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SOME SAMPLE REVIEWS THE CRITICS SAY: |  |
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"Pulse Ensemble Theatre's …A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is unexpectedly entrancing…couldn't have been more engaging…a sure fire recipe for a merry summer night." Terry Teachout, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL "You'd have to be a serious curmudgeon not to enjoy the spirit of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, this hour and three-quarters, with child-fairies dancing around in gauze wings, fictional lovers gamboling about slides, ladders and poles, and the real moon rising beside a billion-dollar Hudson River view..." Jonathan Kalb, THE NEW YORK TIMES The Pulse Ensemble production of "A Midsummer Nights' Dream", which took place in the summer air, on a Harlem riverside playground, was one of those magical perfect fits of setting and story…. Midsummer Nights' Dream" continues this tradition of environment-based re-imaginings, and in the process creates one hour, forty-five minute work that is mesmerizing for children while being totally entertaining for adults. Margaret Cross, BROADWAYWORLD.COM W.E.B. DUBOIS: A MAN FOR ALL TIMES "Under Kelly's excellent direction, the play gives du Bois a fiery dignity that the real du Bois would have appreciated" OFF-OFF BROADWAY REVIEW W.E.B. DUBOIS: A MAN FOR ALL TIMES "An enlightening and extremely informative play." ELEANOR LEVINE, THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS W.E.B. DUBOIS: A MAN FOR ALL TIMES " A vivid and effective portrayal of du Bois. It makes for the most surprising and insightful evening I've had in the theatre this season. This play has prompted me to learn more about du Bois, …it is wonderful when a play can prompt you to explore a facet of history or just widen your horizons." DAVID ROTHENBERG, WBAI RADIO W.E.B. DUBOIS: A MAN FOR ALL TIMES "Alexa kelly directed with a sure eye, a trust of the spoken word, and an understanding of the theatrical moment. … a stellar performance by the gifted Brian Richardson--a star if ever there was one. Alexa kelly's perfect sound score--all aspects--acting, directing, lighting, design, come together in a sensitive and unforgettable way." ARTZINE.ORG In MURDER ON THE NILE, Pulse Ensemble Theatre has come through one more time! ...a pleasant diversion for Christie fans,...believable characters, Terry Leong's witty costumes. Irene Backalenick, BACKSTAGE In MURDER ON THE NILE, Director Alexa Kelly and the company are smart enough to play the strengths of the piece, and the result is a show full of thrills and laughs Brooke Pierce, THEATERMANIA.COM Professional is the word for the production of MURDER ON THE NILEat the Pulse Ensemble Theatre on West 42nd Street....expertly directed by Alexa Kelly,...never a dull moment...Adding to the success of the evening is the work of the technical staff, including the admirable set of Zhanna Gurvich Stewart Benedict STAGE PRESS WEEKLY In MURDER ON THE NILE Pulse mounted a terrific-looking production that excelled in many ways, not the least of which was several performances...each had a moment to shine,...Carlie McCarthy was terrific, and when all the pieces were in place, everything made sense. And as the ultimate compliment, audience members on their way out were heard discussing who they'd thought the murderer was. They had, of course, been wrong. David Mackler, OOBR In this production of A FLEA IN HER EAR there was enough convulsive giddiness on hand to keep the show entertaining. These moments were provided chiefly by the ever-glorious Natalie Wilder, an actress who, it seems, can do anything and everything, Joel Jeske, a terrific physical comedian with a superb sense of comic timing, the sublimely daffy Chris Daftsios, whose speed and accuracy with words and movement was simply amazing, and the deftly amusing Rick Coons, who stopped the show cold several times, most notably with his take on "To be or not to be...." Also contributing to the fun were Glenn B. Stoops as a Runyonesque hotel manager and the very game Amy Dickenson as his shrewish wife. (Her costume, make-up, and demeanor were a hilarious comment on a certain class of woman, American or French.) As mentioned earlier, the physical production was gorgeous. Zhanna Gurvich's fabric-draped settings, done on a cleverly disguised shoestring, created sense of opulence that, along with Terry Leong's color-coordinated costumes and Bryan Keller's pristine, creamy lighting, gave the show the look and feel of a 1940s film extravaganza. Doug De Vita, OOBR THE TEMPEST… where the audience is transported to a magical world where they quickly forget that they're only a few feet from 42nd Street traffic. That's only one of the many impressive things about this impressive production. ……Alexa Kelly and her cast's efforts have paid off well. Pulse Ensemble Theatre's production of THE TEMPEST is a perfect late summer evening's entertainment. On a clear, dry, summer evening--which were the conditions when I attended--you can't beat it. CATCH IT WHILE YOU CAN. NYTHEATRE.COM REVIEW, Michael Criscuolo THE TEMPEST, In a lovely intimate courtyard space--with an effective set by Roger Hanna, lighting by Zhanna Gurvich, costumes by Terry Leong, and intoxicating original music by Joseph Pehrson, incorporating bells, wind-chimes and gongs, we are transported from the heart of Hell's Kitchen to a magical island. …Alexa Kelly has assembled and directed a wonderful ensemble with a delicate hand. The entire production is a joy and wonder with spirit, purpose and humor. Hi! Drama, BILL BRADFORD William Shakespeare's KING LEAR is surprisingly well placed in the middle of a power struggle in an Italian crime dynasty during the 1950's. Director Alexa Kelly also scores with a bit of non-traditional casting of the Earl of Gloucester as a woman, portrayed with moving emotion by Hanna Hayes. ...Stylish formal dresses and gowns for the daughters provided by costume designer Terry Leong brighten the stage. Light and sound by Louis Lopardi provide provocative effects for the highway and street scenes. And Jennifer Varbalow foreshadows the violent clashes and tragedy of the second act with bright red drapes in the opening scene. Jeanette Toomer, BACKSTAGE It isn't easy to turn West 42nd Street into fairyland, ... Yet the Pulse Ensemble Theatre's "MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" does just that. Irene Backalenick, BACKSTAGE THE HOLLOW-Alexa Kelly proved an astute director with a genuine feel for action unfolding organically from motivation. John Michael Koroly, OFF-OFF BROADWAY REVIEW In TOP GIRLS, director Alexa Kelly wed actors to script in a brilliant fashion. John M. Koroly, OFF-OFF BROADWAY REVIEW macBETH--This is a fresh, vibrant show that never bores, never slows down. Irene Backalenick, BACKSTAGE Director Alexa Kelly has smoothly set her adaptation of THE SEAGULL in the present...Kelly's direction makes the play accessible...this work is rewarding. Lisa Coleman Bradlow, TIME OUT "THE CHERRY ORCHARD, now receiving a rich and heartfelt production at PULSE ENSEMBLE THEATRE, newly relocated on Theatre Row" Marc Raphael, NY CASTING "PULSE ENSEMBLE THEATRE, pulse for vitality, life force, pulse of society, immediacy." THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE This is a company of skilled performers, and its production of Dylan Thomas' UNDER MILKWOOD, in the Walnut Street's Studio 3, is a very nice piece of work. Douglas J. Keating, THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER "Pulse's OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR, reminds you of a time, not too long past, when soldiering was synonymous with sexy heroism, no matter what the cause" Stephen Holden, NEW YORK TIMES "Go along and be amused, amazed and transported" OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR Clive Barnes, NEW YORK POST | |
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