Watching this play is an emotional roller coaster - funny, exciting, humbling, and incredibly sad all at the same time. " - Julie Feltman, theasy.com |
  Pictured: Lowell Byers, Lauren Keltson, Elise Rovinsky, Casandera M. J. Lollar and Heather E. Cunningham. Photo by Kristen Vaughan. |
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November 2009
 Directed by Peter Zinn The Spoon Theater 38 West 38th Street, 5th Floor, New York City Stage Managed and Sound Designed by Jeanne Travis* Set Designed by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham and Justin Sturges Costumes Designed by Debra Krajec Lighting Designed by Justin Sturges Properties by Heather Cunningham and Casandera M. J. Lollar Assistant Stage Management by Jenny Kennedy Publicity by Morgan Lindsey Tachco Starring: Lowell Byers, Heather E. Cunningham, Joe Forbrich* and Casandera M. J. Lollar *appeared courtesy of Actors' Equity Association. "Retro Productions is a force of nature, with such strength it blew me away. Cunningham's is a performance [as Rosie] of such strength, nobility, and beauty she literally left me breathless... Lollar is brutally honest and spot on... a beautiful and brave actress. Byers as Will is wonderful; simple, straightforward, and strong. As Gant, Joe Forbrich suppresses such depth that when it rises to the surface like water from a forgotten well it seems to surprise him the same as it surprises the audience... Cunningham and Forbrich tear your heart out. All of the stage elements gather together perfectly... Every piece fits, every element works... The sound designer Jeanne Travis has chilling effects for the storm... The set, by design team Jack and Rebecca Cunningham and Justin Sturges,
is a beautifully detailed and distressed 1930s kitchen, where the
people really eat, and really drink...anything less would have been
distracting... The costumes by Debra Krajec also show great attention to detail. "Misery overcomes farm wife Rosie (Cunningham), who spends her time sulking around the kitchen in a zombie-like trance... The urge to walk onstage and shake her out of it owes to Cunningham's moving performance... Her neighbor Molly (Lollar) brings some welcomed feist to the stage... Nemeth's play is backed by an intricately beautiful set (courtesy of Jack and Rebecca Cunningham and Justin Sturges), as well as strong performances by Joe Forbrich, as Rosie's practical-thinking husband, and Lowell Byers as Molly's upbeat husband." -Lily Hodges, villagevoice.com "Retro Productions’ latest show, Holy Days (Written by Sally Nemeth and directed by Peter Zinn) comes off as deceptively simple until you’ve sat with it a while. It’s been several days since I’ve seen it and I find that I’m haunted by the seemingly stark yet surprisingly deep performances by Heather E. Cunningham (Rosie), Joe Forbrich (Gant), Lowell Byers (Will) and Casandera M.J. Lollar (Molly)... With an amazingly detailed set by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham and property design by Heather E. Cunningham and Casandera M. J. Lollar the world of this family rises up around you and you can feel the dust come in on the wind every time the door is opened. While Holy Days could never be called a happy story, it most certainly is a beautiful one, filled with all the places the human spirit goes when facing down its greatest enemy: misfortune." -Karen Tortora-Lee, thehappiestmedium.com Click here for more photos |
  Pictured: Heather E. Cunningham and Joe Forbrich. Photo by Jordana Zeldin  Pictured: Casandera M.J. Lollar and Joe Forbrich. Photo by Jordana Zeldin  Pictured: Heather E. Cunningham and Lowell Byers. Photo by Jordana Zeldin  Pictured: Joe Forbrich and Lowell Byers. Photo by Jordana Zeldin  Pictured: Heather E. Cunningham and Casandera M.J. Lollar. Photo by Jordana Zeldin |
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May 2009 by Mark Medoff Directed by Ric Sehrest The Spoon Theater 38 West 38th Street, 5th Floor, New York City Stage Managed and Sound Designed by Jeanne Travis Set Designed by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham Costumes Designed by Kathryn Squitieri Lighting Designed by Kerrie Lovercheck Properties by Heather Cunningham Property Packaging Designed by Ben Philipp Properties Design Assistance by Kristina Squitieri Featuring: David Blais, Heather E. Cunningham, Dave T. Koenig, Casandera M. J. Lollar, Christopher Patrick Mullen*, Ben Schnickel, Matilda Szydagis*, and Richard Waddingham* *appeared courtesy of Actors' Equity Association. "Mark Medoff’s Red Ryder, at the jewel box Spoon Theater produced by Retro Productions, must be one of the best new productions, and it is done on a shoestring. Hell it might be done on a recycled shoestring. However to regard the painterly set (by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham) with throw-back signs for ten-cent coffee or longing western movie posters, you would never know it was mounted on a budget...There are eight remarkable actors all operating as an ensemble