LaBute New Theater Festival 2019

See it if You would enjoy 3 short plays that shine a light of truth into some of the darkest, ugliest and scariest parts of ourselves.

Don't see it if You’re not willing to be challenged and probably first and foremost with a look in the mirror.

Also These plays made me squirm! All in different ways and for different reasons but they all made me see myself and my surroundings from a different way and I think that’s brilliant theatre!... Read more Read less

See it if Partner upset with the Hitler one act 75 is our Ave. Great acting by all four performers. All 3 fascinating topics Typical of the writer

Don't see it if Ask yourself i f you like his previous work. Two of the one acts are solos, the other a duet. If you do not like 1st row, take Row F 4th row

See it if Not a fan of LaBute but liked these short plays. Well written and acted. Almost conversational style dialogue and very effective.

Don't see it if you want a full length drama, beautiful set and emotional drama. The dialogue and set in this play very low key.

See it if Three one-acts reflect dark thoughts and misbehaviors of characters that challenge your preconceptions. Two monologues; one two-hander.

Don't see it if With LaBute you know what you are going to get: you will be made uncomfortable and leave with unanswered questions and unsettled ideas.

See it if you like short pieces that make you think.My favorite was Fourth Reich.Very timely.LaBute rarely lets me down.He did not disappoint!

Don't see it if you want a Mamet play or a light and fluffy musical.These 3 shows plays have a lot to say and they say it well.

See it if LaBute is out to make you think and feel uncomfortable. First monologue portrays a smarmy Hitler apologist yelled at by audience members.

Don't see it if Women behaving badly -- in act 2, a woman on an internet date cannot hide her racism. Last act -- a woman regrets standing up her boyfriend.

See it if You like this remarkable playwright. You want to think. want to cringe. Want to feel "Oh my...did she SAY that?". No free laughs here.

Don't see it if You dont like Labute. You want a big production. You dont have patience to wait for the foot in mouth inevitability.

Also I have been told that the opening play has triggered audience members to walk out, to speak back to the stage. No one walked out on this provocative play

I had a few moments in the second play that I felt Mr. Labute was speaking for himself, about how people are to be viewed. About political correctness and what exactly we should be judged on. I have no idea what happened at MCC and Im not sure I care,(tho I am told I should).

His 'Fat Pig' was revolutionary when it came out in 1989 and still felt fresh and shocking at the recent staging with Chrissy Metz. I could barely sit through the trite 'The Money Shot' but i was astounded by 'The Way We Get By'
I am thrilled to hear his words again. The final piece never fully engaged me but I really would like to see it done again--perhaps given a bit more sense of soul, but I guess that's the point. We often feel connected to cataclysmic events, we make it about us....here our protagonist has a real connection yet feels disconnected... Read more Read less

See it if An exceptional trio of short plays which encourages lots of thought on the subjects.

Don't see it if If you prefer musicals or light dramas.

See it if you are willing to do the hard work to get below the surface of LaBute's work. My initial score was lower. Thinking made me raise it.

Don't see it if you dislike works where none of the characters are likeable and all are self absorbed.

See it if You enjoy short 1-Act plays that make you feel slightly uncomfortable.

Don't see it if You want a large production. 2 of 3 plays are monologues and the third has 2 actors.

See it if These are three brief plays all done in less than two hours. If your attention span is short, this is for you.

Don't see it if Plays that challenge political correctness, or rather slap it in the face, are offensive to you.

Also I entered into the theatre with a bit of trepidation, since I haven't like LaBute's work in the past. This piece was recommended highly, and it proved to be a surprise delight. There are three short acts here, and the first about Hitler was one of the most thought-provoking things I've seen on a stage in years. The second reminded me of the recent production of The Thanksgiving Play in that it portrayed people tripping over themselves to be politically correct. The last piece was least interesting to me, but this is well worth seeing for a different side of Neil LaBute.... Read more Read less

See it if you crave intellectual/social challenge- off mainstream and sometimes politically incorrect viewpoints reflecting efforts to fit into world

Don't see it if you prefer multi-actor, complex set and plot plays, comedies, or musicals to soliloquies

See it if You like LaBute plays and enjoy short plays with great acting.

