REVIEW: Friendly Flattery Hinders the Potential of Himbos
By Vanessa Reseland
Continuing Recital’s sponsored partnership with the New Hazlett Theater, we are presenting a series of editorially-independent previews and reviews of the 2023–24 Community Supported Art (CSA) Performance Series. Below is our review of Himbos by Brian Pope, a collaborative response from Vanessa Reseland with guest panelists Karen Cordaro, Eric Graf, and Luis Zul.
Walking into the New Hazlett Theatre on a Friday night, the CSA review panel entered a campy wonderland of hot pink glitz and arts & crafts glamour designed by Tucker Topel. An appropriately upbeat soundtrack by sound designer, Parag S. Gohel, included Gaga’s “Stupid Love” and house beats found in gay clubs across the country. A sign reading, “Himbos Don’t F**k Customers” hung, uncensored, above the lockers in the employee changing area. Upstage center, a raised stage, microphone, and a fully stocked bar prepared us for the show within the show. The tone was appropriately set for a rompy night of entertainment. We had entered the male-themed restaurant created by playwright Brian Pope, Himbos.
A “himbo” is a slang stereotype encapsulated by the on-stage employees (and self-proclaimed himbos) in their mantra, “Pure of Heart, Broad of Chest, Dumb of Ass.”
Based on the real-life Texas eatery, Tallywackers, Himbos’mission was to provide a gaze-worthy spectacle of objectified males who would welcome customers, take orders, make drinks, and receive tips. It was marketed as “Hooters for Women” but all eyes and wallets were welcome.
While this production was exceedingly fun, highly energetic, absolutely endearing, and full of promise, there were inconsistencies between the dialogue being spoken and what we saw onstage. The directorial choices by Shannon Knapp took the tone in multiple directions, repeatedly confusing the review panel. Was this show heightened camp or heartfelt comedy? There was clear talent on the stage, successfully drawing laughs, but their efforts couldn’t get us all on board simply because we never fully understood what we were watching.
The plot, lively and buoyant, attempted to expose the humanity beneath the himbo exterior. The teasing script seemed to have the intention to chisel away at the beefcake stereotype that connected the characters on paper, but the actors who were cast were already rich and varied in physicality and personality. The story revealed unique individuals with rich thoughts and feelings, navigating unique life circumstances. However, the actors did not all display the stereotypical physical or behavioral masculinity that the script seemed to be undermining. The characters seemed to have no commonalities between them besides their shared workspace.
Costumes by Claudia Brownlee could have told us everything we needed to know about objectification in a place like Himbos, but instead of parading a “meat market” of employees, actors were dressed like they had just finished a low-key workout. Each character donned cute, shiny hot pink gym shorts and had their own version of a baggy sleeveless T, marked with the Himbos logo (a flexing bicep muscle). A Tallywackers Google image search will show you the exact look of the men hired at this type of establishment and the barely-there uniforms they were expected to wear, yet at Himbos, there were no skin-tight booty shorts on servers or shirtless bartenders with bowties. Much of the plot required the audience to make intellectual jumps from the reality of objectification in the Himbos world vs. the reality in our world.
Wardrobe affects how we feel about ourselves, how we carry ourselves, how others perceive us. If the story is about objectified men with biceps and broad chests, characters need to carry themselves like men who are paid to have people look at their bodies, but many of the actors carried themselves with the confidence of comedians, the swagger of comedians, the unselfconsciousness about their bodies of…comedians. Their confidence didn’t come from their physicality, it came from the fact that they were funny. This would work if Himbos were a comedy club. In the post-show Q&A, it came to light that casting for the show rejected an audition process. Knapp, instead, opted to call on friends with straight offers for the role, provided they read the script. Not all of the actors followed those directions, but all of them accepted. This is a potential example of friendly enthusiasm sabotaging the creative insights revealed when one collaborates outside of their comfort zone.
There is a body-thoughtful point one can take away from the story of beefy, objectified men who put on a show when at work and grapple with heartfelt obstacles and insecurities when they clock out. It was unclear how the himbos felt about being objectified because we never saw them actively objectified. There were no interactions with customers aside from a conversation between Kyle and a lesbian who hated Himbos but was confusingly there waiting to break up with her girlfriend. One other male couple watching football in the background began to ambiguously harass one of the Himbos employees but then quietly disappeared. Do we need to witness himbos being objectified to understand their job or their mindsets?
Brian Pope.
While the direction kept us busy bouncing between styles, the script went beyond the stereotypes. Each character faced economic hardships, relationship struggles, and the moral questions faced as one cobbles together a life. Writer and creator Brian Pope’s ear is to the ground, but the lack of stylistic cohesion thwarted any chance we had to connect with these characters fully.
Pope did an adept job shifting between A, B, and C storylines. However, the style of each storyline varied so much in this production that the shifts felt jarring and more confusing as we would jump from one to the other. One moment, we would witness Dylan Meyers as Beau pouring his heart out to the new chef Zachariah Washington’s Sean as sincerely romantic sparks flew between them. The next moment, Tyler Ray Kendrick’s Ari and José Pérez IV’s Kyle would be swinging trash bags in the alley with the realism of a Bugs Bunny cartoon or trading one-liners like they were going up late at The Comedy Store.
Moments with Kyle, Cheyenne (a grounded performance by Gayle Pazerski), and Beau were grounded and tender, and it left our sentimental side wanting more.
While Kyle (Pérez) revealed gorgeously unique deliveries as he relayed information about co-parenting an infant with his “baby mama” after breaking up, we never saw his co-parent, Danielle. Even at her own baby shower, we watched him give a speech to her, sing to her, but we never saw him interact with her or witness their reconciliation.
The relationship between the sweet and sensitive host, Beau (Dylan Meyers), and the newly hired chef, Sean (Zachariah Washington), was a blossoming of chemistry and connection. Meyer’s drew us in with their honesty and simplicity and helped drive their scenes toward the level of heartfelt vulnerability that the rest of the play often toys with. At one point, he referred to the restaurant as “a frat house without all the toxic masculinity.” Enter the bartender, Mateo, played by Victor Aponte. Of all the characters, Mateo gives the least amount of backstory or circumstances outside of Himbos. We know nothing about this character aside from what we see, which is unwavering narcissism and a willingness to take “toxic masculinity” as it was originally stated, and “make it fashion.” His cruelty toward Beau, a formerly bullied teen, is hard to redeem even with a flashy out-of-drag drag karaoke performance expertly choreographed and executed by Aponte. Mateo makes no point to try and atone and eventually drops his harassment of the happy couple for seemingly no reason. While Mateo’s reads are impressively brutal, witty, and outlandish, the veil never comes down, and we never find out what makes the bartender tick.
