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​- PAST PRODUCTIONS ARCHIVE -

boys'  life

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BOYS' LIFE:

JANUARY 30 - MARCH 7, 2015


BOYS' LIFE is Howard Korder’s Pulitzer Prize nominated 1980s comedy about the misadventures of three New York City post-college buddies as they haplessly navigate friendship, life, and the women in their lives.

Written by Howard Korder
Directed by Jack Stehlin

with New American Theatre members:

Brendan Brandt, Maggie Contreras, Romy Cutler-Lengyel, Kasey Dailey, Laura Garland, Brendan Gill, Ally Gordon, Noah James, Jeff Kongs, Kate Parkin, Chelsea Povall, Ioanna Meli, Carly Waldman.
​

Dates: Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, January 30 - March 7, 2015

Venue: The New American Theatre at the Theatre Asylum: 
1078 N. Lillian Way, Los Angeles, CA 90038

LOS ANGELES TIMES REVIEW:

​By F. KATHLEEN FOLEY
FEB 04, 2015 

First produced in the late 1980s, Howard Korder's "Boys' Life" garnered a Pulitzer nomination for its portrait of three disaffected young urban men on the prowl for women.

Jack Stehlin, director of the play's current production at the Asylum Theatre, originated the role of Jack -- the most brutally cynical of the trio --  in an earlier one-act that Korder later incorporated into his full-length play.

Stehlin's enduring affinity for the material is evident in his crisply paced and thoughtful staging.
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Unfortunately, Korder couldn't have anticipated the rampant rise of the "bro" culture, or the flagrant female objectification across all formats, from stage to screen to kiddie beauty pageants. In short, what may have been sociologically incisive some 30 years ago seems a bit toothless today.

Still, Stehlin redresses many of the play's shortcomings in this production, which may lack a certain bite, but which still nibbles the funny bone -- and takes an occasional nip at the heartstrings as well.

The women in the show -- all excellent here -- have been double cast. The men remain the same throughout the run. Brendan Brandt's lonely, whiny Phil is comically clueless, as is Noah James' Don, who yearns for emotional connection but just can't summon the words. Jeff Kongs plays Jack, the king womanizer -- and, ironically, the sole married man among these post-collegiate sad sacks, whose raw need -- and scathing contempt -- for women is both telling and terrifying.

Not to damn with faint praise, but Stehlin has orchestrated the play's frequent scene shifts with the logistical finesse of a field marshal. That may seem a negligible point, but it's really indicative of Stehlin's directorial craft, which is evident on every level of this diverting but slight "Life."

"Boys' Life," the New American Theatre at the Asylum Theatre, 1078 N. Lillian Way, Hollywood. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Ends March 7. $18. www.NewAmericanTheatre.com Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.

The New American Theatre

The New American Theatre
Mailing Address: PO Box 586 Culver City, CA 90232
Programming address: The Broadwater: ​6320 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Contact Us

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​The New American Theatre is supported in part by a generous grant from the Los Angeles Arts Commission

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​Copyright, The New American Theatre. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • ON STAGE: LEAR REDUX
  • ABOUT
    • Our Story and Mission
    • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Access
    • ON STAGE >
      • LEAR REDUX
    • Past Productions >
      • OneActs2022
      • Rodney&John
      • Bohemian Nights with Antonio Jaramillo
      • The Jack Twidwell Story
      • Uncle Vanya
      • Benefit and Holiday Party
      • Fall 2019 Festival of New One Act Plays
    • News >
      • LA Theatre Lives On Stage
      • Black Lives Matter
      • LA Theatre Lives On Stage
    • Awards and Nominatons
    • VIDEO ROOM
    • Contact
  • ACTORS
    • Stanislavsky Workshop
    • TESTIMONIALS
    • Artists & Ensemble
    • Membership
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • One Act Plays Contest
  • SUPPORT US