Straight NYC Reviews and Tickets

"Because of the great cast, it might be tempting to pat the show on the back and move on, but the script is already patting its own back so hard, and so constantly, that one wonders whether there is a sadomasochistic subtext somewhere in there. The play would seem fresh if we were in the year 1983, or any time before 'The Normal Heart' really, for its takes on sexuality and gender are positively medieval...The play spends most of its 90 minutes trying to fit these characters into boxes."
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"It’s directed with a lot of heart and soul by Andy Sandberg taking us on a twisted journey of emotional and sexual discovery that felt very real and true...Here I guess is where I was impressed. The standard but well-orchestrated setups were all there, none of them that surprising, but all handled in a fresh and emotionally-centered manner that brought me in and engaged me. This isn’t Shakespeare, but it’s not without merit."
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"The premise of 'Straight' is an engaging one...However, one longs for deeper understandings of the characters…Under Sandberg’s steady and discerning direction, Epstein and Gavigan do their best to bring believability to their characters...But it is newcomer Thomas E. Sullivan who really excels in this new play…It is worth seeing 'Straight' just to witness this young actor’s prodigious craft…The cast and creative team are to be congratulated on their work evidenced in this important new play."
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"Epstein, Gavigan, and Sullivan handle the controversial material with ease, and although there is no offense meant here, it is sure to polarize. The provocative work would prove more effective without the dippy musical interludes that minimize it to the level of an after-school special. Still, it accomplishes important objectives of theater, which are to create dialogue and perceive other’s lives through a lens other than our own."
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"In a sense, ‘Straight’ is simply another cheating hearts play, with the twist being the same-sex angle. Ben must make a decision, for which we’re forced to wait patiently. Audiences will surely take sides about which partner he chooses...Much of ‘Straight’ is clichéd but Andy Sandberg’s direction keeps it moving, there's some entertaining dialogue, the actors are engaging, there’s a lot of smooching and underwear displaying, and, best of all, it’s over in an intermissionless 85 minutes."
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“'Bisexual' or 'Closeted' might have been a more accurate title for this dramedy. Perhaps the authors were aiming for irony by their choice...There are occasional comments that relate to the status of 20-somethings in today’s America, but the core issue of the play seems a bit dated. Andy Sandberg’s fluid direction moves the action along briskly."
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"'Straight' starts off in typical sitcom/romcom mode...But the co-authors of 'Straight' have something else in mind...The answer is a little didactic...Still, under the unfussy direction of Andy Sandberg, the three-member cast does a fine job of making you feel for each member in this romantic triangle...The choice Ben finally makes caused several people at the performance I attended to cry out in dismay. A play that provokes such a visceral response deserves to be seen."
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"Director Andy Sandberg directs with fluid, compact efficiency, keeping the show at a brisk 90 minutes that actually feels longer in a good substantial way without ever wearing out its modest welcome...Ultimately, 'Straight' feels too superficial to really deliver. It has some amusing repartee but the story they've hinted at needs a darker, more nuanced script to mine all of its possibilities…Still, it's blessed with a trio of strong actors who make the most of the material they're given."
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