In an act of less fabulous, more traditionally toxic masculinity, Ari forces Kyle to lie for him, threatening Kyle if he were to reveal Ari’s major infraction of the “Himbos Don’t F**k Customers” rule, therefore risking Kyle’s livelihood by keeping this secret. Though acted well, this uncomfortable exchange shifts the tone of the relationship. In fact, many of these relationships often seem more like trauma bonds based on proximity and circumstance rather than deeply-rooted bonds of himbo connection or friendship.
Pope stated in our CSA preshow interview that the Tallywackers closing was “mysterious,” and it was clear that this mystery was written into Himbos as well. This particular commitment to mirroring reality feels unsatisfying and can turn the audience against the production. In anticlimactic reality, Tallywackers closed because “the location we had didn’t work for us and our lease was up,” according to owner, Rodney Duke. In a puzzling directorial choice, in the last scene of the show, Gayle Pazerski’s well-crafted Cheyenne, the owner of Himbos, broke the fourth wall only once. During a final monologue, sometime in the future, she eyed the audience and told the story of how she came to start Himbos with inheritance from her dismissive father. She gave a “where are they now” speech about her former employees then spoke of her broken dreams as she handed over the keys to an invisible new owner.
Ambiguity can be a powerful tool when it lets the audience compare clues in order to make their own interpretations, but the clues can only exist if the writer, director, actor make choices behind the scenes. If we are left in the dark entirely, with no crumbs to follow, we don’t fundamentally know what is happening, and our investment in the story wanes.
So many of these moments, storylines, and characters start off strong and then dissolve into the unknown. Kyle’s Baby-Mama, Danielle, has her shower, but we never see her. Ari gets fired, and despite a poignant selfie on the dance floor, he never says goodbye to anyone. We get bits of dialogue relating to Cheyenne’s fascinating backstory, but we never follow those threads. The restaurant closes, and we have no idea why. The audience needed some resolution, some closure, some clarity or else we were left high and dry.
An overtly enthusiastic audience clearly bolstered Himbos from beginning to end, but it seemed that many audience members were somehow associated with those on stage. Feedback from an audience full of supportive and loving friends can feel euphoric, but it does not serve the well-being of the writer, actors, or the production. The panel’s critique and review is one I hope can offer an honest mirror held to the New Hazlett Theater production of Himbos because it is so clear that Pope is on the edge of something very special with this script. As a review panel, we were excited and engaged when discussing what worked in this production. This show is so clearly on the verge of discovering itself fully. We want to see the hilarious and heartfelt heights to which this draft can be taken with more challenging artistic collaboration and creative clarity. Keep workshopping. Keep writing. Keep going. We look forward to being repeat customers at Himbos.
Review Panel:
Vanessa Reseland (they/them) is an actor/singer/songwriter, who has performed all over the US and in the UK. After growing up in the North Hills, Vanessa spent 12 years in New York City and three years in Los Angeles, working in musical theatre, film, and television. They played the Witch in Fiasco Theater’s Into the Woods in London and on the US National Tour, winning the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Visiting Production and the LA Critic’s Circle Award for Best Ensemble Cast. Vanessa is a founding member of MOD Theatre Company in NYC/LA and co-created and co-directed the webseries, Remarkable Women, with Alexandra Lenihan. They have performed their original music/artpop project, WIFEY, since 2012 https://www.thisiswifeymusic.com/. Vanessa is currently very happy to be back in Pittsburgh and diving into the arts scene.
Karen Cordaro — Mrs. C Founded ACT ONE Theatre School in 1986. She holds a BA in Psychology from Seton Hill College and teacher certification in secondary English. She also attended the University of Pittsburgh for postgraduate studies. She wrote the script and co-wrote the lyrics for SESJUN (an internationally broadcast jazz program with Holland’s Metropolitan Orchestra), directed the ROUTE 66 performance with the cast of THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL in Rotterdam, wrote lyrics for a WELLA BALSAM European commercial, wrote lyrics for Ernie Sabella’s opening song at the ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE’S award gala in New York City, and has written for PARAMOUNT INTERNATIONAL. She co-wrote three workshop iterations of an original musical version of Alice in Wonderland. Mrs. C has taught and directed Pittsburgh area children for over 40 years.
Blatant sex appeal is a time-tested tactic in the restaurant industry. Usually it’s women whose looks are exploited. But in his new comedy, Pittsburgh-based playwright Brian Pope imagines a bar-restaurant called Himbos where it’s the male waitstaff who are scantily clad and apt to be ogled.
Pope’s ensemble comedy, too, is called “Himbos.” It premieres with three shows Thu., Oct. 26, and Fri., Oct. 27, kicking off the 11th season of the New Hazlett Theater’s Community Supported Art program for new performance works.
Pope was inspired in part by Hooters, the nationwide, 40-year-old restaurant chain where buxom female waitstaff wear tight tank tops and gym shorts, but more immediately by Boxers, a New York City-based chain of sports bars featuring buff, shirtless male bartenders.
Pope has heard of such establishments elsewhere, including the now-defunct Tallywackers, in Dallas. But he was especially impressed by Boxers, which he visited earlier this year. It calls itself “America’s Gay Sports Bar.”
“Everyone should go,” said Pope. “It was hilarious and fun.”
He was also — somewhat unexpectedly, he said — inspired by a vacation visit to the Magic Mike Live Las Vegas male revue.
“Me as a queer man — we were played to and acknowledged in this space as people who were enjoying it. It was not like a weird thing,” he said. “Just to see that sexualized space can also be fun and light and have consent as a value was really exciting. I was like, ‘OK … I can write a play about this, too.”
Pope’s fictional Himbos, located in “a blue city in a red state,” has a female owner, named Cheyenne (herself a former Hooters girl). But all five other main characters are male, including the confident, thirtysomething bartender Mateo; twentysomething host Beau; and Sean, the restaurant’s new chef. A love triangle between the three ensues. There’s also partying, and an audience-participation game of “Himbo Says.”
