Press Clippings November 15, 2011 - Happiest Medium Review http://thehappiestmedium.com/2011/11/boy-gets-girl-not-always-a-happy-ending/? utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss November 14, 2011 - BUST - review http://www.bust.com/blog/2011/11/14/theatre-review-boy-gets-girl.html November 14, 2011 - Theater Is Easy - Review http://www.theasy.com/Reviews/2011/B/boygetsgirl.php November 13, 2011 - Review Fix - Interview with Kate http://reviewfix.com/2011/11/review-fix-exclusive-kate-dulcich-interview/ November 13, 2011 - Woman About Town - Review http://www.womanaroundtown.com/sections/playing-around/boy-gets-girl-girl-gets-restrainingorder November 7, 2011 - Flavorpill - Review http://flavorpill.com/newyork/events/2011/11/10/boy-gets-girl November 4, 2011 - Electronic Link - Review by Karen D’Onofrio http://www.eljnyc.com/Offbway.html Various Listings: http://community.nytimes.com/rate-review/theater.nytimes.com/show/34260/Boy-Gets-Girl/ overview Press Attendees: Thursday, November 3: Karen D’Onofrio, Electronic Link Angelique Jurgill, Woman Around Town Casey Krosser, Bust Sunday, November 6: John Peacock, Flavorpill Glenda Frank, Drama Desk Adrienne Urbanski, Theatre Is Easy
Thursday, November 10 Karen Tortora Lee, Happiest Medium November 17 Rory Halperin, Time Out New York Kids
Boy Gets Girl – Not Always A Happy Ending by Karen Tortora-Lee on November 15, 2011
Dating in the big city is tough. There are millions of people, many of them interesting, well educated, good looking. How does a single girl who works long hours and hasn’t dated since her relationship ended 18 months ago find love again? If you’re Theresa Bedell (Kate Dulcich) you agree to be set up on a blind date with Tony (David Hudson). After all, nothing is more natural than the fix-up, right? And that’s how Boy Gets Girl by Rebecca Gilman begins. Two unattached people agreeing to meet on the recommendation of a mutual friend who actually isn’t a close friend of either. Still, why not?
Kate Dulcich as Theresa Bedell and David Hudson as Tony | photo Credit: Gary Wong
Theresa is like any other cultured, smart woman who’s been single in the city for a while. A savvy contributor for The World Magazine (think along the lines of The New Yorker orVanity Fair) she knows her boundaries and she knows her type. So, while she agrees to meet Tony for a drink she’s not quick to jump into anything. It’s obvious that their first meeting doesn’t produce any fireworks. Conversation is of the 20-questions variety and more differences bubble up between them than similarities. They have different backgrounds, like different things, have different senses of humor. A swing and a miss, an awkward pause … next topic, repeat. Still, he’s nice enough – eager to please – and when he quickly invites her out to dinner for that weekend Theresa (against her better judgement) says yes though there’s more than a hint of a shrug conveyed in her body language. Fast forward to the end of date number two; dinner’s been eaten, plates have been cleared, and Theresa is ready to put this thing out of its misery. There’s noting wrong with Tony … at first. And he’s certainly trying hard to win her over. However it’s his desperate need to view them as a couple and plan a relationship for them that has alarm bells going off in Theresa’s head. When she does the right thing and cuts Tony loose before he gets the wrong idea he reacts badly, his wounded pride tinged with a flash of anger which makes Theresa glad she got out of there fast. Bullet dodged. Normally, this is where the awkward fix-up scenario ends, right? Except this time it doesn’t. In a slow boil Tony’s fascination moves from a casual, unannounced drop-in at her job (maybe if she just got to know him … maybe if they could just be friends …) to flowers (which Theresa refuses to accept) to voice mails of apology which turn angry and then violent and threatening.