with not one tone, one voice, one stray movement. And this is a tough, rough, gruff often-difficult play... A cast list must begin with Christopher Mullen as Teddy, a Vietnam vet and drug dealer, who might become a big bright star and you will want to say you smelled his sweat and recoiled from his heavy pistol not a foot from your face...He has a sweet, extra-hippie type girl friend, Casandera Lollar who although she barely has ten lines, she presnts a character so fully realized that every time she sucks on the meticulously braided hair, or puts herself into the back light to show us her breasts illuminated in a peasant blouse, often referenced, she is lighting up the stage. There there is the sweet crippled gas station owner Richard Waddingham, whose physical acting and empathy are pitch perfect... But the tragic star who attempts to be joyful and helpful, but ends the play weeping while consoling herself wiht one of the worst looking donuts ever seen, is Angel the chunky waitress, played by Heather E. Cunningham. We need a sidebar to inform you that Heather Cunningham is the founder and artistic director of Retro Productions, and often this kind of casting can seem like vanity, but not here. Heather's veneer of joy is outsized, but the terrible teasing and abuse she absorbs from nearly every character, and hence from the world at large is palpable... The ensemble is given movement and life by the skillful direction of Ric Sechrest... The company is held together with grit and twine and loads of talent and this play is a perfect recession buster: the tickets are 18 bucks with five dollar student rush at the door and the play and the small company that mounted it stand to remind us that tough times come and it is through looking not hiding that we will move forward. " - Wickham Boyle, theaterscene.net "Utterly engrossing …The costumes tell a silent story, perfectly matched to the plot… I was knocked out by the work [director] Sechrest did… Honestly, the bravest thing he did was to trust us and the space… There are a lot of people being acted upon in this play, and it would be very easy for the piece to become passive, but everyone has a reason for everything they do, all the time. You can watch the ancillary characters and see an entire play unfolding… I probably don't need to say much about the set because it is clearly a standout among theaters of this size. It was incredibly articulate, perfectly functional and honestly, one of the best I've seen in an off-off house… I particularly like that, behind the flats, waaaay upstage, you can see the diner sign, barely illuminated, backwards… I probably don't need to say much about Christopher Patrick Mullen. He is terrifying, nauseating and trippingly crackling, like a blowtorch in the wrong hands. And a blowtorch is actually the perfect description, because he underplays so much of the show, letting the lines be the lines, letting the AUDIENCE do a lot of the work. Mullen knows that we desperately want the character to go away, and so he controls Teddy, he lets him swerve back into line just to give us a breather. It's a master class in how to turn a set-chewing character into something at least a little human... David Blais as Richard, Dave T. Koenig as Clark, and Richard Waddingham as Lyle all do great work... Casandera M. J. Lollar also crafts an active but understated character in Cheryl... Ben Schnickel as Stephen... did fine work and it's an extremely difficult part... Just a word on Heather Cunnigham... She is a gut punch of an actor. Completely without concern for herself when she's in character, utterly subsumed by the demands of the script... her character is humiliated a hundred different ways... the fact is, Cunningham's character Angel becomes the person we identify with. She is who we would be, if we were in the play. It is a marvelous night of theater." - seanrants.com "The brilliant set design by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham... other fine attention to detail included a fully-functioning kitchen where hostess Angel heated up coffee and fried up some steak and eggs that her patrons then consumed, a clock that was set correctly to the time within the play and a lighted juke box that was turned on and off at key moments... Christopher Patrick Mullen steals the show as the ringmaster Teddy. He couldn't gone for cheap thrills by simply playing to extremes, but he adds in nuance by allowing for moments of softness and sadness, even shifting out of his accent when he's ready to break with any pretense that he might still be a nice guy after all... Other stand-outs include Heather E. Cunningham as Angel. She works so hard to please everyone else, letting all others lay into her as she tries to roll with the punches. As the situation gets more volatile, her defenses gradually crumble as she loses the ability to cope... Also Dave T. Koenig did an excellent job as Clark, the diner's owner. It's entertaining to watch him take charge and walk over all the other