“Himbo,” of course, is a decades-old play on “bimbo,” a generations-old slang term, traditionally considered sexist, for an attractive but unintelligent woman. But Pope sees himbos in a positive light.
“Sort of the idea of a himbo is you see one thing, a sort of big strong person, and you think they’re dumb, you think they don’t have a lot to offer,” he said. “But a himbo is someone who is emotionally available and kind and sweet and sort of the total package and my goal with these characters is to portray them as fully fledged people.”
Pope is a University of Pittsburgh graduate who for the past five years served as casting and literary director at Pittsburgh Public Theater. Fresh out of college, he also worked in the service industry, making sandwiches at a Quiznos on South Craig Street, in Oakland.
In real life, restaurant workers are often underpaid and treated shabbily by customers. Pope sees “Himbos” as a celebration of the work communities that form in such places.
“You have these experiences that only you and your coworkers have context for and can understand,” he said. “And it’s a very interesting bond that I think was ripe to be dramatized.”
“Himbos” is directed by Shannon Knapp and stars Dylan Meyers, Victor Aponte, Gayle Pazerski, Zachariah Washington, Tyler Ray Kendrick and José Perez IV.
When playwright Brian Pope first heard about a restaurant called Tallywackers, he knew there was a story in the making. The concept for the now-defunct Dallas, Tex.-based restaurant was an all-male or “reverse” Hooters. Instead of buxom women, scantily-clad men served drinks and “abb-itizers” to ogling diners — a so-called “chestaurant” to match 40 years of breastaurants.
After generating worldwide buzz when it opened in 2015, Tallywackers mysteriously closed after just one year, further piquing Pope’s interest.
“It just was this myth of a place that burned bright and then was gone,” Pope tells Pittsburgh City Paper. “But the idea always kept in my mind … wow, what [was] that like? What were those people thinking who worked there, who [went] there?”
Himbos, premiering at the New Hazlett Theater on Thurs., Oct. 26 for a three-show run, follows the staff at a fictional shirtless restaurant as they “navigate the perils of friendships, romance, and even karaoke,” according to a press release. They play kicks off the New Hazlett’s 2023/2024 Community Supported Art performance series, now in its 11th season, which supports artists developing new work. Pope builds the “saucy service industry dramedy” around a core group of four employees, an homage to characters from his favorite sitcoms including The Golden Girls and Living Single — even Desperate Housewives.
“They all have a type or point of view that they embody… and [there’s] fun and comedy seeing how they bounce off of each other,” he says.
Part of the charm of the play for Pope was playing with contrasts, exploring the line between the universal parts of working as a server at any restaurant, and those unique to working at a gender-flipped Hooters. (Pope notes this isn’t an accurate analog anyway; unlike Hooters, the real-life Tallywackers catered to a broader, more mixed-gender clientele of gay men and straight women.)
One could also draw comparisons to Chippendales, the male striptease revue (and subject of a recent Emmy-nominated miniseries).
“What is this line between a dining experience [versus] a more entertainment, dancer, sex work experience?” Pope asks. “[It’s] certainly more innuendo-laden than other places.”
But for the most part, he tells City Paper “it’s a very traditional dining experience that just has this sort of cherry on top of these guys walking around with not a lot of clothes on.” For example, servers still “do the embarrassing birthday song” overheard at many restaurants, and during his research on Tallywackers, he found kid’s menus and highchairs on offer.
Above all, Pope says, the commonality of any food service work is that it’s grueling and “you can’t really shy away from what it takes to be on your feet, deal with people, and carry around all the food and drinks.”
In discussions with Himbos director Shannon Knapp — a frequent collaborator of Pope’s — they wanted the play to reflect the “rigor” and physical demands of service work, so they created scenes where actors roll silverware, sweep floors, and wipe down tables. Pope also credits the “energy and creativity” of the play’s cast and crew in interpreting the characters and realizing the look and feel of the “raucous” restaurant.
Pope drew inspiration from his own experiences working at the (now also-defunct) Quiznos on Craig Street. Another universal of working in a restaurant borne of long hours and demanding customers, he believes, is found family.
“You just sort of naturally bond with the people that see more than the people in your life. It’s a weird thing,” he says. “You cope together. … You have a language and a set of stories that no one else really understands.”
And then, at the fictional Himbos restaurant, “to also be shirtless on top of that,” Pope adds. “That’s always [an] asterisk, which is very fun.”
Ultimately, he intends for the show to be “joyful and fun and silly.”
“The world is burning,” Pope says. “It’s my hope with all my work to make people laugh and escape for a little bit. I like to bring some light, even if it’s something as random as this.”
Your Play Comes with a Side of Consensual Male Objectification in Brian Pope’s Restaurant Romp, Himbos
by Vanessa Reseland
The 2023–2024 Community Supported Art (CSA) Season is about to begin! I interviewed our first playwright of the season, and before I go any further, I would like to share the first question of our conversation:
Vanessa Reseland: Can you tell me a little bit about the overall concept of your show?
Brian Pope: Himbos is a workplace comedy about a restaurant staffed by beautiful men who wear tiny clothes.
You have our attention.
Brian Pope serves up the first show of this season with his saucy comedy about the service industry with a twist. He told me about the inspiration for this tale of hospitality hijinks, shame-free sexuality, and found family. Imagine the relationship dynamics and innuendo of a show like Cheers meets the spirit and wardrobe of Magic Mike. If that piques your interest (how could it not?), read on for more of our interview.
Himbos has three showings, Thursday, October 26 at 8 PM and Friday, October 27 at 10 AM & 8 PM. Tickets range from $20–$30 and are available at https://newhazletttheater.org/events/himbos/.
VR: As the playwright, when you sat down at a blank page, why did this story pour out of you?
BP: This play came from a real restaurant that existed in real life. It was inspired by Hooters, obviously, and it was consciously flipping the script. It was in Dallas, Texas. Tallywackers was the name of the restaurant. You know, of course it was. It was all over the news…because it was just a hilarious thing where there were men who were wearing short shorts or tank tops just like they do at Hooters. I was really drawn to the joy that was present in everything I read; everyone was having a good time there. The patrons, obviously, were very excited about it, and the guys too just really loved it. They enjoyed the attention, and like, there are worse ways to make money. It’s hot, waiting tables, so wearing less clothes is also not a bad thing.
VR: I’m sure the outfits help with tips, but they’re still doing a job.