Gregory Ryan as Howard Siegel and Kate Dulcich as Theresa Bedell | Photo Credit: Gary Wong
For a while Theresa is alone in all of this. Buttoned up at work, one of the boys, not one to suffer fools it’s difficult when she has to take people into her confidence. She certainly isn’t making a friend of her new, ditsy but well meaning assistant Harriet (Talisa Friedman) who is the exact opposite of her in every way. Eventually she confides in her two male co-workers: her editor Howard (Gregory Ryan) and fellow writer Mercer (William Peden). While, to her face, they are sympathetic, alone they wonder if perhaps this is just a case of a nice guy being persistent and Theresa over-reacting. After all, in every movie the persistent guy gets the girl in the end, right? Mercer even goes so far as to lay out a scenario of a possible story that could run in the magazine where he examines stalker behavior which resulted in a happy ending. The two men think this is a fantastic idea. It’s not until Mercer is exposed to one of the notes Theresa receives and hears the gruesome details which – at this point – have escalated to brutal sexual and violent filth that he begins to consider that maybe using a co-worker’s personal hell for story fodder isn’t such a good idea. As things escalate the men (finally) begin to understand the harm Tony is causing Theresa — especially when detective Madeleine Beck (Kellie Johnson) is called in and begins to outline Theresa’s options. Besides taking new routes home from work, changing her phone number and saving all emails, voice mails, notes and letters Theresa is advised to consider moving out of state and changing her name. ”But I’m a writer! I write under this name!” Theresa says indignantly, even as she knows that slowly she’s being stripped of her identity. An identity she’s working hard to maintain. Her work day consists of pursuing stories and when her boss (rather thoughtlessly) assigns her to a Russ Meyer type filmmaker named Les Kennkat (Robert W. Smith) who is unabashedly obsessed with women, particularly their breasts, his cavalier misogyny rubs Theresa the wrong way – especially right now. Watching a self-possessed, strongly anchored woman lose total control of her wits, her life, her ties and ultimately her world is beyond chilling. Boy Gets Girl does for blind dating what Fatal Attraction did for extra-marital affairs. The real story here is how easily this all happened to Theresa despite the fact that she dated defensively and nipped things in the bud as soon as she saw an opportunity to get out. Truth is, Theresa wasn’t at fault and should not be blamed- no more than a rape victim should be blamed for wearing a certain outfit. No woman is asking for this.
Director Michael Menger does an excellent job at unfolding this story, while the build-up is slow the pacing and action is not. And in a play with numerous set changes Menger manages to make use of them; he works with sound designer Shaun Gunning to give a city-hustle-andbustle feel to the frenzied movement so rather than feel like we’re watching the props being switched around we get more of a feeling of just watching the city move and meld. One particularly inspired scene change involves Tony – who hasn’t been seen for a while during the play -rifling through Theresa’s apartment. While this is all done in darkness before the scene begins David Hudson still uses all the maniacal rage of his character to destroy the room and bring it to ruin. It’s a subtle but brilliant choice.
Boy Gets Girl is both a solid ensemble piece as well as a star turn. Ultimately what makes Boy Gets Girl so compelling is Kate Dulcich’s complete understanding of Theresa’s many facets. Guarded, jaded, strong, vulnerable, articulate, frazzled … all these emotions come tumbling out precisely as they are meant to and are given even weight. Yet without each supporting character this wouldn’t be half as interesting; each of the other characters coax out a note which ultimately makes this a richer melody. Whether Theresa is painstakingly explaining rules (both personal and professional) to the naive and too-sweet-for-her-own-good Harriet or trying to fight 70 years of male chauvinism in the form of Les Kennkat it all works to serve the main theme.