characters... This is a fantastic ensemble piece. Director Ric Sechrest keeps the pace tight throughout. The situation gets quite tense but has many darkly humorous moments as well. It's very satisfying to see who will emerge from the struggle as a hero and who will lose it all." - Andrew Singer, City Scoops New York "Retro Productions inspired me on a myriad of levels when I sat down in my seat at the Spoon Theatre to see Mark Medoff's When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? To begin with, you are immediately taken in by the gorgeous set - by design team Jack and Rebecca Cunningham, who have taken this small space and turned it into a tired late 60s diner in New Mexico. From the little bar with stools, to the checkered and worn out floor; the painted windows that had the illusion of the world outside (and the diner's name backwards as if reading from outside would have a perfect picture). There were painted shelves with plates and saucers and ketchup bottles - but so well that I couldn't tell the difference except after close scrutiny; they created the perfect illusion. The inspiration went beyond their fabulous set, complete with an old lit Jukebox that plays some of the best country hits from that time; I was inspired to see a theatre company make it its mission to do revivals of plays that are incredibly important pieces of work; it's refreshing to see a company not only revive - but rather successfully do so at that - a play like Mark Medoff's 1973 psychological thrilling piece... Most of the piece is wonderfully written, but it takes actors really dealing with each other and not falling into contrived behaviour to keep a full life going at all times... Waddingham's work was wonderful. From his physicality of paralysis and ability to use the crutch, to his dealing with his fellow actors on stage and moments where I saw him trying to really talk to people - be it Teddy or Angesl or Red, Waddingham's portrayal of Lyle was truly enjoyable. He gave a breath of life to a small-town character that kept me interested. Mullen was exceptional as Teddy. It would have been very easy to just play his character as a one-dimensional sociopath. Mullen's embodiment of Teddy had so many colors and levels to his work that there was never a moment when you knew what he was going to do... I applaud Retro Productions for putting together a performance that had me riveted throughout much of the piece, and for simply breathing life in to a play that should have been done much, much sooner. It runs through the 23rd, and I suggest people attend - for it's not often you get to see revivals like this and have them be entertaining, well-acted, and visually pleasing overall." - Dianna Martin, The Fab Marquee "First evident... is how splendidly set designers Jack and Rebecca Cunningham have created Foster's Diner, the setting of Mark Medoff's play When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? It's a sad, greasy outpost of culinary refuse, a relic of hip 1950s-style eating that was anachronistic by the end of the 1960s, when [Red Ryder] takes place... Still, sepia hues are not the way Red Ryder drives drama... It's a play about the rich core of fear; how the simple folk who symbolize America's goodness are so easily made vulnerable by the guileful and crafty. Ric Sechrest's production puts all of this across wonderfully." - Leonard Jacobs, Back Stage |
  Pictured: Casandera M. J. Lollar, Christopher Patrick Mullen. Photo by Kristen Vaughan.  Pictured: Matilda Szydagis, David Blais. Photo by Kristen Vaughan.  Pictured: Ben Schnickel, Richard Waddingham. Photo by Kristen Vaughan.  Pictured: Christopher Patrick Mullen, Heather E. Cunningham. Photo by Kristen Vaughan.  Pictured: Dave T. Koenig, Ben Schnickel. Photo by Kristen Vaughan.  Pictured: Ben Schnickel, Heather E. Cunningham. Photo by Kristen Vaughan. |
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November 2008 by Max Shulman and Robert Paul Smith Directed by David Storck The Spoon Theater 38 West 38th Street, 5th Floor, New York City Production Stage Managed by Jeanne Travis Stage Managed by Daniel Mirsky Set Designed by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham Costumes Designed by Ben Philipp Lighting Designed by Kerrie Lovercheck Sound Designed by Bobby McGinnis Properties by Heather Cunningham Featuring: C. K. Allen, Heather E. Cunningham, Matilda Szydagis*, Alex Herrald, Jim Kilkenny, Casandera M. J. Lollar, Elise Rovinsky and Ric Sechrest* *appeared courtesy of Actors' Equity Association. "Retro Productions' The Tender Trap is an act of theatrical time travel...what a fascinating landscape awaits you. True to their mission, this Retro production does not try to interpret the play for the twenty-first century, but imbues the entire evening with the sounds, sights and attitudes of the 1950s. The sounds, designed by Bobby McGinnis, consist of luscious renditions of popular songs with something to say about love and the pursuit of it. The sights include burightly