Alice in Black and White

"Beautifully written, splendidly directed, and featuring an excellent cast, this is one to see…Jennifer Thalman Kepler is superb as Alice Austen…’Alice in Black and White’ is an extraordinary testimony to Alice Austen's work, her lifestyle and her legacy. The intimate setting of 59E59 Theaters is ideal for the show's presentation. This is a very important, brilliantly conceived show that shares the ideals of one woman, ideals that have timeless significance." Full Review

"There were some truly wonderful scenes in this piece that highlighted the naïve innocence of the 19th century...Director Kathi E.B. Ellis has accomplished something truly exciting as she has cobbled together all of the sentiments of this piece into a powerfully directed evening of theatre...'Alice in Black and White' will make you laugh, wonder, and want to know more about the elusive and powerful Alice Austen." Full Review

"'Alice In Black and White' is an intimate portrayal of Alice Austen—an unconventional, daring, slice-of-life photographer who focused on 'Street Types of New York' for over 40 years. Robin Rice’s play is structurally uneven and confusing which detracts from a meaningful perspective of Austen’s complicated life choices and what sacrifices she made becoming America’s first female photo-journalist." Full Review

“Alice Austen was a woman ahead of her time. Born during an era and in a society when there were not many options for women besides becoming a wife and mother, Alice was an unmarried, childless lesbian who lived with her girlfriend Gertrude Tate...Lovingly captured in ‘Alice in Black and White' by playwright Robin Rice, director Kathi E.B. Ellis and members of the Looking for Lilith Theatre Company, Alice was a true pioneer; a feminist decades before anybody started using that term.” Full Review

"Rice reveals Austen’s history one piece at a time, separating the years with another story...This secondary storyline is an odd fit for the play...'Alice in Black and White' works well as commentary on the evolution of women’s rights in America, from Victorian times through the 1950s. It also makes a moving point about the women of Austen’s generation, who were brought up being told they were worth only what their wombs could produce." Full Review

"The appealingly modest 'Alice in Black and White' straightforwardly tracks the life of this double pioneer...The show is at its best when it follows Austen at work and in love, especially since Kepler and Ellis have an affectionate rapport. Rice and the director lose their grounding when they turn to Jensen’s efforts to track down Austen’s photos, and the attempts at humor there are strained. You can only impatiently wait for Austen to come back in focus." Full Review

“Although awkward and obvious in moments, Rice’s play is an important tribute to a great artist. If ‘Alice’ inspires visits to the Alice Austen House in Staten Island it will have served an important benefit...Directed by Kathi E.B. Ellis, some of the acting, particularly at the beginning of the play, might have been more earthbound and realistic, but Ellis wisely picked up the tempo and found breathless hope in the face of life’s tragic circumstances.” Full Review

“In this production smartly directed by Kathi E. B. Ellis, Alice’s life from age 11 to 84 is compacted effectively into just under two hours...At heart this play is a historical recap of Alice’s life. Frequently, family members and those who present social strictures and expectations are sketchy characterizations whom Alice easily defeats with her wit and intelligence. They are never serious obstacles...We are grateful to Ms. Rice and Ms. Ellis for presenting this life to us.” Full Review