Jail time never was this much fun! Based a true stories, Jeffrey Milstein, a prolific author both in NYC and regionally, “lampooning to the tooning of Brooks, Reiner, and Simon” in telling the story of a low-level prison in the famed military installation … and then sets the whole things to music!
All together now … IT’S ABOUT TIME WE HAD SOME WELL-DONE MADCAP FUN ON BROADWAY!
We spoke with several of the actors from Milstein’s menage of mayhem to get the lowdown on the show and great Off-Off Way!
Looking at his resume, Sean Farrelly is a character actor of the first order. His expressive kisser looks made to be the front man for Milstein’s laughter on the 54th Street.
Tell us about yourself as an artist.
I’ve been singing ever since I realized I could make sound, and entranced by the notion and power of laughter, and telling stories for as long as I can remember. My parents took me to see YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN, when I was a kid, and I was hooked. For me, there is a power and vitality to live theater, that is far beyond film and television in it’s capacity to evoke a visceral, palpable response, with long-term impact.
No matter how media tries to bridge the gap, there is an undeniable power and inherent intamacy to bringing artists and audience into one shared physical space, and crafting every aspect of their experience. There is a flow of energy and emotion from live theater, with a uniquely brilliant potential to open hearts and minds.
Tell us about your role in FORT DICKS
I play David Barnes, the central character, an accountant who forgot to file his own taxes, and has been sentenced to two years at Fort Dix Camp. The show follows David through his time at Fort Dix, giving us a glimpse into the life and inanity of a minimum security prison camp. If I were a theatre nerd, I would probably tell you that David is an Everyman, the lens through which our story is focused… but I’m desparately hoping I’m way too cool for that, so…
Share with us your thoughts on independent theater. What is its significance to the skyline of entertainment in NYC?
For me, independent theater is the most exciting space for actors, writers, and producers; particularly in NYC. Which is not to say that I don’t yearn for the chance to prove my worth on the Broadway stage, but because independent theater is where all the greatest risks are taken; the space where there are no rules, with the least boundries; where future genius is fostered. It is an engine driving growth and change, and our best hope for keeping live theater a vibrant presence in our culture.
Fort Dicks, a new musical
Thursday, Friday and Saturday November 8, 9 & 10; 15, 16 & 17 @ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday matinées: November 11 & 18 @ 2:00 p.m.
American Theatre of Actors, 314 W 54th St, New York City
Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3623980
https://jaymichaelsarts.com/2018/08/04/3310/
Showtones 