Don't see it if You like plays with more full sets and longer plays.Are uncomfortable with material you don't agree with.

See it if You like character pieces that make you think.

Don't see it if You are bored by one-person plays (this has a cast of 4, but 2 of the three acts are solos).

See it if you know & expect LaBute's provocative content—some in audience awkwardly talked back to actor during first playlet; enjoy slow-burn work.

Don't see it if you hate realizing your sense of humanity & moral outrage is reserved for what offends you personally; your ignorance is bliss, set in stone

Also LaBute, sitting in last row, whispered "relax, it's not real!!" to the disruptors during first piece, to no avail ...... Read more Read less

See it if Writing that unsettles but challenges your mind and preconceptions performed by excellent actors is for you. Nothing comfortable here

Don't see it if You want easy answers and an night of familiar persona. You will get mad, feel sad, laugh, think.

Also No easy pieces. Hits all the tough stuff about history, politics, race, relationships, Art, guilt, loss, love and more. You must pay careful
attention.... Read more Read less

See it if You like Neil Labute and monologues in an intimate setting about racism. 2/3 of the 1 Acts were very good

Don't see it if You are offended by controversial subjects and want easy theater

See it if you want interesting takes on some current issues

Don't see it if gun violence or the Holocaust are triggers for you

See it if Three short gut punches thrown by one of today's best. Nice cozy shoe box theater.

Don't see it if Hate small casts and a short running time.

Also Another treat from this brilliant, fertile mind. Eric Dean White is amazing in The Fourth Reich. It takes great courage and commitment to deliver such material. Great Negro Works of Art is terrific. KD Jones outshines Brenda Meaney on this wacky blind date. Unlikely Japan is a neat solo about an ex killed in the Las Vegas concert shooting. Unfortunately, Gina Crovatin was filming Blacklist and I got stuck with the understudy. Fine, but not my preference. Snake eyes there. Two long benches made for a versatile set. Winter is the perfect time for such black humor.... Read more Read less

See it if Bold scripts: provoke thoughts on Hitler & making/unmaking of history, “blackness”/PC, gunshot/“modern mourning” process... 4 great actors!

Don't see it if Easily offended; not into political topics; expecting a flamboyant production; 2 of 3 plays are monologue-play;

See it if You are a fan of LaBute’s work,one act plays,lengthy monologues.one was might be a controversy about Hitler,another one through online app

Don't see it if You are offended/bothered by one act about admiration of Adolf Hitler by a guy, online dating of interracial couple, and Vegas attacks

Also I find it hard to score when the acts are not equally good. Some are executed better than the others. Overall they are good and make you wonder/think after watching them, which I always enjoy.... Read more Read less

See it if you are keen to check out a trio of one-acts that are meant to be a little uncomfortable in the sense of provoking thought and conversation.

Don't see it if you want to stay far away from hot-button topics like mass shootings, race, PC culture, and white supremacy/Adolf Hitler.

Also It's difficult to summarize three separate pieces in a single blurb, as each has its own tenor and execution. One line is repeated in each play, which loosely ties them together, but in many ways each stands on its own. Overall, the topics are clearly intended to stir up conversation and provoke a level of discomfort. The actors collectively are a strong group, and the writing is effective though could benefit from the thoughtful feedback of a workshop/reading series. Perhaps that's what this is intended to be; I'm not sure.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy LaBute's sustained awkwardness, sketching out in few short minutes whole personalities, deeply flawed,annoying, always relate-able

Don't see it if you see through some of the dramatic devices, don't enjoy provocation that sometimes feels like it's there for provocation's sake alone.

See it if You enjoy 3 short plays about relevant thought provoking topics which aren’t connected to each other.

Don't see it if You prefer an evening with a single threaded play and characters or you prefer musicals.

See it if You like Labute's writing and are interested in new snippets of his work

Don't see it if if you don't like short vingette peices. Two are monologues