FringeNYC 2013: Orbiting Astral Bodies
When the Moon decides to leave Earth in search of something better, the lives of four people are upended. Struggling towards a new reality, they battle fear, isolation, and addiction in a world where the real and the magical converge.
Official production websiteShow details/ticketing at FringeNYC
Review by Erin M.Daley · August 17, 2013
The Moon (played by Amy Persons) has had enough. She looks down on Earth and disgusted with the folly and insolence of us earthlings, she strikes out on her own, hoping to garner the respect of Io and Titan, the more prestigious moons of Jupiter and Saturn.
Warren (Louis Sallan), a man obsessed with not having enough time, tries to convince The Moon to take him along, hoping to harness the power of quantum physics to eke out another hundred or so years of existence. He tries to explain his schematics and equations to Gillian (Jamie Agnello), a reclusive shut-in who surrounds herself with travel books, but fears anything outside of what she knows. So, she holes herself up, emerging just long enough to pass off sleeping pills to her roommate Claire (Rachel Napoleon), who gorges herself on barbiturates to continue a romance with a man (Benjamin Maters) she only sees in her dreams. Meanwhile, Gillian’s brother, Mark (Ryan Barrentine), a fervent environmentalist, has realized that the earth has stopped talking to him after hearing that the moon was deserting her. So he mounts a campaign to stay the moon’s departure, chaining her to the earth.
There is a contagious sense of wonder and awe that pulls the audience through the play, making the whole experience feel somehow cosmic. Bodies, people and stories are drawn to each other, sharing an orbit for a few moments before falling away again, or aligning with someone else. The moon, who let’s be honest, has seen it all, offers snappy advice to these loosely connected wanderers as they journey through the earth and stars. They are all searching for something ephemeral and almost unattainable. Seemingly alone in their journey, their similarities only come into focus at a distant vantage, such as from the moon or beyond the fourth wall.
The heightened, poetic language of Nathan Gregorski’s deeply human script was well-handled by the cast and worked with the fantastical tone of the piece, lending gravity to a sentimental narrative. Kevin O’Callaghan’s directing combined with the work of the finely tuned ensemble created a landscape of synchronicity and layered vignettes, a mysterious and captivating foundation on which the stories unfurled.
The design elements were simple but effective, utilizing the company to create the space and manipulate some practical lighting. The timing, staging and attention to detail belied a truly admirable dedication to the production that overcame its humble means.
Orbiting Astral Bodies is a wonderful entry for FringeNYC this year. At its heart is a touching story, told simply and elegantly by a team of young, passionate and sympathetic artists. All in all, creating an experience grander than the sum of its parts.
Preview: Interviews with Artists from Orbiting Astral Bodies
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:
Journey to FringeNYC · Kevin O'Callaghan (Director)
- Tell us about the process you used to achieve your vision of this play in this production.
My job is to tell the story. Orbiting Astral Bodies is a magical play. It's very real and at times very unreal, but it's always honest. It's a fun story to tell. It has heart. I like to enlist all members of the team (writer, designers, stage manager, actors, etc.) to contribute in the rehearsal room. This process allows for true collaboration and creates an atmosphere which spawns creativity. At the end of the day, though, I like to think of the director as an editor. The team brings stuff in and I'll edit it. I enjoy being an editor. - What are some of your previous theater credits? (Be specific! Name shows, etc.)
I've worked as an actor in New York City and regionally. I'm proud to have been in the NYC premiere of Gregory S. Moss' The Argument, produced by The Attic Theatre Company, The Thrill of the Chase by acclaimed British playwright Philip Gawthorne, All The Way from China by Barry Levey, and the NYIT Award winning This Is Not The Play by Chisa Hutchinson. Also I serve as Executive Director of Mad Dog Theatre Company, where I am also a founding member. - If this is your first appearance in FringeNYC -- why did you want to be part of this festival? If you have appeared in FringeNYC before, tell us what show(s) you have done here previously. What about your prior experience led you back to this festival?
I really love the idea of over 200 different companies taking on the challenge of putting up a stage show in this crazy city, all at the same time and in the same spaces! It's fantastic and chaotic and organized and scary and fun and rewarding and heartbreaking and hilarious. That's why I thought it was important to get involved. - Why are theater festivals important?
They build a platform for artists who otherwise may not ever produce their work. It's very challenging to present theatre in NYC and other major cities, and FringeNYC and other festivals make this kind of work happen. Theater festivals allow for the sharing important work with important people. - What was the most memorable/funny/unusual thing that has happened during the development and rehearsal process for this show?
Everyday has been memorable for me. I love working with these talented actors and I have a wonderful stage manager. We have a lot of fun. I like playing/singing ridiculous songs after the final moment of the play. One favorite was "You Are Not Alone," by Michael Jackson. When you see the play, you'll see how insane that choice would be.
Many Faces of Theater · Jamie Agnello (Other)
- Why are theater festivals important?
Theatre festivals make it easier for emerging artists to have a space for their work to develop and blossom. A new show on its own may not even be able to afford/have/secure a run, so the festival circuit is an incredible opportunity for us to work on our own projects in the midst of this crazy city and also support other artists who are trying to do the same. - Are there boundaries as to what kind of theatre you will take part in?
