“Chautauqua!” comes to The Public Theater as part of the Under the Radar Festival.
This fest makes waves
Russell’s top picks
Although Russell says that recommending just two performances from the 12-day festival is “hard” because “they’re all my children,” he does recommend these two standouts:
‘John Cassavetes’ Husbands’ by Dangerous Ground Productions “It’s an amazing piece,” says Russell of this adaptation of the ’60s film “about friends who go on a bender after a friend’s death. It’s so interesting to see it onstage.”
‘Chautauqua!’ by The National Theater of the United States of America “This is an examination of the history of Chautauquas, which was a form of lectures and entertainment that toured in the 19th century,” Russell says.
If your New Year’s resolution is to think outside the Broadway box, look no further than the Under the Radar fest, held Jan. 6 to 17 at The Public Theater, which exhibits new, independent and sometimes radical theater and performance from the U.S. and around the world.
Mark Russell, curator of the festival, says he tried to pick plays that come from an untraditional background. “Often these companies arrive at doing plays different from the usual way, which is a playwright, producer, director and actor all getting together. These plays are all done uniquely.”
Now in its sixth year, Russell says he kept the price point low ($15) to encourage multiple visits. “It’s a festival; you are supposed to see more than one performance. If you see just one thing — you need to see another. They’ve turned part of The Public into a late-night club so people can come and spend the afternoon seeing a show, and then stay into the evening to see another, and then late at night, they can talk and have a drink with the artists they’ve just seen.”
Under the Radar 2010: Jan. 6 to 17, The Public Theater
425 Lafayette St., $15, 212-967-7555, www.publictheater.org