BP: It is hard work standing up on your feet, carrying giant things! They were obviously very strong but still, it’s hard.
VR: So when you watched all these stories about Tallywackers, what resonated with you?
BR: I just thought that was an exciting concept and a great jumping off point for a comedy. How people react, how the guys who work there get ready…what kind of mental math do they have to do to do that kind of work? What were they working there for? Who are the bachelorette parties for? The moms and daughters who come there? And kids! There’s a kids menu! This is a world that I wanna write about. I really love getting to create a place where this was all consensual, and everyone was enjoying it and having a good time, there was no objectification in a bad way. This is honest and we’re talking about it, and I think that’s healthy. Sexuality exists, and it’s a good thing and doesn’t have to be you know exploitative or bad. It can be a positive thing that we all partake in that is silly.
VR: In your show, are you able to delve more deeply into these characters’ backgrounds and, for lack of a better word, expose who they are beyond the objectification?
BP: Yeah, they all have unique storylines that sort of overlap in the play. Who is the owner? My version is that a woman owns it, and she used to work at Hooters. She has come and is revamping it based on her own experiences and reclaiming it. That was a very exciting story to tell. We have our romantic lead, Beau, and his rival Mateo, who is a bartender. There is a karaoke number that is a big, romantic gesture that is going to be showstopping. There are characters who are in a love triangle, one who has a baby he’s trying to support. We get to know who they are and how they come together. It was my nod to those groups of four in lots of TV shows, like The Golden Girls and Friends.
VR: “Found family” is a term for people who meet and care for each other like family but are not blood related. I have heard you use this term to describe characters in this play. Can you tell me a little bit about what found family means to you?
BP: Found family is one of my favorite things to write about because I am such a product of it in my life. I came to Pittsburgh for college, and that’s where I found my tribe doing theater at school. It’s people who think the same way you do, who you just gel with naturally, and it’s such a magical thing. For these guys [in Himbos], it is the bonding of, like, look at this crazy thing that happened today, this thing that no one else in their lives understands and also how they’re all different, they all complement each other.
VR: Is there anything you want to say about the importance of sharing queer storylines in the theatre and in Pittsburgh?
BP: My life is a queer storyline. It just comes naturally. So many people identify with what I’m writing. These storylines are everywhere now. They’re on TV. They’re on stage. Musicians are openly queer and singing about that. It’s great to offer queer characters that are relatable, that are flawed, that are really silly, that are mean sometimes, that don’t always do the right thing, but that we can identify with, and we can relate to. We know what they’re going through and, like, that’s just another part of their identity. It’s not the thing. And in this setting, it is not just women who are coming to see these men. Everyone is coming to see these men, let’s be real. The funny thing is that the reverse Hooters was pitched just like, “Oh, this is for women.” It was for men. Just like Hooters was for men. It’s great that women are there and able to participate, too. They should, they deserve it, but I think that is a thing that is powerful about the queer community, that we are getting to a place where we can talk about that and live in that fully, and I love writing about that.
VR: So do you have an ideal audience for this show? Who should come and see it?
BP: Everyone. Everyone should come, but specifically I just want people who are ready to have a good time. There’s so much craziness going on in the world, but I want my play to be an escape from their issues. It’s a comedy. I want people to laugh. I want people to smile. My greatest hope is that people feel good when they leave, that they feel like, “What did I just watch??” but it the best way.
Himbos runs at the New Hazlett Theatre October 26th at 8pm and October 27 at 10am and 8pm
Himbos Written by Brian Pope
Director: Shannon Knapp
Set Designer: Tucker Topel
Costumer: Claudia Brownlee
Lighting Designer: Rianne Lindsey
Sound Designer: Parag Gohel
The cast includes: Tyler Ray Kendrick, Dylan Meyers, Gayle Pazerski, Zachariah Washington, Victor Aponte, José Pérez IV, and Michael Zolovich.
(Pittsburgh, PA) September 27, 2023—This October, the New Hazlett Theater invites audiences to the premiere of Himbos, playwright Brian Pope’s laugh-out-loud dramedy about found family. The play introduces viewers to the fictional Himbos restaurant as its scantily-clad male staff navigates the perils of friendships, romance, and even karaoke. According to Pope, the best tip for the Himbos wait staff and theatergoers alike is to celebrate a chuckle or two. “I want everyone who visits Himbos to leave with big smiles on their faces. When you write or perform comedy, there’s no greater gift than that. My dream is for the jokes to get stuck in their heads like a catchy song. I hope that audiences feel like they spent time in a place they’ve grown to love with characters they’ve grown to love.” Pope says.
Himboskicks off the Theater’s 2023/2024 Community Supported Art (CSA) performance series. Now in its 11th season, the CSA allows emerging artists to develop new work for the New Hazlett stage.
“Watching Brian’s work come together over the last few months has been inspiring and, quite frankly, fun. Brian has gathered a smart design team and a jubilant cast. As a group they have crafted an evening of theater that is both touching and laugh-out-loud funny,” says Creative Programs Manager Janus Young.
Himboshas three showings only: Thursday, October 26th at 8 PM and Friday, October 27th at 10 AM & 8 PM. The October 27th 10 AM performance is free through RAD days. Individual tickets are available for purchase on the New Hazlett website. Tickets range from $20–$30. CSA 11 subscriptions are also available for purchase for $100.
The Himbos production team includes Shannon Knapp as director, Jalina McClarin as assistant director, Nick Stamatakis as composer, and Elena Falgione as intimacy director. The multi-talented cast features Dylan Meyers (Beau), Victor Aponte (Mateo), Gayle Pazerski (Cheyenne), Zachariah Washington (Sean), Tyler Ray Kendrick (Ari), José Pérez IV (Kyle), and Mike Zolovich (Understudy).
For Pope, watching this team interpret – and realize – the characters has been a favorite part of the process.
“As the playwright, I rely on the actors, director, designers, etc., to see things in these characters that I might not be able to after spending so much time writing and rewriting them. Their energy, creativity, and talent makes my work better and inspires me,” Pope says.
Brian Pope (he/him) writes plays, writes about plays, watches plays and TV, and talks constantly about all things pop culture on and off the internet. As an artist, Brian’s work centers on the values of joy and collaboration, while aiming to pay forward the sense of community he found pursuing his passion.
Content Disclosure: Himbos contains mature language and themes.