...not that I've found...YET. I've done everything from Shakespeare to bizarre devised game shows, to puppetry and a show about the NYC subway for 2-5 year olds. I'm having the time of my life. - Are audiences in New York City different from audiences in other cities/countries where you’ve worked? If so, how?
Considering I grew up doing musicals in a very small town in Pennsylvania, New York audiences are very different! They can be tough and definitely expect a lot out of the shows they choose to patronize, but...they are also extremely open-minded and ready to be challenged. - Who are some current indie theater writers/directors/creators whose work really excites you now?
I always get excited about the work at St. Ann's Labapalooza! Puppetry Festival and NY Madness. A biased answer is Trusty Sidekick Theatre Company, who I'm involved with. We've got a residency this summer/fall at the Park Avenue Armory to create a site-sympathetic immersive piece for kids and their families. All-time favorites include the Wooster Group, The Civilians, and Elevator Repair Service. - Which character from a Shakespeare play would like your show the best: King Lear, Puck, Rosalind, or Lady Macbeth -- and why?
...definitely Puck, providing that he's hanging out in Zuccotti Park with Sarah Ruhl. They're probably talking to the moon.
Theater Beats Movies · Louis Sallan (Actor)
- Why do you do theater (as opposed to film, or TV, or something not in the entertainment field)?
I do theatre because I want to experience the power of a story being told. We all agree to come together in a room and accept a new reality. Its exciting because its happening RIGHT NOW and nothing makes you feel more alive and real as when you experience something new with other human beings. - What jazzes you about having a live audience to perform for?
I like the idea that no one is going to watch the same play. That we all can watch something happen and each of our recollections of it are just a little different. - Do you prefer to read plays by yourself, read them aloud, or perform them?
The closest I get to reading to myself is mouthing the words while I read (very enthusiastically) on the subway. I think that plays are only ever fully understood when they are performed. You need to hear, see, feel and sometimes even taste and smell a play. - What moment or section in this show do you really love to perform? Without giving away surprises, what happens in that moment and why do you love it?
There are a few moments of direct address to the audience which I find fascinating. I think it has to do with the intimate setting of the theatre/event because it makes the writing come to life. (Also, DEFINITELY the end of the play when everyone is onstage and........) - People who like which iconic film would like this show: THE SOUND OF MUSIC, STAR WARS, AIRPLANE, or FELLINI’s 8 1/2?
Star Wars. It has a curiosity about space and the futuristic unknown with the same magic-like hopefulness.
All About My Show · Nathan Gregorski (Writer)
- Complete this sentence: My show is the only one in FringeNYC that...?
chains the Moon to the Earth. - What do you think this show is about? What will audiences take away with them after seeing it?
"Orbiting Astral Bodies" begins with the Moon declaring that she is going to leave planet Earth behind and head off into the cosmos. This announcement throws the lives of four intersecting people into disarray. Mark wants the Moon to stay, Warren wants to go with her, Gillian wants to protect herself from every danger the world contains, and Claire wants only to sleep so she can dream about her true love, Allen. As far as what the audience will take away, I'd rather the audience see the show and decide that for themselves. The conversations I've had on this with people who have read or seen the show have been so wonderful and enlightening. I love hearing what various people find in it. I will say that some of the questions I think the characters are asking are: What is real? What is there to be afraid of? What do I want from my life? How far will I go for someone I love? If I don't like something can I just change it? And does that make it better? - Why did you want to write this show?
All of the stories came out of the Claire and Allen scene in the car. I wrote this scene where two people were on a date, in a dream, but they they had never met in real life. And for some reason I had them mention the Moon leaving Earth. I loved both of these ideas so I kept adding on, exploring these characters and this world. I wanted to write a show that tackles questions that people in their twenty-somethings are dealing with, but didn't want a play about four friends sitting around their apartment talking about relationships or jobs. The Occupy Wall Street movement was well under way at the time and there was real anger going around, real fear about what the future held, for me and for a lot of people my age. I wanted to tap into that. I wanted to write a show that mixed magic, science, and science-fiction in theatrical ways. Sarah Ruhl is a great influence of mine, I love the way she uses language. So I wanted to explore writing something with more heightened poetic text. - Who are some of the people who helped you create this show, and what were their important contributions to the finished product?
This list is endless. But there were a number of actors who helped with several readings, including Jenna D'Angelo who inspired and shaped Gillian, and Rachel Napoleon who was wonderful inspiration for Claire and is finally playing her in this production. Sharone Halevy directed and co-produced the first production in the basement of the Drama Book Shop and the play came a long way with her help, despite the threat of Hurricane Sandy. And my great friend and fellow writer Rachel Lambert read countless drafts, all the while providing thoughtful notes and queries that helped to further the characters and themes. I can't thank everyone enough. - Which character from a Shakespeare play would like your show the best: King Lear, Puck, Rosalind, or Lady Macbeth -- and why?
The Shakespearean character who would like my show the best is Puck. "Orbiting Astral Bodies" tells a story with magic and whimsy that Puck would love. I also think he would fully understand the plight of the Moon, feeling like a slave whose only purpose is to dance for humans who barely notice.
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