Review + Interview: Theatre East’s 5×5 series features a wealth of short plays. Interview with Benedetta Spinetti, Emma Vierheilig Chart, and Jeff Gorcyca.

Edition Twenty-Four – Week Twenty-Four:

Written by: Jacob West

When it comes to going to see theatre, there are of course a multitude of different genres that thrive across the industry.

But, personally, I have always found that seeing new works is vitally important, and Theatre East has provided an amazing platform for writers to have their works produced through their 5×5 Drama Series. As stated on their website: “The 5X5 Drama Series was founded in 2016 with the idea of bringing performances beyond the footlights of the theater and into non-traditional spaces like breweries, rooftops, apartments, taverns, and more to provide a unique immersive audience experience. Each 90-minute long performance will consist of 5 short plays, performed by 5 casts, throughout all 5 boroughs. Fulfilling one of our core beliefs of making theatre accessible to all, 5X5 brings the stage directly to the people. And best of all, tickets are available on a suggested donation basis”.

More can be read at:

https://www.theatreeast.org/community

In December, I attended their 5×5 drama series and was presented with five short plays, with five different casts, directed by five different directors. It was beautifully done, with each piece bringing a unique aesthetic to the stage. Some stand outs for me included a play entitled (Ghost) Light, written by Travis Tate, and directed by Caterina Nonis. This was a great kickoff to the night. It was a family drama, with two sons competing against each other for the approval and love of their mother.

The three actors; Herb Benjamin, Erin Despanie, and Toni Kwadzogah, were awe-inspiring in their performances. Another that really stood out to me, however, was a show entitled After Eve, written by Jeff Athey. This one was my personal favorite, as I thought the concept was really interesting. The story involved Adam (as in Adam and Eve) upon his death, coming face to face with God and the Devil (who are represented as a divorced couple). In a truly thought provoking twist, God comes across as a hyperactive child, desperate for approval, whereas the Devil comes across as someone who is incredibly earnest, only wanting the best for Adam. This sort of out of the box thinking is what I go to the theatre for.

The show starred Jeff Gorcyca, Benedetta Spinetti, & Emma Vierheilig. Naturally, I wanted to chat with them. And I did.

Hi Benedetta, Jeff and Emma. Give us a brief overview of who you are and where you’re from. Hopes, dreams, accomplishments, etc!

E: “My name is Emma Vierheilig Chart! I am an actor, singer and musician originally from Nelson, British Columbia Canada, now residing in Brooklyn, NY. I graduated from the Neighborhood Playhouse acting school as well as NYU Tisch at Stella Adler. I am passionate and eager to be a part of art that uplifts femme/trans and gender queer/historically marginalized voices as well as stories that push the status quo and challenge assumed power hierarchies in our world.”

J: “My name is Jeff Gorcyca, and I’m an actor.”

B: “My name is Benedetta Spinetti, I’m originally from Pistoia, a small town in Tuscany, Italy. I graduated from the 3 year Day Conservatory at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and I now live in Brooklyn. I’m very interested in telling stories that can help and inspire other people. As actors we have so much power in our voices and an audience that listens. So we should use
that power to tell stories, especially ones that need a voice. I’m interested in the humanity underneath and beyond, that lies in the differences that everyone has. Coming from a different country and different culture, it’s very easy to feel distant and alone. But everyone brings a story made of roots, culture, traditions and there is so much richness in these differences. That’s why I value and love the work that we do in the writer’s room because everyone has a voice.”

How did you get involved with Theatre East’s 5×5 series?

E: “I had the joy of joining Theatre East’s Writer’s Room earlier this fall as an actor. Here, writers bring in pages to have actors read and receive feedback from the community to help them with their plays/screenplays. It’s a fantastic space for new work!”

J: “I love attending their Writer’s Room whenever I can, and by being an active member I was eligible to be cast!”

B: “I’ve been joining the writer’s room since September. It’s an amazing experience in which I have the chance to connect with talented writers and workshop their amazing plays. Everyone is involved, actors, directors and playwrights. It's a wonderful community.”

Tell us about the characters that you play. What makes your version of this unique?

E: “I play God, or “El”. El is one half of a divorced queer relationship with “Lucy” (Lucifer). I would say my version of El has a childlike wonder to them that is quite beautiful but ultimately is what keeps her/them from being able to take responsibility for their sometimes harmful actions. At the same time, there’s a deep devotion to life and creation that is incredibly intense within them.”

J: “I play Adam. He is both a representation of all of humanity, while simultaneously an individual who lived a life all his own on Earth. Some moments in the play I speak on behalf of all humankind, then others I have very specific memories, bouncing between the two was a great challenge.”

B: “I play Lucy, short for Lucifer. Lucy is the other half of El, the image of a now divorced queer couple . There is so much love between Lucy and El but El is distant and always far away, while Lucy is there, grounded. If El is a rubber bouncy ball, Lucy is a tree. My Lucy is a mother, she understands Adam, and all humanity that Adam represents, because she was there with them. She was present and she saw them grow. My Lucy wants what’s best for her children and she knows that humans don’t want perfection, they want love and all the pain, complications and freedom that comes within.”

What was the most challenging thing about this process?

E: “The limited rehearsal process! We only got 5 hours to rehearse and block this piece. But something about the challenge of this was thrilling as well. It has allowed us to find a freshness with each run and find new possibilities and keep our curiosity alive every time we did the show.”

J: “The short rehearsal period for sure! We only had one rehearsal before performing!”

B: “We only had two weeks to memorize the play and only one rehearsal; one hour on zoom and 4 hours in person to stage it and work on it. Even though we had such a short time, I loved the feeling of always being energized, on edge and present. I was very lucky to work with wonderful artists, and we had an amazing time discovering the play together and the relationship between
the characters. And also, it was very important to be faithful to the characters and their meaning in the play and not their common image in everyone’s mind.”

What do you hope audiences have taken away from your performances?

E: “There are a few things I hope audiences take away from our play… I think the main thing would be that our time on earth is precious. What we do with it has consequences, and a lot of power. We choose how we want to make change or not. Therefore, I believe it’s important to take those risks, play, imagine “what if”, put your heart on the line and show up for each other.”

J: “I hope they feel taking the easier path in life is not always the one that is best, I think Adam feels this way at the end of After Eden.”

B: “I hope the audience took away from the play that there is so much more inside each of us and to not judge a person just based on the idea that you might have. Lucy is key to this. It would have been so easy to just forget and erase her humanity based on the common imagery of what Lucy represents. Instead, we also have to value humanity more. I also hope that the audience took away how much we should always strive for love. Adam could have walked away from his family but instead he doesn’t, he chooses love no matter how much pain and challenges there are waiting for me.”

What’s next for you guys? Any projects in the works?

E: “I was super stoked to be a part of Letter of Marquee Theater’s 2022 Ensemble Play Lab, which took place on December 9th! We were workshopping and performing parts of Cayenne Douglass’ “The Girl Scouts Play”. There was a “sound painting” and some improv as well to show how we go about working with new texts! Since then, more projects have been on the
horizon – exciting things coming soon!”

J: “Next up, I’ll be filming a commercial in Philadelphia, and gearing up for this coming Spring when my production company, GirlSoup, will film our first feature film!”

B: “I just closed a production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, where I played the lead roles of Caliban and Gonzalo. And I’m also in the process of writing my first play.”