Himbos is presented as a part of the New Hazlett Theater’s 11th Season of CSA, brought to you by Fort Pitt Capitol.
About Community Support Art (CSA)
Since 2013, the New Hazlett Theater’s CSA Performance Series has brought emerging and mid-career performing artists to the stage. We’re passionate about providing a space for Pittsburgh’s amazing pool of creative talent to develop, collaborate, grow, and flourish. From dance to music, original plays to experimental animation, our CSA pushes the boundaries of performance at every show. For more information, visit https://newhazletttheater.org/csa
photo by Quantum Theatre
Editorial: Pittsburgh’s diverse theater scene needs post-pandemic support
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
August Wilson, one of America’s greatest playwrights, grew up in the Hill District and set most of his plays here. In Oakland, Carnegie Mellon offers one of the best drama programs in the country. City Theatre and the Pittsburgh Public are a one-two punch of regional theater excellence. The city has too many small acting companies to count. Most of our high schools put on a musical every year, culminating in the Gene Kelly Awards. And every Broadway tour stops in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh is a theater town. But our theaters are hurting.
In the New York Times, writer Isaac Butler recently chronicled the abrupt closing or downsizing of regional theatres and theatre festivals across the country, caused by shrinking subscriber bases, the pandemic’s effect on audiences and resulting rising ticket prices. Clare Drobot, one of City Theatre’s Co-Artistic Directors, told a Post-Gazette editorial writer that City lost close to 40% of their audience over the 18 months they had to shut down. “We’re still in recovery,” she said, facing the same “industry-wide challenges” as other local theaters.
Thankfully, another Pittsburgh tradition is the city’s commitment to philanthropy. The city’s foundation community with be essential to the renewed flourishing of the theater scene. While the city government’s efforts to support art and drama have stalled, Allegheny County has stepped up in the form of Regional Asset District grants to local theater organizations such as Dreams of Hope, Front Porch Theatricals, Kelly Strayhorn Theater, New Hazlett Theater, New Horizon Theater, the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights Company, Quantum Theatre and the Saltworks Theatre Company, among others.
But an infusion of cash, while helpful, doesn’t make up for the absence of an audience. No acting company wants to play to an empty house. It’s time for Pittsburghers to show up for, and at, our theaters. Luckily, there’s no shortage of Pittsburgh-related performances to see this season.
There’s “South Side Stories,” one of the upcoming shows at City, in which local star Tami Dixon revisits her 2012 one-woman show, telling new tales from the neighborhood. Or, at the Public this fall, there’s “Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For,” a new musical about the Homewood-raised composer. Or, if you hurry, you can catch Joe Turner’s “Come and Gone” at the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company before it closes in September.
Or maybe you don’t care about a Pittsburgh connection, but would enjoy “Evil Dead, the Musical” (at Pittsburgh Musical Theatre in October), or the operatic work One-Log Bridge, which explores immigration at the New Hazlett in December. Or maybe one of the dozens of other shows around town this season is right for you.
The theater is a place to find community — somewhere it’s okay to laugh, cry and feel together. Our theaters, big and tiny, need us in their seats, this season. And we need them.
New Hazlett Theater Announces 11th Season of Community Supported Art
(Pittsburgh, PA) June 13, 2023— The New Hazlett Theater is pleased to announce its 11th Season of Community Supported Art (CSA), showcasing five premiere performances from Pittsburgh-based artists. Running from October 2023 to April 2024, The New Hazlett CSA Season 11 offers a broad range of productions, including opera, dance, theater and a multi-disciplinary experience.
“As we enter into our 11th year of CSA programming, I continue to be impressed with the breadth of talent and creativity in our region,” says New Hazlett Theater Executive Director René Conrad. “This year’s artists, and their respective works, represent a variety of creative mediums, cultures, and storytelling styles. It’s as much a professional pleasure to present to our patrons as it is a personal joy to help facilitate bringing new work by Pittsburgh artists to life.”
Each year the CSA Performance Series supports five emerging Pittsburgh artists as they develop a new work for the New Hazlett stage. The artists selected for the 2023/24 season share a common talent for groundbreaking creativity.
2023/2024 Season Lineup:
Himbos
A new play by Brian Pope
A service industry saga that puts the fun in dysfunctional.
October 26, 2023 – 8pm
October 26, 2023 – 10am & 8pm
One-Log Bridge
A new opera theatre work by Yan Pang
One-Log Bridge uses the beauty of the voice to explore immigration, race and resilience.
December 7, 2023 – 8pm
December 8, 2023 – 10am & 8pm
Teaira Whitehead
A play by Melannie Taylor
A powerful exploration of relationships, crime, and racial injustice.
February 15, 2024 – 8pm
February 16, 2024 – 10am & 8pm
UNDERLAND x Alice
Dance theater by Kontara Morphis
A journey of self-realization, visibility, and discovery seen through the lens of the African Diaspora.
March 21, 2024 – 8pm
March 22, 2024 – 10am & 8pm
Apis
A multi-disciplinary experience by Lindsay Goranson
A mind-bending performance that is equal parts science, cinema and theater, starring the last creature on earth.
April 18, 2024 – 8pm
April 19, 2024 – 10am & 8pm
“Storytellers plant the seeds of change, but organizations like The New Hazlett are where they grow.” says CSA Season 11’s Lindsay Goranson. “The CSA is a great opportunity to collaborate with other silos of knowledge working on making Pittsburgh a more sustainable city.”
The cast of Painting Lesson by Jasmine Roth, part of New Hazlett’s CSA Season 10. Photography by Renee Rosensteel
“I believe that the process of creating a new play from the literal ground up is the ultimate collaborative pursuit. It takes consistent input, output, and innovation from all parties involved. The support from the CSA program makes space for higher levels of those ingredients,” says CSA Season 11 artist Brian Pope.
Past CSA contributors include hip-hop artist Ys1, choreographer Kaylin Horgan, puppeteer Dave English, and vocalist Anqwenique Wingfield. The New Hazlett Theater’s CSA program provides a platform for creative, diverse artists to mold the future of the arts in Pittsburgh by connecting audiences with new productions that push the boundaries of what a live performance can be.
Subscriptions are available for purchase on the New Hazlett website.
Accessible seating and assistive listening devices are available for all CSA Season 11 productions. Please email Kevin Rabbits with any questions.