colored clothes by Ben Philipp that ably depict character and era and a truly phenomenal set. Designed by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham, this detailed rendition of a 50s bachelor apartment not only incites farcical stage movement and defines the character of its inhabitant, but it's a harmonious decor doo-wop. C. K. Allen, as a jazz musician friend of Sylvia's, has quite possibly the funniest five minutes on any stage in New York. Ms. Lollar appears to have a Lucille Ball hidden inside her ingenue, while Ms. Rovinsky's wit and timing drive the screwball comedy. The Tender Trap is a hilarious evening, one from 1954." - Peyton Wise, the Fab Marquee "As Charlie, Sechrest doesn't possess Sinatra's playful sex appeal, and instead chooses to play up his boyish lack of self-awareness and consequent relatability - his harmless immaturity, in fact, recalls a modern Judd Apatow hero. Kilkenny, meanwhile, emphasizes Joe's preference for sarcasm and his lived wisdom. The contrast between the characters is effective: banter between Charlie and Joe makes up some of the play's most entertaining moments, as we can easily imagine a shared history between the two best friends. Sechrest and Kilkenny even manage to make dated lines like "holy mackerel" sound effortless and convincing. It's the women, however, who add unexpected depth to the production. Casandera Lollar is charming as Julie Gillis, a woman in her early 20s who is eagerly laying out her future as a housewife. Lollar successfully channels an element of wit into a role that could just as easily have descended into clichè. As Sylvia, Elise Rovinsky displays mature beauty through her controlled gestures and a dancers posture. Charlie helplessly bosses her around like his other conquests, but she appears to be in on the joke. Having some of the productions most memorable lines works in Rovinsky's favor as well: a monologue in which she reveals her fears about being single at 33 is a jarring moment in an otherwise lighthearted work. The quality of its performances is, without a doubt, what makes The Tender Trap memorable. In addition to the strong lead performances, supporting players like Alex Herrald as erratic scientist Earl Lindquist help establish the production as a powerful display of New York's dramatic talent... its convincing performances extract real intelligence from its bubbly dialogue." - Laura Palotie, offoffonline "Retro Production's revival of Max Shulman and Robert Paul Smith's neatly constructed and still surprising 1950s relationship-comedy The Tender Trap is a vivid and highly entertaining blast from the Atomic Age. Retro smartly presents the play straight up with gentle slapstick and rampant sexism in tact. Director David Storck allows the attitudes of the day to resonate and it's a good thing because what seems on the surface a trivial and often hilarious doors-opening-and-closing farce warms into a disarming vehicle for human observation... The Tender Trap introduces us to New York eligible bachelor Charlie Reader (played by likeable and lithe Ric Secrest), an unassuming yet formidable playboy who has got so many attractive ladies filling up his social calendar he practically needs a full time secretary to juggle them. He explains the secret to his Midwestern boyhood pal Joe McCall (played by hilarious and touching Jim Kilkenny), an underappreciated and over-burdened husband and father of three, that life can be idyllic if a guy doesn't fall into the trap of making long term plans with any one girl... Caught in this conundrum is a glamorous and sophisticated violinist, Miss Sylvia Crewes (played by a charming and charismatic Elise Rovinsky), who by accident of years and experience most knowingly puts up with Charlie's crap. She believes she sees the honorable man inside the wolf, but even if it's all wishful thinking, is held hostage to his ethos of fun and romance. Her cometition: Poppy Matson (played by comic sparkplug Matilda Szydagis), Jessica Collins (a perfect Heather E. Cunningham) and Julie Gillis (disarmingly forthright Casandera M. J. Lollar) round out Charlie's little black book and keep the evening sparkling and laughpacked... Stepping into the Spoon Theater is going back to pre-Mayor Lindsay New York City, thanks to brilliant set design by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham. They make a very small stage feel expansive and luxurious. Retro Productions is more and more becoming a reliable source of first class work as they deepen and improve with each show. A tight ensemble of actors on a gorgeous set in beautiful period costumes (thanks to Ben Philipp) make The Tender Trap of the past live vividly in this Information Age." - Jon Reuning, United Stages Click here for More Photos |
  Pictured: Ric Sechrest and Casandera Lollar. Photo by Kristen Vaughan.  Pictured: Jim Kilkenny and Elise Rovinsky. Photo by Kristen Vaughan.  Pictured: Ric Sechrest and Jim Kilkenny. Photo by Kristen Vaughan.  Pictured: Casandera M. J. Lollar, Jim Kilkenny, and Elise Rovinsky. Photo by Kristen Vaughan. |