Boy Gets Girl is a chilling tale of what can happen when taking a chance on the wrong person costs you everything. In a society where so little is private there are real monsters lurking, ready to destroy us. Worse, sometimes that monster has a nice face, a good job, and a bouquet of roses for you. Be warned. ~~~ BOY GETS GIRLWritten by Rebecca Gilman Directed by Michael Menger Thursdays at 8 p.m.Fridays at 8 p.m.Saturdays at 8 p.m.Sundays at 7 p.m..Tickets are $18Click Here or call 866-811-4111Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theater ½ hour prior to performance. Access Theatre380 Broadway @ White Street.(2 blocks South of Canal) on the 4th Floor
Theatre Review: Boy Gets Girl Posted by: Casey Krosser in Artsy on Nov 14, 2011
We all know the old-fashioned trope that tends to pervade romantic comedies about heterosexual couples- the guy is the pursuer and the woman is the pursued. We also (hopefully) know that this is a taught discourse of society, and not hardwired. Of course women should be pursuing whom and what they want as well. But what is the real problem with this old-fashioned romance idea? Why is it still so acceptable for women to go along with it? What about objectification of women that happens everyday, whether in the overly sexualized media or some everyday guy diminishing a woman to her body parts? How does it all add to the monster of violence against women that still happens in our society? As both a feminist and a theatre person, I was kicking myself that I’d never heard of Rebecca Gilman’s play, Boy Gets Girl. The play tackles all of these questions with a very personal and horrifying experience. Although the main character Theresa Bedell is fictional, through the two hours you share with her in the theatre she is all too real. That’s why this story is one of those most powerfully told via theatre. It’s also the kind of
story that will have you talking about it endlessly afterwards. This current production of Boy Gets Girl is playing at the Access Theatre and is produced by couple Kate Dulcich and Shaun Gunning. Kate also stars as Theresa Bedell, an independent, hardworking, and brilliant writer for a NYC literary magazine. The story starts off with a blind date between Theresa and Tony. It’s one of those obviously awkward, chemistry-less dates that any voyeur would giggle at. But even though she’s clearly not interested, by the end of the date she finds herself folding to his persistence and agreeing to a second date. We go through the next few days, as Tony’s pattern of not hearing her say “No” continues, and Theresa’s life spirals into a nightmare. This production had me on the edge of my seat and very anxious by intermission. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, essentially this play gives you a range of emotions. Kate Dulcich’s Theresa was someone I instantly cared about, which made me personally empathize with her story and worry about her. From the captivating original music created by co-producer Shaun Gunning, to the gripping performance by Kate Dulcich, I was totally into it the whole time. The only bad thing was that I saw it by myself, and had no one to have a long conversation (and a hug) about it afterward with. Bring someone with you, and go see this play. Boy Gets Girl plays through Sunday, November 20: Thursday at 8, Friday at 8, Saturday at 8, and Sunday at 7. Access Theatre 380 Broadway @ White Street. (2 blocks South of Canal) on the 4th Floor. www.boygetsgirltheplay.com Tagged in: violence against women , theatre , feminism
Boy Gets Girl By Rebecca Gilman; Directed by Michael Menger Off Off Broadway, Play Revival Runs through 11.20.11 Access Theater, 380 Broadway by Adrienne Urbanski on 11.14.11
David Hudson and Kate Dulcich in BOY GETS GIRL. Photo by Gary Wong.
