FringeNYC 2013: Little Piece of You

This is a love story. It's about the love we find in a friendship, in a partner, in an idea. It's about the love that we outgrow and the pieces of it that stick with us.

Official production website
Show details/ticketing at FringeNYC

Venue: Teatro LATEA, 107 Suffolk Street

Review by Josephine Cashman · August 10, 2013

Little Piece of You begins with a ten-minute video showing Jessica and Sam. It’s the kind of cozy and sweet exchange that happens at the beginning of relationship, but it is disappointing to see it on video, when it could easily have been performed on the stage to greater success. In fact, this use of video seems to weaken the powerful bond between Jessica and Sam. The videos lack the intimacy and chemistry that exists when the two actors stand on stage and simply look at each other.

Written by Mariah Freda and directed by Alexandra Kuechler-Caffall, the story itself is simple; childhood friends start dating, causing consternation amongst the other two best friends in their neighborhood crowd. They are a solid, cohesive group, and remain so, even as they grow up and away. Jessica is leaving their town for a big city and career. Abrasive Adam chooses to stay in the small town where he happily hooks up with Jersey Shore-style Sharon (a comical Daliya Karnofsky). He still hangs with his best bud Taylor (played appealingly by Simon Winheld), and is happy with his uncomplicated life. Taylor has the talent of telling the truth at comical and inconvenient times and his friendship with Adam is a subtle highlight of the show. Rounding out the group is the love of Jessica’s life, Sam, who leaves town to join the Marines. Time passes, relationships change, and not the way everyone one wants, or even needs. No matter how they feel, they continue to meet on the Fourth of July holiday for drinking and the warmth of old, comfortable friendship.

Then enters Heather, played by Michelle Marie Trester. She is the new addition to their band, and not a welcome one. Heather is sincere, enthusiastic, and has genuine interest and fondness for the strangers/now friends that surround her. It is more than a little confusing to the group, and they erroneously respond to her with puzzled cynicism and suspicion. “I will hate her if you want me to,” the ever-loyal Taylor earnestly tells Jessica.

Unfortunately, the last half of the play starts to feel somewhat repetitive and argumentative. It seems implausible that Jessica seems to have no close girlfriends at all, or that Sam doesn’t tell Heather the truth about his relationship with Jessica. Despite the problems with the script, the acting is wonderful. Patrick Williams as the acerbic Adam and Michelle Marie Trester’s Heather are charming standouts. Towards the conclusion, Adam has a powerful and frank tirade about love: sometimes love’s leftovers are enough, very wise words coming from the wiseacre of the group. But even with strong acting, Little Piece of You is the kind of theatrical snack that is just shy of a satisfying meal.

Preview: Interviews with Artists from Little Piece of You

We're asking artists from each show to answer questions about themselves and their work to help our readers get a detailed advance picture of the festival:

The Folks Back Home · Michelle Marie Trester (Other)

Who are your role models as an artist?
I have been blessed to have worked with so many different artists that have shared their talents and time with me. But I'm very honored to be working on this particular project with two fantastic artistic role models of mine, Mariah Freda (playwright of Little Piece of You) and Daliya Karnofsky (actor, role of Sharon). These ladies are constantly challenging me to push the limits and go beyond my comfort zone in my work. It's nice having such talented friends!
How has the place where you grew up influenced your work as an indie theater artist?
Growing up in the Midwest certainly influenced me as a young artist. I have a true appreciation of the classics, which I love. But also a love for creating and supporting new work. I'm lucky to have been exposed to both ends of the spectrum. I also grew up in a very creative household so my theatrical dreams were always nurtured, even from a very young age.
Are you a New Yorker? If not, would you like to be?
I'm not officially a New Yorker. I'm a transplant originally from Kansas City, Missouri. While I'm very proud of my hometown I love being in New York! I hear it takes 7 years to officially call yourself a New Yorker so I still have a few years to go!
Who would like your show the best: Mom, Dad, High School Teacher, College Roommate?
That's easy, my family! My mom, dad, and sister are always my biggest fans! I'm so lucky to have such a loving and supportive family. But this show is seriously good so I can't imagine who wouldn't like it!
Where would be your ideal working environment: New York in 2013, Shakespeare’s Globe, the theater of Sophocles and Euripides, Stanislavski’s Moscow Art Theater?
What could be better than being a working artist in New York City?! I'm honored to be a part of the artistic community in New York and can't imagine being anywhere else. But I won't lie - when I visited Shakespeare's Globe it was a pretty magical experience. And if someone offered me a chance to work there it would be rude to turn them down, right?!

Journey to FringeNYC · Daliya Karnofsky (Actor)

Who do you play in this show, and what was your key to unlocking this character/these characters?
I play Sharon, the girlfriend of one of the main characters, and i was fortunate enough to have Mariah (playwright) write the part for me, which is hilarious. So she isn't too much of a stretch. i just tap into my most over the top self and have fun with it. Mariah gets me and basically jsut gave me a really fun gift.
What are some of your previous theater credits? (Be specific! Name shows, etc.)
I do my own original show, And She Bakes, both live and on the web. It is an interactive baking series about love and relationships and peanut butter. I was a long-time cast member of the improvised off-B'way web sitcom, NAked in a Fishbowl, and I've also performed with Red Bull Theater, Witness Relocation, la mama, and Les Freres Corbusiers, and the Old Vic London, to name a few. BFA NYU Tisch, MFA New School for Drama.
Why did you want to be part of FringeNYC?
Because Mariah (playwright) asked me too!! No but seriously. It's totally NYC tradition and I've definitely always wanted to. It seems like a ton of fun and a great opportunity to see all sorts of theatre and meet all sorts of crazy interesting new artists.
What was the most memorable/funny/unusual thing that has happened during the development and rehearsal process for this show?
Honestly, I've never had a part written for me before, so that was pretty awesome. The first read was so easy and fun. And Mariah fed us spaghetti and meatballs and lots of wine, so that was pretty great too.
Now that you’ve played this role, which Shakespearean role are you ready for: Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, Juliet, or Puck?
Definitely Juliet. Same sexual energy just way way repressed with fancier language. And less cleavage (maybe).

All About My Show · Mariah Freda (Writer)

Complete this sentence: My show is the only one in FringeNYC that...?
has a wall filled with the actors' pee-wee trophies.
What do you think this show is about? What will audiences take away with them after seeing it?
This show is about reconciling the differences between falling in love and growing up. Sometimes these two things happen in different directions. I think that the audience will be able to see a piece of themselves in this story and the characters who tell it.
Why did you want to write this show?
I started writing this show after a bout of terrible auditions. I wanted to work on something that felt honest and reminded me of where I came from.
Who are some of the people who helped you create this show, and what were their important contributions to the finished product?
This being my first go at writing a play, I nervously sent many of the early drafts to three very talented actor friends, Michelle Trester, Daliya Karnofsky and Noelle Stewart. Had it not been for their feedback and encouragement, I don't think I would have ever finished it.
Which character from a Shakespeare play would like your show the best: King Lear, Puck, Rosalind, or Lady Macbeth -- and why?
Ok listen, don't tell anyone, but I'm not the biggest Shakespeare fan. If any of those guys walked into my characters' backyards, they'd be sent away.

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