Meet the Artists
Brian Pope (he/him) writes plays, writes about plays, watches plays and TV, and talks constantly about all things pop culture on and off the internet. As an artist, Brian’s work centers on the values of joy and collaboration, while aiming to pay forward the sense of community he found pursuing his passion.
Yan Pang (she/they) is a composer, performer, and scholar. She is a visiting assistant professor of music at Point Park University. She received her Ph.D. in Music with a minor in Theater Arts & Dance at the University of Minnesota. Her work focuses on intercultural composition and performance.
Melannie Taylor (she/they) is a playwright dedicated to creating characters with heart and authenticity; holding space and reverence for Black people in America seeking healing and justice. As an artist, Melannie focuses on the intersection of art and activism, and is committed to the inclusion, protection, and upliftment of the black community.
Kontara Morphis (she/her) is a choreographer creating thought-provoking, emotionally resonant, and visually stunning dance pieces. Kontara is Artistic Director of K-Theatre Dance Complex and lends her talents to many other area organizations. Kontara believes dance has the power to communicate complex ideas and emotions in a way that words cannot.
Lindsay Goranson (she/they) is a writer, performer, interdisciplinary theater-maker, and relentlessly curious human. They create impactful experiences in pursuit of social change and prioritize minimizing the environmental impact of dynamic live experiences.
About The New Hazlett Theater
The New Hazlett Theater is a non-profit performing arts center that creates dynamic art through innovation and collaboration. We provide vital resources to creators from diverse backgrounds to enrich our cultural community.
www.newhazletttheater.org
photo by Carrie Schneider
NEA awards $285,000 in grants to Pittsburgh arts organizations
by Jeremy Reynolds
The U.S. federal government spends significantly less on the country’s arts and humanities than some of its European neighbors.
There are pros and cons to this. Opponents of the National Endowment for the Arts argue that the government should not be in the business of taste making and cite research suggesting that state subsidies actually homogenize the arts due to individuals and organizations adjusting their output to secure funding.
Proponents of arts grants argue that the U.S. government should invest in its arts and culture sector for economic, community and humanitarian reasons, and cite numerous examples of great and famous art that received state support.
Regardless, under President Biden, the NEA budget has crept up, with a $27 million increase in 2022 for a total of $207 million, or .003% of the federal budget. (There are additional proposed increases for 2023.)
And on Wednesday, the NEA announced grants totaling $103 million to organizations in all states and jurisdictions, including Pittsburgh.
Here is the list of area organizations that received funding:
WQED Multimedia: $30,000 to support the WQED Film Academy, a media arts education program.
Carnegie Mellon University: $25,000 to support LIVE! Art && Code, a lecture and workshop series showcasing artists and practitioners working in new media and interactive design.
Center of Life: $25,000 to support mentorship activities as part of the KRUNK Movement, a music and health initiative for youth.
Pittsburgh Glass Center: $25,000 to support an artist residency program.
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust: $25,000 to support a multidisciplinary arts festival.
Point Park University: $25,000 to support multidisciplinary arts performances, residencies and artist talks at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.
New Hazlett Center for the Performing Arts: $25,000 to support the Community Supported Art residency program.
Society for Contemporary Craft: $25,000 to support the exhibition “Climate Awakening: Crafting a Sustainable Future” at the Society for Contemporary Craft.
Early Music America, Inc. :$20,000 to support the Early Music America Summit, co-hosted by Boston Baroque.
Film Pittsburgh: $20,000 to support Teen Screen, a free digital media literacy program and screening series for middle and high school students.
Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council: $20,000 to support a communications and marketing campaign for arts organizations.
Kelly Strayhorn Theater: $20,000 to support dance presentations at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater.
Jeremy Reynolds: jreynolds@post-gazette.com. His work at the Post-Gazette is supported in part by a grant from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Getty Foundation and Rubin Institute.
Morning Reckoning is the Nostalgic Teeny Bopper Comedy Millennials Need Right Now
By Vanessa Reseland
Continuing Recital’s sponsored partnership with the New Hazlett Theater, we are presenting a series of editorially-independent previews and reviews of the 2022–23 Community Supported Art (CSA) Performance Series. Below is our review of Morning Reckoning by Kelly Trumbull, a collaborative response from Vanessa Reseland with guest panelists Ariel Xiu, Marcus Shutrump, and David Bernabo.
The 2022–2023 CSA season at the New Hazlett Theater included much solemn material born of pandemic strife and reflection. Death, illness, suicide, loss, ostracization, and violence were consistent and meaningful themes at the New Hazlett Theater, but the final show of this CSA series, Kelly Trumbull’s Morning Reckoning, was a nostalgic throwback of a romp, gifting much-appreciated laughter and lightness to its audience. Lightness…but not insignificance.
Inspired by Trumbull’s real-life youth, often spent recreating famous, turn-of-the millennia pop performances with her childhood friends, Morning Reckoning is the memory-sparking, cringe-inducing, laugh-out-loud, coming-of-age story of five 8th grade friends in the suburbs of New Jersey in 1999.
Despite the omnipresence of the fictitious, titular boy band called Morning Reckoning, this show is less about boy-crazed, teen zealots (although it’s a little about that), and more about navigating social dynamics for the first time on your own. It’s about holding onto relationships born of proximity then challenged by individual growth. It’s about first friendships, first crushes, and the pain of growing up. It’s also really, really funny.
All female-identifying, relatively middle-class members of the “Morning Reckoning Fan Club,” each character holds their own distinct and recognizable personality.
Kandace is president of the fan club and self-appointed orchestrator of her friends’ social lives. Scenic designer Tucker Topel created Kandace’s ideal 1999 downstairs hideout. It is her family’s basement we inhabit throughout the play. It is her giant blackboard recording the agenda for the next meeting. It’s her childhood relics like the 90s must-have, Little Tikes plastic push pedal car that is discarded to the corner of the basement, taunting us with memories of a once simple childhood and giving way to the hormonal rush of teendom. They’re her beanbag and folding chairs, her plaid couch, her strung Christmas lights, her snacks, her rules, her plans, and she needs everyone to remember this. Somehow, Alex Manalo was able to play the domineering and inflexible Kandace with the balanced strokes of pathos and naive self-centeredness that made her remarkably charming.
