Ideas, Not Theories

Ideas, Not Theories
For this FringeJR show, advertised as being for kids (6-12) and adults alike, I brought along a companion who is not quite half the recommended age. He appeared to have a blast, and afterwards announced not only that he gave it a thumbs up, but that he wanted to go to more shows. A theater-goer is born! I enjoyed it just as much. The action centers on Writer/Composer/Performer Reynaliz Herrera, here portraying a wide-eyed child who comes upon a trio of magic creatures (Joanna Chen, Robert McCarthy and Austin Bird). Together, they discover the nearly endless possibilities of making music by banging on whatever they find (be it a drum, some buckets of water, a marimba, a bicycle, a table, the ground or just their bodies). There is also a policeman (Nicholas Petrizzo), who seems alternately to thwart and abet the others. Herrara is an engaging performer and an exceptionally talented musician; her magical colleagues are fine percussionists as well. I would have enjoyed a bit more marimba and a bit less bicycle, but I'm not complaining. The show's title is not as opaque as it might seem: when you have ideas clever enough to engage those too young to have formulated a lot of theories about theater and music, it is surprisingly easy to grab the attention of those whose minds have become cluttered. At Venue #7. 35 minutes. [Gutman] - CurtainUp/By Les Gutman

Ideas, Not Theories

Written and Directed by Reynaliz Herrera
Part of the 2015 New York International Fringe Festival

Off Off Broadway, Music / Performance
Runs through 8.29.15
VENUE #7: The Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street
by Emilyn Kowaleski on 8.31.15

BOTTOM LINE: A beautiful cacophony of expected sounds fit for both adults and children.

The clock strikes 8 on a Saturday evening as I wait in an adult filled audience, peppered with a few youngsters for the Fringe Jr. show, Ideas, Not Theories to begin. I note my surroundings, hypothesizing that perhaps this show was purposefully scheduled for older audiences to enjoy. After all, this theatrical percussion performance, which promised to make music using unconventional instruments, ranging from water to bicycles, had lured me there enthusiastically.

The stage entices its audience, strewn with marimbas, drums, buckets, plastic containers and scrub brushes all silently waiting for composer Reynaliz Herrera to utilize in creating her gloriously inventive soundscapes. As taught to us by the program’s provided synopsis, we assume that these materials live in a warehouse which magical creatures (played by Joanna Chen, Robert McCarthy and Austin Birdy) inhabit. The performers are disguised as far away from human form as possible—dressed uniformly in light gold colored jumpsuits stuffed with bulging pink tubing winding across their bodies, and hoods that fasten shiny horns on top their heads.

The story itself is told silently and seems formed only to provide a loose context for Herrera to let us encounter her playground of sound. Indeed, the later is the heart and joy of the piece and what makes it so suitable for all ages. In the narrative, we are introduced to the evening’s antagonist, a foppish cop who keeps watch over the space. As he clears, a kid (played by Herrera), claps enthusiastically onto the stage, discovering the body itself as an instrument and awakening the magical creatures. It is worth noting that Herrera’s choice to clothe herself androgynously in skinny jeans, a t-shirt and suspenders, smartly renders the child’s gender irrelevance.

A cop appears periodically to half-heartedly reprimand the gang’s cacophonous clatter, but mostly we are just treated to the music that Herrera and the ensemble create out of these unlikely instruments. The children in the audience seemed at first mesmerized by the performance, and though attention spans faded, I don’t know that I can fault the team for these young audience members being too close to bedtime. From my perspective, parents better be comfortable with a clamorous household and a few items missing from their cleaning closet, because Herrera puts on a wonderfully inventive concert that encourages children to utilize their imaginations and creativity to see music in the mundane.

(Ideas, Not Theories plays at VENUE #7: The Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street, through August 29, 2015. Performances are Sat 8/15 at 3:30; Sun 8/16 at 2:15; Fri 8/21 at 3:45; Sun 8/23 at 1:45; and Sat 8/29 at 8. There is no late seating at FringeNYC. Tickets are $18 and are available at fringenyc.org. For more information visit www.ideasnottheories.com.) - Theatre Is Easy/by Emilyn Kowaleski

As New Yorkers, we're lucky to live in a city that's chock-full of impressive plays for kids, with something for all ages and tastes. You may have already tracked down cheap seats and treated your young theater buffs to some of the best Broadway shows for kids, but don't miss out on the chance to see all-new performances as a family when the FringeNYC Festival comes to town! Each year, the fest includes an affordable lineup of FringeJR shows designed just for kids to enjoy, and there are some hilarious troupes on deck for the 19th anniversary event, running August 14 through 30. Read up on the best family-friendly FringeJR shows and grab tickets for the whole gang!

Ideas, Not Theories

Get the kids thinking outside the box during this unique show where the actors make music using unexpected objects. Everything from bicycles to water help tell a story through original tunes, written by Boston-based director Reynaliz Herrera. Playing Aug 15, 16, 21, 23 and 29; see website for showtimes. - Time Out New York Kids/ by Hannah Doolin