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| May 2008
Directed by Angela Astle Stage Managed by Larry Pease Featuring: Mark Armstrong, Lauren Kelston, Mike
Mihm, Kristen Vaughan "Retro Productions does a fine job of bringing small town America to life.... There are many things working in their favor. The entire cast is solid, with standout performances by Mark Armstrong as Bo and Kristen Vaughan as his alcoholic, long suffering wife Sunny. The set design by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham uses the space efficiently with a keen eye for detail, and Kathryn Squitieri's costumes evoke the era perfectly... I felt pulled into the story by the talent of the cast... Kudos to Lauren Kelston for walking such a fine line with a very difficult part." - Peter Schuyler, nytheatre.com "A lyrical chorus of three widows aids the time shifts, as does the sound design by Amy Altadonna, which includes realistic hospital noises. [Kelston] brings affecting emotional power. Armstrong conveys just the right amount of likeability and helplessness as a company man whose loyalties are shifting. Vaughan's Sunny is particularly strong as she alternates between tipsy anger and pleading wifeliness. Jim Kilkenny gives a quiet and compelling portrayal as both a minister and an OSHA investigator. Kathryn Squitieri's costumes and Heather E. Cunningham's props are evocative, down to the black square frames on Kilkenny's eyeglasses. Director Angela Astle keeps the play moving to a point of catharsis." - Gwen Orel, Backstage "Astle has a keen eye for casting, as all the actors were refreshingly powerful and astute in their portrayals. Lauren Kelston as Marlene attacks the play with strength and zest; Mark Armstrong delivered a still virtue to his character and graced all situations with momentum and honesty. High praises to Kristen Vaughan, who handled Sunny’s alcoholism with compassion, and showed us the many layers of loneliness while alongside others. Jack and Rebecca Cunningham did an exquisite job at turning the Spoon Theatre into an appropriate 70’s setting. The costumes by Kathryn Squitieri also gave this world the finished effect of a “retro production.”" - Antonio Miniňo, The Fab Marquee New York Magazine "Off-off Broadway Pick" May 19, 2008
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| November 2007
Directed by Ric Sechrest Featuring: Lauren Coppola, Heather E. Cunningham, Lauren
Kelston, "The Retro Company's production WHAT I DID LAST SUMMER, a play of mine last seen in New York twenty-five years ago, turned out to be first-rate: brisk, sweet and occasionally quite moving, if I say so myself." A. R. GURNEY, playwright, What I Did Last Summer
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| February/March 2007
Directed by Ric Sechrest Set and Graphics by Jack and Rebecca Cunningham Starring: Heather E. Cunningham, Erik Potempa, and Kristen Vaughan.
"As the deeply dissatisfied estranged wife of a
Vietnam vet in Retro Productions' presentation of Emily Mann's play,
Heather E. Cunningham burst with working-class outrage and
resentment yet made you care for this lost soul without begging for
sympathy. And in an evening of three monologues, she played off the
other two actors, never showily but always eloquently. " - Marc
Miller,
"The pains of readjustment
are sharply rendered in Still Life, which might be described as
an emotional strip-tease in triplicate... Still Life lives
up to its title: three talking heads, two tables, and virtually no
action. Yet the talk is compelling... Potempa's Mark... he has
the working-class accent and the angst right... Cunningham
and Vaughan are marvels, both subtly defying expectations about
their characters' roles in Mark's life. Even in repose, and there's a
lot of it, each stays in character, forcing us to confront Cheryl's
bitterness and Nadine's complicated earth-mother makeup even when
they're not front and center. Director Ric Sechrest smartly
varies the rhythms of the characters' delivery, making them sound
spontaneous as they ponder a bleak, nearly hopeless landscape." -
Marc Miller,
"This is a superb production of the play. I have stopped going to see productions of STILL LIFE because the ones I saw (save for the ones in Europe) rarely captured the devastating power of the original. Your production got it. It was also thrilling to see it in a tiny space. You made magic in the 78th Street Theater Lab. Every aspect of the experience was first rate. Retro is clearly a company dedicated to creating impeccable work that truly matters." - EMILY MANN, playwright, Still Life |
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| March 2006
(as River Heights Productions)
Directed by Megan R. Wills