Her best friend, Trish, initially a somewhat malleable sidekick but an ever-brewing foil for Kandace, is mild-mannered yet thoughtful. When she can’t attend the Morning Reckoning concert at Madison Square Garden due to her parents’ concerns about unsupervised, NYC public transit, she is shamed by Kandace and pacifies her bullying best friend by pushing off the topic and downplaying her loyalty to her parents. We receive subtle clues about Trish’s sexual orientation as she muses about physical attraction in general: “What makes a body hot?” Her theoretical queerness is met with surprising and relieving acceptance by Kandace, but her interest in a new female student in their grade opens up a new facet of Trish and a new insecurity for Kandace. Beautifully played by Matia Martin, Trish finds her voice as she begins to outgrow not only her allegiance to Morning Reckoningbut to Kandace as well.
The other permanent members of the fan club are the loveable, life-of-the-party team of Sue (Jalina McClarin) and Emily (Mia Kurlfink). Feeling like true best friends with fresh, impulsive banter, the comedically theatrical moments between them feel more like your funniest friends doing bits at a party than actors reciting written jokes. Their joyful personalities and their relationship with each other feel the most reminiscent of relatable youth. In the talk-back, Trumbull discussed one directing approach she used in this rehearsal process called “active analysis.” In short, the actors learn the written piece and then improvise the scene over and over on their feet, getting the roles into their bodies and allowing for more of their instincts to infuse the characters. The duo of Sue and Emily felt like the most clear result of such a method. When directing your own piece, as Kelly Trumbull did with this show, it can be a challenge to let actors take your concept down unforeseen paths, but remaining open-minded proves to be a huge success for Trumbull, as she cast capable actors who brought such fresh originality to their scenes.
April, able to artfully tip-toe around Kandace’s triggers, was played by the adorable Claire Sabatine, who brought an innocence to the role that provided another needed layer to the friend group. She, too, aims to avoid Kandace’s volatility by appeasing her fancies. Whatever April needs to agree with is worth it because of Kandace’s bubbling fragility and likelihood to yell at them, so she is protecting both her and themselves. It is a survival strategy.
The only way for an audience to understand their adoration for the band and their connection to each other is to hear the music to which they pledge their allegiance. Original pop pieces, written and recorded by Addi Twig and Brad Stephenson, play throughout the show, providing hilariously witty energy. (We await the accompanying soundtrack — will it only be available on CD?!). Sound design by Samantha Magill hit every note perfectly. The choreography by Alex Manalo (yes, Kandace!) was spot-on in the most perfectly tongue-in-cheek meets completely sincere 90s kind of way. Watching these friends dance and lip-sync their hearts out glorified the enthusiastic bond of mutually stimulated youth.
Many people flinch at their middle school recollections. It is painful to revisit blocked memories of confusion, guilt, and disappointment, of the earliest betrayals inflicted upon us, and the betrayals we inflict, of self-consciousness, insecurity, and ignorance. Seeing this play lit up neural pathways from youth, otherwise hard to access. As we reflect on these “firsts,” we cringe at the feelings that were so mighty at the time but in hindsight can feel out of place and even manufactured. At the same time, the curation of world-wide cultural brands like *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, or Britney Spears were, indeed, manufactured for us to go on these passionate, hormonal journeys. What emotional responses can possibly be authentic within the plasticity of market-targeted adolescence?
Morning Reckoningis the catalyst for the club’s enthusiasm and angst. Their images adorn the set on posters, pillows, and scrap books. The depictions of the boy band at the center of this production were admittedly and brilliantly image-generated by AI. None of the “boys” are or were ever real human people. It somehow adds another layer to the examined ridiculousness of celebrity worship. But could there be something developmentally worthwhile in Kandace’s delusional love for the lead singer, “Brandon Brixton?” To have a crush on a celebrity is to have a crush on a projection of someone who cannot reject you. It’s the reason adults in otherwise monogamous relationships still sometimes give themselves a celebrity “hall pass.” For a young teenager, unfamiliar with the world of romance, this is essential practice at having romantic feelings for someone. The emotions may be real, the imagination may be powerful, but it can never end because it never was.
Kandace’s reliable projection is confronted, though, when Brandon attempts suicide, which Kandace finds out through entertainment news. This “betrayal” hits her hard and comes out in one of the greatest, most ironic lines of the play, “It’s almost like I don’t know him at all!”
Personality types like Kandace’s can be very alluring. Leadership skills are common in such a dynamic and attractive personality, and to feel accepted by them is to feel special, hand-picked, elite, but with that, there is an often accompanying impulsiveness and lack of empathy. Seeing any remote criticism as a personal attack. For example, when Emily, in reference to a squabble between Kandace and Trish, diplomatically states, “I see both sides.” Kandace hears something much different, responding with, “Are you saying I’m a bad person?!”
Julia Kreutzer played the newest “should-be, would-be, could-be” member of the fan club, Nadia. Ignorant to all things Morning Reckoning, Nadia is an import from Indianapolis, where she was living on the grunge side of 90s music. A new connection with Trish brought her to a club meeting with the intention of making some new friends and exploring her relationship with Trish. While the other members of the club are welcoming and happy to indulge the newbie, Kandace fumes.
All Kandace offers her guest is uncomfortable banter, rude comments, and passive aggressive bullying. Amid a whispered, “I’m sorry” from Trish, Kandace finally erupts, shouting for Nadia to leave. Trish finally reaches her breaking point and takes a stand against her supposed best friend, erupting with a painful, “Nobody likes you!” It is a comeuppance that seems almost too harsh until Kandace makes a move nobody seemed to expect. As Nadia ascends the stairs to exit the basement, Kandace screams while bolting up the handful of steps to yank Nadia to the ground. Expertly choreographed by Jose Perez IV, Nadia hits her head and falls to the ground, lying motionless for several moments before a blackout.
At this point, some of us wondered if Nadia was dead, but most of us decided that a tonal departure of that magnitude was unlikely given the show we had seen up until that point. The panel eventually landed on the interpretation that the act of violence itself had crossed such a line that there would be dire consequences. The fractioning of these relationships after such an unwarranted affront would likely dismantle the club and send each character down their next, individual path toward adulthood. Their collective story is effectively over.
The blackout could have been a dramatic ending to the show, but what followed felt like the initiation of a new scene. We open on Kandace, crying alone in the same basement in a moment of her own reckoning. However, what quickly followed was a surreal epilogue, free of dialogue. A hellish and shadowy red glow by lighting designer, Hope Debelius, suddenly eclipsed the stage. Soon, each member of the MRfan club reentered, reuniting for a final lip sync/dance performance, including Nadia and the production’s swing, Gabby Castrodad. It was a sequence more closely resembling a scene from Twin Peaks than Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. It evoked the image of “rolling credits,” despite the fact that the show felt forgivably unfinished.