BOTTOM LINE: This well-tuned production of Rebecca Gilman's chilling script serves to fully illuminate its exploration of social maladies. The sexual thriller plot of a would-be-suitor-turned-stalker is one that has been rendered many times on the silver screen. Rebecca Gilman’s Boy Gets Girl follows this standard story, however, unlike the Hollywood thrillers, Gilman takes the set-up and uses it as a platform to explore problems with gender roles and sexuality within a patriarchal society. While the unfolding drama is no doubt suspenseful and eerie, it also serves as a vehicle to lament on societal problems, creating a work that is both entertaining as well as thought-provoking and
socially critical. Harry Diesel Productions revived this much lauded play, showing the issues in the script are just as relevant today as they were a decade ago when the play first premiered in New York City. The play begins when Theresa (Kate Dulcich, who also co-produced the production) halfheartedly agrees to go on a brief blind date with Tony (David Hudson), a man who knows a friend of a friend. Over beers the two engage in stilted small talk, awkwardly covering such topics as occupations and what type of car they drove in high school. Theresa is a driven magazine journalist and Tony is a computer programmer. While Tony seems fairly innocuous, his feelings of insecurity and sensitivity emerge at the great embarrassment he expresses over not knowing who Edith Wharton is. He asks for a follow up dinner date shortly into their conversation, and the first red flag emerges as he eagerly attempts to plan a trip together to a Yankees game far off in the future, implying his intent on immediate coupledom. Theresa is careful to maintain boundaries however, refusing to give out her home phone number and shrugging off his hug in favor of a handshake. The next day at work Theresa is exposed further to his inordinate eagerness when Tony begins to call her office phone incessantly and sends a bouquet of flowers. At the following dinner date Theresa calmly informs Tony that there will not be a third date. She explains that she simply works too much to commit herself fully to a relationship, but Tony doesn’t buy her excuse, asking her if this is all because he didn’t know who Edith Wharton was. His dejectedness soon is tinged with anger and Theresa flees. Theresa assumes that she’s seen the last of him, but she’s not so lucky. His phone calls become constant and an endless succession of flower bouquets come to her office. Tony eventually sneaks his way up to her office, asking Theresa to lunch. Theresa assertively tells Tony to leave her alone and never contact her again, this leads Tony to fully exposing the anger he’s been hiding within. He unleashes a torrent of misogynistic rage, accusing Theresa as being, among other things, “sexually repressed.” Theresa has a cold, detached nature, common with so many New York women who are used to distancing themselves from a precarious city life in which predators are around every corner. As Tony’s torment continues we see more and more cracks in her outer façade. The fact that Theresa seems so in control and detached makes the unfolding drama and suspense hit even harder. What does it say about our society if someone seemingly so strong and so in control could become so quickly unraveled all over a date gone awry? Her strength and drive is well conveyed in this production through her wardrobe of blazers and pants, giving her the air of a woman who has shrugged off any entrapments of submissive femininity. As the play moves forward Theresa’s life becomes more and more unraveled by Tony and his increasingly violent threats. This scenario is juxtaposed against Theresa’s exploration of her relationship with three other male figures in her life, her kind hearted and fatherly boss Howard (Gregory Ryan), her well-intentioned coworker Mercer (William Peden), and a Russ Meyer-esque director (Robert W. Smith) she is forced to profile for a magazine, who seems to believe his life’s mission is documenting the beauty of women’s breasts. By witnessing the frightening behavior of Tony, Mercer gives his own wide-eyed insights into the gender disparity that exists in society when it comes to sexual behavior. He laments on a popular culture the glorifies male persistence in courtship and confesses his own sexual thoughts regarding Theresa, finding with Howard‘s guidance the boundary that separates guys like him from guys like Tony. Although Howard’s insights seem somewhat overly innocent and facile, they nonetheless serve to explore a culture that would cultivate a person like Tony. Theresa also laments on the play’s message further when she confers with the female
detective assigned to her case, played by Madeleine Beck, although as New Yorkers, one would expect less subtle and more overtly horrifying experiences of sexual objectification and victimization. Although the script’s insights may sometimes seem simplistic or overly naïve, the skill of the actors in this production serve to make the messages expressed more convincing. Dulcich authentically captures Theresa’s tough exterior as well as her frightened vulnerability. Hudson adds to the play’s momentum by giving a chilling portrayal of Tony. Talisa Friedman performs well in the roll of a ditzy assistant without venturing into over the top valley girl clichés. And sound designer Shaun Gunning, who also co-produced the play, establishes each scene well, filling the theater with such sounds as the authentic percussion of forks on plates or the announcements of a New York City subway. Overall, Gilman excavates issues and societal problems that are portrayed on the stage far too rarely. The fact that the script even tackles these issues in a way that feels authentic and honest should be applauded. (Boys Gets Girl plays at Access Theater, 380 Broadway at White Street, through November 20, 2011. Performances are Thursdays at 8PM, Fridays at 8PM, Saturdays at 8PM and Sundays at 7PM. Tickets are $18 and are available at boygetsgirltheplay.com or by calling 866.811.4111.)