Sets, Costumes and Properties by Viviane Galloway Starring: Elizabeth Burke, Heather E. Cunningham, David DiLoretto, Matilda Szydagis, Jim Kilkenny, India McDonald, and Kristen Vaughan. "This meticulously presented, charming, emotionally affecting play by Doris Baizley is based on a mid-1950s competition to find the best housewife in California... River Heights Productions, a small, fairly new company whose work I did not previously know, does a very impressive job turning the script into theatre. Director Megan R. Wills allows her actors to create characters with great style and flair but without indulging their excesses... Dave DiLoreto and Jim Kilkenny, as men who happen to be involved in the contest, are just right... Viviane Galloway's set is pretty: a series of ovens and stoves carefully and lovingly prepared, like the production itself. " - Michael Lazan, Backstage "Kristen Vaughan, Matilda Szydagis and India Myone McDonald, are terrific as the other contestants, as they manage to portray both their doll-like exteriors as well as their own private struggles... Mrs. California is a valiant effort with a lot of heart, and River Heights Productions should be praised for being the first company to bring this marvelous play to New York City. The play is remarkably adept at showing how women have been fighting to be treated as individuals for generations, and how “femininity” (and perhaps “feminism”) is an ever-changing concept. It also highlights a very important message—that behind every great woman is another great woman who is her friend." - Josephine Cashman, www.nytheatre.com (NYTheatre gave us a star! Starred shows are considered to be noteworthy or of special interest by NYTE's editor.) "The play is strongest when we catch a glimpse of the complex personalities that lie beneath the judge-charming caricatures these women have created for themselves. Cunningham believably fleshes out Dot's seemingly mindless character through the slow revealing of hidden facets you wouldn't have guessed she possessed. A climactic speech about her "proudest moment" is stirring and strong, especially in the stunned moment when she trembles with the realization that her mother, aunts, and grandmother fought for equality, and here she stands, a competent woman who saved hundreds of soldiers' lives, struggling to earn respect by ironing a shirt. Within her lies a fiery, determined spirit that has been too easily and thoroughly suppressed." - Adrienne Cea, www.offoffonline.com [Pick of the Week, March 24th, 2006] "Retro’s production of Mrs. California was a real treat for me. The high-spirited team of actors, inventive use of the space, and attention to every detail brought the play to life in so many surprising ways, I forgot I’d written it and just sat back and enjoyed it. Retro’s skillful dedication to work by women playwrights makes me proud to be one." - DORIS BAIZLEY, playwright, Mrs. California |
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| March 2005
(as River Heights Productions)
Directed by Felicia Lipchik Starring: Elizabeth Burke, Blaine Cook, Heather E. Cunningham, and Kimberly Greene. "Catholic School Girls invites you to join the growing pains of four girls attending Grade School in the 1960s... The play has great insight into the tumultuous and confusing times that were the 1960s told through the eyes of the young girls... There's Colleen, an outspoken troublemaker, played with a vibrant energy by Elizabeth Burke. Ms. Burke brings a smooth banter and likeability to a character that could easily turn bratty... Heather E. Cunningham was a knock out as the timid misfit Maria Theresa Russo. Maria struggles with being one in a houseful of siblings, picked on by the nuns and her classmates and it all comes to a quiet and touching boiling point in a stirring monologue. Heather's quiet performance is not easily forgotten... [Blaine M. Cook] ... as the feeble minded Sister Mary Agnes that was too sweet to rap on retirement's door. This character had all sorts of delightful tics and physical jokes that showed Ms. Cook's natural talents... Probably the most fascinating and true to life character is Elizabeth McHugh played by Kimberly Greene... Kimberly's performance was tender and heartbreaking. Her poignant monologue as a 12 year old ending her relationship with God is easily the best moment of the play... Watching this play brought alive stories my mother had told me about attending Catholic School, and indeed how these experiences formed the generation that came before me. If this was RHP's goal, they certainly obtained it." - Akia Squitieri, Theatrescene.net "I was ecstatic when I saw the production of Catholic School Girls by Retro Productions. I don't usually attend productions of the play - however I was intrigued from the moment I saw the alluring, sexy poster. This innovative crew knows how to market and produce! In the middle of 42nd street all the angst and grace of 60's Catholic School Girls were on display via this intelligent, talented company of young actors. A play, I thought I knew so well was full of moments of delightful surprise." - CASEY KURTTI, playwright, Catholic School Girls |
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Performances
to Remember, 2007 