Morning Reckoning’s charm, humor, and nostalgia resounded despite the stunning and confusing final moments. If anything, it made us speculate about a second act. Perhaps, instead of “rolling credits,” we should be thinking, “to be continued…”
Kelly Trumbull seemed to be connected to many of the evening’s attendees. A long-time Pittsburgh actor, director, and educator, this was her first venture as a playwright, and if the support for this “theatre artist’s theatre artist” was overheard in the audience’s pre-show chatter, it resounded in the post-show Q&A. If she wants a second act as much as we do, it’s bound to grace a nearby stage sooner than later. This I promise you.
Set in 1999, Morning Reckoning tells the story of a group of 8th-grade girls who run a fan club for their favorite Boy Band, “Morning Reckoning.”
By Jessica Neu
Upon entering the New Hazlett Theater to enjoy local multidisciplinary artist Kelly Trumbull’s new play, I was immediately struck by the scenic design and props
(Tucker Topel). The fan club meetings occur in the club president Kandace’s (Alex Manalo) suburban New Jersey basement. The 1970s-80s plaid sofa was a basement standard during the 90s as it was banished to the basement when your parents got new living room furniture from Kaufmann’s. The couch was adorned with a patchwork crocheted afghan. A bean bag chair and the type of plastic folding chair you would stick to on a hot summer day provided additional seating options for the fan club members. Downstage were storage boxes marked as holiday decorations and the red and yellow Little Tykes “Fred Flintstone” pedal car. I had that exact car as a child, and its presence on stage made me a bit itchy as it was the source of my first bee sting when a hive set up in the back of the car. My grandfather got the stinger out with tweezers as I sat on a similar brown plaid couch positioned center stage—indeed, a nostalgic moment.
Written and directed by Trumbull, Morning Reckoning marks her writing debut and is sure to make you laugh and remember an era of dial-up internet, teen magazines, and teenage angst. The social media hype surrounding this show, The last show of New Hazlett’s Community Supported Art’s 10th season, was significantly greater than that of previous performances this season, translating into a nearly sold-out audience for opening night.
Trumbull’s script is peppered with clever popular culture references from that era, including nods to *NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, Carson Daily, “Austin Powers,” “Clueless” and “Scream.” These references help to ground the nostalgic element of the show as we follow Kandace and her friends April (Claire Sabatine), Sue (Jalina McClarin), Trish (Matia Martin), and Emily (Mia Kurlfink), as they hold annual fan club meetings to discuss important information about the band, prepare for their upcoming concert at Madison Square Garden (complete with plans for their mothers to wait in line at Ticket Master) and perfect the words and choreography to each Morning Reckoning song.
With music by Brad Stephenson and Addi Twigg and choreography by Manalo, audiences get the vibe that these girls are recreating what they just saw on Total Request Live back in the late 90s as fans flocked to Times Square each day to catch a glimpse of their favorite artists at the MTV studios.
However, if the singing and dancing are the personifications of teen pop, Trumbull’s angst-ridden script channels Alanis Morissette-esque 90s female rock. Straight from the pages of a diary purchased from the Charlotte Russe checkout line, the five principal actresses portray a sense of teenage excitement and drama as their meeting agendas address underlying social anxieties that plague young women. Topics of bullying, sexual orientation, parenting, and independence are all discussed from a teenager’s self-centered, stunted perspective. However, the topics still add depth to the plot as we, as adults, can become self-reflective on our once-teenage selves.
Trish’s parents will not allow her to take the train into Manhattan to attend the Morning Reckoning concert but instead offer to drop her off at Madison Square Garden and pick her up. Despite Trish still being allowed to go to the show, Kandace becomes infuriated that Trish cannot ride the train with the rest of the group, as the presence of Trish’s parents ruins the entire significance of the adventure. I remember so clearly my dad waiting for me outside of Star Lake and IC Light amphitheater, but wow, did I feel grown-up when I started riding with my older friends who had their licenses to see shows a Club Laga and Metropool.
These characters are relatable, witty, and heartwarming. Kandace continues to fight for control over the group as Nadia (Julia Kreutzer), a transfer student from Indianapolis, is invited by Trish to join the fan club. Kandace rejects anyone new to the group citing that Nadia is not a big enough fan as she continues to bully the other members into adhering to her self-contrived fan club agenda. Her need for control could resonate from the absentee mother whom Kandace references throughout the show but also alludes to a far more significant challenge that many teenagers face: the struggle to reconcile one’s identity. Kandace becomes so entrenched in her love for Morning Reckoning, specifically member Brandon Brixton, that she has a quasi-nervous breakdown when it is reported that he attempted suicide and that all subsequent concerts are canceled. Lashing out at her friends, who she feels are not mourning the events properly, Kandace admits that she eventually thought the stars would align and she and Brandon would end together. Of course, adults can view that statement as teenage fantasy, but I challenge any female to think back to when you did not have some hope that you would end up with your teenage celebrity crush (mine was Taylor Hanson).
Morning Reckoning brings to light that before individuals became consumed by identity politics, there was identity pop culture. When each of the Spice Girls and *NSYNC assumed a different persona that fans could identify with, we became these members, or at the very least, assumed we knew them. As Kandace realizes that all she knows about Brandon are the preferences he listed in a teen magazine interview, she is left with the stark reality that she not only does not know Brandon but also does not know herself, which is quite a heavy realization to reckon with.
Morning Reckoning opened on the same day the Backstreet Boys celebrated their 30th anniversary as a group. To this day, fans still flock to see their favorite teen icons, from New Kids on the Block to the Jonas Brothers. What was once our entire identity is now the nostalgia we seek to escape the turmoil of our current identity politics; “isn’t it ironic, don’t ya think?” Morning Reckoning connects us to that nostalgic time faster than any dial-up connection ever could and reinvigorates the thrill, innocence, and excitement that comes with seeing your favorite celebrities and spending time with your best friends.
New Hazlett Theater Community Supported Art’s (CSA) production of Morning Reckoning has it’s last performance on April 21, 2023, tickets at https://newhazletttheater.org/csa/