Review Fix Exclusive: Kate Dulcich Interview Posted by Patrick Hickey Jr. on 11/13/11 • Categorized as Arts and Dining 1tweetretweet
Review Fix chats with Kate Dulcich and her role in “Boy Meets Girl,” which is currently playing through November 20 at the Access Theatre in New York City. Discussing the performance, its themes and the cast, as well as her career, Dulcich, who also co-produced the show, shares her thoughts on the production and why she believes it’s a must see. Click the Link Below to Listen to the Interview: Review Fix Exclusive- Kate Dulcich Interview
Boy Gets Girl, Girl Gets Restraining Order Sunday, November 13th, 2011 by Angelique Jurgill on Playing Around Women want to be pursued by men…don’t they? A recent October cover of US Weeklyfeaturing Jennifer Lopez certainly reinforced this notion. The cover headline read: “Jen’s Secret Romance: After Bradley pursues her for weeks with late-night calls and intimate dinners, J. Lo spends the night.” This headline reinforces the concept that with enough effort, pursuit and persistence, a man can woo a woman into romance, even if she is initially reluctant. After all, she’s playing hard to get. Her overtures of disinterest are not to be taken seriously. No means yes. But where does one draw the line between acceptable gestures of courting and downright stalking? Boy Gets Girl, by playwright Rebecca Gilman, is a haunting and suspenseful drama that explores the complexity of these
relationship dynamics. It tells the story of a woman whose world and sense of self is forever altered when an innocent blind date turns into an inescapable nightmare. Boy Gets Girl, skillfully directed by Michael Menger and playing a limited engagement at the Access Theatre, centers around Theresa Bedell (Kate Dulcich), a guarded, independent, New York City literary journalist whose complicated past and intense career-focus prevents her from establishing meaningful relationships. She is set up on a blind date with new-to-town Tony (David Hudson), whose awkwardness and eagerness initially come across as more sweet than sinister. While the blind date is filled with more discomfort than chemistry, Theresa agrees to a second date with Tony; after all, doesn’t she owe that to a guy who is making such an effort? But Tony’s persistent calls and flowers make Theresa uncomfortable, even though her fatherly boss, Howard Siegel (Gregory Ryan) and daffy assistant, Harriet (Talisa Friedman) chalk Tony’s assertive behavior up to gallant chivalry. After a second date further exposes their lack of compatibility, Theresa decides to ends it with Tony. But in an effort not to hurt his feelings, Theresa leans on the “it’s not you, it’s me” excuse. Ruffled but not deterred by the rejection, Tony escalates his pursuit of Theresa. Her annoyance at his advances quickly evolve into fear and alarm when she receives threatening, violent and sexually explicit voicemails from him and suspects he is following her. She tries to maintain her sense of normalcy, fulfilling interview assignments with the both repulsive and likeable pornographer, Les Kennkat (Robert W. Smith). Reassured by colleague Mercer Stevens (William Peden) that Tony’s behavior has crossed the line from clueless well-intentioned guy to psychotic creep, Theresa calls on the help of seasoned police officer Madeline Beck (Kellie Johnson). Her defensive actions only seem to further fuel Tony’s fixation and soon the drama intensifies. Theresa’s life becomes consumed by the threat of his looming presence. The once self-reliant Theresa is forced to turn to her colleagues for help and protection while she desperately tries to escape Tony’s volatile grip. In addition to shining light on the dark subject of stalking, Boy Gets Girl incorporates themes of desire, objectification, voyeurism, interdependence, freedom, control and feminism into the complex narrative. But don’t worry; the gravity of these themes is counter-balanced with humor delivered by Talisa Friedman (Harriet) and Robert W. Smith (Les Kennkat) who give pitch perfect comedic performances that serve as a respite from the intensity of the drama. Gregory Ryan, who after a few scenes hit his stride as charismatic boss Howard Siegel, also contributed to the humor. Kate Dulcich, the star actor and producer, deftly exposes the complexity of Theresa, portraying her both as vulnerable and victimized as well as strong and capable. Similarly, although he appears in only a handful of scenes, David Hudson’s chilling portrayal of Tony makes the audience fearful of the mere suggestion of his presence. Overall, the skilled group of actors delivered nuanced and complex performances that such a well-written script deserves. Moreover, the drama was well served by entrancing original music composed by sound designer and producer, Shaun Gunning. The music, used to facilitate the many scene transitions, manages to be both eerie and hip, and effectively compliments the tone for the dark drama. In addition, although the stage was small, the set designed by David Menard was flexible and innovative. The set
impressively accommodated the challenging scene changes – an apartment, hospital room, two offices, and a restaurant – required by the script. Overall, the production was exquisitely acted, directed and staged. The cast and crew skillfully bring to life this incredibly forceful, complex, engaging and evocative drama that, like a stalker, will continue to lurk in your thoughts well after the curtain closes. BOY GETS GIRL is playing a limited engagement at the Access Theatre (380 Broadway @ White Street on the 4th Floor) through Sunday November 20th. Performances are Thursday – Saturday at 8PM and Sundays at 7PM. Tickets are $18 and are available online at www.theatermania.com or at 866-8114111.
Theatre: Off-Off-Broadway
Boy Gets Girl Boy Gets Girl
When Nov 10–20 Thursdays–Saturdays (8–10pm) Sundays (7–9pm) Where Access Theater 380 Broadway 4th Fl 212.966.1047
“Theresa, a busy journalist, agrees to go on a blind date with Tony, arranged through an acquaintance. By their second meeting, it becomes clear to Theresa that she is not interested. Unfortunately, Tony has other ideas. Portraying the all-too common cycle of harassment and stalking through one woman's experience, Boy Gets Girl is most effective in demonstrating how little can actually be done to stop a stalker if he or she has not been physically violent. The story is haunting yet hopeful; frustrating since Theresa is forced to abandon her old life, positive since she succeeds in inventing a new one.” John Peacock, Flavorpill
ELECTRONIC LINK Harry Diesel Productions presents
BOY GETS GIRL Written by REBECCA GILMAN Directed by MICHAEL MENGER Starring KATE DULCICH, TALISA FRIEDMAN, DAVID HUDSON, KELLIE JOHNSON, WILLIAM PEDEN, GREGORY RYAN, ROBERT W. SMITH Stage Manager: CONNOR R. DAVIS Scenic Design: DAVID MENARD Lighting Design: MAX DOOLITTLE Costume Design: JESSA-RAYE COURT Sound Design: SHAUN GUNNING The Access Theatre 380 Broadway (at White Street) 4th Floor New York, NY (866) 811-4111 or www.theatremania.com November 3 – 20, 2011 Opening Night November 5, 2011 Theresa is a career woman in New York. Independent, intelligent, looking for a relationship. She goes on a blind date set up by a friend. Tony’s a nice guy, just not her type. A little needy, perhaps. She breaks it to him gently that she’s just not interested. Her work is very demanding, she says. It takes up all her time. That’s when Tony shows his dark side. And it’s very very dark. Laughs alternate with fear in this play. The characters are very real. Real enough to make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. As Tony’s quest to get the girl intensifies, Theresa becomes more brittle on the subject of female exploitation. She refuses to put up with it in any form, real or imagined. As this ugly courtship reaches its finale, Theresa comes to terms with the inevitable. She also softens a bit, as she sees that we all are vulnerable to the twists and turns of fate. -Karen D’Onofrio-